Des Moines Conference: 1971
Table of Contents
1 Peter 2:1-5
Reading
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See the Mind of the Brethren to consider the second chapter of First Peter.
We have the Pilgrim stranger before us in the prayer meeting the other evening.
And some of it this morning.
The expectation in this chapter an 11 verses. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
First, the Council of Fader, Chapter 2.
Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all Guild hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings.
As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
If so be that you have tasted, the Lord is gracious, to whom coming is unto a living stone, disallow, indeed, of men, but chosen of God and precious.
Ye also in lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Wherever also is contained in the structure, behold, I lay in Sion at Jeep Cornerstone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
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Under user for which believe he is freshness, but under them which we disobedient, the storms of builders were disallowed the same as made the head of the corner and the stone is stumbling a rock of a fence even to them is stumbled at the word being disobedient, for unto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation.
A peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness.
Into his marvelous light, which in time fast were not a people, but are now the people of God, which have not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul, having a conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against his evildoer.
They made by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King of Supreme or under governors, is.
From the table door and for the praise of them that do well.
So is the will of God. That was well doing. You may put the silence, the ignorance, A foolish man as free, and not using your liberty for a talk of maliciousness, but as a servant of God.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward, for this is thank worthy.
If a man for conscience toward God endured grief, suffering wrongfully, for what glory is a dip? When ye be puppeted for your false, ye shall take it patiently. But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God, For even here unto where ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his death.
Through this nausea neither was Giles found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he sovereignly threatened not, but committed himself to him that Judgeth righteously, who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live under righteousness. By her strike you were healed, for ye were a sheep going astray.
But are now returned unto the shepherd.
Confession of your souls?
Wherefore refers back no doubt to the position that believers placed in in the first chapter, and being elected and in the place of favor before God. Now the exhortations are on that basis.
Our Big Brother Monteen, if he keeps before us.
The 11Th person you call special attention to. We'll realize the importance of these expectations.
That we're only strangers and pilgrims going through a world that has rejected and exclusive by our blessed Lord.
Allow the counter the ways of those who are cousins and strangers.
Are as clearly marked out for us in these evil days and these very subjects.
Brought before us will have this effect if they're laid hold of by the power of the Spirit of God.
To keep us separate, separated from all course of this world. It will lead to our judgment of the old nature whenever it seeks to interfere.
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It will defeat the purpose of saying to rob us.
Of our testimony, and it will separate us from this French evil word.
So if we just keep that in mind, here is instructions for people who are looked upon as as strangers and fulfillments.
Hearing every day the moment when they leave this theme of their pilgrimage.
To be forever with the Lord.
We have a good example of being a Pilgrim in the 20th chapter of Numbers.
It's a fine picture of a pilgrim's path and in relation to the world.
Still grown, bouncing without encroaching on its rights. Numbers 20 and verse 17.
Let us pass, I pray thee through thy country.
You will not pass through the field or through the vineyard.
They may have looked very attractive, but we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards. Neither will we drink of the water of the wells. The wells could refer to the places of this life. Speaks of a well in the 4th of John. We will go by the King's Hwy. That's the official path laid out.
Kings Highway We will not turn to the right hand, nor to the left until we are half side ordered.
While occurable, pictures and scenes of the film passing through an enemy's land.
We should notice too in taking this portion up the connection between with the end of the previous chapter.
As connected with the second verse of our chapter.
At the end of the previous chapter, the first chapter of First First Peter.
Peter no doubt is quoting from Isaiah.
And.
All Flashes is grants.
And all the glory of man is the flower of grass, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.
Now this was the.
Character. The message of John the Baptist was it not and it'll be the.
Message to Israel in the coming day when they come back.
The 40th of Isaiah.
It's really the moral restoration of that nation, the basis of it. That man has been proved in the flesh, and there's nothing for God in US. So now his newborn babes, we start out again. We have a new life. It's not in the flesh. It's not on the basis of what the flesh brings, but it's on the basis of.
The fact that we're born again and we're heavenly citizens and so we walk here as pilgrims and strangers. Now we know that oftentimes we don't manifest this character and we're learners, but this is our character before God now as strangers and pilgrims. And we should recognize that practically someone has said that the first verse of the second chapter.
Is like 1 putting the plow on the ground.
Turning the soil over.
So that the seed can be planted.
As laying aside all malice, all malice to be through with the whole thing, the root and all.
In all God, in all hypocrisies, envies.
And all evil speak God rather than this certainly reaches into our hearts this morning and consciences.
How easily we turn to these things, That is the flash, is it not?
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Prominent in middle-aged food.
The pride of life.
How they suffer the blackhead and say I know that it's my face that well it's no good faith.
And so whether it matches us tomorrow, I ask you and just go as middle-aged.
We have to be very careful.
Sonic, these methods the last super question you.
The must of the eyes is his age. Both at the time of life we hold men.
We, Payless we.
Hell said that so many.
Age and then first.
In there.
A brother in England.
Richardson, thank you. He prayed every day that he would never die a wicked old man.
A wicked old man.
And God heard that prayer.
We don't say that he care.
And he adhere to those things exactly. We give the mother, but we do remember his writings.
But we pay that those words of our hearts. It's nice to know though, although we have the Trinity of evil against us, the world of flesh and the devil, we have the Trinity of good forests, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
Keep slow down. They never want the time, but not good when we leave to keep our faces in the bus as today.
My old brother ain't Wilder. Bloomington, IL used to say that in the first verse of this chapter we are told to get the weeds out of the garden.
And these different things mentioned here are the weeds.
A malice God hypothesis. And there's an all evil speaking. And then we're in a state of soul, which we find in the second verse as newborn babe desire the sincere milk of the word that he may grow thereby.
Although the effects of life, the garden is he grown up with weeds.
How it chokes out the young plants or they are not able to grow and develop and then when these weeds are pulled out of the garden then we're in a healthy state so that the pure milk of the word of God.
Enables us to have spiritual growth.
Sincere really means other countries. Other countries were gone when you belong to them. Certainly can't do it. There is such a practical.
Word in verse one you mean various words.
So needful.
You and I not recognize how needful it is to be on our guard.
Our so inclined to fail and to entertain or allow ill attitudes towards some brother, sister.
Wherefore laying aside.
Because we have this new nature, chapter one, verse 23, we're born of God.
We're redeemed, we're elect, We're kept guarded. We have the glory before us because of all that, Wherefore laying aside all malice?
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Malice. Notice it in verse 16 of our chapters.
Maliciousness.
An I'll attitude toward another.
I believe we have some remarkable illustrations of this.
1St in particular not what the others before like in Cain and stable, but you get in the first.
Prominent king of Israel Saul.
How he when he beheld that young man that had won such a great battle beyond.
What would possibly be conceived in the mind of people venture when David slew that giant, then to think of King Saul, The jealousy, the malice, the enemy that rose in his heart.
I David from that day forward now those chapters First Kings 18/19/20 and 21 repeatedly shows that I'll attitude in the heart of King Saul against that lovely one David. So here well we also have.
In, especially in the case of the Lord Jesus.
How they are ending or ending, they could not stand this holy 1. The flesh has that I'll attitude towards. The Lord gives right towards God and all holy things and questions. So for envy they crucified Him and there are other cases that are prominent. But here's an important verse. I love to learn more from it myself and I trust the same if you yourself.
Wherefore, laying aside all malice, don't allow a little Bitterroot, a little bit of a Bitterroot towards any.
It would not be a healthy state of heart to entertain such things that such was never in the heart of God or in the Lord Jesus.
Malice. All God Hypocrisy. Envy.
And all evil speaking that isn't easy, is it?
Would you say that Obadiah Brother Brown was written just for this very purpose? How Esau had a perpetual malice and hatred for his brother Jacob and he's going to lose his inheritance and Saul lost his Kingdom because it's been said that sin doesn't?
Run alone so we have these things in groups when when one gets out of the path.
And begins to manifest and and a heart that's turned away from God, that there is a repetition of sins. If one does evil then he lies about it. And so on. So we have the list here grouped together, showing that it isn't simply an act when these things come out.
Before contention, but a haughty spirit before a fall? And when the haughty spirit is manifest, then perhaps other things are manifest at the same time. And if there is a hatred, if there is a malice towards someone, then comes evil speaking, and all this goes together, those things that are within our mentioned first. Is that right? These things that are mentioned in the verse are very often hidden within the heart and perhaps can only be seen.
Mighty eye of God, but the verse does end with evil speaking. At last it comes out. And I guess we've heard it said that if we would judge those things which our brethren cannot see, we would not have to duck those things which so often, sadly, they can see. And I wonder too how we can discern the very earliest beginnings of these things springing up in our hearts. Sometimes I've heard an attempt made to define and to differentiate between these various.
Words. I have no doubt there is a definition for each one, but I've never been able to.
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The satisfied with those definitions, it seems to me, as I read such a list, that the Lord is telling me that He can deserve in my heart that which I alone would not be able to differentiate, anger off malice, and so on. Sometimes I can't distinguish between the literal meaning of these words, but the Lord himself, looking at our hearts, can discern them. He is able, Is He not, to bring them to our attention? And in what manner?
By looking around and observing the way other people act.
Is there not the danger that I would tolerate a great deal in myself if I judged according to that which perhaps we might observe if we looked around? But if we were to read the precious living word of God, and to find ourselves by grace in the company of the Lord Jesus Christ, would there not be then a speedy discernment of the very earliest beginnings of the activity of any of these things in our hearts?
The company of the Lord Jesus, in whom these things were never found, would, I suggest, cause us to become aware immediately of any of these things springing up within our own heart, And they would be intolerable to us if we really wanted and enjoyed the company of the Lord Jesus.
Hell, what did you think about your last question of the 139th song? Would really give us a win one win at least again, and follow our two that we need before us. Search thee, O Lord Time, are we to see if there be any wicked wave and lead me in the way of her lasting.
To see her own hearts, and then we get along with the Lord.
And let him really speak to us, and search these hearts of ours. And willing to, it disappears. Anything that is not right, that has anything that happens to be done, the Lord will manifest it.
I believe that there's a prayer that is not for the public. I'm a little brother. Just to pray. That is the prayer meeting all the time. It was very evident that it was not really acting and the Spirit of it himself. That's a prayer for the Father and the prayer that needs to be continually.
Spoken before the Lord so that there might be that soul that you speak up.
We get a very sad picture of our heart and the 15th chapter of Matthew.
We usually look on the outside of man, but the Lord looks upon the heart in the 15th chapter of Matthew and verse 18.
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the past and they defile the man. Now we find 7 things I mentioned.
Of its 7 fallen wickedness.
Or out of the path proceed evil. False.
Murders, adulterous fornications, vets, false witness, blasphemies, blasphemies, these are the things which defile a man. Then in the 3rd chapter of Titans, the third verse, we have another seven goal picture.
The outside picture of man kind of three and three for we all, for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish. 7 things mentioned again, disobedient, deceived, serving divers, lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and painting one another.
The 70s of Jerry Meyer.
We read the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it?
Lord gives the answer, he says. I, the Lord search the up, try the rain, so he knows exactly what's in our house. So we have a very solid picture here of the half in his sevenfold wickedness, the inside picture and the outside picture. I have a little four line.
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The poems here, May I read it? The bitter ill will that you nurse in your heart.
Will not stay inside where it first got a start.
For sinew and blood are a thin veil of lace. What you wear in your heart, you wear on your face, it comes out.
Well, all we've been saying about.
About that first first is preparing for the construction of the 2nd.
And newborn phase desire the sincere mouth of the word.
He may draw their mind.
All our elderly third chapter first Corinthians. Paul writing in the Corinthians, he said that he had fed them with with milk and hot with meat.
Here, here, until you are not able to bear neither yet now are you able, And he goes on telling their Carmela. And so in the 5th capture of Hebrews, they finally passed there again.
Telling those Hebrews.
He was not able to together strong face. He had the only.
How he goes to passage? We have an early fall and it has just remaining and a.
An occupation with the elementary clothes, like the worst gospel of His grace.
Center for Christ.
Well, there needs to be broken.
The form of tour things of existence are standing for God and our acceptance in the beloved and our place in the body of Christ.
Members of his body and so on.
But the impossible killer is speaking up. Here is something that needs always to.
See our Savior soul, that is, we need always from the time we become a child and Bob until the Lord takes away. We need that newborn faith, desire.
One rule, yesterday or today, accepts the Lord as a savior. Have within him that desire.
For the things of the Lord, he doesn't be born again, coming to God's family without a desire, no more Christ, and so he naturally turns to work to find more for his soul about the Blessed One who has saved him.
Well, we need that ever kept.
Right in our memory and we don't grow out of that at all.
So that newborn made desire, and how lovely it is to see that newborn being desire in an old Saint of God who has followed the Lord for many years. He still wants to know more of his senior. His love for the word is Justin Keen as the day when he accepted Christ and his Savior.
And we need to be careful. And what?
We do not become to intellectual earth, or just do too much occupied deep cruise to the forgetfulness of that to which belongs to the being.
Millborn soul.
But he accepted him as his savior.
We have several.
I mean animals. The alligator, the turtle, Well, we also might include the whale. We are told that as long as they live, they grow. The alligator, the turtle and the whale as long as they live.
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Now a babe nurses frequently, does it not? Then newborn babe to the attention. There used to be two 2 1/2 hours apart to the night. I don't know they may have elongated nowadays, but we need to be of that sort as our brother has emphasized it.
It's nice to see also here not only the word that's mentioned, but the order that we have in Peters epistles as well as all of the apostles and although they do exhort.
It's interspersed with setting before us the person of Christ. Now, I believe this is something to notice.
Especially for those who may seek to minister and exhort their brethren, that unless there is the object before the heart.
Unless we start with the right premise.
The expectation is really not doesn't have much effect.
Peter speaks of the Saints as beloved, but he also brings before them the person of Christ.
Here we have it over and over again in this chapter in the third verse, if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Well, that fits in, doesn't it, with the fact that all flesh is grass. That's where we start.
There's nothing in man, and if it weren't for the graciousness of God, we would have no standing. But now that we have a standing through grace, the expectation is to the beloved, and grace is provided as we have in other passages in Peter. He giveth more grace, He gives as much grace as we need. And so we stand in grace, and we are able to carry out these instructions only on the basis of grace.
But it's having the person before us, is it not?
I like to read a verse to in Psalm 119 and verse 9.
Psalm 119, verse nine. I think we have something very precious in this Psalm 119 in connection with the word of God. As a matter of fact, almost in every verse as mentioned the word of God. And so here in verse nine we have something in connection with the word of God, freedom and the Word of God, which is very precious, isn't it?
Where we shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy voice. And so here we find that the word of God not only feeds us, but as we read the Word of God, that cleanses us as the blessed cleanseth effect in our lives. And then in the same Psalm 119.
Verse 3130.
Verse 130. Now here we see another blessed fact that we'll have by freedom and the word of God.
In Psalm 119 and verse 130, say the influence of thy way give it light.
It give an understanding to the simple. So we have a two fold lesser thing here is given for us for life and is given for us for understanding. So it is very blessed to notice that the word of God is good for us not only for food but for cleansing for life.
And for understanding.
Jeremiah would say in the 15th chapter and verse 16-9 words were found and I did eat them.
And thy word was unto me that joy and rejoicing of mine, for I am called by Thy name.
Once said that if we feed upon the word of God and meditate upon it and upon the Fern of Christ, it will keep us from sin, but sin will keep us from meditating from Christ in Word. That's what we have in the 11Th verse of that 119th sound thy word. Have I hidden my heart that I might not sin against thee?
Next to the you imagine.
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In connection with.
Brother, dear brother Eric made the European speaking before off in connection with all age and who how that speaks to my own heart and conscience. And I was taken in connection with that of the man of God in the Old Testament in the 13th chapter of the first book of the King. What a sad story about that man in the old estimate that male God time and time again.
Is called the man of God.
The Old Testament. He started well in one faithful from Judah to Samaria, and to speak against the idolatry that was taking place in Samaria. And he went out faithful. And then he failed, miserable at the end. What a solemn way that is for all age, for me and for every one of us. How faithful that man was. If you read that chapter, the first king, chapter 13 again and again.
This problem is called the man of God. The man of God. What? I just like to read one verse of the child, just that one verse in that chapter.
Verse 26.
Verse 26 of the 13th chapter of A praise King and well, the proverb that brought him back, that is the old heaven. Samantha, from the way Heidi said it is the man of God who was disobedient.
To the word of the law. Therefore the Lord has delivered him unto the lion which had told him.
And slaying him according to the word of the Lord which is spoken to him. What a solemn lesson that is. Isn't he forever? What a solemn lesson that is. He started well. And again I say time and again he is called the man of God. And then he answers, and all her we need to pray. Oh, God, help me, that I not become an old fool. How I need to pray that for myself.
Man of God is mentioned 15 times in this chapter, but.
His carcass is mentioned 10 times. The man of God.
We have to remember, I believe, that the lion there.
It's typical of our enemy Satan.
What a solemn faith, unless mine could be delivered to the lions, and it was by the Lord.
And I trust that we may not get into a simpler circumstance where the Lord has to allow the enemy Satan to do some work with us.
Because this is a solemn thing, but sometimes that's the only way the Lord has of teaching us the lessons, and I promise that we might be very, very tender in our consciences.
And that we might take heed to our ways according to the words. We must remember that the word of God is not some magic thing, that if I simply read it, it's going to do something magic in my life. No, the word says Take heed according to your way, that is according to the word. Take heed unto thy way according to the Word. That's what we have in that ninth verse of Psalm 119.
For a contrast between this man of God and the apostle Paul. He could say I was delivered out of the mouth of the line. He was a man of obedience and dependence upon the Lord. And the man in the 13th chapter, First Kings, he was put to two tests. One was a worldly test. The king invited him to go home with him. He said, not me. I've had my word in the Lord. I'm not coming home with you.
And then align prophets and I'm a prophetess now. So now he brings the man of God down his own level to the product level. He told the man of God, not a problem. And the lion prophet says I am a prophetess hour. And the Angel spake as the me and said invite him towards your house.
Now he fails under a religious test. How careful we have to be about religious tests.
Might resolve for one moment to the question of the word of God.
We read in Matthew for first of all in Psalm 12.
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That the words of the law are pure words.
There is an insidious attack from the word of God, beloved, in these days.
Satan hates Christ and he hates the word of God.
And so we are feeling this, but says here the words of the Lord are pure words.
That is to say that every jot and title of the word of God are imperishable. Now we say that having spent years on the question beloved of translation of the script.
Over in Matthew 5 we read in verse.
18 of Chapter 5.
More vividly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth has one God. Well, you know, that's just a Greek word, John, or one title, and that's a simple Hebrew word.
Shall in no wise pass from the law.
The law, the law. Fulfill.
And these days, beloved, when they are direct attacks upon the precious word of God, we do remember that in these writings Are God free? I was talking to a young professor on this wise, and I was extremely saddened to hear the explanation that he gave a certain scripture. He was just a natural man.
Natural man, he didn't understand. But we do remember, beloved, that every job and every ticket.
These are imperative and not only so.
The doctrines of this message book are complete, are complete, and another little word in 10 is perfect. It's perfect so that the words of the Lord are pure wealth. I just mentioned that because of that word of adultery, the adulterated word is very prevalent.
But here we have the unadulterated word of God. Beloved, we believe this book from cover to cover.
We certainly should if we don't.
Heaven on earth she'll pass away, but my word shall not pass away.
Forever alone, Thy word is settled in heaven. Well, excuse this I just mentioned because there are some university folk here who are playing continually, even as I was as a young man, with the question of the inspired word of God. Oh, may we hold to love.
This is the word of the living God.
Do enough an example of that Brother Smith in Jeremiah 8 and verse 9.
The wise men are ashamed.
They are dismayed and taken.
Below they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them.
How differently, Apostle Paul, you just mentioned there, here, Mayor Firefox, those wise men and the 2nd Epistle of Corinthians, chapter 2 and verse 17. Paul said for we are not as many which corrupt the word of God. I believe that's really I am to adulterate this because of this.
The Word of God.
But as necessarily, but as of God, in the sight of God beat me in Christ, then, then the and the 4th chapter and second verse, right, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty or shame, not walking through craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully.
My manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, one can twist the word of God and produce the meanings to suit their own purpose, perhaps to make themselves popular.
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And to.
Lead others astray. Well, Paul went right after the contest. He took the pure word of God, unadulterated, and he gave it in all its forcing power to the souls of those to whom he addressed the Word, so that he says by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
That is, he didn't use the word of God just to please the intellect of man, but he used it to reach the conscience of every man. And that is not only sinners, but God's people. For sometimes we can get into a careless way and try.
To use the word to to fit in with the wrong course, we want to take instead of letting it speak in its solemn message.
It was a conscience. Well, there was number other servant that God ever had that.
Use the word with such power to the consciences of men as the apostle Paul, for in the next verse he says, But if our gospel be hid or veiled, it is veiled to them that are lost. That is that the message of the apostle Paul, who only sought to reach the conscience.
Was rejected. It showed that those who refused it.
Were people that are spoken of as lost?
To fail the truth from their eyes.
There was 0 I'm sure, a service who was so faithful and always seeking to reach the conscience in his ministry with the word of God.
In his last epistle.
The Apostle Paul anticipating these last days we're living in. In the last days, difficult times come and they're here now.
And to this young Timothy that he loved so dearly.
He writes in chapter 2, verse 15. Most people can quote this verse and let us consider it.
Strive diligently in the other translation. Now strive diligently to present Thyself at the individual approved unto not your brethren, but unto God.
A Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Cutting in a straight line, the word of truth.
When my wife lays the goods on the carpet and the pattern and pin to it and takes the scissors and travels around that line, she is to follow the pattern with a straight line, as it were.
And what our Father read in first in First, Second Corinthians 217 and 422 wonderful verses that bring this thing character out, strive diligently to show ourselves.
Approved unto God. That's the servant's business, and some of us know it, But we would love to be more faithful than doing it now, in keeping with this same truth.
In chapter 3 in Second Timothy verse 14 continue.
Thou that's individual in the things which thou hast learned.
And in chapter 4.
Verse 2.
Proclaim the word.
And even recruit and rebuke.
And long, so long-suffering and doctrine, for the time will come, And it has come now, brethren, When they will not endure, they'll not bear.
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Sound Doctrine.
If it's put forth, oftentimes all that legality, no obedience to the word of God is not legality.
For the time of come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heat to themselves teachers having itching ears.
Teachers having itching ears.
Fingerprint and they shall turn away their ears from the truth.
Picking off the Galaxy?
Business to flash in office that would rise up and say, well, that's actually gallery.
What if God says this is what we should do, and we shouldn't do that, but remember, we have the born of God.
That wants to please God as much as the Lord Jesus Christ himself please God. That's the kind of an issue we had.
And let's not forget.
What it says here is so be he have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
How do I taste that? Well, I see my own wretchedness.
And how good the Lord has been for me to die, for me to shed His precious blood, for me to pay all my debt, to give me a new life, to bless me with all spiritual blessings in the happiness in Christ I give You, servant Thee. And yet God has done it all for me. That's great. Well, I'm sure that we have not sounded the depths of grace.
And this is what we need to do. And surely kind of our growth is to grow in grace. This is what Peter speaks of in his last, last the crystal growing grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We need to grow in grace and also in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Well, this is not legality and the more we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord.
The more our lives will be transformed and we will be more like Christ. Would you allow Brother Anderson also in that third verse? But this is a conscience for the word, for the conscience of the unsafe, and how we would love to see this morning if there were one or more unsaved in the room.
They realized that Peter is speaking here, or God is speaking through Peter to the conscience of the unsaved.
Have you really tasted that the Lord is gracious? Are there those here this morning who've never known what it is to have their sins put away? I believe that's included in this, is it not?
Have you ever had the thought?
When you've failed, now this is for the children of God. Have you ever had the thought? When you have failed, you've sinned against the law.
The thought is now I have to do something to make up for that. Now I have to do something to to to offset this thing that I have done.
Well, that's a legal thought. And this is not tasting. That's the largest gracious if we sin, we have the simple word that God gives us. If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I don't deserve to be forgiven, but the Lord graciously forgives. I don't marry, but He shows me that favor, and He forgives me. Well, I have to be cast upon the grace of the Lord. I think Peter was He had failed, and no doubt this is what He has in mind, at least one thing when he's speaking here, when he says this, if so be He had hastened that the Lord is gracious, Isn't He telling us?
I tasted that the Lord is gracious.
All how I sit against the Lord, but he's forgiven me everything and this is what we have to do. Task ourselves upon the grace of the Lord and own before him. We have sinned and we'll take that same graciousness, my honest.
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You notice Brother Anderson had assumed that as the Lord had publicly restored Peter in the presence there at the Sea of Galilee.
And going right down to the root of his failure, and that was self-confidence. The next thing the Lord says is follow me. And none of this really is a path, isn't it? When the matter has been thoroughly judged, the root of it has been judged in the Lord Christ.
Then instead of, as you say, trying to do something to offset that and getting into a legal state, the next thing is to follow me as the Lord says. And then Peter looking around, he sees John and he says, and Lord. And what shall this man do? The Lord says, what is that to leave? Follow thou me instead of getting our eyes on someone else. How well, brother, so and so is following the Lord, or whether no he is calling the Lord. That's very careful and wonderful that we're following the Lord ourselves.
The Lord will take care of other matters that are coming before us.
Much is being said about the heart of God, and not too much either. I was thinking of the words of Samuel to King Saul in the 9th chapter of First Samuel. He said, But stand thou still a while. The last verse of nice chapter stand there still a while, but I may show these.
Word of God.
Now a few verses in connection with this. The 15th chapter, first Samuel, verse 24.
Now we'll see the end, the solemn end of this. And Saul said, Understand you, I have sinned, I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and thy words, because I fear the people and raise their voice.
Verse 26 And Samuel said on the soul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
Now the 26th chapter.
And verse 21.
Then said Saul, I have sinned. Return my son, David. I will no more do the harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes. This day, behold, I have played the fool and have earned exceedingly.
Then the final verse of chapter 28, verse 4.
Let's and so on to his arm of error draw thy sword. And thus Reef thrust me through there with lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through an abuse me but his armor bear would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it. He committed suicide. How did it all stop? He rejected the word of the Lord. That was the sad beginning.
Is on a solid picture for those who reject the word of the Lord.
You'll have been what we've been over. That's all leading up to the.
Verse, that is, the are instructed in a way that brings us into a state of soul where we can be taught.
About the truth and connection with the Temple of God, the House of God, or connected with the Church of God. So our walk and behavior comes first before.
Doctrinal truth is introduced.
And that we have introduced in this way to whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but children of God and precious ye also have life is really living stones are built up a spiritual house.
And only priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, I suppose, to whom coming as more a Saint of God, although of course the Sinner is told to come to the Savior. Jesus says come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, but now the thoughts especially is coming to the Lord.
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As that living stone.
He spoke to Peter about in the 16th chapter of Matthew after Peters confession. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Lord says to Peter, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, or flakes, and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art eaters, That's a little stone. And upon this rock I will build my church.
It's just as much as all the Lord says, Peter. You're a little stone. But I'm the bedrock upon which the Church of God is to be built, in which the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Well, Peter understood the meaning of the Lord's word perfectly.
For he says. To whom coming? He doesn't say coming to me, but to this one who has been so gracious to us.
As our Lord and Savior, now we come to Him as that living stone.
And then, as Living Stones, he goes on with the subject. We're built up a spiritual house.
Often we should come to him, brother.
That very special negotiations are often we should come to him once a week, once a month, when I believe there should be a daily practice, our exercise and desire to be in his presence daily, to receive the blessing and the correction that we needed.
After whom come?
So they're part of the the thought here is coming to Christ really as the gathering Center for his people. That is really the thought. And you notice the importance Leader makes of that word living.
In his Confession Thou art the Christ, the Son of a living God.
I'll either never forgot that word. The living God now He is He finds that the very light that we see in Christ is the light that we possess ourselves. If He's the living stone, we are the living stones, the same light that we see on that blessed one who tub the weary pathway of this simple world.
The very light that we possess now through grace and that blessed one wonderful amazing truth, isn't it that we should have the very light, the very nature of the Lord Jesus himself?
Let us not forget, though, that the old life, the old nature, is still there and has to be continually judged if that new life is to manifest itself in our daily walking ways.
There's nothing to try the back.
The place, the burden to whom we should come.
Then we find in verse five doing not display should be characterized by worship.
The fifth verse and we find its own in divine order because we get worship in verse 5 and service in verse 9.
But sometimes we hear so much about service and very little about worship. But this in perfect divine order. Here in verse five, ye also has life. Your living stones are built up a spiritual Paris and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. That's showing me worship in verse 10 speaks of service.
But we are a chosen generation of royal priesthood and culmination of peculiar people, that he should OfferUp no show for show forth the praise is or virtues of him hath called you out of darkness into his mouth.
I do believe it's so important to note because so many people all talking about service today, but very little about worship. We have the same truth brought out in the 13th chapter of Hebrews.
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In the same order.
Verse 15 By him same person. Therefore let us half of the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his names as worship. The next verse is service, I believe, but to do good and to communicate, forget love, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
And we have the very same order in the first four books of the Bible. In Genesis we have sin comes in, Man's a failure is sin. In Exodus we have the fall of redemption brought in. In Leviticus we find man worshipping for the numbers he's serving. So it's all in perfect order.
Your remark, brother Barry made me think of that verse. As he is, so are we in this world.
Well, that's a very important truth that has to do with our standing, beloved, reform God that we do stand. And it's a truth that we seek to get to the younger Christians among the Latin, that we do stand before God in all the perfection of Christ. There's not one spot, not one state. That's our standing. That's our position as He is.
So are we in this world now? I remember a young man, he was in trouble about that, and when we we repeated that verse he got light and of course has gone on ever since, for which we praise the Lord.
Our standing, beloved is in all the perfection of Christ. Our state varies, of course, according to communion.
Go keeping shortcuts.
Sometimes the we get mixed up between the standing of the believer and the state. I just mentioned that by the way in case there's a young Christian here who is in difficulty about that. Our brother Barry mentioned about living stone that the Christ the son of the living God and here we are living stones before God in all the perfection of Christ. It's a wonderful truth.
How?
Or rather, not twice saying what you brought before Timothy the.
House is a great house, and it may include that which is spurious, but here it's something like we have in the third chapter of Hebrews a son over his own house.
And so it's it's being built. That is, it's not yet complete. It's complete in the councils of God. But I believe the word here should be being built, being built, so that when the house is finished, it will be the habitation of God. And of course, now on the earth, the Spirit of God has made his habitation in the assembly, which is a different thought perhaps, but.
Still, we have here that which is composed of living stones. Everything's good in this house. It's being built.
It's a growing temple.
In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 21. Just a moment they might look at it because of the following verse also.
In keeping with what you said, brother.
Ephesians.
Chapter 2.
Verse 20 says.
And being built upon the foundation.
Of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Now that's in keeping with our chapter of half. Now we get the temple in verse 21 which is growing.
In whom all?
The building fit the frame together grow us, it grows until an holy temple in the Lord, soon to be completed. In the meantime, verse 22, in whom ye also are billed together for an habitation of God through the Spirit, the Holy Spirit indwelling the believers as we travel through the wilderness.
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Until all are brought in, the temple is completed. Now another thought. I'd like to go back to what?
Our brother, Gladding was emphasizing.
The order in our chapter as well as other places in the Word of God God's mind does definitely give us.
The importance of worship.
The Father Seeketh worshippers. He produces them by giving the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the object of worship because what he has done in manifesting God's love and grace to us in salvation.
But the the believer is then.
One his heart won and his heart filled, yes, with worship. And that is so important it is related to communion. The burnt offering and the peace offering are very much related so that.
We must remember God's mind gives these things the first place.
As brother said, we sometimes.
Put service before worship and communion. But our chapter definitely gives us this spiritual house and holy priesthood before it gives us the royal priesthood. That is these excellent things going out to others.
Brethren, I have heard in letters and utterances of godly Brethren much of the late years of a danger that lies before us, of neglecting the most important thing, the Lord Jesus wants us to draw near to himself. God wants us as God the Father to God nearer to himself, and we seem to be.
Slow at learning this lesson and practicing it. I know. So is myself.
In the gospel of excuse me, but to give the Lord the 1St place rather than serve as the first place. It is a sad state of soul.
When I have been become so occupied with service that I discover a condemning heart because of the lack of communion. Now I know this by experience and some of you know what I'm talking about.
In the Gospel of John chapter 10 and verse 9, the Lord gives us, just in one verse, the art of the things that we've been here.
The Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse nine. I am the door by me If any man answer in ye shall be saved that salvation isn't he. And then you know that the others are pressure that is just in one word and shall go in. I believe this would need to go into the presence of God.
And out has to go out for service and find pasture. So it is very precious to see the Oren just in one word, salvation.
And then by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus going to the presence of God, as we have in the 10 of Hebrew, to be in His presence, and then to go out to serve the Lord himself, I believe, expressed that in the selection of those who we call the 12.
It says among his disciples he sold 12 That they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach. I like that they should be with him, and that he might send, of course, the priests. Again, I think it's in Second Chronicles 29.
King Hezekiah in endeavoring this evening restored, he said. Now, therefore, my brethren, be not found negligence, for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and to serve him. So I think, although the order is very, very important, that not to be forgotten, it's also very noticeable how the two are brought together without any interval between them. Stand before him and to serve him.
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They should be with him, and then he should send them out. And I think it would be perhaps a vain thing to lay great claim to correctness of worship and be totally indifferent to service. I just mentioned that side of it, for I believe the order is significantly repeated, both the old and the new technical God-given order, But both rock together, the one being, Perhaps we might invade the normal results.
Our time is up forever. Continue verse 11 if you gave.
To stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him and.
Bird incense. That's worship, is it not?
99.
1 Peter 2:5-8
Reading
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Service and it was mentioned by our brother in his address this afternoon.
And we do not want the young people to think we are belittling service. By no means it has its place, but it has second place in God's order.
I like if you'll have me for relating this sad experience where I failed in that very thing. When I first arrived in China, I had a real seal for preaching the gospel, but satisfactor seal without knowledge.
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I had an invitation by a dear Christian to preach to hundreds of American sailors.
I thought, what an opportunity and I accepted the invitation. But it was on the Lords day morning and I had to stay away from the Lords table to do it. Was I right? Indeed not. Anyway, I accepted the invitation and I happened to write home to England to a dear brother, Mr. Lamington. Perhaps some of you have heard of him.
He's now with the Lord. He and I used to have country walks together.
A dear Godly man. And I mentioned this to him, and he wrote a very loving letter back to me showing me the wrong of this. I really hadn't noticed it before, but he showed me from the scriptures that I was wrong. I put service before worship and so I had to get off my knees and have it out with my blessed Lord.
And confess my wrongs when I put service before worship. And that was a lesson that I learned in a very sad way. So dear young people, I can speak from sad experience that I failed in that very thing and I trust you will not do the same.
Worship has its place and its first place. As our brother reminded us the father's seeketh such to worship him, he's seeking worshippers and.
If you and I are conscious that we're in the Lord's presence and what He's done for us, I'm sure that would produce worship from our poor hearts. But never dear young people fail as I did. But I had it after the Lord and confessed us. And I know I've been forgiven, and I've never done it since. And through the grace of God, I'll never do it again.
There's some very important things on the 5th parts that we're not.
Brought before us start the 5th, 1St.
First Peter chapter 2 and verse 5.
He also.
Has lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Server also is contained in the scripture. Behold our land Zion a chief cornerstone elect precious and he's a believers on him shall not be confounded.
Under you therefore, which believe he is precious, but under them which be disobedient, the stone which are builders are disallowed. The same has made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient, where unto also they were appointed.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, the peculiar people.
That you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time passed, were not of people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstained from fleshly lust, which war against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that were, as they speak against you as evildoer.
They may buy your good works, for they shall, behold, glorify God in the day of Visitation.
Submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord sake, whether it be to the King of Supreme or other governors, is unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them to do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing he may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, and not using your liberty for the cloak of deliciousness, but as a servant of God.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king.
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Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the flowers. For this is thank worthy if a man brought conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when you be puppeted for your fault, you shall take it patiently, but if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God, for even here unto where you call.
Because Christ also suffered for us.
Leaving us an example that you should follow his depths, who did no sin, neither was Giles found in his mouth. Who what is reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him, the judges, righteously.
For his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live under righteousness, by whose stripes he were healed, where ye were his sheep going astray, but are now returned under the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Nothing was said about being.
Holy priesthood.
Now that takes in every believer.
Both sisters as well as brothers were made on the God, a Kingdom of priests. As a best translation of Kingdom of Priests and the Old Testament dispensation, the priesthood was confined to the family of Aaron. Just a few had a spateful privilege.
To go into the Tabernacle where Jehovah's dwelt.
Now we have the privilege, and that takes in all God's children, of going into the very immediate presence of the Blessed Lord. In the Old Testament dispensation there was a veil where God dwelt, behind which God dwelt in thick darkness.
Now the veil has been rant.
And we can go boldly into the holiest of all, and we go there.
As holy priests. And then we have.
The privilege of offering sacrifices.
Now only the priests were permitted to carry out the offering of the sacrifices. How thankful you and I can be beloved. And we live in such a different dispensation where we're not offering lambs and goats and books.
But we offer spiritual sacrifices.
So that.
And in a special way, on Thursday morning, we render thanks to the Blessed Lord for what He has so fully accomplished in His love in saving us. And let's remember that.
That offering of spiritual sacrifice is not confined to the brothers, nor to the brother that rises and offers praise.
Or breaks the bread on Thursday morning?
The one who offers praise on Lord's Day Morning and who breaks the bread.
Is only the mouthpiece of the whole assembly, and where there is the guidance of the Spirit of God.
Whether the Lord who directs by the Spirit?
Lays it on the heart of the brother who offers praise, who gives out the IMS and.
Who may be led to break the bread.
So that he has just simply voicing the praises. Ex.
Expressing the praises of all who are present there. Perhaps a dear sister is more in communion with the mind of the Lord and more truly a worshipper than the brothers who take part. And I'm sure it often happens that they definitely have a hymn on their hearts, but it isn't their place to give up to him. But it isn't very long before some brother gives it out.
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Because they're both under the.
Control of the Spirit of God.
We have another very sad side of that, Brother Barry. Do we not in the first chapter, First Samuel?
This is the other side of it, which is a very solemn side.
First chapter of first book of Samuel and verse 3.
And this man Elkanah went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh, and the two sons of Eli halfline Finihash, the priests.
Of the Lord were there now they were priests of the Lord. This was their office. Yet in their practice they were described in the 12 first as sons of Belial. What a very sad picture. This is verse 12 of the second chapter.
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial. They knew not the Lord.
For the very, very solemn thing. But as you say, you and I as believers have that precious privilege of coming into His presence to worship.
Without fear, without a consciousness of our sins, they've all been dealt with and forgiven. We are at liberty to come into the holiest, to offer praise and Thanksgiving that blessed one. But here's a very solemn occasion where they took the place of being priests.
But there were sons of Belial. They knew, not the Lord. What does Belial mean?
What does Belial mean?
Means worthlessness.
Sons of worthlessness is what it means.
In the 13th chapter.
Call it and I think there's a pop there that we should consider in the 13th chapter of Hebrews.
The 51St By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of your lips, giving thanks to his name. So we don't want to confine the worship just to Lord the morning at the breaking of bread.
And this Scripture would clearly teach that him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. So every day should be a praise day. We should be praising the Lord continually, all through the journey as we go on our way. But there is a special privilege coming together and the Lord's presence.
On Lord's day, mourning to remember him in his death. There's something exceptionally precious and wonderful about that occasion. It's very solemn. It's also very precious to think of being in a place where the Lord Himself has said, Where am I? In the midst of them? And I think, beloved, we should remember this.
That in coming together as worshippers on this occasion.
Instead of being just thinking of being led by the Spirit of God, we should be rather occupied.
With the guidance.
Of the one who is himself the head of the body. And that's what is meant the end Colossians 2 or the Colossians had failed to hold the head.
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So there can be a state where it meeting could fall into fanaticism. There are some groups that just depend on the spirit that say the spirit moves them.
Well, if we get occupied with that side of things, I think we're missing the mind of the Lord. We should be there, occupied with the Blessed Lord Himself. And if we are occupied with Him, He guides by the Spirit. So he directs to the hymn the Thanksgiving. The worship is directed by the Lord and through the Blessed Holy Spirit.
I learned a lesson from Brother Potter. I may have mentioned this before, but a lesson I never forgot.
I attended a prayer meeting before Lord's Day and more of Minnesota years ago.
And at the prayer meeting I asked the Lord that we might be in an attitude of worship. On the following day, Brother Potter came to me, and in his severe way he said, Armstead, when are you going to stop asking that the Lord that we might be in an attitude of worship? I said, Brother Potter, what should I ask for? He says, pray that you may be occupied with Christ.
And then you will be in an attitude of worship, part of an important word that is occupation with Christ. We're enjoying Christ, but then He fills the heart with himself, and then he directs by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in every believer.
So that the the worship is by the Spirit yet directed.
By the head in glory.
Verse in Hebrews offering the sacrifice of praise to God continually reminded me of a verse in the 9th chapter First Chronicles.
And verse 33.
And these are the singers.
Chief of the Fathers of the Levites.
For remaining in the chambers were free, for they were employed in that work.
Dying Light, chief of the singers employed in that work day and night.
So that precious ministry wants to praise his name day and night.
And we have the same privilege too, Whosoever offer a praise, glory by me, the Lord says. And as you remark, rather, it's not confined to Lord, say, morning. It seems to me that.
Not afraid, chosen of God.
Could be connected with this line of things that we're Speaking of.
Thinking of the Lord Jesus Christ as the chosen of God, the delight of the Father's heart.
We sing under him that.
God is satisfied with Jesus. We are satisfied as well.
Well as having our delight in the Lord Jesus white God has looking upon him as a chosen of God.
This is what fills our hearts with praise and worship. It's like the woman at the well.
She went and told the people in the city about the Lord Jesus. Is not this the Christ?
She found in him the Messiah, the one upon whom all the delight of God was, and her heart was filled filled with Christ, and her heart was filled with praise. He became a worshiper.
Brother Perry, what you were speaking about the Lord guiding by the Spirit that what is referred to in Psalm 22 and then quoted in Hebrews 2, in the midst of the congregation will like raise the.
We you were Speaking of calling our attention to that verse part of the verse a holy priesthood.
I was thinking in the references to Hebrews of that verse in the 12Th of Hebrews without holiness.
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And no man shall see the Lord.
Brother Gliding was bringing before us the priests who were.
Sons of Belial. And there was the practice in those days, just like there is today in the profession of Christianity.
Of those who are not real at all.
But as I understand holiness, it's the it's the nature expressing itself.
A holy nature expressing itself.
Now if one doesn't have that nature.
And of course they can't express themselves in that way. Now another thought in connection with that.
That, and you're referring to Mr. Potter and being occupied with Christ.
Can you think of anything that will produce holiness other than that?
Its only occupation with Christ that produces holiness.
We have to have an object that's holy, there is no other than that. And so whether it be his, the meat offering, his walk down here.
Or whether it be the bird offering.
Or the OR the sin offering.
It doesn't make any difference. In either case. It should have an effect upon us, and that isn't just at the moment we come together.
Brother told me An old brother told me that his large day mourning began Saturday noon.
He said he couldn't, he couldn't get occupied that very quickly and leaving, dropping things the last minute as he went to the meeting, He said it must begin with him at Saturday noon. Those days, of course, work stopped at Saturday noon. That's what he meant. I believe that the children of Israel.
Were to bring their baskets of first fruits.
And they were not to appear before the Lord empty God. They were to bring the baskets they would have to start filling at the beginning of the week, wouldn't they?
In regard to our other question about Psalm 22 and Hebrews 2, I wonder if this thought is correct. I have enjoyed it as the actual song of praise of the Lord Jesus Christ himself to Jehovah.
Because of the wonder of being surrounded by his own, is that correct? In the midst of the congregational I. Who is that? It is not the Lord Jesus. Will I sing praise unto thee to me, if that thought is correct. It's exceedingly beautiful. At the heart of the Lord Jesus is so filled with joy that the wonder of having his redeemed one's round about him and His praise ascends because of that joy that he had. Is that correct? Yes, He left right in our chapter.
Like the spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, but it's by Jesus Christ showing that he is the leader of the praises of his people.
Was speaking about getting him tonight brings to mind that well known verse not always understood in Nehemiah 810. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
Now that does not refer to our enjoyment of him, but his enjoyment of those that are gathered close to himself. For in Nehemiah ate there was a little remnant, and in verse one they were back to the appointed place, that was Jerusalem, and by the Watergate suggesting the word.
And so they were there as one, and as the word was read before them.
Oh, they were reminded of how far they had drifted and departed from the mind of the Lord. And they felt trouble. They were broken down about it. They even wept. They mourned in Nehemiah Ate, but the Prophet was pleased to tell such.
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That they might should not mourn now, but that the joy that the Lord gets in his heart, his delight in you, as thus gathered around himself. Now that's a precious truth. In these remnant days I know his mind, and can be cheered and encouraged, even if there's only a two or three gathered to his precious name, to know that he gets joy over the obedience of just that little remnant.
That's marvelous. Now I would like to go back to what our brother?
Hey Ho brought before us at the close of this morning's reading.
Second Chronicles 29.
In Second Chronicles 29.
The king, good king Hezekiah.
Says in the end of verse 7.
That they have not burned incense that speaks of worship, nor offered burnt offerings, that speaks of all That Christ is in the full infinite knowledge of God, the burnt offering, All that Christ is and has done in offering himself up to.
In the holy place.
Unto the God of Israel, unto God.
The incense, the burnt offerings unto God, God's portion, God's delight, now in verse 11 read this morning.
My.
Sons, be not now negligent, for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serve him, and that he should minister unto him and burn incense. That's worship well in the burnt offering commenced The song of the Lord commenced in verse 26.
Turn to Psalm 65 for another verse just like it.
Psalm 65 four.
Blessed is the man whom thou chooses and causes to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy corpse. Now this is the highest privilege being gathered to himself.
To minister unto him is more important than to be ministered unto ourselves.
To satisfy his heart. Now another verse in Jeremiah 30.
30 Jeremiah 30 verse 21.
And halfway down the verse.
Jeremiah 30 And verse 21. I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me. For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me?
Well, he goes on to say, and ye shall be my people. Now in Ezekiel, we'll end with this little portion.
Ezekiel 44 and a few verses. Here I like to think of Mary and Martha.
Mary, the one that had chosen the good part.
He had. She had Christ before her. Martha was busy serving cumbered with her serving. So here we have Martha first in Ezekiel 44.
In verse 10 we see it's the Levite and the Levite is the one to serve. So he says in verse 11.
Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house. Now this isn't ministering to the Lord, is it ministering to the house? They shall slay the burnt offering, they shall slay it and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Now there is this service, and also in verse 13.
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And they shall not come near unto me to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place, but they shall bear their.
Shame and notice and their abominations which they have committed.
All that hurt. The Lord have to have this written to them.
But it was a day of.
Setting things right according to God's mind, So he gives them a distant place, the service in this place, something like Martha's.
Well, in verse 14 they were to be. I'll make them keepers for all the service. Now we get to the merry portion in verse 15.
But the priests? The Levites, The sons of Zadok.
That kept the charge of my sanctuary. When the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the Fat and the Blood, saith the Lord God. They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me.
And they shall eat my charge, and it shall come to pass.
That when they enter in at the gates of the Inner Court, they shall be closed with linen garments. Now this is practical righteousness, and no wool shall come upon them whilst they minister in the gates of the Inner Court, and within they shall have linen bonnets upon their heads.
And shall have linen breeches upon their loins. They shall not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat. Well, we'll end with this. Now with this thought that natural energy.
Is not acceptable that that causes sweat, but God would have our hearts draw night to him.
To minister unto him, and that is a place of communion and worship.
Rather than concerning three families of Levites, the Gershonites and the Mirrorites and the Coethites, well, we are dealing here in Peter with the question of Gus the stranger Here Will the Gershons had the Gershonites had cots.
To carry the heavy things of the Tabernacle, and so did the mirror ice. I suppose that mirror ice really means bitterness. Gershon, stranger here. But when it comes to the core sites, it's theirs to bear on their shoulders. What things no longer cops there, They have to bear the holy things, the things that spake of the glory of his presence.
Well, there's a truth there between service and worship.
Take for instance a little illustration that came to my mind in Bolivia.
The missionary came to tell you is a laboring brother brother there and said 10 years you're our gifted brother, why not come over with us?
We are thousands in the States and Canada, and you're just a few here two or three. So Talius thought a while and he said now brother, he said, I believe the man was a saved man. He said, can you have any more of the Lord Jesus with your thousands than we have with the two and the three. And he quoted that verse, which we do not. We need not to forget brethren, where?
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Two or three are gathered together.
Not merely to my name, but unto my name, there am I in the midst of them. Presently sometimes forgetful of them the holy things that the coercites bore on their shoulders speak spake of Christ.
His glory, his authority, his his all there. And so it was there. The core fights to bear on their shoulders were holy things.
Sometimes we forget that, but I think that was a good answer of the Italias. Can you have any more of the Lord Jesus?
With your thousands than we have with the twos and the threes in our midst. I always remember that.
We only haven't mentioned three times. First one is in Genesis, the sweater light face shalt thou eat, prayed, and so on. Sophomores quote and said the sweat of thy brow, the sweat of thy face. It doesn't take much to make it sweat of the brow, but the sweat of the face takes more energy still.
That's the first occasion and the one our brother just read in the 44th chapter of Ezekiel. The priests were not to be dressed in things that cause sweat and.
In in the Luke's Gospel it speaks of the Blessed Lord who sweat as it were, great drops of blood falling down the ground. Now sweat was brought in through sin. The Blessed Lord takes a sinners place and removes the sweat so to speak, and it's never mentioned again. So we do not have to labor to get into heaven. We accept that what Price has done on the cross himself, he's done the labouring.
He sweat, as it were, great drops of blood, and now we can cut into heaven on the ground of what he has done, not by our own efforts of sweeping and laboring.
Restlessness, wouldn't it, Brother? And Sweatwood Sword.
Speak of restlessness, and it was prohibited by the high priest, whoever sweat in God's presence, and thus he had covered on his flesh that linen the linen why that he sweat not, but how touching, brother, Bear, brother, the thought of the Lord Jesus threatening, as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.
How very solemn that is. Isn't it picking up of the temple or the house? Here, I believe it's recorded. I don't know the passage, but I believe it's recorded that in the temple there were little chambers around about.
And these chambers were not only for the priests to dwell in, but there were certain chambers in which they were to change their clothes before they went into the Most Holy Place.
Now one thought comes to mind and it's nice for us, you know, to anticipate the moment we'll be in the glory, because we might be this afternoon.
It's just that near could be.
And I think of that verse in John.
14 In my Father's house are many mansions that were not so I would have told you. It's lovely to think of our dwelling in the Father's house, but the practical side for us now as we have here, because I believe Peter gives us the government of God, doesn't he? And we have that for our consciences here.
And not only were the priests to dwell in this holy place, that was the place.
Where they were to dwell. And so we're to dwell in the holy place continually.
But also.
The changing of clothes would be suggest to us the putting on of the character that belongs to that holy place now the only way that we will lay hold of that.
In practice is to dwell in that holy place.
To put on the character that belongs to it, we had the holy priesthood mentioned.
A little while ago. Well, the practical application of this then comes from dwelling in the Holy Place. Now we know that David on occasion when he went into the sanctuary, he began to understand God's mind. But here we have the character, do we not? That becomes that holy place. And that's what clothes would suggest, I believe, taking on the character that belongs.
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To the presence of God. Well, this should really exercise us in our ways as the Saints of God, because you know, we profess a lot, we profess to be gathered to the Lords name, we profess to be those that the Lord has entrusted the truth to us. Well, there should be a certain character manifested then, and it should be true, the young as well as the old.
Now I know that we learn as we go, but if we have really taken off this profession of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, there should be a certain character to go with it in our ways. And we will take this on, will we not, in the measure in which we dwell in that holy place?
Was that great aunt, brother must be in self judgment before we come into the Lord's presence to remember him and his death. The man judge himself, he shall not be condemned. You have that in the 11Th chapter of first Corinthians and notice there in that chapter first Corinthians 11.
For the Apostle have said as often as he eat this bread and drink this cup he to show the Lord's death till he comes.
And he says, Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Of course, they're in Corinth. They were making gluttons of themselves and even getting drunk.
When they were there together to take of the Lord's Supper.
Was a very serious thing. So he says, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, it's a very solemn thing. And while we perhaps are not seeing the same disorder as it was there in Corinth, it surely is a word, a warning, a word of caution for us.
Not to come to the Lords table with in a careless way.
Where things that we have allowed during the week unjudged.
I remember dear brother killed killing about one time that he felt so condemned because of his careless ways during the week that he thought that perhaps he shouldn't remember the Lord that morning. But he said he had a talk with a godly sister and she called his attention to this.
But let a man. It's the 28th verse of this 11Th of First Corinthians, but let a man examine himself.
And stay away.
No, that isn't a word at all.
That a man examined himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. That is, we should examine ourselves when we look into our ways. He didn't examine ourselves to see if we're saved or not, but looking into our ways that have been unbecoming, have led to a broken communion, have dishonored the Lord in any way.
We're to look into those ways and that leads to self judgment and then when self judgment has taken place, instead of staying away, which would only perpetuate what is harmful to the believer, where to eat of that bread, where to come. There is something like we get in connection with the Passover.
They were to eat it with bitter herbs.
Well, those bitter herbs speak of self judgment, and the very remembrance that the very presence of the Lord and what is there set before us the remembrance of his death, that the very things that we have indulged in and found pleasure in, is what cost him that agony, that awful suffering.
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That forsaking of God, if we got into the Lord, friends realizing what it cost him to put of that sin out of the sight of God, it would surely be a real restoration of soul with us, and you'll notice then in another thing.
It says.
For if we would the 31St verse. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. See, it isn't just judging the failure, saying well, I feel sadly and maybe even confessing it to another, but it's judging self What state of soul was I in?
That led to such a failure is that, and that goes deeper than just judging the failure itself.
And how lovely the apostle makes that. For if we for when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
They'll never if true believers, though we fail sadly, come under the awful judgment and condemnation of the Law Center.
But for that very reason the Lord has to deal with us, and there's no Son whom the Father chastens not. He has to deal with us about our ways so that in that coming day when judgment is meted out to the center where there's no mercy, we'll never come under that at all. God has already dealt with us. First He dealt with that sin at the cross, and then, in connection with our practical walking ways, He has exercised.
And let us to judge that thing so that we could go on in communion with himself.
We are thankful.
Thank you. Thank you brother Barry for this. I just had a little while ago 2 letters from Bolivia, or rather one from Bolivia, another from the Dominican Republic as regards this matter.
And.
They were wondering if on the, for instance, getting upset with their wives, should they take partake of the supper because they've had a quarrel with their wives and so we've been trying to answer them and tell them to exactly what we've been having raped by our brother. So let a man examine himself and so let him meet. Will that satisfy them until this last?
Caution that you read brother of Chapter 11.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
And it was a pleasure to tell them that.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life, that the Lord Jesus had definitely and eternally dealt with the question of our sins.
As regard with sin, as regards rather our its root and its principle, but our sins.
He bore in his own body on the tree, that we being deed in dead unto sin.
Live unto righteousness by whose stripes we've been healed. Sometimes we misquote that being indeed dead unto sin.
Should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we've been healed. Well, we were happy rather than to put them at peace about that. And instead of having a quarrel with their wife or something like that, they would get on their knees and arrange it beforehand.
And that's something that's to be practiced by some of we white folk too, you know, concerning this matter solely, the man judged himself, and so let him eat, Lord, which was a great joy to those dear souls to have that straightened. You know, don't you think, Brother Smith, that one lesson that you learn is not to wait until you come to the table on Lord's day morning, Right.
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That whole thing settled and just and seek the right with the Lord and in communion with him. When we come together. It's a great secret, brother, brother Barry and we all.
See the wisdom of this to keep short accounts, brother. Never let anything go by.
Here's one one thing the brother said to me. It takes courage to ask forgiveness of my wife. Well, I said it needed that. But get on your knees and say that you have sinned against her and she'll soon confess that she's also done that you'll.
Embrace each other and get on your knees and it'll be over and you'll be happy to go to the Lord's table. Well these are practical things beloved that we need to heed, take heed to isn't that so? We've had a similar base in the West End. This where the meeting there 1 Lords day morning and a stranger was sitting behind. So I asked the brother of the media I said who's the stranger who? He said his name is Mr. Morgan.
I'm going to receive him at the Lord's table next Lord's Day, I said, Well, I'd like to be introduced to it. So he did. And we sent the back of the room and I said, understand you're going to be received at the Lord's table here next Lord's Day, He said, Yes, I am, I said. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions? He said. No, I said, with whom have you been associated before you came here? He said, Well, to tell you the truth, he said, I am in the open meeting, but I had roused there.
And around with my wife and I had a rail with the brethren, and I cannot get along with them. And I think I can get along with this, brother. So I'm coming here. I said, well, my dear friend, this is not a city of refuge for those who cannot come out of their wives or their brethren. I said, your first responsibility.
Is to self judgment and against reconciled your wife and your brethren. Then if you exercise about your plate before the Lord, then come and discuss it with this brother here. He said, Well, if they don't receive me here, I shall still come, because I love the Lord. And he walked out and never seen him from that day to this. But that dear brother was so deceived, I sent you a Martha. Did you ask that man any questions? Did you go into his history? He said, No, I didn't. I said. Well, you should have done, brother.
I say, show me. Say he's heading around with his wife, which is the common thing there, I guess, and with his brethren, but he thinks he can get along with you, I said. Now suppose he cannot get along with you. What's going to happen? That's maybe he might put you outside and he'd be the only one here.
Always thought I couldn't receive him on those terms. I said no, you cannot and must not.
Man not right with God is not right. Please wife or his brethren. He's not concerned about his place. You want to avoid further conflict with his wife and his brother. So he thought he escaped and going to this little corner and we find that.
The six verse of our chapter.
Peter is quoting from Isaiah.
And it's rather remarkable. Isaiah 28, the portion that he's quoting from is at the time that.
Those who have put their refuge in the Western powers find that.
They have no security now because the Assyrian is coming down and sweeping away their refuge of lies and so on that critical moment.
At the very height of Jacob's trouble.
Why the message goes out, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered and.
Wherefore it is also contained in the Scripture, that is the Scripture from Isaiah Take it. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Now Peter applies this.
To the believer today, the Jewish at that time, of course, but I believe it's for all of us and we have a.
On them applied now to the believer, the Christian position.
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He that leaveth on him shall not be confounded.
Now in the eighth verse of the first chapter, Peter says, whom having not seen ye love, in whom, though now you see him not yet believing, he rejoice with joy, unspeakable and full of glory. There we have believing again now in the seventh verse of our chapter.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallow, the same is made the head of the corner. I believe we have something here that's too full, a real encouragement for faith, and a sound warning to those who are unsafe because the time of the quotation that is taking it from the Old Testament.
There were going to be a group of a little remnants that would be spared because they called in the name of the Lord. They believed the testimony. But it's the same thing today. It's faith. It's believing, It's putting the trust in the Lord.
And then he becomes precious. That's what Peter's using here, I believe. That Old Testament illustration to show that it's a matter of simple things.
It might be the last moment for some, as it was there. That is the prophetic angle of it, but still it's a question of believing.
Nice to notice here.
To get in the sixth verse.
Behold, I lay in Zion the chief cornerstone elect precious.
All that is how precious Christ is to God Himself. But then in the next verse until you therefore, which believe He is precious. So first we get that he is precious to God the Father. Then you find that He is precious to us.
What is precious to God the Father?
Surely should be precious to our hearts, something like the wildest, the Lord said on the Mount of Transfiguration, or rather God the Father sent to the three. He says, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found all my delight. Then he says, Hear ye him, that is the one who has fully satisfied my heart's desire.
Is surely sufficient to satisfy the desires of your hearts.
So we want to get God's thoughts first about Christ and then He is so precious to God the Father.
Sorry, he can be unspeakably precious, you and me, since he has redeemed us by His wonderful love and grace and brought us to himself.
I was thinking in the book of Leviticus where we have all the offering.
Given to the Aaron and his children in Demeter offering, in which they were to pour oil and frankincense to be offered to the Lord, than the rest, it was going to be the food of Aaron and his children.
So therefore, I believe that there we have a very, very precious tooth in connection with the Lord Jesus, that we are to enjoy the person that he enjoys, the Lord Jesus himself. And at the last verse of that chapter we find that in the sacrifice all the frankincense there all was going to be offered to Jehovah. But you know, I was thinking, brethren, that you cannot be near the frankincense and not get some of that smell on yourself for that three fragments and yourself isn't it so present?
And so our precious that is, to be closer to the person of the Lord Jesus. You read that verse there in the middle of chapter 2, and the last verse is saying that all the frankincense there all was to be offered to Jehovah. But again I say, but I will pray that you can be closer to the frankincense and not get some of that frankincense yourself. So you say then the frank incense is what we see in the life of the blessed Lord Jesus.
Which was only for the Father's glory. It's probably there, the oil and the frank incense. The oil tells us. For the oil is the type of the Holy Spirit that everything in the Lord's life was accomplished by the guidance and the power of the Spirit of God, but everything also in his life was.
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For the glory.
And for the delight of the heart of God himself.
So that frank incense was always offered entirely to Jehovah himself. But I like that thought of yours that you couldn't have to do with a frank incense without some of that fragrance being upon yourself.
A simple illustration. One day I was going along the slum areas of London, England on a double Decker. You know what they are, brother.
Gladding. And we were passing it through a very poor section of the city. And I remarked, I said, what a wonderful fragrance is to be noticed here in this slum area. Well, he said, it's not to be surprised dear brother, because this is the chief scent factory of England and there are 500 girls coming out at 5:00 after their days work. They were bearing with them the fragrance.
Of the.
The scent that sent, you know, Well, I've often thought of it made sense to Brother Mary.
We it's precious to think of that that like the thistles head to the thorn. I see thou out arose. No, he says. But I've lived a long time with the Rose.
So that's what it is, brethren.
I understand this way fashion it should be the preciousness. Is that the correct translation of it?
He is the preciousness that precious age. That's what he used to the heart of God, and a little measure that we are able to take it in. He is to us, isn't he, brethren?
But we're not surprised that the very one who is so precious to our hearts.
Has disallowed.
By those who are disobedient who reject him. So we're living in a scoffing.
World that despises and denies and uses the Lord's name and hoes and curses. That's the kind of a world where passing through.
In the second chapter of Matthew, Speaking of frankincense, we find that the wise men offered these three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, to the Lord Jesus.
This little infant, they were gifts offered to him. But in the second chapter of Philippians we find those three things are characterized by him.
Maybe just read them?
The second chapter Philippians.
Surely we have these three things mentioned.
Verse six, second chapter Philippians.
Still being in the form of God.
Northern robbery to be equal God. Here we have the goal, dear beats will be in the form of God, thought it must robbery to be equal with God, but may himself have no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Surely this speaks of the frankincense.
And then first thing it says, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. There's the myth. The myrrh has a bitter taste, and surely it speaks of the death of Christ and all that he endured there on the cross under the hand of a holy God. So those three things gifts to him at his birth, but they characterize him during his life.
He was the true gold and the frankincense, and the Mer, too.
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One likes to mention in the second chapter of Matthew, where dear brother just quoted, that they got gift, gold, frankincense and myrrh. But there is another totally very precious if you turn with me, just the rude thought I got it for somebody else and I'll pass it on to you for all of this weight brothers, as in the second chapter of Matthew.
And verse 11 where the brother was courted.
And it says in the middle of the verse and fell down and worship him. And they open their treasure and they offer these gift and this fellowship say to us to the meeting in Brooklyn.
That for the first time our God and Father He opened all His treasure in the Person of his well Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, when he was revealed here below, that will obtain when God opened all His pleasure, and He broke before us the Person of Christ.
I believe the second collection brings that out doesn't.
I can commotion. It's a common thought in connection with the Franklin said that it hasn't really been determined what it is. It's something that's not catalyzed. It's insurable. Well, in that sense, when it speaks here of the Lord making himself with no reputation, taking upon him upon the servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Something about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as being God and man that is notable. And if anyone tries to analyze the person of Christ, he's going to get into trouble.
But there is the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's where they are, man thought, human thought, and only the spirit of God.
Can give us right thoughts about the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But when the reasoning of mind begins to analyze the person of Christ, he's going to get into trouble. Understand that in the spices that and appointments and so on that certain ones were gathered from the desert.
And the others grown in the garden, if that means anything to us as we think of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and the meat offering, that there were certain things that came out in the life of the Lord Jesus here in the desert, that.
Would not be seen, perhaps, if he hadn't taken that path across the desert down here in in rejection and humbling himself.
And this pathway to this world and connection to is what our brother Anderson has said. I believe that in the compounding of this incense there was a solemn warning that they were to offer it to the Lord alone, and that if they ever did ever compounded this to smell thereto for their own enjoyment, they were to be cut off. Well, I believe that's a very serious warning. I believe that that which speaks of the person of Christ is that which we can well.
A bow to in adoration without attempting to dissect. And then on the other hand, I have wondered if there is this thought involved, that there is surely in worship that which is for the heart of God and not for human enjoyment. It seems to me that today we see all around us an attempt to to organize a form of worship so-called.
That is entirely really for human enjoyment, and God has nothing in it whatsoever. In fact, I believe it's a dangerous thing when men get together to try to devise a program of so-called worship which is really for the enjoyment of the natural man. As my father often used to say, any form of religious service that an unsaved man can enjoy is not of God. So I believe in the compounding of this incense.
Sweet and beautiful, Lord is. It's for God himself, though we are privileged to enjoy the sweetness of it as it's offered up to him.
Yes.
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Just mentioned this.
It says they found them and worshipped him. Worshipped him. Well, doesn't say they worship Mary five times. In this chapter we have this expression, the young child and his mother, never the mother and the young child. And how the Catholics get around them I do not know. And so they worship him, not the mother. And five times it says the young child and his mother, not once the mother and the young child.
In all things he must have the preeminence.
Learn one thing from these verses that we are commenting on the 6th verse and the seventh verse and the eighth verse. Two, that we're living in the day and the time when the Lord is rejected by this world and are worshipped and praised as to a rejected Christ. That this world cast out crucified, but the one whom this world has rejected and.
And given the cross, and the grave is the one who is to be.
In the coming day, the headstone of the corner.
At the present time, a stone of stumbling and a rock of a fence.
But nevertheless that very stone that the builders rejected is made the head of the corner. So we must go on not expecting the Lord to be honored and respected by this guilty world. More and more, this world dishonours his name and is bringing all kinds of false doctrine as to his only being a man denying his virgin birth.
And all that.
And so we have to be loyal to him in a day of His rejection. Now in the day that is coming, the Lord is going to be exalted. Every knee is going to bow to him. And when He is set up in His Kingdom, then the whole world will be honoring Him. There will be no there will be no problem. Then to honor the Lord. The nations of the earth will come up.
To worship the Lord. But now what a privilege it is to be loyal to that rejected 1 during this time, and the subjects that are brought here before us, the things that pertain to this time of the Lord's rejection.
Sing that him worthy of homage and of praise.
One in 195, we stand.
Brandon.
1 Peter 2:9-12
Reading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1971. Third reading meeting.
#36 in the appendix.
We go to meet the Savior this glorious faces.
What manner does this is 1 degree 36 in the appendix?
We go to meet.
The.
Savior.
First Peter Chapter 2, verse 9.
But ye are a chosen generation.
A royal priesthood?
And holy nations, the peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people that are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstained from fleshly lust with war against the soul.
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against your evil doors, they made by your good works, which they shall, behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King of Supreme or under governors, is under them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
As free and not using your liberty, we're a closer maliciousness.
But as a servant of God.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king.
Service be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, For what glory is. As if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently.
But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even here unto where he called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that he should follow his death.
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he sovereignly threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously.
To his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live under righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. For you were a sheep going astray, but have now returned under the shepherd and Bishop of your soul.
The subject was touched on and the readings on Saturdays The difference between the Holy priesthood and the royal priesthood, but I'm sure there's much more that can be said about it.
00:15:02
But I'll just call attention to this.
We have two priesthoods in the Old Testament. There was the priesthood of Melchizedek, and there was the priesthood of error. Well, Aaron's priesthood took him within the veil into the immediate presence of God.
So.
But in the Melchizedek priesthood, we find that when Abraham returns from the slaughter of the kings that Melchizedek came out to bless.
So you'll get the two thoughts of priesthood quite clearly set before us.
So you remember that Melchizedek was not only.
The priest of the Most High God.
But he was also King of Salem, so there we get the royal priesthood, whereas Eris priesthood was.
Had character of holiness going into the presence of God.
And serve us there with his censor.
With those fragrant orders.
Speaking of all the graces and perfections of Christ.
But in the coming day, you know the Melchizedek Priesthood will have its full fulfillment.
It's a really remarkable thing that the first battle mentioned in Scripture is the victory of Abraham or the kings, and that is just a picture of the final battle and victory of Christ over all his enemies in this world. So Abraham is a type of Christ in that way, and so is Melchizedek.
A type of Christ, for Christ will be a priest upon his throne. For now, as we well know, Beloved, that this is not the day when Christ is reigning.
The time when Christ will come out.
In all his glory and in connection with his royal priesthood.
Is yet future, but the character of his priesthood is seen now.
And it can be carried out by his people, as Peter brings it before us, and the verse where we're starting to read.
Now we find that when James addresses the.
Makes his address in his first epistle, he addresses the 12 tribes of Israel.
But when Peter speaks of the nation.
The only part of the nation that Peter recognizes is that godly Remnant who had received and accepted their Messiah. That's why he said he are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation. A peculiar people are a people of purchase, that is.
If Israel had been obedient to.
The commands of God.
This would have been true of the whole nation.
Much more could be said if someone feels led to take up.
What you get in the 19th of Exodus, where these very things mentioned here, chosen generation of royal priesthood and holy nations are spoken of as the promise on the ground of their obedience, but as we know that.
When they took the stand that all the Lord has said we will do.
They put themselves under law, and they forfeited all these blessings. But isn't that lovely when Peter is writing to this Jewish remnant, well acquainted with the where the promises to their nation?
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That now they can rejoice in the fact that they have these blessings that Israel under the law had forfeited and lost, and they can now see that they are that chosen generation, that holy nations and that royal priesthood, and that their privilege now to show forth the praises of him.
Who had called us out of darkness?
Into his marvelous life.
I was thinking, Brother Barry, as you mentioned Exodus 19, did you? Yes, yes. May we read a little there, brethren?
Exodus 19.
And.
Verse 5.
I just merely want to read from this, and then turn over to Hosea to link it up. Now therefore, if he will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant.
Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.
All the earth is mine.
And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of priests.
And an holy nation, these are the words which thou shalt speak.
Unto the children of Israel. Now if you kindly turn to Hosea.
And Chapter 2.
This is a very beautiful portion and opens up a real.
Opportunity for brethren, our brethren, to take part.
Verse 14.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her.
And bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Acorn for a door of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth.
And as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt, and it shall be at that day, said the law, that thou shalt call me Ishi.
You'll notice the meaning in the merchant brethren, which really is my husband issue and shall call me no more validities.
My master, for I will take away the names of Balaam out of her mouth, and they shall be no more, shall no more be remembered.
By thine, by their name and so on, I just mentioned these two portions.
Because of what our brother has said.
Lies before my eyes as you read this, brother.
That in verse 13.
How naughty she had been.
In the middle of the verse, she decked herself.
Led the sin has that tendency, you know.
And forgot me verse 14.
The grace of God in spite of it, therefore, behold, I will allure her.
And bring her.
Into the wilderness.
And speak to her heart.
And I will give her This is Grace.
Vineyards from Thence.
Now, mind you, I will give her the valley of Acor, the Valley of Trouble, the valley of Affliction.
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Gift where they would judge themselves.
And thus prepared themselves for blessing. Now notice this is a secret for you and me right now, brethren, individually and collectively, the valley of Eker. The valley, Not the mountaintop in this particular place, the valley.
Of acres for a door of hope.
And he shall sing.
And all that. Lovely, lovely through the result of Grace. Grace alone. But in Zechariah 12, he's going to bring down his people.
A humbled, broken people.
Confessing people.
Searching their own hearts, people. In the end of the 12Th of Zechariah brethren, this is what God is going to do.
But it's written for our prophet too. Are we willing to recognize God's way in his dealings with us?
It's significant too, is it not? The value of a core for a door of hope. The value of Acor was the valley where Akan and those who pertain to him were stoned to death, the first stain of sin that plotted the history of Israel when they entered the Promised Land. Well, it seems very remarkable and very beautiful here in Hosea. The minor prophets, God would point a way back.
To the valley of Acor, to the very first point of departure when they entered the land, And say, I give you this as a door of hope to me that's very, very searching and yet very, very encouraging. And to apply it perhaps to our own need today. The Lord does want to bless us. He wants to speak to our heart too. He wants us to be in the enjoyment of the blessing that He delights to bestow.
Believe the Valley of Achor is also offered to us as a door of hope, if we will. But look back to the point of departure, this point of departure involved.
Wedges of gold and a Babylonian garment. Oh, I fear there's something significant about this. These things tend to affect us so much in days like these. We look around and what do we see?
Wedges of gold and Babylonian garments, and this was Israel's first sin. When they entered the land, God had to deal with it, but in long-suffering, mercy and matchless grace, he says. I give you the valley of Acor the adorable because I love you and I want so much to bless you.
Father was saying that.
Fear is writing to.
The Jews of the dispersion Israelites.
Yet the truths that are set before us in this ninth verse.
Are equally true and important for us.
That is, we can think of ourselves just as much as those to whom Peter was writing as a royal priesthood and holy nation of.
People are purchased and then as far as the subject is concerned.
It's our present testimony. At this time there will be the the grand.
Setting forth in the coming days of the virtues of Christ, when He comes back in all His marvelous glory and display of power and might. But now we're in a position. While He who will display His glory in that day is hidden in the heavens, It's our blessed and wonderful privilege that we should show forth the praises of Him through.
Call you out of darkness into his marvelous life. Notice in the margin the word phrases. There are virtues.
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Well, what a high and holy privilege that is, beloved. Do we take advantage of it to tell what a wonderful savior we have that he was a holy man, sinless man that tried this world of ours?
Always glorifying the Father, doing all his will, until man ningled him to that shameful cross where he took up the judgment of our sins, mainly submitted to the solemn and awful judgment.
That we deserved. Well, that's that's what the apostle is encouraging the Saints to whom he is writing to show forth those virtues. And that isn't just simply for the gospel creatures, but it's addressed to oral God's people. Every one of us are privileged to show forth the virtues that blessed One.
And as it was brought out in the meetings on Saturday, this.
Now is the going out, the service, the testimony that has given us here, and the primary thought is it's exalting Christ.
Sowing the virtues of that one who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
In Revelation chapter one and.
Verse.
Five, the end of a verse. Five, we have something very precious, and I believe that includes all the believer there.
In the middle of verse five says to him who loves us and has washed us from our sin and his own blood, and made us a Kingdom of a priest.
Admitted the Kingdom of Kingdom.
Priests to his garden, to his father, to him be glory and the might, to the ages of ages and men. I believe that this includes the whole royal Christwood of the present times. And I believe also I might suggest this is that in Second Peter as the royal prize word. I believe that Peter, the spirit of a God, has seen the remnant in Israel of the present dispensation. Would you say so, brother?
Very, very beautiful brother, your father. See how Peter and Paul spring the same subject before us. The Royal Priesthood of Christ hath made us unto our God.
And it's really a Kingdom of priests, isn't it?
And we that was mentioned in the Saturday meeting that every believer is a priest. Brothers as well as sisters, that is, we all have access into the immediate presence of God as worshippers.
But of course, in the portion we have before us, it's the more they're going out.
With the the testimony concerning that one.
Whose presence we have enjoyed.
When we were.
Offering praises and Thanksgiving to him now the desire is that others might know all that precious Savior who has filled our hearts and enabled us to offer to God.
For praises and Thanksgiving, which delight his holy heart.
Would you say, Brother Albert that in connection with your thought I can we have a similar thought in Hozier in the third chapter, The 4th chapter?
The 4th chapter of Hosea.
Connection with our brother brought before us in connection with a county verse 17.
For verse 16.
For Israel, slide it back as a backsliding heifer.
Now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place D frame is turned to idols.
That's just what they did, did they not? They turned to idols, to wedge of gold and Babylonian scones and so on. Let him alone.
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Well, they can, so to speak. Was left alone. He was stoned to death. But then we turn over to the 14th chapter of Hosea and verse 4.
I will heal their backsliding.
I will love them freely.
For my anger is turned away from him.
I'll visit you unto Israel. He shall grow as the Lily, and cast for his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree. And his smell is levolent. Now verse 8, Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard him.
I have heard him.
And observe him. I'm like a green fir tree.
Would that not suggest blessing upon repentance, like they receive the blessing and ache or the door of hope?
He claimed to bring his people back all 12 tribes into their land.
And after they're back, they're going to remember their ways. Now that's what Isaiah takes up from the 40th chapter on, and he brings before them, as you have called our attention to, first of all, their idolatry.
And then he's going to show them how they proved unfaithful as servants, and that he has a true servant. That's the Lord Jesus. Thou art my servant, O Israel.
And in the end, he's going to make the Miss servants again. That's the 65th chapter of Isaiah. But there we have, we might say, the moral restoration of God's people. However, in the Psalms, I believe there are at least three steps in the restoration of that people. And as our brother Brown has called, our attention to these things are for our learning. The 1St is.
In the 25th Psalm they are remembering the sins of their youth. I believe that's the first mention of a confession of any sins in the psalms, the sins of youth. But then when they come to the 51St Psalm I believe it is, they begin to remember blood guiltiness.
And it's deepening now. This should be true of us, dear brother.
And I believe the story of the prodigal is a picture.
Of justice with Israel. But it's also a picture of us now. The lesson we should learn.
In life is Father I've sinned.
But we should go further than that, and we should.
Realize that in my place, well, it's no good thing and I believe that's where we started in our readings.
Now if you take the intervening chapters of Isaiah, that is from the 35th on to the 40th.
You'll see the history of Hezekiah.
Now he was the king, the son of David who was brought back, as it were, from the dead. He's a type of Christ who's going to reign over his people.
He's the one who's going to put down the Assyria.
But there's something else about Hezekiah that you and I should learn, I believe, And that is that after he realized that he was brought back, as it were, from the dead. And that's where we are this morning, dear brethren. We've been brought back, as it were, from the dead. That's what baptism is, a picture of going down, buried with Christ.
Now we're new creatures in Christ.
Oh, he says. I'm going to walk softly the rest of my days.
He's going to walk softly.
Now in our passage we have mercy mentioned.
There's only one course, one path of blessing for any soul, and that's on the ground of mercy. We have it in our chapter. It's in the hand of the 10 verse, which in time passed were not a people, but are now the people of God. Think of that, the people of God.
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Isn't this solemn, the people of God?
Which have not obtained mercy.
But now have obtained mercy.
In the 32nd chapter.
Of Genesis, we won't turn to it. Jacob discovers that he has become too bands.
We have the same expression in the Song of Solomon. Mayonnaise I believe means 2 bands, two companies.
Now both Peter and Paul have been mentioned in connection with this reference to Hosea. Paul was the one who took up the message to the Gentiles, Peter to the Jews in a special way. Now we have both of them mentioned in Hosea, but the point I want to bring out is this.
That Peter is applying now.
That which will eventually be for the whole nation, but he's applying it to the little company. That's a heavenly company.
Of the Jews.
Now the same thing applies to the Gentiles. We're a heavenly company.
And in keeping with our chapter and in keeping with the first verse of our chapter.
Wherefore, laying aside all malice.
And all dial.
And hypocrisy.
And envies and all evil speakings one would ask the question.
And when we read this 11Th verse of our chapter, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts. Am I to understand by this, dear brother?
That has a Pilgrim and isn't a stranger.
I should have simpler appetites.
I should have.
A simpler manner of life than this world through which I'm passing.
That I should have a simpler tent. Is that what this means?
Does it mean that that I'm to walk in a different kind of a path than this world through which I'm passing?
Abraham possessed the land, but he lived as a stranger in it.
And he walked through it as a stranger. Now, it's true that Abraham made mistakes, but Abraham learned to live in Hebron. That means communion. That is it. I'm not saying that's all it means, but it does mean that communion he lived in the plains of mamrie fatness.
While Lot went down to Sodom.
We have there a picture to us before us of the character.
That should become the Christians. Abraham lived in a tent. He had an altar.
Lot did not live in a tent and he did not have an altar.
When Abraham left this scene, it said it was said of him that the Lord had blessed him in all things.
When Lot left this scene, God had to hang a curtain over his life. Oh, what an awful end to the life of Lot. Now, dear fellow Christians, which path are you and I going to choose? The spirit of God is brought before us, I believe, this morning.
These scriptures that have to do with our conduct here in this world as those who have such a high in the holy calling.
The people of God now, are we going to go on in hypocrisy? That's what the Spirit of God is calling our attention to here this morning. Are we going to go on? And of course that belongs to this world and then profess it where the people of God.
All right. I feel very humbled about this. In my own soul, I believe that God is speaking to us, dear brethren. I believe that we have allowed things among us that are not becoming those who call themselves the people of God.
Who carry the standard in a day like this.
And I feel very humbled about it myself. And I feel that as the people of God we profess it. We should be exercised. That our ways are simpler, that our manner of dress is simpler, that our tents are simpler, and that our conversation and our attitude is simpler. And that we might learn, like Hezekiah, to walk softly the rest of our days to the younger Christians, if you please.
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Concerning Abraham, we read that he went out to a country, into a section that God chose for him. There were the Jebusites there, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, Canaanites and all the rest of the parasites. They were there. They were there. But we read that he builded an altar out of Jehovah.
Is this a secret for every believer?
The altar, first beloved, we cannot neglect the.
Altar in our Christian testimony.
Sometimes, well, we want to make this little practical. Sometimes we get up in the morning, say good morning, Lord, and we get up and and we we go to bed at night and say goodnight, Lord, and that's all.
But there must be beloved the daily, feeding upon the word of God.
And what does the altar mean? It means the presence of the Lord there.
Well, it's a great secret, this question of communion. If we walk in the Light as he is in the light we have.
Fellowship or communion, one with another, and the blood of Christ his Son God Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Now Abraham put his altar for me.
This is essential in the Christian pathway.
But then we read that he put his tent, which is a type, a beautiful type of the Pilgrim.
He put his tent secondly.
May we as younger Christians do this, give more heed to the altar.
And less attention to the tent. I remember I lived in a tent for nearly a year and a half in Bolivia.
Under the trees.
Home for you?
She said, Honey, this is the best 10th best house I've ever had. I can clean it up in one minute, and I've got all the rest of the day for my savior for testimony. So that is true. He's a little practical thing for us this morning. Below it. Oh, may we give attention to the altar?
There, Abram had everything. He had the Lord's presence, the Lord's presence there, and God looked out to the tank in connection with his 12Th verse. I heard a brother who was a smoker trying to.
Convince another brother that there is no harm in smoking, he said there's no verse in scripture to condemn it. Well, he was reminded of this very verse.
And it's a very important one. Dearly beloved by beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. And that's one of the many things that does war against the soul.
The expression, dearly beloved, I beseech you.
Is I think, something also for us to remember. It was brought to my attention recently and I'll just pass it on because I do believe it's significant. In the Old Testament there were prophets of God such as Isaiah, who thundered out vigorously against God's people.
And their message also was a God-given message. But those who were known as God's people where that because of.
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A position that God had given to them. He had called them out as a nation, and I suspect that there was only a very, very small percentage among them that were really men of faith. However, I believe that that which we find in the New Testament is that which is of a slightly different character.
And I believe that the exhortations addressed to the people of God are addressed to them because they are God's people, beloved of him, and possessing mark this possessing a light and nature that really wants to please God. And Paul says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God.
That should present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. He addresses them on the ground of the compassions of God, which had just been revealed to them in the 1St 11 Chapters of that book. And so Peter also says.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you, John also says, I beseech you.
And it seems to me that there's a character in these exhortations that is directed toward those who belong to the Lord Jesus and are possessed of a life and nature that really wants to please the Lord.
Am I right in saying that everyone in this place this morning who has been redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ has a life and nature that really wants to please the Lord? If you don't have that desire within you, you're not a Christian at all. What you need to hear is the gospel. If you are a believer, you have I have by the grace of God.
Life and nature that really loves the Lord really wants to please Him. And the exhortations that I believe these dear inspired servants of God direct toward us are in faithful but loving terms, dearly beloved.
I beseech you all. To me it is soul searching and so tender to think that he loved you. He loved me so much that he gave himself that he might redeem us to himself. He had implanted within us a life and nature that loves him and wants to please him. The exhortation is directed toward us on the basis of this and when it reaches to the depth of our heart.
In terms in which the Holy Spirit has inspired that it should be written.
Surely there is a response?
In Bolivia, we had a reading on Galatians 5.
It was a very solemn reading. There were several 100 brethren present, and the question was asked whether a Christian could practice.
This solemn list that we have here.
Concerning the.
Works of the flesh. Now this was asked, could a Christian practice these? A brother away over in the corner said no.
But our brother, Taylor said. Permit me, brethren, to say that he could.
Well, the other brother didn't care for that too much. He was a little fiery, he said. Brother Saliers, if I believe that, a Christian.
Could practice that list?
Then he said I would do it alike.
Then till you said, brother, if you belong to Christ and was a possessor of divine life, you wouldn't like and that's it. And that solved that for that occasion you wouldn't like.
The spirit of God within your heart would not permit you to practice that. And that's a thought if anyone, if anyone, professing to be a Christian beloved went on in the practice of such a list as that, we would not have any reason to believe that he or she was a believer at all, as our brothers make.
But you wouldn't like tell you said you wouldn't like.
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Ah yes, very solemn. There isn't that, for it says a thing which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Well, that's just what you were saying, that the practice of those things without any constants and exercise.
I would only show that one is not saved at all. Would not inherit the Kingdom of God.
1 106.
We're getting the count of the children of Israel.
What God did for them and how He delivered them from Egypt, brought them through the red sheets.
Verse 11, it says, And the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left.
Then believe they his words, they sang his praise.
Well, this was a wonderful day for them when they saw the enemies dead on the seashore.
This piece of resurrection, they were on resurrection side. Their enemies had been dealt with. They've been delivered from Egypt, sheltered from judgment, there in Egypt, sheltered by the blood.
And it's a wonderful day for the soul that comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ, his Savior, knowing the shelter of the precious blood of Christ, sins forgiven, sheltered from judgment, risen with Christ, knowing he has new life in Christ and the Spirit of God dwelling in his heart.
Oh, that's a wonderful day for the soul.
But look at this side note.
They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel.
Can we put ourselves in there? Well, of course we can, and we ought to. This characterizes us as well as they.
We're made of the same thing as those Israelites. We have the same nature in us, that is the old sinful nature, and it can lust after things like they lusted.
But they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert.
Now look at the result.
And he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls.
Isn't this what Peter Speaking of here? Perhaps he's even thinking about that when he's writing.
He says.
Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Why are we so lean in our souls? Because we're catering to the flesh, pampering the flesh, giving the fleshly nature everything at once.
It can't bring anything but leanness to our souls, dear brethren. And we need to judge ourselves, and not only the young people. Sometimes we point our fingers at young people, but the older ones too. We need to judge ourselves because to whom are the young people looking but to the older ones? And if the children find that the parents are not too satisfied with the tent, and they're not giving much attention to the altar, if they're not satisfied with a simple life.
Well, they get ideas, you know, and each succeeding generation takes on a little more, and you'll find that the generation after Abraham has he generated. Isaac is not the man that Abraham is, nor is Jacob up to that either. There's a declension, according to each generous succeeding generation and all how we need to judge ourselves. And May God give us grace to judge ourselves. May God give me grace to judge myself and be discerning, rather than we're losing discerning discernment.
And their difficulties. Problems arising amongst the dear Saints of God gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Brandon, if we don't judge ourselves, if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the lust of the flesh, we're going to lose discernment. And when these things come up, we'll we'll not have discernment. We'll not be like those in Israel who have the understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do.
01:00:02
May God help us to judge ourselves and that we might go on in blessed communion with the Lord. Amen. The borderline things that often snare us is it not? And we have a special warning. In the 6th chapter of Ephesians about the Wiles of Satan, I'm reminded of a little story that I heard of a lady who was taking a ride on a boat and she became quite concerned.
About her safety, So she said to the captain. Sir, do you know about all of the?
Shoals and all the rocks.
No, lady, I don't. But she said, how can you operate this boat if you don't know? Oh, he said. I know where the deep water is.
To retain to Genesis chapter 26 for a moment, I believe that there is something very precious there in connection with our pilgrimage and verse 23 of chapter 26 that's in connection with Isaac. I just want to add a little toast to what our brother has already brought to our attention in connection with Abraham. Now this is Isaac in verse 23 over the 26th of Genesis says and he went up.
From thence to Beersheba.
I was speaking to a brother yesterday about Isaac.
Plant and the altar as we see it and verse 25.
And he spiritually stands there and there Isaac servant dig the world in the treaty that are very precious here. But in speaking to the brother, they reminded me that before that in this very same chapter Isaac was plant in his tent and digging his well.
Very close to the enemy. And he had trouble. And he had trouble. Is that what you say to me, Bill? Yes, if you'll notice in the the chapter our brothers calling our attention to that.
He was in the 12Th verse. He was in the land of the Philistines.
Now his father had made a covenant.
With the them at Beersheba.
That's the will of the old. You get that down in the 23rd verse, but in the 12Th verse.
Isaac sold in the land, and received in the same year and hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him, and the man waxed great, and went forward and grew until he became very great. He had possessions of flocks and herds, store of servants, and the Philistines envied him.
Now the point we were making together, brother and myself was this.
That the Christian should never be in a position in this world.
As to worldly goods, where the where the world will envy it.
Had no business being where he was.
Of course he had to learn, and we have to learn, but you'll notice that when I see got down to the 24th verse of the chapter.
Then the Lord appeared to him that same night because he got back to the place where he belonged. And if we want the Lords presence, we'll not get it by taking up with the things of this world and putting ourselves in a position where the world envies us because of our prosperity in this world.
We'll lose our testimony. What an encouragement. This verse 24 case have you noticed present. The Lord appeared unto him because he were not, That is, he separated himself from his enemy, from those that would trouble him from enjoying the well and the pilgrimage of a plant in the tent. And So what an encouragement he was to him. He said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am witty, and I will bless thee and multiply thy seed for my servant.
Sake. Now you notice that he followed the example of his father here. It's very beautiful to see that he built an altar, communion and then he pitched his stand nearby there. He want to stay to the place where he was able to meet with God continually. And then he dig this. Well, I believe that speaks of a being very much occupied. Drink from the precious way to God, Would you say so, brother?
And others say order of strangers and pilgrims.
01:05:04
Sometimes it's reversed. Pilgrims and strangers.
But the scriptural order is strangers and pilgrims, and there's a little difference in the word. A strange area is one who is away from home, and the Pilgrim is on as one who is on his way to his home. And we're looked at in both ways.
Where strangers here, we're awake from home.
This world is not our home. We are just in an enemy's land where everything is contrary to the new nature that we possess, which loves the Lord. But then there is the encouraging thought too, that we're also pilgrims. We're on our way to our father's house, getting near every day as time goes by.
And we should be conscious of this.
Only strangers here. We're in a world that cast out our Blessed Lord and gave him only the cross and the grave. Well, we need to maintain our strangers hip down here.
As Molokai Taylor put it in his beautiful poem A Stranger with Such strange ways, Brother, senior brother Hail used to say, if the world if our neighbors can understand our principles.
There's something wrong about our Christian life because the principles that the Christian should maintain are those of complete separation from the whole system and course of this world. We're only living here for a time, of course. We go to the same stores as the ungodly and do our business there.
Well, those who work in offices are teaching schools. They're they're mingling among those that know not the Blessed Lord. But I believe there's a lovely principle in connection with the disciples when they were held against their wills by the arrest that was made that they were taken before the Sanhedrin. But it says being let go, where did they go?
It says they went to their own company. My beloved, dear young people and older people too. When you're released from duties and responsibilities down here, where do you go? Well, there is where we'll find, wherever we go, our own company. Those that love the Lord, those that like to talk about the Lord. Well, how?
Oh, and blessed it is, if there is that found in us that we found in those disciples, and what blessing followed, because they met together and only rehearsed all that the Lord had all that had taken place, and then they're engaged in prayer.
In the second chapter of Ephesians, it says.
We are no more strangers.
That's not a contradiction of this verse we have before us, is it? I suppose it means we were strangers once, but now we have been brought to God and members of His body, the Church.
So that's our position. We know more strangers in that sense, but in verse here we still are strangers because we're still in the wilderness away from home.
Is not the thought between the two verses?
So when we get to the 12Th verse of our chapter, it's more what is outward. For scriptured takes up the subject of these lusts, these desires that we have because we still have the old nature, we have those evil desires.
All have it. It's humbling to think of it. Think of what these four hearts of ours are capable of.
Thoughts that sometimes come into our poor minds and we have to judge and condemn.
And have no mercy upon. But then there is the outward testimony before men in this world, and that is very important too. So in this 12Th verse you get having your conversation. And as I'm sure we've often been told, that conversation is far more than just our talk.
01:10:22
So our whole conduct, our manner of life, having your manner of life honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may buy your good works, which they shall, behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Honesty is very important for the Christian.
Remember hearing Brother Potter in the Reading meeting one time in Montreal saying they were that there were two kinds of Hawks that.
Were condemned as food for the Israelites, and one was the Nighthawk.
That is a shady kind of business.
Maybe a short changing someone.
Something that isn't just perfectly.
Upright in our affairs. Well, I know I have to watch myself, but that I'm not guilty of that very thing this night walk and will harm that will do because such a one would say, oh he he cheated me.
Yes, his his, his ways are not the ways of a Christian.
We're very gritty and very and very quick to observe what is inconsistent in the Christian life. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, I think we have noticed this that when addressing the Jewish believers, the Gentile.
When spoken of is rather the way we would speak of the world, because these Jewish believers in the foreign lands where they were in the dispersion, they were surrounded by unbelieving Gentiles who.
Generally speaking, where idolaters ungodly people, well, they had to be very careful among these unbelievers that their walk commended, that testimony that that they maintained.
I was thinking the preparation of the gospel of peace.
I was thinking of a further Beyond the Young Christians in Among the Latin Believers to Learn by Memory and its first Timothy 4:00 and 12:00.
Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in Word. In conversation, I suppose you would say behavior there, wouldn't you? Little different for to that word, Brother Barry, for that conversation is in heaven, our citizenship, but.
Here is our behavior and it says in Word, in conversation, in charity or love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Well, we ask them to learn that by memory. And I would suggest that you young Christians here would learn that verse by memory. Now, concerning night business, may I just add a word there, brethren, if you'll pardon me.
Our dear old brother recounted.
His experience concerning the Saints who go out at night.
And he said.
I stayed with a dear brother.
And he he was out usually frequenting.
The the picture palaces these semis. I don't want to call them in English.
Picture places, you know, moving pictures, pictures. And the he was, he was very fond of that, you know. And so this dear old brother, he stayed with him on this occasion and he said to him, brother, let us go to the pictures.
01:15:01
Well, he began to blush. He said. Well, brother, I don't think I can. But he says, don't you go.
And he thought a while, he said, let's go.
Well, I don't think I could, but aren't you accustomed to going to there, to the, to the, to those kinds of things at night? He said. Here's a bundle of tracks for you, and here's another for myself.
So he wouldn't go with him, but he, the old brother and the aged brother, he went off to this picture place and he bought his ticket and he got inside and was distributing the tracks around all the people before this affair took place. And the director came to, he said, hey, what are you doing in here? Get out, He says. No Sir, I bought the ticket but he ejected the poor old brother.
And it was winter time, and I love that dear old man. He helped me so much when I was a young man. He stood outside the door of that picture palace in that bitter cold until the end of it.
And suddenly one came out and he said please take a trip. And this particular sister hid behind another sister and behind another brother so that he would know. And he said, Brother Eric, there were a number of God's dear people in that place.
And they all hid themselves behind others so they wouldn't be recognized. But, he says I knew them.
Now, he said.
Remember Eric?
Don't go anywhere where you can't take the Lord Jesus.
Brethren, pardon this. Let us be very careful concerning our testimony. Let us remember whose we are and whom we serve. Well, there was a stumbling block there. Was there any power in that meeting? No, Sir, That was a weak meeting. It was a weak testimony. We are not of this world belong. We're in it, but we're not of it.
It's a world sentence with the judgment of God.
And we're going to be snatched out of it.
Very soon, it could be the day.
Whether it's again a person or whether it's a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, we certainly need to read the 13th chapter, First Kings. And finally, as we reminded the other day that this man of God was called the man of God 15 times in the chapter and he's exposed to two tests, one is a worldly 1. The king invited him to his home. He said come home with me and refresh thyself and I'll give thee a reward.
Well, the King's hand had been healed. The man of God had prayed for him. His hand was healed. Now he wants to take the man and God home and give him a present. Well, this is too early for presents anyway. He said, come and refresh thyself. How could a man of God refresh himself and the wicked King's house? Well, he got over that by saying No. I'm not allowed. I've heard the word of the Lord, and that's enough. If you give me half your house, I will not come. Well, that was fine.
But now I have another test. A lying prophet came to him and said an Angel spank unto me and told me to bring you home with me. Now he fails under a religious test. Or how careful we need to be of these invitations. Come home with me, especially the dear young ones. Come home with me and watch the TV and what you see everything that would be defiling be a soul.
Nothing to edify. So how careful we need to be. As to these invitations. Come home with me, one would think. Well, if a king invited me to go home with him, why, surely I'd go now. The man of God had been instructed first of all not to go by the Lord. But then the lying commented, Well, an Angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord and told me to invite you. What was he to do now?
Obey the angels voice of the Lord's voice, the Lord's voice, but there he fails. It's a sad picture and solemn warnings for us all. What is the day of visitation?
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Something I I would like to hear from someone that understands it better than I do. I know what Brother Clifford Brown used to tell us.
I was always helpful to me that there comes a time in the lives of those who oppose the truth when God allows circumstances.
Maybe troubles and sorrows?
Bereavements to come into their lives and who do they turn to in times like that? Your brother Smith can tell us something about it when one is really in serious trouble. Do they want a worldly, ungodly person to come and and bring comfort to them?
It's generally someone that perhaps has been despised by them.
Single brother, this moment that was was a little thought of and and he went quietly around seeking to minister Christ and give out the gospel all sinners about the Lord. Well, he was just more or less the laughingstock of the neighborhood. But what happened when someone was in sore trouble? Who did they turn to, this old brother that they had?
Despised and the horse ways they only had criticized that was a man that they wanted. So I believe that there is definitely.
A way that God will.
Will use those who are faithful and consistent in their walk, because the only Bible the world has, after all, is the Christians like you are in the you are the epistle of Christ.
Known and read of all men, and while there may be little said.
But if there is a consistent, honest, upright, godly walk before strangers, there comes a day of visitation. It may come in the families of God's people, if they are consistent and faithful in connection with their household, when there will be an opportunity.
To present Christ and appoint them to the blessed Lord.
Now will that command itself.
Give another answer on this from from job 31 and verse 14.
John 31 and verse 14.
Job speaking.
What then shall I do when God rises up and when he visited?
What shall I answer him?
The Apostle John, I think it's in first John 228 says something like this.
We might not lose what we've wrought.
Nor be put to shame before him at his coming.
Now as a verse in First Corinthians 3 I believe fits the case in verse 13.
Every man's work shall be made manifest.
For the day shall declare it.
The day shall declare it.
Now as to what work or what sort it is, in the end of the verse, the day shall declare it.
My mind often fails to get the word I want. It shouldn't, but there's another word someone is going to be able to help me here.
Was that inspections get amounts to that and they also use another word brother, it's just a mouse that thanks there is such a one as comes around and examines the books.
Maybe once a year, or maybe unexpectedly.
Where there's responsibility in office and so on.
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Exactly the word I wanted. Thanks. Well, there's a day when all is going to be audited, and what is it going to reveal? I believe that's what the spirit of God has before us here. And let us read our verse again, Having your conduct, having your behavior.
Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, that is now.
They may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God.
In the day of visitation.
I think it's 8 or 9 *. I counted. In Peters epistle, this word occurs. The word conversation, I'm sure.
Import is about.
Could we take #131?
1 Peter 2:13-25
Reading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1971. Fourth reading meeting.
OK.
He has had three readings on this chapter. It may be that the Lord has laid something on the hearts of someone.
In regard to something else for us.
You don't need to feel we have to go on with it unless the brethren.
Shut.
That there are some more things in this chapter that would be good for us.
And we have the Lord Jesus Christ set before us in the end of the chapter on the example.
In all of this.
Not only that we have his atoning suffering brought before us too his martyr sufferings and his atoning sufferings. And so as we've already had Christ before us in the first part, we still have Christ before us in the last part of the chapter.
And before we get to that, of course, there are many good expectations as well.
That was the 13th, 1St.
First Treated 2 verse 13.
Submit yourselves.
To every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King of Supreme or under governors, is unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doors, and for the praise of them that do well.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing he may put the silence, the ignorance, of foolish men, as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness.
00:10:03
But as a servant of God.
Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king servant. Be subject to your masters with all fears, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the for this is thank worthy man for conscience toward God. Endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it, if when you be buffeted for your false, you shall take it faintly, but if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently?
This is acceptable with God or even here unto where he called to go to Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that he should follow his death.
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him the judge of righteously.
Whose own self bearer sins in his own body on the tree.
That we, the dead of sins, should live under righteousness, by whose right to be healed.
You were a sheep going astray, but have now returned under the shepherd and Bishop of your soul.
For you, Brother Barry mentioning this, there was a break here in this chapter.
From verse 13 I think you mentioned from 12 on to the on to 19. Would you say that the Christian pathways outlined there in these verses?
I certainly would, Brother Smith.
And I think that is the pattern we find all through the epistles.
That first we get the doctrinal side of the subject, and then we get the practical.
Side of things. That's based on the doctrinal side of things.
Remember Brother Potter saying on time we must neglect the tail end of the epistle?
That part of the epistles that gives us the practical life of the believer. We don't want to admit either side. We need to be established in doctrine.
But we need to put this doctrine into.
Our practical daily life. And so the apostle here takes up for our relationship with the governments of the land, where to be subject to every ordinance of man and so on.
And it is so. It is the will of God that with well doing he may put the silence, the ignorance of foolish men, that is, by being.
Subject to the powers that be, those who would like to get an accusation against us are put to silence, because they can find no fault, nothing for which they can condemn us.
And that's very important in these days. It's so easy to.
Violate some of the laws of the land carelessly.
I was thinking about the birds previous.
Previous verse.
Made by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God and their visitation. It seems to be misunderstanding about good works. Sometimes we hear the expression to the center. You'll never be saved by your good works. Well, that seems to be a wrong expression altogether, because the unbeliever cannot produce good works to begin with. You have the life and the nature, and he's not engulfed by the Holy Spirit.
And good works are produced by the Holy Spirit in and through the believer. Now the first mention we have of good works is in Matthew 5.
Nice to notice.
5th chapter of Matthew.
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And verse 16.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, not yourself, your Father which is in heaven.
Now the first definite act to which it is applied, we find it's in 26th chapter of Matthew as the Anointing of Christ by Mary.
26th chapter of Matthew.
That's the first death of act we have in connection with good work.
It says verse 7.
They came unto him, a woman having an elevator box of very fresh assignment, and four Devon his head, as he sat at me. But when his disciples saw it, I had indignation, saying, to what purpose is this week?
For the assignment might have been sold for much and given to the four. Now we have another mention of it in Acts 936.
In connection with this dear woman.
Acts 936.
Doctors. Now there was a job for a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works.
Announced these, which she did, and it came to pass. In those days that she was sick and died from when they'd washed, they laid her in an upper chamber, and for as much as dinner was night at Joppa, and the disciple inferred their feet was there.
They sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him, weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. So there seemed to suggest to me that.
Good works in God's sight is affection for the heart of Christ.
And kindness and goodness to our fellow men, because we are told to do good unto all men, especially unto those in the house. All the faith. So putting the two together. Mary in her anointing with Jesus just before his death. And this dear woman Dorcas, who made these coats and garments for others. Here we have good works, and God calls them good works. The last mention of good works is in our chapter.
Second chapter first, Peter. But we may be rebuked, as Martha was, for good work, so for by some. For we may be praised like gorgeous ones, but what Whichever way it is we have the approval of God in these sinks affection to the heart of Christ, and doing good all around.
And where?
16th verse of our chapter, and as free and not using your liberty for a folk of maliciousness, but as a servants of God.
That corresponds with a verse in the 5th chapter of Galatians.
Where it says in the 13th verse, for brethren, ye have been called unto liberty.
Only use not liberty for an occasion of the place, but by love serve one another.
There's always that danger when we say, well, we're saved by grace alone.
We have eternal life. We can never perish.
Of the place, taking advantage of that liberty to just go on, and things that dishonour the Lord.
So it speaks of it in this place as a cloak of maliciousness.
So we have to be on our guard and the way we discover.
Where that liberty as being abused is simply are we giving liberty to the place? There's never such a thing as liberty to the place. The place he has condemned is something that has.
00:20:03
Have been set aside. God's done with it, Becks. Nothing out of it.
So whenever there is liberty of the flesh, that's very harmful and wrong. But all beloved, how precious and wonderful this is thought of the liberty of the new light.
Instead of being under the law, ******* like the Israelites speaks of yoke which neither Wiener or father stood there. Why we have that precious wonderful liberty, We're saved, and now we can please the Lord. And when subject to His word, why then that that James speaks of as the?
Well, I'll have to just get the exact words.
In James one where he speaks, but whoso 25th verse of the first chapter, but whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continuous therein, he being not a forgetful here, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. See, we are under a law of above law, isn't it?
Alpha law *******. Alpha Law of Sinai. But the perfect law of liberty. And there's just this difference. Suppose the father says to his son, you've been a naughty boy and you have to stand there in the corner.
And he obeys. He stands in the corner, but that is against his will. He is chafing under the discipline. Well, after a while, the father said. Now, son, you can go out in the yard and play ball. Well, that's the law of liberty. That's the very thing he wants to do. Well, if we put ourselves under the law of Moses, we're putting ourselves into *******.
Because the old nature desires to do the very thing that the law forbids. But when we are controlled by the law of liberty, why is the most delightful life? Because we're doing the very thing that the new nature delights Him to please the Blessed Lord, learn more of him to walk in His blessed word.
But there's caution here, and the one in James is very important for us, for there's always that danger, and our hearts are so deceitful that we could even deceive ourselves into thinking that we were.
Acting in the liberty of the Spirit where in reality.
It's just pleasing ourselves, and when we're just pleasing ourselves, what is so much sure to be the pleasing of the old sinful nature that's in US.
Psalm 40 verse 8 is in keeping with what you said, Brother Price, isn't it Brother Brown?
Yeah, I delight to do thy will. God is we have the same nature.
The holy divine nature, we that are born of God, born from above, and that nature cannot sin but.
Does delight to do God's will, Finds all its joy in US, and doing His will well, that is, I believe the first book is the perfect law of liberty.
The Epistle to Philemon. Philemon, Philemon. First one. I just like to read the first words in the Epistle to Philemon verse one. It's a very lovely epistle of Paul. And I say that Paul a bondsman of Jesus Christ. And I noticed that the often called himself a bond man has served one of Jesus Christ.
And isn't it blessed that the Lord Jesus told us in his precious words, If the sound shall make you free, ye shall be free, indeed, free from sin, free from the chains of religious superstition that this year man or God who became a man of God had. But isn't it wonderful, because a tough way to know he say no, I want to be a bond man of the Lord. Jesus isn't advisor.
00:25:14
It's only a couple goes on to say honor all men, Love the Brotherhood, Fear God, honor the King. Well, the lobby is covered in that little short verse.
The margin reads. Esteem for Krypton to show respect to those he has to do with.
And that often wins its way so that there's an opportunity for a word for Christ.
The brotherhood. What a wonderful subject that is, because you're been brought into the family of God, and it just isn't just certain brothers that we esteem and find pleasure with, but it's all God's children the world over wherever we meet a child of God.
Immediately there's awakened in the heart aloft so that dear brother or that dear sister in Christ.
Fear God. Well, we need to walk in the fear of God continually. And then those who are in the authority over us hear the Rwanda, the wicked emperor heroes. And yet they were to honor Emily and not to despise the one who is set up, even if it's.
Might be the basis of man. All these things are very simple, very practical.
Peter sets before us in this portion, and then with the 18th verse we enter the subject that Brother Anderson has lastly commanded to us.
But it's it's quite interesting to notice that this subject is addressed to servants. It's really slaves.
And have you not noticed that some of the most precious instruction that we have?
In the word was addressed to slaves.
Take care of the Book of Titus.
In the second chapter of Titus.
Where you get that wonderful word for the grace of God that bring us salvation, hath appeared unto all men at verse 11, teaching us and denying ungodliness and worldly lust. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. We might just suppose if we.
Are not acquainted with the chapter that that was addressed.
To a very elite class of, well, thought class. But to whom was it addressed? It was addressed to four slaves that some of them were toiling under the ******* or maybe an unkind master.
And then the third chapter of Colossians. You find the Apostle there when he addresses the slaves he speaks of.
We're having getting the reward of the inheritance.
Notice that in the third chapter of Colossians.
Yes, I got this off my high off the verse. Yes, that's right, brother.
Sarah, Paula.
And the 23rd verse, Well, we read the 22nd Servants obey in all things your masters, according to the place, not with I service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing golf. And whatsoever you do, do it partly as to the Lord, and all of us on the men, knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance. I notice this.
For ye serve the Lord Christ. I'm looking for that verse one time, and I just thought it must be addressed to some of the servants of the Lord. But here I found it was addressed to the slaves, and they're the ones that are promised.
00:30:09
Through faithfulness to an earthly master, to whom they belong and for whom they were, from whom they were receiving no wages, that they would get their reward of the inheritance. And isn't it lovely to to see how that fallen Peter?
Agrees so wonderfully in addressing the slaves, to give the most important instructions of the of their epistles.
Who these slaves that some of them, as we're told here?
Had masters that were fro words or stubborn. Forward means stubborn, and yet they they could serve the Lord in that position. And as I passage in in Titus that we referred to, it speaks to the slaves there as adorning the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
How lovely and beautiful this is so as we go into this wonderful subject.
That will be well spent. To look into why, I just remember that it doesn't do all very prosperous well. The new people at this instruction was addressed, but it was addressed to the slaves of those days.
17.
As you just mentioned when Princess Margaret.
Visited the island of Saint Vincent. We happened to be there and that night was prayer meeting night and one of the sisters put on her very best dress.
And she looked very smart and all she went to see his father.
Well, time came for supper. Sister didn't turn up, so we had a bite. Went off the prayer meeting.
System is another the prayer meetings. So when we come back to our house, we said we missed the delight system, the prayer meetings. Where have you been? She said. Well, doesn't it say honor the king? I said yes, but the king wasn't there.
It was Princess Margaret, I said if you notice that verse it says before that fear God and also in the 16th of Romans says render therefore to all their dues.
Well, her first you want to be at the prayer meeting. I consider not to be running about after Princess Margaret each have their place. But she put Princess Margaret before the prayer meeting and she came out with this very verse. Well, it says in second chapter first Peter, honor the king. I said yes, that's the work. Before that it says fear God.
We had a dear brother in Ottawa many years ago. Brother Tracy and Albert will perhaps remember him and remember out him. He was in business. And at the end, I believe it was at the last first Great War. Everybody was to put something in their windows. And this deer a servant of God's child of God.
He didn't know what to do to comply with the.
Request. And so he had this verse printed and placed in his window. And I've never forgotten. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, and honor the King. And I believe that was a testimony to the memory of that dear man. Remember Albert?
In the last part of the verse 18 there is something that is very significant to unnoticed. He says to be good not only to the gentle that is the master, but to the strong Lord. And humanly speaking I suppose we would say just like the easel like on the 6th chapter of John when they say this is a hard saying and who can believe it well, but you know we have a secret. If we have a power of master we can be down to early, small and.
6° from the Lord Jesus. Then he giveth more grace.
Result them He will give it more grace as a heart, say in humanly speaking, isn't so big, not a good, not only to the good but to the power. But by being broke, burned down to an age, I believe that the Lord Jesus will give us grace to be gracious with them too.
00:35:08
Doesn't know anything about this to be subject to the forwards, so to get their rights.
They form unions to counteract their masters. Well, I don't know what to say about that as part of the world is concerned. That's their way, that's part of the system of the world. But certainly it's not the pathway for the child of God is to be subject even to the forward.
But we can say we have the Lord on our side.
We can bow before him, as you say, and get on our knees and talk to him about it. And He can give us grace and mercy to help us in our time of need. And He can control the master too. The Lord is able.
This subject.
Of being a being subject.
Is interesting, I believe.
The first.
That I've noticed in the New Testament you're all familiar with.
Is.
You don't need to turn to it. You'll recognize when I read this first, the Lord Jesus Christ is a young.
Man or young he was in fact 12 years of age. Acts 251 He went down with them, his parents and came to Nazareth and was.
Subject unto them.
Now we find this verse or this word subject.
In many places in the in the New Testament.
In Romans, remember the subject to the powers that be it sometimes rendered. Submit yourselves.
Now I have observed that in every case.
Which where this appears and many times.
It is really the word subject rather than submit. Now in one instance in the 5th of.
Ephesians, Mr. Darby does translate and submit, but actually it he would have been very consistent had he translated it. There be subject. Now why do I call your attention to this? In my own mind I look upon that word submit.
As something that might be commendable, might be commendable for my children to submit themselves to the teacher, me to submit myself to that officer that draws me over the side of the road, and so on and do it in this.
What kind of a spirit might I submit or my wife to me?
Submission to my mind is not near the mind of God as being subject.
To submit, one might do it reluctantly.
And yet get credit for having done so.
But I believe the mind of God is that the Christian who has this new nature.
May in faith and in pleasure and in full relaxation.
Adopt A continual attitude, a habit of life, because of being a Christian, of being subject.
To be subject to the powers that be to be subject of our verse.
Our verse we commence with 13. Mr. Darby translates it be in subjection to every ordinance.
And in our verse 18 we're now considering servants be subject in chapter 3, verse one wise be in subjection to your own husband. And the same thought in the end of verse five as to the wise adorning themselves being in subjection to their own husbands. Now we read in Titus Two that verse this afternoon, but I'll call your attention that it's also translated to in verse 9.
00:40:04
A bondsman to subject, to be or to subject.
Be subject to their own masters and so on. Well, I believe that I'm putting it right that in every case, instead of submitting that, it would be consistently translated subjection. So if I want to learn the mind of the Lord, I don't have to be all excited over whether I submit or not and so on. It's my pleasure.
The new nature to bow, and that's the path of blessing. We get two other references about that in 13th chapter of Romans in the first verse.
Let every soul be subject.
Unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God.
And in Titus 3:00 and 1:00.
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready for every good work.
I don't suppose we are very close to the problem of confronting legislation that we couldn't submit to in the fear of the Lord and with all good conscience. Nevertheless, I believe that does so did not enter into the matter of being subject, because if the Lord should leave us here, we little know what we might have to face.
We should establish a pattern of willing subjection to all that is required of us, and accept the consequences also without complaint, if our conscience would not give us the liberty to submit.
I I say this because it just came to my attention a week ago. I don't know how serious this is, but there is legislation in process in Canada right now which would really make it illegal to preach the gospel as our brother Gladding preached it last night.
In view of the torrent of hate literature that has been distributed in this country and some, but also in Canada, legislation is in process right now to stop hate literature and its distribution.
And that legislation is so worded that it would be contrary to the law to refer to the wrath of God and the punishment of God and Hellfire. And if it is passed as it is now written, there would be a serious problem facing a faithful evangelist. I believe God is well able to overrule, and I trust him about this matter. But I just say it because in being subject to the powers that be, I think it's well that we establish the pattern.
Of unquestionable submission to the powers of the so that if there comes an occasion where our conscience is involved, we will not be recognized as individuals who are always looking for a way out anyway, and who perhaps were reckoned as those who were not very sufficient. I suggest that we immediately be subjects, willingly and without complaints. That sometimes is perhaps.
A little difficult to do, but subject without complaint to that which is required of us, so that if our conscience someday is involved, they will recognize that there is the fear of the Lord that directs us. And in saying this, I believe perhaps we do well to suggest that subjection to the powers that be, or subjection to perhaps a froward or in the ill tempered employer.
Doesn't always mean that he's going to recognize this subjection and reward us for it. It may be that we shall be called upon all our life long to as the world would look upon it, suffer because of this objection. Others who don't subject themselves may get farther ahead. We were just reading before we came to meeting this morning the 11Th chapter of Hebrews, and we noticed what has been observed before.
00:45:02
But there was faith which was used of God to the victory of those who exercise that faith, who through faith of dude kingdoms wrought righteousness, stop the mouths of lions, quench the violence, violence of fire out of weakness were made strong.
And others. And then it gives a list of those who, with equal faith, were subjected to all kinds of disgraceful.
Rewards. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder. They were put to the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, in dens and caves of the earth of whom the world was not worthy. The all obtained a good report through faith. I simply mentioned this because I feel sometimes that we might form the opinion that if I am subject to the powers that be, it will be recognized and I will be rewarded for it. While I'm down here, I may not be.
I may have to suffer for it in my employment, others may climb all over me and get much farther ahead, but I believe nevertheless that this is what the Word of God would put before us willing submission for the Lords sake.
Into Libya, brother and I might venture for prayer.
For the first time in history.
The actual president of the Republic has separated the Roman Church from every interference in educational matters. It's never known in the history of that country that such a thing could be done.
Now the laborers, the laborers are asking me what they should do.
Well, I've written them that they be subject to the powers that be.
And suddenly one of our laboring brethren was asked by a man in an important position, what did he think of the new president?
Well, that was the most subtle question that could ever be put to a servant of Christ.
What did he think of the new president? You know what He said? He turned to Timothy.
And he read. In the presence of this man, I exhaust, therefore, the first of all supplication, prayers, and possessions, giving a thank may make for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may leave, are quiet and peaceable life and all godness and honesty. And the emphasis, brethren, there is on we that we might live our quiet in the peace of the life of all God. Well, they've subjected themselves.
What's going to happen next? We're waiting.
Daniel 6 and 10, Did you say brother?
Now when Daniel knew that, the writing was signed.
He went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber to all Jerusalem.
He kneeled upon his knees.
Three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did the four times. We do know, brother, what it cost him to do this. But there is a verse in Philippians who said we are to make our request known unto God with Thanksgiving.
And the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall Garrison, keep, or Garrison your hearts and minds who cry.
Be careful for nothing. Yes, be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving. And I believe, brethren, that this is the most important matter for us. We may have our liberties curtailed very soon in this Loveland.
00:50:02
It could easily come to pass and also Daniel 317 and 18.
Would you well?
Here we have the three friends of Daniel.
New Shaq, Evan Nico of Shadrach.
Too they answered and said to the king in verse 16.
To the great King of the world Empire.
Oh, Nebuchadnezzar.
We are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king, But if not, be it known unto the old King, that we will not serve thy God.
Nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
That requires discernment and wisdom, brethren.
One of our brethren knowing the tension that exists.
Prayed about making a present of a nice leather bound Bible to this tough president.
How he ever got through the gods, we don't know. But he prayed, and all the Saints prayed that he might get to see that prisoner. It was a special festive day. In fact, it was one of the national holidays. And the president, all these ministers, came to this city.
For a special occasion. And the Lord opened the way for that brother to get right up on the platform with the President, and vowed before him, and said, your Excellency, this is the word of God by which we abide, and in which we find that we should pray for you, and we present it to you, Your Excellency. And he stood up.
Shook hands within the sight. Wasn't that a victory now?
That was a real triumph for the work there, however.
The the fact of having separated Rome, the Roman Church.
From every intervention in the educational matters.
One wonders how much more?
Power will be manifested by this general.
For it's not governed very much by.
A legislative thing, but its executive power.
It's it's strong. It's a strong executive. It's not that great. Well, pray for they might. It puts me in mind of a case in Germany. I expect you to remember about this. The purer knew that there was a a group of German.
Who met in a little hall. This has BeenVerified and he sent his special guards to find out about these. What were they doing?
The secret? The fair, apparently.
The gods stood at the door. They were all on their knees, praying.
And the girls went back to the Fuhrer and said.
There's a group there in that hall that don't live in Germany.
All you fool Jesus, What do you mean?
They're living right here. No, they live in hip. They live in heaven. What a wonderful testimony.
That you said this should characterize belong those poor, dear Bolivians. May it be said of them that they live in heaven, not in the living you are. The Lord will come in in mighty power. He will. He will. He will come in and deliver them.
The same.
Reputation.
Satans act today is to say power to the people, absolute contradiction to what God says is worth.
When it rubber the way it comes in here, our Blessed Lord is the example for us when.
00:55:00
We.
As he tells us here, when you do well, and suffer for it, and take it, patiently says, this is acceptable with God for here unto for even here unto where you call, because Christ also suffered for us.
Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.
When we think of one being treated wrongfully may be cheated out of his rightful wages or something like that, well, how much did the Lord suffer before us? Think of how he was treated. Think of how he was dishonored, spit upon.
Crucified.
It needs to happen. Their child, didn't he?
They they brought witnesses that were false witnesses.
To try the Lord that he answered not a word, He was led as the sheep to the slaughter.
So we have the Lord's suffering looked at in two ways. In this portion we have his sufferings as an example, and then further on we have his sufferings in making atonement.
And he bore our sins, as Peter says, in his own body on the tree. But we couldn't follow the Lord into that pathway where He bore our sins. Peter thought He could. He said, Lord, I'm willing to go with me to prison and to death.
Peter loves the Lord and he had much zeal for the Lord, but he doesn't know his own poor heart. So when he was in the high priest palace instead of going on with the Lord and to prison and to death, why he denied him with oaths and curses?
So that if we just lean to the energy and zeal and the place can have lots of zeal, you know we just yield to that. Unless the controlling influence, it will only lead us into a position from which it can't deliver us.
Then, brother, when it says, you shall indeed be baptized with the baptism, Ruth, I am to be baptized. What was that?
I was wondering if it wasn't martyrdom.
Because, he says in Hebrews, to some, ye have not yet resisted unto blood, But we find the disciples, probably most of them were martyrs.
And in other words, I identify themselves with him to the full extent of the path down here and following a rejected Christ. But when they come to that, of course, that's the end. He went further. And when, when he answered not a word, it was because, dear brethren, he was taking our place, and he couldn't answer when he took our place, because he was taking our guilt.
Upon himself.
Between the fellowship of his suffering and vicarious sufferings, that is something, brother, we cannot enter there. There's only one who could ever enter their brethren. That's the Son of God.
Is that right? Yes, indeed it is.
Use an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ and he was He saw himself down here, didn't he? But in the second of Hebrew, to speak to the suffering of death. Peter did not witness that as the 12Th he was raised sin and God was dealing to his beloved sons.
Ask the question of sin. Darkness covered the earth. No human eye could penetrate that darkness to see what that Blessed One was enduring on the hand of the Holy God. So Peter did not witness so suffering, but it did witness his suffering here on earth before the cross. You would say that Peter was a witness of the sufferings and the partaker of the glory, in contrast to the Apostle Paul who was a witness of the glory and the partaker of the sufferings. Is that difference, isn't it?
01:00:05
Yes, I was thinking of this verse 22 something very precious with our brethren, and it's this that essays who did not send neither any guy.
Was found in him who did not send. Neither any guile was found in him. I suppose there were people in the Old Testament, some dear faithful servants of God, that there was no God in in them, such as Daniel perhaps. And in the Old Testament, New Testament, the Lord Jesus recognized in Nathaniel, he said, Behold, a man in whom there is no guile, but only one.
Only one.
The Blessed Lord Jesus Himself, it did not sin, never did sin, nor was no synonym.
What the Lord meant by an Israelite indeed, in whom there's no God, is that Nathaniel had been under that figuring, judging himself as a poor Law Center before God and everything was out. That's the reason there wasn't any guile. It wasn't any deceiving.
About his real state as the Law Center.
Well, that's a very different thing than what people usually think of without dial. And they're a very good man. Who said of that he don't want a poor, miserable, guilty man he was before. God. It slowly, isn't it the way that?
Paul and Peter and John speak of the perfection of the Lord Jesus.
How in the 4th chapter of Hebrews where it says speaks of the Lord priesthood that he was?
We have not such an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are. And yet he adds, this sin of power without sin, sin apart. Now Peter in his epistle here says, who did no sin.
There was God found in his mouth, and Dom's way of Speaking of it, in the third chapter of his of his first epistle.
This.
In the fifth verse and we know that he was man John first John 3:00 and 5:00. And we know that He was manifested to take away our sin. And in him is no sin better translation in him sin is not. So. Isn't it lovely, these three great apostles all Peter and John maintaining the absolute.
Perfection of Christ is man set apart who didn't host him, and in him sin was not. But it's nice that the fact that Peter is bringing the Lord before us as an example.
That he speaks of it.
Who did no sin and when he just when John speaking more of his nature.
In him sin was not there was nothing of that old simple nature that we possessed in that blessed one, where Peter is Speaking of him as a pattern.
To walk in his steps. Who did notice in his life down here There was never a moment in the Lord blessed life when there was one single failure where he ever dishonored the Father where he wasn't imperfect.
To his will.
Connection here in this chapter with the last chapter of John's Gospel to return to a verse or two.
The.
18 first.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou was young, thou gerdest thyself, and walkest, whither thou woods? But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee.
01:05:11
And carry thee whither thou wouldst not this spake he, signifying, by what death he should glorify God? And when he had spoken this, he said unto him, Follow me.
Now in our chapter.
I believe that 22nd verse, the end of it should read to follow in his steps. Is that not right in his steps?
We find that Peter tells us in the 4th chapter that the one who.
Well, in the first verse, at the end of the verse he that hath suffered in the flesh has ceased.
From sin.
So these verses are connected, very definitely suffering, ceasing from sin.
What a thing to consider. Peter, when he was young, followed himself will no doubt as all have, but when Christ became his object.
Then he followed Jesus. What did it mean to fully follow the Lord Jesus?
Well, for Peter it meant martyrdom.
That Martin dump it meant for Peter to to turn aside from all that which would attract the flesh, as he's been telling us in this chapter.
Going back to the.
11 First, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Now Peter wasn't telling us something that he had read merely.
Peter is telling us something that he's experienced.
And he's it's cost him something to follow Christ.
The Lord hath told him in the end of John what the end would be.
And now Peter not only has taken up to follow in his steps.
He's exhorting the Saints to do the same thing. And so the one then who?
Suffers in the flesh has ceased from sin. Now, Peter says in the 4th chapter, arm yourselves likewise, and in our chapter after he speaks of this suffering, as you have just called her attention to, he sets before us for the second or third time the object.
For our hearts in this chapter. And that is the person of Christ who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth and the way that he suffered as an example, but also going on beyond that in atonement.
First you have atonement in mind when you said brother.
Well.
Who bear whose own self bear our sins in his own body in the tree.
Is that right? Amen.
And it's very blessed in order to them. Verse 24 not only the Blessed Lord Jesus, he died for our sin, but that we.
Being we have been crucified within, we dared within that. The suicide of the cross isn't it, It's very blessed sin. Sin itself was was judged.
To remember that the Lord Jesus Christ in his work on the cross of Calvary settle forever the question of sin.
Both as regards its root and its principle.
But when we come to the end of this chapter, we read that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. Now that sometimes we hear this miscroken that we being indeed unto sin. Some quoted, but that's wrong.
That we, being dead indeed unto sin, might live unto righteousness below a by whose strike live in heath. But I remember as a young Christian, a brother, bringing my calling my attention to this portion, he said. Eric, the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, forever dealt with the question of sin as regards its root and its principle. Oh, that's a wonderful truth.
01:10:28
But our sins he is born, and in his own body on the tree, that we being indeed unto sins.
Might live unto righteousness, by whose stripes within healed we may reckon ourselves.
To be dead.
And to sin.
Get a picture of that Brother Brown in in the Acts of the Apostle concerning the Apostle Paul.
Their shipwrecked there and they're shivering with cold on the beach.
And so they gather sticks.
To warm themselves and out of the sticks are hibernating. Snake appears and lays hold upon the wrist of the above. Now what does he do all they said This is the guilty man. He's escaped the seed of the serpent and government, and they expected him to swell up and die. But he shook the beast into the fire. Oh, you, dear young Christian, let me emphasize this this afternoon.
Shook the beast into the fire and felt no harm. That's Romans 6. That's Romans 6. That we being indeed dead unto sin, dead.
Reckon yourselves indeed to be dead unto sin and alive unto God. Sin shall not have dominion over you. That tyrant will not have dominion over it. Now there's another thought that comes to me too.
In Joshua 10 in the conquest of those 5 kings there.
They hide away in The Cave, and Joshua, as the victor orders them to be brought up, bring them out of that case.
Now the captains there they put their fate on the necks of those kings as a proof that their defeat.
They are victorious over them, but who slays them?
Joshua slayed them.
Oh that's a wonderful truth Joshua. The heavenly Joshua has dealt with these 5 kings that worry us, the world, the flesh and the devil and sin and self.
He has slain them, beloved, in his crossword from the cross of Calvary.
Romans 6 is a wonderful portion. There he shook the beast into the fire and felt.
What a work the Lord Jesus Christ has done. I remember talking to a person who was under deep concern about this matter.
And he said, Brother Smith, I never saw that before. He got delivered. He got delivered, but not like the the sister. Not with us, of course. Who said to me one day, Brother Smith, I've never sinned in my life.
Oh, I said. Is that so? Well, I I must say, you have now because you've told the lies. You've just lied. Oh, she didn't like that. But she told a lie. That's a different thing.
Something nice about that little fire on the island of Malta. The fossil form not only gathered sticks and put them on the wall himself, and he put them on the warm others. That speaks to me in the fire of Christian fellowship. We need to warm each other.
Not time on the 6th just to warn myself after. We need to try and warm each other's hearts, and that's what the apostles did then.
Here we have a reference to Isaiah 53, I believe in this 24th verse.
By whose stripes you were healed?
Now in Isaiah 53, some have said.
That the healing of the body is included in the work of Christ.
01:15:06
But if you'll turn to Matthew. But let's turn to that verse verse in Isaiah 53.
Verse 4.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrow.
Now in the quotation of Peters in the fifth verse.
The end of the fifth verse and with his stripes we are healed.
Now if you'll turn to Matthew.
The 8th chapter.
And Scripture explains it.
Verse 16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all of her sick, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaias. The Prophet saying, Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. Now when the Lord was here, he took and barely infirmities and sicknesses of the people.
He felt for his people.
And the Scripture plainly shows that there was a difference between this and the atoning work. It is when he died. It was when that spear was plunged into the side of a dead Christ, and the blood flowed forth that the work of atonement was completed. It wasn't in his bearing the sicknesses of the people.
Gracious work that was, but that is definitely not linked with the other. There's a distinction.
484 words in the 53rd of Isaiah. Take your red pencil or any other and mark out the atoning words and you'll find only 90.
Words that refer to the atonement.
44 words and 90 of them are atonement. Now the healing people come along and tell you Isaiah 53 is atonement and most Christians will believe that. Let us go slow and careful Now in our verse 17 of Matthew 5, our brother just read.
And quoting Isaiah 53.
Let us look at this thing deliberately for justice a few moments.
Matthew 8 gives us the beginning of the Lord's ministry.
Public Ministry, Matthew 2719 Chapters later gives you the cross when the Atonement was rocked.
Matthew 8.
You are at Capernaum verse 5.
Matthew 27 here at Jerusalem Calvary's Hill.
Matthew 8 is about 3 1/2 years.
Before the cross, at least three years, you'll see. So to try to make out that this is the atonement truth here is not the truth that our page tells us. For it says that while he was doing these things.
14 Removing that fever from Peter's wife's mother, verse. 14 and such things, he was then healing them, taking their infirmities in sympathy, in power, inability, manifesting his ability to eventually remove all sickness in the day of the Kingdom, the 1000 years.
So when we read these verses, let us read them more carefully.
Another thought.
Add one more.
In the end of verse 17 and bear our sicknesses.
01:20:05
This word here I don't know anything about Greek, but there are a few brothers here that probably do and you'll verify what I say. This word here is what is called in Latin basquezo. The Greek is called vastazo. It is the same word as an the 15th of Romans where it says ye that are strong.
Ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.
Now if I see the old lady about to cross the danger street with a burden carrying and I go to her side and Ioffer to help her with that burden I am. I am lifting and helping her.
Last the character here, when you come to 1St theater, 2:00 and 2:24, it's Anna Farrell. You know something about Greek brother Anna Farah altogether different thoughts. Anna Farah has to do with having done with the thing, putting them away, so that now I have heard.
Some of them say, well it's the same word as you get in first Peter 24, so that the healing or the atoning work and the healing of the body wasn't the same word. It is not so one is Basteo and the other Hannah Farrell. I don't know anything about Greeks that don't think about trying to make a show that will affect the cost of he came to me and he said you find the atonement there in Isaiah 53.
Well, I said to him, When did he bear these infirmities? When did he cure the sick? When did he do?
Well, he said, I suppose in his life. Well, I said quit Pentecostal. Quit, because with no this thing is the tone. And he did. He did. How would you explain, though, by whose stripes he were healed?
Figure his language.
Back speaking there about the healing of the body at all. It's Baba or conditioner as sinners in our sins that are looked at now as those were. Just like the poor woman that had the issue of luck. Well, she's just a picture of a poor Sinner reaching out the finger of faith and coming in touch with his lessons. Savior, He's instantly healed.
So the poor Sinner that by faith comes to Christ as a lost Sinner wife, although he was a poor burden, guilty Sinner, now he's healed. His soul is right with golf. Question of the healing of the soul, isn't it? What do we have now? Indeed, the last verse the Lord Jesus Christ referred to as the shepherd.
And also.
The Bishop of our soul.
You tell us, Brother Anderson.
Well, when?
The word shepherd is used. We can't help but think of the shepherd in the 15th of Luke's gospel that went out after the sheep and put it on his shoulders and carried it home.
Well, I suppose this is one thing, that the shepherd of God not only goes after the sheep, the Lord has done that, but He takes care of us with tender care, carrying us all the way home to glory.
But the work Bishop here.
Is just a transliteration of the original word, and it means overseer, one who looks after us in a different way from carrying us home on your shoulders.
In that capacity, he sets us right when we're going astray. That is, he speaks of having gone astray, but we return to Him to know Him as our Savior. But that doesn't mean that after I'm saved.
I can't force stray in another way. I can get out of communion with the Lord, and my ways may not please the Lord, So He works with me. He deals with me to regulate my ways. So I believe this is what the Bishop refers to, one who regulates our ways while he's carrying us home to glory.
01:25:19
#200.
Owning Christ as Lord
Address—A. Hayhoe
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.
Hymn #52.
#52 Lord we are thine.
But by thy blood once the poor guilty slaves of sin, but thou redeemed us to God, and made thy spirit dwell within Thou hast our sinful wanderings, born with love and patience, all divine.
As brands then from the burning torn, we own that we are holy God Lord, we are thine Thy claims we owe ourselves to Thee weed wholly give rain vow within our hearts alone, and let us to Thy glory live.
Here let us each thy mind display in all thy gracious image shine and haste that long expected day.
When thou shalt own that we are thine #52.
Lord, we are thine by thy blood.
Oh my Lord.
Give me life of it.
Already my love.
And make my face.
Oh yeah.
Like you to turn with me, please, first of all to a text which is very, very familiar to everyone of us, that 10th chapter of Romans.
The 10th chapter of Romans.
And the ninth verse.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.
00:05:12
Thou shalt be saved.
Like you to turn now to another verse in Ephesians?
Ephesians chapter 6.
Verse 10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord.
And in the power of his might.
Yet another verse in Colossians.
Chapter One.
Verse 10.
That he might walk worthy of the Lord.
Unto all pleasing being, fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
One more verse in Philippians chapter 4.
And verse 4.
Rejoice in the Lord.
Always and again I say rejoice.
These four verses have been laid on my heart this afternoon, and perhaps coupled with them and instance to illustrate each one in the life of the beloved Apostle Paul, who was the inspired author of each one of the verses that we have read.
First of all, we read, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
If you turn back with me, please, to the book of the Acts, perhaps we'll see this illustrated in the.
Halfway of the Apostle Paul and mine chapter of the Acts.
And saw yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went under the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly.
There shined round about him a light from heaven.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul.
Saw five persecutors Thou, me, and he said, Who art thou, Lord?
Who art thou?
Lord and the Lord said, I am Jesus.
Oh, beloved, what a picture we have here. The long-suffering, matchless grace of the heart of God that looked down after this world had rejected God's beloved Son after they had spit in his face and crucified him. The eye of God looked down and saw a man named Saul.
Who was breathing out threatenings and slaughter, and whose heart was filled, overflowing with hatred against those who bore with love the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? The eye of God looked down upon that young man. The eye of God saw. This young man saw as he went to the authorities at Jerusalem and sought from them letters that would give him liberty to go to Damascus.
To the synagogues there that he might bring bound to Jerusalem those who love the name of the Lord Jesus, and as he started out from Jerusalem with these letters in his pockets.
00:10:09
The eye of God looked down upon him.
Oh, I want to impress this upon each one of us. This very afternoon. The eye of God, my beloved friend, is looking down at you in love this very moment.
Oh, I'm happy to be able to say that. To start right here and point to each one of you and say the eye of God is looking down upon you.
I'm sure there's no one here whose testimony is such that you would stand by the chief of sinners and say.
That this describes the evident condition of your heart. Oh, I believe that Saul stands out among men as the most outstanding hater and persecutor of the name of Jesus Christ and of his devoted followers. But God loved him. And my friend, God loves you. The time came when Paul.
Saw at that time.
Approaches the city of Damascus, and a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun shone down upon that man.
Has this ever happened to you?
Has the light of God, beloved friend, ever shone down upon you that you might get a glimpse of your true condition in God's sight? I quite expect that you had asked the religious people of the city of Jerusalem, who is numbered among the most outstanding and religious people of this city.
Saul's name would have been among the first mention.
But in the sight of God, and with the light of God's holy presence shining down upon him, he discovered that which he had not known until that time his true condition in the sight of God. Beloved friend, I want to begin with this. Do you really know that in the sight of God you have been found lost and guilty? And have you been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ?
I don't ask you how well you know your Bible. I don't even ask you if you broke bread here this morning. I ask you this in the light of the eye of God that looks down upon you this very moment, My beloved friend. Are you sure?
Are you sure that all that was recorded against you?
Has been blotted out by the Precious Blood of Christ.
I have sad reason to say what I do.
I say, I do not even ask you if you broke bread here this morning, that won't fit your soul for heaven. You may have deceived your parents, you may have deceived those who came to question you when you asked to remember the Lord. But I say this to 1:00 and all here this afternoon you are going to spend as I am, going to stand in the presence of him whose holy light shone down upon Saul Tarsus on the road to Damascus.
And if the light of God's holy presence had shone upon us as we were gathered here.
To remember the Lord Jesus in death this morning, would you, beloved friend?
Would you have been found cleansed from every stain of guilt by the precious Blood of Christ?
It's a solemn question, I know. Perhaps by some it may be considered a little too straightforward.
But I ask you now as we consider the case of this dear man, Saul.
Upon whom for the first time this brilliant light shone forth, I ask you in the light of God's presence, I ask you in view of the fact that you will stand in the light of that present someday. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? What was the language of this man?
This chief of sinners as prostate on the ground, he utters his voice to the Lord.
What is it? Who art thou?
Lord.
Oh, what a marvelous word is this Jesus, that name that he despised. Jesus, that name that he hated to hear from the lips of his devoted followers?
00:15:06
He now looks up and addresses him as Lord.
You remember this same thing in a case of the malefactor who was crucified beside the Lord Jesus.
Lord.
Remember Me when thou cometh into thy Kingdom. Did he read that word in the superscription written over the cross? No, he did not. This is Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. No mention of that title, Lord.
But he uttered it by faith. Saul uttered it by faith. And I plead with you this afternoon, beloved young friend, perhaps growing up in a Christian home, and you know that father and mother have trusted the Lord Jesus, and you hear that name.
Lovingly and reverently and often mentioned in your home. But I ask you now, I ask the children. I ask the beloved young people, particularly those growing up in Christian homes.
In Jesus Christ.
Your Savior and Lord.
Now let's turn over to the second scripture that we referred to in Ephesians.
For I believe that this mighty step in the case of the beloved apostle was but the beginning, and I trust it may be so, you and me. I trust that the wonder and reality of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior may be to you and to me also by grace, but the beginning of that which will be for the glory of God.
And for your happiness along the way, homeward and for your eternal Thanksgiving too.
Because I want to tell you this beloved young people, the wisdom, the light, the instruction of this precious book is not given to you in order that you might find yourself walking a narrow and restricted pathway, but is given to you because God wants you to have.
A happy life, an abundant entrance, and a full reward. I greatly fear that he who whispered first in the ear of Eve has whispered in many ears here, present today, and tried to persuade you that the wisdom, the light, the direction of his book is going to be a narrow and restricting thing to walk by, that you're going to miss pleasures.
That otherwise would be so pleasant and so delightful. The Scripture speaks of that good and acceptable and perfect will of God who uttered those words, the same man who was found on his face on the road to Damascus.
But that has to be proven. This is the 12Th chapter of Romans that he may prove. What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Excuse a quotation, please, from time to time. But they do ring in my memory. You'll never meet a man who walked with God during his lifetime.
And at the end of his day, he said, I wish I hadn't done it. What is the result of walking with God? What is the result of walking in the light and the wisdom of this precious book? You know what it is? It's a happy life. It's an abundant entrance. It's a full reward. And it's because God loves you and because God loves me that he's put this complete book in our hands.
For our delight, for our meditation, for our wisdom. Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Again we have that glorious title, strong in the Lord of beloved young people. This is his desire.
It is his desire and abundant provision has been made that it might be a reality that you and I need not go through our journey here as weaklings.
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Was this the case with the author, divinely inspired of these very words? You know it was. You know the Apostle Paul by nature was a man with great and boundless energy. But the hand of God was laid upon this man. The hand of God was laid upon him for a wise and faithful and loving purpose. And if we were to turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 12, I believe we would find this principle.
Displayed in the life of the Apostle Paul, Could we turn then to 2nd Corinthians?
Chapter 12.
Verse 7.
The Apostle Paul, writing, of course, unless I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Thing I be sought, the Lord.
Thrice that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly, therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities and persecutions, and distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then am I strong?
Beloved, the apostles spoke from personal experience. He wrote from his own reality. When he said, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, Paul had to learn that he had no strength, no might of his own, with which he could face the difficulties of the Christian warfare.
Christian warfare, Do you mean to say that we're going to encounter things like this along the way? I thought you said it would be a happy life, beloved, so it will be. But I didn't say a life without difficulties. Trials, testing, battles, warfare.
I wouldn't be true to the word of God if I hid from you such realities. I sometimes wonder if books have not been written and songs have not been composed that give a false impression of the Christian pathway. I think there are those who feel that to become a Christian means the immediate removal of every difficulty, every problem, every obstacle that we can go down through life with a sort of a gay song in our hearts. Beloved, there is a reality to the Christian pathway.
There are enemies within and without, but is there strength equal for it? Thank God there is. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. The beloved apostle knew this strength he endured all through his journey in the strength of the Lord.
And not in the supposed strength of the Apostle Paul. Sometimes we meet this as we go about. We see those who naturally speaking, would be perhaps cast down with their own weakness and their own infirmities, but rejoicing in the power and might and strength given to them of the Lord. They go onward and all what I do, What a delight it is to see that which the Lord can minister.
To those who would otherwise be cast down by their problems and their trials.
I don't know yours, but I'm very, very sure of this, that as I'm standing here this afternoon, there are many, many, many believers right here before me who have real and trying and heartbreaking problems. And from time to time you pour out your heart before the Lord. From time to time you close your eyes in the evening, and that which looms before you on the moral seem so formidable.
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So difficult, dearly beloved child of God, you have by God's matchless grace, a resource of power and of strength in him. But I believe it's only entrusted to those who are made to feel their own weakness.
You know, the 23rd Psalm says he maketh me.
To lie down in green pastures. Sometimes I like to emphasize that little word He maketh me. I don't suppose that was the original intention of the verse. But from time to time, as you visit some dear child of God, and you see them flat on their back, and infirmity and weakness that verse brings through your mind, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He wants you. He wants me to enjoy these pastures. He wants you and me to have the sweetness of his love ministered to our heart along the way, the encouragement of his own strength granted to us as we face the difficulties. But if we try to face them in our own strength, we'll meet with continual discouragement. But if we bow on our own lack of light, of wisdom, of strength, beloved, there is strength to be had in him.
Who inspired the apostle to write these words? Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord.
And in the power of his might, isn't that forceful language? Do we lack anything when the pathway is considered when we read such words as these?
Some of us were just recently visiting down in Oaxaca in southern Mexico.
And beloved, we felt as we mingled among those who we love in the Lord down there, that we saw some of these things carried out in a practical way.
Thou dear brethren and sisters and young people have problems that are considerably different to that which you and I might meet with here. But they do have problems. They do have testings.
But beloved to see their godly quiet.
Recognition of the light and the wisdom of the Word of God. And the strength ministered from above is that which causes us to bow our heads in shame.
One dear brother came to us the morning after the meetings were ended.
It was a Tuesday morning. His name was Celestino.
We ask our prayers for him for the return journey to his own home. He was about to start out on foot.
We asked him when he thought he would reach home. He thought he could make it. By Thursday afternoon, it had taken him 2 1/2 days on foot to get there and Celestino, along with three other of the brothers who sat there in the meetings.
Carried bullets in their bodies because of the dangers of the way Celestino had been shot, cleaned through and the bullet was still lodged by his backbone.
He was in pain, but he had considered it to be a joy and a privilege to walk those five days over the mountains in order that he might sit and listen to the reading of the precious word of God.
I don't hesitate to admit that there were many tears flowed down very stoical faces as we.
Shall I confess it, as we wept and prayed with these dear brothers and sisters, who, some with their children and little ones, were starting out to return again to their homes, to face again the continual struggle for existence, to face again the problems and the dangers that you and I.
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Don't know very much about now, dear young people, I don't. I don't speak slightingly of the problems that I know you face. I know you do. I know that perhaps on Tuesday you're going to go back to face that which is so totally opposed to the precious person, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether it's at school, at work, perhaps with some of you in the home too, You're going to find yourself in an atmosphere.
Totally opposed to the one so dear to your heart. Is he sufficient for this? Can he give to you the strength to stand for him in the midst of it all? Beloved, when we read of Davide mighty men, when we read of the commendations at the end of some of the officials of this one, and that one who stood true to the Lord.
Remember.
He is watching you as you go back to school on Tuesday. He's watching you as you go back to your work on Tuesday. And he wants to record for you, as he has recorded in the pages of this precious book, the evaluation of your soul for the person and the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm going to digress a bit to get into something.
Practical. That has been on my heart since we had a little chat together at the table just a few moments ago.
And that is the dear young people at school who have not yet stepped out into the business world.
I know that at school you meet with many, many things that don't seem too far astray. They don't seem like downright disobedience to the word of God. But, beloved, just let me ask you this one question. Could you, in the company that this sort of thing would involve, could you speak with loving reverence of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Could you bear with you that precious name, and find yourself at home in the activities and the company that perhaps strives to win you over? Oh dearly beloved young people, if perhaps the reverend mention of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will bring mockery, will bring reproach. Just close your eyes and picture that name nailed above his cross.
And remember what he suffered because he loved you so much.
Dear young fellow Believer, what did it cost him to put your name and mine by grace in that book of life? What did it cost him? He loved you so much.
That he endured all that is recorded and that which can never be found out because he wobbled your name to be found in the Lamb's book of life. He loves your name, He loves to hear it before the angels of God and glory, and he's going to welcome you home.
Am I going too far to picture? But he's going to welcome you home by name.
I like to think of that, but he's going to welcome me by name and he's not going to be ashamed to do so either.
And while I'm here, and while you're here, you know very well, and I know very well, for this is not only for those who are young. We needed all our life long that the reverent mention of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in a day like this and in a world like this.
Will bring reproach, will bring mockery. But here, beloved, is where the strength can come from. If we go forward in our own strength, we will very, very soon meet with sad defeat. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Could we turn over to Colossians now? Colossians Chapter One?
And verse 10.
That he might walk worthy of the Lord.
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Unto all pleasing being, fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
We said at the beginning that the accepting of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
Confessing of that worthy name and title ought to be but the beginning. There is strength for the whole pathway that is ours for the receiving from him. And now see this exhortation, that he might walk worthy of the Lord.
Unto all pleasing will, I not find the wisdom needed for the fulfillment of this verse again in the pages of God's precious Word.
Oh, how much busy activity there is all around us, Christian activity, so-called too, that is not according to the light or the wisdom of the Word of God. And you and I, dear young people, have an exceptional privilege, many of us, For I am looking into the faces of those whom I recognize. Many of us have had the privilege of a Christian home. Many of us have been brought up to know the joy of being brought to such meetings as these from the time we're very, very little.
Some folks consider that to be a pretty narrow experience, and they suggest that a much broader experience would be.
Helpful to us, I stand here to say, with profound Thanksgiving to God.
That my very earliest memories are associated with the privilege of being brought to such meetings as these prayer meetings. Yes, thank God. Bible readings? Yes. I couldn't understand what was being said, but it was just part of our family timetable.
And I was found there. Probably fell asleep before the meeting was over. A good many times, in fact. I digress a moment to recall that when the five of us used to go off to meeting, sometimes we'd make a pact among ourselves to see if any one of us could stay awake through the meeting. And the next morning we would ask one another if we would recall how the meeting ended. And it was pretty pitiful sometimes that not one of us could remember how the meeting ended. But my memory was associated with the privilege of being brought to such meetings at all. How I thank God for it.
How I thank God for it, we were reminded in Toronto some time ago.
Of the faithfulness of the parents of dear Samuel, who, when he was a very little boy, took him to the temple. What would there be in the temple for a little boy?
An old half blind man named Eli who didn't have very much discernment and a couple of very wicked sons.
What an environment for a little boy, But his mother had faith enough to take him there, and Samuel followed the Lord.
All beloved parents, beloved parents, bring your children to the meeting. There's a blessing involved, I have no doubt, and I can only stand here. I trust I say it in the right spirit, with thankfulness to God for the privilege that I have known all through the years.
Of being numbered among those who rejoice in the happy privilege of the scriptural simplicity in which we find ourselves gathered this day now in verse 10, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleading. Did this mean anything to the apostle Paul? Did he just write this one day by inspiration as a secretary would write?
Being dictated to no beloved friend, the apostle Paul, who was the inspired penman in this text, knew the reality of this verse.
Walk worthy of the Lord.
Again, please forgive me if I digress in thought again.
To Oaxaca, Mexico.
I recall two years ago, Doug Buchanan will remember this very well on our way into the interior toward the little community known as El Cacao where the conference was to be held. It was necessary to pass through a number of.
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Pagan villages. I had never laid eyes on a Pagan village before, and the experience was a shock to me.
The very feeling that one would have as we approached and walked through one of these Pagan villages is something that cannot easily be forgotten.
The nakedness.
The sin, the sense and power of evil that seemed present in such villages was very strongly evidence. And then, beloved brethren, we continued on our way till we came to this village of El Cacao. Do you know what we found in that village?
We found that every home in that village, with one exception only.
Either husband or wife or both were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Every home but one. And what did we see as we looked around that village?
The outward evidence of a desire to walk worthy of the Lord. What had made the difference? This precious book, with its living message, had been brought to that village.
And the light of its glorious passage had delivered them from the guilt and penalty of their sins. But more than this, it had taught them his book heads up, that nobody had gone in there and give them a given scolding, and told them how to behave.
The precious living word of God, with all its glorious life, had had such a profound effect upon them in every way that I'm sure my dear brother Doug Buchanan would say the same thing, that the very feeling as you walk through 1 Village and stepped into another was immediately evident. You could feel the difference. And beloved, you could see the difference. You could see the difference.
You could look at those who were gathered there and realize what the precious living word of God.
Meant to them in more ways than one, there was a delightful eager.
Response of love to him who had so loved them.
I know one day we were having meetings in the little villages. El surveillo again a way back in the interior. 2 Deer Indians appeared at those meetings. They also had come for two days over the hills and what had brought them there. The rumor had quickly spread through the mountains that a message of forgiveness was being taught in Elsa Willow and they had come that long, long distance.
Hoping that they would be able to hear and understand. They couldn't speak a word of Spanish, they could only understand the mistake dialect. There was one dear fellow there, Leonardo Garcia, who had formerly been an evil witch doctor. He knew both Mistec and Spanish, and he sat there and listened for the entire hour while the gospel was presented and then turned around and repeated the message in the Mist Tech dialect to these two dear Indians who come that long way.
Because they had heard that a message of forgiveness was being presented. Oh, beloved, I say again, as we see the profound effect in the life of those who have received not only the forgiveness of their sins, but the light of the precious word of God to guide them. Beloved, bear with me while I say.
As we come back here and look around, it doesn't seem quite so easy to differentiate here as in some other places.
Sometimes you get a bit of a surprise when you find that someone is really a Christian after all.
Bear with me please.
I love your soul, and I think of the day when you're going to stand before the Lord.
I think of the day when I'm going to stand there. He loved me so much that he died to redeem me. He loved me so much that he gave me this book to be the guide of my life.
And among the verses in this book is the one we've just been reading together.
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That he might walk worthy of the Lord. I believe that in a day like this, it brings mockery. It brings reproach. You stand out as being a bit different because you want to please the Lord. Is that true? You know it's true. Of course it's true.
We get in Peter a verse which I suppose will come before us tomorrow In the readings. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. When I read those words, strangers and pilgrims, permit me to say that I think perhaps I have sensed it in a practical way.
In traveling alone in faraway places.
Now, there are some pretty fascinating places to the average tourist, I suppose, here and there, scattered around the world. And I've been in quite a number of those places that apparently tourists find to be very charming, very fascinating. But I want to tell you something. Nobody needs to tap me on the shoulder when I'm all alone in one of those places. And say, Albert, don't forget you're a stranger in a Pilgrim here. I'm well aware of the fact that I'm a stranger in a Pilgrim in those places.
I feel the loneliness of it. Those dear to me are not with me.
Is not my home number matter how many charming attractions there may be around me? I'm conscious of the fact by everything I see and everything I hear that I am but a stranger and a Pilgrim and that I don't really belong there. I'm passing through and I trust for the glory of God.
Some time ago we had occasion to visit the ambassador from Yugoslavia. It was our desire to enter that country, and the Lord granted it. But the interview with that ambassador left me with a profound impression. You know, we are told in Second Corinthians again by the same apostle. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. Well, we went to this ambassador, a tall, very stately gentleman.
And we began to tell him that our desire was to enter his country well, as we rather expected.
He was every inch a gentleman and showed it by his conduct and his conversation, but.
The moment he opened his mouth to speak, I knew that he was a foreigner. He knew English and knew it very well. But there was something about that accent that betrayed him. As a foreigner in Canada, he couldn't disguise it. I quite expected to listen carefully. You can tell that I wasn't born an American too, but there was something about the accent of this Ambassador Mugosli that betrayed him as being. But.
A temporary visitor in Canada.
And when I heard that in his accent, I thought, Should there not also be something in our conversation, beloved fellow Christian, that betrays us in a generation like this is your conversation? Is mine the same as that which goes on all around us?
It ought not to be so. There ought to be something about your daily conversation at school, at work, that would betray the fact that you're a stranger here now. The next thing was this. This ambassador has an unbounded enthusiasm for Yugoslavia. Why? You just think there was no other country in the world that could become fair to the beauty of.
Yugoslavia.
Wonder that everyone didn't come and visit that country. He spread out tourist folders and he said you must go here, you must go there. Oh, he was so filled with enthusiasm for the country that he was representing. I thought again as this enthusiasm became so evident. What a lesson for me.
I also represent a country beloved. I hope once in a while my language might betray that fact.
And I hope, I hope, that I have more enthusiasm for the country that I'm representing, that that ambassador had for his all beloved. There are flaws in that country. Anyone who goes there knows it full well.
But the country that I represent, The country that you represent, dear young fellow believers.
Do you have that kind of enthusiasm as you speak of it to others? Is it any wonder that they turn away and say no thanks? I want to have a good time. If they could only see your delight, your enthusiasm, your eagerness, as you speak of that glorious country that you represent, as you speak of your true home, and your eagerness to be there. Surely, beloved, this is the way it ought to be.
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Been one third thing impressed me as we spoke further with that ambassador.
After his enthusiasm, he stopped and said now these are the requirements that must be submitted to if you wish to cross the boundary of our country.
These are the requirements. And he faithfully outlined what was necessary in order that we might enter that country. I thought again, what a lesson. First of all, that our very conversation ought to betray the fact that as ambassadors we are strangers here. Secondly, that there ought to be an eager enthusiasm for the country we represented toward which we're traveling. And thirdly, ought we not to be faithful concerning the requirements for admission?
To that country, dear young ambassadors, remember this, remember this. So we read here that he might walk worthy of the Lord and to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. You know, it's a little bit difficult to.
Think through the life of the Apostle Paul and try to pick out anyone occasion when this was.
Fulfill. It just seems that everywhere you turn in the life of the Apostle Paul, there was that objective before him. He wanted to walk worthy of the Lord. This was not just simply a text included in the Divine Canon. This was a reality to the beloved Apostle. Suppose we turn to Acts.
The 17th chapter.
And the 61St?
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Verse 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill and said, he men of Athens, I perceive it in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I pass by and beheld your devotion, I found an altar with his inscription to the unknown God.
Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him, declare I unto you.
I see. Again, it's difficult to pick something specific out of the life of the Apostle Paul as a demonstration of walking worthy of the Lord.
But here was Paul, in a city that perhaps might have been a very, very attractive thing for this dear man. I don't suppose there was quite as much traveling done in his day as there is in ours, and it must have been quite an experience to find himself there in Athens. And his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the beautiful buildings and he saw the wonderful architecture. Is that what it says? No. This dear man walked worthy of the Lord.
And wherever he went, and whatever the occasion may have been that confronted him, the glory of the Lord was before him. The service of the Lord was before his eyes. And so as Paul was there in that city of Athens, the most fascinating city for a tourist.
His spirit was stirred within him, and he preached Christ, knowing, I'm quite sure, as he began to preach that it was going to bring mockery and going to bring reproach. Oh, dear young fellow believers, dear young brother or sister in Christ you have only one life to live for him who laid down his life for you. And someday, I believe, very, very soon.
That life of yours, this life of mine is going to come to an end. The last entry is going to be added to that record if you and I are going to face it in the coming day. Yes, we are at the judgment seat of Christ. You and I are going to face God's record of your life, God's record of mine, and you won't be able to add a few last minutes lines to that record of your life.
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Our brother Kaiser prayed at the prayer meeting here.
His soul was burdened concerning the dear young brother recently and suddenly taken away from the Columbus Assembly and a dear young brother recently taken away from Chatham, NJ.
Young young man, both of them, the last line of their life history has already been recorded.
Dear young fellow believers, these minds were written not to restrict you, not to bring to you a narrow and sorrowful life, but in order that you might have a life of joy and happiness, in spite of the difficulties and the problems, in spite of the struggle and the warfare. I don't minimize this. Those things may be your experience, but he who was ordained of God to pen these words Himself.
Went through experiences that you and I will never be called upon to pass through. You know very well that if you were to turn to 2nd Corinthians, I'm not sure the chapter where he gives an account of those things they endured for the name of the Lord. Was he writing them because he felt sorry for himself and wished he had chosen some other pathway, Even though it's not so beloved? You know that the Apostle Paul looked back on all that which God had entrusted to him.
All those things through which he had passed, and he says, our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
When one of our daughters with a very little girl, I won't tell you which one because they're both here, I gave her a choice to make a bright new shiny penny and a dirty, crumpled up dollar bill. I was pretty sure what her choice would be. She was familiar with the look of a bright, shiny penny, and she didn't have much use for that crumpled up piece of green paper, and she promptly chose the penny.
I was pretty sure she would do that, but I have an idea that if I offered her the same choice again today, she'd know that one was worth 100 times as much as the other, and she made the wrong choice. It wasn't very serious after all, was it? But dearly beloved young people, I have made far more serious mistakes than that in my life, and I want to stand here and tell you that it has been the grace and faithfulness of God, and his hand upon myself will shoulder.
Still finds me by matchless grace here today. And if you feel the hand of the Lord upon your shoulder, dear young believers, remember it's there because he loves you so much, He wants you to be happy. And if I had been allowed to follow the wayward notions I had in my youth, my life would be a sorrowful mess today, but a matchless grace of God. I pray that these words may touch my heart, even as I pray that they may touch yours, walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
Now one more last one.
Our time is up Philippians Chapter 4.
Philippians chapter 4.
Rejoice in the Lord always again I say Rejoice.
Then a marvelous verse. Surely this was written by a man who knew something of luxury and comfort and popularity and fame. What else is there to rejoice in? Our friend come with me down the streets of Rome.
We come to a prison.
And we get permission to enter this prison, and we open one of the prison doors and we look in and we see an old man sitting writing at a table.
He's an old man who bears the marks of much suffering. Beaten with rods, beaten with lashes, stone. Much suffering has been a lot of this dear old prisoner who sits there at his table writing, waiting for the day when he will be LED out to be executed because of his faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. And we step over the table where there's dear old man is writing.
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And the aged apostle Paul looks up to see who has come in.
What a sad look on his face. You think so?
Friend, not for one moment we look over his shoulder to see what he's just written. And these are the words rejoice in the Lord. Always and again I say rejoice.
I can see that aged apostle as he looks up with radiant joy to proclaim the truth.
Of that which was promised him from the God who sent his Son to redeem him. Oh, dearly beloved young people, I want to tell you this. I know it on the authority of God's precious living Word, that it is possible in a day like this, with all the difficulties and the problems that I cannot solve, nor can they be entirely removed from your pathway. It is possible by the grace of God.
Owning the lordship of him who died to redeem you to go through this journey.
With his strength at your disposal and his joy.
To encourage you all along the way. Are you going to end your days as Paul did and rejected man in prison? I rather doubt it. But even if you did, this could still be your portion. All beloved, rejoice in the Lord always Again, I say, rejoice. Shall we look to the Lord in prayer?
Open Mtg.
Open—W. Smith, C. Lunden
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This morning our brother in talking to the children.
Referring to the name Names of God.
And one.
The boy said the name of God was Jesus.
Well, I thought that was very sweet to see that.
You know there are other names too, and God has been pleased to record some of these names.
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In his precious word, and I have one name in mind.
Which speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Referred to several times in the scripture and refers not only to his name but also to the place where he has put his name.
And I'd like to turn first to Genesis 49.
And verse 10.
Don't refer to other scriptures a little later.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
I'm sure that most of us here, if not all.
Understand that the purpose of God is that the Lord Jesus Christ have the highest place, have the place of honor and glory. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who's glorified God as to the question of sin.
And surely he is worthy of all honor.
Our meeting this morning to remember the Lord in his death.
I believe was characterized by the spirit of worship and glory.
Ascribed to him.
And so here way back.
In the early days of the history of God's ways with his people on earth.
We find the proclaimed prophetically by Jacob that there was one to come.
Who was to be God's man here?
And he would be the one who would have the government in his hand.
And the one to whom the people would be gathered together.
And so, how nice it is, how wonderful it is to think of our Lord Jesus Christ as the object of God's thoughts at that time.
The people of God on that day were in a wonderful place of privilege.
They had been brought to God. They had been brought out.
From heathendom to Abraham, he was an idol worshipper, but they've been brought to God.
And our God is owning them as His people.
Let us turn to Isaiah 9.
We just go over these scriptures hurriedly. We want to leave time for someone else.
Isaiah 9.
And verse 6.
For unto us a child is born.
Under us the son is given.
And the government should be upon his shoulder, and his name should be called wonderful.
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
How accurate is Scripture?
Jacob spoke of the coming of Shiloh.
The one who would be the lawgiver for Israel.
But now here the prophet Isaiah by inspiration is saying unto us, a child is born.
The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into this world.
Now what a wonderful beginning he had.
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The miraculous birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy One come into this world. Under us a child is born.
But it also tells us unto us, a son is given, not a son is born, but a son is given.
The one who was from everlasting.
The eternal Son of God.
So we have here in this verse the wonderful names.
Which attach themselves to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wonderful counselor.
The Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Friends of peace.
He came as the one who came and answered.
Or in fulfillment, rather, the prophecies we spoke of as coming here to bring peace into this world.
This world, through all its history, has known very little of peace.
And today, I suppose we know less of peace than at anytime in the history of the world.
The Lord Jesus came.
And when it came into the world.
The proclamation of the angelic host was peace on earth.
But they rejected him.
They cast him out. They cast out the Prince of this world.
The Friends of Peace. Rather excuse me, they cast out the Prince of Peace.
And this world is today.
Reaping the consequences of their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In John's Gospel, the first chapter, we find that he came to his own. His own received him not.
They wouldn't have it. They crucified him.
And now there's no peace for this, for this world. No peace. That's my God, to the wicked. No, there's no peace for this world.
And there will be no peace.
Until.
The prophetic word is fulfilled that he is coming again and he is going to bring peace to this world.
But all how it makes our hearts ache, does it not, when we think of what is going to precede the peace that is coming?
To this world.
Let's look at Ezekiel Chapter 21.
Verse 27.
I will overturn.
Overturn, overturn it and it should be no more.
Until he comes. Who's right? It is and I will give it him.
The day is coming when our Lord Jesus Christ is going to take the government of this world upon His shoulder.
But peace will come.
By judgment.
Those who rejected our Lord Jesus Christ.
Are going to be judged for their rejection of him.
I speak these things in anticipation of what we may yet say with regard to our present day in which we live.
That is.
That today, as never before, I believe this world has turned away from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
We've been hearing lately.
Of the efforts of the enemy.
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To turn people wholly away from God. And we know it's going to come. We know the day is coming when this world will turn 100% away from God, and Satan will be free to do as he pleases here.
That is as far as daughter Leonardo goes.
But there is a turning.
Definitely here in our land, if you please to the occult.
There's a turning to the worship of Satan.
Satan is a usurper of this world, the government of the world.
He has taken it away from Maryland, and whose hand that was placed by garden in Eden.
And the true one who was to judge this world is rejected.
We need to be on our guard with respect to it.
That we do not become infected by these things.
It's coming out more and more in print.
In the magazines of the day of how Satan is gaining the ascendancy in the thoughts.
Of those who live in what has been known as a Christian nation.
Solemn to think of it.
But God says here I will overturn, overturn, overturneth.
Until he come, who'd write it in?
And I will give it him.
Or we can thank God.
That we live in this time.
And seek to go on at least professedly as those who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although we may remain faithful to the Rejected 1.
Yes, he is rejected.
May we remain faithful to him.
We've just been hearing.
Are the beloved apostles who could go on in that path? And whose writings?
Were the experience of his own life walking worthy of the Lord, may we do so ourselves.
You know, there's more we'd like to speak of with regard to Shiloh. Is that name we have before us.
Speaking to us of the person of Christ and his glory, his coming glory.
But I believe it also refers to the position in which some of God's dear people by grace are found.
Let's turn to Joshua Chapter 18.
The time referred to in this chapter.
The Lord Jehovah had put his name amongst his people, and he dwelt amongst them.
At the direction of Jehovah.
The people.
Under Moses administration.
Built the Tabernacle in which God would dwell.
And he dwelt amongst his people.
All through the wilderness.
The Tabernacle went with them, and the evidence of the presence of the Lord in the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night went with them.
And now the children of Israel have entered into the land of Canaan and refined in this chapter Joshua 18 and verse one.
And the whole congregation of Children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up a Tabernacle of the congregation there.
There was at that time, a place.
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Where the Lord had put his name.
And that's a place to which the children of Israel went to worship the Lord.
There was a place in the tribe of Ephraim.
Eve Rome, you know, had the first born place.
Amongst the Israelites.
And the Tabernacle was pitched there in Shiloh.
In the inside the tribe of April.
And that's where the children of Israel came when they were to offer their sacrifices.
That was a place.
As we said already said where the Lord had put his name.
We believe by the word of God that there is a place today.
Where the Lord has put his name.
We have been referred during these meetings to Matthew 18 and 20.
Forward two or three are gathered together unto my name.
There am I in the midst of them.
There is a place where the Lord is to be found in the midst of his own.
We thank God that there are some who are found there. How many of God's dear people?
Are not found in that place.
Now we don't take away one minute from the fact that there are many dear, precious souls who love the Lord with all their heart.
Found in other places.
And with a desire to serve the Lord.
But we've also been reminded.
That the Lord.
Is the one who is to have his first plate.
He is the one who is to be.
Given that place.
Not only individually in our hearts, but collectively as the people of God.
To have that his rightful place.
In our midst.
Shadow was that place in the days of Joshua.
But you know, declension came in.
On a return to.
The last of judges, I believe it is.
We find what?
Happened as the years went on.
The last chapter.
Of the Book of Judges.
Declension failure amongst the people that come in.
The same as there has been declension and failure amongst the people of God in the present age.
Shiloh became a forgotten place.
I remember many years ago, before the days of paved and marked highways.
We used to go on occasion from one place to another.
And we go so far. Now where do we go from here?
There might be on a dusty dirt Rd.
Winding this way and that way.
And we wanted to reach a certain destination. We stopped and ask a farmer, how do I get to such a place?
Well, you've been down this road down to that red barn down there and then you turn to the left and then you go so far and you turn to the right and so on and you'll get there.
That's the way it was with Shiloh.
Verse 19 of the last chapter.
Then they said, behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Chicken and on the South of Laguna.
And so on.
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In order to get to Shiloh in the days of the judges, when every man did that, we should write in his own eyes.
They'd forgotten the law of the Lord. They did that which would write in their own eyes, but in order to get to Shiloh, they had to be given specific instructions as to how to get there.
The way was unknown to most of the Israelites.
How true it is today.
With a place where the Lord has put his name.
And it raises a question.
Even with those of us who are here.
Do we know that we are in the place where the Lord?
Has put his name. Is this the place?
Why am I here?
Is it because my parents came to the meetings?
Is that the reason I'm here? I'm here just because they were.
Although we might know for ourselves that the place where we are is the place where the Lord is in the midst.
We have the guide here in the word of God.
There are marks along the way.
To show us where the Lord would have.
You know, so many forget that the only we may have assurance in our own hearts that where we are is the very place where the Lord Himself is.
Shallow was a forgotten place.
And it wasn't long until evil crept in which.
Turn to Samuel, First Samuel.
Defined in the first chapter.
So here was a godly man and his wife.
That came up to Shiloh.
First Samuel.
Chapter one and verse 3.
The man Elkanah.
This man went up out of this city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of the hosts in Shiloh.
But it says that the two sons of Hoffman, sons of Eli, Hafnai and Finnehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
We're going to read on a little farther, we would find.
That these were wicked men.
Yes, they were wicked men.
Oh, I'll stand to find evil coming into the plate.
Where the Lord has put his name.
All that we ourselves may remain faithful to the Lord.
As this man Arcana.
As his wife, Hannah.
Who came there?
And through her her son Samuel.
You know the Lord will not allow his name to be dishonored.
No, you won't allow that.
Our Lord is a holy God.
And he is greatly feared in the assembly of his Saints.
We were reminded of that scripture this morning.
The Lord is greatly to be feared in the assembly of His Saints.
Brethren evil.
Comes in from time to time.
Sad to say.
But may we be in our minds, in the current of God's thoughts.
So that when evil does come in.
May we be in such a position.
And may our thoughts be so formed.
Through the guidance of the Spirit of God in his Word, that evil may be put out amongst the Saints of God.
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There was a day with Samuel.
When God gave him that word.
How he was going to judge the House of Eli for their wickedness.
There the judgment came.
Let's turn to Psalm 78.
Verse 60.
I'll remind you read from verse 58.
For they provoked him to anger with their high places and moved into jealousy with their graven images.
When God heard this, he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel, so that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men, and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemy's hands.
All that we may hold fast to the holiness of the place where the Lord has put his name.
We need to remember that holiness becomes the House of the Lord forever.
This is a day when there's much compromise, particularly amongst the young people of our day, how easy it is to become conformed to this world, to the appearance of this world, and particularly that element which is characterized by rebellion against all authority.
May we be guarded against that, not to be like those who express their rebellion against the authority which is God instituted.
God forsaken Shiloh.
There came the day when God no longer had his plaints amongst his people in silo.
Turn to Jeremiah.
Chapter 7.
Verse 12.
For verse 11.
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robberies in your eyes?
Behold, even I have seen us at the Lord. But going now to my place, which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the 1St, and see what I did. Do it for the wickedness of my people, Israel.
See what I did? Do it for the wickedness of my people, Israel.
Oh, brethren, may we not be like God's people of all now. These things were written for our learning.
For our instruction, may we go on in this world.
As a part from it, as strangers, as pilgrims here in this world, may that be our character while we're here.
We remember, do we not?
That the Lord threatened the assembly at Ephesus with the removal of his Candlestick.
All the Lord may have to do that if we're not careful.
If we allow evil in our midst, the Lord may remove the Candlestick.
From the place where we are.
All I said it would be if the Lord were to do that.
To remove the canvas at the light of the testimony to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of the bad testimony of the place where we are through the allowance of evil.
There's one other scripture I'd like to turn to, and that is in the third chapter of the Revelation.
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There are two companies there. I'd like to just refer to the first one into Philadelphia.
We remember the Lord gave much encouragement to Philadelphia. They owned their weakness.
And the 11Th verse.
Of Revelation 3.
Behold, I come quickly.
Hold that fast, for thou hast that no man take thy crown.
Brethren, the Lord is not looking for great things.
But he is given to us a deposit of truth.
How do we value it?
In view of the Lord's coming, how do we hold what He has given to us?
He simply asked us to hold that fast which we have.
He wants us to do that in view of his student coming.
For the next company.
May we not be characterized in spirit by that which characterized Laodicea?
Verse 14.
Under the Angel of the Church of the Laodicea and write these things, set the Amen, the faithful, and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou were cold or hot. So then, because there aren't lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
I was true that this is just the profession of Christianity. This is apostasy.
But how easy it is to get into the spirit of such a thing as this?
To be proud of our humility.
To be proud of the place where the Lord has put us.
All brothers, not through our credit that we're here.
It's the mercy of Our Lord which has brought us to the place where we are.
And as many of us here sincerely believe it, have gone through much exercise, that we are where the Lord is in the midst of his own.
But it's only His grace which has brought us there.
For that was characterized legacy. I was crying, proud of their accomplishments. I'm rich, increased with goods of need, of nothing.
Coldness, lukewarmness.
The Lord says I will spew the out of my mouth.
Or brethren, just these few remarks.
That we may indeed value the place where the Lord is in the midst.
That we may have found you the mercy of our God, which has brought us here, and also maybe hold fast that we have until He comes.
Shall we turn to the 27th chapter of Exodus, please?
Verse 20.
Exodus 27 and 20.
And thou shalt command.
The children of Israel that they bring the pure oil olive beaten for the light.
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To cause the lamp to burn always.
In the Tabernacle of the congregation, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his son shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
The 29th chapter.
Verse 38.
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar 2 lambs of the first year, day by day.
Continually the one Lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other Lamb thou shalt offer at even.
And with the one lamb, a tense deal of flour mingled with the 4th part of a hen of beaten oil.
And the 4th part.
Of an hen of wine.
For a drink offering.
And the other lamb, thou shalt offer it even, and shall do thereto, according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof.
For a sweet savour and offering made by fire unto the Lord. This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations.
At the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, where I will meet with you.
Need you to speak there unto thee.
45th Verse And I will dwell among the children of Israel. It will be their God, and they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God, and I shall make an altar to burn incense upon it. Of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
And the sixth verse. And thou shalt put it before the veil, that is, by the ark of the testimony before the mercy seat.
That is over the testimony where I will meet with thee and Aaron shall burn their own sweet incense.
Every morning when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
And when Aaron lighted the lamps, that even he shall burn incense upon us.
A perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.
We have three things brought together in these scriptures. We have the mercy seat.
Or the place where God would meet with his people.
We have the golden altar of incense and we have the candlesticks.
I would just like to, dear brethren, continue with the high note that was before us in our readings.
I say the high note because we had in our readings.
Just at the close, the subject of praise and worship connected with the testimony.
Now this is very important for us to consider.
And may we do so just for a few moments?
We have here two things that were to be done continually. The things that were written before time were written for our learning.
That we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.
And so, dear brethren, it's a wonderful thing.
When the Spirit of God gives us to see the principles involved in these lovely pictures.
That were written the four times.
In the beginning of Genesis we have the expression and God said let there be light and there was light.
And then he made the stars in the 4th day and he placed the meat in their place. Does that mean anything to you?
Do you see there, dear friend, that God has put you in a place to bear light in this world?
Yeah, we'll notice that in a moment.
We have a people here of Israel that God had called out from among the nations, separated them.
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And as he separates them, and he builds a house, a Tabernacle in the wilderness.
He gives the command as we read that they were to bring the oil.
Holy too for the lightning. And there was that light was to burn continually.
Continually.
A dear brother who's going to be with the Lord that you all do real well. Once of this assembly was one was up in Laurenville.
And.
He was visiting about and he saw a fisherman mending his Nets.
And so he was telling me this story, and he asked this fisherman.
How old is that net? Oh, he said. I don't know.
Well, he said. How long have you had it? All my life?
Well.
It must be pretty old. Oh yes, he said. My father had it and my grandfather had it, as far as I know.
Well, he said. How does it last that long?
Well, he said. We keep replacing the threads.
Oh dear fellow Christian, are you happy when God puts in another threat, a new strong threat to that net?
That the light might burn continually. You pray for that new thread that's brought in.
Carry the light.
Yes, that gospel net has gone out for 2000 years now.
But there are being threads being placed regularly and you know, some of the old threads are wearing out, wearing out.
That God's putting in new ones and pray for them and pray for them.
But what I want to call your attention to here particularly is.
In this 30th chapter.
The seven first.
An Aaron shall burn their own sweet incense every morning. When he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
And when Aaron lighteth the lamps, that even he shall burn incense upon it.
A perpetual incense. A perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generation.
You know, there's something very holy and very special about the testimony of God.
And I wonder sometimes if we've lost a sense of it in measure.
In the first place, that light stood right exactly.
Beside.
The altar of incense, the golden aura.
Yes, and that stood just outside of the veil of the Most Holy Place.
Does that mean anything to you?
You know the scripture says the young man must be clean and bear the vessels of the Lord.
Yes. Not only does holiness become thine house, the Scripture says.
That it becomes those vessels as well.
And how is that holiness maintained?
Any sweet incense every morning, that's how it's maintained.
There's no use of carrying the light without the sweet incense.
When the lambs are trimmed and they need trimming because.
A Wick full of Charkhill coal will not give good light.
They're trimmed right there in his presence.
Yes, that trimmed in his presence.
And they're lit in his presence.
And they're to burn the whole night throughout.
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Now what a picture we have here. Holiness. Purity.
Less of this.
You and I realize the importance of this light in this Dark World. God said Let there be light, there was light. And now he's called out of people Israel to be his testimony as our brothers been telling us.
Israel, as far as their responsibility, was concerned the light has gone out.
Who now carries the light?
Well, we'll read a scripture in a moment.
Who carries the light?
But before we leave this passage.
Remember that there was one other thing that was to be done continually.
And that was the lamb in the morning and the lamb in the evening.
Yes, and there was to be the light measure of oil and wine in connection with it.
Now we know that the oil speaks of the Spirit of God.
And we know that the wine would suggest joy.
And so, dear ones, if you and I want to be happy in our souls.
In connection with the testimony of the Lord.
There will be just as much joy as there is waiting upon God in the enjoyment of the Spirit filling the vessel.
There must be a like measure of the oil and the wine.
I like that.
And so this is offered morning and evening.
Now let's be practical, dear brethren. Is it solar?
That's all, morning and evening, you say you want to be a light in the testimony for Christ.
Where does the light stand? It stands beside the place of the Most Holy Place, just outside of the veil. But there's no veil now. The veil has been read.
Yes, the veil's been red.
All at a position this place is the believer in to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Not just on 11:00 Lord this day morning, but that's where we dwell.
In the Epistle of John we have in one verse the seventh verse of the first chapter of the first Epistle, the Christian position. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood, Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sins.
Yes, but dear brethren, the point is with us. It should exercise us.
Although that's our position and we can't get out of it, and the light exposes all our ways, are we walking according to it?
Is it the practical exercise of this, as I see myself seeking to bear light for the Lord Jesus and I'd be kind.
The dear ones is my deportment, is my manner of life, is my dress in keeping?
With this holy position in which I stand.
Are you going to ask your own soul that this afternoon?
Turn with me to Matthews Gospel.
The 5th chapter.
For time, I'll just read.
From the 14th verse.
No, I think we'll read from the 13th.
The salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savior, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of man, year the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hit. Neither do men Light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a Candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light.
So shine before men that they may see your good works.
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Glorify your Father, which is in heaven.
Now, salt has various meanings. I'm sure according to the context it's that which preserves and savers, but here I believe there's a special meaning I'd like to call attention to.
In the second chapter, Leviticus, they were not to allow the sacrifice to go without salt.
Now Saul speaks of devotedness.
Devotedness.
And when you fix a piece of meat, you put salt on it.
For the saving.
Who God says that that sacrifice was not to lack the salt.
In all their sacrifices.
It must have a savior.
Let's see devotedness from the heart.
That's the point. But now he says, ye are the light of the world.
Now you may put various applications on this, and you may say this belongs to the Kingdom and all this, But dear friend, whether it belongs to the Kingdom or whether it belongs to something else, it belongs to you and me and our conscience this afternoon.
That's where it's lost. I don't know the true interpretation of all these things, but I know it speaks to my soul this afternoon.
Ye are the light, the Lord Jesus could say, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
But they slew him and hung him on a tree.
He's handed the mantle, as it were, to you.
Yes, the light.
Now they don't take a light and put it under.
A bushel, that is.
Let's put it plain. You don't put it. Hide it under your business.
Bushel basket. You don't hide the light under it.
No, you put it out so everyone can see it.
They'll give light to all that are in the house.
You don't set it up. You don't.
It says in the 14th 1St a city that is set on a hill cannot be hit.
That's where the light should be, where it cannot be hit.
That's the responsibility.
Of those who now carry the light.
Now I want to turn to one verse that's really on my heart this afternoon in a special way, and it's in the book of Samuel again. We've had Samuel before us twice today. The Lord may have some reason for it especially.
But in this verse in the third chapter of.
Samuel.
L.
We read, of course, in the 18th chapter, Revelation.
That in Babylon, that which is left of the profession of Christianity, the light will be seen no more there.
The light will be gone.
Does the day coming when that light that is so light in this world of Christianity?
Is going to be gone.
And the darkness will be great.
But they're they're ones this afternoon, and I peel especially to those who are younger.
Shall we say young men for the moment?
As I read this verse.
May have touched your heart as this touched my heart more than once.
As we spoke of the net and putting new threads in.
The Gospel net, which is the light you know.
Until Jesus comes.
We read this verse.
And.
The third verse ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord.
Ere the lamp of God went out.
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The temple of the Lord.
Ark of God was.
And Samuel was laid down to sleep, That the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I.
You and I, dear young men, feel any responsibility as to the testimony connected with the Ark of God.
Are we going to allow ourselves to be burdened down in this present world with present things, with weights that become sin in the light of these truths?
Are we going to surround ourselves with everything that belongs to a world that's going to be shaken?
And everything that belongs to it will be shaken.
Are we going to establish ourselves and that which cannot be shaken?
Mothers.
Do you have the same faith as Hannah?
For her little child, Samuel.
That you would give them to the Lord, that you might be before the Lord forever.
Oh, how that faith was rewarded.
Little Samuel ere the light went out. He became the link between the priesthood and the king.
And so, so much so that Scripture speaks of Samuel as the beginning of a line of prophets of Samuel and those that follow after.
Samuel knows that follow after you get that in the third of Acts in other places.
Samuel those that follow after.
Oh yes, the faith of a mother. The faith of a father.
That's where it begins.
A testimony ere the Lamb.
Here the land.
Went out in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, and Samuels laid down to sleep that the Lord called sand.
And he answered here. Let's remember then, that light, that's just a burn, continually.
Let's remember to the morning and the evening sacrifice.
Let's remember the golden altar and the incense that as they were to light these lights that the incense would rise, which speaks of all the preciousness of what Christ is as he fills that holy place.
That's the way to go out and carry the light.
That's the way to carry the light.
The one would desire this for oneself, that it might be sold some measure, a sense of the holiness of the place where the light is.
In a sense too.
Well, that mercy seat is.
And a sense of the measure of the oil to be equal to that of the wine.
May it be so with us, dear brother, if we go out with the light.
As one more little thread is put into that broken net so that there may be more fish caught again. And let's pray dear ones for those whom God is raising up.
To fill in the gaps.
Here the laugh of God goes out in the temple of God.
A Famine for God's Word
Gospel—P. Glading
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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1971. Gospel by Brother Gliding.
14 #14.
Have you been to Jesus?
For the cleansing power.
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb #14?
Have you been to?
Other people.
I think there's a lot of other experiments now. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
What's the answer to this question, friends?
As we hear in the presence of God.
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
If not, you'll stain with sin and you're on the road to hell.
And the only way to get rid of those sins is through the Precious Blood of Christ which was shed at Calvary. And thank God that precious Blood is available tonight. It may not be tomorrow.
The whole now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
I have just come from the prayer room.
And I would guess they're almost about 25 brothers praying there tonight and praying particularly for the young people.
That they might know the joy of having Christ as their savior.
Of being washed in the blood of the Lamb.
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And so, dear young people, these dear brothers, have been in earnest prayer before God for you tonight.
And I trust you may be deeply exercised before God as to your position before Him as to whether you are saved or lost, because there are only two classes.
Saved or lost? And that would apply to everyone in this hall tonight, one or the other.
Shuttle.
A brother in his prayer this evening.
Quoted and verse, it was very much on my heart before I went into the prayer room.
So I feel constrained to read it to you. It's in Jeremiah 23.
And verse 28.
The Prophet that hath a dream.
Let him tell a dream.
And he that have my word.
Let him speak my word faithfully.
What is the charm to the weak? Saith the Lord.
Dear friends, we have no dreams to tell you tonight we want to speak the truth where we define the truth.
In this blessed book alone, the Blessed Lord could say I am the way, the truth.
And the light no man cometh unto the Father, but by me and, dear friends, we want to speak the truth to you tonight is found in this blessed book.
Our brother this afternoon made reference to the two or three times.
Someone had turned to the book of Samuel.
And I would like to turn to it just to quote one verse that came before me this afternoon when our brother London was speaking. Will you please turn the first chapter of Samuel, First book of Samuel Rather?
And I'm thankful our brother quoted this chapter because I've been looking for this very verse.
And I couldn't find it. But when our brother turned to the scripture, here it was.
3rd chapter, First Samuel.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. Now this was the.
Part of the verse I was thinking of, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days.
The marginal reading is or rare or rare. In those days, there's no open vision.
And this reminds me of a little incident I witnessed in Cape Town, South Africa.
I was in the British and Foreign Bible Society for a stock of testaments and Bibles for the sailors and soldiers.
And I was talking to the manager, who was a very dear, bright Christian.
I didn't walk and native where for the filthy in ranks.
He had something in each hand.
He came up to the counter.
And before this year, Christian manager had the chance to ask him what he wanted, He said. I want the Bible.
In broken English. And he repeated it time and time again. I want a Bible service. I want to know something about God, and I understand God is spoken of in the Bible, and I want a Bible Sir, and he constitute coffers on the counter.
Of course, hardly enough to pay for the cover of the Bible, but he'd been saving up these coppers or cents for some time.
And that the African native wanted a Bible.
And he walked Miles to this store to get it. But he had enough money to get the Bible. But he was soon made-up.
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The difference? And the manager handed him a Bible.
I'll never forget, as long as I live, that dear man took the Bible and thanked him very profusely.
Put it to his breast and hugged it and hugged it and hugged it and wept over it. Thank God I have a boiled at last. Thank God I have a Bible. He went down the street hugging his Bible with tears running down his cheeks.
The word of the Lord was precious in those days, or rare. It was rare in this case to see a man came from a village where there were no Bibles, apparently, and he wanted a Bible. And he got a Bible and he went down the street embracing it.
Dear friends, do you value the word of God like that? Dear native, it's a challenge to my own heart. We should value the word of God. It's been brought before us so much during these meetings. The value of it, the preciousness of it, the truth of it.
Our brother quoted that wonderful verse which I enjoy so much myself. In Psalm 12, the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified, purified, 7 times divine perfection. That's what God, God's word, is. And that's what we want to bring before you tonight, dear friends, God's precious word, the truth.
The truth concerning yourself. The truth concerning the person of Christ and his work at Calvary. The truth concerning the love of God who sent His beloved Son down here to redeem you to save your soul. And that blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, went to the cross of Calvary. First of all, let us not forget first of all for the glory of God.
And be your eternal blessing. Yes, that was the Lord's primary object to glorify his Father.
And he did it at Calvary. He could say, I have glorified thee on the earth.
I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, How true, and we can rejoice the night, dear friends, in all the wondrous value of a finished work of work which is satisfied all God's righteous and holy claims, a work which is brought us as sinister God through the person and work of Christ.
And so I felt constrained to read this verse in Jeremiah.
He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. Dear friends, I'm under solemn responsibility here tonight, and I realize it.
I realize that if I do not speak the truth, I'll have to answer to God about it. So I want to speak the truth tonight in all its simplicity. Now you please turn with me to Isaiah Chapter 6.
The 6th chapter of Isaiah.
In the year that King Isaiah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne.
High and lifted up.
And his train filled the temple.
A bombard stood the stereophyms.
Each had each one had six wings. With twain he covered his face, with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another, and said holy.
Holy. Holy is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I woe is me, for I am undone.
Because I am a man of unclean lips.
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.
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For mine eyes have seen the king.
My eyes have seen the king.
The Lord of Hosts.
Then flew one of the Seraphim's under me.
Having a live cold in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from all the altar.
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said.
Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away.
And thy sin purged.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?
Then said I.
Here am I send me.
And he said go and tell his people.
Here ye indeed will understand not.
And see indeed, but perceive not.
We'll stop there.
Before we look into the chapter, I'd like to very briefly.
Look at the history of King Isaiah mentioned here. Isaiah says the King Isaiah died. You turned a second Chronicles 26.
Like to read a little about his history?
Second Chronicles 26.
First first verse, then all the people of Judah took Isaiah.
Who is 16 years old and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.
Now I will not read all the verses. Verse 316 years old was Isaiah when he began to reign and he reigned 50 and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also is Jekyll ire of Jerusalem.
Now notice and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
According to all of his father, Amaziah did, and he thought God.
In the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God.
And as long as he sought the Lord.
God sorry. As soon as he as long as he thought the Lord God made him to prosper.
Dear young people, have you any desire to prosper?
Isn't in worldly prosperity on spiritual prosperity?
Must be one or the other.
If you want to prosper in spiritual things.
You'll have to do what this king did.
Not everything he did, though. He started well, but he ended up very badly.
But he did this, He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and he sought God.
And it says in verse 7 and God helped him.
And dear young people, you can count upon God to help you, if you'll seek him. Indeed you can.
I have proved it. Many of us here have proved it. To seek his face means blessing and health guidance, and keeping God helped him against the Philistines.
And then a little further down, verse 15.
In the middle of the verse and his name spread far abroad. His name This man had a name many people desire seeking for a name. We have that blessed name brought before us this morning in the children's meeting and during the afternoon meetings, that wonderful precious name of Jesus. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.
I believe the young ones. He would know what Jesus means, Means savior. Dear young people, is he your savior? Do you know this blessed person, you say? Yes, I've heard about him every week. Perhaps you'll have. But is he your savior? I remember dear little colored girl in Bermuda. She was only 5 and she came to us one day. She said I am saved.
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Just a leader on, we said, what do you mean dear? She said, well, I received Jesus as my savior and my sins are gone. And she said not only that, I'm going to heaven too, and I'm going to sit next to Jesus in heaven and sing. Jesus laugh to me, blessed little heart, a little girl of five, I am saved, she says now I'm going to heaven too. Can you dear young people say that was truth tonight?
I'm going to heaven to be with Jesus. How you're going to get there, not by your own efforts.
It's only in one way, friends. You must acknowledge yourself a lost, guilty Sinner and accept the Sinner Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Like this deenable girl did.
And to tell it just a little more about her, she was taken I'll soon after and had to go to hospital and when she was well enough to get out of bed she went. She was in the children's ward of course, went round to every bed and pointed their little finger, a 5 year old finger to a little girl. Are you saved?
She went around the ward like that. Are you saying some of them said, what do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about? And she gave them the gospel, five years old.
A little girl went around the whole ward and told all the children in that ward how to be saved. You boys and girls know how to be saved, but are you saved?
Perhaps you say, I hope to be with my dear friend, you may hope to be for 1000 years and never be saved.
The only way you can be saved you've heard of it today, is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior by personal faith. It's a personal matter, and you must have to do with Him about your sins.
And then to accept him, your savior. You have the joy and assurance of knowing that your sins have been blotted out and blotted out forever and will never. You'll never be charged with them again. They'll never be brought up again. And the God will say, remember now, don't forget what you did on such and such a date. I have a record of it now. The record of those who receive Christ's record in those books have been blotted out.
And your name has been transferred into the book of life, Yes, how precious. We are reminded this afternoon in some little measure what it must have cost the Lord Jesus Christ to put my name in the book of life. It meant the cross of Calvary for him and all the attendants, sorrow and suffering, friends, not only the physical suffering, but the atoning, sufferings and the hand of the Holy God.
Yes, we can never know what it costs the Lord Jesus Christ to go to Calvary, that my name might be in the Lambs book of life, that my sins might be blotted out forever, That I might be justified from all things.
Well, here we read about this.
King and it says.
And his name spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped till he was strong. Well, is there anything wrong being strong? I was cutting down an apple tree some years ago in my garden. A little neighbor boy, four years of old, looked through the fence. He said I can do that. I said I doubt it, My dear child. Yes I can. I've had my Cheerios for breakfast. I can do it.
And he came coddling round. He climbed on the tree, and he want to saw some of the branches off, but of course I didn't let him.
This man says he was marvelously helped till he was strong.
Well, there's no harm in being strong, as there are brother quoted that verse this afternoon. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. The apostle Paul can say to Timothy, Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, Be strong in the Lord, Be strong in his grace. And John, will you just turn with me to John's epistle? So you want John says to the young man who is strong.
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First Epistle of John.
The second chapter of the First Epistle of John.
In the toward the end of the 13th first of the second chapter.
I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.
Then the 14th verse, middle of the verse I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong.
And the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked ones.
That's the kind of strength to have.
The word of God abideth in you. You've overcome the wicked one. We cannot do that in our own strength, friends.
But what a blessed thing to have the word of God abiding in our hearts that it might bring forth fruit, that we might overcome the wicked one. And so John says, in fact there's no harm in being strong, providing it's the right kind of strength, not physical strength, but strong in the Lord.
And therefore.
Paul says to Timothy be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.
Now it says, but when he was strong, 26th chapter of Second Chronicles, his heart was lifted up.
To his destruction.
To his destruction, his heart was lifted up.
Doesn't say his heart was lifted up in praise and worship and Thanksgiving to God for helping him.
It sought God's help and it received it, but now his heart is lifted up As much as, say, I've done it all, I've accumulated this strength, wisdom. I can get along right now.
It stands for he transgressed against the Lord. He's gone and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
Upon the altar of incense he had no right to do so, and as there are the priests went in after him, and with him four score priests of the Lord.
That were valiant men, and they withstood as I of the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, No, it's for the priests to burn incense. It appertaineth not unto thee, as I had to burn incense unto the Lord. But to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense, go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast trespassed.
Then as I was wrought and had a censure in his hand to burn incense.
And while he was wrong with the priest of leprosy, even rose up on his forehead.
That place where we think we have so much knowledge, you know, That's where the leprosy started in his forehead before the priest in the House of the Lord, beside, from beside the incense Alder, And what happened to him?
It says, And Azariah the chief priests, and all the priests looked upon him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead. And they thrust him out from thence himself hasted also to go out, They caused the Lord had smitten him, and as I had a king, was a leper unto the day of his death, and they buried him.
He started well.
He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and like a good many others have done, they've started well, but sad to say, they do not all finish well. We find in the 15th of Luke a young man started badly, but he finished up well. He came to his father, and what a blessing he received. A robe of righteousness instead of the rags, the shoes, the ring, the fatted calf, communing with the father. What a joy.
Yes, he started very badly, but he finished up well.
Here the king started well, but finished out very badly. He died a leper, maybe Most of you, dear friends, haven't seen lepers. It's been my privilege to work amongst about 230 lepers on the island of Salon, South India, and I can tell you friends is a pitiful sight. Some of them you can hardly recognize as human beings, as though eaten up with a terrible disease of leprosy. It's pitiful to witness.
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My wife and I have been sick at half and fell I'll when we came out of those places.
To think of those poor creatures.
Well, now let's get back to our chapter, 6th chapter of Isaiah, because I didn't want to speak all about Isaiah the King and the sad and he came to.
Because there's so much more in this wonderful chapter, the 6th chapter of Isaiah.
Now we find here.
In this chapter we have two very prominent objects brought before us.
That is the throne and an Alder.
And we see.
The action of these two objects on the soul of Isaiah, the prophet.
He says. I saw all of the Lord sitting upon a throne.
High and lifted up.
This reminds me of a verse in the 57th chapter of Isaiah. You'll kindly turn to it.
Isaiah 57.
Verse 15.
For thus saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy.
This was what the Seraphims were crying. Holy, holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Now we find here it's recorded of this blessed one, the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place.
Now notice with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.
To revive the spirit of the humble.
And revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Now this is exactly what we find in this chapter.
We find here Isaiah facing this throne.
This blessed One sitting upon it, who is holy, holy, holy.
And it speaks of those Seraphims in the second verse. Each had six wings.
Says with 20 covered his face.
With the first pair of wings, he covered his face in token of reverence.
Then it says.
With twain, he covered his feet.
In humility and with twain.
We find further down, it says.
He flew to accomplish his mission of mercy.
With training covered His face holy reverence. We were in the presence of a holy one this morning, friends.
That's why I felt led to read those scriptures.
I'm afraid we do not realize enough that when we meet together, as we did this morning, we're in the presence of one who is holy.
Indeed we are.
And how it should become us then, to sit in holy reverence in His presence?
As worshippers.
And so Isaiah saw this king, this Lord rather sitting upon a throne.
And then he saw the Seraphim covering their face in humility, in reverence in humility. And then, to execute their office, they flew.
With the last pair of wings, well, this is very remarkable and precious.
And then it says in verse three, And one crying unto another, and said, Holy, holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory.
And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
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Now Isaiah the prophet in the next verse it says.
Well, he says then, said I.
Where was I? Die when he said this.
Was he at the foot of the burning mount? No, he was not.
He was present in the moral glories of Christ. He could see a holy one. He stood before one who was holy then said I. He said. After seeing that holy one, he realized what he was.
He didn't, so to speak, draw a comparison. He admitted what he was. He didn't say, Well, Lord, I'm not what I should be. I've come short in many things, in many ways, and we're not told here that Isaiah is any worse than these neighbors.
But when he stood in the presence of one of his holy upon the throne, he cried and said, Woe is me, for I am undone.
He realized he's in the presence of one of his holy dear friends. Have you ever been in that position? Dear Sinner friends? Have you ever felt yourself in the presence of one who is holy? And have you realized what you are in his presence? Isaiah did.
He says. Woe is me, for I am undone.
Because I'm a man of unclean lips.
Just like the lever in the 13th of Leviticus, the lever had to pronounce himself unclean.
Yet it covers up a living cry. Unclean, unclean. What a solemn picture.
And friends, that's your condition tonight if you haven't received Christ as your savior.
I like the turn to reverse in connection with this in the 33rd chapter of Job.
And this is something, dear friends, that none of you can say tonight with truth.
John 33 and verse 9.
I am clean.
Without transgression I am innocent.
Neither is there iniquity in me. Can you say that? No, I can answer that for you. And in the 30th chapter of Proverbs we read there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, but is not washed from their filthiness.
This dear man stood in the presence of one who was holy. He says. Woe is me, for I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips. I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Yes, he recognizes awful condition in the presence of one who was holy. And what happened to him? Did the Lord sitting upon the throne that holy onesay away with him? He's not fit to be here. No, indeed not.
What happens? It's interesting to notice these three vens that we get in the chapter.
Well, this verse we just read in Job 33. I am clean. Without transgression, I am innocent. You remember who said that in the presence of the Lord Jesus?
Pilot called for a bowl of water to wash his hands and he said, now I'm innocent of the blood of this just person. What a lie. He's still guilty of the blood of Christ.
Friends, water will never wash your guilt away. Never. Never. Never. It's only the precious blood of Christ. Yet at Calvary that can wash your sins and guilt away.
If you'll pardon me for repeating this story, it's just come to my mind.
I was on the train in Canada some years ago, reading my Bible in a colored car. Attendant came down the aisle with a broom and a dustpan. I heard him say to a person, a passenger just behind me. That's all right, lady, I'll sweep them up. This lady, so-called, had been peeling an apple and throwing the peelings on the floor on the coach.
So this colored car attendant came behind her and swept them up. She said. Thank you, he said. That's all right, lady. Now give me a hose pipe and I'll wash all your sins away.
Friends, I can never tell you. It struck me with horror and terror to hear that colored man say that. Give me a hose 5 and I'll wash all your sins away. Ladies.
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So I call that man, I said. Friend, pardon me, I heard you pass a remark just now, and I'd like to ask you a question.
He said yes. What is it?
I said, I heard you say to that Lady, if you give me a hose pipe, I'll wash all your sins away. I said, Friend, do you believe you could do that?
Well, he said my father was a preacher, I said. I'm not asking you anything about your pedigree, your father anything else.
I'm asking you a fair question. Do you believe you could watch that woman's sins away with a hose pipe?
Well, I guess not. So I opened my Bible, the first John verse 7.
The blood of Jesus Christ his Son, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sins.
I read a note to him and I said, now friend, please read it yourself. And he stood there with his brush and dustpan in his hand. He read it. I said Now friend, be honest, do you read anything about in that verse about a hose pipe?
No, he said. There isn't, I said. Do you read anything in the verse about water? No, I said. Well, what did you read? You read it, He said it speaks of blood. I said, yes, friend, it's a precious blood of Christ that can wash That person sins away. But why are you concerned about hers? What about yours? Yours will take you and land you in hell if they're not washed away. But you cannot wash them away with a bowl of water or a hose pipe. You must come to Christ. I said get yours washed away first, friend.
Then go and tell that dear lady how to get hers washed away, and it's only in the precious blood of Christ.
Oh, how people are deceived, poor pilots. And now I'm innocent. Washed his hands in a bowl of water.
You know, truly speaking, Pilate was under trial that day, not the Lord himself.
Pilot was under trial. Yes, he rejected Christ, he said. I'm innocent. He told a lie. The only innocent person present then was the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was the innocent one that stood there, not pilots. Pilot is still guilty and God will hold him responsible for it.
But now we find.
Here it says or, Isaiah said, then said I.
Worries me, for I am undone.
He owns his lost and ruined condition.
I thought I was brought into personal contact with the sacrifice, the altar. The altar speaks of sacrifice. And you know the Lord Jesus Christ was a sacrifice for your sins. Yes, on the cross of Calvary, he gave himself up to God. He was willing to go to Calvary's cross to be nailed without a curse, a tree to die for your sins, my dear friend.
That there might be blotted out that you might have a home in the glory with himself. He desires your company. We've heard that today already. And he does, He says. Oh, that my house may be filled.
The Lord will not be satisfied with a house half filled, the Father's house half filled. He wants you to send a friend to help the Philip, and will He do so not as you are in your sins. You'll never get there that way.
In the restaurant on the way down here, rather a nice young lady served us at the table.
Not often. They're a copy of the messages of the love of God, she said, oh, I'm beginning to think about religion. I said, oh, there's nothing about religion on that paper. What makes you think about religion? She said, well, I've just been to Norway and with 300 young people. And she said it amazed me to see their faith in God. She said I'm beginning to believe in God. I'm beginning to believe in God. I said, well, that's good, but that's not enough.
In the 14th of John the Lord says, Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
You might believe in God, friends, and die in your sins.
Lots of people believe in God. Oh yes, they say, I believe there is a God. But do they believe in the person of Christ, God's beloved Son? Have they received him by faith as their own Savior? Believing in God will hold you very responsible, but he will never take you to heaven, and it will never put your sins away. It must be faith in the person of Christ, the Lord Jesus, God's eternal Son.
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And you can put your faith in him just where you're sitting tonight.
Dear friends, how is it with you tonight? There are many here tonight, but how do you stand before a holy God?
Like Isaiah, do you feel like saying, woe is me, for I'm undone, I'm a Sinner. For are you saying unto your brother, I'm not as bad as my neighbor?
That's a popular thought today. I'm not so bad as my neighbor. Maybe you're not, but you're Sinner all the same. You know, in the time of the Lord, the Jews said Abraham is our father. The woman of Samaria said Jacob is my father or something of the kind, but they were still sinners. Indeed there were.
They need his Savior, and so do you. And the Savior is available, and it's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's available right now, friends, but I dare not stand here and say he'll be available tomorrow. Our brother in the Sunday School this morning quoted that verse. I am the door. You notice that's in the present tense.
There's nothing there about being the door tomorrow. The Lord says I am the door now, Now I am the door now. He does not say I will be the door tomorrow morning. He did not say I was the door as too late as shut. Now thank God he still says I am the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
Well, how do you feel, or have you felt like Isaiah did? Have you been the presence of a holy God about your sins? Have you been convicted of the fact that you're undone, friend, You're lost. You're guilty. You're helpless.
This dear man did. He didn't say I'm not so bad as my neighbors. Now he realized the presence of the Holy God. He was lost and ruined. Yes, the moral glories of Christ shone, so to speak, into his heart, revealed to him what he was In God's sight. You may have a good appearance in the eyes of your friends and neighbors, but how do you stand before a holy God, friend?
You stand like this, dear man did.
Well, now the next fire system. Most exceedingly precious. Here we got the last two pair of wings mentioned.
Immediately is iron said Woe is me, for I am undone, it says. Then then flew the Seraphim, then right away from the altar faces sacrifice.
And touch that very mouth which had made the confession. Oh, how wonderful and precious, read it. Then flew one of the Seraphim's under me, having a live coal in his hand, which he'd taken with the tongs from all the altar, And he laid it upon my mouth. That mouth who just said, woe is me for him undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. Yes. Then flew under the seraphim, Oh, the haste, the grace, the love of God.
How long did the poor thief have to wait on the cross after he said. Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.
You know by saying that he really postponed his blessing for centuries because the Lord has not taken his Kingdom yet. But the Lord didn't take him up on that. He didn't say. Well, all right, Mr. Thief, I'll think of you and I take my Kingdom now, he says Today. Today shalt thou be with me in paradise? Didn't take long, did it? Did it take long? Here? After the man had made a confession of sin, says then flew the seraphim right to this poor sin. A man who made the confession.
And touched his lips. And what did he say?
Oh, you're poor vile Sinner. No, he says. He laid it upon my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched my lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged. Oh, what a joy to this dear man's heart, to his ears, to hear this from the seraphim a few minutes before he stood there, and all his sins and guilt now is forgiven. His sin has been dealt with, so to speak.
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And now his iniquity is taken away and his sin is purged. So we have here 3 beautiful things I believe. We have a ruin mentioned, we have a remedy mentioned and we have the result.
But dear sin, a friend, if you die in your sins, you'll appear before the Great White throne. There will be a throne there, but there will be no altar. There will be no altar, friends. There will be no life called to touch your lips. You'll stand there, and then all your intense individuality before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man.
Yes, There'll be no mercy there, no altar there. Friends of the Great White Throne, There is an altar here as well as the throne.
And that speaks of sacrifice and mercy. But I tell your friend, if you land in hell, there'll be no mercy there.
There'll be no blood there.
And there will be no water either.
The rich man, the Hades cried for one drop of water to cool his flame tormented tongue. Did he get it?
No, and he never will.
You've heard me say this before. I'm sure you'll be saying it's a favorite saying of Brother Gladings, 7 Cries for mercy. Six of them received it, and the seven did not, and he never will.
But he was just as much in earnest as the other six who received mercy.
And the seventh was the rich man in hell, he said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me.
Did you receive it? No, Sir, he did not, and he never will. He cried too late. Friends, see to it that you do not cry too late for mercy. Mercy is available right now. The precious blood of Christ is available too. To wash all your sins and guilt away. Will you have him? What are you going to do with him? Have you stood in the presence of a holy God like Isaiah did? And have you come to that conclusion?
That you are in the presence of one who is holy, and you yourself are lost, ruined, and guilty and undone and unclean.
I repeat that verse in the 30th chapter of Promise. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes. That's all in their own eyes, but is not washed from their filthiness. How can a Sinner be washed from his filthiness?
By simple faith in the person of Christ and his shed blood, that precious blood which was shedded Calvary. Oh, friends of you, pardon me, I'd like to tell a little story about Calvary. My wife and I are visiting a native hospital in Africa.
It was a very large ward.
Every bit except one.
For stabbing cases.
There are about 20 men being stabbed some five and six times in the chest and back, and I can tell you there they use the knife pretty frequently. They've all been stabbed, some dying, some very ill, some in agony. And we went around the ward and spoke to these four men about the love of Christ who came to 1 bed. And one man said I'm not stabbed but I'm very ill, he said Sit down and I can chat with you, he said. I'm a Christian.
What a joy.
I'm a Christian.
There's a little African boy sitting on a stool at the side of the bed. That dear bright little Facey hand. He'd be about 9 years of age.
And after we had a conversation with this dear man about Christ, and what a grand thing it was to know him as one savior, and to know the sin question had been settled forever and we cleansed by the blood of Christ, which he enjoyed himself and was sure of. He said to this little boy, I forget his name. I wish I'd taken a picture of him. It'd been priceless, he said. This little boy, stand up and sing that chorus to these people I taught you.
This dear little African boy stood up like a little soldier, quite erect, with a bright beaming face. He started to sing this chorus I'd never heard it before.
But each verse ended up with Remember Calvary?
How do you think we felt?
A little African boy reminding us of Calvary. The nurses came around to listen. Some of the patients raised themselves up on the elbows in the bed to listen. This dear little fellow singing this Taurus several verses and it ended each time with Remember Calvary.
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I tell your friends there are not many dry eyes in that ward, including my own. I got a fresh vision of Calvary that afternoon. My thoughts went to Calvary, where my precious Savior hung and died for me, where he bore all the awful judgment of a holy God against sin on my account.
I could picture that Blessed One being nailed to that cross being split upon being jeered and scoffed at. And then what was the response from his heart? He says Father, forgive them. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Oh friends, that just broke us down to be reminded in Africa of Calvary. Friends, do not forget Calvary and what happened there.
Jesus died for you on the cross of Calvary for your sins, my friend.
Where are they now? Where are your sins? Have they been washed away with the precious blood of Jesus?
Or are they still upon you? If you die in your sins, you will be raised in your sins to be judged for them, and you'll be You'll stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man of the great White throne, not the judgment seat of Christ. No, that's the Saints.
Great white throne. And I tell you again, friends, the throne will be there. It speaks of government. The throne will be there, and the judge will be there. But there'll be no altar, no altar of mercy. No, not a drop. Oh, what a solemn picture. So we find Isaiah here. He made this confession, he says, Then said I. And the next verse begins with, Then again. Then flew the serpent.
Right to this dear sin of man who D made his confession, and touched his very mouth that had made the confession, and he was forgiven. And then what? He was ready to serve the Lord, Ready to serve the Lord, he said. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom should I send?
And who will go for us? Then? Said I. Another. Then then said I, he said.
Here am I send me. Here am I send me?
Dear young people, dear young believers, if you have a real desire in your heart to serve the Lord.
My direct your thoughts to Matthew 21. Now read it to you the verse that spoke to me very forcibly.
But do not forget what we said or what the Scripture said yesterday about service.
It has its place and a most blessed place, but never the first place.
Matthew 21 and the end of verse 28. Or we should read the whole verse. But one thing ye a certain man had two sons. He came to the 1St and said son, go work today in my vineyard.
We must be sons before we can be servants. Oh yes, there are many attempting to serve the Lord, and they're not sons. They know nothing about relationship. They're trying to serve the Lord in their own way, according to their own thoughts and opinions. But here we find the word is son.
Go Same word we get in Isaiah 6.
Then he said, go and tell his people.
And so we find here in this verse in the 28th verse of the 21St of Matthew.
Son, go work today in my vineyard. The place is appointed and the time is arranged in my vineyard today. Oh dear young friends, if you want to serve the Lord, do not put it off. Do not pray the Lord of the harvesters and others into the harvest and save it. Not me, Lord, not me. Send somebody else.
Not me.
In the 9th chapter of it, we have some solemn verses mentioned. There we find three types of followers mentioned.
The Lord said to one Follow me.
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He said, Lord, I'll follow you with us forever. Thou God and the Lord said, Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests. The Son of Man has not where to lay his head. Will you serve me under those conditions? Will you follow me? We hear nothing more about the man.
Again, he said to another Follow me, he said. Suffer me first.
To go and bury my father, me first.
And he said to another, come follow me, he said, Let me first go and say farewell to those at home, me first.
No, the Lord says. Here, stand, go work today in my vineyard. And dear young believers, now is the time to do it.
If you have any desire to do it, Isaiah did he said. The voice of the Lord said, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then? Said I.
He reminds then me, he said. Go and tell his people.
Have you done that? Take courage, doesn't it? Moral courage? Indeed it does. I've known what it is to stand outside of a soldiers camp in Shanghai and travel from head to foot.
To contact the thousand soldiers of the rough type, British soldiers do. I've stood outside that gate week after week, month after month, for nearly five years.
Cry to the Lord to give me courage to go ahead and hand the word of God after the soldiers.
And the Lord has given me a word of encouragement.
He says, All power is given unto me, both in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore.
He didn't say, I'm going to give you the power, he says. All power is given to me. Now you go and strength of that for what a comfort it was. And then I went. But what a hell, what a comfort it was. Well, I was thinking now as soon as this dear man as I had made the confession, then flew the Seraphim right to him.
Fellowship with Christ Rejected
Devotion to Christ