Conference: 1987
Table of Contents
Faith Power Communication
Address—E. Pilkington
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Our salvation.
Faith. And what is faith, holy beloved? It's believing what God says and not doubting, not doubting.
And so this afternoon.
I was thinking of one mentioned in this Chapter 11 Chapter.
We're not going to read it, but we have in this chapter the names of 16, I believe, whose faith is recorded in this Chapter 11 of Hebrews. We also have many others referred to.
Who also had faith?
And I was thinking of one especially, and I'm just going to read the 32nd verse.
I have Hebrews 11, and once you let more say, for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and a Barrack, and of Samson and of Jepsa.
Of David also and Samuel of the prophets.
So we have the name of David as one that is mentioned amongst these 16.
David and others also. I like that word. Others.
And how that includes, does it not?
Everyone who really had faith in the word of God and was obedient to it.
Now would you turn back first of all to First Samuel?
Chapter 22.
Where we have David.
Rejected by Israel?
If I saw primarily.
For Samuel 22.
David, therefore.
Depyer then sent escape to The Cave, Adela, and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him, And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gather themselves unto him.
And he became a captain over them, and they were with him about 400 men.
We are all familiar of what took place before this in First Samuel 17.
Where we had the men of Israel on one side of a valley.
And their enemies of Philistine on the other side.
We're familiar, I'm sure. Each one of us to the youngest. That's all with his army.
There wasn't one amongst his army.
That had the courage or the faith to go against Goliath.
And may I say this Goliath was a real giant.
I might also say in passing that each one of us who belong to Lord.
We do have our Goliath.
To face as we go through life.
And I believe our Goliath is our old nature that we're going to carry with us.
As long as we're left here in this world.
And how blessed it is to know.
That we also.
Have the new nature those who belong to Christ, and that new nature is the power.
To overcome.
The temptations that our old nature might cause us to be tempted with.
I sometimes hear some say, well, I just couldn't resist doing this or that.
I had no power to overcome that.
Well, beloved Saints, how much do you want?
How much do we want every true believer is anointed with the Spirit of Christ.
And so we have His spirit indwell within us.
And may I say this?
Sometimes a reason we don't have power.
Is because we do not take time to read his word.
And we do not take time to get in His presence and pray.
You know, communion with the Lord is a power to resist and overcome the enemy of our souls. Commune with the Lord is a power. And it might say this, the precious word of God is a guide for us, no matter what the temptation might be. And so if we don't know what to do, how nice do we have the word of God to turn to? Well, with David, we know he was God's anointed king.
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We know that the Lord rejected Saul because of his disobedience and.
At this time and chapter 17, we have David, and may I say he's a picture of the Lord Jesus. And David's father sent him with a present for it to his brethren. Yes, he had a present for them. He went to see how they were getting along, and he had gifts for their captain as well.
But you know.
It wasn't long after he was there and his oldest brother asked him a question.
Why did you come down here? Why did you come down here?
Well, David went in obedience to his father's will, and he had a presence for them.
I want to say the Lord Jesus came down to this world.
Sent by God, his Father.
Yes, he came down. What for? Oh, I'll have to think of first chapter John verse 12, where it tells us he came unto his own, and his own received him not, but all beloved, it goes on to say, as many as received him. He's given the right of the title, the power to become the sons of God. In other words, I look into the face of so many here.
I wonder if each one here is a child of God. I wonder if you have by faith.
Receive the Lord Jesus into your heart. If so, you're a child of God.
And you have that wonderful privilege at all times to go to him in prayer and seek help.
Knowing too that the Lord Jesus, there in God's right hand as our great High Priest, intercede and force.
And so may you and I not neglect to go to him. What else we think of David, the picture of the Lord, because the Lord Jesus was rejected by his own. Yes, he came on his own. They didn't receive them. David went down here and you know his own bread and why they didn't like it.
However, we know in the 17th chapter that David got the victory over that joint.
He got the victory and how did he get the victory?
Well, we are acquainted how he went to the brook. He chose 5 smooth stones. Have you ever seen a brook?
If you want to choose five smooth stones, what would you have to do? You'd have to get down on your knees.
Yes, you'd have to get down your knees so you can choose those five smooth stones that you required for your need.
Those five smooth stones speak to us of the Five books of Moses.
Of which David?
Was familiar and had. At that time you and I have the complete word of God. And so David took five. He put them in his bag.
And he only had to use one. I'd like to say to the dear young people and children, how many stones do you have? How many verses of scripture do you have stored up in your heart That when you're asked the question why immediately a verse comes to your memory, All we need to be familiar the word of God. Well, David got the victory over that giant and defeated him. And he became Israel's savior that day he delivered them from the Philistines, their enemies.
But here in our chapter, why that same song?
Whom David?
Fought his battles.
Saul as the captain over Israel, he should have gone and met that giant.
But he didn't have the power or the courage. He didn't have the faith.
But oh what David. He got the victory. He was Israel savior.
And there came that day when he was rejected.
And now in our chapter, he's hiding in a cave. He's in The Cave at Dalaman.
And what happens when his brethren and all his father's house heard it? They went down thither to him.
And verse two, everyone that was in distress. This is the first Samuel 22.
Everyone that was in distress and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto him. And he became a captain over them. And they were with him about 400 men. And so here we have David rejected. He's in a cave.
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An old dear man that loved him, those who saw in David.
Israel's savior?
They went down to him.
Why did they go down?
All they recognize that what David had done in love for them, he risked his life.
For them in her heart went out to David. They wanted to be where he was. Oh beloved.
The Lord Jesus.
He not only loved us, but he didn't stop there.
He didn't just risk his life.
Oh, by going after Jerusalem when he did.
Why? He would say he's risking his life. Why did he go there?
He went there to die for you and me.
He knew what awaited him. He knew how he had been rejected. He knew how that they would rail on him.
He knew how one would betray him, one whom he had loved. He knew another had denied him.
The Lord heart was full of sorrow.
But.
They love he went to that cross. He laid down his life for us.
And now where is he?
This world rejected him. Where is he now? He's up there in the glory.
And what's he doing? He's interceding for you and I.
What does he want us to do while we wait? His coming? He wants us to please him. He wants us to obey his word. And I want to say this.
If you and I obey God's words, we're going to have light for our path.
But if you do not obey it, you won't have light for your path.
You won't have wisdom to make right decisions.
No. Oh, how important it is to see this. And so, David, he was Israel's savior, and these men recognize that. And you know what kind of men they were. It says everyone that was in distress, everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto him. Oh, they gathered themselves unto him.
Who you and I gather to beloved this afternoon? Who are we gathered to?
And we just gathered to a lot of nice, lovely Christians. Is that who we are gathered to?
I want to say if that is a motive.
Of you being where you are, where I am, where I am.
We're going to have disappointments.
Oh, how important is to be gathered unto Christ, And oh, what a joy that Ava's heart when these men came. And no doubt he recognized many of them were in distress, and many that were in debt.
Did he turn any away? No. No, he did not.
And he became a captain over them. Well, I like to thank that. It was the fact that these men recognize that David was God's anointed king now.
And that the Lord had rejected Saul.
And now they want to be with him, they gather themselves unto him.
I like to think of this.
The Lord Jesus.
In Matthew 11 and 28 What does he say? Come unto me all, yet we're in a heavy laden and I will give you rest. Isn't that lovely? Yes, take my yoke unto you, and learn of me.
May I ask?
As each one of us come to him.
You know what are in trouble.
We know that's the only one that can help us and we go.
But I wonder if everyone of us know what it is to take his yoke and learn of him.
Some of us.
A long time learning what it is. Well, I believe it is this.
Taking his yoke is doing the father's will.
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But, you know, a yoke is for two, and it's the Lord's, and he doesn't expect us to carry the burden alone. No. Oh, it's not wonderful. And so the yoke is doing the Father's will.
May you and I be found doing that till he comes. Now we just turn over to First Chronicles.
Chapter 12.
And verse 16.
We have a lot of names mentioned in this chapter of many faithful men.
Out of various tribes of Israel, but I'd like to start at verse 16 for time.
It is interesting to read the whole chapter you can do at your leader.
But in verse 16 of chapter 12. And they came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. And they went out to meet them, and answered and said of them, If you become peace you want to meet to help me, my heart shall be known unto you. But if you become to betray me to my enemies seen, there's no wrong in my hands. The God of our fathers looked there on rebuke it. You notice who came to him? Who was that came to him?
There came in verse 16 of the children of Benjamin. All they were the same tribe that Saw came from.
Anne Tudor.
Isn't this nice, David prolonged to a tribe of Judah? But these men belong to the tribe of Benjamin, and I like to see these two mentioned here. These two different tribes they saw. These children of Benjamin they saw and recognize that their own saw.
Had no power to deliver them from their enemy, the Philistines, and they saw on David.
God's math, God's deliverer. And so here.
They come to him now. Saul is still raining. And if it's not raining?
No. He has to live in a cave. He is chased from this place to that place.
His life is in constant danger.
But those men?
They were gathered unto David, they were with him. And what a wonderful privilege that is.
Now notice verse 18.
Then the Spirit came upon Amassia, who was chief of the captains.
And he said, Thine are we David, and on thy side thou son of Jesse, peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee. And David received them, and made them captains of the Band.
I like this.
The Spirit came upon a Messiah.
Amasia means my burden, and no doubt he had a burden and Saul had no sympathy with him or the others.
And here he comes to Dehibit, a little pitch of the Lord. Yes, he had a burden. No doubt His heart was burdened with a fact. That's all was trying to kill David.
And that the men of Israel were following Saul.
Yes, he had a burden, and he came to where that burden could be lifted. David received him. He didn't say no. You go back where you belong. He received him and made them captains of the Band. Well, I like that. Again, connect with John 1:00 and 12:00.
To as many have received him, he's given the power of title, become the sons of God.
Now we just go down a little further.
We have a whole list of names and I'm not going to read them all, but I'd like to notice perhaps.
We read from verse 32.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.
The heads of them are 200, and of all their brethren were at their commandments. You know these men of Issachar, They had an understanding of the times to know whatever ought to do.
How would they know what Israel ought to do if they didn't read the?
1St 5 Bucks of Moses.
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They would know. How are you and I, beloved? Are you a dear young people? How are you going to know what to do if you don't constantly read the word of God and make it your own?
I never forgot what your brother sitting in this company said many years ago.
If the word of God controls your heart.
It will control your feet too. And you're going to be found walking in paths of obedience to the Lord. Yes, So the Word of God controls our heart. It will control our whole life. Our hands, our feet, our hearts, our lips, our ears. It will control it.
Oh, I think of Romans 12 where the apostles there beseech them by the mercies of God.
They present their bodies a living sacrifice. Holy, yeah, that comes first, holy, accepted unto him, which is our reasonable or intelligent service. But again, I repeat, if you want to be intelligent and I, we must read the word of God.
Till it becomes a part of us.
And so.
How nice it is in connection with these men. David received them and so in verse 33, those in Zebulun, it says.
Acquired in verse 32, men of Issachar. They had an understanding of the time to know what else to do. You know there are many Christians. They don't know what to do.
And why don't they know what to do?
Would you like this afternoon, beloved, to know what you should do?
Would you like to have an understanding? You can have it hold this place. Turn to the Psalms chapter 111. I believe it is the last verse.
The last verse of Psalm 111, The fear of the Lord is a beginning of wisdom.
A good understanding. Have all they that do His commandments.
And so here's how we get a good understanding. First of all is to have the fear of the Lord before them. May I ask now, do you have the fear of the Lord? You know what it is.
I want to say it's reverence for the Lord's name.
Reverence.
Reverence when we come into His presence and have the word of God before us.
That's the fear of the Lord.
Reverence that leads us to obey him.
And don't tell me you have the fear of the Lord if you are willfully going your own way and disobeying the word of God.
May I go a step further? And now it's going to hit us all.
And I include myself.
If we have the fear of the Lord before us.
What are we going to be doing?
5 minutes before the gospel begins.
Are we going to be quietly praying? Are we going to be talking one to another? And how much confess? It's hard, especially at a large confidence where you may not have seen some who are there for some years. I know you just want to talk, but I say this. There's a time to talk and there is a time to keep quiet. And I do believe that time is just before a gospel begins. Fear the Lord's at reverence for him.
Oh, I include myself.
Amongst us all, because I'm sure we're all guilty at some time or other, may the Lord help us then to have the fear of the Lord, and then again if I have the fear of the Lord.
Do you not think I'm going to be very careful when I allow my eyes to look at?
What allow my ears to listen to, well, all my feet to take me where I to allow it to take me?
You know, this is searching, isn't it? Let's remember the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And often we don't have wisdom for decisions because we've been lacking in that one thing, the fear of the Lord at all times.
Well.
There's one other thing about these men of physical they knew what they ought to do.
You know, that kind of hits us, doesn't it? And there's only one way to know what we ought to do.
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And that is communion with the Lord and read His word.
Now not a sibling. Verse 33.
Of Zebulun such.
As went forth to battle expert in war with all instruments of war 50,000 which could keep rank. They were not of double heart.
These men.
They were not of double heart.
They could keep ranked. What does that mean?
Sometimes, brethren.
We just don't seem to be able to keep rank.
I want to say this if you and I are going to keep rank one with another.
We must have our eye fixed on the object of our souls, Christ.
I remember many years ago you may have heard me use this as an illustration before.
But many years ago I was down in downtown and Cambridge and I heard with my ears a band coming along the street and I look and there it was leading a great big procession.
And these, in the procession, were high school graduates.
They weren't just boys, they were big fellas.
And girls too. And they were marching down this Main Street, Water St. in our town.
And it just seems so nice to watch the March they were marching.
And perfect, innocent. Together they were keeping time and there was a leader in front of them.
But all at once, I notice one of the attacks. He turned to look at someone in the crowd along the sidewalk. Just look like that. A quick look.
You know what happened?
He bumped him, the other one ahead of him, and there was confusion and took it just a moment or two for that to get there going on in unison.
Ah, one look.
'Cause them to break rank?
And it was a hindrance to the others who wanted to keep rank. Oh beloved.
May we remember.
That if we take a step and don't keep rank, we might cause others to stumble.
So that they can't keep rank 2.
I just mentioned this to illustrate these men knew how to keep rank.
And in wartime, it's very important.
And if a soldier can't keep rank, he's going to be in difficult. He's going to have problems.
He's going to have to do with his commanding officer and may the Lord help us then to keep rank one with another and the only way is to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus.
Well, these men could keep rank.
And that tells us there were as that one there were 50,000 which could keep rank and they were not a double heart.
Oh, double heart. You know that young fellow, he had a double heart. There was somebody amongst that crowd that had affection for and it cost him to look, but he he was a cause of making a commotion.
So they weren't keeping rank. I've never forgot that. It affected others. And if you and I have a double heart, we're not going to be able to keep rank with our brother. We're going to upset them.
Just one look caused that young fellow to bump into others and they into others.
Oh, how much sorrow there is because.
Some have not kept rank.
May we know more what that is. They were not a double heart.
You know, Solomon says. Keep thy heart with all diligence.
For out of it are the issues of life so important Now we just go on to the next chapter.
Now the same chapter I want to.
Perhaps Elizabeth verse 38?
All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel.
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And all the rest also of Israel where of one heart to make David king.
Again, we have it repeated that they could keep rank.
And they had a perfect heart.
Who was their heart?
Occupied with.
To whom is your heart and mine occupied with?
All these men.
They had a perfect heart for David. He was the object of their affections.
And so it says their one heart to make David.
King.
I like this.
I'm going to just leave this chapter turn over the New Testament.
As I want to notice a verse there.
In the 13th chapter of Hebrews.
Because we have noticed that David is a full pitch of the Lord Jesus.
And then the 13th chapter of Hebrews.
It tells us here.
And verse 12, Wherefore Jesus also.
That he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the gate.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
For here have we no continuous city, but we seek one to come by Him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But they do go into communicate, forget not. For such sacrifice God is well pleased.
You notice this?
The Lord Jesus.
He suffered without the gate.
Oh, he came unto his own, his own receipt of not.
And they gave him the cross of Calvary. They took him outside Jerusalem, God's earthly center.
And there they crucified him.
13 first.
The apostle, writing to the Hebrew, says, Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Campbell in his reproach.
Perhaps you might remember that this verse in the 13th chapter of Hebrews, the 13th 1St has 13 words.
And the middle word is him, Him, Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp there in his reproach.
Do we know what that is? Is the Lord Jesus? Is he the object of our hearts?
As he the one were going forth unto Oh, I say this, there are many that have gone forth without the camp. Two, brethren.
To other Saints of God.
Lovely people. They've been the object. Nice company, Lovely.
But all is Christ the object where you and I gather, and our whole meetings. Why is it that we are there? Are we there because the Lord Jesus is in the midst?
Are we there because he has given his rightful place?
It's searching, is it not?
I want to say this for the benefit of children and young people.
I have nothing to bolster.
If anything, I'm more responsible than many of you here this afternoon.
Because my parents, before they were married, were gathered to the Lord's name in Sheffield, England, where I was born.
And when they emigrated to Canada?
Why they found out.
A little company they thought was the same, but it wasn't.
And of course, now they are gathered to a people.
They're not on divine ground where the Lord has promised you in the midst.
I want to say this, if an assembly doesn't own the authority of the Lord Jesus and the midst, it will cease to be an assembly.
And so as I think of that, how I was brought up.
I thank God.
There was an exercise in my parents heart.
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There came that time when they began to say, Is this the company where I belong? Is this where I belong? Is this where the Lord has promised me? In the midst it seemed to be, but you know, it wasn't.
And I'm thankful.
As a teenager, my parents found the true ground of gather.
They found it and oh, what a happy, what a happy thing it was.
To be gathered to the Lord's name.
And at 15 years of age I was gathered to the Lords name. But you know, there came a problem.
In that assembly.
And that assembly broke up.
Some went to this city, some went to that city.
And here, Now we're left alone.
And so my parents took me back to where they thought.
Where they had been before, that's the only place to go.
But as three or four or five years went by four years.
I had a burden in my heart.
Because I kept on thinking of that little company, where they were going on happily and the Lord in the midst.
And I was convinced that was the right place.
But my parents?
I went with them.
I want to say this, young people.
You will follow your parents if they are guided by the word of God.
But if they're not walking to the truth, then you have to take a step.
And the Lord opened my eyes at last, to see that there was one true place.
At that time due to unemployment levels in the city of Toronto.
And again.
In 1932, as I sat back for two months.
I said to myself, there's no doubt this is the place where the Lord has set his name.
And then I say this to encourage them. I had asked for two months before.
But they kept me waiting two months and I was upset.
And I thought these believers don't want me, but when I got my eyes on Christ.
When I search my own heart and I want you to do the same, why are you here? Is it Christ that is the center of your attraction? Well.
Being a young man, 21.
Almost. I was discouraged.
But when I asked myself, is this really the place where the Lord has promised me in the midst?
And I had to confess it was. And so I said, Lord.
I'll sit back, just as long as you want me to sit back.
I feel you're in the midst, and this is a true ground of gathering, and I'll just step back.
Till you see fit.
That my brethren receive me.
I went through some heart searching that day.
But when I made that decision.
I had peace.
And unknown to me the next Lord's Day.
When I sat on the back row, my name was given out to be received the next Lord's day. Oh, you see how God works. Why are we where we are? Are we there just because Father, Mother is there, or because relatives are there? Or are we there because the Lord is there?
Well.
I want to tell you this, I wasn't long after that.
That my mother and my father.
And my two brothers and two sisters they all.
Recognize that there was a place where the Lord has set his name, and so they were gathered to.
But you know, we have to stand on our own faith. We have to be guided by the word of God.
And how precious it is to go forth unto him without the campaign's reproach, I want to say, there is reproach.
And it is sad when it comes from other believers. I know a little bit about it, but all the joy and the peace of being where the Lord Jesus that set his name, where he's in the midst, where he has given his rightful place. Oh beloved.
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There's no other place, a nurse a happier than being there. Now we just turn back before we close, just for a few moments through our chapter.
And first chronicles.
He noticed again in chapter.
12.
I'll repeat again verse 38. All these men in war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel.
And all the rest also Israel. One heart to make David king. You know that they were one heart to make David king. Why were there one heart? All they laugh. They remembered what David did for them. He was their savior, their deliverer. And now they are one heart. They recognize him. David, God's man, the one whom God used to get the deliverance from those Philistines.
Oh beloved, that not remind us of the Lord Jesus.
God's man. Yes, his beloved Son.
Who it accomplished that work of redemption to deliver us from the power of evil and to bring us to God.
Well, these men here were of one right heart.
Now in verse 39 and there they were with David, three days eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for them. Well, we know a little bit about this. Here we are. We've been here for two days and how thankful we are to our brethren because they have prepared for us. I'm sure there's a lot of prayer went up and a lot of work too in connection with these meetings. And the work is not all over yet.
Ohio This reminds us of this little conference.
This seat here, there they were, gathered together where their brethren had prepared for them.
Isn't that lovely?
Their brother had prepared for them and so we find in the next chapter.
About to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem to its true place.
And he consults with the captain of thousands and with every leader in Chapter 13.
And verse three says, Let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not it in the days of Saul.
And all Congress said they would do so for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. No, this was good. Nice desire that Yark wasn't where it belonged and hadn't been there for many, many years. And now David, he wants to bring it back. That's good.
But you know.
David did not read the word.
As to how it should be brought back, there was a way.
And David forgot the right way.
And beloved is you've forgotten the right way. You better read your word again, the word of God.
And so, as a result of not reading the word, he had forgotten.
Why he imitates the Philistines. The Philistines had built that car to know.
And use it for those kind who haul the ark back to where it belongs. And so here David is imitating what the Philistines had done. And may I pause?
And asked ourselves, are we imitating other Christians? Are we doing what they do? Oh, yes, we might say. They're lovely Christians. Their lives are good. They love the Lord. Again, I say I re imitate them.
There is a path for faith. There is a place where the Lord wants us to be. And in that 13th of Hebrews the apostles let us go forth unto him without the camp. The camp would include professing Christians, many that we love and that we know dearly. We love them because they belong to Christ, but they're in the wrong place, and sometimes we might be tempted to imitate their way.
For, as we might say, well, they're doing a good work. There are many Souls saves.
Let's just fall after their customs. And so David, he made a new car.
He should never have done that.
00:45:00
The Word of God clearly told who should carry that ark, the Levites.
The Levi's were to carry it, not that cart.
And so the result of this step.
We find that as a put forth his hand to the ark to hold it.
The option stumbled, and it came under the judgment of God. All beloved, let us be careful.
That you and I wholly follow the Lord, and that His precious word is our only guide.
We love all the redeemed ones, but let's remember.
The Lord Jesus.
He's the one who died for us. He's the one to whom we belong to. And may I say this specially to us all, I include myself. Let us not allow anyone to come in between us and the one who died for us, our Lord Jesus.
Oh, he's precious to me.
Because when I remember his name.
And hear his name. I remember what he did for me. I often tell about when I was a little boy and I was drowning.
And I couldn't save myself. I did everything, but I was drowning. I could not save myself because I could not swim and the water was over my head.
But you know, there was a big fellow saw me and all the time he was swimming hard to get to me.
And he came to me and grabbed me, his eyes going down for the last time.
He sent me to the shore.
He teared me upside down and got the water on my lungs. I can still remember laying on that bank by the Riverside, spitting out water.
And I'll tell you that is, I have to be careful, but it's almost, I would say, 60 years ago.
And I remember that man's name. Why do I remember his name whenever I hear his name mentioned? Why? I remember what he did for me Some years ago, My daughter had a little baby boy, and they named him.
And when he told me his name.
Why immediately I thought about that man. Because he had the same name.
Yes.
The name of Jesus. How sweet it is to us.
And when I hear that name and think of it, there's something in here that just goes out to him.
And it should, as we remember what we've been redeemed from And when I remember a bird Runstedler, that was his name.
Why? I remember what he did for me. He saved my life.
Now I'm going to tell you the end of the story. The years went by and the day came when I heard Bern was dying.
And I didn't think that he was saved. I'm sure of it.
Because as a boy, I could still remember how he used the Lord's name in vain.
And I felt that I should deliver my soul.
Hospital dying.
So I went to him.
And I said, burn. You remember that day many years ago when you saved me from drowning?
He smiled and he said yes.
I I come here to thank you once more for saving my life. I do want to thank you. I've never forgotten your name, what you've done for me. And I said, Bert, I want to tell you about somebody else who saved me. He saved my soul.
You saved my life, but you didn't give your life doing it. But oh burn the Lord Jesus, my Savior, the one I love. He died on the cross to save my soul, and I belong to him now. And I said burn. It looks like you may not get over this sickness. He had lost both legs and had pneumonia.
I said Burn. If you trust the Lord Jesus, your savior, you'll have a home above.
And also a new body on the coming day.
Well, I thought that that's what I should do, to thank him once more.
Dear ones this afternoon.
Do you thank the Lord Jesus when you hear his name? Do you remember what He did for you?
May I say something else?
The Lord Jesus said in John's gospel, If you love me, keep my words.
And may we prove our love to him by reading his word and keeping it, and doing what he's asked us to do, to remember him. Shall we pray?
Philippians 3:3-6
Reading
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Concerning zeal, persecuting the church, that's in the righteousness, which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were again to me, those I counted lost for Christ. He Dulles, and I count all things but lost for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do constant but done, that I may win Christ to be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.
The righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection.
And the fellowship of his sufferings be made comfortable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect. Be thus minded, and if and anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, where to we have already attained? Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walks always. Ye have us for an example, example for many walk, of whom I have told you often. And now I'll tell you even weeping. And they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
Whose end is destruction, Whose God is our belly, and whose glory is in their shame, Who mine earthly things? For our conversation is in heaven. For whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, And it may be fashion like unto His glorious body, according to the working, whereby He is able even to subdue.
All things unto himself.
I wonder if I could just say a little in connection with circumcision. Here we find the warnings in the second verse. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. All these things would hinder us from giving the Lord Jesus His rightful place in our lives. If we are occupied with the shameless evil of this world, or taken up with false teachings, or proud of ourselves what we have done, and then we're not coming to the end of self.
But circumcision is really the end of self. And if we look back in the Old Testament and see about circumcision, I think it helps us to understand it. When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, circumcision did not take place. No one was circumcised in the wilderness. The reason being that in the wilderness the flesh was under trial and the people were being tested. And as we have in Deuteronomy, it humbled them. It proved them. It showed them what was in their hearts.
The flesh, I say, was being tested but as soon as they had crossed the Jordan, figuring our death with Christ. But then the first thing that they are told is to make sharp knives, not for the people of the land, but for themselves, to lift the sharp knife upon himself, to see, as it were, the end of the old man. Our old position, our old standing, our old man is crucified with him, to see the end of that as before God.
And so before there was any possession of the land, any victory, like there was a Jericho, those sheriff knives were not made for the people of the land, they were made for themselves. How important for us, brethren, that if there is going to be any progress in our souls, in the knowledge of Christ and of what we have in him, the knife must be upon himself. And all those things that we have noticed here, dogs, evil workers, the concision, all are those things that.
Itself might have its place, but in circumcision we see the end of that. And so in our worship and in our service, how important this is. I believe that we see as our brother mentioned in his prayer, that Christ must be all. And the theme, as our brother mentioned on yesterday in the chapter, is Christ as the object seen as running in a race, with Christ as the object before us. But we know that just as we have to lay aside weights to run in a race, so we need to be exercised about those things that would hinder us.
00:05:36
Now Paul, as we had in the verses we commenced with today, had all the advantages of a man in the flesh. And that is, there was all that in which he could glory religiously. He could glory that he had been born into the favored nation, that the circumcision had been carried out in a literal way upon him, that he was of the tribe that was faithful when the others went away. All those things would have made him a proud Pharisee, but he had to see the end of all that.
Because he met the Lord, and His very zeal that He had only led him to be against that supreme purpose of God, gathering out the assembly. And so we see what he is bringing before us, and I believe we need it. For our souls, brethren, is laying aside and the knife upon those things that would in any way exalt itself, whether in our worship, or in our service, or in our whole life, that Christ might be the object before us.
And that those things might be put in the place where God puts them, reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin.
But alive under God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Why just mention this? Because I believe it's the introduction to the chapter and of the truth that follows here about running in the race with Christ before us.
On circumcision by thinking of Colossians, which is looking to Christ his head. Christ is all and in the second chapter and in verse some nine it says for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. That's what we should be looking to always.
But verse 10 says, You are complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the flesh of sins, ought not be there in putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Then it goes on to being baptized with him, and risen with him, and so on.
But it's that kind of circumcision we're talking about. It's a circumcised heart, isn't it? It's taking away everything that we had before and making him all and in all. It's lovely, isn't it, that we can have that privilege of finding our wall in him. This was really the real problem with Joe, wasn't it? He? He was his religiously wonderful in that sense.
As Paul, Paul here is speaking, I believe in verse four, though I might have confidence in the flesh. He's Speaking of religious flesh. Religious flesh is obnoxious to God. Religious places isn't any better than any other place. And so Paul here had confidence in the flesh. Well, you know, it might be nice just to look at a verse or two in Job out thinking in Job 27 because I believe this is that righteousness that's coming up in our next verses.
And so it might be nice to see the man who God had to work with to cut off a lot before he could bless him. Job.
Chapter 27 I think and job here says.
Verse six. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. How solemn. But why did he say that? Well, you know God said to Satan, have you considered my servant? You see, he was.
He had light. He belonged to God. Have you considered my servant Job? There's none like him in all the earth. That was true. What Job was thinking about here was true. But Job, of course, was pleased with Job. It's his righteousness, what he was doing. God could hold up to Satan now if he turned to 32. Job 32 and.
If the Elihu God is he verse one, so these three men cease to answer Job.
00:10:09
Because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then came Eli, who and he says at the end of verse two, Job justified himself rather than God.
And then?
If we look at 33, as you can see the problem progressing here in 33.
Births 12 Behold, in this job thou art not just.
I will answer the.
That God is greater than man. Job had to learn this God is greater than man verse 17.
Well verse 14 God speaketh once ye twice, yet man perceiveth it not. Why does God speak verse 17? That he may withdraw man from his works. That should be purpose works and high pride from man. That is the problem with joy. His works were fine.
They were wonderful. So appalled.
But it was it was pleased with himself and then 34 or just finished as it goes on in 34 verse 5 for Job hath said I am righteous. Now we've hit it now you got right to the root. I am righteous.
And then chapter 35, verse two, Eli, who is speaking God is he? That's what it means. Think as thou this to be right Job, that thou said my righteousness is more than God's. Think of it my righteousness is more than God's verse 7.
If thou be righteous.
What giveth thou God?
I don't exercise all of us.
If there's any righteousness, what give us thou God, and then I believe the.
Final thing.
If I could find it quicker I would take too much time.
Uh.
I can't find it right off. I think that's enough and all wasting time, but we came to the core, you know, there's not one thing we can give to God. Nothing. Everything we do, brethren, that'll be lasting is the result of God and the Spirit of God in our Christ working through the Spirit in US. Nothing else that really lessens from our life. I think first, perhaps thinking of it in the last chapter, is it in the sixth verse?
Wherefore I abhor myself.
He didn't abhor himself before he was exalting himself, even though a real believer and going through this trial. And I think there's a danger of this too, brethren, when we get into trial, we can look at our own righteousness as we call it, and say, why should this happen to me? Because I've been such a wonderful Christian. I don't know why this should come on me. And this was the whole problem with Joe. And it's a slow lesson. It's a lesson that we never fully learned down here, that the flesh profiteth nothing. And so.
Job had to come to that point where he before he had abhorred his friends, he had abhorred other people, but in the presence of God he abhorred himself and Ohio needful this is for us. And then we see God gave him twice as much as what we he had before. And brethren, if we can learn in some little way the lesson of this precious chapter, then Christ will become more to us because we'll sink into insignificance about ourselves and just be occupied with Him and what we have in him.
And the final thing in the chapter as it ends is not only as there can be here some moral conformity to Christ, but what a wonderful day when we'll be morally and physically like him. That's the ultimate. That's what is God's desire for us, and he's seeking to bring us to the end of self.
A few verses in Exodus.
4th chapter. There's a little portion there that has often puzzled.
Shoot the puzzle. Me too, very much.
But I think it's so important as what has been brought out that God can not have anything to do with the flesh must be put today.
At the end of the chapter there, verse 24, Moses was coming from the presence of the Lord and he was going to return to his people. He has a mission from God, but God weighs our soul retroactive. We may say here is an incident for 24 says and it came to pass by the way to the end in the end.
00:15:16
The Lord met him and sought to kill him. Well, puzzled about that, what does this mean? Here the Lord thought to kill him when he wanted to send him to Egypt. Well, let's just read a few more verses. Then the pora took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, surely a bloody husband, I'll talk to me. So he let him go. Then she said, a bloody husband to ask because of his circumcision.
What we see here that Moses being away 40 years out of Egypt, he had a family and here was a son. And what did motors do? He neglected to abide by God's ordinance to circumcise his son.
But here was the servant of the Lord, who was going to go out in service for the Lord.
Who fight neglect showed that he was not walking in the good of it. He was going to serve the Lord in a similar way that a certain man by the name of Moses did it 40 years before that.
And what did he do? He slew an Egyptian. It was in the energy of the flesh, wasn't it? And God hears with him, he's a murderer here. He says he sought to kill him.
Well, that's what men deserves. That's his guilt before God.
So Moses entering a path of service for the Lord, the Lord had to remind him Moses.
If I am to use you, you have to understand what really circumstances speaks of, and that if you have neglected it, you neglect thy stunned circumcision. You're not fit to be a servant for me. There's still a guilt that's outstanding that has never been met.
But when we see that it was in the flesh, and circumcision brings us in newness of life before God, this was true. Moses had to live in the good of that that in order to be a true servant of the Lord.
I split it to my brother and I enjoyed it often. This principle still plainly brought out here because Moses is the greatest in in the Old Testament of bringing to us God's mind and God's law, but he must here realize and begin. God can have nothing to do with the flesh. It must be put to death.
The wonderful thing, just as we were looking at in Colossians 2, I'll read it again, verse 11, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the flesh. Circumcision doesn't deal with our guilt, it deals with our state, that is.
What we were in the flesh has been dealt with by God and judged.
Romans 8 says that he condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So it isn't that we have to do anything to the flesh, God has already dealt with it at the cross.
He has judged it at the cross. Moses neglected that, and that was the whole purpose of the book of Job, was to bring Job to the realization, though he had done so many wonderful things and could boast in them, that there's something wrong with your nature, Job, there's something wrong with your heart, The spring from which all this that you're glorying in comes is rotten. And so he had to come to that where he abhorred, not what he had done.
Because he hadn't really done anything that was so terribly wrong, but he had hoard himself.
And that's the truth of circumcision. And when Paul says we are the circumcision, we are those against whom the flesh has been judged. That is, God has judged the flesh. We are those that own that, that are in the realization of that, that there's no good in the first man. There's no good in us, there's no good in me and you and each of us Not a question of our guilt so much which deals with our sins, but it's a question of our state. It deals with the first question that the Lord put to man, Adam.
Where art thou? Not so much. What hast thou done? We look at that first, but where? Ourselves. And when it comes to that, brethren, we're all in the same boat. We're all the same. We're all, we all come from a stock which is rotten to the core, alienated from the life of God. Now that ought to eliminate pride from us. It ought to. But sad to say, the flesh is still there, though it's been judged.
00:20:28
And that ugly thing we were talking at the dinner table about one.
Whose signal cardinal sin is pride. Well, I was talking about myself if I was talking about that one. I was talking about every one of you here. Because our greatest evil that we have to deal with is pride. That's the root principle of the flesh.
And aren't we glad that the judgment of God has come against that at the cross? All that we are, Everything that would exalt self, everything that would put importance to me. Our brother at the beginning of the meeting prayed that Christ might be exalted. What is the greatest hindrance to that? I heard a message recently where a brother said the only thing that can read. He was speaking on grace, the only thing that can really hinder the grace of God.
In our hearts and God working that which he's pleased to work with us is what Peter says. And I will have to read it. I can't quote it. It's in First Peter five, first Peter 5.
Verse 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
Yeah, all of you be Subject 1 to another and be clothed with humility.
For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
Now that's the one thing that he resists in us in that pride, and he's dealing with each of us to deliver us from that. We've already, we already are the circumcision. The sword has been executed of judgment against the flesh. We're not called upon to do that, but to own it and to conduct ourselves accordingly. We are the circumcision. Brother Bauman was saying that.
Religious flesh is as bad as worldly flesh and so on. I think it's 10 times worse.
I think religious flesh is the worst kind of flesh there is. Notice what Jude says. Woe to them. They've gone in the way of Cain. That was religious flesh. Cain was a worshipper without blood, without a sacrifice. Religious flesh, what was pronounced, given themselves up to the error of Balaam for reward, preaching error against the people of God for the sake of base gain, and perished in the game saying of Korra.
Setting aside the apostleship and the priesthood of Christ, saying we don't need him.
We can make it on our own religious flesh without Christ. Absolutely the worst.
Form of the flesh you can conceive of, and yet it looks so nice.
To the world, to the religious world, it's the nicest looking and it's the worst of the flesh. Religious flesh. Well, we are the circumcision, and that's what religious flesh will not have they. So yes, we've all sinned, but we're not through and through bad to the very core of our being rotten from head to toe. They won't own that. But that's what the circumcision owns, isn't it? That's what circumcision means. There's nothing good in US from head to toe.
But now we have Christ as our life, as our righteousness, as our joy, as our peace. We have Him for everything.
Circumcised, that took place once for all, and for us it was accomplished at the cross of Calvary. But we remember with the children of Israel, while circumcision was not repeated and couldn't be still after they had a victory, they needed to go back to that spot of circumcision, Gilgal, and then to go forward from that point. And so while it's important for us to realize that the act of circumcision in that sense took place when the Lord Jesus not only bore our sins, but died under sin.
But there is that practical application of it to us. Maybe a brother stands up and preaches well. Well, he can get proud and think he was a good preacher. Or he can get back to Gilgal and say, well, if I did anything, it wasn't any credit to me. It was the Lord's goodness that he was pleased to give me the words to speak. And so that's getting back to Gilgal. That is the practical application of circumcision to our lives day by day.
00:25:08
And in that it's an unending thing. When the children of Israel neglected Gilgal, as we know, then there was a defeat at AI, only a little city, a difficulty they thought they could easily overcome. But they were helpless when they didn't go back and recognize that any victory in that land was of the Lord, not because by the strength of their arms or anything like that. So the practical application of it, I believe, is important for us, although the fact of it took place at Calvary once and for all.
We count upon that, we see that, and we can have in the Lord's presence the grace here cannot your own? You're bought with a price, and again, what hast thou that thou hast not received?
Circumcised the 8th day gave him a righteousness of his own and being of the tribal Benjamin, a Hebrew, another source of righteousness and being a Pharisee, more righteousness and then zeal, the churches persecuting the church. He was even righteous and that that's all his own. But Paul is trying to bring out here how he got rid of that at least for a time. You know, we have the righteousness which is of God.
Everyone of us have that righteousness which is of God. You don't lose it just because you go into your own righteousness. It's sad. If we go into our own righteousness, we still have the righteousness which is of God. And so Paul says in the ninth verse, not my own righteousness, which is of the law, but.
The righteousness at the end, which is of God, how is it faith? That's simple, isn't it? Faith? It's faith in Christ because there's no other. But that's the righteousness we have our standing at. It never changes. And how sad it is if we seek to find anything of our own righteousness after we have the righteousness which is of God. And just to point that out, since we've had Job, look at Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 14.
Bringing in four of the of the great trials, four of the great judgments, I should say famine.
Verse 12 famine and beast and sword in verse 17 and pestilence and of course that was all brought on the children of Israel. And then the verse I have in mind 20/14/20 Ezekiel, though Noah, Daniel unnoticed Job yeah, Job the one we've been talking about. We're in it these great judgments as I live, says the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter. They shall but deliver their own souls.
By their righteousness. Now this is the righteousness by faith, this what takes you through and it's individual, it's personal. I can't help my son or my daughter with the righteousness I have in God, my faith in Christ. They have to have it. They have to have it, each one of us. But I believe that's what Paul begins to bring out. Our own righteousness just falls away. It ought to fall away when we realize what we have and the power we have.
In belonging to Christ. Wonderful, isn't it?
We're having breakfast yesterday morning in a Denny's restaurant and Kalamazoo, MI and we overheard 2 gentlemen at the table next to ours talking church business. And the one gentleman I think was the younger one of the two was a perhaps a young pastor in a particular church and he was concerned that he had been there for over 2 years and never had a performance review and this was a great concern to him. He says nobody in the two years that I've been there has ever sat down and walked me through.
The past two years and told me what I've done right and what I haven't done right and how things are going. They want to know what the the aims for the church are for the one, three and five years down the road. But they've never had a performance review for me. And I was thinking of that in connection with our chapter here. The apostle Paul was, as it were, giving a performance review of himself as a man in the flesh and we can glory in perhaps certain things that.
Others commend us for and pat us on the back for in a performance review for any of us who workout in the world. And we know that they're almost mandatory anymore. You're a teacher, you go through a performance review and if you're in a an office, you have performance reviews regularly and so on. And although you dread them, you always come away generally anyway, feeling that they were kind of good. They made you feel kind of good. Well, the apostle Paul could look at this as giving himself a performance review and he could look good in the flesh, couldn't he? With all of these things that we have been.
00:30:15
Reading about here, but the pledge process? Nothing. I was thinking of a verse in Isaiah 49.
In verse four, then, I said, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not and in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God. I'm thinking how wonderful it is that as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, our judgment is with the Lord and our work is with our God. And first of all, he never forgets anything that's done in His name and for His glory.
He's not unrighteous to forget your labor of love your sacrifice and get in Hebrews 6 And secondly, the Lord is going to the Lord is going to manifest all that has been done for him, but it's going to be, I believe at the judgment seat of Christ. Is that not correct And so as believers in the Lord, we labor on for the Lord in the presence of the Lord, in the fear of the Lord and in communion with the Lord, Not looking for performance reviews from this world what it may think or not think of it.
The servant here said, I've labored in vain, and so on. We could get discouraged perhaps, but our work is with the Lord or is with our God, and our judgment is with the Lord. The Lord judges righteously, and according to His righteous judgment He will reward. So I was thinking how it could apply, I believe, to our chapter.
The Apostle Paul could glory in the flesh. Perhaps this young pastor felt that if he was given more encouragement from his church or his congregation or board of elders, whatever the body would be that would perform this performance review, go through it with him, that he would be more effective or whatever it might happen to be. Well, I, I went to him afterwards as we were leaving and I said, you know, the Apostle Paul thought about his performance review. And he and Timothy tells us, I have fought the good fight. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there's laid up for me a crown of glory.
Crown of righteousness. Well, the older man that was sitting with him, he just said Amen.
Comment.
Here.
Are not bad things. They are good things. They were given by God in the old economy, and Paul himself is learning how they had been discontinued.
We have coming here, not just the circumcision, which we've gone through so nicely.
The flesh entirely set aside, but what he was born into of the stock of Israel. They placed the blessing up to the cross. After the law was given was in Israel that nation to which he was born. The particular tribe he knew, and called the Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law. A Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the church. Oh the energy.
That he used.
He thought in a godly way, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless, but then he says what things that were gained to me those I counted loss for Christ, for he had learned that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth and going back to Colossians 2. We've had a nice portion there and about circumcision, but we go on and find that the.
The cross of Christ delivers us from all the ordinances as well.
That were given under the law, those things which were God-given and were right for the Jew to practice.
Up until.
The message came from heaven.
Two, Paul of Christianity, which he himself as a Jew have to learn practically and then give the message to us that we Gentiles never were under ordinances. But look at verse 14 of Colossians 2, which particularly was for the Jew blotting out the handwriting of ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way.
Nailing it to the cross, I say to the Jew, because it was given to them. But if we go to Romans 3, we find that the test of a Jew included the Gentiles.
00:35:06
In the 3rd of.
The Romans.
And the 19 verse.
Now we know that what things so ever the Law says, it saith to them who are under the Law, The Jew Paul was one of them. But what for? That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God, because that nation put their Messiah on the cross, and in that very act cut off all hope of the flesh ever being recovered.
Which never could have been recovered, but there it was in Christ on the cross.
Now Christianity comes in and gives us length and liberty. We're never under ordinances, and this chapter we're in and the portion we're in need to be taken to heart because we.
Like to develop our own ordinances, we'll call them our own thoughts and ideas and creeds and standards to do certain things this way to such and such a time. I'm not talking about godly order, which we have.
Instruction of balance. But we have to be careful. We fall into setting up certain standards for the flesh ourselves. But all of this is done away, and what does away with it is the sight of Christ and glory. Paul was caught up there, and he saw Christ in glory, and never more did he ever have any desire for any of those good things which were given as a test to the first man up until Christ came. But God was patient.
In extracting the nation from the law, I'll use a statement of her brother John Lloyd, who some of you remember.
John said God didn't just come along and jerk the carpet out from under the Jews. He didn't do that way. He gave them those 40 years we heard about yesterday. And slowly he extracted them from those things which had been given, which were for them as a test in the flesh. And slowly he removed them from it. And the only thing that would remove them from it was Christ, a sight of Christ and glory. And it's the only thing that will keep a Gentile, a Christian, from developing his own ordinances and his own ideas.
Is Christ and the liberty of grace?
This was the grand starting point after he had learned the emptiness of all that he was as a man in the flesh. He met the Lord Jesus as we see on the road to Damascus and we noticed how he says in the seventh verse I counted and in the eighth verse I count. That's the present tense. That is Christ was now everything to him. Christ was his righteousness and there can be no real service to the Lord until.
A Sinner has come totally to the end of himself, realizing he has no righteousness before God whatever, and when he comes to that point, then God has brought him into a position, as it tells us in 2nd Corinthians 5 and verse 18. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. This is the standing of every believer. He has been made the righteousness of God in Christ. Now to try and establish some righteousness of our own after we are saved is really a denial of that standing into which we have been brought.
But there is the Christian race before us, and we are to press on with Christ as the object before our souls.
And in that sense, there is a practical righteousness developed in our lives. But we have to.
See the difference between our standing and our faith? Our standing is in Christ, and many dear Christians are slow to come to this point. They see their sins are put away, but they don't see the end of the old man before God. And I believe that's so important, and that's what he's brought before us in this chapter. When you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior, not only were your sins put away wonderful as that is cleansed in the precious blood of Christ, but God brought you into a place of favor and acceptance so perfect it cannot be more perfect.
There's nothing connected with yourself or your own righteousness at all. We are made the righteousness of God in Him. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. And so I believe it's important for us. As I say, many see their sins gone and then they go about to try and establish something to make themselves as they think, good Christians. As our brother was saying, look over the past year and think, well, I made a pretty good job of how I got along.
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And so it's really self and not starting out from the point that self came to its total end in the work of Christ. Our sins put away, self put away. We stand in this new standing before God and there can be no proper effectual service for the Lord. There can be no true worship until we see the end that not only of our sins, but the end of self as before God. And know how lovely this is to sit down in the Lord's presence, as I said.
Not how well we can sing that some preacher who has a few initials after his name for some qualifications, but that Christ is everything, whether it's in our worship or our service. But we must have this starting point. And Paul is establishing this, showing that if people want to boast about what they have, he has something. But he saw the end of all that. And as I say, when he was saved, he said I count, I counted in the seventh verse.
But after going on for many years, he could still say, I count all things. And what did he think of self? A little bit more of self. Now after he was saved. Well, in the seventh verse he says he counted all that in which he might have gloried as lost. But he goes much farther in the eighth verse. For the but lost, for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and to count them but done.
This was really much more than saying, Oh well, they're nothing.
They counted them as objectionable, He counted them as hateful, He counted them as something that he abhorred. And then he says, that I may win Christ, I believe. Here he introduces this thought of running in a race with Christ before him, desiring in his soul that in a practical way there might be that moral conformity to Christ. Because winning Christ here, we possess him as our Savior. We possess him as our righteousness.
But in a practical way is He the object? Has self been left behind, and Christ as the object before our souls? I believe this is very important. First our standing, then the practical application of it and the going on in the Christian life is in a race with Christ as the object.
The Old Testament prophet already states that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
And I believe that's an important scripture to keep in mind. Job has been referred to and Paul, and they certainly have things in common, don't they? Because although Job was not yet under the law, yet he was perfect. And God's testimony about him is very commendable, isn't it?
Yet job.
Was a perfect man.
Yet he had to learn what he was it himself, what his heart was, and he learned that, you know, sometimes when Saints are in trouble and difficulty, they compare themselves to Job. And the trouble and difficulty might be because of their shameful behavior, immoral conduct, and found that in itself is a shameful thing to compare ourselves in such a situation with such a righteous man as joke.
But he learned to applaud himself.
And then we find that Paul could say as to the law, blameless.
Yet he too came to see that there was number value that it wouldn't avail before God, who judged not only actions, but also judged the heart and the thoughts, the desires. He stood condemned. And then we find that he glories now in a righteousness, that he has been declared righteous by God.
And beloved, I believe it's good to get a hold of this, that God has not transferred any amount of righteousness from Christ or from God to us.
That thought is in the minds of many, and I believe some thoughts have even been expressed here to that extent. I don't believe that that is correct.
What it simply means that God looks down upon men on this earth, whether it is Abraham or whether it is you. Today Abraham believed God and God declares him righteous. And today when he sees you or me having faith in the Lord Jesus, he too declares us righteous.
00:45:16
He doesn't transfer any righteousness of Christ to us or of His own. He declares us righteous. I believe that's an important point to get ahold of. And God's righteousness is seen first of all in that He demands that the sins are paid for.
And his wrath and judgment falling upon his son shows his righteous indignation. But then at the same time.
His righteousness is demonstrated that He is just and declares those just.
That have faith in the Lord Jesus. That's the righteousness of God. We have been made the righteousness of God.
The understanding of the fact that not only are our sins put away, but it's the end of what we were before God.
And so every believer stands before God in a life that never sinned and cannot sin. God sees us in Christ. As you say, it's not transferred righteousness. It's not only the fact that our sins are forgiven, blessed as that is. But how wonderful for every believer to know that as God looks at you, he sees you in Christ. He doesn't see you in that old man that came to an end in the death of Christ. Before God, our old man was crucified with him.
Every believer stands in this new position before God, holy and without blame, before him in love. Until we get hold of that, there's always that conflict with the old man trying to establish our own righteousness or something, but is so blessed to see, brethren, not only our sins forgiven, but an entirely new position into which we have been brought. And I say again, and I think it's important in this chapter, there really can't be true worship or there can't be true service until we realize that.
Because if we only see our sins forgiven, then we're going to think, well, what can I do? And we're going to get occupied with our own part, our own accomplishments and so on, or whether it's in service or whatever. But God starts all over and any worship or any service if it's worship.
It's only by the Spirit that we can worship. If it's service, it's God that worketh in you, both to will and to do. Of His good pleasure God has no lower standard than His own Son. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walks. Oh, how wonderful. And this is what Paul is rejoicing him.
And not having his own righteousness. And now he says, I want to know him better. Such a wonderful person, a one who has done so much for me, who's brought me into this, that I may know him. He wanted to know him and the power of his resurrection. He wanted to enter into and lay hold of in a practical way in his soul, the truth of where God had placed him in Christ. That's good. 21 That would be the verses, verse 28, the Lord Jesus is speaking.
But what thinking?
A certain man had two sons, and he came to the 1St, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered, and said, I will not. But afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered, and said, I go, Sir, and went not. Whither of them twain did the will of his Father. They set up to him the first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you.
That the harlots, the publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. And if you want to read the most scathing denouncement, read the 23rd of Matthew.
Where the Lord Jesus deals with these self-righteous hypocritical Pharisees that set themselves up to be more righteous than others and the Lord Jesus never spoke.
As condemningly to the harlots and publicans as He did to the Pharisees. It was Job that the Lord used to show us the best man, the best man that he could find. A perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and his cheweth evil, One whose life was impeccably good. I couldn't even come close to it. I don't believe many here could. He used that man to show that the flesh.
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Is rocked.
I abhor myself. Now, had he taken a Skid Row bum, of course you'd say that would have been suitable to abhor himself because of all the sins that he was living in. But here was a man that in the eye of man, no one could find fault with him. The apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus, was the same way.
He said, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless, just like Joel, one against whom you couldn't put a finger, you couldn't find a flaw, you couldn't find anything wrong in Saul of Tarsus as far as the eye of man is concerned.
He calls himself the chief of sinners. He calls himself the chief of sinners. Job, the perfect and upright man of the Old Testament that God singles out. He said, I abhor myself and repent, and Dustin ashes. And when we give expression to thoughts as though we are better than others.
We haven't learned our lesson yet, brethren. We haven't learned the very fundamentals of the faith.
I've seen two kinds of pride amongst the gathered Saints, those that have come in from the outside. I was guilty of this. I came in from the outside and I used to be proud of all that I gave up. And those that were raised in the meeting, they never knew of all the evil out there. And so I was a little better because.
I had given up the evils that were out there, and then I found the other kind of pride.
Had by those that were raised in the meeting that they were always in the assembly from childhood, and they could go back to their father and their father's father and so on and so on and trace their lineage and they could be proud in that, that they had never walked in the world. That has a tremendous advantage. And I think of the children of the Saints that have been kept from the world. What a tremendous advantage that is.
But there's a subtle form of pride either way, either way, and that's what we have to deal with is that pride. The the Lord Jesus was the most severe to the Pharisees. He didn't say too much to the Sadducees. He just said you do greatly earn not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God, but the censorious rebukes of the Lord Jesus upon the self-righteous hypocrites.
The Pharisees, those that thought themselves better than others, they hadn't learned what the circumcision really means. And I fear that that's the issue that we all have to address. What we really are, what He saved us from, how far we were, we could not have been farther, we could not have been more lost than we were when He picked us up. Whether you're raised in the meeting or raised in the world, if you're saved, it's by the grace of God. Nothing in US deserving a bit of it.
We say it, we give it out doctrinally, but do we really believe it in our souls? I believe that's the issue that we need to to really address. And when we come to that and see that grace, we don't understand grace.
Where to be the exponents of the grace of God, the trophies of His grace, vessels of mercy?
That's what we are. And when we come into the good of that and gaze at the Lord Jesus and are occupied with the righteousness which is of God in Christ, that which we've been brought into, If we can look up to heaven and point to the man there and say he is my righteousness, Christ our righteousness, clothed with that robe of righteousness. Speaking of Christ, none of our own, not a bit of it to be found in him, not having my own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Oh, that's what we need to come into the good of and that will deliver us from self and all self occupation and self esteem and self exaltation and all that would minister to our pride.
Thank you.
That if you want to find out what circumcision is, I just get a Webster dictionary and look up the word and you'll find that it means that a small piece of flesh is cut off and dies. And that's the basic meaning of circumcision, the flesh is cut off and dies.
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And I just like to call attention to verse seventeen of our chapter, which I believe is a key that we don't want to to.
Not seek quite promptly in our meditation. Verse seventeen of our chapter brethren be followers together of me.
I believe that's the key for us to understand this chapter. But we've noticed how that Paul talks a lot about himself.
Well, why does he talk about a lot about himself?
Is that he just wants to involve himself? Well, of course not. But he wants these Gentile believers to follow him.
In their understanding of what they have in Christ. And it is very interesting to me that in this book of Philippians, in every chapter we have keys like this. That was mentioned yesterday that Philippians has four books and the first book Christ is our life. And in that first chapter you find that Paul.
Says that for him to live his Christ and to die his game. So he shows himself to be an example of what he wants the Philippians to enjoy. In chapter 2 we know that Christ is our pattern and in chapter 2 we find that the apostle Paul caused attention to the fact that he has poured out.
As a drink offering on the sacrifice of the Philippians faith.
And he becomes an example to them. And so in verse 17, we have the key in this chapter that he's telling these things that apply to him.
That he's found in Christ not having his own righteousness, but he he does that in order that they might follow him. And in chapter four he tells us that Christ is the strength of the believer. And he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
So in all the four chapters of Philippians, Paul gives a key in his own life.
That he wants the Gentile believers to follow. So I thought I'd just bring that into focus this morning. But in our chapter where the subject really is Christ, our object.
Paul talks a lot about himself, but it's always with a view that the Gentile believers would follow him.
In the understanding of all of that.
Certainly all of these things that we've enjoyed.
In our meditation this morning that Paul mentions that applied to him, they're wonderful. But the reason that he writes to these Philippians is that he wants them to have the enjoyment as well. And I think when we see the key to this chapter, that he wants the Philippian believers to follow him into the enjoyment of what they have in Christ, then we'll have an understanding of why he talks so much about himself.
And also will understand why he introduces the chapter by laying aside.
The worthlessness of already had in the Jewish religion. Now you and I know that the Philippian believers were gentiles for the most part.
And so they could not.
Call back in their memories of having any particular religious advantages. So very early in the chapter of the apostle Paul sets aside all of those seeming religious advantages. He sets them aside and says to the Philippian believers, don't worry about it, that you don't have these things. I've had them all, but they don't profit them. And you've got everything that I've got.
And I want you to follow me into the enjoyment of what you Gentile believers have in the Lord Jesus. And I believe that's why he calls attention in verse 2. Some of you weren't here yesterday to get that thought, but there were always those people that bothered early believers by trying to get them back into Judaism. And there was a great bother to those early believers.
And in our chapter, those people who tried to do that are called dogs. They are the unclean animal that wanders around seeking something for its own advantage. And that's quite a quite a thing to call those people. Rather than helping, they were hindering.
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Well, the Apostle Paul sets that all aside and tells now that all of that religious advantage that he had as a Jew and the details we've had, we've talked about quite in detail. He said all of that you Gentile believers don't have. But don't feel bad what I have in Christ. You have too. And I believe that's the point, brethren, and considering all of these verses that he said.
I counted these laws for Christ and now he said, I'm I'm found in Christ not having my own righteousness. And he talks about knowing him and all these other precious things. He wants these Gentile believers to follow him into their proper enjoyment of what they have in Christ just as well as what he has. And so I just wanted to call attention to verse 17.
As a key to this chapter, he is seeking to lead these Gentile believers.
Into the enjoyment of what they had in Christ, just like He had.
Brother I like suspension is put for us all to remember wasn't pointing to himself solely also marked them it says which walked so as you have us for an example.
And what's he talking about verse 16? Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing, and then be followers. And this is what Paul is bringing out, and it's really in Galatians 6. You start at verse 14, but ought to have on my heart is verse 15.
Of Galatians 6, I believe Paul wasn't putting himself as the only one in this particular case. But God forbid that I should glory saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I under the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision. Here's the key here, but a new creation.
As many as walk according to this rule. That's what he's talking about the newness of life. We have that life of Christ, the newness of life and so here he says that our chapter let us walk by that same rule. It's the resurrected life, It's the life of Christ, but he and let us mind the same thing. It's Christ is the head in the whole goal and then he says the followers together of me and mark them.
Which walks, which walk? So ye have us for an example.
I don't think he's alone here on this. He's he's saying I've I've got that desire to lay hold of him. That's my whole desire to lay hold of Christ and I walk with that upward look and as long as your your affections are attached to things up there where he is, your feet are detached from this world. That's really the thought and there are others that he's pointing to as well. We also had said for me to live is Christ.
He says that in the first chapter.
And how important that is, I feel burdened to bring out the need for practical righteousness. What we have been talking about largely here this morning is what our positional righteousness is.
What we have been made and we had no part in this, but now that we are righteous.
Now that we are in a new position before God that is expected of us, that we walk righteously.
Pursue righteousness we have in Second Timothy 2 is the first thing mentioned there, and we find in Revelation that those garments in which the Saints are closed, white garments, which are the righteousnesses of sayings, that's not positional. That is practical. Righteousness is dead, beloved.
Should now be seen but.
We do not live in order to gain God's favor. We live because we have God, favor the way we do and desire to please Him. And we see that also towards the end of this chapter. That is becoming very practical and very important that we bring that in. I believe that we we exercised, that our life might manifest, that there is indeed a new change, that there is a new nature, that we have a divine nature.
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That will please God and will give us the ability by the Spirit's power to live pleasing to God as those who have His favor.
Romans 6 Verse in Romans 6IN connection with what we just said. Romans 611 Likewise reckon he also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin.
But alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto spin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Now that's practical righteousness he's talking about.
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom you yield yourselves servants, to obey his servants, you are to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin. But ye have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine which was delivered you, being then made free from sin.
He became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as He had you live your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, Even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
By the end of those things is death, but now being made free from sin.
And become servants to God. You have your fruit unto holiness.
And the end everlasting life for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The worst sin possible is to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, into an excuse for sin. It's grace that teaches us how to walk. It's grace that empowers us to live for God. And it's the sense of grace in our souls that will keep us going on for Him.
And produce that practical righteousness. It's not a legal obedience at all, but it's a product of grace, working in the heart by the power of the Spirit of God that enables us to walk as Christ walked when he was here in 193.
Open Mtg.
Open—R.Thonney, C. Hendricks
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Foundation.
They destroyed.
What can the righteous do?
And then in the New Testament, in the book of Two Timothy.
And the second chapter.
In the 19 verse.
Just to get the context, perhaps you could read from the.
17th Verse. Their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymenius and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is passed already, and overthrow the faith of Son. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.
Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them.
That are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ.
Depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. The man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the masters.
Use and prepared unto every good work. Plea also youthful us and follow.
Righteousness.
Faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Just want to share a few brief thoughts, dear brethren.
We're living in the last days of our history in this world.
And God is permitting a lot of shaking to go on, both in our lives as individual believers and also as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
I don't think any of us will deny that there is a lot of shaking going on.
At that first verse we read in the Psalms, If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? In the Old Testament times, the foundations of the temple. When Nebuchadnezzar came into Jerusalem and carried away captive Judah to Babylon, the foundations were destroyed.
Of that time in the time of Nehemiah, or in the time of Ezra rather, when they were allowed to return.
To Jerusalem to build that temple. When the foundations were laid, there was great rejoicing, especially of those who were younger, who had not seen that first house. The older ones wept.
But what I'd like to draw emphasis to in the.
Verse We have read here, the 19th verse of the second chapter of Second Timothy, is the fact that in our times, even though the ruin of the public testimony is great, we don't have to look outside. Dear brethren, we can point the finger right at our own selves, but the ruin of the public testimony.
We have failed still this principle truth is a great consolation for our souls. The foundation of God standeth sure. The foundation may have been broken up in the Old Testament, but not in the new. Dear brethren, the testimony.
As to its public aspect is in ruins, but the foundation.
Stands sure you know a building.
Is its value is determined largely on the.
A good character of foundation that it has under it, but doesn't have a good foundation for as much as you may build good material into the superstructure, still the the building itself is not that good. But when the foundation is good then that gives extra value in South America, especially in Peru.
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There are a lot of earthquakes.
And those quakes show the value of a good foundation under a building, and building codes, especially in the city of Lima, are quite strict as to how they have to lay that foundation in so that the buildings will stand the test when earthquakes come, as they often do in that nation.
But it really comes home to me, dear brethren, in our times when there is such testing.
Being allowed of the Lord amongst us to go back to those foundation truths upon which we base our souls for all eternity. There we're going to find firmness, stability. Everything else around may increase and it's shaking.
But all here we can find some place we can be sure about.
The foundation of God stands sure, and I'd like to just briefly look at a few places in the New Testament where it speaks of this foundation. First of all, in the 16th chapter of Matthew, a well known portion that all we need to go over these precious truths and challenge our souls as to how much.
In these trials.
That God is allowing we have our feet firmly planted on God's foundation.
Doesn't use the word foundation in this chapter, but it uses something that is very similar and I think we can all see that it is a question of foundation here.
16th chapter of Matthew and verse 13. When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man AM? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist.
And some Elias, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. And he said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee.
But my father, which is in heaven, and I say unto thee, that thou art Peter.
And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So here we have the first announcement of this building that the Lord Jesus says I will build. But I'd just like to draw attention to a few of the things connected with this building.
That to me seems so important.
For the day in which we live, the Lord Jesus asked the disciples.
Whom do men say that I am? He got a response of quite a few different answers that men were speaking.
There were a lot of difference of human opinion as to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But then he turns to them and says, By whom say ye that I am? And Peter answers, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the Lord Jesus said flesh and blood.
Hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. In other words, brethren, the truth of the Church and the place that we are builded upon, is not a question of human opinion. No, it is a question of divine revelation. This was something that.
The father had revealed to Peter.
And that upon that the Lord Jesus said, I will build my church.
The Lord Jesus in speaking to Peter here. Notice he uses in verse.
17 One name for Peter, Simon Barjona. Simon was his name by nature. Bar means son of Jonah. That was his name by nature. But in the next verse when he speaks about Peter as a little stone, I'm sure we all recognize there are two words here. Peter means stone, but it is a small stone.
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Whereas when the Lord Jesus says upon this rock, he's Speaking of an immense rock.
His own person.
And so Peter, when he speaks to him here, he gives him his new name. We occupy a place in this building which the Lord speaks of as His Church, not as men by nature, but by that new position that we occupy because of being believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And oh, how we ought to thank God, dear brethren.
For this that the Lord Jesus shows us here in this verse 18.
He says Upon this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it in that beautiful.
And that give you tremendous consolation in the midst of the trouble that is in the world today and in the professing church to realize that that building that Christ is building right now, yes, He's still adding to his church daily. Those that should be saved, He is still building. And the gates of hell are not going to be able to prevail.
Oh, how precious to realize this truth. No wonder in the epistle that Peter writes, he says, Unto whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God. And precious, Do you enjoy that firm foundation? Have you come to the Lord Jesus?
In simple faith, have you planted your feet? If we can put it in this way.
Upon the Rock of Ages, this is the only way that we can be.
Part of his church and so the foundation that we speak of Indiana this.
Verse is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ himself. No Satan and all Hell's hosts will never be able to prevail against this building that Christ is building. I say again, the outward testimony of the church is in ruin. Cannot deny it. We cannot deny that we are part of that ruin.
We cannot point out and say the ruins out there and we're faithful. No, there's ruin right amongst those gathered to the Lord's name. Still, that foundation stands sure, and it ought to be a consolation. It ought to be able to give us firmness in our souls to go on through the raging storms that God permits amongst His people.
Next verse I'd like to look at is in Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians chapter 2.
We will read from verse 19. The verse I had in mind is verse 20.
Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles.
And prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together.
Groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Here we have another verse that speaks to the foundation.
And it speaks of it as the foundation of the apostles.
And prophets. In the 4th chapter you see that Christ has given gifts.
00:15:00
In men to the church and there are 5 gifts mentioned.
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. The 1St 2 gifts are what we have here in this verse, apostles and prophets and we are filled with the Scripture says upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
In other words, here in the New Testament Scriptures which deal with the question of the Church.
It is the apostles and prophets that have given us the outline or the basic form, the foundation work upon which we build. There were writers in the New Testament like Luke. Perhaps we don't ever hear that. I remember that Luke was an apostle that I remember. Maybe I'm mistaken, but he could be considered a prophet. But in the book of Acts, we.
Many tremendous principles from that book upon which we build as.
Upon which we are built, as in that building, the church. Oh dear brethren, this comes as a challenge to my own soul, as we are built upon this foundation of the apostles and prophets, to remember that the only firmness.
That we are going to encounter in our lives individually as believers in the Lord Jesus or collectively as seeking to go on in the truth of the church on the ground that there is one body. The only firmness that we're going to encounter is on the doctrine, the doctrine of the apostles that we have here in the New Testament. I don't discount the Old Testament. It brings in many.
Figures that help to understand all scriptures given by inspiration of God, but it says here very clearly we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Often given the illustration to the brethren in the Southlands. If I want to build an extra room after the house I've had built and I go and just.
The bricks right on top of the ground. Is that going to work? And they all shake their heads. They know and you know that it won't work. There's no foundation. And still sometimes in our lives as believers, we act without the foundation work of the precious doctrine of the apostles that we have here in the New Testament as believers gather to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Sometimes we do the same and we find things are shaky.
Why? Because perhaps we haven't really gotten back to the Scriptures to see if there's foundation work for what we're doing. Oh dear brethren, these things come as challenges to my own soul, and I just want to share them with you. Another verse that corresponds somewhat with this is in First Corinthians chapter 3.
Here we have in this chapter the building looked at in a different aspect as man building. And of course when man builds a lot of material gets in. That is not true.
Let's read from verse nine, First Corinthians 39 For we are laborers together with God. Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building according to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder. I have laid the foundation, and another billeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth.
Four other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, Hayes, double, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
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Just want to draw attention to the fact that Paul here says.
The chief of the apostles, the one to whom the mystery of the Church was revealed, calls himself the wise Master Builder as no other apostle. It was to Paul that the truth of the Church, not only as to its origins but as to its present function, was committed.
And so we cannot ignore the teaching of Paul as to the church if we want to build in a way that's going to last. And so he says, I, as a wise master builder, have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereupon. You and I are all builders in this building we're building. But there's two questions that come to my mind.
As challenges, first of all, where are you building? South America. They use mainly brick, sometimes stone for the walls of their home and they use what they call a Plumb line. I don't know how they do it today here, but that Plumb line there always holding it up after every few rows of bricks they put on and they make sure.
That that wall is staying directly.
Above that foundation, it's important for the good of the building.
And so it comes as a challenge to my own soul as I seek to serve the Lord, and as you seek to serve the Lord too, to always keep the Plumb line in your hand. I've been amazed, dear brethren.
How that for every situation that we encounter are encountered in this world, there is some principle from the precious word of God, some verse, some set of verses or some principle?
That will give light as to your pathway, if you're willing to search it out, it may not be apparent at the first glance. It may take some exercise on your part of getting into the Lord's presence, of bending your knees, of reading His word. But if you're willing to dig it out, there is a principle, there is some scripture to give you light so that in your building you will build.
That foundation, The second thing that comes as a challenge to my soul is what I am building into that building and the materials that are mentioned here are 6, three that are lasting, 3 that are not lasting. It's not my purpose to speak about that. My main purpose is to speak about the foundation and I'd just like to.
Draw attention to the 11Th verse four other foundation can no man lay.
Then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
In the second chapter of Ephesians where we read it says Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Beautiful thought to think about too, dear brethren, as being part of this building. The chief cornerstone is the stone that is put in first, and then from that stone all measurements are taken.
Whether it be the width of the building, the length of the building, the height of the building, even diagonals must be measured with reverence to that stone. How often in our lives as believers we have reference to other things. How has it affected me? How has it affected those that I love? And we form our judgments by that standard. And we get faulty judgments. Oh, dear brethren, we.
To get back to the chief cornerstone, we can form no right judgment until we get back to his blessed person. Now going back to first Second Timothy 2 briefly.
We find that in Second Timothy, which is the last book.
That the Apostle Paul wrote that ruin has come in in the first Timothy. It speaks of the church as the House of God, the pillar and ground of the truth. The pillar and support of the truth is where the truth is upheld.
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And so in our meetings, sometimes something is said and the scripture says let the prophets freak two or three, let the others judge.
All of us are human, all of us can make mistakes, but in that order that God has placed in his precious word, the truth of God is maintained, is upheld, And so we ought not to be strangely upset when mistakes are made. Yes, we are human. We can make mistakes. We ought to be willing to admit it.
The scripture says prove all things.
Hold fast that which is good. And so we ought not to accept merely because some brother has said it, but we ought to prove all things by this precious book that we have in our hands, and hold fast that which is good. Sometimes, perhaps, we look at those who.
Are well respected and we ought to respect them. I'm not saying no, but I say sometimes we think that they ought to be perfect.
Dear brethren, it's not so. We have mistakes, and so we need to prove all things so that the truth will be upheld. But in Second Timothy we do not find that it refers to the church as the House of God. It speaks of it in this chapter as a great house. It is expanded. It is far larger than God originally intended. It includes all.
Of religious profession. This is the great House of Christendom, and we are part of it. We do not have to say that Christendom is out there, brethren. We are part of Christendom as well. And so as we go on, as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, there are principles here as how to go on in the midst of it all, to hold that precious outline of truth that we have in the New Testament as to the Church.
What it is composed of our brother in the address spellingly stated about the Church in the Ephesians 525, that it includes every true believer in the Lord Jesus. Never let us, dear brethren, narrow the scope of our vision, and using that word, the assembly, or the Church to any lesser circle, but to embrace that which.
God Christ embraced when he loved the church and gave himself for it.
And so the church today or this I say this great House of christening includes far greater sphere. It includes a lot of profession in which is not reality. But it is not our place to go and say which are real and which are not real. That's not our responsibility because the foundation has this seal, the Lord.
Knows them that are his. But the second part of this seal is where our responsibility comes in.
Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity, and so we have a responsibility, if we name that precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, not to connect that name with iniquity.
And so there are vessels in this House of wood and of earth, there are vessels of silver and gold, and there are some to honor, some to dishonor. For me to say who's the vessels of gold and silver or of wooden, of earth, No, that's not my place, but my place is when there's iniquity to separate myself from it, I'd like to.
It's been often emphasized in Second Timothy that it is individual responsibility. It is very clear here in verse.
21 If a man purge himself, therefore purge himself from these, so does individual responsibility to challenge ourselves as to every point where we profess to stand in our profession of Christianity, in our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus.
To be willing to be examined.
By the full light of scripture, dear brethren, these scriptures have been an immense consolation to my own soul and I want to share them as the times grow more and more dark and difficult. We don't need to be over occupied with those dark times. We have issues that we must face, yes, but I say what we want to be more familiar with.
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Is that foundation that stands sure even in these are times and will stand sure until the end, even if the times get far, far more difficult? This is what it's going to give us, strength and courage and firmness to simply go on for His glory and honor.
There will be a testimony to the end when the Lord.
And we talked about that.
We talked about whether we had scripture for it.
It's one thing as our brother was bringing before us.
To be taught by able leading brethren this but it's another thing to.
To have the.
The testimony of Scripture on it.
Turn with me to Philippians 2, Revelation 3 please.
Revelation 3.
I just want to make a few comments, there's not much time.
But the last four churches in the seven churches in chapters 2 and three.
Go down to the coming of the Lord.
Is Laura the Lord's coming is mentioned in Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, where he says, behold, I come quickly. And Laodicea, of course, is the last final stage of the state of the church in the world.
Philadelphia represents that recovery of truth following upon Sardis which is the Protestant Reformation via Tyra Rome in the dark ages, and then the recovery through the reformers, the mighty work of the Spirit of God in Sardis where 2 grand truths were recovered, the all sufficiency of Scripture.
For guidance to the believer.
And justification by faith apart from works altogether.
Wonderful truths, but the movement stopped short of a full recovery. And there was, as we are quite familiar with.
A mighty, mighty work of the Spirit of God in the last century.
One man especially being used of God. Many were used, but one especially to recover.
Truths that were hidden in the Word of God and long lost amidst the ecclesiastical rubble of Christendom.
Philadelphia represents that movement.
The word means brotherly love.
It doesn't mean it means love of the Brethren. It doesn't mean love of the Philadelphians.
That means it's not sectarian.
The Philadelphia has a heart as large as Christ's.
And he loves all the Saints, not just those with whom he walks in practical fellowship.
The Lord Jesus loves all the Saints. He died for all. He has no favorites. He doesn't love us as gathered to His name more than He loves those that are in division.
Loves us all with an everlasting love, and He shed his precious blood to make us His.
So one of the first features of Philadelphia is a heart as large as Christs.
Heart which loves the flock of God, the Saints of God, as Christ loves them.
Now, if we don't qualify for that, we're not Philadelphians. And then it's the Philadelphia answers to the moral character of Christ himself. These things saith He that is holy, he that is true.
He was the holy and the true. You'll notice that all the addresses preceding.
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The Lord Jesus is presented.
In his judicial character as found in the first chapter, the vision that John saw the Son of Man standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and he was there, not a savior, but as judge And the 1St 5.
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, and Sardis. The Lord presents himself to each one of those assemblies.
In one of the characters described of himself in the first chapter, but not so with Philadelphia. With Philadelphia he presents himself as the holy and the true, and this is what characterizes Philadelphian testimony, holiness, and truth.
That is holiness, the very opposite of the corruption of Thyatira.
And truth, the opposite of the dead, lifeless formalism.
Of Sardis, dead. A name to live, but dead.
Holy and true. So the Philadelphian takes his character from that, from Christ himself. And then he says, I'm just touching the moral features of Philadelphia. He says thou hast a little strength. Verse eight of Revelation 3. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door.
And no man can shut it, for thou hast a little strange.
Philadelphia is marked by feebleness, by weakness.
Not by something that has a great power that can be appreciated by the world and by the religious world, the religious systems represented by Thyatira and Sardis.
But Philadelphia is a picture of a weakness, a little strength, just twos and threes here and there. I've been to many of those kinds of meetings, whether it's just twos and threes gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Political strength, not anything that can make an impact and be accounted out by the world. A little strange, but he says thou has checked my word. And one of the moral features of Philadelphia is faithfulness to Christ, keeping his word, keeping his word.
And there in order to do that, of course we have to know it all, we have to know His word, and we have to put it into practice.
And the Philadelphia is one that keeps his word.
We look at the moral features of Philadelphia. You might have to bow your head and hang it in shame and say, I'm not a Philadelphia, but we ought to desire to be that. We ought to desire it from the depths of our soul. But this Philadelphian testimony goes on to the end. I haven't a shadow of a doubt that the recovery of the truth in the last century.
Was the Philadelphian.
Movement answering to the to its place here in the seven churches. The prophetic history of the Church.
And then he says now it's not denied my name.
Gathered to no other name, refusing to take another name than the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
How many times you've encountered another Christian and you've talked to them and they say, what church do you go to?
What's your name?
And you might rise a little bit and squirm and feel a little squeamish, as you say. Well, we don't have a name.
Well, you don't have a name. Everyone has a name where we're just simply Christians gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Do you say it's sort of apologetically, or do you say it with a radiancy on your face? I'm gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that name which is above every name.
I refuse every other name gathered by the wonderful, by the power of the Spirit of God.
To that precious name God has exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, and I'm gathered by the grace of God. To that precious name I refuse everything else.
You say it that way. Will it glow on your face and joy in your heart?
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Thou hast kept My word and not denied my name. And then he gives another moral mark, another moral feature in verse 10. Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation or trial which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, to try the earth dwellers, keeping the word of His patience, waiting the time when He will.
Things right here. We're living in a day when righteousness suffers, a day when to be Christ and to claim His name and to cling to Him brings reproach, brings persecution. Do we feel that? Well, those early Philadelphians felt it. All you have to do is read the letters or the collected writings of Mr. Darby and you'll see all the opposition that was.
By the enemy to the truths that were recovered in the last century.
And we're the spiritual heirs of that movement. And it's to them that he says, Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast what thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Does a Philadelphian testimony continue to the Lord's coming? Yes, it does.
He said so whether I'll be there is another question. Whether you'll be there is another question. Is there such a thing as that which he owns as Philadelphia continuing down to the Lord's coming? Yes, there is, he says. I come quickly.
And he exhorts the Philadelphia to hold fast what they have, that no man take their crown. It's Philadelphia that recovers the truth, that recovers the truth of the assembly that wasn't recovered in Sardis.
What the Church is according to the mind and thought of God was not recovered in Sardis by the Reformers.
But it was recovered in the last century.
There is one body. Our brother was talking about foundation truth. That's a foundation truth. There's one body. Now we cannot be in a Philadelphian if we give that up. And I can't express that as an individual. I can't express that truth. You can't express that truth as an individual. There is one body, and we're all members of that one body. That truth can only be.
Collectively, 2 Timothy 222 Follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
So there is a collective testimony down to the Lord's coming. It is not merely individual.
Now if you look at Acts 27 and there are those that have used that chapter to.
Indicate a history of sort of a prophetic history of the church. I don't object to that, but it leads me to a difficulty and that is at the end the ship is entirely broken up and everyone arrives home on an individual plank of the ship it presents.
It presents that which we could draw a false conclusion from if that's really a history of the church, and that is that there is no such thing left at the end as a collective testimony. But I think that Second Timothy 2 Says there is. I believe that Revelation 3, the address to Philadelphia, says there is that which is not just individual.
You know, it's so easy in these last days to get discouraged.
And say there's nothing left collectively, we'll just go it alone.
And I know there's a lot that I've talked to that have become so discouraged.
They feel that's, that's about all that's left as we look around. We dare not say we're Philadelphia. No, I'm not saying that for one moment, don't misunderstand me. But there is to the Lord's coming that which is presented in Revelation 3 as Philadelphia. And there ought to be then the desire at least to be Philadelphian. There ought. And if I have that desire and I and I'm going to carry that desire out, I can't.
Just as an individual, neither can you. We have to do it collectively. We have to do it together. Because there is one body is a fundamental truth that the Philadelphian holds on to and seeks to give expression to. He wants to follow righteousness, do the right thing in connection with the truth of God. And one of the marks of the Philadelphia is, thou hast kept my word. And part of the word is there is one body.
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So you cannot have that commendation.
If you give up collective truth, if you give up a collective path, that should keep us, beloved, from giving up just at the very verge of the Lord's coming, where there is going to be that which goes on to the coming of the Lord, that gives expression, however feebly, and we own it, how feebly we express it, and with what failure we express it, the truth there is one.
Body.
May God encourage us to hold fast what we have that no man take our crown. How sad to be in the path, the collective path with all our failure and we all have to hang our heads in shame. But oh when I hear those that are about to give it all up.
For an individual path, no the word of God.
I trust what's been presented is a help for us all to see that we cannot have. His commendation now has kept my word. If we give up the collective part of it every morning, every Lord's Day morning, we'll have it tomorrow we'll break bread on the table as a loaf. And that says there's one body. There's a collective truth there. It's not just individual. When I remember the Lord, I remember Him not just as an individual, but as a member of the body.
You cannot remember the Lord and do it intelligently and divorce yourself from collective responsibility.
They just encourage us.
To continue with all our weakness, trying to God to help us in our feebleness. Owning it, Not pretending to be something we're not. That's no good. But owning what we are. Casting ourselves upon resources of infinite grace to keep us in the path until we hear the shout.
Thing 318.
318.
Money - Shipwreck
Address—C. Buchanan
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1St we want to read in Proverbs chapter 22.
2 topics.
I'll speak a little bit about.
This afternoon.
The first one is money.
And the next one is a shipwreck.
You find the Bible very, very interesting. Have you read it?
I recommend it. Read it. Oh, this wonderful book of proverbs. We're not starting with either one of those topics.
What we're going to read here? A few verses in the 22nd chapter.
Beginning with verse 17 through 21.
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise.
And apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee.
They shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made thee, and I have made known to thee this day.
Even to thee have not I written to the excellent things in councils?
And knowledge.
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee.
In viewing.
For you all here this afternoon, including myself.
And like for us.
Put a question to ourselves.
As to why we are here today?
Have you come?
Because your parents have brought you.
Or have helped you to get here?
Have you come on your own violation?
Are you thinking about?
Meeting some very dear friends.
Maybe one in particular, but being in the company.
Of dear Saints of God.
And enjoying that.
Have you come because you enjoy the food and the accommodations?
Have you come?
Because you love the Lord Jesus.
And want to learn more of the truth as it is in Jesus.
These perhaps are all.
Good reasons if used rightly. At least some of them are.
Have you?
Because you might have a problem in your heart, in your conscience, in your soul that you'd like to get some help about.
Well, whatever it may be.
I can say for myself, I don't know of a better place you and I could be.
We have read about the words of truth.
And the message from the writer will say the Spirit of God is bow down thine ear and hear, hear.
The words of the wise In this book we find wisdom.
And I believe wisdom personified in the person of the Lord Jesus.
The affection seeking the good.
Of the son of all who want to hear.
And truth is such a rare thing in this world.
But it is here.
We can state from scripture thy word is true.
John 17, this is what we have here this afternoon and it writes about.
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The person of Jesus who said I am the way, the truth and the life.
Another verse says you shall know the truth.
And the truth shall make you free.
Men want liberty. They claim to want it and fight to get it and don't have it.
Another verse goes a little farther there in the eighth of John says.
You shall know the Son. If the Son therefore shall make you free, he shall be free indeed. Oh, to know the person and that this book is about.
Well, here was Solomon writing. We believe these wonderful words for us to take up and take to heart and to realize the excellence of what we have.
The Irishman said you will never find anything but where it is and that's.
Especially so concerning the truth. You will never find it but where it is.
And by the grace of God, we have.
And I will say there is a company that seeks to keep his word.
Deny not his name.
I'll go a little further.
For myself and say I think I'm amongst them. Blessed be God that I can feel that you find out for yourself.
It is the most valuable thing you can possibly get.
The truth of God.
I remember an old brother saying to us years ago everything that you have.
That you will endure forever, That you'll keep you have by.
Faith. The faith is another expression parallel.
The truth.
The faith once delivered to the Saints Jude writes about.
And you and I are going to have to earnestly contend for it.
This portion we have read is in the middle of a chapter.
Now call attention to a few other verses. Notice verse 2.
The rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the Maker.
Of them all.
A profound statement, very simple.
And you and I rub shoulders with them.
There in the world the rich and the poor. Later on in the book, Solomon says in prayer, give me neither poverty nor riches for both of these extremes.
Bring problems.
Now the truth is being combated by.
Satan, in these last moments of the age in which we live, I'll say furiously.
We must contend for it.
There's another enemy that we have.
That's right, inside.
Cell.
But the one that I like to call attention to this afternoon is the third great enemy that we have.
And that's the world in which we live.
I am astounded.
And I suppose you are too.
At the immensity of the development that research.
And the energy of men have produced.
Out of material things in the world.
There's a verse that says as using this world but not abusing. I may not quote that right. It's in First Corinthians 7. You can look it up. We will cite an example of misuse or abusing what's in the world.
In our first parents, you know, they had the whole world.
And the dominion of it. And Satan stole it from them.
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And through sin they were afraid of God, and the first thing they did was abuse what God had given.
They went out and hid behind those trees. That's the wrong use.
Of material things in the world now the development.
Of the material things in the world.
I'm not saying is wrong, not at all.
I thank God for the mercies we enjoy.
To be able to come up here this morning some 250 miles in comfort.
Rather than to have to walk over the Andes Mountains huffing and puffing and having to get a horse to ride on to get over some difference while men made that car.
And I thank God for material things too.
Well, it's not all wrong. I told you I was going to talk about money. Just refer to it a little bit.
Relatively.
I'll say everyone in this room is rich compared to many of our dear brethren in Bolivia.
For the rich and the poor meet together, for the Lord is the maker of them all. They are a relative terms.
Well, we can thank God for the land we live in and the comforts we enjoy.
And the wonderful thing is, I'd like to say that we can take these things up.
In a positive way.
I'll quote another verse from Luke 16.
In a slightly different translation that says.
Make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it failed, he may be received into the everlasting abodes.
Telling us of the great privilege.
That you and I have.
To use that mammon of unrighteousness which can be termed Will.
Riches, money, material things that are put into your possession to use those things wisely.
I think we have come to a verse a little later on, but I'll quote part of it now.
We brought nothing into this world and it's certainly can carry nothing out. Another profound statement that is very simple to understand.
Every person in this room was born naked. When you leave it, you're not going to carry anything out either.
Not one thing.
But the blessed thing is that you and I can send ahead. We can, as it were, bank in heaven.
And I just think that's tremendous.
But our task as being in the world.
Aren't great. There may be some here who are out of employment.
Who are certainly not rich.
And in need of work.
We have these things in this country too.
And these things are difficult.
But we have one to turn to in all our difficulties.
But for many of us, the allurements.
Of those fine things out there.
Can get too much of a hold upon us.
As it were, I believe Satan is fixing up his palace.
In these last moments of this age.
So we should not set our heart upon these things.
The last words.
In the first Epistle of John is.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Now, idols today are different I think.
Than they were back before Christ came into this world.
And the light of Christianity.
Exposed many things.
Idols like Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold.
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A fine thing. And there were all kinds of lesser idols that men bowed down and worshipped.
But today?
It's more apt to be.
Some of those material things which in themselves are not wrong.
That get too big a hold of us.
An apartment to get a hold of the heart so much that we forget what?
Has eternal value.
We're going to come.
To that shipwreck.
Not talking about.
The one that Paul and the others were cast in the ocean from on the 27th of Acts.
Does somebody else know a chapter that reads about it?
A shipwreck I'm sure there are.
But the one that we're going to take up now is found in Ezekiel. Let's look at Ezekiel.
Chapter 27.
We're coming to something which is prophetic.
Although it is historic.
And much of the revealed mind of God as to the future has had a partial fulfillment.
And to me, this is intensely interesting.
Because the timing of it is getting very close.
Well, riches and the means to get it.
Are largely.
In the hands of Oregon, under the power of what we call commerce.
Commerce, I remember.
Well, to state in this Assembly here in Chicago.
Years ago, there used to be a brother named Brother Clown. Her brother Ralph Erisman would remember him, I suppose. I don't, but I know about him and I understand that he was the founder of one of these markets in this city, which today has grown up into an immense market.
I remember another time visiting here in Chicago and a brother named Verssteg took me down to the Chicago Board of Trade grain building and I tell you, I had more fun than I've ever seen. I've been at a few football games and this was better than that.
And to see men.
Jumping up and down and shouting at the top of their voice and waving their arms with so many digits up there trading.
Thousands of bushels of contracts of grain.
It was an amazing thing to me. Now the world operates.
A large part of the world operates on commerce carried on in the various fashions.
Largely with pieces of paper.
I say this because.
Do you remember that verse when it failed? That's the mammon of unrighteousness. It's going to fail, I carry in this Bible.
Two effective bills not effective anymore. One of them is from Bolivia.
One of them I acquired.
25 years ago, nearly.
And it had the figure on it 10,000 pesos.
I acquired it for a nickel of our money.
A short time afterward, it wasn't even worth a nickel.
About 3 1/2 years ago, down with Bob and Bolivia, I got another bill that says 10 million.
10 million.
I paid $8 for it. I understand it's worth about 5 now.
This illustrates the value of paper without anything behind it.
00:20:05
Let's read Ezekiel 27.
The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Now thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus, and say unto Tyrus, O thou that art, sit to it at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many Isles. Thus saith the Lord God, O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect duty.
Thy borders are in the midst of the Seas. Thy buildings have perfected thy beauty. They have made all thy ships.
Boards of fir, trees of Sinner. They have taken Cedars from Lebanon to make mass for thee.
Out of the oaks ofation have they made thine oars, the company of the Asherites.
Have made thy benches of ivory. Have brought out of the Isles of Chittenden. Refers to the West or to Cyprus fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail.
The blue and purple from the Isles of Elijah was that which covered the the inhabitants of Zion and Arvad were thy Mariners. Thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots.
The Ancients of Gibel.
That is a town which is still in Lebanon, I believe today. And the wise men thereof were in the thy caucus. All the ships of the sea with their Mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise, they of Persia. Persia is Iran, where so many problems.
Are prominent in that area right now with US engaged to protect ships going through that gulf there to load up oil and bring back Persia.
Is Iran or Iran I should say is Persia and of blood of verse 10.
And have put wherein thine army thy men of war, They hang the shield and helmet in thee. They set forth thy comeliness. The men of our red with thine army were upon thy walls round about. And the gamma dims were in thy towers. They hang their Shields upon thy walls round about. They have made thy beauty perfect.
Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches.
With silver and iron and tin.
And LED that traded in thy fares. Farmers here know about corn and beans and wheat and cotton. Those things are traded in the world today too, as well as these metals. Javen, I believe that's grease, tubal and meshach up in the north, perhaps in Russia. They were thy merchants.
All of these were coming down to Tarshish.
Tire a Tyrus, which is tire. All these were coming down there as merchants. They traded the persons of men. Both slavery went on.
And vessels of brash in thy market, they of the House of Togarmah, I think another city up in the far north, Russia perhaps traded in thy fares.
I was at the 1933 World's Fair here in this city. They had fairs then, and Brother Ralph took me down to see that. I remember the streamlined trains were just new then. Fares. They're current today. They had them then. That's where the commerce is carried on, much of it with horses, horsemen and mules. The men of the Dan were thy merchants.
Many.
Aisles were the merchandise of thine hand they brought thee for a present.
Horns of ivory and Ebony. Ebony.
Came from India. That's where they have found it.
So clear over the tire Tyrus. This merchandise carried on Syria. Verse 16. Very nearby Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making they occupied in thy affairs. These fairs went on with emeralds. Now we're getting high price things. Purple embroidered work.
00:25:08
Perhaps like those Persian rugs and all that fine linen and coral and agate, these wealthy things.
Judah and the land of Israel. Oh, right there.
Next door at the tire. They were thy merchants. They traded in thy.
Market wheat, oh, wheat does come in interesting for us farmers. Wait a minute, Anag and honey and oil and bomb, things that are very nice and practical, helpful in life. Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making. Damascus is believed to be the oldest city that has been continually lived on.
Live in the oldest one known, Damascus. It's still there, very much there.
In.
Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of thy wares, of thy making for the multitude of all riches in the wine of Hellborn and white wool, what's necessary in the north, in the cold countries then also, and Javen going to and fro occupied in thy affairs, They're having more fairs.
Bright iron cashew Calamus Quincy market hidden was thy merchant in precious clothes for Chariots. Arabia, all the Arabs. They've got plenty of money now, lots of them. And all the Princess keyed are they occupied we with thee in lambs and Rams and goats. That's what they used to trade in instead of oil. And these were they as I merchants, the merchants of Sheba Rhema, they were thy merchants.
They occupied in thy affairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones and gold.
Heron and Cannon and Eden. Isn't that interesting Eden. I wonder if it was over that region near Iran and Iraq.
The merchants of Sheba, Asher and Chill man were thy.
Merchants. These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, embroidered work.
In chess of rich apparel bound with cords.
And made with cedar among thy merchandise. I still marvel at these wonderful chests we've seen coming out of Hong Kong and China and other places. They have them. Then Evidently the ships of charsish did sing of thee in thy market, and thou wast replenished and made very glorious in the midst of the sea.
Now we have Tyrus as the center of all this trade by ships.
But refining in the chapter that Tyrus itself is likened to a ship, and we're coming to the point where she's sinking, let's go on and read here verse 26. Thy roars have brought thee into the great waters. This is a figure, a symbol of Tyrus itself as a ship out in the great waters.
The Rapture, the collapse of commerce is what we're getting.
It's going to collapse.
This system, this monetary system.
This commercial system, which has been operative in the world of these millennials, is going to collapse.
Thy riches, verse 27 And thy fairest, thy merchandise, thy Mariners and thy pilots, thy caulkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the.
Midst of the Seas, in the day of thy ruin.
The ship of commerce goes down.
And it's a lamentation for all the merchants and all the people of the world that depend upon merchandise.
This is the collapse of the thing.
It's going to happen.
Beloved here, Go and reach some more here.
Verse 28. The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots.
And I'll handle the ore. The Mariners and the pilots of the sea shall come down from their ships, and they shall stand upon the land, and shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads. They shall wall themselves in the ashes, and they shall make themselves utterly bold for thee, and gird them with.
00:30:27
Gloss, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitterness of wailing.
And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying.
What city is like Tyrus?
Like the destroyed in the midst of the sea. Very clear now what city? This city of commerce is just a figure of the whole commercial system upon which life is sustained by transporting these things that are necessary for life, and things that aren't necessary too, that men might live the good life apart from God.
Think of the patience of God.
Which has let man go on nearly 6000 years. You remember Cain?
For the first man born into the world, he went out from the presence of the Lord and builded a city. Now that's a figure, a symbol of man seeking to make himself comfortable in his own company, apart from God.
And men have astoundingly developed necessary things to sustain life.
In the Arctic Circle.
And in the deserts of Arabia.
Where life apart from certain?
Things that men provide would be, we might say, impossible.
God has let them do that.
We're in an air conditioned room, maybe 90 outside. We thankful for it. You can stay awake and apprehend more truth. I hope this is a mercy for us. We don't condemn all good things. No, it's the use that we're going to make of them that we have to check ourselves upon because they can get a hold of us, the world.
Is a marvelous thing, in a way, the glory.
The glamour, the glitter, the convenience.
And the ease of life.
Far different from when I was a boy.
And it's nice up to a point, but what are we doing with what God has given to us? Well, thank God we're all here.
I trust to hear the truth these 2 1/2 days because the truth is what's going to abide.
The truth will abide.
This word of God liveth and abideth forever.
Then I'll repeat again, you and I can do a little banking in heaven.
He can make to yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, that when it failed.
He may be received into the everlasting habitations. The habitations, the abodes, are everlasting.
You and I have everlasting life. We are going there, but we can use wisely.
And put to our account there like those Philippians fruit that abounds that your account Joe, that brilliant man said.
My record is on high.
Yours is 2 -, 2. It's there. Wonderful that we can use the mammon of unrighteousness wisely. It's a great thing.
In contrast.
To getting our hearts set upon it and building up a big pile. I'm amazed you notice some of the news. What did Ivan Boesky gain by all the billions he got control of? He's in trouble with the law.
And it seems to me.
That some of these great men.
00:35:02
The more money they get, the more.
They want.
These things are notable.
I'll mention another thing which is a shame.
And that is the great men in the camp have caused a tremendous scandal over money. Money.
Well, perhaps that's enough to say about it.
What are you and I going to do? Well, thank God we're here. Thank God we have the truth and the truth as it is in Jesus, and these things which abide and the enjoyment of the Lord before we get home to the glory, we can have as much of Christ as we want.
I like it when I see somebody sitting down and reading their Bible. I saw two people doing that when I arrived here this morning.
This word lives and abides forever.
Well, here we have the collapse of that city.
It, I believe, runs about parallel to the collapse of that other city, Babylon.
The mother of harlots. The religious system.
It is going to collapse. You will find quite a parallel.
Between some of the verses we have read here and what is stated about her, I think it's Revelation 18. It's Revelation anyway, the trade that goes on in that thing, and we know just about when.
Babylon the Great is going to collapse. She is likened to a queen.
Because she is that religious system that supplants.
Before men, the place of the bride.
The way whereas Tyrus is called a Prince.
You get that in the next chapter. We have read mostly most of chapter 27. For your own reading, you'll find out you can go on with Tyrus and the Prince of Tyrus and the King of Tyrus in the next chapter.
It's a Prince there because it's commerce. The commercial thing goes on around us.
In a tremendous way.
And it works as long as it works. But there's going to come a day when it's going to sink. This is foretold in the scriptures.
I say these things because.
We are so favored here in this land.
We here today, to me, are a parallel to the Saints at corn.
Who were rich?
And trying to live as kings without Paul and the others.
And they had gifts too. And thank God there are gifts amongst them, the people of God today. I don't say we have them, all of them, but we got gifts. And they are gifts in Christendom too. And some of them are being misused, but that's their responsibility. Let's see that we use wisely these gifts too, because this is a part of our will.
To use what God has given us.
Use it wisely. I think we should go to First Timothy, chapter 6 to conclude the remarks this afternoon.
I'll say while you're turning there that I'm not aiming.
At any person or persons here. If I did, I'd be like that ball my daddy bought me when I was about seven or eight years old. A nice new rubber ball and I decided to go out to the barn and learn how to catch that thing by bouncing it off of the barn.
The horses were in the barn and the boards were made out of oak. Tremendous boards in those days.
12 inches wide, up to 20 inches wide and over an inch thick. They were cut to endure, but in the sun they would warp. When I threw that ball with a good deal of my strength and it bounced right back, hit me in the face before I could dodge.
So if you think I'm aiming any remarks at anybody here, they're going to bounce back and hit me harder than anybody. That's what I want because.
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We, we all need it. We have so much and so much privilege.
But we are in this fight and faith in the 6th chapter.
Now First Timothy.
And there are some words about the master and the servants, but let's begin with verse 3.
Where it says if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words.
Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and stripes of words where I'll cometh envy, strife, railings, and evil surmises. I was impressed in reading.
The way it writes here in verse three, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ pull this place and turn with me to Acts chapter 20.
I've often puzzled about this verse.
In chapter 20 of Acts.
35A puzzle about why we don't find this in the Gospels.
I'm not sure of the answer yet, but it's impressive to read it the way it is here Paul speaking to the Ephesian elder says, I have showed you all things, how that's so laboring. Ye ought to support the weak. Now notice what it says, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. I notice that remember.
The words of the Lord Jesus. And here we have just read in verse 3.
Now First Timothy 6, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, he said, there is more blessed to give than to receive.
And it is. It's just that way. It's more blessed to give than to receive. Why should men get up and beg for?
Millions of dollars from the public.
Why shouldn't they?
I don't know.
It's more blessed to give than to receive, isn't it?
Well, here is the wholesome words that we are to listen to, and if we don't listen to them, it says he is proud.
The world to teach you to be proud. That's another thing about the world.
I had a question put to me by a young person not so long ago.
What's wrong with organized sports?
Well, I suppose you could suggest a lot of things.
What kind of associations do you get into?
What do they teach them? Do they teach them to be proud or to be humble?
Well, that's enough said. Let's go to the scripture.
He is proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions and stripes of words.
Where I've cometh, envy, strife, reelings, evil, surmising, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds gets worse.
And destitute of the truth, oh, from all untruth to fleece, destitute of the truth. That's where man's minds lead them. That's going to be LED by those things, our reasonings.
Destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness.
Well, we know some of the things about this that's going on in the world today. Gain is not godliness.
Such withdraw thyself. Now what? But godliness with contentment is great gain, Paul could say. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content, content, content.
Thank God for the good meal we just had. Sometimes you eat a meal in Bolivia and you wonder what you eat.
Well, you just have to be content with it.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. And hears the verse we brought nothing into this world.
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And it is certain we can carry nothing out having food and raiment. Let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation, and snare into many hurtful, foolish, and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root, or a root of all evil, which while some coveted, after they have heard from the faith, heard from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God.
Flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, fee, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, or what is really life, Wherein do thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses? There are four FS here. There's faith. There's fleet.
And there's.
Follow.
And I thought there were four, but there's three anyway.
And.
These things are the positive side that you and I can go on in.
In the truth, in the faith, and learn what is.
Really. Life in contrast.
To the material I materialistic system of things which is around us, which we partially enjoy but have to learn not to let it get hold of us, but rather to take it and use it wisely. Get this wisdom from God so that we can.
Send ahead and build up an account there.
Maybe then all of us be delivered from the world.
That is going to go down like the sinking ship.
Open Mtg.
Open—H. Brinkmann, R. Pilkington, R. Bauman
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Read from verse 20.
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Pesida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip commerce and tell us Andrew. And again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
And Jesus answered them, saying, the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die that bringeth forth much fruit, he that loveth his life shall lose it. He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my father honor. Now is my sole troubled. And what shall I say, Father, save me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour.
Father, glorify thy name.
Then came their voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundered. Others said an Angel speak to him.
Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out, and I if I be lifted up from the earth.
Will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever. And how sayest thou? The Son of Man must be lifted up. Who is the Son of Man? Then Jesus said unto them, He had a little while His delight with you. Walk while He had delight.
Lest darkness come upon you.
For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While he had the light, believe in the light, that he may be the children of light. These things fake Jesus, and departed and did hide himself from them.
I believe some of us have probably felt that during the readings of Philippians chapter 3.
If we neglected anything, it was that we didn't sufficiently talk.
Of that wonderful person, the Lord Jesus, the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord Paul's spoke of that and perhaps.
The Lord would want us to be in this meeting occupied with that wonderful person, and to him that was suggested brought this passage to my mind. And what a wonderful passage it is. That whole chapter is a wonderful chapter. We see the Lord Jesus.
As the object of worship in the first verse.
And we see there.
Worship. We see service and we see communion represented in those three beloved Saints of God in Bethany, and then we see Him as the King receiving honor.
And foreshadowing that coming glory which he will receive in due time. But then we see the Gentiles, the Greeks, come to the Lord Jesus.
They want to see him.
Most of us in this room, with few exceptions, high net category, you know, we were, as it says in Ephesians, without hope, without God in the world. We were a far off.
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We were like these Gentiles, and when they come to the Lord Jesus, they don't even dare to come directly to Him.
But they nevertheless wanted to see him.
And I believe it would be good, and I'm sure it is the desire of most of us in our hearts this afternoon that we like to see more of Him, come to know Him better. But our blessed Lord, when it is told him that there were Greeks that wanted to see him.
It is brought before him, before his mind, the need of going to the cross.
To going to Calvary.
That if you and I would want to have any part with him, that could only be.
By him going into death, he really is that Colonel of weed.
He is the man Christ Jesus. Of course we know He is more than a man. He is the Lord of glory.
Isn't that what makes this work that he accomplished here on Calvary's cost such a tremendous work when we remind ourselves who it is that went there to that cross like we have it in Colossians chapter one in whom we have redemption, the blood not being mentioned there because.
The purpose of the writer and being inspired by the Spirit of God is to bring before our souls the person in whom we have redemption. And then that person is described how wonderful a person he is.
My, how wonderful must be that redemption accomplished by such a wonderful person, but then also that wonderful person is presented as the one from among the dead, as the head of the assembly.
The body, what a wonderful head we have, what a glorious savior we have. But I believe when we see him as the Colonel of Weed, we see him.
Especially as the man Christ Jesus.
You know, I believe.
It's helpful to see.
That he was not only one who could not sin because he was God. Certainly that is true. But I believe we must insist that the man Christ Jesus was without sin. He could not sin. He knew no sin, never sinned in him. There was no sin. We find in Luke when Luke speaks of him.
He speaks of Him as the holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. Our blessed Lord and Savior had a human nature that was sinless, a human nature that could not sin.
The man Christ Jesus, holy harmony, undefiled, separate from sinners.
What a wonderful truth that is. We can really see that the Lord Jesus represents a new kind of a man.
When we look at Adam, before he fell we have innocent humanity, and after he fell we have sinful humanity, and all of us who descend from Adam are offsprings of that sinful human race.
But the Lord Jesus represents a new kind of a man, and as such, although he was the son of Mary.
Begotten by the Holy Ghost, He is a new kind of a man, and he is all alone.
He's all alone, and if you and I should be associated and connected with him, it can only be by him going into death. But how wonderful it is that since he has gone into death, has come forth triumphantly, we are linked with him forever. He is the head of a new race.
He is the beginning of the creation of God.
We associated with Him in a new way. We see Ada Adam as the head of the sinful race. We see the Lord Jesus as the head of that new race which is part of that new creation of which He is the beginning. And this all comes before our blessed Lord, that unless the kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die.
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It would abide the Lord, but if he would die.
Edward brings forth much fruit. You know we are the fruit of the travail of his soul. You know we are associated with him in new creation.
And you know, it isn't even any question here whether you're a Jew or whether you're a Gentile. The Lord Jesus said when I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all.
Men, to me, you know, even though the disciples were in an association with the blessed Lord, since He was their King and their Messiah, yet they had no union with him. There was no union with the blessed Savior apart from His death and His resurrection. That only is possible because He went into death. Even these disciples who were.
In a position of nearness.
Because he was their King, their messiahs. But no, a new relationship that they could have never dreamed of before the Lord Jesus would go into death. What a wonderful truth that is, beloved.
Lord Jesus, the hymn writer says, are we one with thee? Yes, we are.
The Word of God speaks of us not only as being part of that new race.
That speaks of us as being members of His body.
Of His bone and of His flesh. What a wonderful truth that is, beloved, and what an intimate relationship we have been brought into but the Lord Jesus.
Knows and reminds himself of this, that this was only possible by him going into suffering, into death. What a tremendous prize did he have to pay in order to make us his, in order to associate us with himself forever.
To be one with him. And isn't it wonderful, beloved, that we share?
In that nature we have a wholly divine nature. We have a new life, new associations of life through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Well, I don't want to take up all the time, but this passage came before me to see our blessed Lord as that Colonel of wheat, that perfect man going into death in order to bring us to himself. But, beloved.
These associations of life have nothing to do with this earth and has all to do with heaven. We saw that also in Philippians, did we not? Our associations of life are in heaven. We have a heavenly calling.
Our Calling on high.
We didn't hardly comment on that either. What a wonderful truth Christianity is that it has one us for God, for the Lord. Jesus has associated us with him. But.
A portion with Him is in the glory.
Forever to be there with him with every blackboard Saints of God. But what a price he did pay. He speaks of his soul is troubled. And what shall I say, Father, save me from this hour. Was it possible for him that these poor Gentile sinners could be saved or could be blessed in any other way? No, there was no other way. And we see how he says not mine will be done, but dying.
Well, beloved, let us be.
Thankful for what the Lord Jesus has done in order to make it possible that we would be in such an intimate relationship to Him and that for all eternity.
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Genesis 22 and verse 8.
And Abraham said.
My son.
God will provide himself.
A lamb for burnt off me.
So they went both with them together.
And Abraham said my son.
God will provide.
I like to stay to my own heart with brother and sister here.
God will provide. God will provide.
Dear brother and sister, this passage is so well known, it's not necessary to give you the background.
We are amazed.
And the quiet words of Abraham.
Maybe the supreme trial of his life.
When God was asking for everything.
The son that he promised.
And when God asked for that son, he promised. I feel sure it didn't make sense.
And then the sun going along together with the father, and suddenly the sun turns to the father and says.
Laughing.
Behold the fire and the wood.
But where's the lamb, the son putting his finger on that sore spot in Abraham's heart? Unless he had got to the answer already.
And Abraham quietly saying, My son, God will provide. Dear brother and sister, I desire with all my heart that you and I.
Might leave this place.
Go to that front door, that side door.
With those words, bringing in faith in our hearts, gone will provide.
God will provide.
There are problems and difficulties.
God doesn't allow us to go sailing through life without problems or difficulties, but the great comfort.
Is that when we can turn to the Lord?
In the trial.
The solution to the problem is really when you get to this point.
When you stay quietly, God will provide. I don't know how it's going to workout.
I feel the pressure is almost greater than I can bear.
The problem is insoluble, but deep down in my heart.
I would say God will provide. So I desire that you and I, as we leave this place, might leave this place with those quiet words in our hearts, start each day, an ordinary day in our lives when we leave here and when we're really faced with ordinary life and all its problems again that we might face each day quietly.
Looking up in faith and saying Dear Lord.
You will provide.
I don't know how to solve this. Maybe it's an ordinary day. Maybe you say, I wish I could do something for the Lord.
Look up in faith and say God will provide the opportunity for service.
I would like to give you in my own heart several other verses.
First Corinthians, chapter one.
00:20:09
It's probably chapter 10, First Corinthians chapter 10 I think it is.
Yes, First Corinthians chapter 10.
And verse 13.
There hath no temptation taken you, but such is this common?
To men.
But God is faithful. But God is faithful.
Who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it?
This is what Abraham was saying in the Old Testament. He said it in the words God will provide. Are you convinced? Am I convinced in the very depth of my heart when things don't make sense?
Doors seemed shut. Life seemed too ordinary to suit our fancy.
Way down deep in your heart, are you convinced God will provide? He'll open a way.
Here it says.
Very beautifully. But God is faithful. You know, we know these things. We know these things. There's not a person sitting in this room this afternoon that would say would doubt.
That God is faithful.
But dear brother and sister, when we get under pressure, it's another thing.
It was hard to keep back the tears.
What day was it? Saturday, when Brother Jaeger read that letter to us, Dear Sister Barbara and I was sitting there and I was thinking.
I almost found it that morning. We had collectively a tremendous.
Sense of compassion for her sister.
I was thinking, it's easy to pray, but Can you imagine what was in Barb's heart at that moment?
God is evil.
The doctors say no hope.
Can you imagine how Barb's heart must have been really scraping bottom?
One saying since saying I know that God is able to keep me from this trial to to cure my husband.
And yet, in the daily light of facts, the doctor said no hope now.
God is faithful. God is faithful. He knows how to help us in those moments when we don't seem to be able to be able to go forward. And so here is saying there's no temptation that's taking you, except it's common. Other people also have these temptations. But the wonderful fact about you and me, dear brother and sister.
God is faithful. God is faithful. What is saying?
Is you can count on God. Dear brother and sister, want us to leave this conference with the conviction in our heart.
That God is faithful and He can be counted on to interfere in our lives and to lead and guide in a very real way.
For this God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear, but he'll make a way of escape.
So that you'll be able to bear it. He might not take you out of it, he might not take you out of it, but he's very faithful and he feels very much for you.
And he will make some way in the trial, he'll twist the circumstances so that he will take the pressure off of you so that you'll be able to stand it and to come through that trial victorious.
But we ought to.
Have faith and another thing I wanted to share.
Is to always remember to be honest in prayer, whatever you do.
Whatever you do, don't feel that because you don't bring a problem to the Lord. He doesn't know about it. He knows all about it. And he just waiting, He chased those two that were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He chased them down the road and he said, hold on, what are you talking about? And he said, well, don't you know, we think to the Lord, Why don't you know what I'm under? You understand it? Why should I pray about it?
00:25:23
And the Lord said quietly to them, What things?
What are you talking about? What's bothering you?
And then their heart opens up completely. They pour out their heart and they talk about things that had happened. And then last of all, they said, but we hoped, but we hoped that He would be the Messiah. They told him their innermost secrets and hopes of their heart. And then the Lord turned around and He opened up the Scriptures and their problem was solved.
First Thessalonians, chapter 5.
First Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 23.
Press the Science chapter 5 and verse 23.
And the very God of peace, the very God of peace, I want both you and me.
To spend a little time over these verses.
Word by word, the very God of peace. What about it? Sanctify you wholly? And I pray God, your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Period. Now it isn't. There's a verse that follows, isn't it? And the verse that follows says faithful, is he that calleth you who will also do it. I want to encourage your heart, dear brother and sister. I want to encourage my own heart to leave this place with a very sense in my heart. God will provide. I can't see how.
I can't know why, but I know that God will provide in some way.
You say, I pray God that your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved flameless under the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. You say, I'm not blameless, I've got false.
In one sense he will when we stand before him blameless.
But in our ordinary life, as we realize that we have false weaknesses.
Then always remember.
Count on the faithfulness of God. Even when you failed and failed the Lord, count on the faithfulness of God. He restoreth my soul.
But actually.
Very quickly, this verse is not really an individual prayer for oneself. It's very beautiful because this is Paul praying for these Thessalonica's sometimes.
Putting it in the context, we have someone very dear to us.
In our own family, maybe a father, mother with a son or daughter.
Maybe a brother with a sister might be just somebody that you're kind of fond of and you see them.
Getting into a dangerous situation.
It's almost as if you can't reach out and pull them back.
Have you counted on the faithfulness of God? I know of my own heart, this little incident that is very precious to my heart, where a sister was concerned about her brother.
On a dangerous course.
And so she he was going with a girl that wasn't all that helpful to him. So she prayed to God and she said.
Lord Jesus.
I'm not telling you what to do.
But I know that if it continues on like this, the life is going to be a disaster. I'm asking you to do 2 Things. Either break up the relationship.
Or.
Create a desire in that girlfriend of my brother to please you said it'll be a happy relationship.
She counted on the faithfulness of God to do that. She didn't tell him how to do it. She just said, I'm asking you to do that for me. I know you're faithful. I can't reach my brother. I like to pull him back. I can't tell him what to do.
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And the end of that story was that the brother broke up with the girl he's married today to a very lovely girl that really wants to please the Lord. And his life is different as night and day. Dear brother and sister, reach out and take hold of the faithfulness of God. We're unfaithful. Don't be afraid to come to the Lord, to say, Lord, I'm just counting on you. That's what I want to say to your heart and my heart.
Afternoon, dear brother and sister, bank on the Lord, bank on the Lord. He's faithful. He won't let you down. But really, when you get into difficult say, I don't, I don't try to explain the difference. I don't even feel that the problem is soluble, dear Lord, but I'm banking on you and your health in this situation. Second Corinthians.
Chapter 12.
Verse nine. A very beautiful verse that we all know.
2nd Corinthians chapter 12 and verse nine. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee.
For my strength is made perfect in weakness.
I'm going to tell you how it says it in Chinese.
No, use me saying Chinese to you, but I'll translate directly from the Chinese. So beautiful.
It says he said unto me, My grace is enough for your use.
To me, it's a mother in a kitchen baking a cake. She says, hey, have I got enough flour? Goes over the tin, flips the the cover, looks in, say hey, there's enough flour for this cake.
That's what he's saying. My grace is enough for your situation. My grace is quite enough for your situation. And then it says in Chinese.
Because my strength.
Is displayed perfectly on human weakness. My grace is perfectly displayed on human weakness. We're all weak.
What I want to say is that in the meetings, and it is basic, that we must come to the end of ourselves.
Death to us, but it's not enough to stop there. We all know that we have weaknesses, but have you come to the end of yourself? Do you realize that you have weaknesses? But now to go beyond that and say, Lord Jesus, I've come to the end of myself, but I'm banking on you. I'm banking on your grace to be really enough for my situation. Enlightenment.
The last verse I want to give to each one of us is Mark 9, Mark Gospel Chapter 9.
Mark's Gospel, Chapter 9 and verse 23.
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Ideal background to this story is.
That someone has brought his boy that has a dumb spirit, and that spirit takes over.
Wrecks the whole boy's life.
And he brought him to the disciples, and the disciples couldn't do anything.
And the Lord is saying to him, if you could believe, everything is possible. If he could believe everything is possible. We all know that, you know, everybody believes that God can do anything. But boy, when we get down to the basic facts of life, sometimes we lack the faith. Look at the reaction of this Father. The Lord Jesus says to him straight out, fair facts. If you could believe, everything is possible.
What does he say? Straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears.
Florida, I believe.
Help my non belief. What did he mean? Lord I believe. Help my unbelief for either believer. You don't believe in Chinese again. So beautiful it says I believe but not enough.
00:35:12
Help by unbelief, and so often in my own personal life, I know that God can do everything.
I'm looking here to him to help, but I know that my faith really doesn't come as high as it should. So this father cried out with tears. He had a real problem. It was insoluble. Doctors, no use. And he says I believe but not enough. I don't come up to the 100% mark. I believe I only come to 50%. Would you take care of that other 50% of unbelief in my heart?
Type of ideas what he's saying. So I want to encourage dear brother and dear sister as we leave.
These meetings.
Encouraged by fellowship and reading over the Word of God. Maybe autonomous. Take away those few little words.
Abraham saying quietly, my son, God will provide and he can provide in your situation. And if you're like me and like that Father said, Lord, I believe but not enough, then you can cry out also, Lord, help my unbelief. I'm just banking on you, Lord Jesus, even though I don't see and I don't come up to 100% faith in you and trust in you still, Lord Jesus, I'm banking on your faithfulness, not on my faithfulness.
Banking on your faithfulness to really come in and work in my life and the life of those I love and in my surroundings.
We started this afternoon with faith, and we've been on faith ever since, and so it's only fitting that we conclude that way.
Abraham accounted that God was able.
To raise him even from the dead, That's faith. That's faith that goes beyond reason, doesn't it? We've had some beautiful thoughts. Our brother Eric Cockington brought us out of Chapter 24.
What Paul was trying to present to those there, and it was concerning faith in Christ.
What faith is that? It's the faith of God.
But unless it's in Christ, there isn't any.
The faith of God is what we're talking about, but it's in Christ.
First Corinthians Well, we don't have to turn to this one. First Corinthians 13 He had that last verse, and now I'll buy this faith.
Hope and love, divine love. Isn't it wonderful that faith abides? It's a gift, of course, from God, but it abides and it abide until they shout.
Because when we go home, we don't need it.
We'll have sight.
Faith comes when you don't see. Faith is believing God what you can't see.
We won't need it up there. We won't need hope up there either. We got fruition. The greatest is love.
Goes on forever, now in Matthew 17.
Matthew, Chapter 17.
We have an interesting expression by the Lord in verse 20.
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief, now that father, who brought that lunatic son to Jesus, that our brother ended up with.
He said. I believe that was given to him. It was a gift from the Lord.
Thou my unbelief, there's the problem.
The Lord can do that. The problem is with Him.
Not in faith.
He says, Because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you, if you have faith, it's a gift of God, don't forget it. It's the faith of God as a grain of mustard seed. He shall say, under this mountain, remove hence to Yonder place, and it shall remove nothing shall be impossible unto you. This is what kind of faith we're talking about.
The impossibility is possible.
That they have faith and use it.
Now in in Matthew 8, Matthew chapter 8.
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Verse Psalm 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way.
As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. That's very simple, isn't it?
He had faith.
But he was exercising it.
The Lord said.
In verse 10 at the end, I have not found so great faith.
He was living in the good of it. That's what we need, brethren, Live in the good of it.
You can move a mountain in your life.
All things are possible because it's the faith of God. It's not a matter of quality of quantity, it's quality. That's why he says there's a there's a grain of mustard seed.
It's so small you can hardly see it. That's enough if it's the faith of God. Grace you can have all you need. In quantity Grace, you can have all you need.
But don't ask for grace that you don't need. Don't ask for grace for tomorrow's problem. You won't get it. You probably don't need it.
But it says we can have all the grace we need. That's Ephesians 4, verse seven. You can read it. But I want to look at someone who had faith like this man in the Old Testament, and we'll have time, I believe, to glance at it because faith is a wonderful thing, and faith in action is even more wonderful.
James says.
Faith without works is dead.
Now in Second kings. Second Kings.
Chapter 4.
Verse 8.
Marginal reading There was a day instead of there was a day that Elijah passed to Shunham. There was a great woman, and she constrained him to eat bread, and so it was that his office he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. I love the way God introduces an incident. He can do it fully in a little short.
Verse.
Elijah.
Means God is Savior.
Grace is what he represents. Grace.
Elijah, God is Jehovah Truth, the Law.
So life is here.
And now it says there is a great woman.
Great, I believe for two reasons. She was great in the world because she had substance possessions should wealthy, but God saw her as great because she had faith.
Like that man we read about. I have not found so great faith she had that that made her great in God's sight. That makes you great in God's sight if you use that faith in Christ. Faith in Christ. She was from Shunam. You know, Shunam means double rest. I believe we learn a lot here.
I believe first of all she rested in the Lord for her soul.
But more than that, she rested in the Lord for her life here. Everything about it. Double rest. Shoot them. That's living in the faith you got.
And she was hospitable.
That becomes things. Hospitality becomes Saints. It identifies you to the world. Hebrews 13, two.
Be not forgetful of hospitality, it says to entertain strangers. But it's really hospitality.
That's this woman. Oh, I love this great woman.
And I love all the great women among us.
God knows all about it.
She constrained him not only to eat that occasion, but she made him welcome anytime he passed by. That's hospitality. That's wonderful, isn't it? One of her characteristics, she said to her husband, verse 9, Behold, now I perceive this is a holy man of God, which passes by us continually because he kept turning in.
You know what this is?
00:45:01
Spiritual perception which comes of God.
By the Spirit.
One Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Let's just look at it. This is very important and it's beautiful, but she had something here that her husband didn't have and couldn't have because he didn't have faith.
First Corinthians chapter 2, verse 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know. He can't know because they are spiritually discerned. There is a spiritual discernment, there is a perception that comes from one who lives in faith, the good of it.
That's his woman.
Verse 10. Let us make a little chamber.
I pray thee on the wall, and let us set for him there a bed, a table, a stool, and Candlestick, And it shall be when he cometh to us, he shall turn in thither.
No show, no show by this woman. She was a godly woman.
She wanted to provide just what he needed.
His simple needs of a man of God.
She could have given him the best room in the Manor house and I believe it probably would have been an embarrassment to him. She knew that would have made him uncomfortable.
You know, it's beautiful to see this.
She had discretion.
That comes from God too. And it fell on a day that he came thither. He turned into the chamber and lay there.
Jay and Darby has their upper chamber, I do believe it was.
But it was just a little place with a simple needs provided.
But you know, the man of God needed to be a part too from this world and rest, and she provided just what he needed.
Verse 12 He said to Cahazi his servant called this Shunamite.
And when he called her, she stood before him. And there's a principle here in verse 12 That's so beautiful.
Verse 12, Verse 15. I think verse 32 has the same principle. It comes out three times.
She was a true servant at heart.
A true servant.
Is one who when the Lord calls.
She's at the door.
Immediate response.
This was this great woman.
When he called her, she stood before him, ready. That's the way we ought to be.
That's where every disciple ought to be with the Lord.
You know, we could turn to John 11 for justice. The verse. I know that time is going to run, but John 11 and here we've got a beautiful picture of it.
The way we ought to be.
John 11, verse 28.
And when Martha had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister, secretly, saying, The masters come calleth for thee, he calleth for thee. And as soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him, verse 32 at the middle, and fell down at his feet, saying, Lord, that lovely.
That's a true disciple. That's a servant.
As soon as she heard he calleth for her, she rolled quickly and came fell down on his feet. Lord, I believe this woman demonstrates that in our portion, this great woman.
He said unto him, His servant, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care. What's to be done for thee? A principle here aren't these beautiful things to see? They followed through the word of God.
The Lord is never dead, or to any man. God is never dead or to anyone.
Thou hast done this for us. What is to be for thee?
When the Lord borrowed Peter's ship, he gave it back full of fish.
He'll never be deader to you. Never.
That's a principle. I love it now, he said.
Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain, The host? You see, he had just delivered 3 kings from certain doom.
00:50:02
Elijah.
He had just done it. God is savior.
And so he could have introduced this woman in the company of kings, the Society of kings.
He could have introduced her into the company of the commander chief of the armies, the host of the three kings combined.
I dwell among my own people.
Find a more beautiful godly response than that.
I dwell among my own people.
Acts chapter 4 I believe it is. They beat them and let them go.
And they went to their own company.
Isn't that wonderful, brethren, to have, brethren?
In a wonderful we are the people of God, the heavenly people. Isn't the tide that we have now one with the other closer and dearer than those are natural ties even?
She wanted to be with her own people, the people of God.
High society kings didn't affect her at all.
God says this is a great woman.
And he said, what then is to be done for her? And Gehezi answered, Verily she has no child. Her husband's old now the impossibility.
And he said call her. And when he had called her, she stood at the door. Because this is the servant's response.
And he said about this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. She said, Nay, my Lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.
The impossibility to her.
Sarah laughed. 90 years old, Abraham honored. No doubt I would have done the same.
The impossibility is the Lord's specialty. Faith comes in now. The woman conceived and bare a son at that season.
And Elijah said unto her, as Elijah said unto her, according to the time of life.
First Peter, turn to first Peter because we're going into a different phase here and we'll go quickly, but first Peter.
Chapter One.
First Peter chapter one.
And verse 6 wherein you greatly rejoice and she rejoiced. Of course, though now for a season, if need be, if need be, ye are in heaviness to manifold temptations that the trial of your faith. Now he calls it your faith it is, but it's the faith of God.
That woman in Luke seven, he said, go in peace, thy faith has saved thee. It was her faith, but it's the faith of God. But don't forget it's a gift. And when you receive a gift, it becomes yours.
It's still the face of God that you have as yours now.
The trial of your faith.
Being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Brethren, every one of us is going to have trials of our faith.
Because God loves us.
And it makes us lean hard on Jesus. It makes us turn to his Son. We will have those trials in our assemblies. We'll have in our families. We'll have them individually and thank God for them.
They're wonderful.
Betrayal of your faith. It's going to come on this woman now because she's got this faith and she's got this gift of a son, the impossibility. She's rejoicing, but he wants her to rejoice more.
And he and he wants her heart all the way to.
Now when the child was grown.
He died a sort of abrupt, isn't it? He dies the father.
When he fell sick in the field, just called a lad, any lad, to take him to his mother. The father didn't even carry him in.
And when he was taken to his mother, he brought him to his mother. He sat on her knees till noon, and he died. This is the trial of her faith. It's more precious than of gold, even if it's dried with fire.
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This is a trial. This is wonderful. There's a need to be here, perhaps, and sometimes it's just to make that faith in Christ more precious than ever.
She went up.
Verse 21 She went up, laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and she went out.
You know, that was probably the least desirable room in that hole.
She didn't take that son and lay him on the best bed in the best chamber.
She wanted that son on the man of God's bed, and once he was there, she shut the door. And now faith comes in, faith in action. Faith without works is dead.
She called her husband and said, Send me, I praise thee, one of the young men, one of the ***** that I may run.
To the man of God, I'll come again.
She's in haste now to get to him. She's going to run to the man of God. This is part of the trial of faith. It's precious. It turns you to him, the only one faith in Christ.
He said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? This is the holy day. This isn't a religious day. This isn't the new moon. This isn't even the Sabbath day. He was religious, but that's all.
How solemn it is.
She saddled the ***.
She's determined. Isn't it lovely? She's determined. She saddled the ***.
And said to her servant Dr. and go forward.
Marginal reading refrain not for me to ride in that lovely except I bid thee she's going to run.
The *** was to carry some effects, I'm sure for her, some water and other things, change, arraignment and other things. She wasn't going to ride that ***. That would have slowed everything down. She's going to run.
This is faith and action.
You got it.
I've got it, faith. It's that kind of faith. You move mountains with it. She's getting ready to move them out. The impossibility that the situation in her life, that's beyond hope. That's the mountain.
So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel.
It's a mountain garden, that's what it means. Caramel garden, a mountain garden. That's where the man of God is pleasant to get there, isn't it? But you know, before she got to the mount, where the man of God was, their foothills, there's the approach, and it's pretty hard going when you're running.
Faith did it.
Change the path of the man of God. Saw her far off, he said to his eye. Behold Yonder is that Shunamite?
That Tsunami woman, double rest. She's rested in me, in God for her soul, and she's resting for her life, and now for her son Shunamite.
Ron, I praise either meter, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? Is it well with my husband? Is it well with thy child? You know, Is it well with thee? She couldn't have a son, and she has the son, and the son is dead.
Is it well with my husband?
He mocked her in a way for going to the man of God. He wouldn't even help or call a servant to help her get ready to go.
Is that well with thy Son? He was dead on the bed of the man of God.
He said it is well, peace in my soul. Why? Why peace in her soul? She's there.
Faith took her right where she should be, a man of God. All is well, all is well. I see time running and when she came to the man of God, she caught him by the feet. She fell on her face.
Humbled in his presence.
We had by our brother Franklin, who he is.
He is the Lord of glory, the King of kings, the Creator of this world, sustainer of all life, the Son of God.
Jesus.
Humbled in his presence. I trust you are too when faith brings you to his presence. And then Gazai said, I mean the man, the man of God said to Kahesi.
01:00:05
Gird up by loins. Verse 29. Take the staff in thy hand and go thy way, and if thou meet any man through them, not go with dispatch. In other words, don't answer one if they salute thee, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. But that wouldn't satisfy this great woman.
No one but the man of God.
No one but Jesus. That's it for me. That's what my faith has done. That's what the faith of God does. No one in between, no one in the meanwhile direct to Him. That's all she says. As the Lord liveth, as my soul liveth, I will leave thee. I will go with his eyes. And she didn't. But he always responds to faith.
Brethren, and let's don't forget it always. This was faith in Him.
He arose that he went with her. That lovely she said I'll come again. He arose when he went with her. This is beautiful faith, isn't it?
Muges, I found out there was number life there. Verse 32 The child was dead. Behold, the child was dead and laid on his bed. There it is.
So the power of God can be manifested.
So the power of God can be shown out to this woman S her faith can be demonstrated.
The grain of mustard seed. Now move the mountain.
We will get into the detail of what he did. It's nice. There's a lot of lessons here, but we won't. The man of God in verse 36 said Paul, this Geneva, he called her and she was there and he said take up thy son. She moved the mountain. Now her faith did it. She lived in the good of it. It's the faith of God.
What if was it Take up thy son? She didn't do it.
She had no question her son was living. That's faith. She didn't do it.
What did she do?
It said she went in and fell down at the man of God's feet.
No question her son was alive. Isn't that wonderful? That's faith. Great woman.
First, she's going to pay homage where homage is due. That is faith.
She thanked him. She fell down at his feet.
And bowed herself to the ground. She couldn't get any lower, or she would have.
Because that exalts him. That's faith.
Then she took up her son and went out.
Great woman, says God.
Amen. If you have faith, brethren, as a grain of mustard seed.
You can move the mountain in your life.
Isn't that wonderful? It's the face of God.
When you get it, you've got it.
Use it.
It's proper to say help my unbelief. The Lord will do that because the problem is with you.
Will not increase my faith. When the disciples ask him to do that, he didn't do it. He told him if you got the faith of God as a grain of mustard seed, you've got it.
We've got it.
What an encouragement it is.
What an encouragement it is.
But when we use it, we pray in the Spirit, knowing that if he doesn't do what we would think should be done.
It's going to be something far better.
Perhaps we could just see.
Let's just think. 44 in the appendix, 44 in the appendix.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace. Behind the frowning Providence he hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
01:05:04
Blind unbelief is sure to Earth.
And seen.
His work in vain scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter. He will make it plain.
Ye Must be Born Again
Gospel—E. Munck
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Do you need anymore of a display of the love of God told out?
And the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our friend, let us look at it a few verses in Exodus chapter 21.
Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy in Hebrew servant six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
And if he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
But if his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he shall go out by himself.
And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free. Then his master shall bring him on to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door or onto the door post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awe, and he shall serve him forever.
Where we live? I asked the children.
Could the Lord Jesus come down from the cross?
Could the Lord Jesus, was he free to come down from the cross?
You know the cross is what man gave to the Lord Jesus. Let us look at Matthew chapter 27.
In verse 27.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall.
And gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers, and they stripped him.
And put on him a scarlet robe, and when they had planted, a crown of thorns.
They put it upon his head, and a Reed in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him.
And mocked him, saying Hail King of the Jews.
And they spit upon him, and took the Reed and smoked him.
On the head. And after that they had mocked him. They took the robe off from him.
And put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Ah, that's the treatment that man has accorded given to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Son of God, the darling of his bosom, the one who always did his delight. Do you remember when Joseph was asked to go down to visit his brothers? What did they say?
Ah, let us kill him, Let us kill him. Here comes that dreamer all he was sent down there in their interest.
To find out how it was with his brothers. But what did they do? They told him they sold him into slavery for 15 pieces of silver. The Lord Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Let us look at another scripture in Matthew chapter 21.
Hear another parable, verse 33.
There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a winepress in it and built a tower.
And let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandman took his servants.
And beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants more than the 1St. And they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandman saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir, Come, let us kill him and seize on his inheritance.
00:05:05
And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord therefore the vineyard cometh.
What will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard on to other husbandmen, which shall render on him the fruits in their seasons.
All those servants.
They judged rightly all when the husbandmen came they would cast him out, and then they said he will miserably destroy those wicked men. Solemn thing, isn't it? Man pronounced his own judgment.
Have you ever been before God and found out a little bit about what's in your heart toward the Lord Jesus?
Do you know we, the Scripture says all we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.
You know, everybody doesn't have the same way, but it's sure we have turned to our own way. We want to do what we want to do because we want to do it.
Let us look at John chapter 3.
Reading from John, chapter 2.
Verse 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day.
Many believed in His name when they saw the miracles which He did.
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because He knew all men.
And needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. Oh, if there's anyone who knows what is in man, it's gone. The 139th Psalm tells us this.
Oh God, thou hast searched me. God doesn't have to search you boys and girls.
He's already done it. Thou hast known me. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprisings, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Here we find that the Lord Jesus.
He performed miracles and there were those that believed on him, but all friend.
You know, miracles never produced solid conviction. Miracles never showed out.
For sure, what was in God's heart, miracles cannot save you. And you know, a man may be convinced by miracles and a person may intellectually prove that the Bible is true, but that'll never save him.
Solemn thing, isn't it?
You know, in Acts chapter.
26.
Verse 26 it says For the king knoweth of these things.
Whom are before whom I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believeth thou the prophets? I know that thou believe us. Then Agrippa said to Paul.
Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Do you know, friend, you might be here tonight and you might be brought by friends here.
And those who have proved to you that the Bible is true, the Bible is the word of God. Put all that'll never save you.
Let's read.
On chapter 3.
But there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God.
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For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Here was another man who said we know, we know.
Do you know, do you know I believe that the children of God's people.
No, they know and they don't like it. Those that have never been brought to the Lord Jesus and they like to escape these things. In the book of Daniel we read about one.
Chapter 5 of Daniel.
It says And thou his son, O Belshazzar, verse 22.
Hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knowest all this, though thou knewest all this.
What a solemn thing it is to be brought into the light of the knowledge of the truth of God, to have been brought before you your responsibility as a Sinner in the sight of God. Do you know the world? Ling They don't know anything about it.
But you, you know about it. Thou knowest these things.
You know Rahab the harlot, she could say, I know that God has delivered the city into your hands. I know. Ah, there was conviction there.
Serious, solemn conviction, and here.
This man.
Nicodemus, he comes by night time to the Lord Jesus. There's something working there. There's not happiness. He doesn't know what the problem is.
The Lord Jesus said to him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter it the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Oh, what a solemn thing this is to a man who is most religious.
And I wouldn't doubt but he was an upright man, but all his uprightness couldn't save him.
Doing the commandments couldn't save him. He needed a new life from God. That's what you need, friend.
Always, sometimes sing that little hymn. Little child, do you love Jesus?
Ask your little heart today I will tell of one who loves you.
Be your answer what it may all that's the glory of the gospel of the grace of God.
Do you know that verse that says Prepare to meet thy God? Or the poet could say no preparation can I make my best resolves I only break or take me as I am. Helpless am I and full of guilt, yet for me thy blood was spilt. Or take me as I am.
Nicodemus. If the Lord had told him to do something, he would have done it.
He had done his best at it, but all he had to be born again. And so do you to night.
Do I well remember when a man stood up and said.
If you don't.
Agree that you deserve to go to hell for all eternity.
You're not saved.
Oh, I said to myself.
I deserve to go to hell for all eternity.
That's what God says. God tells us that the wages of sin is death. No, my heart said, oh, do I really feel that I deserve to go to hell for all eternity and all there was rebellion there.
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Oh my friend, it's a serious thing to be a rebel in the face of God.
Oh, think of it. A rebel against God.
You know sled dogs, Oftentimes their master will take them and tie them together.
To pull a sled for miles and miles and miles, and then when he gets to the place where he's gone to, he just lays them tied up in the snow and doesn't feed them anything. And then he comes out and it goes. Sled dogs rebel against him. If one would bite him, it's immediate death.
Oh, what a picture to us of rebellion. Oh, you say, Well, he deserves to be bit.
Ah, my friend, God has had your interest at heart, and you've rebelled against Him in nailing His Son to the cross.
Friend, think of it.
Our hearts our rebellious against God, and that's the root of sin.
Let's read a verse in Romans chapter 8.
Just one verse.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God.
Neither indeed can be, Neither indeed can be. Oh, I looked at my heart and I thought, oh, I'm going to make it repent. But all I found that I couldn't bend it. The truth was, I was a rebel.
But all, thank God, thank God there's a savior for rebels tonight.
Let's look at a verse in First Peter.
2/1.
23.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.
But the word of the Lord endureth forever, and this is the word which by the gospel.
Is preached unto you.
Let's look at it in the next chapter.
Verse six it says wherefore also it is contained in the scripture.
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone.
Elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Aw, friend, all that man can do only proves to his own condemnation. But you know God has interposed.
God has come in. Thank God for that. And tonight we'd like to tell you that though you're a Sinner, though you're a rebel against God, though you wouldn't bow in your heart to God, God hasn't left you alone.
God has loved you and given His Son to die for you.
Let us look on a little bit.
Verse six says that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit of spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Oh, as a little boy. These verses were trouble to me because I couldn't borne myself again. I couldn't make myself anew.
I couldn't do anything. I was helpless, Helpless before God.
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The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth. Slow is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
You know, man might say, why does God find fault? How can God find fault if I'm helpless?
If I can extricate myself, if I can't lift myself up by my own bootstraps, why does God yet find fault? You know we read that verse in Romans Chapter 9. Let's just read it.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why dothe yet find fault, for who hath resisted his will?
Nay, but O man, who art thou that replyest against God?
Shall the thing form say to him that formed it? Why hast thou made me thus?
What a question do you know man would like to blame his sin on God?
In 1957 my mom and sister went to Germany.
And they went to a restaurant in Bavaria.
They sat down at a table. Pretty soon a big man came over from another table.
And he says, what's the matter? Do you think you're better than we are? Can't you eat with us?
So my mom and sister got up and went and sat with all the rest of the Bavarians.
And then she bowed and gave thanks for her food.
And one woman said what? You still believe in God? I don't believe in God anymore. I lost my husband and four sons in the last war, and I don't believe in God.
Aw, friend.
Is that where you're looking to find out about God, the circumstances that have come into your life and the fact that you're born into a world of sin, the fact that you're a Sinner and a helpless Sinner at that, and can't change your spots? Or can the leper change his spots? We read.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Can the leopard change his thoughts?
Neither can you change your ways, saith the Lord God. Oh, what a solemn thing that is. Where does that leave you? Ah, I'll tell you where it leaves you helpless, lost, ruined, undone. And where is help to be found? I say, where is help to be found?
You know, there was a time when there was a siege of a city in the Old Testament.
And the city was straightly shut up. Nobody could go out, nobody could come in. And the question was asked after all the food was gone.
Paul What could they do? What could they eat? What could they do? They were helpless.
And you know what? Besides that they were angry with God for it.
Ah, that's the heart of man. And there's nothing like starvation that will bring out the heart of man.
And all my friends, you're helpless before God. As a Sinner, what can you do?
You can only sit there.
Nothing can you do.
But all friend, God has a resource.
The very God against whom I've rebelled has got a resource. Let us read on.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak, that we do know and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our witness.
Or do you know God isn't sharing things today, but He's giving forth a witness in the gospel. He's speaking with the words of His mouth and all. Friend, unless you believe those words of His mouth, you'll remain as you are.
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All think of it.
In the previous chapter it says, And they believe the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. Do you know the rich man who was in hell? It says.
The answer that came back to him when he said, Send my five brothers, send the prophets, that they may speak to my five brethren.
And it will be that they'll believe them. But the word came back.
That they have Moses and the prophets, and that they are to listen to them. O God has honored His word above all His name. There's one thing that God has done that's concrete.
That his word will not return unto him void that word, that is. Let's read it in Hebrews chapter 6.
Verse 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by number greater, he swear by himself, saying, surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater.
And an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Wherein God willing more abundantly to show under the heirs of promise, the immutability of His counsel.
Confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible.
For God to lie, we might have a strong encouragement or consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope sat before us.
Our friend here tonight. Do you know there's one thing we'd like to do?
And that is dash your hopes of anything inside of yourself.
Ah, so that you'd turn your eye to another place.
Turn your eyes to another place.
And no man, verse 13 of our chapter, And no man hath ascended up to heaven.
But he that came down from heaven.
Even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. All you say. What does that verse mean? Heart means perhaps far more than I can survey.
But it does mean this.
That God sent his son.
God sent the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews, one tells us.
God, who at sundry times an end diverse manners.
In time passed unto the Father's, by the Prophets hath in these last days.
Spoken unto us by His Son, in Son, whom He hath appointed a heir of all things, by whom also He made the world's, Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself.
Purged our sins, sat down on the right hand, the majesty on high.
God sent the Lord Jesus Christ.
Having yet one son, he sent his beloved son.
Oh, what a reception the Lord Jesus had when he came.
There was number room for him in the end of this world. They brought him.
The only place they had for him was a Manger.
In an in in the stable, oh, there is no room for the Lord Jesus.
But all the Lord Jesus came, and he had an interest in man. Oh God, when he came down in the cool of the day, he called out Adam. Where art thou, Adam?
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Where art thou? And maybe the Lord is speaking to someone here tonight.
He's saying where art thou? And you might be saying, I'll be glad when this meeting's over, Let's get out of here as quick as we can. But all that voice should follow you to night, to bed. Where art thou? Where are you tonight? Are you still hiding from God?
Do you know there is no hiding place from God?
You cannot hide from God. We sometimes think with the children, you cannot hide from God no matter where you go. But all friend, you can hide in God.
Let's read on.
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.
Even the Son of man, which is in heaven.
All friend, you know at the beginning of our meeting we sang all behold him high lifted up on the cross, on the cross. But you know, the very Lord Jesus who came down into this scene, He's the one who is all over that verse tells us the one who was on this scene, he was in heaven.
But all, we have another thought to bring before you tonight to that the Lord Jesus is no longer on the cross. No, he's not there any longer and he's not in the tomb any longer, but he's at the Father's right hand. All you might be asking, how can a man pay for sins ahead of time?
And then have it all over with and how can I enter into the benefit of that?
Oh, I've got a weak illustration, I admit it. But you know, one time there were two minors.
Who were working together, they were partners. And the one miner, after they got in a mass of gold, he says I want that gold for myself. And So what he did, he stole the gold and he made it look as if the other man had killed him.
And he ran off.
In all the law.
Saw the situation and said for sure that man has killed the other man.
We can't prove it though, and so we can't put, we can't hang him. So what we're going to do, we're going to put him in prison. And they put him in prison for life, no escape, never to get out of prison.
But you know, after a few years they found out that the other man was still alive. And So what did the law do? What could they do?
Why, they gave that man a full pardon. They gave him a pardon.
And they said, you know, that man can never be punished again for that crime.
Oh, he didn't do it. But should he have gone and killed that other man that did him all that harm? The law couldn't touch him.
Oh, and so the Lord Jesus. I know that's a poor illustration.
But it was done ahead of time. The Lord Jesus, he had to answer to God.
For the sins of all those that as it were, caught hold of his skirt. Oh my friend, do you feel you're a Sinner tonight? Would you like to be saved all? There was one time a woman who felt an issue of blood in her, and she did everything to staunch that blood. And there was nothing that she could do to get better, but she only got worse. But she saw that the Lord Jesus was the answer for her.
And she says if I could just touch the hem of his garment, if I could just reach him, I'll be healed.
Our friend, he's still there for you tonight.
The Lord Jesus is available for you.
And so.
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You can run to him and catch hold of him. You know there was one time a lady.
Who says, well, she went to the funeral of a friend of hers and Dr. Walston was on the train and he said, well, was your friend a Christian?
And the lady says she was a good, she was a good woman. She says, well, what was her hope? She says, well, you know, I cannot say I have the unshaken confidence of some. She says I cannot say that I never tremor about my sins, but I say I feel like the poor woman who catch hold of the scare to the Lord Jesus.
And the doctor, Wilson said. Well, what did you say to the comfort the woman?
What did you say to her? She says, oh I just says hold on dearie, he'll no shake you off. Our friend here tonight, Think of it, the Lord Jesus has made himself available. He's come into this scene, He's told us about our sins. He's been faithful and said there's no hope for you in yourself.
Oh, what a point to come to. Will you turn to the Lord Jesus?
The feeblest faith in the Lord Jesus saves.
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.
Even the Son of Man which is in heaven. Romans chapter 10.
Verse six and seven.
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise.
Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down from above. Ah, my friend, you may feel your need of Christ and say, Oh I want that the Lord Jesus should come down from heaven to die for me. Oh, don't say it in your heart. Don't say it in your heart. God says, don't say that in your heart.
And he goes on to say, Or Who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead?
Aw, friend, you don't need to bring up Christ again from the dead.
You know, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the proof that God is satisfied with all the sins that he bore when he went.
Into the grave.
And when he bore our sins, He was so satisfied with that work that He was raised by the glory of the Father or the glory of God. Demanded that when the Lord Jesus finished the work on the cross, that He should be raised. All the sins and those whose sins he bore are forever gone.
Never to be brought up again.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Let's look at that in Numbers 19.
For 21 Pardon me.
Verse 5.
And the people spake against God and against Moses.
Wherefore have you brought us up out of this Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water.
And our soul loathes this light bread.
Is that rebellion? Oh yes, rebellion, rebellion.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee. Pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us, and as Moses and Moses prayed for the people.
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All you know in the world today, there are those that would set up a society for the prevention of fiery snake bites.
There are those that would put plasters on the bite. There are those that would make societies for the prevention of snakes. There are those that would do everything in their power to stave off the effect of sin, the judgment of sin. We read the wages of sin.
Is death. Death and all my friends.
The solemnity of it is that after death there's judgment, judgment. And man would do everything in his power to turn away from that, to think about other things, to philosophize about it and say, well, everybody has to die, but all my friend, you know, you have to die.
You who have been bitten by sin, and you who feel the poison of sin in your veins. Oh, my friend, it was the fact that they were dying.
That they called for help. It was the fact that they were dying, not because they were ashamed that they had rebelled against God. But what does God do? Says, oh, I'm not going to have anything to do with those people. No, the heart of God is showed out.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
All that's the word of God, my friend.
Let us think of that verse in Two Corinthians 5 and 21.
It says, For he hath made him to be sin for us.
Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him? Ha, did God ask you how he was going to save you? Did God make a consultation with man and say, well I'll consult with you and see how I'm going to save you?
No, he never consulted me when he sent the Lord Jesus to come down into this scene to die for me. No, it was love that bound the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Love for me. Oh friend, was ever love like that?
He was free to go back to heaven. There was nothing in him that bound him here in this world after going through the world.
No, but let's look at some verses in John chapter 6.
It says.
36.
Or 37 verse 36 But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me.
I will in no wise cast out, for I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Oh think of it, it was God's will that the Lord Jesus hang on that cross.
It was God's will that he should be made Sin made sin. Oh friend, think of it. And God poured on him the indignation that was due to you and me. God brought him into death.
So that I might live. Oh, thank God for such a savior.
For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
00:45:02
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass.
That if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Ah, my friend, you know it's forbidden sinners. It's for those who are rebels against God that the gospel comes. Have you ever come to the point that the gospel will do you any good, friend? Look at it, it says here.
That everyone that is bitten when he looketh upon it.
Shall live. Someone one time says, ah, you can look at the Lord Jesus all day and that won't save you.
No, but a look to Christ will save you. A look to Christ, that one who has made sin for you.
Have you ever looked to him? Oh, there's many a boy and many a girl that has looked at pictures of the Lord Jesus and they've never been troubled about their sins. But it says when he's bitten.
In the sin offering it says that when any man, when his sin comes before him, what is he to do? He's to take a lamb, or he's to take an animal and bring it as a sacrifice.
When he.
When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Let's look on it. Our chapter, John 3.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Oh, why was it that the Moses had to do it all? Because of the justice of God.
You know, God could not pass the Sinner by. No, He had to demand that that sin be paid for if he was ever just in justifying the Sinner. And so God has devised a means.
To save his banished though, so that they be not expelled from him, God has devised the means, says.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. That whosoever believeth in him, whosoever. Ah, friend, do you want a wider invitation? It's impossible. It's impossible. You might say to yourself, well, I've never been deeply enough convicted of my sins. I've never seen my sins fully as God has seen them.
Oh my friend, it doesn't say that. It says that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.
That whosoever believeth in him.
Should not perish.
But have everlasting life, for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.
But that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
There was one time in Ireland a man.
Who came from a gospel meeting and he wasn't very educated and he stopped by the side of the road and he asked a schoolboy, he says.
What does that word whosoever mean?
And the schoolboy says.
Why? It just means you or me or anybody that wants.
The man, he rejoiced.
You know, when I was a boy, I was in a tent meeting, I was 13 years old and the man said if there was never a time in your life when you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're lost.
Do you know? I trembled in my seat.
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I didn't know what to do and I repeated that verse John 316 over and over.
To myself.
You know, I got no light and I was most miserable.
But at the end of the meeting there was that man, that brother quoted that verse.
For God so loved the world.
That he gave his only begotten Son.
There's two parts of John 316.
Oh, God loved me. Can I tell why he loved me?
No, no.
No, nobody can tell why God should set his love on a person.
But he says he did. I believed him, but he did something about it. He gave his only begotten Son, the darling of his bosom, the one who could cry out. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
You know, in the Old Testament, the man who brought the offering had to kill the offering.
Aw, it was my sins that brought the Lord Jesus to die on Calvary's tree for me.
That he gave his only begotten Son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Oh, I saw that God loved me, that He gave the Lord Jesus Christ to die for me, and that all I had to do was trust in Him. And I didn't need any urging either.
Because I left the tent meeting that night. I said, Mama, you know, if I was never saved before, I'm saved. No, because Jesus died for me. Oh, my friend, grace has to be given you tonight because Jesus died for you and for no other reason.
Grace must be given you because Jesus died for you and for no other reason.
Two more verses.
Here we have 4 facts presented to us.
For unalterable facts. And you know a fact is something that you can **** your head against, but you can't change it.
You can do anything you want to do with the fact, but it doesn't change it.
John 335 and 36.
Father loveth the Son.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
That's too fast.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Shall we pray?
Open Mtg.
Open—H. Short, J. Wurz
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Because the Jews sought to kill him.
What's before my heart is.
To take a look at this land.
Where Jesus walked.
As a place where the Lord's life could be preserved.
Jewelry or Judea?
For bad the Lord Jesus to walk there, though it should have received him gladly of all, of all of Israel.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the king of Israel.
Should have been received in Judea as king and Lord.
But there were reasons.
Why he couldn't be received there, the Lord recognized.
The spirit and the power that prevailed in Judea.
And he couldn't walk there, but there was a place where he could walk and have his life preserved, and it was in Galilee.
And I thought we might be able to learn as we look at the land of Galilee.
And the eyes are seen from the eyes of.
Judea, those in Judea.
And learn what there was about this land that was suited to the preservation of the life of Christ.
And bear on each one of us here this afternoon who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior. We have the life of Christ.
And where we walk depends on whether that life is going to be preserved or I'm not talking about losing our salvation, but I am talking about manifesting Christ. Life here below depends on how and where we walk and if we walk.
In What answers to Judea?
We will lose.
The blessing of living for Christ here below, that life of His and which we possess will be taken from us. There's no there's no place in what answers to to Judea.
For our Savior and Galilee speaks to our hearts of brother Barry prayed in his prayer.
Of all following a rejected Christ. And that's what Galilee speaks of. It's that which is.
Despised and what is on my heart perhaps we could look at.
Two companies or two?
Influences that took a look at the land of Galilee and rejected it.
And one of those influences is represented by Judea. I would suggest to our hearts this religious side of things, those in Judea.
Should have received Christ as the King of all people. They should have been first to receive him. But we will see that they could not go on with what they were going on with and receive Christ. And so we see in the fact the beginning of this gospel, we see how that influence had.
Permeated those in John One.
It says Philip in verse 45. Philip findeth Nathaniel and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did right, Jesus of Nazareth, that's of Galilee, the son of Joseph. And Nathaniel said unto him.
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?
You see, those of their land have been.
Breathed that atmosphere that nothing good could come out of Galilee, and yet that's where the life of Christ was preserved. Let's go back now to Luke's gospel in the beginning of Luke's gospel, and we'll see that the Lord's life was preserved in Galilee, where Judea was not a safe place for him.
00:05:03
It says in Luke.
He was born.
And he was born in Bethlehem.
But it says there about him in the second chapter. I believe it is.
In verse.
39 When they had performed all these things according to the law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee to their own city, Nazareth. Well, they had to go to Nazareth because and the Lord's life had been threatened in Bethlehem. They had to flee to Egypt and return to this despised place.
Because there was still a man.
In Judea.
Whose influence over that land?
Was a threat to the Lord's life and so going back to John's gospel, we see that same kind of influence was still in the land of Judea and these.
Religious men, they say in chapter.
I think it's Chapter 11.
Or somewhere close by here.
Where they were, there were those who were believing on him and they said.
In Chapter 11 and verse 47 then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a counsel, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
And what I want to call out to our attention is that the people of God had come under an influence through disobedience.
But they developed a religion that was acceptable to the Roman power that would allow them to exist with this religion. And it was a religion that gave these Pharisees a place. Now for us brethren, what I want to apply it in our own lives is this.
In the Assembly of God there is no place for man. The Lord Jesus is to be the preeminent 1.
And there has been Christendom taken over the Christian profession, forms of religion that exalt man, and allow man's mind, and allow man's influence, and allow man's thought to govern what is under the clothes of Christianity.
Christianity has degenerated.
To a religion acceptable to man because it has been developed by man and the world at large is willing to accept Christianity as long as it goes on in that kind of a form, that is, with man having a place there.
Well, brethren, is gathered to the Lord's name.
There is no place in the world for us and we're going to have to be contented to be rejected because Christ is everything and he is to have the place of preeminence. But rather than as we go on in our lives, we have the danger of taking up with this influence of Judea. And there is that ever that presence that.
We will just slip into a form of religion where we as believers.
00:10:00
Take over the place that Christ has, and these Pharisees, they knew if they gave the Lord Jesus his proper place, they would lose their religion because their religion was acceptable to the world and Christ was not. Well, there are things about Galilee where the Lord could be preserved outside of Judea.
And let's turn to the end of Mark's gospel. Toward the end of it, there is an expression there about Peter and that helps us to see. And there is in a believer who follows the Lord in Galilee. There are things about us that mark us and, and, and if we follow the Lord there, we can't hide it.
In in chapter 14 of Mark's Gospel.
Peters away from the Lord and he doesn't, he doesn't want anyone to know that he belongs to the Lord. But in verse 70 it says and he denied it again and a little after and they that stood by said again to Peter, surely thou art one of them, for thou art a Galilean.
And thy speech agreeeth thereto Well, rather than what I have on my heart here.
And sort of in passing, but if we follow the Lord Jesus in Galilee, it's going to rub off on us. It's going to affect the way we talk. Our brother Barry mentioned the other day of our brethrens language and and this isn't being said. What I have on my heart isn't being said to touch that at all. When we are preaching to the lost, we need to preach in a language that they understand.
But I am not talking about a relationship with the lost, but I am talking about our relationship with other Christians or with the Christian profession that has no room for Christ as head.
He they do not want a rejected Christ. Well, if we follow the Christ they walked in Galilee, our language is going to be somewhat different.
And Peter had a language that agreed with the Galileans.
And he couldn't hide it. But I've noticed, perhaps amongst us.
We don't want to go along with the language of Galilee anymore, or drifting away from it. And is it because we want to be calm, acceptable to our brethren who are still in the camp? I so valued and appreciated what our brother Pilkington said. Brethren, we profess to have gone outside.
The camp.
Unto the Lord Jesus.
How unbecoming of us it is to go back in there now to find out how to behave ourselves while we profess to be following Jesus in Galilee. And so I see the tendency to take up a manner of addressing the Lord that isn't coming from what?
Is properly do Christians gathered to the Lord's name? It's not a language.
That would have ever been learned had we as our children came, were brought up. If they were only aware of the gathering together unto the Lord Jesus, they would never have picked up this kind of language. Well, our language betrays us, brethren, and when we talk to one another.
It is in long. It is in difficult for us to discern where we're feeding.
Where we're feeding. Though Peter tried to hide himself, his language betrayed him. And brethren, let's not be ashamed of the Galilean language. It was a despised language by those of Judea. And let's go one more.
Thought in Acts chapter 2 about this thought of those from Galilee being identified by their language. I think it's chapter 2 of Acts.
Where they speak and they say, are they not of Galilee? If some brother sees that pass, he just call it out.
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The verse seven of X2 and they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? Well, go on down, and then you'll find that they perceive that these men.
And we're ignorant and unlearned men. But that day had been with Jesus rather than being in the company of Jesus of Nazareth. The one who trod in Galilee will give us the mind of God.
Which these disciples had. They were able to speak the wonderful works of God that no one else could speak because they didn't know it.
But it did not give them the tongue of the learned. And as they listened to these men, they perceived that they were ignorant and unlearned. And back in John where we were, if we'd gone on a little more, they would, they said of the Lord.
How knows this man, having never learned, that is the Lord Jesus, didn't learn?
His sermons he didn't learn. The messages that he conveyed to those around him in the schools of Judea. No, he lived, he learned.
By walking in Galilee in the presence and communion with his Father. Well, brethren, what's on my heart is this. We have taken up a place outside the camp you don't need.
To go back there.
There to retain a communion with the Lord, or to discern the Lord's mind.
In any matter in recent years I've I've read books that I've heard and became aware that our young parents.
Gathered to the Lord's name have begun reading.
Because they feel a lack of teaching what we say in the Brethren's writings on the family, and in a certain way, I believe that may be true.
But as I wanted to see what these young parents are reading and are being encouraged to read, one thing impressed me. It wasn't that they were being taught bad things, but one thing I soon noticed about them all was there was a language foreign to those gathered to the Lord's name. And there was a manner of speaking.
About the Lord.
And about his word. That was irreverent. And now I see.
Coming in amongst brethren, a language that's unbecoming the Lord Jesus, the rejected one. And where have we picked it up? We didn't pick it up in Galilee. We picked it up in Judea. Well, beloved, and as long as I've mentioned this.
Dear young parents.
There are some solemn books, and there are some good.
Foundation books on the family. They may not go into all of the intricate details of your varied life, but there will be seeds there.
That if you exercise before God can develop and guide you and help you to discern the Lord's mind about being a husband, a wife, a father, a mother. And I could recommend to you Mr. Wilson's book on the family.
And Mr. Hay Holes book and there was a book out, I don't know if we still carry it to the parents of my grandchildren. That was a book that influenced my life greatly and caused me to fear God in the raising of my family. Well, I just say this brethren, if we profess to be outside the gate.
If we profess to follow Jesus.
In Galilee, that despised place, there should be a language that.
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Would betray it in our lives well then I want to go to another passage in the word of God but before leaving this thought I just want to say we learn here there was a religious.
Movement acceptable to the world.
That had no place for Jesus of Nazareth, the rejected one. Brethren, we profess to go outside of that. Let's stay outside.
It is a religion acceptable to man in the flesh. That's not where the Lord could live. We must follow Him. If we're going to manifest the true character of Christ in our lives. We're going to have to follow a rejected Christ in Galilee because that's where his life.
As the rejected one was preserved. Now let's go back.
Two first kings, I believe it is around chapter 8 and there is another influence that's prevailing upon us today as brethren and professing to be gathered to the Lords name. It's not a religious influence, but it is just as fatal to us and just as.
Destructive.
To us.
And has no more use for Galilee than that religious influence. And, and I think it's first kings, which I think it's chapter eight first kings.
It's where Solomon has finished the house.
And.
He gives a gift to.
Hiram. Perhaps it's Chapter 9 if someone again find in Chapter 9.
Hiram was a gentile, the king of Tyre.
And it says.
In verse 11 now higher him, the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees and with gold, according to all his desire, that then King Solomon gave Hiram 20 cities in the land of Galilee. Now we find this Gentile king, and we'll look at him and his land to see what he represents to us.
But King Solomon says here's Galilee.
What does he say? Verse 12 Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him.
And they pleased him not. And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Kubel cable unto this day. I believe in the new translation. It's the thought of worthless.
Here now is a king.
Over the land of Tyre, if that's the Frick pronunciation.
He now looks at Galilee, and he forms the same conclusion that those in Judea did. It's worthless. No good thing can come out of this land.
But he forms it for another reason. It isn't because of religious reasons. And I would like to look a little bit at why this king rejected Galilee as a place to walk. Before doing so, I would like to share this with you. It bothered me, you know, and that Solomon gave this king these cities.
I thought, why did? Why did King Solomon?
Give this king these cities in Galilee. Oh, this very precious thought came to me in thinking about it.
It's because, brethren, Solomon represents Christ reigning in glory, and our rejected Savior who's rejected today is not always going to be rejected. And when the Lord Jesus comes back to take His place upon this earth where He has been and is rejected now, there will be no rejection of Him then, and there will be no Galilee during the millennial reign.
00:25:08
And really, it's a thrill to our hearts, is it not, to know that it's only now in our present life, that we will have the privilege of walking with the Lord in Galilee? There will be nothing in the millennial reign that answers to Galilee, because the Lord will reign as Lord of Lord and kings of kings we will bring with him, but rather than what we reign over in that thousand year.
Time depends a great deal on how much we walk with.
Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee in this present life. But it speaks of the place of rejection, and there will be no place of rejection when the Lord reigns in the character of Solomon. And so Solomon can give them over. But this king, he says, I don't want these. These things are worthless. Nothing good can come out of these cities. And then it says a very strange statement.
And Hiram sent to the king 6 score talons of gold. Well, brethren, this is the influence, this is what this king has to offer you. Instead of following the Lord in Galilee, he says I've got gold to offer you. There's nothing good in in these cities, but I've got gold and I would like to turn now.
I don't want to take much more time quickly to Ezekiel.
And we will suggest briefly this man and his land.
And what they represent, brethren, is very, very closely.
Kindred to Babylon, which is what the church ends up in the profession. Chapter 26 or seven in there.
Here's the land.
It says.
In chapter.
26 It says in verse two, son of man, because that Tyrus has said against Jerusalem, you know, that's the gathering center.
Of God's people, Aha, she is broken. That was the gates of the people. She is turned unto me. I shall be replenished. Now she is laid waste, brethren.
Tire.
Can't exist as long as we maintain our souls in a healthy state gathered to the Lord's name outside of the camp.
And outside of the world of prosperity, man's world, that's what this king had. He had gold to offer us. And dear young folks, beginning your life.
We all have to work, young men, we have to find our way through this world, but don't be taken in by the business world, the agricultural world, the.
Fine Arts world as if it has something to offer you.
No, we're just here to pass through, and your job should never rise above the thought of simply a camel to take you through the wilderness. If it gets to be more than that to you, if it becomes more of an object to you than that, you're coming under the influence of this king. And if we were to read on, we would find what a beautiful place this was.
What a prosperous land it was.
But now go over to the king himself and verse 20, chapter 28.
The Prince of tribes, Tyrus, son of man, say unto the Prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the the Lord God, Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the Seas, yet thou art a man and not God.
Though thou set thine heart as the heart of God, behold, thou art wiser than Daniel. There is no secret that can hide. They can hide from thee. With thy wisdom and with thine understanding. Thou hast gotten the riches and has gotten gold and silver into thy treasures, you see?
00:30:20
What this king represents is the wisdom, that wonderful wisdom.
Of man.
And he has made by his wisdom himself rich. Now I want to talk about the gathering that you're gathered in. There is no place there for your wisdom.
Then, you know, you may feel the famine that's in the gatherings these days, and you may feel, well, I would like to do something about it. I would like to raise the state of the gathering where I come from in Des Moines. How am I going to do it? Is it by searching this mind of mind?
And inventing some way to enliven.
The.
My brethren back home, no.
It will be by doing what our brother Barry brought before us yesterday, by repenting and acknowledging to the Lord somewhere we have departed from thy path and Lord Jesus.
Reveal that point of departure so we can go back and start over again. You know you couldn't.
Go up to the altar of God by steps. That is a step is a an invention of the mind of man to elevate himself. And no matter how wise your mind is, you know that's what Christendom has taken up with all of these things I go by.
Church at home and many churches at home, and they're growing and they're building and they're getting bigger and bigger.
And their parking lots are full. How are they doing this visit? By walking with Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee. It's by the inventions that their minds, the wisdom of man, has invented to make Christianity accommodate itself to man in the flesh. And so souls come in because they're attracted by their senses.
Their appeal to by their natural senses, and there's no place for that in the gathering of the Lord's people to his name, brethren. And the truth of God is revealed to the spiritual man who walks with the Lord Jesus in Galilee. Well, here in Tyrus it's more.
The commercial side of things.
If the world that we find ourselves in the United States of America, the land of Canada, where prosperity abounds. And it's saying to you, dear young men and women, I've got gold to offer you and I've got wisdom to teach you how to get it. But brethren, unless remember the world by wisdom.
Knew not God and all brethren.
This man, this king.
And his land opposed and had no use.
For Galilee, brethren, it's a despised path. If we truly walk it, it will be despised as our brother Pilkington brought before us, not only by the king of Cyrus the world, but by the men of Judea, our professed brethren and brethren, sometimes by brethren professing to be gathered to the Lord's name.
We are not immune to either of these influences and we're deceiving ourselves.
If we look at ourselves as a faithful company that has the Lord Jesus in our midst because of our faithfulness, it is not so. But may we repent, brethren, Acknowledge the influences of Tyrus, acknowledge the influences of Judea in our life, repent and go out to Jesus with all the can't willing to bear.
His reproach?
00:35:06
This will only take me a few moments.
I've never done this before, but I feel compelled.
To say something that just opened up when we sang our hymn at the beginning of this meeting today, and I'd just like to read that third verse.
It's him #238 one faith.
And hope shall cease.
And love abide alone.
Then we shall see him face to face and know as known.
Still shall we lift our voice, His praise, our songs shall be.
And we shall in his love rejoice, who set us free, that first line every time.
I've ever sung this hymn.
That first line.
Has jumped out.
And said something.
Which seems so totally.
Unusual.
Faith and hope shall cease.
We have had some marvelous ministry on faith.
It's been beautiful, I've totally enjoyed it.
It's occupied at least three hours of our time and more.
We had it in our meeting this morning.
But you know the best part of this conference of this time over God's Word?
Was that little time this morning?
No matter, it's a delightful time we had yesterday and the beautiful ministry that we received on faith.
And how it's the gift of God.
But you know the best thing was this morning when at 10:45 we sat down.
And the Lord Jesus Christ.
Kept his promise. He always does. He never lets us down, always keeps his promise.
What we had here this morning was love.
And that's the love I'm sure this hymn refers to when it says that it will abide alone forever. Think of it.
What we enjoyed this morning.
For that short hour to an hour and a half we will soon have.
Forever.
And no longer.
Will we have need of faith?
Our hope.
They will cease.
There's a verse in Corinthians.
It's First Corinthians, the 13th chapter.
And it backs up, I believe what I'm saying right now.
It's the last verse in the 13th chapter of First Corinthians.
It says and now abideth Faith, hope, charity, these three.
But the greatest of these is charity.
Again, the reason must be.
The faith and hope.
Well, someday soon pass away.
Perhaps today.
Now you know.
We've had a blessed time in Hebrews.
And could we just please?
For a moment.
Turn back to that.
That chapter.
That speaks of a substance.
That faith is.
I visit with a few brothers.
And told them how special that first verse is to me.
For a good share of my life.
I didn't enjoy that substance, which is the substance of life.
This faith that we talked so much of in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews.
Which is the substance?
Of things hoped for, it is the evidence. Can you imagine?
00:40:00
A thing as difficult to describe as faith.
Actually being referred to as evidence.
Evidence. Evidence of what?
Evidence of God's work. Her brother was talking about language.
Oh, you know the language of faith.
Is belief.
I believe that's the language of faith belief.
Belief on whom?
Belief on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I was thinking in this hymn, When faith and hope shall cease. You know what most.
Most often at conferences.
Three times the Lord Jesus Christ has presented in the gospel and I know this is not a gospel meeting, but I just feel compelled and I cannot help but say.
That now is the only time.
And it's so very possible that there's someone in this room who is outside of Christ.
Who doesn't understand, know, or have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?
And you may say, you know, I just don't have faith.
Well.
It's so wonderful to be able to say.
That you can ask for it.
And it'll be given on to you.
The Lord Jesus Christ gives that faith. It's his.
Free gift, but you must ask for it. You must ask for it. Visiting with a brother about the words that he pointed out to us.
In the 13th verse of this chapter.
These words are.
I persuaded.
Embraced.
And confessed, persuaded, embraced, confessed.
It says that's what these who died in faith.
Before the cross, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, they were persuaded.
They embraced them.
And they confessed.
That they were programmed to strangers.
Well, now there's been this marvelous ministry on faith.
Are you persuaded that you need it?
Are you persuaded that you need faith which only Jesus Christ can give?
Then embrace it, embrace it and confess Him as your Savior. I feel that needs to be said. I really feel that needs to be said. We may not be here to hear the gospel tonight. There may not be a gospel meeting tonight. There may be a glory meeting tonight. How wonderful that would be if there were.
And now we had some verses in Philippians.
And perhaps we could, just for a moment, turn to that in the second of Philippians.
Because there are some verses there that are very special too.
They speak of triumph.
Philippians 2.
Verse 9.
It says God Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above.
Every name.
But at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven.
And things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess.
That Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Be sure of one thing.
You will confess.
All will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How awful. How totally awful if that confession comes from you when faith and hope have ceased.
When faith and hope have ceased and you confess Jesus as Lord.
He will go to a lost, lost eternity where there is no hope.
Where there is no faith.
00:45:01
And most importantly.
Or there's no love.
And those who have confessed Jesus as Lord now.
While there's still time.
Will have love.
And love.
For eternity.
Oh, no way can you turn your back on the message of faith that has been shared at these meetings.
And this hymn just caused me to want to say these things.
And you know, there's one more verse if we could just turn to the revelation. I want to leave time for someone that has some important ministry for us.
In the first chapter of the Revelation.
There's another verse.
That I want to point out to you.
In the fifth verse.
It says that beautiful word, Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. Now he's the only faithful witness. There are no others.
We hear a language in this world about witnessing.
But the only faithful witness is Jesus Christ. There is no such thing as a good witness.
Hopefully with his help, we can serve him a bit before he calls us home, but he is the faithful witness.
He is the first begotten.
Of the dead he is the Prince of the kings.
Of the Earth.
And those of us who are saved can say.
Unto him that loves us.
Unto him that loved us, loves us always, will love us.
Faith and hope gone, but love remaineth it abide us.
And washed us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, His precious blood.
Will have that for eternity. Rejoice over Oh, don't want to be washed cleaner than whiter than snow washed of your sins. Have faith. Have love as the total dimension of eternity before you.
The seventh verse is solemn.
It says, Behold, he cometh with clouds, in every eye shall see him. Every eye, even those who pierced him shall see him. How will you see him?
As your savior.
Who loves you?
He gave himself for you.
For as you judge, who will stand there and say, depart from me.
Brian never knew you.
He doesn't have to be that judge, but now is the time of faith and hope.
Almost the last thing said in the Word of God, we read this morning a verse where it says Christ Jesus the author.
He's the author of this book.
The author and the finisher of our faith.
Faith.
As a result of the finished work on Calvary's cross, the only work in this whole of the universe that's finished.
Everything else is still going on, but there's one work that's finished if salvation was finished on Calvary's cross.
Finished. Done forever.
He'll not die again. He'll return in triumph.
For those who love him, those who are washed in his precious blood.
But in the end of the revelation.
Almost the end of the Bible, the 22nd chapter.
God is so faithful.
And his spirit reaches out to men.
To all the lost.
Because the Lord Jesus doesn't want anyone to go to a lost eternity.
And so there are starting in the 17th, 1St, the 17th verse is followed by just 4 short verses and that's the end of the Bible.
That's the end of the Word of God. But before the Word of God closes the.
00:50:04
And before I sit down, I'd like to read this verse.
Because this is how sincere this precious message is.
The Spirit and the Bride say, come, come.
That's the message in this book offered by Jesus Christ.
Who finished the work on Caliph?
Let him that heareth say, Come, Are you hearing?
Can you hear this? Oh, please hear this. It's the word of God.
Let him that is a thirst. Come. Oh, you'll not slake your thirst.
At the wells of this world.
I have learned.
That there is no way.
To find happiness outside of Christ.
You will not find.
A place in this world.
That can satisfy your thirst and your hunger and what you need in order to have love, unless you come to the Lord Jesus.
Whosoever. That's everyone.
Let him take of the water.
Of life, really, our brother last night reminded us. You can't pay for it.
This is assurance.
That is paid up in full on Calvary.
It's a finished work man, can't add to it or take away from it.
And I read saying that him again where it tells us that the thing we have occupied ourselves with so much at these meetings is soon going to be taken away. That would mean and that would follow that if you don't have it, you never will. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
Satan Attack - Remedy - Responsibility
Address—N. Berry
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Would you please turn with me to Revelation Chapter 2?
Years ago when the gospel tent in Nova Scotia, one of the young boys that was saved now gathered the Lord's name, he said to me 85% of all that is said from that platform isn't understood and that never left me. I always tried to say things in a more simple way, to use words that we use in everyday language.
And not, as sometimes it has been described, Brethren, ease. And so you'll pardon me this afternoon if I speak directly and plainly, and I will endeavour to use words that we all can understand.
Now in Revelation chapter 2 and verse three we have the usual.
Application of the seven letters that John wrote to those seven cities in Asia Minor, and we have that privilege of hearing that side of truth.
It is not my purpose today to take that up, but rather.
To apply these lessons to you're in my life today.
There are two types of overcomers in the scriptures.
First, John, chapter 5 and verse four. I think it is. Yes, it says that this, that whosoever is born of God overcometh the world. That is true of every believer here. We're all overcomers and we're going to look in the second and third chapters of Revelation and we'll find the other type of overcomer.
Not so much to overcome the world and all that is without, but to have discovered to you and to me the evil that lurks within us. And the overcoming these things are that which promises brings promise.
Of bless, of joy in our Christian life.
There are three ways I want to look at these.
7 letters first of all.
Satan's.
Attacks various ways. He's attacking everyone of us here.
This afternoon. And he's going to tell you, don't listen to what he's saying. He's going to distract you by this atmosphere and so on. Satan has various ways of attacking everyone of us. We who are older. Yes. Young ones. Yes. Children, yes. I'm going to look at those things that are brought out in these 7 letters from the methods that Satan uses. Secondly, I'm going to show from the word of God, it's all plain there.
God's remedy, Remedy.
And then thirdly, the responsibility that you and I have now to avail ourselves of the blessed promises if you and I are willing to be obedient, submissive to the word of God. So we will look now at Chapter 2 of Revelation, and we will look at those three things in that order. Chapter 2, I'm not going to read these chapters.
Is going to take too long, but as I said, I'm going to show the three methods.
First of all, in the first letter, Ephesus.
Beautiful memories we have of the letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesian assembly. Highest truth in all the scriptures. And don't misunderstand me, I'm not condemning that, but I believe as I get older and as I see the days darkening, I believe that Satan is making you and me, particularly we who are older in the assemblies.
Unconscious of the drift into which we are being led by.
Satan No objection, of course, to the.
00:05:03
Ephesian teachings have been brought up on it and I love to hear them spoken from but what the Lord I believe is showing us in this in these 7 letters is that the Lord is looking into your heart and mine and he sees what is below the surface. Not that we would disparage as I said, but we will see now Satan's ways of undermining.
And occupying us with all the lovely things in the scriptures and so on, and yet just making us unconscious of what is happening unconsciously. Things that we're allowing evils, death and evils that we're allowing in our life. And Satan is the perpetrator. He's the one who is causing it. So let us look now there at verse 2, Revelation 2/2.
I know thy works.
And then he goes on and he lists all those very good things we're not going to, and I just ask you not to take time to read them. Now you'll get distracted. They are the many occupations, and they're all good. And Satan is so clever that he will make you and me occupied with those good things and lose lose what we see in a few moments.
Nothing wrong with those things. Perfectly good. They're all good, but.
There he will just get a soul enjoying those nice things and the occupation in them. And as we will see in a moment, forget the main point. Now then, let's go down to the fourth verse.
Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Now there was Satan at work right away, affection for Christ fading. Oh, is that true today? It certainly is. Beloved ones affections for Christ. They're fading from our hearts, our lives.
Nice to come to the meetings. Wonderful. Very important. But or are we listening? Are we in? Are we getting the messages that the Lord is telling us?
Or are we just distracted by the good things that we might be occupied with? But there was that very special.
Trick of Satan to.
Take the heart away of affections for Christ. Now we've heard since we are children that we are to be occupied with Christo's love for us. True. Very true. But I believe that the days are getting so dark that we're forgetting the other side and our affections in response to Christ and His effect on his your life and mine. Now the Lord here is walking through these seven.
Assemblies these 7 letters.
Not as a loving savior, but as a judge who sees everything and he is showing you and me what lies below the surface. Are you and I going to be sensitive to this?
That's what I believe, at least. What the Lord has laid on my heart. I trust it for His glory and your blessing. But I believe that we can see if we have an opened ear, we're going to be able to see that Satan is undermining this deep affection for Christ. Now then, here comes the remedy. Let's go and look at it in another way. Verse 2 Again, I know Thy works.
Seven times it says that in these letters I know thy works. I'm going to ask you a question, and I'm going to ask myself when the Lord says to you and to me, I know thy works. What's your and my reaction to it?
I don't ask you to answer it to me, but you answer that question yourself. Does it bring out in your heart a fear of secret sins that you might be going on with, that I might be going on with in my life that nobody knows about? You dear young ones here attacked by Satan in different ways than older ones.
Or on the other hand, does that just fill your heart with encouragement to say, I know to hear the Lord say I know Thy works to know to see at least be conscious of the fact that the Lord is looking down and He sees everything that we do for His glory in this darkening world. I know thy works. Or might it be so? Then he goes on it. Might it be the latter, that we would be saying maybe 25 times a day.
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This one statement to my own heart, saying it over and over again. I know thy works. The Lord knows He's looking down. Break beside my shoulder. He sees everything that's going on. Are we living for the Lord's glory? We only can be beloved ones through the power that that affection to Christ will create in your heart and mind. Nothing else will. No self determination and knowing the scriptures and so on, wonderful as they are.
Its affection to Christ. That's God's remedy. That's God's remedy. Now let's go down a little bit farther.
Verse 5.
We have covered verse 4.
Affection for Christ. The Lord saw that.
But what does it say in the next verse?
Remember, oh the Lord, this is the Lord's side now. He wants you and me. This is his remedy. He wants us to go back to that which, first in your life and mine caused that drift.
Over and over in the scriptures we have the example of going back to the original sin when when Israel was drifting farther away. What are the scriptures? Do? They take the miracle, They take us right back to the to the building of that Taft, right back to the original sin. Ah, what is, What is?
Satan, or at least what is the Lord doing to you and to me? He wants to get to the root of it. Remember, remember.
Therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and here's a word. Now repent. I just want to say this.
They don't hear much about repenting in the gospel these days, do we? It's turning over a new leaf. And so on.
But are you and I applying the same word in our life? Are we not guilty a little bit amongst ourselves of neglecting that same word? We don't hear it very much in our assemblies. Sad to say, repent. Ah, this is God's remedy to get back to the very bottom of the troubles. You and I might have things that were not clear on Job 3432 Says that which I see not. Teach thou me immediately, it says.
Now if I have done iniquity, I will do no more the conscience. Remember from whence thou art fallen. Get back to that first love in our hearts for Christ.
Repent.
Now, what is our response? The third thing, How about your and my responsibilities?
Let's look back now at the second verse again and think of it in these ways. I know thy works again. I say are we conscious day by day that the Lords eye is upon us? I know thy works. What a comfort that is an encouragement in the dark days in which we live. You dear young people here you know things that I don't of all the awfulness of the conditions. But this is not this letter. This is more the lofty truth of Ephesians being undermined by Satan.
And you and me forgetting that there needs to be that repentance. So there there was those encouragement in verses two and three to do those things. He noticed every one of them.
Notice the promise in the seventh verse. The Lords remedy 2 for all these trials. They remember the reminder, the remembrance, the reminder, I should say, of the future. What does he say? I will give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Oh that fills my heart with July. What am I feeding on?
He tells me that if I am faithful to Christ, I'm going to be there feeding on the tree of life. Are you and I feeding on the bread from heaven? If we are, we're going to be we have that glorious promise that we're going to be eating up the tree of life. That's your destiny. That's mine. Oh, that it might fill our heart. And then where does it say we're going to be eating that in the midst?
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Of the paradise of God. Oh, what a destiny for everyone of us. And you are going to be enjoying it until my if we put into practice these different things that I have mentioned the God's remedy and then you're in my responsibility. Now we go to the second letter.
Quite different if the Lord doesn't reach your heart and my mind and our conscience by that word, repent.
And to remind us that our affections to Christ have faded.
Here comes catastrophe.
And beloved ones, we sure are seeing it today.
Everywhere, every assembly, almost that I visit, there is something happening now, touching our very lives, illnesses.
All kinds of sorrows like the van burning up there. Oh, this is Satan's other method if I don't listen carefully. You dear young people, are you listening in the meeting? That's Ephesians side. But oh bear in mind that if we are not, then the Lord is going to use a stronger method. Now let's go to look there at the second book, which is Smyrna.
Smyrna means crushed, crushed. As I said, I'm not replying applying the history of this, but I'm applying it in ways that Satan uses allowed by God. Just bear this in mind each one of us, that Satan is the instrument of God to touch your and my conscience. He never is allowed to go beyond what God.
Permits and so we'll look now and we will see some of Satans methods in this book of.
Smyrna This letter to Smyrna.
Verse 2 verse nine. I know thy works there again, it's seven times in the scriptures. In these scriptures and tribulation and poverty. But thou art rich, that's the whisper that he says. But and I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation.
10 days.
These are the things that Satan is trying to do. I put it this way. When you and I are going along well in our souls, Satan tries to frighten us. And that's what this message I believe is. If I'm going along carelessly, he deceives me. We'll see that at the end of the seven letters. But there is Satan now, bringing on all these things I've told my children.
When something happens to you, don't come to me and say, dad, it wasn't my fault to somebody else that to 'cause it, or a car ran into me and so on. I told my children, go to your bedroom and get on your knees and say to the Lord why? That's what sensitivity to his heart of love means. And it's only when the Lord speaks gently and we don't listen that he has to speak louder. And I believe that that voice of the Lord is growing in strength. As the end comes to an end, he's speaking louder and louder. Are we sensitive to what he is saying?
10 days.
That means that there's a limit to the trial. I just say that. Don't get discouraged if you think this is unbearable. No 10 days. There was a limit. God was setting that limit.
As in case of job.
Now that is what Satan is doing trying to frighten. Now let's look at some of the Lords remedies.
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Verse 10.
I will give thee a crown of life. There is a promise.
Even if it means death.
I will give thee a crown of life. What about the Lord himself in the disasters? I shouldn't use that word. In all the desperate life to which he was exposed, he was tried to death.
He was. What does he say? Later on, in the same book, I'm alive forevermore. Oh, if death does come, what a comfort to hear the Lord sing. I will give thee a crown of life. Be thou faithful unto death, I just apply it in this way. We may not be called upon to die, but are you and I going to be faithful to the Lord all through our life until the time when the Lord takes us within? We're faithful unto death in that way.
Oh, how beautiful that blessed promise is. I'll give you the the crown of life.
He doesn't say there I'm going to take you out of those difficulties.
And I think it's Mr. McIntosh who says that if I ask the Lord to Take Me Out of the difficulties, it's a sure sign I'm not ready. Well, that's true, isn't it? The Lord knows all about it. I know Thy works, and He is encouraging you and me to look to the end, the crown of life.
And then he says in the end of the 11Th verse, he that overcometh shall not be hurt.
Of the second death. The second death, I'd just like to explain is might be death to the body.
But there won't be any second death and resurrection life.
We're raised with the Lord.
And there will never come that second death, which will come to those who are unsaved. They will be separated, body, soul, and spirit from God that made them to be separated forever in hell. But you and I have that blessed assurance. We never will experience that second death.
I want to just say this too.
That there is a sin to death.
First, Thistle of John chapter 5 speaks of that. We don't like to talk about that these days, but I believe I have to be faithful.
And say it.
There is a sin unto death. What is that?
That an unpardonable sin? No, no, there are none in this.
Dispensation But there is a possibility that I go on in self will, and the Apostle John says I do not say that you should pray for him. I can't pray for some that I see are going right on in deliberate self will, in sin and flaunting the word of God and as we just had to experience last week.
Brother saying I don't care. I know, I know what I'm in for, but I want to do what I want.
That's a sin unto death. Very serious, 1 Corinthians 11 tells us. For this cause. Many are sickly amongst you and many sleep. Now, I'm not for a moment. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that all sickness is that is caused by this. But I am saying that we have to be very careful that we aren't going on in self will and doing what we want in defiance to what our parents tell us. And defiance to what? The word of God.
Tells us how important that is, and then that blessed assurance that there are 10 days, there's the limit. He never allows us to go beyond what we can bear.
But he will make a way of escape. So there is that letter, crushed, crushed. Oh, that you and I might be sensitive in what the Lord is allowing. And then to get those blessed, precious promises that he's going to give us the crown of life. Now let's go on to the third one.
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Pergamos chapter verse 12.
Serious one, too. Pergavas means married, much marriage. We're living in a day when the Christians and the Church, or I should say the world drifting together, marry.
Unsaved friends.
Find your pleasure being with unsaved friends. That's what this letter is. Warning again. Marriage with the world that happened in the history in the days of Constantine. But as I said, I'm talking now. The application of your life and mine. What a danger there is. What a danger Now that sounds very narrow, doesn't it? We we sang in our hymn, Keep us in the Narrow Way.
I have to admit, when I was younger, I wanted to kick over the traces a bit and I didn't feel that there was enough room, that there it was too narrow. But the older I get, the more I realized that is what the Lord is saying to every one of us. If you and I have an ear, doesn't say ears, it says an ear. The day is going to become very so dark that we just have to have one ear on what the Lord is saying, and if you and I are sensitive to that.
Then we are going to keep away.
I'm speaking to younger ones, possibly from affections for those who are.
Not the Lord's or even affection for those who are not walking to please the Lord. Oh, it is nothing. Your path is just going to be fraught with all kinds of dangers and the next thing there's going to be a marriage and there is going to be buckets of tears shed.
If you have any sensitivity at all or that we might be warned marriage with the world is so dangerous. If we are warned, we are pre warned, then we're going to be safe are we not? Sometimes you see big signs. I remember. I don't know whether they have them around here but high tension power lines and they have a skull and crossbone and it says danger. Well none of the mothers say, oh don't frighten the children.
Oh, they're very thankful for that. But I hear Mother saying, well, don't don't be too hard on my children. Oh, I want to be faithful to the word of God. We need to be on our guard so that we won't be drifting into with worldly friends and then even with those who do love the Lord.
And are not walking in the path of obedience. They're going to harm me. Now, you might say. That's terribly narrow, But we've just come back from Europe and from from Cairo, and we sure have seen what compromise is doing there to those believers falling into the trap of not walking in the path prescribed by the Lord.
B.
I just want to.
Say this in connection with Pergamos.
But you might find yourself in circumstances. That's what Pergamos is like, dead.
And it's not the Lord's will to take you out of them.
For instance, a young person might get saved in your family is not saved. You've got to live there. It isn't the Lord's will to get out. It might be unsaved, married to an unsaved person and you the partner. Or you get saved. Doesn't say that you should leave them.
But it is the Lords will not to quit. That's what this is telling us to keep on now Deadness. Notice that verse?
Verse.
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.
And thou holdest fast up my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days, or in Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain even among you, where Satan dwelt.
Might not have any room to do any big glorious works for the Lord, but if you and I just keep on in a circumstance that the Lord has allowed, oh, there is going to be that precious promise, these promises. Let's just look at 1:00.
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Verse 14.
Well, we'll go down to 16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and.
So on warning again, as I said in everyone of those 7 letters, that there is that word repent or that we might be sensitive to in a circumstance in which, as I said, may not be the Lord's mind to take us out. But if we are faithful in that, maybe no great works at all. But if you and I just continue on, you'll see what the Lord will do for you. Now let's go on to the next one.
Verse 18.
Thyatira.
Middle of verse 19.
And all thy works, and charity and service, and faith, and thy patience and thy works, and the last to be more than the 1St.
Satan occupying us sometimes with those works.
Thyatira is a picture of organized religion. We see it everywhere. How you and I, you dear young people, are you listening in the meetings? Are you using these days before?
The dreadful times, I believe, that are coming on us have arrived. Are you strengthening yourself? Am I strengthening myself for those awful days ahead of us? They are surely coming.
And Satan is organizing massive attacks upon us, no other worse nor more serious than the truth of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The organized systems that are around us, pictured by Thyatira. Oh, you and I need to realize that Satan is behind them all. What for? Oh, to take away the glory from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Me, you and I, be sensitive to that.
Now then, in the middle of the 20th verse.
To teach and to seduce my servants? To commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Let me just say this too. I have to speak plainly. Fornication. It's everywhere, isn't it? I have to tell you that one of the girls at the Lords table.
Bringing a boy to the meeting he professed to be the Lord, fell into sin a couple of weeks ago, Told his she told her father and mother about her. Just crushed the parents talked to the boy and he said I didn't know there was anything wrong with that.
That's how I'm sure you young people know it more than I do. Fornication. Why, it's just like shaking hands these days.
You need to be warned, these are Satan's methods. As the days get darker, he was teaching them how to commit fornication.
Let's look at the promises.
The end we might just briefly Satan, at least the Lord is saying in verse 22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and so on testing them verse 23 And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and the hearts. That's what the Lord is saying in all these things. There is an end to this one of the Psalms. It says that I think it's the 73rd.
Psalm. There he was complaining that others seemed to be getting away with things.
And their eyes were bulging out and they were prospering, the wicked were prospering, and they were surrounding the righteous and so on. And he said, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood either end, oh each one of us, young and old alike. Satan may be looking as if he's got full control of this world, and it is getting more and more so. And it's more difficult than ever to distinguish what is the work of God and what is the work of Satan.
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Beloved ones, we need to know that God is on His throne.
And he knows everything. I know thy works, and if you and I are faithful to the Lord, oh, we're going to be kept. We're going to be kept from all the filth and the corruption. I just read recently that one of the early brethren.
His son is now. I'm talking about maybe 100 years ago. I won't mention his name. He's he is working amongst young people to corrupt them, teaching them three evils.
One of them is illicit sex.
It doesn't matter.
Secondly.
Pop music, somebody might smile at that one man that was recently converted who had been engaged in it, he said. I can't understand how any young Christian would be involved in that type of thing.
Satan deceiving again. And the third thing? Drugs. I'm not going to speak about that, but I'm sure we all are realizing where this is leading the minds of young people and older ones too. Even executives are here getting into this. All the days are so dark, beloved ones, and we need to have the word of God to encourage us.
Now to to go on.
Verse 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. How blessed that is, hold fast till I come.
That's the first time, I believe our sadder Thyatiri. Yes, the first time that that promise is mentioned. Now let's go on to the third chapter.
Sardis.
Deadness.
What is Satan doing?
Occupying us the worldly things. That's what Protestant really Protestantism has done. Occupying us with the worldly religions and the politics of the world and indifference to the to the truth as we find in.
The end of the second verse, for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
What is the promise of the Lord in that letter verse 3 to begin with? The end of that first sentence? Repent.
Dark days. Look at verse 4.
Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis. Oh, we're getting down. How would you like to be the only person in your town that was going to be faithful to the Lord? We're getting down to that.
The twos and the threes, I believe that our assemblies are being tested as never before, and I believe that we are. We're just going to see what that meaning of that word two and three is as the days get darker.
A few. Just a few. Don't get discouraged if they're only a few. In your little, in your little assembly. Are you one of those ones that is continuing on faithful till he comes? You're going to be rewarded. I know thy works.
And then he says in the end of that fourth verse, and they shall walk with me.
In white, precious.
Not going to be occupied with the wonderful place in heaven, but it's going to be to walk with the Lord in heaven, with me. Oh does that attract your heart? And then not only in heaven, but to be walking with the Lord these days. No substitute for that, No happiness compared with that.
I have to admit that I have tried in this world since I've known the Lord to the taken up with business and success. And I say it over and over again. I had a handful of ashes. That was what I found that I had at the end. It is impossible to find the joy of the Lord walking with us unless we have our affections centered in Him.
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Walk with me in white verse 5. And he that overcometh the same shall be clothed. Oh, I would like to take time to talk about that clothing. That's our testimony. What about our our testimony? If we were occupied with Christ, the Lord will take care of that testimony, I know, but he's going to. As he says, there shall be clothed in white, raiment, and will not. I will not blot out his name.
Out of the book of life. But I will confess his name before my father, I asked my little grandson the other day, Which would you like to have? Would you like to have a lot of people think that you are going on faithfully for the Lord? Or whether you would like to have the Lord seeing your life as he can see it and have his approbation?
Well, how important that is. It's the Lord then shall every man have praise of God.
It's not the praise of the brethren that counts. It's not our approbation for our faithfulness by people around us and thinking that we are faithful to the Lord. It's the Lord. It's the Lord. His eye is upon every one of us. Here, right at this moment. He knows your works, and if you are going on for the Lord, oh, I just say in the words of the Apostle Paul, continue.
So he'll confess that name before your name before his father. Now I'm going to make a little change. I'm going to leave Philadelphia for a minute. The next one go over to the last to fill it to Laodicea, Verse 14, Chapter 3.
Laodicea. Very interesting. It means the people's rights.
I believe it's about 100 years ago in the days of Lincoln when he said a government of the people, for the people, by the people.
That's not God's methods at all. That's democracy. That's the will of the people, what's happening in the world today, the will of the people.
Not the authority of the word of God has passed on into the laws, dear children, being allowed by parents to do what they want and saying, well, we don't want to interfere with them and spoil their happiness and so on. Oh, you fathers and mothers, we must realize that we must teach our children obedience, obedience, and then we're going to tell them, If you are obedient to me, I'm training you so that you can be obedient.
To your father.
Laodicea, the very opposite. The will of the people. You young once again, I say you know more than I do about the winds that are blowing everywhere, throwing over authority. What's going to happen in this world when those who are disobedient to parents are forming our laws? They're going to be no loss. Everybody is. We're just drifting rapidly into anarchy and that will be the result. Sure, we can just see it ahead of us.
Beloved ones, may we be warned.
Verse 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.
I would say this, that we've often said it, and I heard it, that the worst testimony in the world through the ages is by the Christians.
We've just recently, in these last six months, heard of the absolutely disgraceful.
Behavior of those who would be preaching the gospel. Sometimes I speak to the people, somebody just the other day on the phone said to me, How is it affecting you, this fellow? I won't mention his name.
What he was saying was, how do you feel about being a Christian?
Oh, this is what is happening, beloved ones.
This is what Satan is doing. He's just undermining our our as a Christianity of today, making it cause to go into Christendom.
May we be preserved.
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Neither hot nor cold. Isn't that so true of my own heart? I'm not willing to take a stand, I ask you.
Are we willing to take a stand the Lord is waiting to see and He would encourage us?
And then he says, I will spew thee out of my mouth. I want to explain carefully that this is not talking about a Christian Christian and never will be spewed, spewed out of the Lords mouth. But it's getting harder and harder to distinguish between what is a Christian and what is not. Just as we are seeing in the religious world, the days are so dark.
What's another trick of Satan in Laodicea? Not a word about the Lord's coming. He would blot that out of our memories.
Oh, we need to remind ourselves, don't we? The Lord is coming, Satan would say. Forget about it.
Now let's look at some of the.
Remedy that the Lord has.
Verse 14 The one who speaks is the one who says the He's the Amen, the faithful and true witness. Just the very opposite of what Satan is.
And then he says in the end of 17, And know us not that thou art wretched and miserable. Notice these three things poor, blind, naked. Now I realize that this is not said to believers.
But then he counsels, Here is his counsel in verse 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest hear the three opposites, rich, clothed.
And quite raiment. And the last part of 18 May see, blind may see and then.
Some of our your and my responsibility.
Verse 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him.
And we'll Sup with him and he with me.
I know we use that in connection with the Gospel, but that really isn't its proper application. It's talking about Christians who are going on carelessly, the Lord outside your heart and mine. I have to admit that this so often happens to us. There He is outside that door knocking. He wants the intimacy of a walk with you. You hold the key.
You hold the lock of that door. Oh, are you and I inviting him in? This is what he wants. As the days get darker, oh, that knock gets harder. He wants to be intimately associated. And notice what he says and will Sup with him The end of 20 and he with me to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.
Oh, Satan's seat is in control.
The promise of the Lord is that we are going to sit with him on his throne. Now let's go back to the last one, Philadelphia.
Cap over 7. Beautiful.
Encouragement. But there again, Satan works.
Verse 9.
Behold, I will make them two of the Synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not. Here is a situation might be comparable to assembly, life happy. I've been brought up in the arms of the assembly. My family's been gathered for over 100 years. I know the sweetness, the intimacy, the loveliness, the warmth.
Of family, happy family life and assembly happy life.
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But even in that Satan can attack us.
Willingness to mix things. Even in this lovely atmosphere of being gathered to the Lord's name, I just say a little bit of a word of warning. We're living in a time when Satan is just trying to mix everything up. I know some of you young ones are confused. I was too, I have to admit, until I got my my priorities straightened out and I saw that in myself. I was going on with things that weren't pleasing.
To the Lord. Oh, he wants to give you and me that right instruction that I was just mentioning about those those warnings now then look at some of the encouragements.
And verse 87 promises there I won't take time to read the mall. First, he says I know thy works. Secondly, he says I have set before thee an opened door. Pardon me for just a minute on that. What is this? This is a promise that the Lord I believe. I know I'm not popular for saying this. I believe that the Lord is going to keep an open door.
There is going to be a testimony to the name of the Lord Jesus until he comes, He says, I set before you an open door. Nobody can close it. He's not going to close that door. I don't believe, I believe that he is going to have that door open. Are you and I going into that door? Are we realizing that Christ is the one gathering center on this earth? Sounds proud to say it, doesn't it?
Does it sound proud to say I'm saved? I'm saved by the blood of Christ, not by anything else. Oh no, it doesn't make me proud. It makes me humble. And so it is when you and I realize this wonderful truth. The open door. Christ. Christ the center, one center, just as it was when the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord's table. I often say this, that they the Lord's table is older than redemption because the Lord.
Established the Lord's table the night before he went to the cross.
And many city, many people were in that city of Jerusalem keeping the Passover.
How many places was the Lord when he established the Lord's table? One. And it's just going to be the same ever since that time. I'm not saying it's a place, but I'm saying it's Christ, the one gathering center. If we just get our eye on the Lord, if we're willing to judge those things of our own self will and our own presumptions of thinking that we can know more than the word of God, oh, we're going to be.
Enjoying that? Now that is the open door.
Then it says.
Verse nine, I will make them. He's going to do it. I will make.
And verse at the end of verse nine I have loved thee.
Verse 10 middle of the verse I also will keep thee.
Isn't that wonderful? Wonderful.
Seven of them there. And the last one, verse 11. I come quickly, Blessed truth. Jesus is coming soon.
Are you and I going to be faithful? That's the question, isn't it? Are we going to have Christ before us? Am I going to say this blessed book?
I'm going to bow to it. I'm going to say to you, younger ones have been gathered to the Lord's name for 60 years.
So he's this privilege, get sweeter every year and blessed Lord Jesus, we're going to be in thy blessed presence soon and he has afforded you and me.
The privilege of meeting from week to week in his very presence. We're not, he's not in our presence, but we are in his presence. Do you value him? Has he worn your affections or that? That might be so.
There's a nice little poem that I could close with. How perfect.
Are the ways of God.
How great, How just his compensation, How long the path they humbly trod, How great the exaltation.
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Needless load on thee, he'll lay no unrequited sorrow. The burden bearer of today is the singer of tomorrow that's bound for.
God's Authority in the Assembly
Address—N. Berry
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Would you turn first, please, to a verse in Colossians chapter 2 and verse 5? Colossians 254 Zo IB absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit. Now this part joying and beholding.
Your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
Now if we were writing this, no doubt we would put faith 1St and then our order second.
But the Spirit of God has put order first, and I just trust now that what I have to say this afternoon will be.
For the glory of the Lord and for the blessing of each one of us, young and old alike. The longer I live, the more conscious I am of the awful conditions that are blowing in upon us from the world. And this word that is before me this afternoon is discipline. Now discipline.
Has immediately a connotation of somebody beating me over the head.
I don't mean that, dear young people. I trust that as we look at this word in all its different ramifications, that we will see that this is God's remedy in this Dark World for you and for me to be blessed. And I just trust as that what I say to each one of us. I don't have anyone in mind but young and old alike. You dear children that are here, I trust that there will be.
For you, you teenagers here in a desperate world and age and time of life to be in, you younger ones that are married and children beginning to come along. I trust that there is a word for you and then those of us who are older that we may realize our part in all this. First Peter, chapter 5.
Peter, speaking himself, said.
Addressing the older ones that they would be an example to.
The flock. Oh, I think this is your part and mine. Who are older, you brothers and sisters alike, that we shouldn't be looking down our noses at the young ones and complaining about their behavior. What about ours? What about our behavior? Are we living in this life of joy and happiness and separation from the world and devotion to Christ and trusting Him no matter what the conditions may be? Or are we?
Settling down and being occupied with the material things of this life, self-discipline I believe is just going out of the window these days. Indulgence, indulgence. No obedience to our parents and therefore no obedience to the word of God. And I, as I said, I trust that what I say.
Won't offend, but I trust that we will draw strength and encouragement from the Word of God.
Now in First Corinthians 1546 it says, How be if that was not first which is natural, but that which is that? For how be it that was not first quit your spiritual, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. In other words, God gives us many examples in the natural sphere of life in order to teach us the spiritual side. Now I don't have.
This afternoon, as we go on with this subject, to be applying this in the assembly, I trust, I wish I had the time, but I will leave it to those of who are older to apply these principles that are given in the scriptures that are flying to children, teenagers, parents, that we would apply this in the assembly because I really believe that the two spheres are identical. What?
In the home applies in the assembly.
First Timothy chapter 5 I can't remember the verse says if a man know not how to rule his own family, how shall he take care? Notice that take care of the Assembly of God. If you and I don't know how to run our home, how is the Lord going to entrust you and me, as 16th of Luke tells us with the true riches. So I'm talking about the physical.
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Natural side first, or at least this afternoon, and I trust, as I said, that we will apply these things.
In a spiritual way and as applying to the assembly.
Now let's go over to Proverbs chapter 22.
This is God's recipe now.
This is God's medicine, as it were, to do us good. This is applying the Word.
In your and my daily life and childhood, of course, is the very foundation of it. You dear young ones here, I hope you're sensitive to not what I say. I'm nothing but what the word of God is saying to you. You may be in a rebellious state of soul. It may be I saw one yesterday.
Sad to see it. This is the objection to discipline.
This is the objection to obedience. Now here is a verse that tells us, as I said, the recipe for blessing in your life and mine. Each one of us wants to be blessed. Here's what God says to the parents. First of all, verse 6, train up a child in the way he shall go, and when he is old he will not.
Depart from it.
Now that word will there is that determinant of tense and God is saying this, that if you and I bring up our children properly and we we teach and instill into them a training, not a teaching, but a training by.
Precept and also by example. God says that your children and my children will be blessed. Let me read it again. Train up a child in the way he shall go, and when he is he is old, he will not depart from it. Count on God.
To fulfill this verse in your life, you dear young parents that are bringing up your children.
Now let's turn to an example of this. First of all, a good example in First Samuel chapter one.
God gives us these wonderful examples, good ones and bad ones. We'll look at both of them.
For Samuel, chapter one.
Verse 11 There is a mother talking.
Words to the mothers. See this mother? She had a husband, but he was rather lacking in taking his headship in his home. Another trend these days in the world.
Passing on the responsibilities to others, I read this this week. 9 million American children last year were in the hands of others than their mother.
9 million American children. This is the trend. This is the trend.
Now here is a mother who is making a having a conversation with the Lord, verse 11.
And this is Hannah Samuels mother. He wasn't born yet. She was acting in faith and she vowed a vow and said, Oh Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid and Remember Me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child. Now here's the verse.
Part, then I will give him unto the Lord.
All the days of his life.
And there shall no razor come upon his head.
She didn't say if that child that you give me is willing.
Didn't say that, she said, I will give this child to thee for you. Dear mothers, here are you whispering the name of Jesus into the ears of those little infants? That's what I tried to do with my children.
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This, these are these are the things that lay our foundations for blessing. Here was a mother who was willing to trust the Lord, and she was speaking for her unborn child.
There she was. She didn't say if he doesn't object a little bit, I think he'll be devoted to the she didn't say that she had trust you trust the Lord and see what the Lord will do for your children. You commit that child and you whisper, as I said into its ear, that blessed name of Jesus. And as they grow up, the other verse says they will not depart from that.
This is a promise. Claim those promises. Now let's go over a few chapters and we will see a bad example. This time it's a father.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 2. I'm sorry.
Verse 23 Here's a father that's making excuses. I hear lots of excuses these days. We make them all, don't we? Here's a father who now is an example of what is the wrong way. Verse 23 And he said unto them to his boys, tapping them on the wrist, Why do ye such things?
There they were going on in absolute immorality and he just gently says to them, why are you doing those things?
Is that the way you talk to your children?
And then he says, for I hear, I think that's strange, isn't it? I hear of your evil doings by all this people. He was bringing up his boys by what his the neighbors thought or the other of the friends. He wasn't watching them. It says he didn't see those things. He heard them. He was depending on the opinions of others. We can't go by the opinions of our peers, beloved ones.
Unless they are giving us instruction from the word of God. And here was this Father who never corrected his children. But what is the 29th verse say, Oh, this is something that hits into the conscience of each one of us. Wherefore, Hickey, at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation. This part and.
Onerous thy sons above me.
Oh, are we putting our children before the Lord?
Is that what we're doing here? Was God speaking? He was responding now and He was saying this to his.
To this unfaithful man.
I just like to say this consciously or unconsciously every day.
We're training our children.
And if I tell my child to do something.
And if they wait for me to tell them the second time, I'm training them.
And I am training them.
If they're waiting.
For me to raise my voice.
And I'm training them.
If they're waiting until I threaten them, I hear mothers and fathers threatening their children.
But I'm also training them beloved ones. If I just in a normal voice tell my child to do something, I don't hear it much these days. This is what God said about Abraham, that he would command his children well.
May you, dear mothers and fathers, just take these examples.
From the word of God. Now we're going to look at.
Five, I don't want to be funny about this, but we're going to look at 5 mothers or five parents. We might say, let's turn over to Proverbs 22 and we will see some of the daily excuses that are given these days in the scriptures.
Proverbs.
Chapter 22.
Here's mother #1.
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And she sang to her, to us.
Oh, my child is is really good. He doesn't need to be spanked.
What's God say in this verse? Proverbs 22, verse 15.
Proverbs, 2215.
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child.
The rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
That's what God says in answer to the mother or the father that is so protective of it, that little child that is absolutely disobedient, but they don't see a bit of it. God says that that must be taken out of that child, and God's remedy is the rod.
Now that sounds kind of harsh, doesn't it? But here is what God says. This is if you follow it as they say, this is what God promises that He will do. It'll be driven out of that child. Let's go over to the 13th chapter. Just listen to mother #2.
Maybe I should say father also.
This apparent that is saying I don't really need the rod. I was brought up well I can I can handle that child without the rod. Here's what God says verse 24 he that speareth his rod hateth his son.
But he that loveth him chasteneth him.
The times as far as the occasion arises.
This is what God says. Let's go back now over to the 23rd chapter.
For #3.
Educated parent who says I can reason with my child. I don't need to use the rod. I can just present what is a nicer way of doing things and my child will respond. Here's what God says about that suggestion. Verse 132313 Withhold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with the rod.
He shall not die, Thou shalt beat him with the rod, notice this, and shall deliver his soul from hell. I'm sure every mother and father wants to do this to your child. This is what God gives as the remedy.
Don't withhold that rod. That child of yours will rise up and thank God.
Later on if you do.
Let's go over to the 29th chapter.
There's another theory. What's this parent saying? Oh, my child get nervous if I beat him. I hear that you make him a nervous wreck. There's what God says in response to that. Oh, these verses are so serious, Beloved ones, verse 15.
The rod and reproof give wisdom, give wisdom.
But a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Verse 17.
There's another thought that is often heard these days, and we see it in the whole in the world rebellion.
The mother or the father liable to say, well, he'll rebel if I'm too strong, if I'm too hard on him, he'll rebel. Here's what God says. 17th verse Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest, shall give the rest.
Yeah, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
Let's go over to one more now in the 19th chapter.
Here's what this parent might be saying.
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Too young to beat yet. I'll wait till he or she is older.
Here's what God says, verse 18.
Chasten thy son while there is hope.
And let not thy soul spare for his crying.
I read a number of years ago.
An article on children that were running away from home.
They were tracing them in this article. They found them ending up in communes.
They traced the child there and there they found that child chose to be in that commune where discipline was so strong that they would break their arm if they didn't conform to the rules. They ran away from their parents. Why? Because beloved ones, it wasn't according to the word of God and there was no consistency in the parents life.
I need to emphasize this in my own soul, my own life.
And in yours too, you dear young people, consistency.
Is so, so very, very important.
Discipline is what brings joy and happiness into homes. We visit homes very constantly. Some of the homes we go into, what a joy it is the children in subjection to their parents order in the home.
Glory to God brought by it, and then sometimes sad to go into a home where there is anything but discipline. The children in rebellion. How sad it is to see this. It's never too young to start. Let's read this verse.
Chase at verse 18. Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
Now let's go over to the New Testament in Hebrews 6:00, and we are going to read there what God, Hebrews 12, what God Himself as the Father says.
Verse 6.
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, if he endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?
Verse 10.
For they verily for a few days.
Chasing us after their own pleasure, but he for our prophet that we might be partakers of His Holiness. Oh isn't this the key beloved ones here is God now a loving father, a consistent father. I say this to you and I who are fathers is.
Consistency in our life is that is there a changing from.
Fooling with our children and then suddenly becoming strict with them.
Service
Address—J. Dodds
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Thank you. Turn to the 4th chapter of Second Timothy. The 4th chapter of Second Timothy in verse two, preach the word, be instant in season, out of season.
Be proved, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, but the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.
But after their own loss, shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears?
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned on to fables. But watch thou in all things endure afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
For I am now ready to be offered. The time of my departure is at hand. I fought a good fight, I finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there's laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed onto Thessalonica.
This is a meeting addressed to young people.
And I don't know where we draw the line.
Brother Dan mentioned yesterday the special needs of those who are between the ages of 12 and 16. I was glad to hear that lower limit because I sometimes think that as we get older it's hard to believe that a 12 year old is growing up and we still think of them as little children, but they are not.
I won't set the upper limit today. There may be some here who are older but who are younger in the face, and perhaps the words that are spoken could be valuable. The subject that I would like to speak about this afternoon is service.
I want to say this to young people.
That there's a lot in the Bible about service and service.
Begins when you're young.
I read this chapter.
Because are the part of this chapter because.
This is brought before us when the church.
Is in ruins. Maybe some of you don't understand that, but we were reminded yesterday.
That after the Lord Jesus went back to heaven, there was one body on the earth. Just one group of Christians. How different today.
Soon the church began to spread. Divisions came among the Lord's people. Unbelievers came among those who professed to be true.
And we had many bodies. We were reminded again that 150 years ago.
The truth of the one body was recovered and there were believers.
Who learned from the word of God that we should be meeting together, recognizing that there there only can be one body recognized by God. And so they began to meet in that way.
That was a testimony to the one body and that testimony today is in ruins. And young people, you may say, then what is the use? If the testimony is in ruins, then what is the use of us going on?
I believe.
That second Timothy brings before us very clearly, the individual.
Faithfulness of the believer, and so young Christian.
There is a place for service when everything is in ruins. I am absolutely convinced.
That we must continue in service.
To our Lord, even though.
There are great problems among us.
I recognize that some of you are facing and are living in the midst of serious problems, home problems.
Assembly problems, but nevertheless the Apostle Paul lived in similar times.
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But he said to this young man, Timothy, he said in those very times, do the work of an evangelist. I'm going to pick that one out. But it could be any of the other things that he said too. You know, I've had brothers say to me, what is the, what is the use of trying to bring in lost souls, trying to see them saved and bring them in and then see them scattered again in the ruins?
The Word of God through the apostle Paul says do the work of an evangelist when everything is in ruins and so there's a place of service.
Even when the testimony is breaking up. And so young brother, young sister.
As young as you may be, or as old as you like to put yourself and still come under the category of young people, I believe that the Lord is telling us that we must be faithful in service to Christ.
I also would like to say that in spite of the.
Ruined.
That those of us who are perhaps just a little bit older perhaps can.
Identify a little bit with some of the problems that you're facing.
We're not very good at showing our love.
I've been thinking a lot about that lately. We really don't know how to show a lot.
But I'd like to say to you, and I can, I know that I speak on behalf of many of my age group that we really do love you.
And that we are concerned and exercised about some of the things that you are facing as young people in the midst of the testimony that is in ruins, trying to go on in ways that are pleasing to the Lord and often being discouraged.
I think we can identify to a certain extent, and we do love you. I think also that I ought to say that there are older brothers here, much older than me.
And the distance between 20 years, Saul and 70 years of age is quite a big difference and it makes it much harder for those who are older to identify. But I believe I can truthfully say that those older brothers love you. They may not know how to show their love, but they do love you. They may not be able to identify quite as well with some of the problems.
And so, you know those of us who fall in the in between age.
Sometimes feel that we're carrying three burdens. We're carrying the burdens of those of you who are young. We're carrying the burdens of those of you who are much older, and we're carrying our own burdens.
And sometimes that becomes discouraging and perhaps depressing. So young people, if you want to serve the Lord.
You can encourage us.
We need it.
We need our young people to take an active part in service in the assembly. Service is not just evangelization.
There the assembly does not work properly unless every role is being filled.
There's a place for young brothers and young sisters in the assembly.
It may not be a public place, but there's a place for you. And I challenge you now in the presence of God. You may only be 12, you may be 30, but are you seeking by God's grace? Are you seeking in the fear of God to find what His service is for you?
I want to move on on the topic of service. Sometimes we hear statements like which is more important, service or worship?
And I don't care to get into a discussion of that.
To me.
Service and worship are brought together in John chapter 12. If we could just look at it for a moment.
Verse 2.
There they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound appointment of spike in our very costly and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. I see there Martha serving Lazarus at the table.
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Perhaps Speaking of fellowship, communion, perhaps even of the remembrance of the Lord Jesus. And I see the sacrifice of Mary in worship.
And I believe that that's true assembly order. Without the service, there'll be something missing.
Without the worship, there certainly will be something missing. Who are we to claim that one is above the other? But I believe that if you look at it carefully, worship and service come together.
I'd like to turn you to turn with me to John 15 now.
In the 16th verse.
Ye have not chosen me, but I've chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth food, that your fruit should remain. But whatsoever you shall ask of the Father and my name, he may give it you. I enjoy this verse.
Because it says here that he has chosen me. And I'd like you young people just to get a hold of that, that the Lord Jesus.
The one who came to this world.
The one who died on that cross.
Chose you.
There's not one young person in the room here who can say I'm not important in the Assembly of God. No, you were chosen as I say this. This has always been a real source of confidence and strength to me, because I know that in the world people tell you that you have to be successful in order to have confidence.
You have to have self achievement. You have to have self esteem.
And they tell you that you can get this by getting money. They tell you that you can get this by being popular in the sports world or whatever, or that you can be power. You can get power. But in one way or another, if you're going to be have self-confidence, you have to have self achievement. But for the Christian young person, you and I may not have much that will give us self achievement in this world.
Some of you do, some of us don't. But the thing to remember is this.
That you young person, whether you're 12 or 30 or 20 or 15, you have been chosen by God and it says here to he has our danger that you should go and bring forth fruit. And that's my definition of service in this for this meeting to bring forth fruit.
And so, young people, God has chosen you, and you may be criticized.
For your service, you may be told that you're not doing it in the right way.
But you have the confidence that God chose you and that you are answerable to Him.
I would like to say a word about criticism. Criticism comes to those who seek to serve the Lord.
When I was a very young boy, my father used to get me to read CHM Mr. Mcintosh's writings and there was a statement in there that said the blunder is do all the work. And so young people, I know that some of you are being criticized for some of the things that you are doing in service to the Lord.
I'm not saying to disregard the criticism, but I'm telling you the criticism comes in two ways, or in two types.
And sometimes it comes in two types from the same person. First of all, there's the unfair criticism, the unnecessary criticism.
And you can disregard that, disregard that whole no bitterness about it. And then there's that which is fair and needful. And so you have to take that to the Lord and say, Lord, is this really true?
Am I really going against your word? Am I really disregarding what you have said?
And you as a servant of the Lord must answer that question. But don't be discouraged. You have been chosen by God, and so don't give up. I've often felt like doing that, and I can say this, that when I felt like doing that.
Was often.
A young believer.
Who encouraged me?
You know, as I say, sometimes the pressures of assembly life.
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Kept discouraging and I can think of young people.
Who made a point?
Of encouraging me when I was discouraged and so.
Keep it up young people, that's one of your services that you can carry out. The Lord watch for those older brothers.
Who are a little bit discouraged.
And speak to them.
Well, as I say, we have the confidence then that we've been chosen of God to go out as service. And I enjoy that confidence, I really do. And I hope that you will grasp just a little bit of the significance of it. But when you teach your Sunday school class.
Or when perhaps you bake cookies for an elderly sister.
Or when you.
Go out of your way.
To be friendly and helpful to one of those young people who has just started coming to the meeting, who perhaps is doesn't just fit into your gang. When you go out of your way to help out, remember God has chosen you to do that and do with all your heart.
I'd like to turn now to Romans chapter 12 in verse one.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Young people, you've been chosen. God has his eye upon you and He has a job for you to do, whether it be as an evangelist, spreading the word to the unsaved, helping in the assembly, encouraging those who are discouraged, doing whatever God has given to you. But you cannot do it unless.
There is sacrifice unless there is sacrifice on your part.
I have seen young people come to the Assembly, young people who were new to the Assembly.
And I knew that it would take sacrifice on the part of somebody to give up their little group of friends and they go and sit with that person during the meetings.
Took sacrifice. You cannot serve the Lord unless you are prepared to sacrifice.
It says here that your body's a living sacrifice. The Lord, perhaps is not calling you to be a martyr for the faith.
He made, but at this moment he is calling you to present your bodies, a living sacrifice. That's hard to do.
But I believe that if you recognize that God has chosen you for this job, for this work, then it will be a little easier. But you cannot do it unless you're willing to take your body and lay it as we're in the altar and say Lord.
All yours.
Not keeping back anything. Not keeping back my time, not keeping back my money, not keeping back my friends.
Not keeping back my new car. Lord is all yours. If you do that, you've begun.
And the way to service for the Lord, how much did he keep back?
For you and I.
How much did the blessed Lord, our Master, our Savior, how much did He keep back? Nothing gave all that He had.
Keep all that, he had says. Now I want you to serve me. Lay everything on the altar, as it were. I want everything.
And so we must remember that we are not our own.
We belong to him. You're going to give what is his to him.
Like you now to turn with me to John chapter 12.
In verse 20.
For verily, verily, I say on you, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die at a bite of alone.
But if it died, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it on the life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me where I am. They're also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will My father. Honor was particularly verse 26 that I had in mind, but I would like to refer to verse 24.
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Does it ever seem, young person, that perhaps you stand alone in your assembly?
Don't have much in the way of encouragement. Don't have much in the way of somebody to help you.
I know that it can be like that, but the Lord Jesus as it were, stood on this earth alone.
Nobody really cared for him.
But if he were to have a bride, if he were to have those who could enter into his thoughts and to whom he could commune with, with whom he could commune, he had to die.
And that's what I say about sacrifice. If you don't want to be alone in that little assembly of yours, as the only young person is going to have to be some sacrifice on your part, you're going to have to go out after some others. There are out there in in the world other young people.
Who are hungry for the truth.
And there are Christians going out and taking it to them and then taking them back into the camp system.
Where are you and I?
I believe that we're standing alone. Too much should be going out there and bringing others in.
You know, sometimes I hear people say there's no use anymore.
That's not so.
Tell you a little story. Two sisters came to my wife and I about three years ago, It was three years ago in Saint Thomas at the Saint Thomas conference. And they said, you know, Jim, you often talk about serving the Lord when we're young, but really in our assembly it's really not possible. And I said, what is the trouble? And they said, well, you know, there are really no fellows there to sort of bear the the responsible part or to take the public part. And so we can't go out and have a hobby class. We can't start a work among the.
Folks home and have a little meeting because there are no males there to do it.
Well, that was a real problem and so.
I said to these sisters, and are you really sincere about this problem? I said, yes, we are, and I believe them. So I said, if you really sincere, my wife and I will make a little agreement with you. We'll pray with you for a while, but the Lord will send or bring some young fellows to your assembly.
To help you.
What we didn't hear for a year and a half, we got a letter year and a half later.
So that's about a year and a half ago now.
And this sister said there are now nine young men.
Breaking bread in our assembly. We have a hobby class and we have visits to the old folks home.
You see sincerity.
Going out, don't stand alone, lose your life in order to bring others in. It's worth it now in verse 26.
If any man serve me, let him follow me.
You know, young people, I've often thought that I would have liked to have been Matthew as he sat at the seat of customs there. You perhaps remember the story. He was sitting there as a tax collector doing his work. And along came this lowly Carpenter, the man who had come to earth and taken the form of a servant and stood in front of him and said, Matthew, you follow me.
And what did Matthew do? Says he followed him. You know, I've often thought that I would like to have been sitting there and had the actual the Lord Jesus stand right in front of me and say that the young people, you've heard me say this before, but the Lord Jesus, the same blessed Savior, stands here in front of you this afternoon.
He has those hands to show you of His love. He has that wound in his side to show you of His love. That same blessed Savior, whether you're 12 years of age or 20, He stands in front of you and says, follow me.
And so this brings up the question of discipleship. We can be believers without being followers. There's no question about that. We can say I believe. I can remember the day in my life when I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Savior, and I'm thankful I did. But that doesn't make me a follower.
I remember when I learned for the first time that my sins were gone. I was seven years of age, and I thank God for learning that. But I also remember that there came a day in my life when I had to say, Lord, I'm going to follow you. There were no great lights that suddenly went on within me. As a matter of fact, I was a university student carrying my bucks under my hand. I was in front of McNeil House at Kingston University at Queen's University in Kingston, ON.
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And it was as if, just as if the the Lord stood there and said, Jim, are you going to follow me or you're not?
Young people.
The joy of being a Christian only comes.
In following, it doesn't come in believing that he's your savior. And so if you're willing to follow him to be a disciple, that's what counts. Turn to Luke chapter 14 with me.
And verse 26.
If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yeah, in his own life also, he can. He cannot be my disciple. That's pretty plain. Cannot be my disciple. Doesn't say. Cannot be a believer, but cannot be my disciple. Why? Because the heart of this person is more devoted to a person down here on the earth than to the Lord Jesus.
That's why, and the Lord says, if you're going to be my follower, you're going to be my disciple. I must stand first and foremost in your devotion, your devotedness.
And so, young people, I ask you as a challenge, are you willing to follow Him? Are you willing to let the Lord be first and foremost in your thoughts? That's what he wants.
He doesn't want any person on the earth to stand between you and him.
There's no verse that is more troublesome to the young people.
Of Malaysia the young Christians than this verse.
They go home and they see their parents sitting there, and their parents tell them exactly what they're supposed to do until they get married.
And their parents say we want you to be a present when we have the family worship for the ancestral worship, which it really is.
And we want you to take the little jaw stick and hold it to the island.
What would you do? One young man got off the plane and went home, and there was his father. He hadn't seen him for five years.
Said I'll We expect you to burn this stick to that idol. What would you have done?
There's no great deal of truth.
Thank God, he said. I can't.
Furthermore, he said, I will never will be present when it's done again.
Christ was foremost.
Not his father, not his mother, not a girlfriend, not a boyfriend. Bryce.
That's what discipleship is. But then he goes on, And whosoever does not bear his cross and cannot come after me, you cannot be my disciple.
I believe the bearing of the cross means that there will be in our Christian lives trouble and difficulty especially designed just for you or for me.
And sometimes we like to shirk that. Young people, we say, as one, a number of young people have said to me in the last couple of years, it's easier not to be a Christian.
They sure they're not willing to bear whatever the trial is, and some of you are bearing trials here today. I know.
That would make anyone weep.
Are you willing still to say I'm going to not going to give up? The trial is deep. The trial seems unfair, I can't understand it. But I'm not going to give up doing the whole thing, going to cling to Christ that's following him.
And then if we go on.
Verse 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaken not, all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.
All that he had.
I would have been satisfied if the Lord had said 90%.
But when he said all that was hard.
Without the trouble with you, the word all is there.
And I'd like to speak.
I hope without offending, I believe that the major problem that we as believers.
Gathered by the Spirit of God to the Lord Jesus are facing.
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The problems of materialism.
The problems of materialism. I'm not about to tell you or to criticize you for anything, but I say to you that it seems to me that we who follow Christ, who claim to follow Christ.
Are pretty rich.
Are we willing to give it all up? Are we willing to set it all aside?
I sat in a McDonald's in the Philippines, in the nil in the Philippines.
With my family, the first time, we've been to McDonald's for four months.
And we ordered our usual Big Macs, I suppose today, the chips and whatever else.
And we made the mistake of sitting beside the window.
There came some little faces.
And looked in the window.
For the first time that I recall in my family's history, the McDonald's meal didn't get eaten.
To see those little starving faces looking through that window with the guard at the door not permitting them to enter, a gun in his hand if they should try.
And I thought to myself, what would the Lord Jesus do? Would he turn around and look the other way so he wouldn't see those little starving faces? I know what some people say, well, you can't feed all the starving faces of vanilla, I know. But I ask you again, what would the Lord Jesus have done if those little faces had looked at him?
Can we really justify the?
Style of living when not only unbelievers are in that position, but believers are in that position.
I know that it takes wisdom as to how you.
Handle this situation. What I'm afraid that materialism is getting the hold on us. You know, if the Lord called you to serve in one of those countries, it would be much easier if you didn't have that big new car. And if you didn't have all the comforts and luxuries that you have, it'd be a lot easier to give it up. Now, I'm not saying you wouldn't. And I know that some, I hope many, I hope all of us would be willing to.
And so young people.
You are not the guilty ones. We, your parents, are more guilty than you.
We have taught you that you get happiness from some of this.
And then we have had to sit back and watch you pursue it.
We have taught you wrongly.
Happiness is to be found in following Christ, and only there.
And if you think for one moment that you can have the same happiness from riches, and all that riches bring from a good job and all of a good job brings, if you think for one moment that you have the same happiness as you can have serving and following Christ, you're wrong.
You're wrong, and so I'm not telling you to go home and get rid of all your goods. I'm simply saying that our hearts need to be less devoted to it. And if the Lord lays it on your heart to get rid of it, do so. There are lots of places that the money can go.
There was a sister came to me once and said, Jim, do you know any place that we could as a family distribute some of our money? And she took me by surprise because I knew her husband had been out of work for a couple of years.
Perhaps she's here, I don't know.
She said when my husband was out of work, we learned that we could do with much less than we really need. Now that he's back to work, we see no reason to use it because we didn't need it.
That's all you see. She was willing to part with it. I hope that the Lord gives it for us to look after. I hope we're not using it on ourselves.
Well, let's get back to.
This verse that we read in John 12 and 26.
Instead of any man, serve me, let him follow me.
And where I am, there shall also my servant be.
I don't know how others.
Explain this verse. But I always related to Matthew 18 and 20, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, and where I am, there shall also my servant be.
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And so, young people, I believe that if you're going to serve the Lord, that He wants you where He is in the midst.
And as long as you believe that He is in the midst, you should be there.
And if you don't believe he's not, if you don't believe that he's in the midst, you should not be there. You should be where he is.
It says where I am, there shall also my servant be.
The simple truth of taking the bread and wine.
As a symbol, symbolic of the oneness of the body of Christ, is a truth in simplicity so great that it cannot be compared?
And some of us haven't paid very dearly for it.
I remember as a young boy in my home there would sometimes only be my father and mother to break bread. Sometimes later there were more of us.
And we would sit in that little living room around the table.
And we would watch as the cars drove on the road by our house, and we would see my uncle, my cousin.
My other uncle, my aunts, and their children all drive past in part. They could go down the hill just a half mile down and park their car in front of the church.
The church where my father had grown up.
And from which he had come.
And sometimes I would see a little.
Trickle come down my father's face.
He felt the reproach of being gathered in that simple way.
Why was he there?
Where I am, there also shall my servant be.
You're going to be a servant. You're going to be there.
I would like to digress just for a moment and make a special plea to my older brothers not to set up criteria.
Which make it difficult.
And which are not found in the scriptures.
For young believers to be there.
I just lay that on your conscience.
Do not please set up a criteria requirements that are not found in the scripture.
To be there, it's a simple place. It's not a place to exclude those who are ignorant.
When you think of the 3000 who were saved in the early book of the Acts and who sat down to remember the Lord, there must have been a lot of ignorance and there must have been a lot of variance in their thinking and their attitudes towards things. And there must have been a lot of things that each other as they grew, they didn't agree with each other must have grown at different stages. But I trust that during that time of growth they were all fed.
And that they were not driven away.
I plead with my older brothers.
And any others who might be tempted to say worldliness coming in, we must put up some barriers. If the barriers are based on the Word of God, by all means, but let's not put up our own personal barriers.
Now the next says, If any man serve me, him will my father honor.
Young people, I suppose that in a sense we'll never see the Father, but we are going to look into the face of the Lord Jesus.
Who will reflect the thoughts of the Father?
And I don't know where you are in your spiritual life right now, young person, but.
I just say this to you that I don't think it's going to be very long until we're going to look into the face.
Of the Savior.
It may be before this meeting is over, we'll do it.
And he is going to honor us now. Sometimes he honors us before.
I'm not saying that we won't get a lot of honor before then, but we are going to look into his face.
And after we have received whatever reward or honor he gives, I don't know what how he's going to go about doing it.
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Do you think I'm going to turn around and say it just wasn't worth it?
I ask you young people, from the be honest now, do you think that when we get there, when you get there, you're going to turn around to the Lord Jesus and say, Lord, I served you, but it wasn't worth it? No.
I think without hearts.
They'll say, Lord, if we had only known.
We would have served you with every last drop of strength.
If any man serve me, him will my father honor.
We're coming to the end of this meeting.
And I say that again.
Serving is an individual exercise.
The apostle Paul said, Lord, what will I do?
Have you said that, Lord? It doesn't matter what everybody else in the assembly does. It doesn't matter. But all the problems and difficulties that there are in our assembly, it doesn't matter about the difficulty in my home.
I can't use any of that to excuse myself. Lord, what will I do?
He has something for you to do.
I like to think that when difficulties and problems come into our lives that it just makes us a little bit more able to understand the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.
I remember once I felt very much alone.
And the thought came to me. Now you can understand just a little bit.
Of what the Lord was like when he was alone on the cross.
They were suffer pain, let you understand a little bit what the Lord suffered on the cross. So, beloved young people, don't make all your problems an excuse. I know that's easy for me to say. I've had a relatively easy life, but do not allow the difficulties. And I know that you recognize those difficulties. I know that you recognize when brother Saul and Saul gets up out of his chair and doesn't speak to brother Saul and Saul.
And I know that you recognize that those things are happening continually.
But you cannot, and I ask you, why lose the honor of the Father?
By letting that be the problem. I ask you just to think of that blessed Savior who gave up all, gave up all. He was willing to go through untold sufferings in order that he might have you. And now he says to you, I'd like you to suffer a little bit for me.
Then please don't use the failures of all your other brothers and sisters to excuse yourself. Can we turn back the Second Timothy 4?
The Apostle Paul said in verse six, I have verse seven, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. There was no mention of the fact that all in Asia had turned away from him. There was no mention in the fact that about his problems with Barnabas, with Peter or with Mark.
But here he could stand. Now he's just about to pass on and he could say I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Yes, young people, there's a lot of problems among us and there may be, there may be more, but.
Are we going to let this?
Take away our desire to live for Him and to serve Him.
The Apostle Paul didn't.
He went on faithful to the end, and you and I can too, regardless of what happens in the future.
I'd like to take the last five minutes of this meeting to tell you that there's a need.
For servants in Asia right now.
There's a great need, and one of the exercises of my heart is why those of us who.
Professor have the truth.
And I believe we have truth beyond what anybody else has, why we are so lackadaisical about the needs. I know there are needs in other parts of the world, too. I've just come from Asia and it's very much in my heart.
When a young sister in KL said in Kuala Lumpur, W Malaysia said to me, why can some couple come here just so we could break bread?
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I had no answer.
When our young brother and sister who are now in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Saved and gathered in Halifax.
Call Sunday after Sunday unable to break bread.
Because there's nobody to help them.
There's a need there.
It will require sacrifice. It will require you to be a disciple. I'm not suggesting for one moment that you're all called to go there. There's a great need in Africa. There's a great need in South America. But I will say this, there are other Christians going.
What is holding us back? Is it materialism? Has life become too cushy and soft here? We're not willing to lay it all on the altar. We're holding back.
It's a young persons work.
A young person, well founded in the truth, well grounded, stable. Could it be that the Lord is calling you? There's a need in northern Canada among the Indians.
Could it be that the Lord is calling you young people? You cannot live in a vacuum.
You cannot do nothing.
You cannot go along with all the don'ts.
That people may put upon you.
As being part of Christianity.
And not get involved in the do's and still be happy.
There if you're serving the Lord.
And if you're seeking to please the Lord here and there and do exactly what the Lord wants you to do, we won't hear questions like.
What is wrong with going to the football game? I'm going to be honest. I won't be worried about you if you go to the football game. If in every other aspect of your life I see your desire to serve Jesus and to let Him lead your life. No, it's when you've got no interest in these things, in serving, and you want what the world offers.
That those of us who are a little older hang our heads in shame and say, is that what we showed them? Is that what we taught them?
Hebrews 12:11
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Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble needs, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. But let it rather be healed. Fall of peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God.
Just any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, or he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness and Tempest.
The sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice they that heard and treated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
But they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.
But ye are come unto Mount Sinai, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, And to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, And to the blood of sprinkling. That speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that you refuse not him that speaketh.
Or if they escape not who refused him that speak on earth.
Much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.
Whose voice then shook the earth. But now he hath promised, saying yet once more I shake not the earth only.
But also heaven. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken.
As of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain, Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved.
Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.
Satan is spoken of in Revelation as the accuser of the brethren.
God.
Doesn't accuse, he chastises, but he does it as a father. And this verse we have read.
Tells us why.
He's looking for fruit.
Satan was very active.
In afflicting Job.
God allowed it.
There was a reason for it. Find out at the end of the book of Job why God wanted to bless him twice as much as he had before.
Interesting that it's called a peaceable fruit of righteousness, isn't it? Because you know, when we walk in paths of self will, there really is no peace in the soul. The peace of God which passeth all understanding is not exactly the same as peace with God. When we are saved, we have peace with God through the finished work of the Lord Jesus, through the infinite value of his precious blood.
But the peace of God is when we walk, seeking to please Him and committing all to Him.
And when we have acknowledged His hand upon us and profited by it, there is a peace in the soul and going on in that path. In a 23rd Psalm, it says, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. And to have the sense in one soul that we are seeking to go on to please the Lord is a real sense of that piece of God.
That can commit all to him and leave everything with him. Well, he desires that for us.
And so the exercise is to remove every hindrance, isn't it? Anything of self will allowed in our lives as a hindrance to the enjoyment of the peaceable fruit of righteousness. But when it's all out before the Lord, we have seen His hand and chastisement, and have bowed under his hand, then there is the result, the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
On Saturday you were speaking about other causes of afflictions and trials mentioning besides this corrective in this chapter or punitive productive in John 15 where we get the pruning, and then preventative in connection with Paul in 2nd Corinthians 12 and I believe we noticed.
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The end purpose in each case is.
For fruit, certainly true in connection with pruning fruit and more fruit and much fruit, and here we have fruit too. But if we look at 2nd Corinthians 12.
There's a wonderful thing spoken of there.
It doesn't say fruit, I don't believe.
But.
There's the power of Christ.
We get the thorn given in verse 7, Second Corinthians 12. Seven Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelation which was given unto me, a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
All receive that to prevent him from being highly exhausted.
Or he could have said, look, I'm the only man that's been in the glory and come back. That's me.
And that here he gets a preventative thing given, and God even uses Satan to do it. But he goes on and says, for this thing I besought the Lord thranks, that it might depart from me. Now he prayed earnestly, didn't he? But he got an answer, and he said unto me.
Is sufficient for thee? Well, there's a wonderful product, the grace given to him. For my strength is made perfect in weakness, the strength of God. Most gladly, Paul says. Therefore will I glory in my infirmity, be brought down even to glory in infirmities. Then this is the wonderful fruit it seems to me that the power of Christ may rest upon.
Me. Oh, what fruit to think of the power of Christ resting upon Paul because he had this preventative thorn in the flesh and that power of Christ coming forth in such marvelous ways in ministry that we're taking up to.
I'm glad, Brother Clem, that you.
Helping us on this matter that sometimes the.
The discipline of the Lord is preparatory.
And I'd like to.
Refer back to verse six of our chapter.
It says, For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.
I believe the word there is he disciplined.
That doesn't mean that he's always punishing his sons.
Whom the Lord loveth, he disciplines.
For he guides in the right way.
Or he prepares them to serve him, and he teaches them. The word discipline really is the same thought of of a disciple, one who learns and one who learns control. So whom, for whom the Lord loveth, he disciplines.
And of course the latter part of the verse, it talks about scourging every son whom he receiveth. Well, in verse six we have two things. We have discipline and we have punishment.
And sometimes our tendency is to get overbalanced and think that God is always correcting us.
But discipline has two sides. It has the side of preparing us and controlling us and instructing us, and those are positive things.
Well, yes, of course we sometimes have to be punished and to suffer correction. That's true. But that's only half the story. And I, I think sometimes we get overbalanced and look at this chapter as though it's always negative, but rather than it's not negative.
It's a father disciplining his children, which involves showing them the right way and.
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Preparing them to walk in that right way and that's the positive side of discipline. I enjoyed chatting between the meetings with our brother, Doctor Al Mauer, and he was telling me about his experience with the armed forces when he was in his early years.
Of practice. And he told me that in the Marine Corps.
The Marines were put through all kinds of very hard experiences. They were compelled to walk through the swamps.
They were compelled to stay awake all night.
They were compelled to do things that were difficult for them to do. It wasn't that the officers were mad at them, and it wasn't that the Marines had done wrong and were being punished. No, they were being trained to be good soldiers, and part of their training was to put them through these experiences of hardship that they might be strengthened.
So that their service in the future would be more useful. And our doctor, brother, Doctor Mauer, said that after their rigorous training and discipleship and discipline in the marines, then they were ready to face the enemy. And had they not had that discipline, had they not learned what it was to obey, had they not learned what it was to suffer in the path of obedience, they would not have been.
In the service of their country. So, brethren, let's bring in this side of things that in discipline.
We have a positive side. God is preparing us to be more useful.
For him, and let's not get overbalanced and think he's always punishing us, that's only half the story. But we have a wise father who has a plan for each one of our lives and he's going to discipline us with a view that we may serve him better. So it's not always that he's punishing us.
In the things that He allows that to us seem hard, He is training us that we may serve Him better and more.
And just as our brother Clem Buchanan has pointed out so nicely that the fruit gourd grower goes out and prunes the tree, it's not because the tree has been naughty.
Oh no, He prunes the tree so that it might bring forth more fruit. And that's part of the discipline of God. And we do thank God for that positive side of His discipline with us. He is training us. He is controlling us. He is permitting things to happen to us.
That will make us more useful to him. Now for the mark. Would you like to add anything to that?
If it might be in connection with that.
Profitable to look at some scriptures in Ezekiel the 24th chapter.
There's the preparation of the vessel. I believe that we have, as you mentioned, the preparation of the vessel.
And many of the Lord's servants have gone through this both in the New Testament and in the Old Testament.
But there in Ezekiel 24.
Ezekiel here has to learn an important lesson, I believe, and I believe that perhaps part of this portion is at least prefer to.
Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying in the 15th verse of Ezekiel 24.
Son of Man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke. Yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
For bear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
Spake unto the people in the morning, and at even my wife died, and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Severe preparation, perhaps, that Ezekiel was referred to.
By a title which not many others have been referred to in the Scriptures, and that is Son of Man. So he went through this difficulty and I think part of the reason he went through that difficulty.
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Well, so that he could understand the difficulty, and to understand the difficulties of the days, and so that he might be a faithful servant unto the Lord. Preparation, if you will, for to serve God in His ways, and to serve the Lord.
Yes, all these things that afflict us and happen to our brethren are not punitive. We have that in our 12Th chapter. I believe it is punitive there in a chapter we're in. But many things that happen are for preparation, as has been mentioned. Why was John on the Isle of Patmos all alone, forsaken? Well, he was prepared, wasn't he, to receive the revelations. It's lovely and but sometimes it's not just punitive.
Purgative which we have like pruning or preventative or preparatory, but it's just purposes. I like it sovereign purposes of God and let's remember this. And so in John nine they asked why was this young man born blind and they examined who'd sinned, who sinned. Well, it was neither. It's the sovereign purposes of God. He was born born blind that the works of God.
May be, may manifest in him. That's lovely, isn't it? So we got to be careful, you know, trying to figure out on our brethren why things are happening. Because it may be that I was thinking of another way of, of preparatory in a sense would be a second Second Corinthians, Second Corinthians.
Chapter one, Verse three. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, or the word could be encouragement, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves.
Are comforted of God Sometimes these afflictions and sickness.
Maybe even putting on their bed in the hospital. Maybe they're going to use that brother or sister in a mighty way. It's a wonderful thought, but isn't it true? Many of these things we go through are used later for His glory, and so we must be very careful. I know for a long time in the work I was in, I did get into hospitals a lot and in very crucial moments.
At the end of the line for some and I've never been in the hospital as a patient.
And I'm sure I wasn't a very good visitor really. I could bring the word and pray and all that, but the Lord took care of it, you see, He put me in for a good long time. And after that, I believe I could then encourage and comfort because I could identify with the one in the bed in the hospital. Well, we must remember this. There is the sovereign purposes of God. It's another fee. And I believe there's others too. There's polishing because He wants us to be.
The image of his own son, that work was on two brethren and sometimes it's afflictions. We need that cutting back for that reason. And sometimes it's perfecting too. It's lovely to see these different reasons. Well, that's that's really on the Romans 828, isn't it? Those things, all things work together for good to them that love God.
The call according to his purposes. But now we are in chastening.
This is chase to leave this. We do know why and it's for our good and our blessing. But as it was mentioned, it's peaceable fruit and I love that. I was just thinking of a verse on feasible fruit.
In in John, I think it's chapter 16. John chapter 16 came to mind.
I'm sorry, it's in 5th. It's in 14th John 1427.
1427.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Well, this is a piece that's only known by those that are going on with him. It's an inner peace, a quietness that has nothing to do with the circumstances or afflictions.
In your life, you can't tell the world about it. They may observe it and marvel at it, but they can't know about it until they know Him and go on according to His word. And it's beautiful there. And I believe that's the piece that we have here. It's a peaceable fruit of righteousness. Righteousness speaks really of our walk here, of our ways here.
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We read about Revelation in.
Romans, chapter 5.
Regulation working station, but notice what it says there.
It says.
And verse 3.
We glory in tribulations.
Well, how can we do that?
Glory and tribulation.
Well, it goes on to say, knowing that tribulation worketh patience.
Is there anyone in this room that doesn't need that? I know I need it. Patience.
Now this is the way God is working patience in our lives, producing patience. This is the way the Spirit of God brings forth the fruit of patience.
There's fruit, their whole cluster of it in Galatians 5/22.
A low cluster.
And God has to allow us to be put through different things in order to produce those.
And there are those that are on beds of sickness and never get off the bed.
Well, they can't be very active. They can't be moving around here and there and serving the Lord in that way.
They're not.
Getting in out of bed and into bed and out of bed and into bed and moving around. No, they're just there on that bed all the time and quietly bearing fruit. Bearing fruit. And if we've done any visiting around hospitals in place like places like that, you see them.
We were visiting this man one time.
And he was.
Stiff and the whole of his body. He couldn't even turn his neck, his head.
The only thing he could move was his eyes.
Every other part of his body was rigid.
And yet there was a smile on his face.
And he spoke.
And he mentioned those things that he enjoyed and when we got through there, it wasn't.
That he he got encouragement. I'm sure he did, but we were the ones who were encouraged.
To see what God can do.
There he was inactive, couldn't move.
And yet God was using him, and the Spirit of God was working there, and there was joy shone out of his face.
The joy of the Lord, love, joy, peace, all of this coming out. We think of a tree in the orchard.
It doesn't have to move all over the orchard to produce fruit, it just stands quietly in one place.
The orchard man goes in there and he's pretty rough on those trees.
Used to look at it and I thought mine what are they doing through those trees? They look terrible. Cut off all the branches but they treat them.
Really. Roughly.
But it helps them produce fruit. If there are too many branches, the tree can't produce fruit. All the nourishment goes into the branches. And sometimes the Lord needs to prune us because there's too much energy that goes into those external things. And it's only when it goes into the soul, into the eternal part.
That there's fruit that comes out of it all, sometimes these trials and tribulations we have.
Serve to mellow us down.
And we're not aware of the change. And it's a good thing too. We we have to be careful about looking at ourselves.
Looking in, looking at the Lord.
It mellows us down, it takes off the rough edges. It's like a tool grinder. He's got to grind that tool down, take off all the rough edges and it doesn't feel very good.
But it's it's a work of the Lord.
00:25:02
Tribulation worketh patience, and tribulation works other things too.
The endo says Rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
That's the same orders we have in our chapter. Looking unto Jesus. He is the man who has gone into the glory, and He is set before us before God talks about this discipline, this chastening, this correction which yields that peaceable fruit of righteousness, and preparing us for the use that He has for us. And I thought as our brother referred to Ezekiel, we might look at Ezekiel 3.
Because.
We have the glory of God in a marvelous way in Ezekiel.
It had come down.
And abode with that nation of Israel.
It was getting ready to depart, but in the third chapter of Ezekiel.
We have the glory of God and we have the servant prepared for his use.
To carry the message to the people at that time.
Verse 12.
Of Ezekiel 3. Then the Spirit took me up.
And I heard behind me a great voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord in this place. That's a tremendous thing.
And I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and the noise of the great rushing. I would refer this to Romans 828.
All things work together for good. To those that love God. I tell you what's happening in the nations is working together for our good. God has a purpose in everything that goes on in relation to you and I.
Sitting here who are related to Christ it all associated with Christ and the glory of God.
Ezekiel has to learn a few things.
In verse 14, So the Spirit lifted me up. It took Him.
And took me away and says I went in bitterness. There are things that become bitter in our lives and in the heat of my spirit.
God was working with that man in the inner man.
To use it. But the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
Now look what he has to learn in verse 15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Aviv that built by the river of Chibar. He was taken right to where those captives were to be amongst them. And then this is the point. And I sat where they sat and remained a stunning among them seven days.
He got.
Right into the position of his brethren in captivity to learn what they experienced. This was a training for him. Well, the glory of God and looking unto Jesus, we have that one in the glory. He's finished the course. It's in an imperfection and our Father's working for us to bring us into perfection, but to prepare us to train us to.
Direct us to do what He needs to do with us to produce. And it's a blessed thing just to submit and to go on and to learn and not fade under it. Not to think not, but to lift up the hands which hang down and the people needs. There's something to do. We have something to do. And make straight paths for your feet because others are watching.
Others are watching, and they might even be fooling.
Bless that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed our.
Effect upon people is more what we are and what we are seen to be.
Than really what we do and say even then it says follow peace. Well, the peaceable fruit of righteousness and the disciple following the Lord is going to follow peace. Follow peace with all, not just our brethren, but with all.
And nourished trying to speak to someone that's lost a loved one.
You don't know what to say.
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But that thought of sitting where they sit.
Reminds me.
That the Lord took from us our oldest son.
It's with the Lord.
And there have been times that we have spoken to.
Those who've been bereaved.
Perhaps spoken to them or written a sympathy card to them?
And Justice mention that.
We lost a loved one too.
What more do you need to say?
Because it's sympathizing with them.
And we're able to sympathize.
God makes sympathizers out of us by allowing things in our lives.
Not judges.
All that spirit of judging.
It's I'm afraid it's too rampant among us.
We need to be sympathizers to enter in to the feelings.
Of others, the emotions of others.
And God allows things to come into our lives.
So that we know better how to do it.
God is in all of this. It's God behind all of this. Let's.
Put it where it belongs. The source of it all is God and God's heart of love and sympathy for us. We have a sympathizing Savior at God's right hand, and he's gone through everything that a righteous person could go through in this world, and he can sympathize with us. And this, this just calms us down.
It just calms us down and gives us that quiet peace in our hearts.
We have here the three measures of proof.
Verse one, I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman. Every French in in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth through the purchases, that it may bring forth more fruit, there we have fruit.
And more fruit.
Then verse five, I am the vine here the branches. He's had to bite it in me, and I and him the same bringeth forth must be fruit, more fruit and much fruit, for without me he can do nothing. So God has a desire for fruit.
And.
First of all, the fruit, Venice marshals and mushroom. May the Lord help us to realize that and allow it to be so and praise Him for it.
Here.
It's not us ourselves judging other people, but seeing the ways of God with us in our own personal lives and profiting by it.
There are those various ways that have been spoken about that God is using, preventing or perhaps punitive as we have here. But I believe here the subject that's been remarked is punitive. We're not so likely to get discouraged when we feel the Lord is allowing something to produce more fruit or perhaps even to prevent something in our lives. We're very thankful. But brethren, for all of us, it's very humbling when we have to.
The Lord, His hand is upon us in correction. We know this with our children. If we're training our child to do some particular thing, there may be some hardships to be endured in that training, but the child isn't humbled by that. Just very thankful you're taking the time to do it. But when the time comes, you have to correct your child and punish it. Perhaps now there's something very humbling, and I believe that's what is really the subject.
Here in the first part of the chapter we have, as I said, the positive side of things. The Lord wouldn't have to correct us if we always made the Lord Jesus the model for our lives. But in many things we all offend. So all of us have to partake of this chastening, and as it tells us here, if you be without chastisement, were of all our partakers.
Then are you ******** and not sons? Any of us here were to say the Lord never has to correct me, He never has to scourge me.
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I'm just a model. We're mistaken. There is something in everyone of us that needs correction.
But there is a tendency, and perhaps we all feel it individually, that when God does put his hand upon us and we feel that he has done it for some reason to correct us, it hurts our natural pride. And we're liable to get discouraged and say, I give up. There's no use, I'm never going to be any use anymore. And so he's telling us that this correction has a purpose in view, and that purpose is for our good.
Fruit of righteousness when we're exercised, when that child learns why its parent had to correct it and sees that it was for its good, the result is a change in that child's life. And there is fruit. There's something the parents like to see. The child now is seeking to go on in the more happy and happy way in the family, and so on. Well, brethren, when this does come in our lives, and it does come in all our lives.
Times, let's not give up, let's not say, oh, I give up, other people can go ahead but me, it's no use. That's the danger, I believe when the Lord has to deal with us and I believe that's why it follows here.
Lift up the hands that hang down in the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. But let it rather be healed. Instead of saying I give up, accept the correction. Make straight paths. If there's something that has been wrong and self willed in our lives, the Lord can give us grace to correct that little thing, or big thing as it might be.
And the result is going to be that we can go on.
And be useful, make straight paths and then instead of being turned out of the way.
Were healed. We profited. We're far more useful after we have learned that lesson.
Well, may the Lord give us grace when we do feel His hand upon us, and all of us do at times to profit by it, and there will be that peaceable fruits of righteousness. None of these things, whether preventative or punitive, or chastening, or ever required in the life of the Lord Jesus. In Him was perfection, but in us these things are necessary, and the Lord has that purpose of love.
And may I add too, that I believe that not only can be applied in this way to ourselves, the Lord is intensely personal. But if we see another Christian who has been discouraged because of some dealing of the Lord with him, let's lift up his hand too. Let's say, brother, don't be discouraged. The Lord wants to bless you. He wants to bring good out of this for you. You can be more useful if you would seek to accept this from Him so we can.
Without pointing a finger, so to speak, seek to encourage him not to give up, not to let his hands hang down.
But rather to go on in that way that would be fruitful in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. That's really what patience means, isn't it? Enduring through it in faith. And James brings that out so nicely, the two together in the 6th chapter. And he uses, of course, Job as his example because I believe Job is probably.
A mere man, one of the greatest examples of affliction.
In the sense of chastisement, I mean, and he says in verse 11, behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job. You've seen the end of the Lord. The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. And then he mentions for us in verse 7. Be patient. Therefore, brethren, under the coming of the Lord. Isn't that lovely with that in view. Now behold, a husband waited for.
Precious fruit, the Lord is going to have fruit from us all. It's because of these things in our lives and that's why the fruit. And then he says in verse 8, be patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Well now he speaks of the patience of Job and the end of the Lord in Job's life. Well, what was the patience of Job? Well, he took all of those terrible things in the outset that went upon him, lost everything.
Children and in all this did not Job sin nor blame God. That's patience. He he didn't turn against God. His faith was strong in all of it. But God was working something in Job. But the real test came when his friends came, so-called friends and looked upon him.
00:40:21
And attributed everything that's happening to him to something Job did.
Some wrong and Joel they didn't know there was something but they didn't know and they didn't know how to minister. But notice in Job chapter 13 here's a little key verse there in verse 15. He had gone through so much and surely when your friends turn against you and sit there staring at your your affliction and say aha you're in trouble and he felt it. But look at 15 though he slay me.
Yet while I trust him.
It would be lovely if there was a period there, but that's enduring. He never turned against God, but the very next phrase tells the problem. It's still there, but I will maintain my own ways before God. There's the problem, and he hadn't realized yet that's the problem. The first part's beautiful, but those that sentence has two clauses that contradict each other.
I'll trust him if he slay me, whatever his purpose, I'll trust him. But I'm not going to give up my ways.
I could give my ways before him. There it is. You see, Job was wonderful in the sight of God, in what he was doing. He could even hold him up to Satan as the greatest. There's none like my servant Job in all the earth. Not like him. And it's true. But the only problem was Job was pleased with Job. That's it. Simple, isn't it? But it wasn't so simple to joke. It took a long time.
And what happened at the end?
You got that double fold, a double fold blessing for Job and he was able to pray for those ones that despitefully used him. Isn't it lovely? And so, brethren, that's the thought. It's the patience of Job and then the end of the Lord. And let's remember the end of the Lord. It's he's pitiful. I like that word pitiful our brother was mentioning about.
Sympathizing. And that's part of the reasons these things happen to us, brethren, so we can sympathize with each other.
But for the grace of God, there am I and I've already been there. I have to say most of the time when my brother have problems. But I like the word compassion because that word compassion apart from Christ really isn't known in this world. There is none without Christ. And Webster says compassion is being moved to pity at the distress of another.
And I love that. And we can't do that without this kind of treatment to us that Christ gives us. And we can then comfort, encourage others.
With the same comfort, encouragement we got from him through the same kind of problem. It makes these things wonderful, doesn't it? Well, Jobs was what we're talking about in Hebrews 12. That was Joe. That's us. Too many times there was a problem there, and it was a lot of chastisement coming in.
This lady was the one that really was the hell. The other ones tried to interpret the reason why God had allowed the problem in Jobs life. But it's very lovely what Elihu does. He doesn't try to interpret the problem. He says to Job. Surely it is meat to be said unto God. That which I see not teach thou me. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more. He doesn't even charge him. He doesn't even says if I have done iniquity, he doesn't charge him with.
What he says, Job, the answer is that you ask the Lord what he's saying to you, and isn't that lovely? We too often will say, well, the Lord's dealing with you because of this or that. Isn't it much nicer to say, well, ask the Lord, I'm sure he has something in this for your good and for your blessing. And if there is something wrong, he'll show it to you and he'll enable you to correct that thing in your life for your blessing. And the end of the Lord, as you were saying, was that he had.
As much as before God blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning. So we see that it was important for Job to be exercised and profit and if we ever have a dealing with someone and perhaps we do feel he might be under God's hand. Let's be careful what we say Eli. He was very careful and Eliyah was a real blessing thought I believe her God with us and so he brought in God. But he did say this to Joel Joel if thou art righteous as.
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Has said, What hast thou given to God that he would accept? That's the solemn thought, isn't it?
That that sort of began to bring Job to the end of himself. He didn't have anything he could give to God.
I haven't got anything I can give to God.
And that's the problem.
We'll find these features that are expressed here. That is, some are.
Lacks spiritual energy and some are in a crooked path, some soul discord. But you notice how it starts. I I don't know if it can be applied, but I remember if you recall in first Timothy, Paul writing to him said that he would that all men everywhere lift up holy hands and pray. So he begins here by saying in this section.
Lift up the hands which hang down. So if we would lift up our hands, as it were, in prey.
And then we had, I suppose, be given a grace and energy because you notice after pray we can we find the practice of these things. It was it's never to be a substitute for prayer, but.
In every assembly these features are seen, and you and I may at this moment be in a category here, but if we seek to find a company of believers of which these things are not seen.
Will become a company of pretentious, self satisfied and self-centered believers.
So what we need is the grace. Someone as well said that the barometer of my state of soul is my ability or the grace given to go on with those who are not.
And so we need grace, and we had it in the first part of the chapter, I think.
Much more than an example in the Lord Jesus, but when he speaks there of looking under Jesus, we actually have not just an example, but we have the power to live to act the way we ought to. When I'm looking at the Lord Jesus, then the the new nature of the spirit that's within me is is in power. And that is the only way only place that you and I will have the grace to go on with one another when these things are manifested among us.
Peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. We should by all means seek the peace of the assembly, never introducing things that disturb its peace, unless it's necessary so it adds. And holiness we do have to be faithful to God, and.
The peace of the assembly would be preserved at the expense of holiness. It wouldn't be God's peace, and it wouldn't be a very subtle thing either. So it's follow peace with all men, and holiness. This is practical, without which no man shall see the Lord. And then it says about lest any man fail of the grace of God. I believe we're always to have in our own souls the sense of grace, as Paul says in another place, what maketh?
Differ from another If the Lord has preserved any of us and kept us, it's all his grace.
And that keeps us from looking down upon our brethren. It keeps us from judging them because we are the subjects of grace ourselves. How patient the Lord has been with us. How how good he has been although he didn't deserve it. And then it speaks about these roots of bitterness. And Brad and I've often noticed that roots of bitterness begin by some trial that has taken place in the life of someone.
Perhaps God's hand has been upon them.
A lot of feelings have been stirred, a lot of unkind remarks have been made, like jobs, friends made to him and a whole lot of.
Root of bitterness has been produced, supporters and non supporters and so on. And it often comes back to some time when God has dealt with someone and a lot of remarks have been made that shouldn't have. How important it is that we do not fail of the grace of God. That if we do try to help our brother so that he doesn't get discouraged.
We don't take the attitude of looking down upon Him, thinking that we're better than him or something of that nature. We need to remember that we are the objects of grace, and I believe we fail of the grace of God when we take that attitude of judging and looking down instead of being a helper. I was thinking of Moses when he first started out, and he had a good motive in his heart too. He wanted to deliver God's people.
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And it tells us that he thought that God by his hand would deliver the people, but they didn't understand. But what does it tell us in in Acts Chapter 7 where Steven is speaking, it says they put him away saying who made the ruler and a judge. You know, we can take that attitude of being a ruler and a judge.
But when God had been through with him in his school and for 40 years.
Moses had to go through something in the school of God. It says the same Moses whom they set aside and said, who made the ruler and a judge? God sent to be what? A ruler and a deliverer? What a difference. It's easy to be a ruler and a judge. We see something wrong and think we can judge it and set it right. But it takes the school of God to be a ruler and a deliverer. And I believe this is really what is being brought before us.
This chapter that God has his dealing with each one of us and how we can help in such situations that we be careful that we don't fail of the grace of God that we recognize that grace, not that grace ever overlooks sin. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, but that grace of God and many get defiled because of a lot of bad feelings that are stirred when we don't act in that.
Of God, yes, I think that.
That word fail of could be lack of the grace of God. It's in US brethren toward one another and I think that's so important. You'll never fail of the grace of God because in Ephesians 47 it says that every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ unlimited. You can't fail of the grace of God in that sense, but it's lacking it toward our brethren and all that's.
Explained that lovely we should remember that brethren, we're in the day of grace. We're living in it we're profiting by it and the Lord and and it says that the epistle Peter. I believe let your speech be always with grace that may be Colossians. Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt that you know how to answer every man and that's important that grace should come out first and I believe this.
Root of bitterness springing up and not only be because of as jobs so-called friends.
They looked upon him with disdain on his sufferings and afflictions. But you know that root of bitterness can come because some of our brethren are prospering in their souls, are getting some nice things happening to them, and we have bitterness for that reason. That's the sad thought, isn't it? It comes either way. It's not just their down sittings, it's their uprisings. We ought to rejoice with them when they have reasons to rejoice. And I believe that comes out nice in the Second Corinthians.
Christians just one verse chapter 12, which you'd expect to find it in the body of Christ chapter chapter 12, verse 25.
I'm sorry. Thank you, brother. First Corinthians, chapter 12.
25.
That there should be no schism in the body, and that the members should have the same care one for another. That word is really concerned one for another. And whether one man suffered, 1 member suffer, all members suffer with it, and if one member be honored, all members rejoice with it. Isn't that beautiful?
If that formula were applied in our assemblies, wouldn't it be beautiful harmony?
Bliss and peace and joy. That's what we need, the same concern, one for another. And if a brother rejoices and let's rejoice with him or her, and if he suffers, brethren, let's suffer too. That's it, That's compassion. Why do we have ministry like that in this official to the assembly at Corn?
Because there were those conditions there.
And it seems to me that God has allowed things to come out in the different assemblies, that we have letters written to things that had to be dealt with. The apostle Paul had to speak about and correct and give them instruction about it. And we benefit from this and we need to take it to ourselves.
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And I noticed in the 11Th chapter, in connection with eating the Lord's Supper, that the apostle brings this out.
That our brother is calling attention to the sectarian spirit.
There were sectarian practices there and there was a sectarian spirit. And there was this kind of a spirit that there would be those that would say we belong to Paul and others would say we belong to Peter and others would say we belong to Apollos. We're, we're following these men. And then there were those that said, we're of Christ.
And they were the worst of all because they would say we're the ones that are Christ and the rest of you aren't. That was the implication of it. And this was sad. So what does the apostle Paul do in in this 11Th chapter of First Corinthians?
Verse 20 says when you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper. I believe the margin has you cannot eat the Lords Supper. That is, they could not eat the Lords Supper on the ground of the truth that they were all one body. They couldn't do it that way. And what has the enemy been doing in Christendom dividing us all up?
And I don't know how many denominations in sex and divisions there are.
And we have the tendency to be sectarian as well because it's a plague in this world. It's a plague on the Church of God. And we need to judge ourselves for an eating. Everyone taketh before others own supper and one is hungry and another is is drunken. You see, they were not even sitting down to a very common meal.
Eating together, they were hiding off one group in one corner and another group in another corner.
And this was sad, right there in the assembly at Corinth. What have ye not houses to eat, and to drink in, or despise you the Church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. Then he goes into the matter of the Lord's Supper, which he received from the Lord. Paul received it right from the Lord in glory. It wasn't that he received it from.
The disciples he received it right from the Lord in glory himself and this.
Really is what we need to think about when there are those in Christendom that say that the Lord's Supper is not for the church.
Well, it's right here in connection with church truth, in connection with the revelation that the Apostle Paul received from the Lord in glory, in connection with the whole truth of the church. So it's part of that. And this is what the assemblies to be doing while we're waiting for the Lord to come.
But then further down he says, or as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, need to show the Lords death till he come. Just think of that solemn thing, remembering the Lord and all his suffering and death. Wherefore he says, Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup.
Unworthily or in an unworthy, unworthy manner.
Shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Oh, this is serious.
Very serious. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh in an unworthy manner eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself.
Not discerning the Lord's body. You see, all of this is connected together. Not discerning the Lord's body. They were not discerning the Lord's body. They were not discerning the truth of the church that it is one body.
For this, 'cause, he says, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Oh, this is where the solemn part of it comes in.
And that's why I believe we need to dwell on this and think about it.
Because it is connected with judging ourselves for this cause. Many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
They were sick and there were those that were dying.
Now perhaps the Saints that were weak and sickly and those who were dying were not being disciplined in their in themselves for anything that they had done, but it was for the condition of the whole assembly there. And rather than I need, I believe we need to consider this very seriously because we are seeing so many weak and sickly among us and some dying too. And may the Lord give us grace to do what?
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He he has told Apostle Paul to tell us here, for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. We need to judge ourselves. It's so easy for party spirits and clicks to arrive and we need to judge those things because remember, we're all members of one body, one man, he writes to the Ephesians. One man, Jew and Gentile, all one body. 1 Newman.
And the apostle brings out to the Corinthians.
That the body, the human body, is a type or an example of the body of Christ. And we don't want our bodies divided. We don't want part of our body one place and parts of our body another place. No, it's very simple. And these are the things that God is seeking to minister to us, to help us to judge ourselves, to just see what we really are and that we're connected to the Lord Jesus Christ in glory and whatever way in which we're going.
It affects the Lord Jesus Christ the head. He feels it. The apostle Paul got that message right from the very start because he was going about persecuting the Christian, persecuting the members of the body of Christ, persecuting those who were united to the Lord Jesus Christ in the glory, and the Lord was feeling it and.
When Paul said, Who art thou, Lord?
He says I'm Jesus. He got the message. I'm Jesus. These Christians you're persecuting are connected to me, Jesus. I'm the one you're persecuting.
And he learned that lesson, and he never forgot it. And I don't believe that we should forget it either.
That we're joined to the Lord Jesus Christ and whatever we do or whatever we say or whatever we think.
It affects him. May the Lord give us grace to go on together as members of one body, loving one another, helping one another, sympathizing with one another until He comes.
When you say he has given the grace if we just take it.
If we go back to Romans 5 again.
For in that second verse it says, By whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We are put in grace. There's no lack of a supply of it. The lack is in our drawing upon it and use it lest any man fail of the grace of God.
Now Peter learned that.
David wrote about it and says he will give grace and glory. That's the chronological order. Grace comes before glory. In our chapter, we are appointed as an incentive to the glory, and now we're learning the grace when we stand and we must go on in grace. Peter learned it in the hard way, but he learned it well in almost his last words in Second Peter.
12 The Last chapter, Second Peter Three, 12512.
I'm sorry, First Peter 512. First Peter 512, he says.
By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose I have written, briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein you stand. We are put in that standing. Let us draw upon that grace, and never fail to draw upon that grace, so that we might go on and be useful.
As our teaching is in our chapter here.
Not to belabor the point, that's to this root of bitterness, but it's such a vital one. And the.
Things the Dan was mentioning as to the attitudes that we ought to manifest toward one another, he left one out that I'm sure he will agree is maybe one of the most important. Turn to 2nd Corinthians.
In the second chapter.
2nd Corinthians 2 verse 10 just to be brief. To whom he forgive anything I forgive also.
Or if I forgive, forgave anything so to whom I forgave it for your sakes, forgave I it in the person of Christ and one verse you have that expression forgive or forgive five times. In this case it was a matter of discipline and they were to forgive the brother and receive him back and do fellowship, but the spirit of forgiveness.
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Without it, there will be the root of bitterness brings up and manifest itself.
And.
You know a great deal of harm. You know, Scripture tells us that we'd be kind, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us.
Then the other scripture that says that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more.
Now if he did not remember them, he would not be begot, because he certainly knows, but he treats us as if we have never.
Sinned. And so you and I, we may not be able to forget. And some say we've heard the expression and maybe we've been guilty of it. I forgive, but I cannot forget. Well, if we spend our time trying to forget, if we remember the more. But we can treat our brother or sister as if.
They had never sinned, or they had never offended me. And so we seems to me, we ought to seek this grace of forgiveness, possibly more than any other, that the differences would heal and that we can treat one another as if the offense had never happened. Although we may never forget it, we should be ready to forgive.
Even these Saints at Corinth should have been ready to forgive this man, but it seems like that there was something there that kept them from being in that spirit, and the Apostle Paul had to write to them again about confirming their love to him and forgiving him.
And so we need to look to the Lord for grace, to have a forgiving spirit, and to be ready.
Anytime that anybody confesses and owns their mistake and they're wrong and just forgive them, be ready to forgive them. And that takes grace, doesn't it?
In Ephesians 431 and two. I just want to read those before we close.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another. That word forgiving means to show grace to. There are two words for forgiving. The one is to is remission or descending away of our sins.
And the other is showing grace to, and that's the word Paul uses here for giving one another even as God.
In Christ has forgiven you or shown grace to you. So we've been talking about lacking the grace of God. The most essential ingredient of grace is forgiveness that to our one and the same in our activity with one another.
Song of Songs
Address—R. Bauman
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Group things in threes.
We haven't found 22, three and four. They're grouping. He teaches that way. And in the New Testament we had that last night as they were enjoying a portion of Corinthians. But first Corinthians 12/13 and 14, it follows so beautifully well in the heart of the Bible, we have three books, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Psalmist Songs.
They're all written by the same man, the wisest man that ever lived.
Except for the man who gave him the wisdom, the man Christ Jesus.
And he wrote the Proverbs. The Proverbs speak of wisdom from heaven for a walk in this world, an earthly walk. And in Proverbs they don't just read a verse and sort of touch my heart. First of all, it speaks of who is them with who wisdom is I wisdom dwell is Christ the Son. But in verse 19, he says my fruit is better than gold.
Gay than fine gold.
And my revenue then choice Silver?
Well, you know, fruit is what one gives a lot. It gets all fruit and it speaks of the righteousness of God that we have through Christ in Christ. Really, gold speaks of divine righteousness.
But revenue is what he takes in silver.
Speaks of a bride, of course, redeemed souls, because silver speaks to redemption. Well then of course Ecclesiastes comes next, and Ecclesiastes is really for this purpose. It empties one of self. Please ask these has that effect. It empties one of self. And so the theme of it is brought up right at the beginning. Vanity of vanities. All this vanity and vexation of.
That's it. There's nothing left.
And then the Song of Solomon fills the empty cell with Christ. It's a beautiful thing, the beautiful order. You know, it's right in the heart of the Bible where it's needed so badly.
Taliban.
Wrote 1005 songs, 3000 proverbs, Decreased 1 faithful servant. We have them right here.
We're going to look at the Song of songs tonight.
Which is Solomon's.
But it speaks of divine love.
Redeeming love and restorative love.
If I love the love of Christ, it is really that passes knowledge. The love of Christ that passes knowledge. Now let's see #142 #142 but we'll just sing. The last two stanzas was that no tongue can teach love, that no thought can reach, no love like his.
God is its blessed source. Death snare can stop its course.
Nothing can stay its force maximus it is.
No.
It's forgiven.
00:05:08
The song.
It's really a love song. It's a love story.
It's really for us.
Primarily it has to do with Israel, because it's Old Testament Scripture, of course, but by application we have a right to apply it to ourselves and of course to the church.
Only where it applies.
There are parts that are particularly Israel and the cut be applied can be enjoyed.
But you have the bride Speaking of the bridegroom over two dozen times this way.
My beloved lovely isn't my beloved.
But most of it is the bridegroom's thoughts toward the bride.
Now we look at it, the 1St chapter I call first love, first love and its attributes because we have it all here in the first chapter. It's like one that is a babe, you know, babe in Christ.
The song of songs, which is Solomon's Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.
Well, my love is better than wine because of the savor by good ointments. By name is an ointment. 4th 4th. Therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, We will run after thee. The King has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in thee. We will remember thy love more than wine.
The upright lovely 1St 4 verses really introduces this.
You notice there's nothing here about pardon, or about sins, or about forgiveness.
You won't find it in the whole song.
It's good at Melissa. You won't find it in the whole song. Good to get that point right now.
It's the bride and all the perfection of what the group has made her by His love and His work. It's what we are in Christ. It's what happens on Wednesday morning when we come boldly before Him with all confidence and assurance that we have a right to be in the Holy of Holies. We're priests.
Why? Because.
He accepts us in the beloved one. That's why in all the perfection of His Son, He sees us and that's what we have here. Now there's two things prominent in these first verses we've read. First is she's taken up with His love. She's taken up with His love. My love is better than wine. Wine is typical. It's always the same as those scriptures. Some things have a different application for wine means joy. It speaks of it typically.
The Old Testament is earthly joy, but art is heavenly and still the lying type.
And the second thing is she's taken up with his name, two things that attracted her right away. His love is made.
And so we have those two things that really mean everything to us, do they not? I know there's a little him I like. It sucks. 54 I'll just read the first. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believers ear. Ensues his sorrows, heals his wounds. It drives away his fear. That's what she has. That name has done that for her.
Now the second thing is she was in the secret chambers.
The secret chambers with himself.
So she was in the glory, she she was in the presence, She saw him in his purity and holiness in her thoughts.
And so we have in verse five, I am black. You know, that's the result of one who realizes.
What Jesus is, who realizes what Christ is, who realizes what God is? Isn't that the way it was with Peter when he realized he was in the presence of God? When he stood before Jesus and dropped to his knees? Depart from me promising for man. Oh Lord, that's it. Beautiful, isn't it? What about Job when he when he was in the presence of God? I'm harmed myself.
What about Paul? I know that in me that is my flesh, no goods thing.
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You know this is beautiful, she said. I'm black. But then this thought comes to her, what he says about her, but calmly, She said. I'm black, she says, but calmly.
Reminds her right away what she is in himself and then she says I'm black as a pence of teeter.
Hey there means darkness. Peter means darkness. Peter was the son of Ishmael.
And the descendants of Peter were Raiders. Bandits.
And they did the work at night by stealth.
So they had tents that were black, I mean black so they couldn't be detected. And so she applies that to herself. You know, when one is in the secret chambers of his love, especially of faith, you realize what you are in your sins. You realize, and we have to realize it. We can't get saved. We can't become a baby. She is here. Have your eyes open until you realize what you are.
But she says I'm black as a tentative teeter. But he says.
No, You're as the curtains of Solomon, that beautiful. You're as the curtains of Solomon. What about the curtains of Solomon in that temple?
Fine twine, linen white.
Holy and pure, that's what he says. Also. Blue and purple and scarlet and all those beautiful colors that speak of heaven and royalty and who he is. That's how he likened her.
You're not black as attention, you're as the curtains of Solomon in the temple. How beautiful that is. Then she says this in verse six. Look not upon me, I'm black.
Notice at the end my own vineyard have I not kept.
All we like sheep have gone astray. That's the thought. All we like sheep have gone astray. Isaiah 53, six.
It's a good state of soul. It's a good state of soul. She's ready to learn, She's ready to grow. She's a baby, but she has this thought of herself. And you know, let's never forget it, brethren, what we were.
Again and again in the wilderness, Moses said, Remember.
He performed slaves.
Of of Pharaoh in Egypt. It's good to remember what we learned rather. And she remembers quickly because she knows she was an untrophable, what an unprofitable servant. So were all of us what we were saying.
Verse 7 Tell me, O thou, who my soul loveth, where thou fetus, where thou makest by flock to rest at noon. For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? Here's the thoughts of a quickened soul. Here's one who wants to know more of him. Here's one who wants to be with those that belong to him.
It's the force of a quickened soul. Beautiful, isn't it?
What did they say in John chapter one? Where it dwelleth, thou of the sea. Beautiful, isn't it? They wanted to be where he is. She wanted to be where he was. And where the flock rest at noon after they feed. You know, the shepherd at that moment when the flock rested at noon was intimate with them.
He called one out by name that comes from the flock and he's at that one and talk to it, see if there's any.
Injuries or scratches. Then he called another and another has a beautiful time. She was thinking about that. And so she says, why should I be as one that turns aside? In other words, why should I be as one roping? Why should I be as one that doesn't belong? Why should I be as one unattached and loose? Isn't that lovely? You know, it's wonderful to talk to one who's just received Christ.
Because they want more, but she she wants more.
Doesn't feel like she used to be. She doesn't want that anymore, but she doesn't know much. She's obeyed. First aid if thou know not.
You see, she doesn't know much. She's saved, but she's away. All thou fairest among women. Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the block, and feed the kids beside the shepherd's tins. There's the answer. She didn't do anything yet about gardens.
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Bethany's in the New Testament assemblies today. She didn't know anything about that.
Shelly knew she wanted to be near him and she wanted to know more of him and she wanted to be fed like his owner fed and that beautiful. And so he gives her that beautiful answer.
The shepherd's dance. I believe it speaks to us by application, brother, that there are overseers, there are the under shepherds raised up by the Spirit of God.
Now I thank God when I think back when I was first obeyed, when I was first saved.
Somehow or other, the Spirit of God let me close. I ate lunch with them. I was with them at night. I called them to my home. I went to their home just to hear more and learn more.
The under shepherds who are overseers, Beautiful isn't it? They're the ones of the father's heart that they lacked in Corinth 10,000. Teachers, but not many with a father's heart. But this is it. He told her to go by them. Go by them. You know, that's what he told Peter in John 21. Feed my lamb, treat my sheep.
That's the one with the father's heart. ******* really do now after telling her this and and hearing what her delights are now.
He tells her what he thinks of her first name. I have compared thee, Oh my love, to a company of horses in Pharaohs. Cherry, did you say that's a compliment for a pride prepared to accompany horses and Pharaohs chariot. That's a compliment. This is what appealed to him of her right now. It's her exuberance. You know the horses and Ferrell's Chariots, Can you imagine what they were like?
Chomping at the bit maids, bristling, stomping with their hooves into the ground, they just can't wait to keep going. This is her. This is first love. This is what appealed to him. A bright group. First blood. Her exuberance, her desire for more is exciting to him. You know the Ephesians left it.
Ephesians left it, and so have we. Sometimes, I fear many times in the assembly leaves it. You can almost sense it.
Let's never do. We can't lose it. They didn't lose it. You left it. It's true. You grow into a deeper love, a more precious love. But let's not lose that first love. Isn't that what's precious about Sunday school, these little children as such first love? We love the gospel Adidas. Let's never lose that thrill.
Having been given a new life, saved from hell, and save for him forever. That's it.
Now he describes her here in verse 10. Thy cheeks are calmly with rolls of jewels, and thy neck with chains of gold. He's speaking here of the dignity she already has. Gold is the righteousness is lovely. Verse 11 we will make them by borders of gold, with stunts of silver.
Why we?
Whatever it has to do with math.
Whether the created man in Genesis or a newborn.
Go above a St. is the work of the Trinity. That's why we it's like Genesis where he says let us make man.
And took the Trinity. The Trinity is always involved, brethren, when it's you and I, let's don't forget that it's beautiful. We we will make the borders of gold righteous, the studs of silver redemption.
Now there's some.
12 really just speaks of the praise of adoration going out from her to him, everything for him. Isn't that lovely to see that in a sense it's like John 12 verse 3 where Mary was at his feet with a spike flirt and the house was filled with the owner of the ointment. That's really what this is. It's all praise and adoration.
Is what happens on Thursday morning. She already has it as a babe and it's lovely to see it. Verse 13.
Is really Speaking of he's in her affections already in her endearment she's he's in her heart because the breast speaks of the place of affection and she said he shall lie all night. It took my breath. Love me to see that this is the this is the first one now verse 15.
Behold thou art, Fairy says. Behold thou art, Fairy says again. Behold thou art fair. Is that beautiful?
00:20:06
Wonderful grace, sovereign Grace, as he brings her up to this realm of his thinking what she is in him.
And then he says, Notice this. Hold thou art fair, my love, Hold thou art fair. Thou has some sighs.
Thou has done size.
You know the duck, whether it's a pigeon, dog or a morning dove.
Racing pigeon, homing pigeon, What it is, their eyes have a characteristic.
They look toward home for the maidens.
Was illness. That's what she has a warning now it's in her eyes. You know the Thessalonians when they were saved already they turned to God from idols to serve the true living God for what else wait for his Son from heaven. That's the thought already think of it already. It appealed to him doesn't exist. The last verse. The beams of our house are cedar and our rafters of fur.
They're considered together now, but the Cedars speaks of incorruptibility.
And for lasting quality. So the last thought given to her.
Is the thought we have in Psalm 23 six really I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
Have beautiful glass door. So this is the big now the first chapter is beautiful to see that chapter 2. I call that confidence and assurance and you know we gain that quickly when we're saved. Isn't that true As you're growing the truth and you see these blessings, wonderful truths from the word of God and the Spirit of God makes it good to your soul.
They have confidence and insurance. And so she doesn't say she's black here. No, no, she's not black as intensive either. This is her speaking. I'm the Rose of Sharon. Really. It's, it's of the narcissist family, the Bolt family, This Rose, it isn't what we know of it. And the Lily of the Valleys, that's her name.
A true name, Lily.
Can be applied to us too, I say, But that's a new name, as a believer is one of his.
He says so. Be careful. He says. You're a Lily, But as a Lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters, he warns her quickly.
Forts and thistles, where did they come from? Sin.
Genesis 3 You don't have thorns and thistles until sin.
What did they give award a crowd of thorns, the product of sin. So he says there's thorns here in this world where you are, you're a Lily. That's right. But you're among thorns. I believe the thorns speakers of the wickedness, the evilness that so rampant in this world because of sin and Satan means Jeremiah says so thou not among thorns. We have to be careful. She has to be careful of the thorns.
Now her thoughts, verse 3.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight. His fruit was sweet to my taste.
Turn the wood trees of the wood.
Speak of Christ in his humanity.
The apple, the choicest of all the trees for fruit.
These are choices of the hall, so she's already thinking of that. But she has rest, she has peace. She's fully satisfied with himself and with his, with his love. So she says. I sat down under his shadow with great delight. His fruit was sweet to my taste. That beautiful house. She's coming into this confidence and assurance now.
I could fight so much with herself. She's occupied with him. Her thoughts are of him. He brought me to the banqueting house, his banner over me, Love.
My margin says House of wine. I believe it's that too. It's all joy. It's a banqueting house. It's all joy. God is love.
Like the ring for the particles finger. Eternal divine. She's basking in the good of it now.
She says at the end of verse five, I am sick of love.
This world has an expression club stick. I believe it's the same thought, only it isn't divine love they're talking about. I'm sick of love. I believe this is a deep longing within her now, to be with him, to be with him.
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His left hand is under my head. His right hand does embrace me.
These are her heart's thoughts now you know she's looking for him to come. She already mentioned that she's looking for him to come. She longs to be with him though his Verse 8. This is her thoughts really, the voice of my beloved. Behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills. Pitiful thought she's having. And when she says his left hand is under my head, his right hand.
Nothing praised me. She just pictures herself fully and his trust fully in his care fully in his love and have lovely to see this honest verse up seven. I charge you. Oh you daughters of Jerusalem rhythm of the city by the Rose and by the eyes of the field that just turn out up or wait aloud till he flees. That's beautiful, isn't it? It's like James if the Lord will. In other words, her pleasure.
Life is what he pleases, what he wants. Now it says here in verse 10, My beloved faith, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away for all. The winter is past, and the rain is over and gone, and the flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing of the birds has come, and the voice of the turtles of this earth in our land, the fig tree put us forth our dream things, and the vines with the tender grape.
Give a fourth of the good smell, Arise by love, by fair one, and come away.
You see, this is all in anticipation. Verse 10 and the end of verse 13. She knows he's going to come for her. He knows he's going to take her home. But this thought.
As it says in verse 11, let's her rise above the trials, the afflictions, and the sorrows down here. It lets us rise above it too. Isn't that true? Isn't that what takes us on realizing we belong to Him? We're His delight. He won't be satisfied until we're with Him and He's coming Himself forth. We rewrite above the circumstances that we're in.
It gives us a a sense of joy and peace.
And arrest, no matter what the problem is. Well, she has that already. I'll notice. Verse 14. Oh my dog. Little boxes that spoil the vines where vines have tender groups. Second warning. The first warning he gave her was the Fords.
The Thistles.
Now, he says, you know, you're getting pretty competent here. You're getting pretty assured of of your position. There's little foxes, not so much that's so glaringly open in sin, but that comes on by stealth, unsuspecting. They can't ruin the Cubi, they can't ruin the true violin, but they can spoil the fruit.
Ones are. We'll eat this morning, brethren. What are the little foxes?
I believe it's the deceitfulness of riches or little practice to get us in all kind of ways, you know?
It's the cares of this world. We're told we're going to be charged with the cares of this world, but we're not to be overcharged.
And it's the littlest member, James says that cannot be changed. All the damage, the destruction to the fruit that little member does for Tom. I believe little foxes are many areas, but he warns you about those. Now notice verse 16 by the lovers mind, she says, and I am his. He feedeth among the lilies.
She knows where he delights to be lies those that are his own. She still doesn't know anything about garbage.
Doesn't know anything about assembly truth, but she's learned something. The only problem is here.
And she's occupied with herself.
You see in this verse, it's a lovely verse, but it's it doesn't take you up very high. My beloved is my she's occupied with herself. I am his she occupied with herself. She sees the emotion connection with herself. Real danger of that for the little fox is right there. Little fox is right there until the day break and the shadows flee away turn.
My beloved and feel like a roller to a young park that was about to Bethel.
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Well, her last thought is lovely. It's just coming again. That's her desire. Chapter 3.
You know what? I have to title it Failure. Failure. Why?
Because of self and brethren, it brings on all the failure.
Occupation with yourself.
That we had in verse 16 is the reason for this failure. She didn't take the warning. She didn't take the he Oh, see it.
Little foxes.
By night on my bed. Now that should read in the night.
I believe J&D has it by the Knights in the night time. In the night on my bed. I thought him who my sole love is. I thought him, but I found him not on my bed. Speaks of taking your ease.
In the night speaks at the wrong place at the wrong time. You know, it's this thought. I believe it's Proverbs. Maybe we should turn to this proverb 6 But I think this is very important. Proverbs chapter 6.
And a verse There are two Proverbs. 6, verse nine. How long will thou sleep? Will sluggard, when wilt thou right out of thy sleep get a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep? And so shall my poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy one as an armed man.
Spiritual poverty by application. I will use it.
And that's what she did. She grew dull.
Thoughts are occupied with herself. She took her ease.
We find her in the second verse in the city on the broadways in the night time. Think of it because it started on her bed, taking her ease. I remember hearing of a brother who prayed in a prayer meeting in which very few were there.
That night one told me that he prayed for our brethren for our invents of sickness at this time, and also for our brethren who are our beds of leisure.
You know, that's a solid thought. You get a little sleep, a little slumber, little folding a hand. Spiritual poverty comes on now, she said. I haven't found him. I can't fight him. Why?
He's not there. That's why she knows where he was at the in the last chapter. She said he feeds among the lilies. She's not there. She's in the wrong place. Darkness now, confusion. That's what happens. You know, you give away. I tell those who are younger, don't take the first step away. It's already a long way back. Already a long way back.
She'll try come in and make the distance tremendous, although it's one step.
I will rise verse two and I'll go about the city in the streets and in the broadways, and I will seek him who my soul others. She lost the ceremony, but already I saw him, but I found him not because he's not there. The watchman they go about the city found to be to whom I said saw ye him whom my soul loveth. I'm not sure, but I believe the watchman in tight would feel it Speaking of her conscience, which to us the Holy Spirit.
It's active with, you know, and we get away. The Holy Spirit, thank God, isn't it active? He works in our conscience, and I use that. I'm not sure whether that's the meaning or not, but I believe so. But only the five group, only Him could satisfy her soul. She got a longing soul now.
She's looking for it now. No one else can satisfy when you get away, brother. And there is anyone else can satisfy. Nobody.
Be back where Christ is satisfied. Therefore it was but a little that I passed from them. But I found Him who my soul loved, and I held Him, and I would not let Him go until I had brought him into my mother's house in the Chamber of Early to see it to me. She had joy now.
But he found her.
You know she says that, but he found her. She restored my soul. S 23 For the Lord brings me back when wandering. That's what it means. He found her. How lovely that is. Of course, she said I found him because she was so dope, delighted and so full of joy. And perhaps that could be a thought.
But it's the Lord, brethren, that goes after us. The two on the way to Emmaus didn't find Jesus.
00:35:02
He went after them.
And they came back and I don't remember exactly the words, but I think they said we found him.
I've had to look at it, but at any rate it's the same thought. They were so thrilled to go back. Verse five I charge you old daughters of Jerusalem by the roses, by the Hinds of the field. His turn out up or awake, my love, till he please. She's back where she was. You know you have to come all the way back.
To where you were in order to get the servant again and to have that heart's affection where it should be. And so now the thought is getting James, if the Lord will till he please his pleasure is now what she desires. Isn't it lovely his pleasure Now verse six down through verse 10. Strictly speaking, and I believe in particular, Christ Israel.
It's hard to fly that part, but to us.
Really speaks of the prophet prophetic view of the bridegroom with the pride coming out of the wilderness and it's Israel. But I like to make a couple comments here on this one though. Notice the 1St 9. King Solomon made himself a chariot of wood of Lebanon.
It's all his work, whether it's the earthly pride or the heavenly pride, it's all of him. That's the thought you get here. And of course, the will of Lebanon is Seeker. He made the pillars there of silver, the bottom there of gold, the covering of it purple. The mixture of faith with love. How you've got it.
And it doesn't matter whether it's earthly prior to the heavenly pride, it's all of him, Cedar.
Speaks of incorruptibility, and the pillars speak of strength. Look at that. Father's lying.
And silver speaks of purity, redemption of course, 2 gold of divine righteousness of God, purple royalty. And notice the base of everything. Love that beautiful.
All founded on love, the foundation of everything that the Lord does as well. So we have that in Colossians. I think it's sort of beautiful. 314 And above all, put on divine love, the bond of perfectness among us in assembly. That's beautiful.
Forgive one another, even as Christ has forgiven you. That's lovely. But above all, put on divine love. That's what we have here.
Chapter 4.
I call it restoration or restore because she's restored now you brought her back. This song speaks of redeeming love and restoring love. It's divine love. It all speaks of Christ.
Now here he speaks this way the whole Thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair. Thou hast thumbs eyes within thy lot. My hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Mount Gilead I want to mention.
Whenever the pride group speaks of the bride, he describes her by 7 distinct features. 7 distinct features. Well, you have here, you have eyes, you have hair, teeth, lips, temples, neck and breaths. 7 distinct features because seven.
Scripturally, the number of heavenly perfection and completion and he describes her always in all the perfection of his work for her and what she is because of his love to her and what he's done. And so he gives those thoughts. I know this well. We don't want to go into all these because I'm going to try to get through when he speaks of her neck in verse four, the tower of David building for an Armory and so on.
The next piece of dignity. But it also speaks of power.
That's always describing what she is to him and the two breasts in verse five. It speaks of affection. And so he describes these things so beautifully. But notice.
7 Thou art all fair. This is the third time he says it in this proportion now at all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee.
Not one mention of her having gotten away. Not one thought of her having faith.
That's love. That's divine love. You brought her back. I'm just precious brethren. You know she didn't get hurt much here, but next time she gets away, she gets hurt.
00:40:02
You know, that could happen. We're not sensitive to these things.
What happened here? Her mind wandered. She got careless. She got occupied with herself.
And to me it happened so quickly. We don't we don't realize it even at the most precious moment when we're remembering the Lord on Lords take. It can happen so quickly. We have to be a guide on that. I love that second here in the old black input written by John Nelson Barbie, don't you No inputs changing pleasure like by wandering mind. I love that here, not that it gives me comfort.
But let me see that even one so gifted in the chosen vessel like that same thing happened. You know what it tells me?
Pleasure slash, brother. It was never changed. It was never improved. It can't be. That's what happens to her. Flesh is flesh. The flesh of a prophet is no different than the flesh of a Sinner. The flesh of a priest, the flesh of of a stage is no different than the flesh of the Sinner.
Jonah.
When did Tarsus and God said go to Nintendo? He's a prophet.
I call the prophet they'll just because he's unwilling, but grace, he's called the prophet the new he was a prophet.
What about about Peter Apostle?
He denied the Lord with cursings.
Fresh, no different. This is what she's got Learning, brother. This is what we have to learn.
I know that in me that is my flesh is no good thing.
And so he says, no spot indeed. It's a beautiful thought, isn't it?
She's still there, although, she wondered, she's still there and all the perfection of himself. The pride that doesn't brother. It humbles us, doesn't it? It ought to.
Some high thoughts here. Birthday, come with me, he says to her. Come with me. This is the bridegroom speaking from Lebanon. My spouse, come with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of the mana, Look from the top of Sheena and Herman, from the lion's den and from the mountains of the leopards.
With him is safe. That's it. You go with Jesus for safety.
You know, Satan sometimes comes on as a liar, you see.
He goes about the city as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, if sometimes open bold sin faces you.
But he comes on to with the stealth of a leopard. That's what we have at the mouth of the lepers. Peter says the Wiles of the devil, the Wiles of the devil, he comes that way too. But you're safe if you go with him. He says, come with me, you'll be saved. But now notice these three places. That's where she can be with him and look.
Those three places you know every word, every name, every number, and the word of God has meaning.
God cannot even have an idle thought.
As I have thought, says the Lord, so shall it be.
We can't understand that with these lights, but it's true. And so if you know meanings of numbers, you know meanings of names, you get a more a fuller understanding and appreciation. You don't have to know them all to grow and enjoy the word of God, but this is exhaustless and you just have a little fuller thought. Havana means constant.
And that's the first thought he has toward her. That's what he wants. The first desire is a settled soul.
Fully trusting in him and being constant in that.
Isn't that what Boaz found that delighted him with Ruth? He says thou has shown me more kindness in the latter ends. And at the beginning, what did she do to show him more kindness? She said I am thy.
Redeem me. She put all her trust in him, nothing else, not wavering that that appealed to him. The second word is Sheena. It means landfarer. The second thought he has for her is I want you to be a light reflecting my glory, reflecting me and my love and brother. That's what we ought to be in this scene. Cheater.
00:45:00
The light, Light. The moon. We have none of our own. The moon has no light. And the moon's placed up there by God for witness. It tells us in the South. A witness of what? That the sun is still shining with all his beauty and glory, even though you don't see the sun. That's the pride, a landfare.
We're a witness here that Christ in all his glory, and that's what he wants in Herman.
Means devotion.
A good of wisdom. Devotion. He's telling her deep things. Mouth. He's letting her know what most appeals to him from her, what he expects and loves from her. Devotion. A servant's heart.
Her desire was to please him and he loved it. She says, till he please if he will. DV ought to be our whole thought, Lord willing. Now verse 11. Notice how beautiful this is. Well, let's go to 12.
A garden. Enclosed is my sister, my spouse. A spring. Shut up. A fountain seal. You know she has grown.
You can't help but grow as you go on with him, even though you fail.
She's grown now, she can hear and know about the garden first time. And he tells her what the garden is, the place where his lilies are gathered, where he could be together with them in the midst. You know, it speaks of Bethany's in the Old Testament and it speaks of assembly today in tight. And he says he closed, shut up, sealed. What does that speak out?
Exclusive nothing separation.
That's what he wants.
His love is a jealous love.
God's love is a jealous life. Why? He paid too great a price, brethren, for us to share us, that's why. And that's what He wants for her. Everything set apart, sanctified, separated for Himself. That's what we have at that birth. My plants, verse 13, are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits.
Campfire or peanut flowers with spikner, spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon.
Of frankincense, Burnello's with all the chief spices. You know what that all speaks of?
Separation means to him it's everything. It's all the sweet spices.
When we're a separated people, when we're gathered to him, which is what we're speaking like, Lord say brethren.
We have no idea what.
The thoughts of sisters, beloved. The Spirit of God just sets it up. He's mentioning the variety he gets from his lilies when they're in the garden. And now notice verse 15. She's going to learn a lot more. A fountain of gardens. Not one garden. A fountain of garden, A continuous flow for himself. Isn't that beautiful?
There's assemblies all over the world.
A continuous flow for himself.
Living waters and streams of Lebanon. It just there's no end. But he's the husband one.
He's the one that's taken care of it. He was proved.
16th verse tells us, Await, O North wind, and come thou S blow what my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out, and let my beloved come into His garden and eat his pleasant fruits. The last verse is heard responding. The first verse is Him, and you know He carefully adjusts the winds.
He carefully adjusts.
The breezes so that it'll come as needed.
And whether it's sometimes in our assembly, we need the North Korean.
We need the north wind. The north wind puts us on our knees together before him. We need it. But he knows just the proportion and he sends us out. Freezes too. What is the result?
Testimony and food for himself. Now she says, let my beloved come into his garden, eat his pleasant fruits. Is that a beautiful thought she has his fruits, his garden.
Let him come. She's gross. She's gross. It's a good place to take a break. We'll go on chapter 5. We'll get 5 completed because I dare say it's sad she she fails again. Let's just take about 10 minutes, could we?
00:50:18
He responds to her invitation. She said, Let my beloved come into his garden and eat.
Notice what he says in verse one of chapter 5. I am come. I have gathered. I have eaten. I have drunk. He slides done. I am coming to my garden, my sister, my spouse. I've gathered my nerve with my spice. I've eaten my honeycomb with my honey. I've dumped my wine.
My milk. Eat old friends. Drink. Yay. Drink abundantly, old beloved. He loves to do that. He doesn't fight any of us. He takes the thoughts of the children. Even that lovely milk.
Takes the wine, the ones of us that are so happy at times, but he takes the myrrh too. When we're sorrowful, He loves to take it off. Now in verse two, though I sleep, this is the bride. I sleep. Isn't that sad?
Happening again, still proper 6/6 or 10. Little sleep, little somber, little pulling their hands. Spiritual poverty comes on. One is women and tribal. There it is. I sleep but my heart waking. It's the voice of my beloved and Baka saying open to me, my sister, my love, my dog, my undefiled. I want to tell you something.
Word on the file in the Song of Solomon is reserved for time of failure.
That's Mark was great, isn't it?
Marvelous Christ, he said. Well, I'm the Father, for my head is filled with dew, and my lock with drop to the night.
Do in Scripture speaks of blessing, heavenly blessing. Do only false in the still of the night when there's quietness and peace. Our assemblies, you know, the blessings from heaven had come down when we're going on together.
In unity, in love, that's when it comes a blessing. Well, his head is filled with blessing, his thoughts toward her are blessing, and she isn't where he can shower the blessing order. And he says by locks when the drops of night, let's do the drops of night that's due.
For this what she says, these are thoughts he gave her. I believe the Spirit of God does this for us, brethren.
When we grow them, there's nothing that brings us back but thoughts of ill, nothing but thoughts of him, of the word she said. I put off my coat. How shall I put it on? I washed my feet. How should I defile them? These are the little foxes that spoil the vine so fast, The fruit.
There is not a good excuse Satan can give you. There isn't any.
Too much trouble to put her coat on.
Well, that's not a good excuse. Too much trouble to slip her sandals on.
Little factions, that's what we have here. Little fox. Excuses when you get away. Satan gives excuse this fast.
The rest of them, you know, in Luke 14, as the gospel goes out, they all one accord made excuse, but there wasn't a good excuse there either, was there? Now what? Now there's four speaks of the pastor's heart. That's the Lord, the shepherd. It's demonstrated here. The Spirit of God does that for us.
When we get away, the Spirit of God begins to work with us.
And so notice my beloved put his hand by the whole of the door. My bowels were moved for him. You see, there's a response when the Lord went with the two on the way to Obeyus, He walked with them seven plus miles on that dusty Rd.
And then, when he showed them his hands by breaking the bread, they knew who it was. He revealed himself to them. The hearts burned. What's the next thought? Even he's not at their sight.
Because what he was doing was bringing them back, and when their hearts burned, their feet turned to that very night. They went back to where they got off. That's what's happening here. It's just a glimpse. I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with myrrh and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock. You know, myrrh is bitter, but here we have sweet smelling myrrh.
00:55:16
Both. You know it. It's really an interesting thing. She has mixed emotions.
She knows her failure, she knows what she's done. She knows how she caused him sorrow. But.
He is wounding her back. That brings in sweet smelling her, the bitter and the sweet mixed. You know we love to sing. That, I believe, is what happened when we remember the Lord. It does to me and it does to you. 2:45 We have this thought with joy and sorrow. Mainly we would remember Thee. We see that cup of wrath that he had to take, and there's nothing but myrrh.
Bitterness is soul.
When we're reminded it's our sins that caused him to go through that terrible judgment for us. But then our portion, the cup we have is filled with joy, love, something but love. And so it's it's bitter and sweet. It's joy and style mingle. Here it is because she realizes her part and realizes his love that never changed, never changed going out to her now.
Six, I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. You know, he vanished out of their sight. Luke 24 That's the reason. And he gave her a glimpse. It was working with her soul, of course, and her heart. She gave her a glimpse, but he wants her to come back.
My soul failed when he spake. I thought him, but I could not find him. I called him but he gave me no answer why he's not there. She's back in the city in the ninth of the Broad Rd. That's where she is.
Stop there.
He's not there, he's in her, working as he is with us.
But he's with his lilies in the gardens.
So it's confusion now. This time she exposes herself to harm and injury and loss of dignity. The first time there wasn't that much damage, rather than every time you go back into the world, every time you get away, there's lots. Don't think there isn't. There's loss.
There's damage.
Verse 7, The watchman that went about the city found of me. They smote me, they wounded me. The keepers of the wall took away my veil from me. And there it is. It's now the thorns and the little foxes have had their work with her. She was warned, We're warned.
Not only did she get hurt injured, but notice they took my veil from me.
Now she's just like the other women of the city in the world. She's lost her testimony. She's lost the light. She says one roving that is one that belongs to the garden. She lost her dignity as a believer, as part of the private Christ. There it is, the real damage. What a terrible thing to happen, brethren.
Warning for all of us, it happens. You can't go into the world and have that dignity that you have the blind to the king as being a child of God part of the pride. Now notice verse eight. I charge you women of the cities, daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved that you tell him that I'm sick of love. That deep longing has returned.
That's like the two on the way to obey us, their hearts burned.
They returned how the work is going on in her.
He restores my soul. I just love that in Psalm 23. It means he brings me back with wandering. She says I'm sick of love. Now notice what the women of the city ask her. What is thy beloved more than another beloved? Hold out fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved? That thou does no charge us. This is a beautiful thought here because first Peter chapter 315 says this.
Be ready.
Always to give an answer to everyone that asketh you, the reasons, the hope that's in you. Lord forbidden this so she could confess.
Isn't that wonderful? It's going to be the thing that brings her back. Confession of him is a wonderful thing. It starts the separation. It starts the exclusiveness. They don't want you that often is the result, at least for those of the city. So they said, what is I beloved? You know she was ready.
01:00:09
She was ready. Are you ready? When you're in the world and they ask you, are you really ready?
Ready to speak like she spoke here. Wish I was already ready to speak like she spoke here. It's beautiful. Let's listen to it. My beloved is white and Ruddy. The cheapest among 10,000 white. You know that speaks up Purity. That's his person who he is. Ruddy a piece of blood. That's his work. She just said there's nothing like him.
Chief is about 10,000. There's nothing like him, his person, what he's done.
Then she says that his head is as most fine gold. I want to mention. Remember when he described her when he spoke of his pride 7 features?
The number scripturally of heavenly perfection. But when she speaks of him, 10 features.
Because that's the number of individual responsibility to God. She meets it here, 10 features she describes. I just want to because of time. I said I do an hour and a half, so I must go a little faster. She starts out with his head fine goal. You know what that is divine righteousness. She ends up with his feet, 15 fine gold. You know what that is divine righteousness.
And she has in the middle 1St 14 his hands.
As gold. You know what that is? Divine righteousness.
From the head to the feet.
All righteous and everything he does, everything he does is righteous. Beautiful description, isn't it? We could go into every feature. We don't have time, but it's beautiful to see it. Now notice how she concludes verse 16. His mouth is most sweet. That speaks of his word. What comes out.
Is that the way it is with you and me? I hope it is.
I was telling a little girl here, this is my necessary food. I call that my lunch bucket. Most sweet. I love that. I can't get enough, you know, it says.
The lights I saw in fatness.
A fat soul is a happy, healthy soul as far as the Lord is concerned. You can't overeat, brethren on this precious book, Harry Hale used to say. I'd love to hear him say it almost every time he preached. You can have all of Christ you want, and your life tells others how much you wanted.
That's it. She loves it now. Both sweet. What comes out of his mouth, his word. Then she says, yeah, he is altogether lovely. You know what we say first Peter, Chapter 2.
Think it's five, maybe 7.
Under you, which believe he's prashant. I think that's even a higher thought, actually. JND says he is the graciousness. Everything about Jesus is righteous. Everything.
Altogether lovely.
This is my beloved. You know what that speaks of her affection for him.
Over two dozen times, my beloved. Her affection for him. That's what, that's what it is. This is my friend. That's his loving kindness to her. Is that lovely? His loving kindness. Oh, how sweet. Well, I can tell you His name is Jesus.
You know, it really speaks here. This is such a high. This is such a high thing for answer. It almost speaks to me like Second Chronicles. I forget the chapter, but I think it's.
Diner. Someplace in there, but the Queen of Sheba.
But she came to try.
Solomon without questions.
You know, when she saw his asset, a bunch of the throne, no spirit left in her, no spirit left in her. But this problem with this one is about the bride. So we are.
But she had to say the half hasn't been told.
Whether what's it going to be to be there and see him in all of his glory of beauty? Well, that's what she's bringing out now. Chapter 6. I call it restoration again, because this is really the story of love, but it's redeeming love and restoring love to buy.
The women of the city say to her, after she made this beautiful description, Whither is thy beloved gone, all thou fairest about women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seek it with thee?
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This is a rebuke to the pride.
That's what it is.
Hearing the description of him that she gave him.
It was an impossible thought to deliver the city that she never leave him.
And it said if we ever do.
They said he must have turned aside from thee. Now where did he go?
That's a review.
She says this, my beloved is down, is gone down into his garden. Oh, Alex, she has grown. She doesn't say about lilies. Now she knows where the lilies are. They're gathered together in a garden.
To the beds of spices to feed in the garden. She knows there's more than one now.
Wonderful when we realize how many assemblies are in this world.
All by grace. He's in the midst and he just beats.
Together lilies, you know, sometimes it takes 1 hole just for himself. That's really what that means. He got his one out of his garden and takes it up in the glory just for himself.
Exclusively for himself. It's beautiful, isn't it? Precious in the sight of the Lord, of the death of his Saints.
I like that. I think it's not 160 verse 15, but I like that download is what she says. This is a higher note than the first time. Verse three. I am my beloved. My beloved is fine. He feedeth among the lilies the very high note. Now she has reached the highest, but it's a high note.
Now he in verse four on describes some more her features, although again he's speaking at this end of the chapter primarily Israel, but again we have features like in chapter 4, but nothing is said in these verses of her having been away.
You have nothing like this in this arm of Solomon, because you know the father.
Sees us as accepted in His beloved. He only sees us in Christ. He never calls a Sinner a Sinner again. Brethren, once we're in Christ, that's the side of this love. That's the side we're looking at in the Song of Solomon. He speaks nothing of her. Been away. It's all grace. And so he says in verse 9 by dove, He loves to say that, but under fire.
Don't forget that's a term reserved for when there's been failure by under fire. The only one, the choice one. You know, I, I think of this, the Pearl of great price. When he found one Pearl a great price, he sold all that he had it. He bought it. Choice what? That's how he looks upon her. That's how he looks upon his.
Pride. That's how he looks upon us. The only prayer we have, the whole prayer of the Lord.
Is John 17? What's the subject, you and I?
He's thanking his father for that. Thou hast given me 7 times. You have that expression. It's the key.
Let's go to Chapter 7, first of Titan, how beautiful are thy feet? I call this chapter.
She'll grow.
Perfect.
The term perfect is used in scripture in different ways, but when it's Speaking of the believer if if you're if you're perfect, your folk grow as a believer and can take strong beat.
She's there.
There, beautiful. How beautiful are thy feetly shoes on, Princess daughter? You know what he's speaking about now? A godly walk.
That results from growing and being full grown in God's sake, Dudley Walk. But he tells her more than that. He he he brings her in relation with the king, you see, and and and he lets her know she's in the royal family.
She's getting high thoughts now.
And, brethren, we ought to have those high thoughts.
We're nothing.
But our fathers, the Cape, let's never forgive it. That kind of a thought. It gives a dignified walk, a walk of dignity without pride. That's becoming things, a lot of dignity in this world apart from it, but without any pride because we're not worthy of it. It's disgrace. Now notice he describes her again.
01:10:07
She's in his full favor again and you've got 7 features. We won't go into them again, but I want to mention.
Verse 5.
At the end, the king is held in the galleries. The king is held in the galleries.
This is what she means to him.
You know what one can hold the chain in the galleries. That one has a real attraction.
That's what he says about her. He's in law.
And her beauty is that lovely the bride turn this out. 45 It might be nice to see this Psalm 45. I believe the thought is the same. There sound forth toward a virtual evidence of Psalm 45.
So shall the king greatly desire by beauty, for he is thy Lord. Worship thou here, He greatly desires thy beauty. That's what we have here.
Time for us to understand it. But the Lord sees such beauty in US.
But it's what we are in him, the perfection of what he's done for us.
Beauty surprise. And so let's go on.
We'll get out to verse 10 because the descriptions of her are beautiful, but I don't want to take time. Now she's learned verse 10 is probably the highest note in the South. I am my beloved and his desire is towards me. That's the high note. She only sees herself in relation to him.
That's a high note. If you can only see yourself in respect to Christ, you've got a high note. And if the one thing that delights you and occupies you is that he has a desire toward you, that's a high note. She's reached it. It's beautiful. Now notice she says it's come by, beloved. Let us go forth into the field. Let us live in the villages. She's done with the cities.
She's done with the broad roads at night.
She's full growth.
Isn't it wonderful to reach it? It's wonderful to reach it. You're spoiled for the world. That's the thought. And brethren, go on with the Lord at the word of his grace. You'll be spoiled for this world. You know, you'll lose all attractions. It's the it's the fields now in the villages, you see. Let us get up early to the vineyards, place of joy. Let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender great appeared in the pomegranates but forth.
There will I give thee my love, No, my loves.
Notice everything now is us and we. She can't think of herself apart from you. She can't think of him apart from herself.
One that lovely one there will I give thee, my love. That's a beautiful thought. Everything's for him now. The Mandrakes give a smell at our gaze, and all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee.
My beloved. 24th time all my beloved.
You know what I read here? It loves new and old.
Even though she grew cold, and even though she did get away and though she was in the wrong place, she never committed spiritual adultery.
She didn't get her love to another. I think it's precious. Now that she's back, she says they're all for thee. I've laid them up.
And the old and the new.
I never turned to another. Never.
Beautiful thought brother, beautiful thought. He doesn't want to share us.
He doesn't want us to turn to any other.
And she didn't.
It's all his grace, and she didn't because he brought her back. You know, every time I want to mention seven, I told you, is the scriptural number of heavenly completion and perfection. So this ought to end, the Song of Solomon said. And it does. That's it.
The 7th chapters here, we've gone through it.
These chapter is merely a recapitulation of the whole. That's what it is. I'll just give you a few thoughts here. It stands by itself. These chapter stands by itself.
01:15:07
Verse three His left hand under my head, His right hand should embrace me. You know what this thought we had we twice before.
She she sees herself.
In the fullness of his love and his affection, and completely in his control.
Folklore. That's all folklore. I charge you all Daughters of Jerusalem, verse four, that you stir not up to wake, my love, until he flees. There it is.
Has changed again, if he will the as the Lord will. She has that thought again. Her desire is His pleasure.
Six, set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine heart. For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. The colds are of our coals of fire, which has the most vehement play. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.
She says love is strong as death.
This is the one thing that's new.
And in tight it speaks about that love, greater love hath no man than this, that he laid out his life for his friend.
Brother, we were at Elise when Christ died for us. That's divine life. That's divine love. Divine love goes out because of what it is, and it reaches out to the unlovely faith.
However, she is grasped now and it's so strong.
That many waters can't quench it. That's his death fur his death for her. He gave himself escalations. 220 at the end, The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
You ever grasp that love she's grasped, but she's not got it. Floods can't drown it. I forget what salvage is. You remember what salvage is. I should remember 42, seven and a deep call. It wasn't deep, but the noise of my water spot spout. All thy waves and my billows are gone over me. That's the cross. All thy waves, thy bills are gone over me.
Joke tells how far down he went.
Although you can't measure it, you can't. Well, this is that thought. Verse 1819, verse 8-9 and ten speak of Israel.
Particularly, I could say exclusively, I want to just get to the end because our time is up 13 and 14.
Thou that dwellers in the gardens. Oh how she has grown. She's not a babe like chapter one. She's not only knows he has gardens for the lilies where he gathers them.
But He dwells there where two or three are gathered together. By they there am I. In the midst. He dwells there. The Lord always wanted to dwell among His people. It's always been His desire. That's why the Tabernacle, That's why the temple.
Now there's a clean place to dwell.
It's where they're gathered to his name. Separated from this world, She learned that he dwells there. The companions hearkened thy voice. Now look at her desire.
Caused me to hear it. Was that a beautiful truth? Caused me to hear it.
Her final thought, Verse 14 Make case, my beloved, be thou like to a row, or to a young heart. Upon the mouths of spice. So ends the precious song of songs and the beautiful. She fervently longed for her beloved's return, for her and you. Oh what I hope we have, brother. What a blessed hope we have.
The lawyer occupied with him, a lawyer feeder detached from this world. You got a good walk, a pleasant walk, happy walk, a light. You know the last thought I had there with the word of God is Even so come Lord Jesus, who said that the bride.
Where you get the thought and the Spirit of God, verse 17 of 22, the Spirit and the bride say the thought is the spirit. Let's never forget it. We never have that thought of our own, but the words, the expression of it are the bride. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come.