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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1973. First reading meeting.
3/18.
Oh, Lamb of God, still keep up close to thy tears of thighs.
It's only there in Saint We Can Abide #380.
Olama.
Milk.
Hey, I suggest first Thessalonians one your brethren.
For our reading.
Chapter One.
All them so famous and tumultuous under the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:05:08
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work, of faith and labor, of love and patience, of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father. Knowing. Brethren beloved, your election of God for our gospel came not unto you and word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.
As you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake, and you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received a word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that you were in samples to all that believed in Macedonia, and IKEA more from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, McHale, but also in every place your faith that God were to spread abroad.
So that we need not to speak anything.
So they themselves show about what men are entering in we had unto you.
And how you turn to God from idols, to serve the living and the true God, and to wait for a Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
The wonderful thing to know where we are, brethren.
This first chapter tells us.
In God the Father, that's the position in which the assembly is addressed here.
And the second official is in God Our Father, I believe the Apostle bringing himself in with the Saints and that same.
Company all one. And so it's to know where we are that gives us to know.
The meaning of all the expectations that we have in Scripture for our pathway down here, because if we were exhorted on the basis of the Old Testament, it'd be quite different. But when we're in the God the Father, we can understand the relationship.
The basis upon which were addressed in the various expectations which you do have to follow. But I was thinking of the marvelous positions that the Saints had seen in here, and no doubt they were they were very young in the face, possibly the first Epistle.
That the fossil Rd. I'm not sure. But sleep that way and we see a reality here. And the simplicity.
That should characterize the Saints and God at all times.
Would you say that the actors were here? It's on the relationship. They never gone as their father and the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, yes.
Noticing in the strong statistics, certainly have the full title of our Blessed Lord nine times in this first Epistle the Lord Jesus Christ and.
11 Times in the second episode, 20 times in all, the apostles brings before them the Lordship of Christ. How important that is Today we often hear people say I know Jesus as my Savior, but speak to them about the Lord and know what you mean.
Here the Apostle brings before him the Lordship of Christ, and not one new.
The one who has more authority over him, over that man.
And I was thinking through in the first of First Corinthians 6 times in the 1St 10 verses we have the same title.
Corinthians, The Lord Jesus Christ, six times in the 1St 10 verses.
Apostle Paul was ever seeking to bring before the Saints the Lordship of Christ.
I mean, it's so important for today not merely to acknowledge him as Jesus, our Savior, and as our Lord. One has every right over me, the one I have, every authority over me. He has the right to tell me how to work, how to live, how to worship, how to walk, how to do everything.
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So we have all authority over me.
Already to see the three names that are brought together here all.
Except there be the name of carnival to drop out a little. Self will on one occasion and he loves.
Superbly having as a companion in service for the rest of his life.
Well.
Taken with Fall of Companions and then they include Timothy on their first mission.
Journey and we find that Timothy continues with fall also to end the Falls light.
Sort of warning that is.
To act himself with for some personal reason, and it was a personal reason with Harnibus because he was self willed about taking his nephew Mark. There was relationship there.
Often relationships will interfere.
Well Praising the Lord.
Thought nor of praising his nephew, and of doing the will of the Lord.
So he drops out. Never read of him again. In the book of Acts, the stylist becomes devoted companion of the Apostles. He was with Paul when they were beaten in their feet, fastened in the stocks. So we find him going from place to place in company, where that chosen vessel would raise up on God to carry the gospel to the Gentiles.
Now thinking too that while, as you say, Brother Lundeen, that these.
Thessalonians were young believers.
Perhaps the first epistle that was written by Paul was written to them.
And the very fact that they were young believers, they could enjoy in a definite way what is spoken of here as being in God the Father.
When you have God's family divided into three classes, father, young men and little children are babies.
The little children are told that you have known the father.
So that comes in here very expressly and while it shows the simplicity of their faith.
And that there were young believers. Yet there could be nothing so safe and absolutely secure as being in God the following. So the youngest believer has the certainty of the security he has, and he accepts Christ as his savior. Or you know that he is in the hand of the Good Shepherd. He's also in the hands of God the Father.
And the Lord says as such, that they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. But here was an assembly that was characterized by the enjoyment of that special nearness to God as a Father.
Right before what Brother Gladding was bringing before us.
Has special emphasis here in this first chapter.
Our Lord.
Jesus Christ, when you got to the epistle of Jews and Peter, also you have those who deny the Lordship.
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That's right. Now this is what will characterize the last day.
And Brad and Rihanna were in the last days.
Now we don't want to stick on any of this. Spirit, what's the weapon?
And this is what is all around us.
Now one of the ways in which we can take on the spirit of the world, and this is when we hear the word of God not to act on it.
Where to act on the word of God when we hear us? That's only the Lordship of Christ.
Because the flavors not only a part of the brightest stripes, but he's disturbing, too.
Every flavor disturbance.
He's a friend and John as well.
But still, is the servant, and there's a responsibility connected with the walk if they're not.
And there's a friend too. It has to do with obedience, For the Lord says in First Corinthians 15 Ye are my friend if ye do whatsoever I command you.
That's a special.
Position. The Lord brings those who are obedient to his word interest into that weight of friendship, my friends. That's something like Abraham was called the friend of God because God could communicate His mind to Abraham in a way that he could not to others.
So that those who walked in obedience to the Word have the.
Enjoyment of the fact that they are privileged to be among those the Lord called my prayer.
More than that, he made known his his ways of immortal, his acts under the children of Israel. They saw the working out of those ways. But Moses was in the secret of the Lord.
And others saw how those secret purposes of God were worked out as they went on. And I believe that the more we go on in obedience and subjection to the word, the more we'll have the mind of God that gives peace and rest to the soul in the midst of all the confusion and distress and uncertainty that's found in this world.
There are those in system generally have no spot whatever as to what is the head of this world. They think they have to make it better and try to improve it. They don't see that it's a condemned thing and that we're just pilums and strangers on our way to our father's house and we know the end of this whole scene.
If we get careless, maybe we'll get indifferent to this truth and think maybe there is something worthwhile here and not realize what is before us and what is before this world. Of course, as this lovely epistle brings so clearly before our souls is the coming of the Lord Jesus, and I believe our bright and saying that we get the Lord's coming and all five chapters.
The first successful and all the three chapters of the second epistles.
Show that among the first trolls that were taught to the Thessalonians Saints was the hope of the Lord personal return.
Is not also his presence in connection with his comings in the first epistle? That is, it is coming, but in the sense not simply of a general judgment, as it would be perhaps later.
But it's the thought of his presence at the time of his coming, I believe.
And also in this first chapter.
We see such freshness of first love because we see that the word was received with power and the Holy Ghost, and there was an answer to it from the heart.
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It was reality with these who had perhaps come out of idolatry. Some of them at least.
And we're now in the enjoyment of.
That marvelous position of being in God the Father, but also the hope was fresh in their souls of becoming.
And I believe that if we allow the present things to rob us.
Of the enjoyment of eternal things, the hope of the Lord's coming will become dim with us.
And it won't be a bright thing with the state by day.
These were actually pagans. Pagans recently saved just a few weeks.
And apparently they were in the freshness of their first laugh, but they had doubts concerning the future.
They thought that they might not see their loved ones with eyes, and so the Apostle Paul and this wonderful epistle brings before them the new glorious cruise of the Lord coming.
The stand in Christ we rise 1St, and then we which reliable remain to be pulled up together. We want to meet the little stairs. I think that was here, that we have three of the greatest crews of the Christian estimate.
Faith, love and hope. Well, that's for now, listening. Just going down a little.
Memories about ceasing your work of faith when there's faith and labor of love.
There's love and patience, of course.
Lord Jesus Christ, So there we have faith and hope and love.
And further down we have that multiple proof that they turn to God from their idols.
To serve the living and the true God, and the wages come from heaven, so that.
They have heard the God from their idols in faith.
To serve the living and the true God. And there's.
There's.
Well, would you call that?
Love serve the living of the true God, and the weight is not from heaven, both through the twice over and the pistol realm. We do find these great central of the Christian testimony.
Faith, hope and love. And by the way, if we look over into the Revelation, we find something there that's rather contrary.
Well, rather that was lacking in.
Read just a verse and two.
To the Angel of the church. That's the second chapter of Revelation as little.
Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus.
Right these things, says he, that hold of the seven stars. I suppose these would be light bears, would they not, Prevents in his right hand, who walked in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. I know thy works, and thy labor and thy patience, and how the friends not bear them with your evils.
And thou has tried them, which say they are apostles, And our Norton has found them liars, and has borne, and has patience. And for my namesake has labored, and has not fainted. Now in verse four we find something that's very lacking. There nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Well, we can't lose it, can we rather bearing or we can leave it. Is that alright and so?
Here are the great essentials of the Christian estimates seem so to me.
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Faith and hope and love and these recently saved pagans had these pre essentials.
In other words, you'd say, Brother Smith, that you get the labor.
The works and the labor and the patience. But it doesn't say a work of faith. It doesn't say a labor of love. It doesn't say a patience of hope.
It shows a danger that we need to consider and that is.
To just get into a Christian habit, maybe attending the breaking of bread regularly.
Not missing that opportunity.
But just there as a duty, as a as a form, as something that we've been following out.
Well, there's always that danger with us if we are not enjoying the Lord and keeping.
Near to him.
And going to him continually about all our affairs and reading his word and letting his words speak.
And power to our souls, and not resisting thought might affect our conscience.
In other words, it's abiding in Christ and living near the Lord.
Why then, those very same privileges are blessed to the soul? They're the enjoyment of his love and remembering His death. But if we get careless, neglectful of reading the Word and prayer and occupation with Christ, the very same privileges may continue.
And just a formal legal way. And I believe that perhaps was the state that emphasis had dropped into. They had left their first love, and so the very power of work and labor was no longer there. It wasn't a work of faith. It wasn't a labor of love. It wasn't the patience of hope. It was just a going on.
In a formal way.
And perhaps.
Clear the nickel, as a brother once said, and just as cold.
Referred to the second version of Revelation 2. Yeah, because we have those three things left out there, do we not? That we have in our chapter.
We we have the work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.
And so the one who judges is standing there.
With the threat of removal of the Candlestick.
Except repentance.
Even in natural things that would be terribly distressing, but it's not.
The husband and wife were married for 10/20/30 years, and the wife deficiency in cooking, housekeeping and whatnot improved greatly during those years, but her affection gradually faded. Would you find a happy, satisfied husband? He would really be fat, even though perhaps her activities were even more diligent than at the beginning.
If her affection had faded, he would miss it, he would long for it. And you can't help but feel that this was what was on the heart of the Lord as he made his appeal to the Angel of the Church and effort. And it strikes me too that the appeal being made to the Angel of the Church is very, very searching. There was reference made quite a long time ago to a verse in the end of Joshua, and we were just reading that verse again uphold the other day.
In which we read that during the lifetime of Joshua, and during the lifetime of those who outlived Joshua, the people seem to walk in paths of athletes, godly orders. They walked in those things that were enjoying upon them by the Lord.
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But it seems that the Next Generation gave it up.
And turned their hearts toward idolatry. Well, there was a generation that walked in the fear of the Lord.
There was a succeeding generation, and then the third generation gave it up. And it seems to me that the town is very, very, very searching and period. Why did the second generation keep it up and the third generation let go, I have wondered. Scripture doesn't exactly say, but I have wondered if that second generation perhaps could be in men like Joshua and those who were of his generation.
What you have just been referring to in First Thessalonians one that there was a reality and a fear of the Lord and a real faith.
In that generation whose way they could observe.
And could it be that they continued on in the outward activities and forms that they had seen in the generation before them, but without having the Lord personally before them? And the next generation was pretty quick to determine this.
And I'm afraid, President, saying this, that it searches us out, and if we see those who are not bothering the truth to wait, perhaps we seal it off to the values, those whose eyes are being turned away from the Lord and we not look within this, perhaps say to ourselves, can they really see enough that which we thought in the generation that is.
Pretty well gone home to be with the Lord.
No need to mention anything, but I certainly can sit here with.
Very thankful memories of those who not only walk in the truth of the word of God, but we knew that they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the joy of the Lord, and I feel it should search us out Now. This does not make a justifiable excuse for any generation to give up. I feel that it will certainly not be that which will stand in the judgment seat of Christ that anyone could say that the example before my eyes were so failing.
That time to be excused for my carelessness? No. Nevertheless, I feel that what has just been said could really hurt our hearts very, very much. To think of the Curry in the heart of the Lord and He looks down at us and perhaps feeds us carrying on with outward form that are according to the words, but perhaps our hearts are not right with you.
My brother Barry was just mentioning the Lords communist mentioned in every chapter in this first epistle.
I think it's nice to notice that too, in the first chapter is presented as an inspiring hope.
Young convert.
Second chapter is an encouraging hope for the faithful servants.
It's presented in the third chapter as a purifying hope for the believer.
The 4th chapter is the comforting hope for the bereaved.
Want to come to this fourth chapter has been and in the 5th chapter, a rousing host of the sleepy Christian.
So the Lords coming is presented in those five different ways.
Notice that the end of that third verse.
It says And patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, and then in the sight of God and our Father.
Now there are two thoughts brought before US1 for the heart and one for the conscience.
Now when it's for the heart is God has been spoken about the fullness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What a person we have as our savior, our friend.
Has been mentioned and we know is our advocate and our high priest well, in other words, he's our All in all that.
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Blessed One fills the heart the more we think of His love, all that He has done for us and all that He has prepared for us.
To fill the heart with unspeakable joy and bliss, but of another word that is equally important. And that's for the conscience in the sight of God her Father that is.
Much as we can enjoy the person of Christ, we need to remember that we are living and.
Our life is spent in the presence.
Of a holy God, just like the one who said, thou God seeth me.
That no matter whether it's been the light or in the dark, his eye is upon US1 Thinks about Joseph when he was sorely tempted.
There was no idea of human eye to have ever exposed a sin that he could have committed, but he was preserved because.
He wouldn't have sinned against the Lord. He was in the presence of God.
We were speaking Sunday night about Elijah when for Elijah when Naoman came with the the all that gold and silver and said receive a gift of.
By service What? Elijah said no. He thought he wouldn't receive it, and here before him to take it, but he says.
In the book of being in the presence of the Lord, he said. I will not accept it.
Well, if Elijah had accepted that gift, he could have reasoned some very.
Wise and wonderful ways. Naturally speaking, he could make use of that money. He could have built a school for the sons of the prophets, educated a lot of young men to go out and serve as profits. I just want to read it so as to get exactly the fact that he spoke of being in the presence of the Lord. It's in Second King's chapter 5.
The 16 first of second Kings 5 but he said.
As the Lord liveth before whom I stand, I will receive none. We urge him to take it, but he refused. How did he accepted that gift, That beautiful gospel story that has been used, I'm sure, but most of the Lord's service we know at some time would have been forth, because it would have.
Taught their lesson that salvation could be bought with money, whereas salvation is free.
And it's without money and without price. Well, you see how being in the presence of the Lord, he was preferred preserved from a fatal and awful mistake. Well beloved Saints of God, how we need to be asking and living and walking in the presence of a holy God, knowing that His eye is upon us at all times.
Our father would suggest.
The fact that.
He is the one who exercises discipline over his children.
We get that in heater, I believe.
You call on the father without respect of person to judge of every man according to his work.
So we get discipline connected with the father.
And that's another side of the truth, isn't it? When you think of disciplines connection with our way because he loved us and will not allow us to go on in ways that are not pleasing to him. I was thinking also of the second verse. There wasn't too much comment on it.
Have been questions asked recently about prayer.
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We noticed here it says we give thanks to God.
Always for you all making mention of you in our prayers.
Wondered why the apostle could be such a man of prayer when he was so busy. Well, we know that there was part of his life. He was shut up in prison, and we know that perhaps he had a little more time to pray. And I was just wondering if some of us were shut up in prison, whether we would actually pray or not.
The disciples even had to say to the Lord teach us to pray and perhaps it's something that's much neglected today, prayer. We don't realize the value of prayer. But here the apostle, who no doubt is very near to these Saints, we do have the same thing in to the church. That's Philippi. I suppose he was very near to that assembly of Philippi and they were in his prayers constantly.
There we have.
A large list of heart open here to the Apostle. We give thanks to God always for you.
Making mention of you in our prayers, the Apostle didn't seem to have too much here.
To criticize the assembly for.
He was free in his spirit as he addresses God.
Order and maybe just say that prayer in scripture is general.
But when you speak of supplication, it's more specific to some.
Certain thing that you have in your heart. Some specific thing that you perhaps.
Go to God continually about, but then we we find intercession also. These are mentioned in Timothy and this would be for others.
But a doll was accompanied with Thanksgiving. I believe in stricter giving signs from the God and all things by Jesus Christ. So we have here, the apostle says, we give thanks to God always for you, all making mention of you and our prayers, not an expression making mention of you.
It might be easy for us to, in one suite, take in all the Saints in our prayer.
There is such a thing as having an interest in the Saints that they're not and.
In the measure in which we can, I'm sure it'd be a wonderful thing to have the Saints on our hearts individually, and I believe that's what the Apostle often mentioned in his prayer, especially at the end of the epistle. He named them one by one, though he has strictly on his heart for some specific purpose.
I think that's very helpful, Brother London.
I was enjoying that first verse of the first sympathy tools.
The other day.
It says first of all supplications. When you mentioned that, that would be.
Earnest pleadings. Did you say brother More Herman pleadings, supplication. And when you say that prayers would be more general petitions?
For general petition, but interpretations would be perhaps free and confiding.
Prayer and then it says and giving of thanks.
Well, it's not always easy, beloved, to give thanks, but there is when one does give thanks in trials or intention, is the sense there of of the half sense of failure with the law.
Sense in favor there is helpful. It's always has been some of the my soul.
I was thinking of apple fries to shut up in prison as he made the fervently in prayer.
Time to pray.
Occupied of the prison vows, but undoubtedly occupied of the Saints, and their needs relayed.
Prayer with me in prayer.
It was very intelligent prayer, was it not as the next with a particular ministry that had just been opened by the Apostle Paul?
They might stand firm and all the will of God, because in that epistle the the word of God was completed, and they're the full truth in regards to the mystery was made known. And now the Ephraim plays to this end of the Saints might lay hold of this precious bruise of Colossians.
00:45:18
For $6 that comes to my mind below it.
The anxious or be careful, Anxious for nothing.
But it's not always easy. But by the grace of God you can't be in that end to install, but by prayer and supplication, making requests known as God with Thanksgiving.
Well, that's not always easy, is it? But with the state.
Peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep.
And I do love that word. Keep it more like Garrison. Garrison, your heart compliance.
Sam should be around this building this afternoon. You wouldn't feel very insecure. Well, Mr. Thought, there becomes Garrison. Your hearts of 95.
We have some bananas, but this is.
I never think about one of some lines.
Who pray? I think your brother London is born out nicely and efficient sex, isn't it?
Season 6 and verse 18.
Now the Apostle says praying always.
With all prayer and suffocation in the Spirit, and watching there undo with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints, All Saints.
And then he says, And for me, don't forget.
And for me?
He was taking lampreys too. Felt the need of.
Remember the young brothers saying at the end of the prayer meeting one?
All right, if we, young brothers, say Amen to you, all the brothers, when you pray, I said, Well, it's a very easy way out. But the Lord says, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice.
I leave the moment, remind me to hear the voices of the young brother too.
That he thought of sufficient just to say Amen to another brothers friend.
With the order two in the verse that our brother Eric Smith was referring to.
With Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known. That's rather remarkable. It is not very, very often the case with us that we let our requests be made known with sort of an understanding that when we get the answer and if the answer is the way we want it to be.
Then we'll try to remember to give thanks, but the order of the verse is careful for nothing but in everything by prayer.
With Thanksgiving led to requests be made known to me. That is so very, very searching. And yet why should it not be in that order? For to whom am I making these requests? I'm making them to someone whose love and whose power and whose foreknowledge is absolutely perfect. Now, can I not give thanks, man, in preventing a request?
To someone whose love and power and foreknowledge is absolutely perfect, he is going to answer according to that love and that foreknowledge. So in presenting the request is the thought in the verse six. I can thank him even as I present the request, knowing that he will hear it, and that his answer will be according to that love and that for knowledge.
So the book. I ask him for a nice bright sun day tomorrow and I Blizzard.
Well, if I presented my request, went back, giving a piece of thought will still rain in my heart. For I'll know that his love and foreknowledge has chosen better than my wisdom in Athens. But if I omit that Thanksgiving, if I ask in sort of reserve the right to give thanks when I get the answer I want, I'll be frustrated very, very often. But I'd like to see in the Saints of God.
00:50:15
A thief. That's their mouth every circumstance. The problem? I believe it indicates that their prayers, their requests, have been presented with Thanksgiving.
With regard prayer, one would not be critical at all, but sometimes we hear the prayer finished in this way in the name of Jesus.
Well, I do believe it's more harming for the Lord to finish the prayer by saying asking the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not merely in the name of Jesus.
Yeah, I'm reminded of the story that was told me by our brother Clawson, who's now with the Lord of.
Bread and rhodium from Russia.
In regard to a Christian farmer whose field had been destroyed by hail.
And the Atheists farm across the road wasn't touched.
So the atheist neighbor thought he would go over to take a look at his neighbors field that had been destroyed and as he went toward the barn he heard a boy.
And so he cautiously crept up to the corner of the barn and listened. And this is what he heard. The Lord, I thank thee for sparing my neighbors field.
Well, there was prior Thanksgiving.
In this third verse.
Could I just call attention again to the verse that has already been commented on? But.
Your work of faith.
Could we say, brethren, that unless what we're doing is in keeping with the teaching of the Word of God, is not a word of work of faith?
There's such a thing as bringing our own ideas into the things of God, and I don't think that's the work of faith. I believe that.
Faith would always bring in the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. And unless we have the principles of the Word behind what we do, it is not a work of faith.
I suppose their work of faith here is in verse 9.
Who turned across arrivals?
The words of faith.
Sir, I've been living in the true God.
The labor of love and to wait for his uncomfortable.
Invasions of hope.
In the first chapter, the first verse, rather the grace and Ephesians we read by great life saying through faith and that not of yourselves is the gift of God. But yeah, I do not believe the brain here that would say it. Isn't it the grace which sustains them day by day insurance and I feel.
Could we connect with that then brother gladding what we have in the end of?
Hebrews 4 we.
Have a shortage of which we can approach. I believe this would apply not only to ourselves as individuals, but I believe in a collective way.
That there is great supply for timely health. And surely these Saints to whom the apostle was writing, needed help at that time in their persecutions.
But they had the great the promise of grace for them for timely help.
And they hadn't wondered whom they could go in there, indeed, and finding him the source of all grace.
You come to the fourth verse and says, knowing brethren beloved your election of God, I believe they would better translation knowing brethren below your election.
00:55:13
No election as a family secret.
That is, that every believer was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. We don't preach that to sinners. The word to sinners is whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.
I'm sure we've all heard the illustration, but it's worth repeating. And.
That it's like someone going to.
Arch And he sees over whosoever will let him take of the water of light inside the arts, he sees the fountain of the water of life. He goes there and drinks, and is refreshed. Someone says, Have you seen the inscription on the inside of the arts? He turns around, and on the inside of the yard she reads, Chosen in him Christ before the foundation.
All the world so after we have.
Found Christ as a Savior, then we discover.
The wonderful, amazing facts that God had us marked out back in eternity.
For this place and blessing that he has brought us into.
Under the very fact that, as he says here, knowing brethren, beloved, your elections.
Leads to praise to think that a poor unworthy creature like myself.
Was chosen in Christ to be brought into all this blessing and happiness and joy. When we see a world going on in darkness and unbelief, going on to eternal destruction, why did God choose you and me?
To have all this blessing that He bestows upon us.
If some of us remember the.
Form that runs like this, why was I made to hear thy voice and enter while there's rules, while thousands make the wretched choice and rather starve and come 12 The same love that spread the peace, that sweetly force me, and as I am still refuse to taste and perish in life in.
It's taking up the Great sufferance, and as you remember the Great supper in the 14th of Lewis, there's only one service there, and that servant is told to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in. That my house may be built in Matthew 25, where you get the Greek dinner.
There its servants in the plural, and the servants are told to bend the guests to come in. That's all a servant like ourselves can do, is to invite lost sinners to accept the failure. But the servant, the Holy Spirit, can compel us to come in, not against our will, but he makes us willing on the day of his power.
Election is not a preliminary question of assessment before the Senate comes to Christ, but is the glorious encouragement after he has come in.
My father said the apostles who will never preach the election descendants, but he taught us the state.
We're doing a large amount of other barriers not against our will.
Well, I thought the next chapter, you see that's in the 14th chapter.
Is the 15th chapter where you get the return of the prodigal son the father divided his living, where the son who said father give us the fortunate falleth to us and let him go into the far country and live a ride of life, and then he comes to the end of himself, his money is spent and.
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There in his great need and poverty and poverty and starvation.
He says I'll arise and go to my father. There is the steps, as it were, the way that it works, that the center is made willing when God's great acts in his conscience and brings him to the realization of his awful quality and his tremendous need. I don't know whether that would answer. You see, in the 14th chapter, you get the great supper.
And then the and the 5th.
Chapter against the Now the guests brought in.
I like to think of it too, in connection with that practice word draw.
In the 6th chapter of Dawn and the 37th verse, all of the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast thou.
Then again in the.
Same chapter.
44th verse No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him. I love that expression. It seems to me to be just so very, very delightful. You and I are going to look back and thanks God for all eternals for his drawing power. Drawing, not driving, but drawing. To me it's a very practice, and also the way in which it's put.
In that 37th person, guest seems to me to be so beautiful.
We often hear the last part of the earth quoted him that cometh to me. I will, and no wise passed out a very beautiful verse. But the book, the whole verse, seems to me to be so much more beautiful. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me half.
It has come to me. I will in no wise cast out. I hope I may finish with all reverence, but in reading it you would just naturally think. But the Lord did the work He endured, the suffering He bore all that judgment. Does He not have the right to whom He will to be the fruit of all that toil? Having accomplished all that mighty work of redemption? He looked up and said, from all of the Father given me shall come to me.
He leaves the toy with the fathers, and so completely doesn't leave the joint that he says whomever the Father may choose to come to me, I will not cast him out. If the Father would choose to bring to me the one who put the spear in my side, I will not cast him out.
Makes it doubly beautiful because you and I can look up and realize that by sovereign grace we are the father's gift to the son. And the son in receiving this gift looked up and the father for that gift that has been remarked on. I know in 70s of John he looked up, I believe seven times to mention his delight in recognizing us as the father gift to him.
That word draw, I believe, is those practice.
I was thinking connection with that word draw. We have it in Song of Solomon, the first chapter.
Draw me, we will run after thee Now is that not the expression of first love?
The the Father has drawn, but now the soul realizes that they are beloved, as our chapter states here, beloved of God.
And now having realized this, and the answer of the heart is drawing.
And does it say I will run after thee?
I'll read, it says.
First of all, let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. For thy love is better than wine. That's the assurance of affection, because of the Savior, thy good ointment. Thy name is as ointment for For therefore do the virgins love me, draw me. We will run after thee. The King has brought me into his chamber. We will be glad to rejoice in these. We will remember thy love more than wine.
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The upright lovedness. I believe that first law.
And when?
When?
The when the.
The drawing power in one soul brings him to express himself. Draw me Why he then he leads others in the same direction, to follow the one who has won his heart.
The 14th and 15th chapters of Lyrics Mansions.
And we might add 16 chapter. I'm either summed up in a simple way in the 14th Jasmine, the Earth and its Madness and refusing the Great Summer.
The fifth thing is chapter we have and is gladness.
Father receiving the son and the 16th Chapel you have hailed and his sadness.
Earth and this madness. Heaven and his gladness and hell and his sadness.
Very true to see on the 14th chapter you have Man's world in the beast where everyone was trying to get the best place. And isn't that just the character of the whole world in which we live? Everyone is pushing ahead, trying to get in the best place, regardless of the results that we'll have together just so we can push ahead and exalt himself.
But in God's world we have that in the 15th chapter, the very opposite, the one that becomes the joy of heaven, is the one that got down to the very bottom of everything comes in as a poor repentance center, so that there's joy in the presence of the angels of God over 1 Sinner that retain it.
We are forced to use a very delicate hands in the ministry to the strength here in the next chapter we have.
Is that he has a nurse, nurse with his children and as a father and the money should be children.
He doesn't work in the strange field with the Microsoft trend.
There were newly controversy, and we often pray for things when we hear of trouble. When we hear of difficulties or please, actually I do, I we're talking less.
Very much. Whoa. There's problem on the sorrow and but years that were going on well and he used delicate hands. He noted all the sisters first the doctrine. Common expectation to follow the Pentagon here.
There's nothing much to play, but it starts to their knees and mother when he speaks to children that they where she doesn't give them the strong meat, she she keep happy, keep them from crying.
Persecution to our year and he doesn't even mention the hope of his coming third is the common here is in judgment ethnic. They hope he presents in the 4th chapter afterwards because they were distressed about the ones that died.
But nevertheless it presents Christ to them, and encourage them to go on with praise for them. And in the freshness or love for them. We need to be attached to Christ. Onions, no matter what comes alone they can be living in a hard time. Living on everything is given up well.
Look for the time when I Smith London. The time and the white stone be given out Tuesday might be disapproval of our way. Because my proud and administration man, he's not right. I know he's not right. Well, we can look beyond that. There's a time coming. Then he'll prove it or have come from the right choice. And so he can invite him to go on and he's touched whether he loves them to come here onto what he says.
And because they were separated, he wanted for his life to stay longer with him. But.
He will come back and his heart long mistake for that they would go on because he wanted to go on and when the Lord would come.
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Of the real encouragement from that illegal unfaithfully for the Lord.
Now in the fifth verse we read, for our gospel came not unto you and word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
We could ask the question, what is power?
I have thought that if that switch brings souls into the presence of God.
It isn't merely hearing.
A well worded discourse.
A very eloquent service, but it might be in feeble words. It might be poorly expressed, but if it has that about it that brings sinners right into the presence of God to realize their need and their loss conditions, there is where we see that power that the apostle speaks of here.
So it was the power and of the Holy Ghost. That is, it wasn't just man speaking and others listening. The Holy Spirit of God was making use of the Apostles to bring out a message that God could use.
And which he did use in the salvation of these Thessalonians.
So it shows that those who proclaim the gospel need to be near the Lord. So that's the Holy Spirit of God can make use.
Of such a one as a vessel.
To bring up what he has to bring before so.
Sometimes the person may be at a gospel meeting for many years and never received the gospel.
I wonder if this expression?
In the Holy Ghost would suggest what you've been saying, but also the fact that the Holy Ghost brings understanding.
That was true on the day of Pentecost. That's the anointing and.
You may explain the gospel to a person many times, and they don't understand this. They don't see it.
But when the Holy Ghost? When the Holy Spirit brings conviction.
It's simple.
Understanding. And that's what happened with these things.
Now in the Hebrews, the 10th chapter we have.
We have to prove the connection with.
The believers position.
10th chapter.
The 14th, 1St.
For buy one offering yet perfect, good forever then that are sanctified.
Where are the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us, For after that he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days of the Lord. I will put my laws into their hearts and their minds when I write them, and their sins and iniquity.
Well, I remember no more. Now we here I have the Spirit of God opening up to the heart the understanding of what salvation was for the Jew of that day, and for any, of course, that this is written to the Hebrews.
I believe that it's absolutely necessary.
That the Spirit of God opened the heart and the understanding, otherwise there'll be no salvation.
So we should thank God for the Lord Jesus and that work at Calvary, that we should thank him too for the Spirit of God that opens our hearts to receive the message.
Our brother was Speaking of the power, and do not think that the power is recognized and and the result yourself and the much assurance receives when what follows is the case. And you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. There was a conviction that these men were telling the truth because they had acted.
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According to the Holy Spirit and power.
The power given to the truth of all these spirits rather that cause them to speak the truth, and they acted the truth.
So there was a manner that gave force to the power.
That's very important, Brother Smith.
Is it not also true, brother, in connection with that fourth verse where it says knowing Reverend belongs, your election of God and even the apostle Paul had no specific separate revelation as to who the elect were.
The only way he could know what by seeing the result of the fruit of the preaching of the.
God. When the gospel of the grace of God has been preached and the effect was seen in the light, then he could say, knowing your election of God, is that not right? That certainly is, brother.
And he became followers of us.
Of the Lord having received the Word in much afflictions with joy of the Holy Ghost.
Shows again that not only.
And Paul preaching is like his behavior. His conduct in the city of vessel Naka had been such that those heathen people felt there was a reality.
About these men that were presuming the word to them when they received the message, their hearts were open to accept the Gospels. By then. The same man whose life committed the gospel to them is the one who's, like now was guidance for them as believers.
Becoming flowers of us and of the Lord. And we need to understand then that.
They didn't have the whole New Testament as we have it. I suppose there's very little of the New Testament written at that time and as it was mentioned that perhaps.
These pistols of Thessalonians were the first, the Apostle wrote. So the lives of those who?
Instructed the Saints was the Bible, as it were, for them to go by.
Often been sent the only Bible the world has of the Christian life.
And if our lives are inconsistent, if we're one thing one day and another thing another day where one thing in meeting an entirely different when we're not in meeting.
No brother that got completely away and I observed this, that in the meeting he was a very helpful brother.
Took a nice part that I was with him when he was talking to some of his business associates and when he was with men like that he used the language of the world. So you never know that what he was just as worthy a man.
As those he was talking to.
Well, that isn't right. That isn't pleasing to the Lord, and it proves to be true in the case of this man. When? When?
Temptation came when he fell away.
Which is just reality, doesn't it?
We have that in this first with much afflictions. It was during the days of the persecution that the Church grew, was it not? But it really tested those who made the profession to see whether they were real or not.
And.
It could be that the Lord will will yet test the profession of Christianity on the earth before He comes. It could be how good it is to be in the enjoyment of that verse, Knowing, Brethren Beloved, your election of God, to be in the real enjoyment of this cruise in our soul.
Being conscious of our position in God the Father. To be conscious of what we do is in the sight of God our Father, and we have reality, do we not?
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November 8th, her brother says. Brother, I can't hear what you say because of what you do.
Well, that's the best.
We are officials, known and read of all men.
God would ever live day by day.
Community was himself the law of Jesus.
Well, in this for a good testimony.
In order that we enjoy communion.
That we have to keep short accounts.
Judge until Reverend, the moment we begun, we begin to think that we boast of something in the.
Danger we are just having.
Garbage presents so much of our own nothing.
Man called of God into his service, so he falls from a place of strength, realizing their own nothing.
I've always enjoyed that.
We see a nice picture of that in the Elijah and the 6th of Second Kings you're Speaking of when they.
Of Syria sent a whole army to get to catch Elijah. Elijah in the confidence that a thing of this in connection with the assurance the young man gets out early in the morning and he sees that the the two of them are completely surrounded by an army and Elisha doesn't even go to look, he just.
Speaks a short prayer, just says, Lord, open the young man's eyes. He prayed with such confidence. And when the man, young man, thighs grew open, he saw that the angels of God were surrounding them. Well, that's what we have here before. It's not really in the midst of all the persecutions that they add here. So I talk and pray with such assurance, and this is the way we can do.
I like the pattern of the increase effective versus 267 and eight.
Invert 6. Having received the word in verse 7 so that ye were and sample and in verse 84 from you sounded out the word of the Lord. I believe there's a very significant message for us there. I believe it was truly displayed in the testimony of the apostles.
Was it not Ezra also who had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel back to congestion?
Though I believe that order is that which we can really look to the Lord about having received, that's been passed by the grace of God being entrusted. Should there not empty a desire to be an example so fast. The sounding out of the word made by the good hand of the Lord be respectful. A very power that was spoken of, is. I believe it's proportional to the way in which this border is carried out. I think of that verse he did half no solar.
Let him sell his garments and buy what?
Well, I suppose every believer heroes survival with every one of them might be able to quote a few verses, at least from the word of God.
But who is there here that can use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, in a way that is effectual toward the Law?
Or among our breadth.
I believe that we can't help them feel the truth.
I believe that it's in the standard in which this is true. PAVA, selling the arm of my perhaps need more than one thing, might suggest the buying up of opportunities to become familiar with the word of God. But I rather look upon it as perhaps even surrendering that which might be our natural rights in this world, shall we say, taking.
The most place that walking as those who realize.
Our home citizenship is heavenly. Bearing such a testimony produces the use of an effectual source, receiving it and then walking as examples and then sounding it out.
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Some of David's mighty men that could use their left hand as well as the right weren't there.
I think it's nice to brother out the end of the verse 8.
That I need not to speak anything off the ball, need to go around and say, well, that person is a Christian, I'm sure of that.
Every evidence of it in their lives.
Need to go around and tell people who they were. They were showing themselves as Christians. There was.
Every evidence, so the fact that.
Save the Lord as a savior, and they are standing out from where under God.
Everything 173.
A little while, the Lords will come.
And we shall wander here no more. You'll take us to the Father's boat, where he for us is gone before to dwell with him, to see his face and sing the glories of His grace.