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General meetings, Ottawa, March 1975, Second reading meeting.
Welcome to the Colossians.
Chapter One.
All an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and to multi as our brother for the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are Colossians. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we've heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the Saints, brother, hoping to laid up for you in heaven, wherever you heard before, in the word of the truth of the gospel which has come unto you as it is in all the world, And bring it forth root, it does also in you since the day you heard of it.
And knew the grace of God in truth.
As he also learned of Epifras, our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit?
For this 'cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and your desires. You might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
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That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, under all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness, joyfulness.
Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints and light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.
For by him were all things created which are in heaven.
Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or dominions or principalities or power, all things are created by him and for him.
And he is before all things, and by him all things consent.
And he is ahead of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it please the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell.
And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all these unto himself, by him I say, whether there be things on earth or things in heaven.
And you there was some time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now had the reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you wholly and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight.
If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard and which is preached to every creature which is under heaven, where have I, Paul, and made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up averages behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for the body's sake which is the church?
Where have I made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you?
To fulfill the word of God, even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations.
But now it's made manifest to his Saints, to whom God will make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. For unto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
I just mentioned at the beginning of our meeting that I'm sure all who have read Ephesians have seen the similarity between Ephesians and Colossians.
But you will observe this difference that Ephesians gives us the fullness of the body.
Colossians gives us the fullness of the head.
And we'll find as we go on in this epistle that the enemy was busy seeking to bring Christ down to a lower level and connect him with other.
Imaginary beings saw that they were in danger of philosophy and vain deceit of the.
Surrounding philosophers of that day and getting away from the lowest of the person of the head, so we can see the apostle is leading an error, and in that way he exalts.
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Christ in the Lord's precious marvelous way. And this is one of the three chapters that especially give us the glories of Christ. I was thinking of the three. The first chapter of John, the first chapter of Hebrews, and the first chapter of Colossians especially give us the glories of the person of Christ.
In Ephesians, is it not Christ?
The believer in Christ, or in Colossians, it's Christ in you, the hope of glory.
I was thinking, as you remarked, about the glory.
Joseph had a coat of many colors.
And, brethren, that's to be our occupation now.
What the scriptures reveal about the glories of Christ, these are object.
He's our hope and in Luke's gospel, which introduces us really into heavenly things.
We have the three glories mentioned in the 9th chapter when the Lord Jesus will come.
He's going to come in his own glory.
And he's going to come in the Father's glory, but he's coming in the glory of the angels or over the angels. Now it's been said that glory is excellence in display.
I'm sure that's true, but.
Its excellence also in another way, and that's the way in which you and I are to lay hold of it now as we have in Ephesians, and that is that we might know Christ and beloved that's in the inner man.
That we enjoy the glory now in the inner man. We can't observe the outward glory now.
But these two books are given us Ephesians and Colossians, so that you and I as Christians.
Might have an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom that we might be already in the enjoyment of what we're about to enter into the glories that surround our blessed Savior. And you know there are no glories higher.
There are no there are no higher truths.
Than what we have in these two books. I'm sure that John is in keeping with what we have here in the first chapter has been mentioned and also Hebrews. But there's the glory seen in a little different way in each one, is it not? But if we're occupied with the truth of these two epistles, our spirits are raised above the world through which we're passing and will be like the Bridegroom and the Song of Solomon.
On the top of the mountain, above the obstacles, our spirits will be raised above what surrounds us.
So that we can enjoy.
Our passing through this world.
You know what it was said of Joshua and Caleb? Someone made this remark that although they couldn't enter the land when they wanted to.
They had a a happy spirit as they went through the desert, and because they had hope, they had already seen that land. And brethren, that's what God wants you and me to do. Now He wants us in these two books to see that land.
And enjoy it now.
Mentioned that we trained from that which is negative to that which is positive, and in the Gospel of a John chapter, one I enjoy just now a verse verse.
16 in which you say and always fullness.
We all have received grace upon grace. That's the epistle to the colloquialism and obvious fallenness. We all have received grace upon grace, and that's what we need.
Mother has said that in Ephesians it's what the church is to Christ. And so he has spoken of his head over all things to the church that is having that great affection for the church. He loved the church and gave himself for it. Why he's over everything. And seeing he is over everything. Why the abundance of the blessing distilled is brought before us so beautifully in the epistle to the Ephesians.
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And that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. In Colossians it's rather what Christ is to the Church. And so he has spoken of not his head over all things, but head of the body of the church, and so the glory of his person, his exaltation.
He is in himself is particularly brought before us in Colossians, and that's why this especially precious and bringing before us the glory of the person. But it's lovely to connect it, as it's been said with Ephesians, because this glorious person is the one who has such affection for the members of the body and all that glory that he has. He is going to share as much as it's possible to share with those who are so dear to his heart.
It's interesting too. I believe the notice of In Ephesians we find the body mentioned in the dead center of the epistle. In Colossians we find the head of the body in the dead center of the epistle, and in Philippians we find the gospel in the dead center of Philippians by which the church was formed.
After you light encounter verses, there are 77 verses before the body and 77 after the body. In Colossians there are 47 before the head and 47 after they head.
In Philippians as 51 before the gospel and 51 after the gospel.
And it's not by chance they're placed in that way, surely, is it?
In both the visions and in Colossians at the beginning of the Epistle we have the mention of faithful Brethren.
Don't get the thought that the apostle is separating or distinguishing.
Few that were more spiritual or devoted than others.
In fact, it takes in all the family.
Because you could put it like this, those that have faith.
So it doesn't that it is a just addressing a few.
That he's addressing all the family and that takes in the younger members as well as the older members.
Wonderful, isn't it, how the apostle himself could rise above his trials? We could scarcely think of a man a prisoner chained to a soldier. Have for at least.
Four years he'd been a prisoner, and yet his heart rising so far above.
The circumstances in which he was placed.
And then, even though he was.
Confined to Roman as a prisoner, his affections went out to.
All God's children well known to himself, because much of the work, especially on the Gentile countries, had been the work the Lord used him, and when he brought the gospel among the the unsaved.
So he says in the 5th, the third verse we thank we give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ and of the love which he have to all the Saints.
Well, although he saw a danger for them, and he was instructing them so as to.
Deliver them. Yet his affections went out in a very rich and wonderful way, so that he his prayers were for them and he was thanking God for their faith and their love to all the Saints. Now isn't that an important word for us? We don't want to limit our love.
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Just to any.
Limited circle, but going out to All Saints wherever we find any of God's children.
Why? Our affections go out to them, and we should cultivate those affections so that when we meet God's children.
In our travels, as we go about that, we might be ready to encourage them.
Because we are members of the same body, although we may be separated because.
Of systems that man has set up.
That faith and hope is it not connected with the next verse, and the thought perhaps this that.
It's on account of that hope which is laid up for you in heaven.
That is.
The believer so occupied with the head, the one that he's going to, the affections flow out to other Saints and there's an interest.
An activity in the gospel as a result, so that there must be an object for the heart and all that we do down here for Christ if it's a faith as a result of having the object before us. Otherwise it's simply a form. So it's really on account of that or because of that hope, that leaves the thought, is it not?
There are the three things that characterize Christianity, faith, hope, and love. We often find them brought together. They're brought together here. Faith. That is when we put our trust in the Lord Jesus, Then faith works by love. As soon as we are saved, the affections flow out to all the redeemed. And then there's a hope before us, isn't there? And even amid all the breakdown and ruin of everything that is committed to man.
What a blessed hope. We're going to see all the Saints of God another day with and like Christ. And so as the apostles affections go out to all the Saints. Then we find in the end of the chapter the 28th verse, whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. That is, when we love the Saints, we desire that they would be brought to the full knowledge of His will.
And into the full blessed light and liberty of the Christian possession. How many? We find that our hearts go out to them, but they're not established. They haven't really entered into the fullness of blessing that has been brought to them through Christ and in Christ. Oh, what a privilege we have to bring this before them. Well, Paul had this as a burden. He even speaks of it in the second chapter in the first verse as a great conflict.
It was such a burden on his heart as he saw so many true children of God who weren't in the enjoyment of that which belonged to them and.
Having other things before them rather than Christ, that he really not only sought to bring the truth, but he had it as a real burden upon his heart.
The Lord could say.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. If you have love one toward another, so that would be a witness to the world, surely, that we belong to Christ, wouldn't it? By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have loved one toward another.
This fifth verse gives us the contrast between Ephesians and Colossians, for in Ephesians we're raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
That's perhaps the highest thought that.
At that we could have.
Asked to.
Are standing before God that we give us is already.
In that scene of glory where Christ has taken his place only we need to notice this that it doesn't stay seated together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, but in Christ Jesus, that is, God sees me in Christ.
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That's my standing. Well, if I'm in Christ, well, where am I? If I if he is up there, I must be up there too in His purposes. And counsels well, the Ephesians were in a state to receive this truth, so high and so glorious. But in Colossians, instead of being seated in heaven, they have a hope made-up for them in heaven.
And that gives us another view of the Christians blessing, and that is that we're still down here in the wilderness and we're on our way to our Father's house and our hope is up there. And the Spirit of God would have us occupied with that hope that is set before us so that we do not settle down in this scene.
As something infinitely more glorious.
And half his before us.
Can we say that in Colossians they are seen across the Jordan, but they're at the point of Gilgal? They haven't yet possessed the land. The captain of the Lorde Host is brought before them as the one who is going to give them the possession of the land, but they haven't yet possessed it. Whereas in Ephesians we are seen, as you say, in possession of the land and the conflict to keep the enjoyment of it, because the enemy would ever seek to press in and rob us of what has been given to us.
And they're to take the shoes off of their feet there, are they not? Because it's holy. And I believe that's what we have in Colossians 3, where we're to set our affections on things above. But then we mustn't neglect the next part, not on things on the earth, so that if we think of the apostle who wrote this.
Humanly speaking, he wrote them in his darkest days.
As far as his circumstances were concerned, to be in a Roman prison, expecting the executioner at any moment.
God had soul emptied the vessel, that there was nothing left with Christ and that blessed hope. Now this is a lesson for us, dear brethren, in days of prosperity. We shouldn't encourage prosperity. Now it's we should be thankful.
For what God gives us. But we shouldn't seek these present things, not on things on the earth.
Because they're only going to hinder our soul. Because if we seek them, then we have another object before us. And so I believe that we learn from Colossians and Ephesians that in order for our souls to enter into these highest truths, there must be that self denial, setting aside things that we naturally would seek after, not on things on the earth.
What you are saying Brother Hale about?
Being just across the Jordan but not yet in possession of the promised land is certainly.
Has made clear in connection with circumcision that you get in the second chapter and that was after they were across the Jordan, that then they were circumcised.
That is, the cutting off of the flesh is a very simple illustration of judging everything that belongs to the old man, the flesh. Whenever the flesh presents itself, where to deny it, Put it in the place of death. So that is specially mentioned in Colossians.
And the lovely to see how the how the Spirit of God has given these Old Testament illustrations for us.
Yes, I think the place where it's brought before us there at Gilgal, then we find Joshua warning the people that if they took any of the things of the land for themselves or made any alliances with the people of the land, it would only be a snare to them. And that was a can sin, wasn't it?
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He took the gold and the silver and the goodly babylonish garments and hid those things in his tent. Well, now the silver and the gold was to be taken, but it was not to be hid in their tent, but it was to be brought into the treasury of the Lord. And that's the thing I believe that speaks to us, that anything that we have or hold, that we cannot have and hold is belonging to the Lord is only going to become a snare to us.
These these things may be useful.
If used for the Lord. But if they're used for ourselves, or if we listen to the wisdom of this world, when those Gibeonites came and presented something that looked very nice, how we see they were deceived. I think that's why it brings in philosophy and vain deceit. So they made an alliance with these Gibeonites and they became a snare to them. Well, all these things are a warning and they're that bigger of it. All is in the crossing of the Jordan and the entrance into the land.
But here the doctrine of it in Christianity is brought before us and speaks to our hearts.
Well, you have the gospel firstly mentioned wherever you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. So it shows that the gospel of the grace of God when preached according to the mind of God, it gives.
Something better than this world.
Or to be brought before the center, how different the gospel of the Kingdom will be. Instead of giving him a hope in heaven, it will be giving him a hope on earth. And that gospel which the Colossians had heard had brought forth. And it's in connection with having the heavenly hope that we see fruit in the lives of God's children.
That's the evidence, isn't it, Of life, the fruit.
So the region of the gospel, of the grace of God, and not only we are to preach the forgiveness of sin, but the blessed hope that brings before us Christ, is the object and that is common. Is that what you have in this world?
So there was fruit and those that heard it, and then the fruit was seen in those who preached it.
And that's good, isn't it?
Because.
Really. The one who speaks his life?
Must set forth what he teaches and measure at least.
Otherwise it's simply like a parrot.
Who is carrying something that he doesn't appreciate himself?
Good nicely in first Thessalonians, isn't it?
First chapter. So that's your ensembles of all that believe in Macedonia and the Kaya. For from you sounded that the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Akaya, but also in every place your faith in God would be spread abroad so that we need not to speak anything.
What a beautiful example of that, that the gospel is brought in here to to lead us on to the to the truth that the apostle is springing before the Saints.
Not only of what we speak of is the simple gospel that is to tell us all how they might be saved from hell, but he's leading us on a little further now to the truth that includes the whole gospel that Paul preached. And this is completed, is it not in his first chapter. And so he uses such expressions as.
In the.
10th verse.
The true knowledge of God and in the ninth verse it really should read, isn't it? The full knowledge of His will so that it's really completing and bringing us to the fullness of the truth of the gospel in this epistle.
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He says in the seventh verse, as he also learned of F Press, our dear fellow servant who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.
Well, that was important, especially for the Colossians, because they were coming among them.
Those that said, well, there's something higher than what Paul preached, something far in advance.
That was this Gnosticism that he evidently had to was contending against. But here was a quiet, humble man that he also mentions.
In the end of the epistle, in the 12Th verse, Epifras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluted you, always laboring fervently for you in prayer, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
011 Thought is that Wild Tall had such a gift. I don't think God ever had a more gifted servant to fall, but he was happy to recognize unlike a Peppers ever pressed who.
Who had given them further light on the truth and helped the Saints? And while Paul, as you say, Brother Hale, was wrestling in prayer for them, he had a helper.
And that was epic. Was helping in the same service of prayer as well as encouraging these Colossians. And isn't that important president that the service of the Lord is not just confined to?
Ministries such as Giving Out of the Truth and Preaching the Word or Teaching, but it's also.
Service on one's knees.
So what a beautiful example we have here, but each of them are better than themselves. I was noticing in our first chapter the Apostle Paul twice. In verse 23 and 25 he just says I am a minister.
But in connection with the.
Epifras, in verse seven you mentioned, he says who is a who is for your faithful minister of Christ.
And then further on in the.
4th Chapter, verse seven, He said, All my state shall teach us, declare unto you, who is a beloved brother and faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, if possible, merely calls himself a minister. But he calls these two faithful minister.
That's nice, I believe to.
See from the first chapter of Galatians what a minister is and.
That Paul the Apostle was made a minister by God the Father.
In the first chapter of Galatians and verse 15. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, he was called by God the Father to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen. Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.
Here we find the true minister was called by God the Father.
In Acts 26.
And verse 16.
But rise and stand upon my feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make the minister and a witness, both of these things which thou has seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee. Here he is now commissioned by God the Son to be a minister.
And the 9th chapter.
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I believe here we have a true minister's credentials.
And verse 17, the 9th chapter and Ananias went his way.
And entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou came, as hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Called by God the Father, commissioned by God the Sound, and clothed by God the Spirit for service.
That's a true minister, surely?
You were saying about the prayers of Epifras. I was wondering if that's what the Apostle Paul met when he spoke of having the care of all the churches.
Someone asked the brother once how he could remember some many of the names of the Saints when he said I pray for them.
That was his simple answer. Well, perhaps that would help us to remember the names a little better.
It's interesting too, is it not, to say the prayer of Ephesus, who himself was from Colossi? It says in that verse you referred to Epiphros, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, alluded to, always laboring fervently for you in prayer, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record that he has a great zeal for you.
And them that are in Laodicea and them in Hierapolis.
I've been to a good many prayer meetings and a good many assemblies and it's very, very interesting to me to notice.
The.
Prayers concerning the assembly in which we ourselves are placed. It has impressed me very much and encouraged me very much to hear in the assembly, prayer, meeting Ernest and fervent prayer for the dear brethren with whom we are very, very close in our own home assembly, shall I say, it stirs me very much to hear them pray for.
So I say their own Sunday School activity, their own visitation, their own gospel efforts. And then, also, as in the case of apartheid, the prayers broaden out to other activities, other spheres, where they know the Lord is also working. But.
There's something lacking if our prayers always are concerned with something that's going on far, far away.
But lack in that interest and love and prayer for those in, shall I say, our own home area where we move, isn't it? Is it not a lesson for us that epiphrosist, dear and faithful servant, had a burden? Not for something that was going on in the other end of the earth, He had that also. But his his real love and interest in prayer concerns those with whom he was very close.
We were mentioning that.
The whole tone of The Pistol of Colossians shows that Paul had a concern about this philosophy and vain deceit. And of course there must have been the enemies agents who were propagating.
What was harmful? But unfortunately he says nothing about him.
Ever fast telling him a lot of the failures and the way they were listening to these philosophers, and listening to this being deceit, but he has something good to report of them. So he says, who have declared unto us your love in the spirit?
And again, we are contrasting Ephesians with Colossians.
We might just mention that this is the only place in the book of Colossians.
Where you have the mention of the Holy Spirit, whereas Ephesians have so many.
Places where the Holy Spirit is brought before us, and I believe it's for this reason. In Colossians it's more like that's the subject our life is hidden with Christ and God.
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Two very definite lines of truth, that.
Both have their place and both have their importance. That is, we have divine life and it's in this dispensation not only.
A new birth, as we know all the Old Testament were born again, that we have the life of that glorified one who is now at God's right hand.
And so that's a very precious line of truth. To think that we pour on worthy things are now in position of the very light that we see in our Blessed Lord, so that we should be exercised to manifest that life in our walk in ways.
Connected to with the passage in John, where it tells us that when the Spirit of truth is come, he shall lead you into all truth.
He shall not speak of himself. He shall glorify me. So this epistle which particularly brings before us the person of Christ. Why we find the Spirit of God, not, as it were, hiding himself, not Speaking of himself, but occupying our hearts with Christ. When is the question of the blessings? By then the Spirit of God makes this good. He's the earnest of our inheritance.
Until the redemption of the purchased possession.
So we should be conscious of the work of the Spirit, how he delights to occupy our hearts with Christ. He also brings before us the portion that we have. But I think it's most remarkable that in this epistle where Christ is brought before us in all the glory of his person.
There's just this one mention of the Spirit, and it's not in connection with the earnest of the Spirit. He just mentions your love in the Spirit because that is the way love is produced. It's by the Spirit that was toward one another.
Don't you think, Brother Hale, that you would see a little illustration of that in Eliezer when he goes across the desert to find a bride for Abraham's son?
His name isn't even mentioned. We say Eleazar because we're quite convinced that.
As he was Abrahams elder servant and whom he had placed his his possessions, that he must have been the one, although there's no mention of his name at all and all we find Eliezer occupying Rebecca with.
Is Isaac he wasn't talking about. Now I'm Abraham's man and he's placed his authority on me. No, he says. He's put everything into the hands of this son that was born in his old age. And I'm just out for a mission to find a bride for Abraham's son. I think that's very important in this day because there's a great deal of.
Praying to the Spirit and singing to the Spirit, but we find in the Scripture that the Spirit of God always.
Occupies us with Christ. He doesn't speak of himself. We should understand the.
Coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, We should understand the work that he is doing here, and the Scripture is very clear and complete about this. But He doesn't occupy us with himself. He occupies us with Christ. And He as He leads us into truth, He exalts that blessed One who is the truth, Who is the one who. He is down in this world to gather a bride for Christ, and in when the Lord comes, He'll be the one that tells us.
He'll quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit, who dwelleth in you. He'll, as it were, be the one who presents the bride to Christ. It's lovely to see this, but I think it is important in this day when we have so much about the Spirit. We need to see the place that the Spirit of God occupies in the truth of Christianity. When we speak of truth also in this epistle particularly, the truth is.
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Really. Christ, He is the truth. It isn't simply an accumulation of knowledge. Now Peter speaks of that same line of thing in his second epistle, knowledge, but he's not Speaking of accumulating.
Phrases or expressions. He's Speaking of knowing Christ practically in our lives down here, and I believe that's what the apostle has before him.
Here to counter what is coming in in the second chapter, where there's the breakdown that the at least the tendency of breakdown, where the mind is being taken up with things that the enemy would suggest.
Would even suggest that it's humility. But there's no humility if Christ is left out. And so it's the truth, but it's Christ.
It's a person. Not simply words, doctrines, important as they are, but it's Christ, the person that's before us here.
Speaking about fruit too, we know that fruit is produced by sunshine and rain, and it's important it says where no vision is, the people perish. We don't produce fruit by trying to, but as we are occupied with Christ, as our souls are drawn out to himself, why fruit is the natural result? So the reading of the word here and the occupation with Christ.
If it really stirs our hearts, the result will be that fruit bearing that is for His glory. And I do feel that it's so important because we can try and develop a Christian character, but the only fruit that is acceptable to God is that which is the result of communion.
The Queen of Sheba heard a great deal about Solomon and she she went to see it, but when she got there, she was overwhelmed in these presents. And that's really the point here, is it not?
When the when the spies came back from the land.
They brought back two things and I was just thinking of the 13th, the numbers. It makes it very plain there as which is before us #13.
And verse 26.
And they went out and and they went and came to Moses and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel under the wilderness of Perrin. That's like Colossians to Kadish and brought back. Now there were two things brought back Word.
Unto them.
And unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. They heard the word, and they saw the fruit. But it was in the wilderness. And so we have this in Colossians, don't we? It was the word. And that beautiful word in the four in the fifth verse of our chapter, I think connects that together. The word is before where all be heard.
Before in the word of the truth of the gospel. That is in contrast to all the philosophies that were coming in.
Paul would ever draw them back with that Word before it was what had been revealed through the Apostle, nothing to be added. And it was the Word. But the evidence was in the fruit too, wasn't it? The fruit of Christs, glorious work, and the fruit as seen in the lives of these ones, and Epifras in particular.
To notice the that the Apostle Paul uses his wise master builder as he says himself in French Corinthian chapter 3 feisty brings before them the glory of the person of the Lord Jesus.
All the fullness is in them. Have you noticed in this chapter how many time the word all in Christ occurs? The greatness of his person is white and our portion in him. And then he touches on the evil that besetter that's very significant. To see that first it brings that which is positive Christ, his glory, his beauty, his wake, and then he touches on the evil that besetter such as Ardens.
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Philosophy.
And not holding the head, but before it brings before them the glory of the person of Christ. That's very blessed to see that.
That's the word worthy here in a different sense that we do in Thessalonians or other places here. It's worthy of the Lord, isn't it? Because it's his headship that's before us and His glory. So the believer is to walk worthy of the Lord in this tenth verse and unto all pleasing perhaps another places where they came out of a Dollar Tree and.
Is that Thessalonians? First Thessalonians they were to walk worthy of God contrast to idols. And then in Ephesians, of course, there's the contrast with the calling, the heavenly calling. They were to walk worthy of that. But here it's it's the Lord himself, but it's to all pleasing.
Now this can only be.
Following the truth that we've had in the previous verses.
Their love in the spirit was declared. I was thinking, as a brother was Speaking of that, that what kind of a report do we bring of the Saints?
What is our mind filled with as we pass?
In and out among the Saints do we bring reports of their love in the Spirit.
You know in the book of Philippians, where we have Christian experience down here brought before us. I doubt if sin is mentioned in that epistle. And yet there were things that no doubt grieved the apostle in that assembly, but the point was he was occupied there with.
What he saw in those Saints, that was of Christ, and he was encouraging them in the proclamation of the gospel, trusting that the Spirit of God would so work in their souls that these things that hindered would be set aside. And I believe that it's it's it's to no credit to ourselves to being evil reports of our brethren, but here we have the report of the.
Man. Enterprise.
Of their love in the spirit, and we have the privilege, do we not, of seeing all the Saints covered over with gold, as in the Tabernacle?
Where we find you in the ninth verse, that it was the occasion of a special prayer of the Apostles, You find much the same order in Ephesians 1, the Apostle.
Sets forth certain truths and then.
We find him in prayer.
That God would make good in their souls these truths that he had spoken out, and we find him in prayer. For this ninth verse introduces us to the prayer of the Apostle. For this 'cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that we might that he might be.
Filled with the knowledge of his will, I believe it's still full, isn't it? In the better translation, that is, if you fill a picture with water, there isn't room for anything else. You get poor and poor, but the picture is pro.
So that if one is in that state, where only the will of the Lord is his desire, well, when that excludes our own wills, which are so harmful, and turn us away from the Lord, bring so much failure into our lives, may the Lord grant that this will be true.
With us each one to be filled full with the knowledge of his will.
Then in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, because we might have a very true and sincere and real desire to do the Lords will and to walk in his ways. But we do need discernment, and sometimes we lack that discernment. Might be you who will with the truth.
01:00:08
Motive that we want to please the Lord, but we do need that discernment.
And there doesn't come, just maybe, right at the moment, but if there is quiet waiting on the Lord and getting on our knees in His presence and humbling ourselves, if we have allowed anything of our own wills to intrude.
What the Lord is seeking in connection with blessing for ourselves and for others, for then the Lord will reveal.
What is, according to his mind, so easy to miss? The large mind and times of special stress or difficulties?
The result would be in the next chapter, the where he speaks of the dangers that are coming in, that if they are acquainted with his will then they have the full assurance.
Of understanding so that they won't be trapped by these who come in with fair speeches.
But when the soul is established in the true knowledge, or the full knowledge as well as the true knowledge, then the result is full assurance of understanding, as you have in the first part of the next chapter. And that's the prayer of the apostle too, that he desires that the Saints might be in the good of this, but it's the result, isn't it? First of all, being acquainted with his will.
What is the thought in that expression?
In all unto all pleasing.
There Potter told me that pleasing the Lord and everything asked him one time.
Well, I was thinking of John, where it says, if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, and then again where we have it in Philippians 3, having Christ as the object before us. And then it says, And if in anything he be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Now that is God doesn't just make known his will to satisfy our minds so that we could say, well, I know this, I understand this.
But as we learn His will and it might become practical in our lives, and that's very searching for us because it's very easy to get knowledge. We can be thankful for the precious ministry that's available to us and all the books that we can read. But we can be filled with the knowledge of His will and yet not walk worthy of the Lord saw the two are brought together and if we desire to know His will.
That we might walk in it and that's pleasing to him. That's what we had yesterday in the 51St Psalm.
He said, withhold me with thy free spirit, or thy willing a willing spirit. I believe it is in the New Translation, and we can each be before the Lord as to how much we're willing to walk in. The truth that we know someone sad to what troubles me is not so much the things in the Bible I don't understand, but what I do understand that I might walk in it. Well, this is this is what is brought before us.
Learning His will now that we might walk not in order to have a good reputation or something, but worthy of the Lord. It's His name we bear. It's Christ who is brought before us. And in this world we are those who bear His name and have the privilege of walking in such a way to bear testimony to that worthy name by which we are called. The proof is for God, isn't it? And as he sees Christ in the believer, that's fruit.
There was a minor in the South.
Who who worked hard to?
To make a living in the mines, and he didn't have much to say. But as he passed the other miners, they said here comes Jesus. That's the way they named him, because they knew his testimony.
And it was the life that was manifested in that dear man. It wasn't so much what he said.
But it was that faithfulness. He wouldn't have any part with the things they did on the side he he lived separate from them, and so this is the name they gave him.
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Increasing in the knowledge of God.
It isn't merely increasing in the knowledge of the Bible.
But one who is going on knowing more and more of the Lord's will.
Gets more and more to know.
God's.
Her God's mind and God's ways. God's instructions. For we have many lessons to learn in the school of God, I noticed. Brother Hill, you're looking up in the other translation. I wondered if it's the same there.
It's by increasing by the true knowledge of God.
Which is very interesting because.
We see a great deal of activity all around, but God would have us to walk according to His word. And so if there is really progress in our souls, if there is really an increase in the going on, it's probably the true knowledge of God how much we see of activity that is not according to the true knowledge of God. And souls often seeing this activity get taken up with it and they lose a great deal of the precious truth of God.
So true increases by the true knowledge of God. And I was also thinking of the middle of that verse fruitful in every good work, connecting it with the second Timothy chapter 2, That it says, if a man therefore purge himself from these, that is, from the vessels to dishonor, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters use, and prepared unto every good work.
Now we know that there is much good work by done by those who may be associated with things that are not according to the word of God. But if we would be prepared unto every good work, if we would be fruitful in every good work, it's by the true knowledge of God. And that is, there is a path in which we can fulfill not just part of the will of God, but all is well. The Lord Jesus walked in that path, so he could say I do always those things which please him.
Well, I believe it's very precious because we are thankful for the gospel that is preached and for the activity. But there is a path that God is marked out in His words, where we can be prepared not just to some good works, but to every good word, where there will be no restriction upon doing the full revealed will of God as He has given it to us in His word doesn't say to prepare, but this past tense, isn't it? We are prepared.
God has done that, preparing, prepared unto every good work. But I believe it's by separating. That is, a dirty dish in your home might be useful for some things because it doesn't matter whether it's clean, but it's not prepared for everything. The dish has to be clean if you're going to use it for any and every purpose. A clean dish can be used for any purpose. A dirty one might do for some things, but not for everything.
And I believe that it's a practical thing, And when it says prepared, it's connected with what goes before. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor. Now that is, he'll be separated from that which is defilements. And now he's prepared unto every good work.
The cleaning has gone before.
It is a very interesting verse in Genesis. Chapter 5, in regard to our work, speaks of our work the result of being filled with the knowledge and the wisdom of God and in understanding immediately in verse 10 about chapter six that he might walk 40 and I was thinking of the Enoch and Genesis chapter 5 and verse 24 says and enough war for God.
And he was not. I suppose this has to do with the rapture, but it's very significant. Doesn't say much of what about what the ether but that he walk regarded. This is a blessed thing, isn't it? He walked with God. How did he walk with God? Because he lived in communion with God. He lived in fellowship with God.
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Then we get in the 11Th verse, strengthened with all might according to his glorious power. Well, we would naturally think that been such a wonderful way he speaks.
Being strengthened and in such a way as as.
According to his glorious power, that would be to do something very special, like 1 going to a heathen country and carrying the gospel.
Far into.
Country where they didn't know Christ, but notice what it says.
On to all patients and long-suffering with joyfulness. Think that we need all that glorious power to make us patience and long-suffering.
Long-suffering with our brethren off times.
Maybe with ourselves.
Good to ourselves.
And.
Not only that, but we may, you know, get under conditions.
As we see failure, but there the spirit should be kept in a happy.
Joyful state. So even when we're bearing trials, I'd be a bedridden St.
And.
To honor the Lord by just submitting to His hand in connection with.
With maybe a lifelong child.
That wanted to be joyful amid such circumstances. Run him in our little hymn group that we might not know.
What has been written about it?
It's the 84th hymn One There is above all others in the appendix. Oh, how he loves his loves beyond a brother. Oh, how he loves. Now that little hymn was written by a Miss Nun.
She wasn't a nun. Just her name was nun and she was a bedridden St.
And all other wonderful addition we have to our.
Young book was written by a sister that seemingly could do nothing for the Lord, but yet she wrote that hymn that has been so precious to our hearts.
We have being happy on the trying circumstances in Havoc Chapter 3.
And verse 17.
This seems to be a very beautiful example of that.
Having a happy spirit, in spite of trying circumstances, although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will join the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength.
That's surely a wonderful example of rejoicing and trying circumstances, everything taken away from you, so to speak. And yet we can rejoice in the Lord. I'm thinking Brother Gladding, Speaking of the two examples we have.
In the Old Testament, at least pictures that we could apply to the Saints of God today, and one is Rebecca as she passes.
From her father's house to meet Isaac, and the other is in the Song of Solomon the bride, as she goes through her experiences here.
In the one case, there's very little said of the wilderness journey and connection with Rebecca because the servant is keeping her occupied with Isaac, and so anyone who has looked at the map of that country would know it's a very torturous route.
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To Passover to get to where Isaac was. And yet there isn't much sad of the difficulties. But in the Song of Solomon we find that the watchman has to correct.
The bride, in fact, she's beaten.
But she finally comes to the place where the daughters of Jerusalem say, what is thy beloved? More than any other beloved? Then she's awakened. Then she says he's the cheapest among 10,000. Now I suppose that most of us.
Are taken up with the last experience. But we should have the first relief. We should pass through this world with all the joy that companies occupation with Christ. And that makes the.
The trip. Pleasant, doesn't it? On our way home.
Thinking of that about patience, we think of the Apostle Paul. In 2nd Corinthians 12 he says truly the signs of an apostle were wrought in me in all patience. And I believe in contrast with that we see the case of Moses. It tells us that he lost his patience with the people of God. He spoke unadvisedly with his lips, and the Lord said because of this that he wasn't able to lead the people into the promised land.
Well, I believe in any way that we seek to help the people of God. That is the most important thing.
Now, that is, we need to have that patience. The Lord is patient with us. Oh, how patient He has been, or we wouldn't be here today. And we need to have that patience with one another. It's the only thing that will keep us going on in these last days. And so I believe that it's quite remarkable. You would have expected the signs of the apostles that he would have mentioned the mighty deeds first. But he says the signs of an apostle were wrought in all patients.
That is, the patience was that which was the emphatic thing that marked him out as one who represented God. And in Moses case, the reason the Lord spoke to him about having lost his patience with them, was the Lord said that he had failed to sanctify him in the presence of his people. That is, God was still patient with them. But when Moses lost his patience, he didn't properly represent the one whom he served, because the one whom he served was patient with them.
84 in the appendix.
All one rust bark glory by me.
And.