Des Moines Conference: 2003
Table of Contents
1 John 1
Reading
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Well known to us in present grace.
Well may our hearts rejoice 270.
No.
Question that's been on my heart and I want to emphasize the word suggestion.
But I would.
Suggest that we might consider 3 chapters, the first, the first Epistle of John, the first chapter, and perhaps a couple of verses into the second chapter for one of our reading meetings.
And then for another reading meeting, the second John two, and for the last reading meeting John three, What I have on my heart is specially the very precious.
You might say family ministry.
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And also the 2nd and the 3rd chapter ministry directed toward a sister and her children.
The second epistle and the third epistle toward a brother.
And going on.
And with the thought of encouraging us with that aspect of ministry.
And the thought of the encouraging of our hearts.
Of the necessity and the vital importance of spiritual mothers and spiritual fathers.
In the assembly.
And so as a suggestion, I'm wondering if we might consider those 3 portions.
You say first God cut from one and a little bit. First John chapter 2, at least the first couple and then second John and 3rd John.
If the brethren would feel at liberty for that.
That which was from the beginning which we have heard.
Which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled, of the word of life.
For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.
That ye also may have fellowship with us.
And truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
And these things right, we unto you that your joy may be full.
This, then, is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you.
That God is light, and in him is no.
Darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.
We lie and do not the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned, that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in US.
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man's sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
For he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him.
If we keep his commandments.
He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word in him, verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in Him.
He that saith he abideth in him, saw himself also so to walk even as he walked.
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Set partner.
There this thing.
Just one short comment.
In the day in which we live, which is marked by such confusion and darkness.
Difficulties, questions, discouragements, and that among the people of God in the Christian profession, not only in the world in general.
It's so precious that here our blessed God by the Spirit takes us back to the beginning and gives us something to firmly found ourselves, our lives, our faith, everything.
On and we need that brethren today. We need that as that which will steady us in a day which admittedly is like a day that we, perhaps many of us, never thought we would see in terms of the confusion and darkness. So I just say it's very, very precious that the Spirit of God begins by taking us back in Christ to the beginning.
To the family of God. That's why we find children mentioned here.
And so we have two families characterized before us in the Epistle of John.
And the one family is of God, and the other is of the wicked one, the.
And how marvelous that each and everyone that sits in this room today that knows the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is of the family of God.
And it's remarkable that the 1St 2 verses give us such a close and intimate association with that one, the Lord Jesus.
It's important what you said about the beginning because God never surrenders what was in his heart in the beginning and.
And so that's why John takes us back to the beginning. When the Lord called John, he was mending Nets, and that's what he's doing. In these three epistles, there was already departure come in. And we can see that as we read these epistles in Paul's day already all of the departure that has come in has already started. And so we need to go back not to the church fathers, but to the very beginning, to those that witnessed the Lord in his life. Just make a comment on the difference between Paul's ministry and John's.
And the character of John's ministry, because it's often misunderstood, is that Paul describes to us the order of the House of God and the Assembly, and he gives us a doctrine in connection with that.
And so there's an order to your house and what you do and what you don't do and how you carry on things.
But John takes up a slightly different aspect, he says. What's it like to be in that family?
And so we're now partakers of the life and nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that's what he's describing. And so in John's ministry, everything is black and white. There's no Gray area.
And So what our brother was saying, imbo was saying, was that.
It's very black and white, and in John's ministry, if you say you sin, then you're not acting like a child of God. That's not characteristic of a child of God. It's possible that a believer would sin. And in fact we read in the epistle that we're lying if we say that we don't, but we're not acting like a child of God. And so he goes right back to who the Lord Jesus Christ is because we are partaker of his life and nature.
And so in the second epistle, just to anticipate, here we have the life in nature of the family of God. And it's true of the youngest believer that's three years old and comes and says mommy, I I got saved last night that their partaker of that life and you're not going to get a different life in heaven. Colossians tells us when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. You have that life now if you got, if you're three years old and you got saved last night.
Don't have more life than our brother here. It was quite a bit older, has in the second epistle you get that life displayed in the home. And so that's why the sister is addressed. And so there's special directions as to her in the conduct of the home and the family, because they bear a particular responsibility there. And then you see in this trying days of departure with the atrophies that came in and loved to have the preeminence and things were not in the assembly the way that they should be.
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You see that divine life displayed in the Assembly of God and how he ought to conduct himself, and what provision God has made in a day of weakness and breakdown.
We know that we have passed from death unto life.
Because we love the brethren. What a joy it is to be at a place like this.
With so many of the dear Saints of God who have a deep affection in their souls for the man who went to Calvary's cross and received the judgment of God well.
We we love the brethren, is an evidence that we have this new life.
And it's most sweet when this is absent, when the deep affection for one another is missing and the meetings are not important, and it's easy to find an excuse not to be present at the prayer meeting, or especially the breaking of bread remembering the Lord in his death.
There's always grief on the part of the Lord Jesus himself and on the part of the Saints who have a concern for their welfare. We know we've passed from death into life because we love the Brethren. To be with them is a special, special joy to our hearts. I believe it's helpful, too, to realize that the Apostle Paul in his ministry unfolds the councils of God.
But the Apostle John in his ministry unfolds the very nature of God, and I've enjoyed that in connection with the difference in the three outstanding scriptures that we have that bring before us the sinless humanity of Christ.
Three that are perhaps most familiar to us, and in each one there's a little different character.
We find with the Apostle Paul he says in the end of 2nd Corinthians 5 who knew no sin. Why does he say who knew no sin? Well, you know God when he chose the writers, he chose them from special backgrounds in certain situations.
To give moral weight and to illuminate the things that they were used to God to pen by inspiration. And Paul was the intellectual. Paul was the one who knew he was the learner. And so Paul is used to pen. He knew no sin. Then we have Peter in his epistle. He says who did no sin. Why is Peter used to say he did know sin? Well, because Peter was a doer. Peter was one who had a lot of energy.
He was. He was a doer. I picture Peter as a very active, perhaps impulsive even type of person. And so he says of the Lord he did no sin. But it's interesting that John goes beyond Peter and and Paul just turn over to the third chapter. We could quote it, but we'll read it here.
Verse five of chapter 3. And we know that he was manifest to take away our sins. Now notice this and in him is no sin. Not that he just simply knew no sin or did no sin. That's blessedly true. But John, who takes up the person, he gets to the very heart of the matter. He's bringing before us the very nature of God. This is God manifest in the flesh.
This is the one that John could say we've seen and we are hands of handle of the word of life. And John, as I say, goes right to the very heart of the matter. And he says he did. He he knew, I'm sorry, in him was no sin. And brethren, we need to tenaciously hold on to that precious truth. And as we embark on John's ministry here to realize this precious, precious truth, and I say that because I realize there are young people here.
And perhaps those who are not so young, and we are bombarded at school and at work with all kinds of teaching from Christian circles that would teach. Yes, it's true, the Lord knew no sin, or He did no sin. But, brethren, we need to hold on to this truth, that in him was no sin, He was God manifest in the flesh. The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. And don't let anybody tell you.
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That the Lord didn't sin, but he could have, because if the Lord could have sinned, then I have no foundation to rest my salvation on.
I have nothing to lean on that's secure for eternity. But brethren, He bore our sins. He took the penalty, and He was the only one that could do it, because in Him was no sin.
That's the point of John's ministry is that in John's gospel you say what is eternal life. John and his gospel says, I'll show you eternal life. It's a person.
He says what is the truth? He says, I'll show you what truth is. It's a person. The truth is, it is in Jesus.
But now what he's taking up in these epistles is that what is true of him is true of us, is we are partakers of that same nature that we have a holy nature.
And our conduct flows from that. We have a new nature. We have a nature imparted to us of God. Whatever is born of God cannot sin. And if I sin, I'm not acting like a child of God. And that is what he is really telling us. In Fellowship we use these words going down in this chapter that we might have fellowship. You know, I went to a funeral and the funeral director wasn't the Lords at all said, well, we're going to have a little time and the fellowship hall at the back afterwards.
And people talk about fellowship. Even worldly people talk about fellowship, but we have fellowship between ourselves as real believers. But what is the character of the life that we possess where holy brethren and a believer is never going to be happy if they're going on in sin, any more than if we lay a fish there on that table? The fish couldn't be happy because he's not in his element. And the believer? We've been partakers of a life in nature to which sin cannot attach itself.
In him was no sin.
And we're not going to be happy if we go on in a pathway of sin and self will we are.
Are in possession of a life of one who said I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. I have meat, teeth that you know that of.
He said to the Samaritan woman. That is true of you and me. That is true of the three-year old that is saved.
Now it's true and we he developed sat down and the further down in the chapter but as to when we don't act like that what to do about it. But that is true of the believer and that's what he's trying to bring out in this chapter. And that is why John is very abstract and I may put it this way, because you say what is fellowship, people talk about fellowship. If you go to the grocery store and they say will that be plastic or paper? And I think of those paper bags that you can fold them up and stand up and people put words on them love or truth or fellowship.
And I say, yeah, that's true. People use words, but what is in that word? And John describes to us what fellowship is. John describes to us what truth is. He describes to us what eternal life is. And that's what you get in John's epistle because people use the word while you, you love your brethren. And our brother spoke of that. But then they attach all kinds of wrong behavior to that word, love and so and well, if you love me, then you wouldn't, you would go along with me and what I'm doing. But John tells us we're going to see that in the second epistle.
What love really is. And so this is what we get here. But he goes into the beginning.
And that's why it's so important to read the Gospels, because we see what eternal life is, especially when we look at John's Gospel.
But we're in possession of that life hath everlasting life.
John Foster, 15.
The Lord speaking to his disciples, he says in verse 27.
John 15 verse 27 And ye also shall bear with this, because you have been with me from the beginning. I think this is the beginning that the apostle John refers to. And I would like to say this. We believe that John as a young man was the apostle that lay on the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ as a man going through those three years or so.
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And it is him that the spirit of God's brother Jim mentioned to us, raised up, he had that intimate relationship of love with Christ. And so he reveals eternal life come from heaven to earth.
And all the little different He takes us to heaven, to eternal life. But this so eclipsed everything else in John's life.
That he said this is the secret of full joy to know this one eternal life come to earth to be close to him. This was true of the apostles. They handled him, but they reported this one that they heard and seen and handled. They reported him to us and if we're going to have full joy in this life, regardless of the circumstances that we're passing through.
And they don't surpass the experiences of the apostles. But John, learned in the secret of full joy is to know this one who is eternal life come to earth for our present enjoyment. Now I want to make this application to us. All of us here present this morning, have different circumstances of life. There's only one.
Who can give you full joy in those circumstances of life? It's not your brethren, it's not the assembly, it's not your work, it's not your wife, your husband. The only one who will give you full joy is this one John is bringing before us as eternal life, and if we are occupied with him, we will have full joy regardless of our circumstances of life.
So we want to look at this one that John describes now, so that our hearts affections will be drawn out to him and we will have full joy.
Who know is life eternal?
And the Lord Jesus, when he was here, he could say I am the way, the truth, and the life. And so if we know Him, we have life eternal.
And that's never to be taken away. Never.
Brother Ch Brown.
Used to say that the key to the epistle, the first epistle of John, is the last verse of chapter 5. I'm sorry. Next the last verse of chapter 5. And we know that the Son of God has come.
And have given us an understanding that we may know.
Him that is true, and we are in him.
That is true.
Even in his Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God and eternal life.
It's wonderful to think of him in that sense, brethren, the true God and eternal life. We have that life in him.
A life that can't sin.
It was astounding to me to speak to a brother not long ago raised in the assembly pretty much.
And so we ask ourselves, well, why should we repeat these things so often? But he made the comment to me that he really didn't know if Jesus could sin or not.
Now that is common in the religious world. All around us we know a common thought that he possibly could have sinned.
In fact, one of the prominent preachers of the day made the comment he will have to wait till he gets to heaven to see if Jesus could have sinned or not.
Hebrews Chapter 4.
In all points he was tempted as we yet without sin he did not have the potential to sin, he said. I am my father are one.
And God's prime primary object, is it not. Brethren, is to bring us into full fellowship with themselves of Brother Henry mentioned, and the full knowledge of God is only known in communion with the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the manifestation of manifestation of who God is and what God is in his primary character is love. This is so born upon in this wonderful first epistle.
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Love and we love the brethren because we are in him. That is true.
When the boy was reading the scripture before I, my attention was riveted by the fact that.
The senses are involved in this.
And it's something that John just didn't read about or hear about.
It says that we have heard.
We've seen with our eyes.
Looked upon, or I believe another translation has it contemplated. Just thought about.
And that's really the secret and our hands have handled.
And the knowledge of the Lord Jesus that the apostles had, and particularly John.
He speaks of himself and together with the others, but if that knowledge is not an academic knowledge.
Now, I can't help but endorse 100% what Jim and our brother Dave have said about the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus. But that's not an simply an academic truth, is it? This was something that John really knew personally. He knew it.
And I believe that we need to know him personally in that same way. Well, we can't. He's not here.
But.
That's why.
He says in verse three what we've seen and heard.
We report to you that you may have fellowship with us. And the point was made about fellowship before as to what it really means. And and fellowship is a sharing of thoughts about something, isn't it? And so here our feelings even. But here John says I want you to know him the way I knew him, the way we have known him. And so I've written to you in this way. That's the whole purpose of this Abyssal, isn't it?
To share in the knowledge and he wrote that so that they might have full joy. So I just think it's important to understand that we're not talking about something academic here. There's a tendency, I think in Christian circles to treat things academically. I sometimes use the expression of theology is a science which has been created to obfuscate make.
Unclear.
The precious, simple things of God, so that only a certain craft can communicate them to us. That's not the thought here. There's to be an open and full sharing. And the apostles wanted us, particularly John here wanted us to. I've seen him, I've heard him.
I've contemplated him. My hands have handled him the word of life.
And.
What we've seen and heard, we report to you. We're communicating that to you.
So you might have an intellectual knowledge of it and have certain doctrines straight, and I believe we need to have them straight.
I say again what Jim and Dave said about the sinlessness of the Lord is is vital, absolutely vital. But the purpose of the writing of this abyssal is to convey to the believers, fellow believers, others that have the life of God, to convey the precious things that were enjoyed in a very real.
Way.
In the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is a man they knew.
A man they saw, they heard him.
They contemplated, they thought about it and their hands handled him. It is a doctrine. It's a person, isn't it?
Because you were saying.
This doesn't mean that those that never saw the Lord Jesus can't have fellowship with him. I believe that's why this is written, because here we are and we've never seen the Lord. And he could say to Philip, blessed are those that have not seen and yet have believed in. So how precious that is, and that's everyone in this room. And so we can have just the same fellowship. It's true that this was the fellowship the apostles had. However, we can have the same, the same fellowship right here, right now, this morning.
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With the Blessed One, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Several. Brother Henry used it. Brother **** used it, the word report. And Isaiah asked who hath believed our report. And Romans tells us faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by report is really the thought. And so that's what we get in the word of God. These truths communicated to us and that's how we enter into that fellowship. We read the Bible and the reason that believers.
Fall into these errors That the Lord could have sinned is because they're unfamiliar with the word of God.
And I'm familiar with the truth of God. And so we get it. We've never seen the Lord, but we know these things. And I think as I sit in a meeting like this, and I think there's children in this meeting 5-6 years old, that are more intelligent to the future than the president of the country is, and they know those things. How is it that they know those things? Because they got it from the living word of God.
I think something else in connection with sin and we're jumping ahead into the epistle. But people use this word and we misunderstand this word in him as sin is not what is sin. Sin John is very abstract. He gives you a very clear definition of that sin is in the King James. It says sin is also the transgression of the law. That's true, but it's not really what is there. It's sin is lawlessness.
And so, John, as he leaned on the Lord's bosom, you use the word doctrine. But he reported, he taught us what he saw when the Lord is that here was a man who never did anything to please himself.
And that's helpful to us because often I did it to my parents. My kids have done it to me. They come to me, people come to the assembly and they say, well, what's wrong with this or what's wrong with that? And so on. The question is wrong.
The Lord never did anything to please himself. We should never take anything. You should never.
Go out with somebody unless you can say this is of the Lord. The Lord has directed me to go out with this young person. The Lord has directed me to go there. We shouldn't sit down and eat with somebody or eat something unless I can bow my head and say give thanks to the Lord saying the Lord, the Lord would have me to do this.
And if I can't do it, and that's why, John, we talk about love. Love has become like an empty paper bag. And you look in it and you say, well, what? What do people mean when they use that word? Well, it it means something. And so if I can't walk in accordance to the word of God with my brother, then it's not love.
And that's what he's saying. And so John leaned on the Lord's bosom, and he walked under impossible circumstances to the human flesh. The Lord walked through this earth under impossible circumstances, but he walked to the glory of his God. And so now we can walk through this world when everything is opposed to us, and we can walk and live in this world to the glory of God, because there was one that walked through this earth, and we're in possession of that same life.
So the next time you're tempted to ask your parents, well, what's wrong with this? Go back and get on your knees and ask the Lord. What is the Lord directing you to do that?
It's interesting in John's ministry too, that he uses so often, as he does in this chapter, the word manifest. And I was thinking of it in connection with what was said earlier, in connection with them having seen the Lord handled their hands, that handled of the word of life. I remember one time looking up the word manifest in Webster's dictionary, and it's interesting. Webster's dictionary declares that the word manifest means to clearly show.
And you know, brethren, we don't have to wonder at what the nature and character of God is. We don't have to wonder what the nature and character of the Lord Jesus is, because it's been clearly shown, it's been manifest in His pathway. Here the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth at the end of His pathway, the Lord Jesus said to the disciples, Have I been so long time with you?
And hast thou not known me? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.
And he could say in the 17th of John I have glorified thee on the earth. And really to be glorified is to have every attribute and quality that makes up a person's character brought into full display. And the Lord Jesus not only accomplished or finished the work that his Father gave him to do here in this world, but through it all he brought into display every attribute.
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Every quality of God has been fully displayed in the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I say we don't have to wonder at the nature and character of God. But I do think, brethren, we need to make it very, very clear. It has been already alluded to that the relationship, the fellowship that we have with the Father and with the Son is not the same as when John and the other apostles accompanied with the Lord Jesus here in this world.
Because as Paul later said, henceforth know we know man after the flesh, though we knew Christ after the flesh, henceforth know we him no more. And I believe, and we won't take time to turn back to it. But I believe that the whole upper room ministry, beginning from the 13th chapter and ending at the end of the 17th chapter of John, is really the Lord Jesus preparing the disciples and showing them that the fellowship that and blessing that they were the relationship.
That they were going to be brought into in Christianity was not what it was when the Lord Jesus walked here amongst men.
Because, brethren, we're associated with Christ in glory. And I believe that's why the upper room ministry in John 13 begins with the words that the hour was come, that he should depart out of the world under the Father. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And there are two things in that verse. There was the need and the motive. The motive was his unchanging, inalterable love for that company.
And the need was the fact that he was going to return to the Father. And I believe that's why he gives them First of all, that truth of feet washing. And if I can just say this without going into it, feet washing is given to maintain fellowship and communion in a practical way, with the Lord Jesus having returned to the glory, returned to the Father. The fellowship we have in First John One. It's not practical here. There's many practical things to learn.
But this is positional in First John and I believe brethren, if we don't see that, we muddy the waters, because it's not a question here. In First John we have fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, and as a result, in verse seven we have fellowship one with another. We've been brought into this circle, this place of blessing and relationship with the Father, with the Son.
And with one another. If I could just put it this way, there are three great facts that you need to keep in mind. If when you take up the first epistle of John or the first chapter, that is that we are in the light, If we belong to the Lord Jesus, we are in the light. If God is our Father this morning, we are in the light. Nothing can change that. Then we find too, that as a result we have fellowship, one with another.
And thirdly, the basis of it all. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. That's the basis of it all. God has provided a way so that man can be brought in to fellowship with himself, with his Son and with one another. And it's nothing apart from the blood of Christ. I believe we need to keep these three great facts before our souls.
You referred to verse 7, brother Jim, and I think it's important to understand because.
There's a tremendous confusion sometimes about verse seven. It's not how we walk, but where we walk.
And every believer walks in the light. Isn't that so? Every believer walks in the light.
Somebody raised the question, well, what if I turn my back to the light and I think another teacher of the word answered and said, well, it'll shine on your back, but it's not a question of how we walk. How we walk is important. We don't want to give the impression that's not important. But in this first chapter of John, of First John, the question is not how we walk. It's a question of where and.
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Walking in that light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. I think we need to get ahold of that and understand it that it it's not how, but where.
I believe that's something that we should emphasize because there is much amongst the systems of men that would emphasize heavily what we do or I'm not negating what we do. That's important and that comes, but a Christian is a Christian and you cannot change it. And that's what we have in that seventh verse. And the reason is?
Jim has already mentioned this because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us more sins.
And that's very necessary. But how? It gives us something to go on. It gives us the privilege and the character to walk right. We may be walking in the light. That's true when it becomes practical. The seventh verse gives us the character and the privilege to walk practical.
Someone coming to the certain assembly, strangers came in and they sat down and at the end of the meeting one of the members of the family said, you know this is a clean place. How did they come to that conclusion?
Is it not because we value the precious blood of Christ?
Going to be a clean place, and the Lord is there, and to think of being in a place that.
How should I say it in a positional way? It cannot be defiled, is that right?
Lord is there, and to think that that testimony would be felt by a stranger coming in.
You have to live up to what we what we are not to become, Brother said. We Christianity has become a religion of do to get what we are we're holy brethren and so we that's the exhortations flow from that And coming back to brother Jim's reference to the upper root ministry is my son may be playing in the mud and I'm headed off to the hardware store and he says I'd like to go with you daddy. And I said you can't come with me unless you get cleaned up. He doesn't cease to be my son.
Positionally, that's where he is.
But we're to act in a way that's consistent with that. And so the assembly is a pillar in support of the truth, and people love this bumper sticker. I'm not perfect. God's not finished with me yet. And all of this is true, but positionally, where we are, holy brethren, and we are to maintain that truth. And so John is telling us what we are. But many children of God don't even know whether they're permanently children of God or not. This wicked doctrine. Brother Wim asked from the pianist of brother who taught that you could be saved and lost. He said, do you believe that? And he said no, but it's the only way I can keep my clock in line.
And so they're Saints of God. They're Saints of God that don't even know whether.
Their souls are eternally secure, but we are. We're holy brethren, and so the exhortations flow from that. And that is why the life and nature of a believer is we cannot be happy going on in sin.
Because of what we are, and man may try to say, well, you can be, you're not under law, you're under grace, and you can do all kinds of things and you're going to be happy.
They speak this way, but a believer cannot be happy other than walking as the Lord Jesus Christ walked.
Romans 6/1.
What shall we say to these things? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
The answer How shall he that is dead to sin continue any longer therein? That is our position. Is it not, beloved brethren? It is not some deep.
Doctrine that cannot be understand, understood. The simplest believer can just simply believe that by faith and we have to confess how little we do maybe apply it. The understanding is that my life in Adam is buried with Christ.
It is out of sight. That's the truth of baptism. It's the picture of what? What has happened to me since I have come to know Him as my Savior and Lord, after having believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Thus my old life is not seen by God. How wonderful it would be if I could look at my life as God looks at me, having been buried with Him by baptism, raised in newness of life, He sees me as a new creature. Do I see myself that way?
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It's a wonderful thing is, his life has been manifested here in this world and, as our brother has emphasized, our brother ****.
Is even though it's positional here in the first chapter. But is there in my heart a desire to have that fellowship with him? If I am truly born again and have the Spirit of God living in me, there will be that desire to have fellowship with Him. Our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. He has been revealed beloved Saints.
To the lowest of criminals.
You take the woman at the well.
He revealed himself to her, but it was not until he had to call her. Sin to mine, he said. Go, call thy husband.
And she said I have no husband.
And he said, That is true what thou sayest, but thou hast have 5 husbands, and the one whom you now have is not thy husband. And she said, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
And she said, our fathers worship in this mountain. And you say Jerusalem is a place to worship?
And Jesus had to reveal to this dear sinful woman such a wonderful truth to one of the vilest of the lowest.
He said, The hour cometh, and now is when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
And she said, Someday Messiah cometh, and he will tell us all things. And he said to her, either speak unto the MPs, He revealed himself to this one, we might say, of the lowest sinful class. Beloved brethren, that's the church today.
We may not believe that we have been dug from such a pit.
But oh, we're 500 pence debtors. Someday, as a brother said, we'll know in the glory that we are. We were.
Just as that sinful woman. But he reveals the highest truth to her, and she left her water pot and ran into the city. She was in full fellowship in just a moment of time with this blessed one, and certainly she didn't know all the truth that we know today. But her heart was knit to him in fellowship and proclaimed him in the city. Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?
May we be simple as she, and continue in the simplicity of that blessed fellowship with Him. It is not some difficult thing that we attain to. Is it not brethren, normal Christianity?
When a soul is brought to Christ, that is normal to have fellowship. They're bright and their hearts are burning on fire in first love. But do we continue in that blessed sphere of fellowship with the one who loved us and gave himself for us?
Well, there are a number of things that hinder practical fellowship, but that doesn't change the fact that we have been brought into the light. But as John brings out here in his epistle, one of the things that hinders or spoils our fellowship, our communion, is sin. And another thing that hinders is not just sin. But there are those things, the cares of life, the thing, the necessities of life that chill the soul and dull the affections.
So that we don't enjoy in a practical way fellowship with the Father and the Son and with one another. And I believe that's why in John 13 the Lord Jesus stressed the need for the disciples to have their feet washed. Maybe we should take time and just go back for a verse or two there in this connection.
John, Chapter 13.
We find that when the Lord Jesus comes to Peter, poor impetuous Peter, he doesn't understand what's taking place, and he speaks two or three times here. And yet I'm glad Peter spoke up. Perhaps he ought to have sat in silence. But I believe that we learn much from the Lords. Gracious responses to Peter. The first thing Peter said, Lord, you'll never wash my feet. And the Lord said to him, and this is what I want to particularly notice.
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He says.
Peter says, end of verse 6. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? And then just notice verse 8? Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Now notice the Lord's answer. If I wash thee knot, thou hast no part. And I want you to notice this next word with me. It's not that thou hast no part in me. That's what we've been talking about in first John part. In him it's the place, the position that we've been brought into as the children of God and into this wonderful sphere of blessing. Nothing can change that, Brother **** said. If we turn our back on the light, the light is still shining. If a cloud comes between US and the sun, the sun is still shining on the other side of the cloud.
But here he says, thou hast no part with me. What is this? Well, what he's really telling Peter, if you don't allow me to remove the things that hinder fellowship and communion, you're not going to enjoy that fellowship and communion with me. Now what he was doing was giving them an illustration here, a literal illustration with a spiritual impact. Because, brethren, if we're going to enjoy.
That fellowship that we've been brought into in a practical way.
We must open this blessed book and let the Lord Jesus wash our feet. We don't need to be washed all over again. That again is positional. When the priest in the Old Testament was washed at his consecration, it was never to be repeated. But he had to come to the Laver again and again and to wash his hands and his feet. And we need to come to the word of God of which the labor speaks again and again, so that the Lord Jesus can remove those things that hinder part not in him.
But part with him and then we find that when the Lord Jesus had finished washing their feet and the order is important, he washes them first. Then he says to the disciples that they are to wash one another's feet and brethren. Why is it sometimes we get together as the people of God and maybe we enjoy a nice time, We have some activity, we enjoy conversation, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong.
With activity and general conversation. But we come away and we say we really didn't enjoy much of the person and work of Christ together. Why is it we didn't enjoy true fellowship? Because there's a difference between activity and fellowship don't label activity, fellowship. Fellowship is our enjoyment of the person and work of Christ together, our enjoyment of the Father and the Son. And why is it sometimes there isn't much enjoyment in that way?
Well, brethren, we can't wash one another's feet if he hasn't washed ours. If we're not walking in the good of what we have, if we're not walking in practical fellowship and communion with himself, how can we share Christ with another? How can we enjoy Christ one with another if we haven't enjoyed Christ as individuals? We can be no more collectively than what we are as individuals. Well, I say that not to detract from our chapter. It's positional here in our chapter.
We're in the light. Nothing can change that. But brethren, sin and the cares of life often come in or will come in, and they will hinder that fellowship and communion with the Father, with the Son, and with one another. The last three verses of the chapter really covers them, doesn't it?
If we say we have, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. But the next verse, if we confess our sins, very interesting. If we confess our sins, plural he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, we come into His presence.
And we don't have to ask for forgiveness. That's something that's already there.
All we have to do is confess and then we are forgiven. And that? That's unequivocal. It's positive, it's truthful. We come into his presence with confession and we're forgiven. How blessed that is. Then we do have fellowship, and that's of course.
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Further on in the in the book, but we want to remember that.
How needful it is. Washington Defeat, of course, is basically confessing our sins, isn't it? By the power of the word of God. I'd like to just make a further comment in that regard. Our time is slipping by and I don't want to jump ahead. But again, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin so we don't have to ask for forgiveness because those sins are gone. They're removed. They're gone. He's forgotten them. They're cleansed in the blood of Christ as far as the East is from the West so far.
As he removed our transgressions from us, but we come and confess those sins. And the first verse of the next chapter tells us that when we do, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. Now I believe this is very important to see. First of all, brethren, it's an advocate with the Father. You ever have somebody tell you when you sin you lose your salvation. You know, it's interesting that when it's his high priestly office in Hebrews that has to do with God.
But when it's his advocacy in restoration, it's not an advocate with God, lest we might think that the family relationship is severed, but it's an advocate with the father. When one of my children's sins go against me, they disobey me. I don't bring them up to the judge at the court of law, but they do have to do with me as a father. It's not that the family relationship has been severed in any way.
No, it's because of the family relationship that they do have to deal with me as a father, and to me this is one of the clearest scriptures. As to eternal security, when you sin, the relationship is not severed. You have an advocate. I say not with God but with the Father, and then notice too. It's not only with the Father, but it's an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. I want you to notice this, the righteous.
Because God has found a righteous basis, there's no compromise.
Sometimes in my family I compromise. Sometimes when my children disobey me and they come to me, sometimes there's perhaps compromise. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but sometimes there is because we're human. But God has never compromised. And to me it's just as if the Lord Jesus, when I sin in the presence of the Father, he says I've paid for that sin. That's how he can be a righteous advocate. Let me illustrate it this way.
Suppose you go against society. Well, suppose I go against society and I'm brought up to the judge at the court of law. And the judge listens to my case and he says, now, Jim, I know you're guilty and the penalty is thus and so, but I'm going to pay the penalty so you can go free. Because if he lets me go free without paying the penalty, he's not a righteous judge. He might be a merciful or a compassionate judge, but he's not a righteous judge. But if he says now I'm going to pay the penalty, so you can go free.
Now he's a righteous judge because the claims of the law have been met in him paying that penalty for me, and I say the Lord Jesus, he's born the penalty. His blood has cleansed us from every stain of sin. Once we're a child of God, we're never lose that family relationship. But when sin comes in brethren, we need to come to him, confess those sins and we have a father who is.
Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I have a practical question. We only have a few minutes left. I want to ask brother Doug, you had suggested this. Are we on the right track?
Well, I want to know because I think with a brother as an exercise, if we're skirting here and there and I don't believe we have, but if we are and then we missed the point and we're not getting to what you had in on your heart, this is fine. I I would like to just suggest a little practical thought that has really impressed me the last few minutes.
Not to take away from anything that has been spoken in verse 3.
There is the desire that we might have fellowship with the apostles.
And our brother Dave in his prayer earlier today, before he prayed, he read that wonderful verse in Acts Two. They continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship, and they cannot be separated.
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You you continue in the doctrine and in fellowship, and if I'm not walking in the in the apostles doctrine, you really can't have fellowship with me. But then he says, what is that fellowship? That fellowship is with the Father. So he's laid that down doctrinally. There it is. It's clear.
But I was really struck by verse six and seven, these two phrases.
If we say and if we walk.
To me, there's a practical side to that, Brethren. There is this beautiful, unchangeable, as Brother Neil has said, this abstract doctrine. But brethren, the beloved young people, are here, and they're looking for a happy time of fellowship. And we trust the Lord will give it to them, give it to us all. But we've had the foundation of our fellowship. But let's not forget what we say.
And what we do, just as a little practical reminder, that is vital if I'm going to be.
Experiencing it says knowing this, knowing the Lord, knowing God, knowing eternal life, that's experiential. That's not just knowledge. It's something that I'm experiencing in a very intimate way.
And the result of that is, it seems to me the Spirit of God adds this subtle, maybe not so subtle, but to lease my soul this warning or this exercise if we say we have fellowship if we walk in the light.
I just add that, brethren, that we might be exercised that these wonderful doctrines we're hearing need to, for all of us, children, young people and older. We need to be exercised about our saying in relation to that, our talking and our walking. Doug, maybe I could just add a little practical comment as an addendum to what you say, because in the end of verse 9, he's not only faithful and just to forgive us our sins, but to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And I'd like to just say this because in connection with what you say, because maybe there's someone here this morning and you say, well, I haven't been saying and doing the things that I ought. I haven't been walking in the enjoyment of the light. I've turned my back on it. I haven't been enjoying the fellowship with the Father and the Son that I ought to have been. I haven't been enjoying fellowship with fellow believers like I ought to have been. But if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
And to keep us from going any further in that path, you don't have to keep on in that path. There's a way of restoration. You can come back, as it were, confess those things and again walk in the full enjoyment of the light that you are already in. And so I just say that because maybe you feel well, I've gone too far in that path. You don't know how far down that path I've gone. It's been an unrighteous path.
I haven't done there said the things that are right, but you don't have to continue in that in that path. David said he restoreth my soul for his namesake. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness. He wants to bring us back to those right paths so that there will be the full enjoyment of the light that we're already in. And so I just say that to encourage someone, if you have allowed those things in your life, just bow your head where you are right now. Confess those things, don't dwell on them.
Confess them. Leave them with him. Rejoice that the blood of Jesus has taken care of it. Rejoice that you're a child of God. You have a Father whose ear is open, ready for your confession, and he's faithful and just to forgive and to keep you from going any further in that path of unrighteousness. I just want to say one other thing about fellowship in a practical way, because sometimes we may view this as some kind of a lofty thing of activities.
But as believers, as we walk in the light, we are light in the Lord. And so we're to walk as children of light. And you know, it may be when you hop in the pickup truck with somebody brother to go in to do something and you have a little question about how something should be done. And Scripture is brought into it. A principle of Scripture is brought into it. You sit down with a friend in the coffee shop and you say, well, I've got this situation in scripture at school and so on, and they maybe turn a little something while, you know, I was in that situation and this first was a help to me. That's fellowship.
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And we can be. And I can think of how many times in my life when the Lord has sent along a brother at a critical time and just maybe a few words we've been doing something practical together and a few little words from scripture. A principle of scripture Brother Gordon used to tell us you'll never find yourself in a situation in life to which there is not a story and principle and the word of God that answers to it and you give it and it may be steer a person, turn a person right around.
In the course of their life and save them from disaster, that's what fellowship is. But sin? We often encourage each other in a pathway of sin and self will, and often what is called encouragement is just feeding the human nature to go on in self will and doing our own thing. And what a gracious thing is, whether you're six years old or you're 96 years old and you're faced with a situation and somebody just turns to you.
It's it's in simple things. I remember when I was first married, the Lord sent along different laborers or perhaps just distant names to some of you who are younger. But.
Clarence Lundin and different ones would come through and they'd sit down at the table. I'd offer them the head of the table and he'd shake his head and he said that's not my place, that's yours. And I'd say, well, would you give thanks for the food, brother? And he said, no, you're ahead of this home. And Paul said you knew what manner of men you were. We were among you and it was just impractical things that there were fellowship and there was help in those things. And whether I say whether you're 6 years old and saved or 96 years old, we can be such a help to one another and it may be in the activities of.
How you deal with something. You go with a brother to the rental place and you've got to deal with a situation. And they help you in a spiritual way. Because sometimes we have, often we handle difficulties in an unspiritual way. We walk in the light. It's not just talking about high and lofty doctrines.
You might ask ourselves, brethren.
And I asked myself the same question.
Is there broken fellowship?
My life.
There was a time in my life I didn't even know what Fellowship meant.
Intimacy of communion with he who loved me and gave himself for me.
I was well along in life before I really knew anything about, and still I wonder if I really know that much about Fellowship.
These things I write unto you that your joy might be full. Do you get down, or do I get down on the Lord's presence and enjoy all alone?
Fellowship with him.
If I do, there is joy if it's unbroken. But the confession of a fault and failure that comes in sin that comes in, is a deep and painful work of the Spirit of God. When Peter wept bitterly, and it wasn't even finished then when he confessed to the Lord and the Lord's presence, the root had to be judged in John 21.
The Lord took him back to where he left off his fellowship with him, not just when he followed afar off, but Jesus said love us thou me more than these, Peter had boasted in his love self-confidence was the problem. So the Lord takes us back through that painful work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to that point of self judgment, so that it is not just a simple thing of of saying a phrase about confessing the sin.
But as her brother emphasized, the one who is the righteous one, Jesus Christ, the righteous, bore the awful penalty, beloved brethren on the cross, for that sin that has removed me from his blessed fellowship. And so he wants me to go back that far, not to where only where I left the path, but where he went to and what happened to him for me in bearing that awful judgment for that sin upon the cross.
22 in the appendix.
22 in the appendix.
The Holy One that drew.
Our artists and they come by and.
I discover.
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All I want.
You to bring.
2 John 1
Reading
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Covered in depth at all the first chapter, but I would still suggest that we go to the second, and as the spirit of God leads, we can certainly refer back to the 1St and so on. I'm sorry, not the second chapter, but the second epistle.
2nd Epistle of John.
Verse one.
The elder unto the elect lady, and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth.
For the truth's sake which dwelleth in US, and shall be with us forever.
Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly that I found of Thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And this is love that we walk after His commandments.
This is the commandment that, as you have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.
Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
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Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.
He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed, for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
The children of Thine elect sister greet thee.
Amen.
Just make one short comment that I've personally enjoyed.
We have here a father speaking now in the most endearing terms to those that are precious to his heart.
And though love is mentioned in both of these chapters, that is in both of these epistles, the 2nd and the 3rd, it seems that in the second that love led to the warning of those that would bring a wicked doctrine and these things into the home.
And in the third chapter there is the Father encouraging 1 to go on in love, it seems like you might say, at least for myself, it's helped me to think of the second epistle as a little bit of an explanation of the verse we have in first John. God is light, and that light comes in and it shows the deceivers that would come into the home and love would warn against them and keep that home.
Protected and the children and those in it. And then in the third epistle you have one who is seeking to have a prominent place. How? How are they going to go on in spite of such difficulties in the assembly? Well, he says to Gaius in verse six of the third, which have borne witness of thy love before the assembly. And so on. So it seems that light is taken up and encouraged in love by a father, and that father in love takes up the thought of love. God is light and God is love.
In the 3rd. And we need them both, don't we? And here is a father who is opening his heart now for the preservation. And I'm using this as just a general thing, but here's a father opening his heart for the preservation of the home and the preservation of the assembly, light and love.
Isn't it interesting that?
Spirit of God directs.
The instruction as to keeping out of the home.
That which is dishonouring to the Lord.
Directs that to a woman.
And.
To the encouragement of receiving.
To a man, and I believe that it's the wisdom of God in doing so, who keeps the home.
Fathers out making a living or whatever, But constantly Satan makes an assault on the home, doesn't he? And not just one deceiver, but many deceivers.
And the wisdom of God is brought out here in shutting the door.
I've enjoyed the thought that in the in the 6th of Deuteronomy.
The Scriptures were to be written upon.
The doorposts upon the boats and upon the gates.
The gates are that which keep out and let in, aren't they?
And it's the Word of God that is the.
Arbiter of who should come in and who should not come in.
There's a danger of keeping out those who should come in, and there's a danger of letting in those who should not be let in, in this particular epistle.
The Spirit of God occupies us with some who should be denied entrance, the word of God being upon the gates of the house, and I believe it's very, very important for the preservation of the.
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Of the Lord's people that this epistle be understood and practiced.
Trying to add Brother ****. Just a quick comment to your excellent point. Turn please to Proverbs chapter 14.
This was pointed out to me sometime back, and it has been a tremendous help and an encouragement to me, and I would like to share it, especially at least what the Lord has made good to one's own heart for our beloved sisters. In light of what our brother **** has said about the Home Proverbs chapter 14, I'm going to read it in the King James Version. First of all, that we have every wise woman buildeth her house. I'm going to read it in Mr. Darby's translation.
The wisdom of women buildeth their house. I believe there is, as our brother has mentioned, in that God-given sphere, the Lord gives a special wisdom to the woman, and that wisdom, if used in the fear of God that's given to a woman in the home, builds that home. May the Lord help us to encourage our beloved sisters.
By.
Just by encouraging them to be builders, to use the wisdom God has given as a woman in a home to build that home.
And I'm sure that there's no no man in the room that would deny that when it comes to just plain good solid intelligence, his wife got it all over him.
But.
She has a tender heart.
And she.
Has deep compassions.
And Satan used that way back in the Garden of Eden against Eve. And so how fitting that here the apostle Paul directs his comments to the woman of the home in the way he does it. Don't forget that he was probably maybe in his early 90s when this was written. I don't think there's anybody in this room that's that old that has quite the intelligence that we are reading here, but it's amazing the spirit of God uses this.
To touch the woman.
Not that she lose her tender and.
Gracious heart, but that she used the wisdom that you've just talked about to resist this evil. 1 And that's what we've got before us in this chapter. The enemy has always been busy to destroy what God has set up and established for the blessing of man on the earth. There were two great institutions set up and established for the blessing of man on the earth. The first was the home, the family, and the second was the assembly.
And when has there ever been a day, brethren, when the enemy is as busy to destroy the home as the day in which we live? And not just the home, but the Christian home. You know, I hear about things that take place in sad situations that when I was growing up, you heard about in the world. You heard about in the homes where the parents weren't believers. But aren't we hearing things that are coming into the home today?
Situations and attacks that you never heard about a few years ago.
Satan is busy, I say to throw down and everything that God has established for the blessing of man. And I believe we need to be careful. And this epistle is a warning. You know in other of the Apostolic writings and other of scripture in the New Testament we have warnings against worldliness coming into the home, and we often read those and we say, yes, we need to keep the world out of our home. But this is something a little different here, isn't it? This is not necessarily looseness or what we would consider worldlyness.
This is false teaching. And brethren, sometimes when I go into the homes of the Saints of God, I see things in that home. Books in that home, writings in that home that I sometimes it makes me cringe. In my soul, I'm speaking very, very plainly. We say, well, we wouldn't have this in the home and we wouldn't have that because it's worldly, or it's evil, or it's whatever. But what about those things that subvert our souls and undermine the truth?
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This lady was written to hear not so much in connection with guarding against worldliness coming into the home, but in connection with things that were not according to the truth we've had before us in the meeting previous the person of Christ, the work of Christ. And brethren, if there are those things that undermine the truth of God in that regard, let's be careful, sisters, brothers, let's be careful that we don't allow those things in our home.
And if you allow me just to say this too, in connection with the sisters, I believe this epistle shows the need for a sister being well rooted and grounded in the truth. When that knot comes at the door, when that book comes into the house, how is the sister going to detect that it's false? She's going to detect that it's false and needs to be kept out by being grounded and established in the truth herself.
I think sometimes the sisters feel that reading good solid ministry is just for the brothers.
It's not sisters. Young sister learned to go to your father's bookshelf, pull off some of those good helps on scripture. Good Christ, exalting ministry. That was written by men who went on in the truth of God. Of course, there's no substitute for the word of God. You need that every day. But read those helps. Be grounded, be rooted in these things. And then you'll be like the teller at the bank. When something counterfeit is handed to the teller at the bank, how does she detect it? Because she's used to false money. No, she'd lose her job.
If she handled and got used to false money, but she detects it because she is used to that which is real, and as soon as a counterfeit bill is handed across the counter, she says, oh, that doesn't have the feel and you'll only detect that which doesn't ring of the truth if you're established in the truth yourself.
Some years ago in the Dominican Republic, my attention was called to a a verse that I had never thought in that about in that connection, and that is first Timothy 2 and verse 11. We often talk about verse 12.
But verse 11 is important, and it bears out what Brother Jim has been saying.
What does it say? Let the woman don't pay any attention to let her husband learn. What does it say? Let the woman learn.
She's to learn, and his brother in Dominican Republic called that to my attention.
They said wow, I've never thought of that before, but it does. It's a positive exhortation to learn, isn't it? Now, how she learns and what she does with what she learns is what the the next verse takes up. He isn't called upon to teach, but she she is called upon to stand as a guardian at the door of the house on those things. And if she doesn't learn, and I I I enjoyed that thought. There it is, a positive exhortation.
To his sister to learn.
Is putting forth the best authors today in this regard?
And one of the earmarks, if you pick up a book, your interest is captured. Oh, this is great. This is following along. And all of a sudden you come to a bump and you say, well, this don't sound quite right, but let's go on. And so again, you, you go on and then you hit another situation. Well, by the time we hit the second one, we better realize that this book is to go, because that isn't the truth of God. We don't receive it that way.
And one of the books that I had in my hand recently was a name of one that we well know that was used for blessing in the 1800s. And I picked up this book. He had the same name and his bowl on the front cover. Very interesting writer, but all of a sudden he come to a bump. Something's not right here. It's just best to close it and set aside. We're not equal to.
Cope with this kind of reading.
That's important what you say, because it was said to Ruth Gleen not in another man's field, and were to know the truth and were to learn it from those whom we've known.
And when we pick up books by people that we don't know the end of their conversation, we don't know how they live. We don't know what their doctrine is. It may even sound all right, but we're not to learn the truth from them. We're to learn the truth from men that we've known, how they've raised their children, how they've walked before God in the assembly, how they've ended their conversation. It says, considering the end of their conversation or the end of their way of life. And you may hear some pretty good things if you.
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Listen to.
Things from all different kinds of places. And Moses desired that all them in the camp would prophecy. But we're not to go to the camp to listen to prophecy.
I walked by the Catholic Church and I know that they read the scriptures in the Catholic Church. I know a man who was looking for wisdom as to what to do. He prayed to God and the priest got up and said let him that name it the name of the Lord depart from iniquity in that very scripture. Let him out of there. But I'm not going to go there to listen to it.
And so we can thank God for anything help that anybody gets, but we shouldn't go to those who do not know.
We have not known how they ended their conversation.
And you may pick up a book on the assembly by somebody who's never walked in the truth of the Assembly.
It would be like me writing a tourist guide to Moscow. I've never been there. I might tell you all kinds of interesting things, but I don't know a thing about the place. And so I can't write about the truth of the assembly if I've never been there. We're going to read about the difficulties in the next epistle of a man who was there. We need to get the truth from those who have walked in the truth and valued the truth. And there's something else here. And I believe because it's Speaking of the home that's important, is that I whom I love in the truth.
And we often say divine love loves the unlovely, and that is true.
But the sphere of John's affections were for those that loved he loved them in the truth, and those who had known the truth. And the home is the home is to be that sphere where the truth is to be the environment of truth in the home. And we can disturb that by bringing in influences into the home of those that really don't love the truth or know the truth.
There's nothing wrong with seeking the fella. It's the positive thing in Christianity to love those that walk in the truth and have known the truth.
Sorry, certainly those that have.
Followed the word of God and written profitable ministry is good.
But you know, we only have one real touchstone. Only one. We don't have Darby. We don't have Kelly. We don't have Macintosh. We only have one. And here it is right here in our hand. And the Bereans were sitting under the ministry of the apostle, the greatest apostle that ever lived. And when they got all through, it says they searched the scripture. You know, that's what we have to do. If we read a book and maybe it, it sounds good and we're not quite sure. Hey, the place to go is right here.
It's the only touchstone we have. I say it again, It's the only touchstone we have. We don't have Darby as a touchstone. We don't have Kelly as a touchstone. We have the word of God and brethren. That's what John is saying to this lady.
That's what he's telling. I remember in a conference once in the East, I someone raised a question. What is the truth?
We have a kind of a narrow view of that sometimes. I think we we talk about the truth of gathering as being the truth, and now I value that. I appreciate the truth of gathering. But a brother answered in a wonderful way, and I've treasured his answer ever since. The truth is God's viewpoint on any matter Now, bearing out what our brother Dave said, where else are you going to get God's viewpoint?
You might get help toward understanding it from all these wonderful writings. I have a little bit of fear and I've expressed it to some of what I call The CW 21, page 64.
Syndrome where people?
Think that ends the conversation.
CW meaning collected writings which I value and having in my in my library and also in the disk that has them on. But that isn't the final answer on anything.
That's not the final answer. So let's be careful of CW 21 page 64 syndrome that we so easily fall into where we think that settles the matter because we found a quotation in the collected writings that seems to to support that and that's not to take away at all from that ministry. That's wonderful ministry. I've enjoyed it and with the many four of us would enjoy it together. But when John talks about the truth here.
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He's not talking about the collective writings, is he?
That's not what he's talking about. He's talking about God's viewpoint, and it's particularly in the in the gut and the epistles of John. He's talking about God's viewpoint as to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We get.
Worked up over moral sin, and rightly so. But I remember a brother ministering one time on the final chapters of Judges. I think starting with Chapter 17. It's no longer the history of of the Book of Judges. It's really a moral summary of the Book of Judges. And the events don't necessarily come after the story of Sampson Sampson's The Moral close of That.
Of the Book of Judges. And then comes two summaries, and the children of Israel, when?
The concubine was handled in a way that was disgraceful. They rose up in anger.
They came right to the to the to the battle for that. But what about when the truth of the worship of the living God was affected? Was it the same exercise? I'm afraid that we can get worked up over moral sin a lot more quickly than we can over doctrinal sin. Doctrine is serious.
Doctrine meaning teaching.
Teaching and if we know the truth of God as to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly in the ministry of John here, I don't think it necessarily refers to assembly truth, does it? It's talking about the truth as to the person of Christ. It's vital. There could be no compromise on that. And if we know that, then that's why he talks about.
The truth sake which abides in US and shall be forever for eternity. The truth is something that God has given to us graciously in His Word, and I believe we ought to make it our business to learn the truth.
They say, does that brother minister the truth? Well, how do we know?
If he ministers the truth, Brother Dave, how would we know better? Look at our Bible and find out.
I think it is important, as **** said, that we see that what he refers to as the truth here is truth in connection with the person and work of Christ, because that's the basis. Nothing else is going to be right. There are many Christians who, as far as their manner of life put me to shame. They have a very pious manner of life. They have zeal for the Lord, but they're not clear on the sinless humanity of Christ. They're not clear on eternal security.
And many of these things that go back and directly attack the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is what John was particularly bringing before them. And it's interesting in John chapter 8, there are two things mentioned that I've connected with this because you know, it's possible to know the truth and to be clear as ice and just as cold, but when we take up the truth and connection, relationship to the person of Christ, then our hearts are going to be affected.
And when our hearts are affected, then there's going to be a practical moral effect, because our feet will follow. I'll just quote the scriptures. They're well known. But it says first of all, in John eight, he shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. And that's certainly true and has been already said in these meetings. We need to be exercised to be well rooted and grounded in the fundamental doctrines of the word of God. And Paul said, thou hast fully known my doctrine that came first.
And then the manner of life not reversed, might have a very impeccable manner of life, but not be sound on doctrine.
And so ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. But then I used to ponder why. Shortly after that he makes another statement that takes us a little farther. He says, if the sun therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. And I believe that at least part of the thought is just this brethren, that we can know the truth and not have the heart engaged. It can be simply principles and doctrines that we, in an intellectual way, can enumerate. And certainly that's good. We need to have these things straight in our minds.
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But you can't know the sun and not have the heart affected. And if we take up the truth in relationship to God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the heart is going to be affected. Why does John's ministry affect our hearts so much? Because it's truth as to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we know the truth, it makes us free. But if we know the sun, we're free indeed because the heart is engaged. And the Lord Jesus said if a man loved me, he will keep my commandments. And he also said.
My commandments are not grievous.
Heart is engaged. It's real Christian liberty. But.
Jim, I have a question. Do you have a reason why you you quoted only half of that verse about you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. I've seen the post offices and public buildings that have that up on there. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. But there's a preamble to that. What's the preamble? I know you've you've would have that in mind. But it's important to have this preamble in mind, if you continue in my word.
Then are you my disciples indeed? And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. That's a condition. If you don't continue in the word, you're not going to know the truth.
Just in connection with Speaking of the truth, it's in the singular. And we went over to the restaurant there and if you like pizza, you could have pizza or hamburger. You could have hamburger. And it's a perfect place for a culinary heretic because heresy means to choose. And if you just wanted to eat salad, that's all you had to eat. And some people as believers, they're heretics. They want to choose. That's what the word in Greek means. But the truth is in the singular.
And so when we speak of Christ.
And we speak of the truth. It's the whole thing.
And so if we turn to Matthew 13, I mean, there's many verses we read in Matthew 13.
And verse 45. These verses are well known. Could turn to one in Ephesians 2.
Again the Kingdom of heaven is like unto A merchant man seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one Pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Now we know this is a picture of Christ giving himself to the church, Christ also, who loved the church and gave himself for it.
I don't think my brother Henry would mind if I use this example. I love my brother Henry, but if I said I don't care too much for his wife, I'd be no friend of Henry's.
He's got a lovely wife. You know, I'm not only interested in Henry, but I'm interested in his squirrel feet or two.
And I think that the believer is interested in those things that interest Christ.
It's the truth. You cannot separate and chop this up like like a self-serve restaurant.
And so he loved her in the truth. And so it's the whole thing. The foundation of it we get later is if it's not on the foundation of the person and work of Christ, and it's not on the foundation of Christianity at all. But you know, somebody once, after they left the meeting, they left the Lord's table. They said I made a wonderful discovery, that every verse in the Bible is about me. Well, that's that's not true. There's a lot of things that are not about me at all. They're for my learning and my interest. And so we have great interest in what are going to be the rights of the Son of Man when he reigns and so on. And these things interest us because they interest the Lord. We love the Lord.
And so I just say this in connection with the truth of the assembly is you're never going to get the truth really properly if you don't understand what Christ valued above everything else. And that was the assembly.
You're not going to really get that. And I know I'm going to get accused, but I'm going to say it anyways. You're not really going to get the truth outside of the assembly because that's where God, that's where the pillar in support of the truth is. And you're going to get the truth by getting it from those who have walked in that pathway of the assembly. Because again, as I say, he loved himself. He sold all that he had for the truth of the assembly. And you think, well, what's this little group of Saints gathered together to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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That's what the Son of God had in mind, in view, of course, of the whole church in heaven. But he valued that. And so we can't separate segment, chop things up. This was dear to the heart of Christ. And so when he said he loved this woman and the truth, and that's what the home speaks of, you know, the home speaks of the whole situation of an individual, of his relationship to his wife and his children, what they do on Tuesday night, what they do on Wednesday night, he just doesn't speak of a narrow part. You can speak about your work life and you can speak about different things.
But in the home it all comes out. And so he loved her in the truth.
And those that know knew the truth.
Scripture speaks of the Christ.
It speaks of Christ and his body.
And he's the head.
I'd like to add somewhat.
What's just been said because every mark what I'm going to say and it's scriptural.
Every single child of God that knows the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is part of that body.
I don't care where they're found.
The Lord doesn't appreciate those that don't follow in His pathway, but we just had it this morning, the truth of where we stand, and that truth covers every single child of God. I hope we don't get mixed up and deceived to think that there are.
Christians that are not part of the body. That's not true. They are all part of the body and the Lord Jesus loves each and every blood bought soul just as much as he loves the other one.
I hope we never forget that.
We want to make it very clear too that the truth of God stands for all time. The truth of God is not just good for one generation or one culture. And then we have to come along and reapply it or readjust it. The truth of God stands for all time. If I give up the truth of God, that doesn't change the truth of God. If I don't walk in the truth of God, that doesn't change the truth of God. Just go back to first John 2 for a moment for a verse.
First, John chapter 2 and verse 7. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which he had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. John wasn't saying to these ones. Now you've got something new. There's going to be a fresh revelation. There's always a fresh enjoyment of scripture, but not a fresh revelation. And John was simply bringing before them the truth of God as it was established at the beginning.
John wrote later than the other apostles. It was given to Paul to fulfill or fill up the word of God. There was no revelation beyond what was given to Paul, but John's desire was that the Saints of God would walk in the truth that had been laid down. When you turn over to the book of Jude, you find appalling days of apostasy and giving up days very parallel to the days in which we find ourselves, brethren.
What did you tell the Saints to do to get some new application of Scripture or new revelation? No, he told them, earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints. And it's interesting too. In the Old Testament, when there were times of real blessing and revival in Israel, what was it? Was it finding some new truth? No, it was finding a copy of the law in the trash of the Temple. It was the law read in the ears of the king and the people.
And it was a going back to that which had been established at the beginning. And, brethren, I say this because it burdens my heart again. Some of our young people from their Christian friends, they hear that there's fresh revelation that there's something new and that scripture doesn't really apply that way anymore, that that was all right for the Apostle Paul or John, That was all right back in our grandfather's Day. But scripture doesn't really apply that way anymore.
00:40:09
Oh, I say, it's a red light. Be warned, I say the truth is good for all time. Yes, we can apply it to our present situation. And yes, perhaps as the people of God we're passing through things that we have to say we've not passed this way heretofore. But nevertheless, the blessing and the safeguard for the preservation of our households, for our families, and for the people of God collectively is going to be to go back.
And be established in that which was given at the very beginning.
Couple of days before my father went home to be with the Lord.
Some of us in the family were visiting him in the hospital.
And he called our attention to a verse.
In Ezra 7, that has meant a lot to him.
Verse 10.
Ezra had instructed his heart to seek the law of the Lord, that is, to get the doctrine straight.
And I'm going to read it wrong just to call your call attention to it and to teach in Israel the statues and ordinances.
No, no, that isn't God's way. Sometimes young people will ask you why do we don't? Why don't we have seminaries in Bible schools and like some of the other people do?
And I often answer them that.
That's not God's way. God's way is We learn the truth, do it, and then teach it. So walking in the truth is an important thing in Psalm 25 and verse 5.
The Psalmist says, Lead me in thy truth.
JND translation says make me to walk in thy truth.
God never gives us anything. That's just for our intellect. Everything he gives us is to have a practical effect in our lives. All truth is to be walked in and in the 48th Psalm he talks about.
Walking about Zion, it says Walk about Zion, count the bulwarks. Then you'll be able to tell it to the generation that follows.
And I believe that unless you and I walk in these things, beloved, it doesn't matter how many books we have on our shelves, how many books we read. Unless we walk in the truth, we'll never be able to communicate it livingly to the generation that follows.
Because we do have that responsibility, don't we, To pass the truth on to the next generation. Paul said to Timothy that he was to continue in the things that he had learned from Paul, and then he was to commit them to faithful men, Not just anybody, but to faithful men who would be able to teach others also. Because I believe that that's the way the truth is handed from one generation to the next, and it ought to exercise any who take part in public ministry.
Be it on an occasion like this or back home in the local assembly, that we speak the truth clearly, that we have enjoyed it in our own souls, that we're walking in it. That it might have moral weight, as has been mentioned. But then to be able to pass it on clearly so that the next generation can take hold of it and walk in it and pass it on to the next generation. I don't remember Brother Chapter Brown, but I did remember hearing a quote from him that I thought was.
Rather beautiful, he said He wanted his exercise was that he wanted to pass on the truth to others in the with the same purity with which he had received it from others himself. I thought that was a very good exercise, to pass on the truth in the same purity with which he had received it from the older generation.
John had spoken in the first epistle.
Second chapter, my children. And then in this next 30 pistol he speaks of my children. And that's a spiritual.
00:45:05
Connotation to it, and in our chapter in our book To this elect Mother, he says, Thy children, I just would like to have this exercise before the reading is over.
That the family in God's mind, it's a wonderful institution and it's an institution that has its spirit nature, but the purpose of.
The family in God's thought is that it would be a sphere in which spiritual things could be taught within the confines of the home, and the mother played a great role in that.
And so Paul, John says, I rejoiced to hear of thy children walking in truth. And so with the younger ones. Here some of you are contemplating.
Marriage and establishing of home. Some of you are establishing homes. Remember the the great end of the family relationship is not a simply the earth.
But it's to be used as a tool where the truth of God which will never end.
In essence, the truth in these epistles is has already been brought out eternal life, Christ himself, but God would desire us that in the family circle the truth, the spiritual truth of God, would be communicated to the children and within the family circle in such a way.
That the children would walk in truth. That's God's mind for your family, and there are a lot of influences upon the family now.
I can. From my own experience, it was not an exercise to have a happy family, but it was an exercise to have a family that would addict themselves to the ministry of the Saints and to walk in truth. So that is the high calling and purpose.
Of this natural relationship of the family, it is to seek by God's grace to mold your children that they will walk in truth because the apostle says we're running out of time. And verse 8, verse seven, he speaks of many deceivers and again it's particularly in connection with the person of Christ.
Denying that Jesus Christ come in flesh. None of us came in flesh.
The Son of God did.
But then he says in verse eight, Look to yourselves.
That we lose, not those things which we have wrought, That we, I believe, is the apostles, but.
I think there could be a lawful application to a year older brethren. This epistle started out simply with that expression the Elder. It's not an official title of sometimes. We spoke of the elders as being an official capacity in the early church.
It's not that, it's just simply an older.
Servant of the Lord is not even presenting himself as an apostle, but it it's an older brother.
Longing to see that our children would walk into and so he says.
He wanted to not lose or have a full reward. He wanted a full reward. It isn't for Reward's sake, but for the blessing of those whom he had greatly influenced in his life. The greatest thing he could think of, the greatest joy he could have, was to see them go on embracing the truth that he so loved and valued from the beginning.
And so I just want to encourage some of your younger ones.
It's important to those of your older brethren to see you develop and go on and walk in the truth.
00:50:02
Embracing the truth, That expression you used really explains what he means by commandment. That the truth of God has the power of a command over my heart. It's to embrace it. It's not like the 10 Commandments, an external law that was against me, but it was embracing something that I love and going on in it. It's just thinking in connection with the sister back in the third chapter in of Genesis, in connection with Eve.
When God created the man and the woman, he called their name Adam. Charles Hayhoe used to say Mr. and Mrs. Adam he.
Called their name Adam.
But when you come down to the third chapter, after the fall, the curse is pronounced upon Adam. He was responsible. He was held responsible for what had happened and the curses pronounced, And so he comes and after having pronounced this curse.
He looks now I believe in faith. I'm going to just read from the 19th verse, just to get the sense. But it's really the 20 and 21St verse that I had in mind. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread till thou return unto the ground, for out of it was thou taken, for dost thou art and unto dust thou shalt return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was a mother of all the living.
I think that was real faith on Adams part. Instead of turning to her and say look at what you got me into, he said This is going to be the mother of all the living and this dear sister here to whom John wrote, it's the mothers in the assembly that have replenished the assembly. Thankfully there have been those that have been saved out of ungodly backgrounds. But Even so, in a Christian land you get out somebody who is a professing Christian and preach that You say we got to get people in from the outside. We're really preaching to people who.
It really is a breakdown in the family that they don't know the gospel because they come from, by and large, from a professing Christian background and they don't know the gospel. But what a wonderful and normal thing that children are born into the family and they're raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and they're brought into the assembly and in that way.
We can just. I see real faith on Adam's part. This is the mother of all the living, and So what a privilege that the sister has in the home.
To nourish up the children.
In an environment in which they're going to value the things of God, and that the word of God now has the power.
Of a commandment on the heart as you use that word, embracing the truth that struck me.
Well, those that come with false teaching, she's instructed to not even allow them in the home or bid them Godspeed. And I think this is a good word to all of us, but to sisters particularly, you might go to the door and there stands someone who's got some literature and has something to tell you that's contrary to the person and work of Christ. And you might think, well, by inviting them into the home and having a discussion with them, you're going to be able to help them or convince them of another point of view.
You're going against Scripture and sisters. If you go against the word of God, you cannot expect blessing, God's sovereign, of course. But you cannot expect blessing when you go against the word of God. And there may be a number of reasons why you're not to allow this in your these ones in your home or bid them Godspeed. But I thought of it in connection with the children. If you invite this person to your kitchen table with their literature in hand and all their arguments that they're going to put forth, who's going to be listening?
Not only you, but if there's children in the home, they're going to hear all this stuff that's contrary to the to the teaching of the word of God, that's contrary to the person and work of Christ. Do you want your children to hear all that kind of stuff? That's not what's going to preserve your children. Hearing all that's false. Know what's going to preserve your children is keeping what's false out, not letting them hear it at all. So that all that they hear the truth from you and they don't hear that, which is false. They don't have to listen to some debate at the kitchen table some morning because you've allowed this person.
Into your home and to allow this person into your home, You really become partaker of their evil deeds. In a sense, you're really having fellowship with them. Whatever you allow in your home, you're condoning it. Do I allow things in my home? Everything I and everyone I allow to come into my home? I'm really saying I put my, my seal of approval on it. And in the minds of your children, they look at it in that way. And I believe This is why John is very, very careful to bring this out to this sister that she is not to allow in the home.
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That which is contrary to the person of Christ.
We can be a help to them.
But we're never wiser than the word of God.
Know this question of.
Christ coming in the flesh, her brother Henry said. We didn't come in the flesh. I begat sons, but they had a beginning. In time I brought forth sons, but God brought forth his son. He was the eternal son of God. And there's a translation of the Bible that says you are my son Today I've become your father. It's blasphemy to say that.
Thou art my son. This day I've begotten. He brought the Son unto us. A child is born unto us, a son is given. He was always the eternal Son of God. And there are even those that have been contaminated, that behave in a very brethren way. But they've been contaminated by this filthy awful thought that Jesus became the Son of God. He didn't become the Son of God. And sometimes ones may take up with this in ignorance and sometimes in self will. But I remember our dear brethren in Egypt. A young man arrived there at the conference, and he had one of these translations. And the brethren approached them, and I.
I just saw the gentleness with which they did it. They walked up to them and they said, brother, you don't have a holy Bible. And he kind of looked at his Bible and he looked at them and they took it out of his hands and they read that verse in Hebrews and out of the second Psalm. He said God never became the father of Jesus. He was the Father was the He was the eternal Son. And and he kind of blushed. And he said they smiled at him and they said we'll get you a holy Bible.
And they took that one out of his hands and he said, we'll trade you, but we don't want you giving this to anybody else. And so it's not just these people knocked two by two on the doors. There's more subtle ways in which this doctrine in which man has made much of and the son of God has brought down low. And so it's a very, very serious matter because it attacks at the very foundation of Christianity upon this rock. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And if we're not clear as to the.
Truth that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world and the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, if we don't abide in that doctrine.
Then we're not in the foundation of Christianity at all.
I know our time is gone, but I'd just like to make one more remark quickly where it says whosoever transgressed it, that really is the thought of going forward or progress. We had a man show up at our meeting and when we were still in Chatham and talked about new light.
There was new light. He had gone forward, didn't go forward at all. I remember Mr. Begg telling him that's not new light at all. That's garbage and.
The idea that there's going forward in the things of God as to the person of Christ is a foolish idea. We have it all right here, and I believe that the Christian Church has held all that is essential as to the person of Christ.
From the very beginning.
We can go no farther, can we, brother, than to know him.
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection.
Of course, the truth associated with his person and word.
Let's see saying Kim #174.
Hymn number 17 for opation Spotless 1.
Through Jesus, thou art enough.
Oh, patience.
Open Mtg.
Open—D. Gorgas, R. Mackewich
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.
And.
That has been before my soul is especially.
Found in verse five no more to view than I Chosen few in selfish strength divided for drinking peace the living grace, the dreams of hearts united. Lord hates that day. Cloudless rain that prospects bright, unfailing when God shall shine.
Light decline in glory never fading 169.
Lord, we can see.
Where I shall survive in my life?
Change the world of the creation of the Christian heaven and the nation.
Chapter of Judges.
The 6th chapter of Judges.
Beginning in verse one.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.
And the Lord delivered them.
Into the hand of Midian seven years.
In the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel.
And because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains.
And caves and strongholds.
And so it was when Israel had sown.
00:05:00
That the Midianites came up.
And the Amalekites and the children of the East.
Even they came up against him, and they encamped against them and destroyed.
The increase of the Earth.
Till thou come unto Gaza.
And left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox, nor *** for they came up with their cattle in their tents.
And they came as grasshoppers for Multitude.
For both they and their camels were without number.
And they entered into the land to destroy it.
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites.
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.
And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites.
That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, and which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.
I brought you up from Egypt and brought you forth out of the House of ******* and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand.
Of all that oppressed you.
And drove them out from before you, and gave you their land. And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God.
Fear not the gods of the Emirates, in whose land you dwell.
But ye have not obeyed my voice. I'd like to pause there for a moment.
I believe Midian speaks of strife.
Why were they delivered into the hands of Midian? They did evil in the sight of the Lord.
When strife comes in, beloved brethren.
We want to examine ourselves and see what the Lord is dealing with.
Strife is not helpful.
I think some people thrive on strife, but they like it. But I think most of us understand that it's not good.
And when Michigan prevailed against them.
Because of that, many of the children of Israel made them dens, which are in the mountains and caves and strongholds. You know, that's one thing that one way that people react to it.
If there is strife.
Well, I'm getting out of here. I'm going to find myself a little place, a little cave, somewhere where I can hide, a little stronghold. That's not God's way. We'll see that presently.
But we can understand it.
But I think perhaps we've seen some of that as strife as.
Consumed the people of God.
We've seen people retreating into caves and mountains and strongholds.
Let me get off by myself but don't want anymore of that.
We read in verse four that they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth.
There is no food for the people of God when there is strife.
There's no food.
It's not a helpful environment.
Well, the increases consumed, the energy is consumed.
Perhaps I'll make a somewhat of a confession that years ago when I was.
Very active.
In the matter of.
What's been called the Shrewsbury Matter in New Jersey.
We talked about it at every meal.
New developments, things that we heard about.
Finally, one of my children said at the table, could we do anything besides, could we talk about anything besides Shrewsbury?
What a rebuke that was.
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All the energy, the spiritual energy was being put out in our home.
Taking a stand, yes, against something that was wrong, we believed.
But what was there for the family? Was there anything?
Was there any increase? It was destroyed.
There was number sustenance, Verse four says, for Israel neither sheep, nor ox, nor ***.
We're into verse five says they entered into the land to destroy it.
Strife comes to destroy, so it's not of God, is it?
No, I know it's necessary to take a stand and to stand firm on things principles of the word of God, and it's necessary to to not.
Give in to evil. I understand that very very clearly, but.
There isn't any.
Sustenance left.
There's no progress.
And what is sown is quickly consumed.
Verse six says Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites.
Anytime in my experience that there's been strife among the people of God.
It has ended up.
That the people of God were impoverished.
They were impoverished.
Why? Well, they God delivered them into the hand of Midian because of their evil that they did.
And I believe, beloved brethren, when there is that.
That occurs among us.
Let's not delight in it.
Let's not roll up our sleeves for the battle, but let's humble ourselves and say, Lord, what is it that has been?
What have we done that thou has permitted us to fall into the hands of the Midianites?
And that's here what happened in verse six it says the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.
He ever gotten down with your brethren and said Lord.
We've been impoverished by what has consumed us.
Legitimate standing for truth sometimes.
But the whole strife of it wears out the people of God, drives many of them into caves and and dens and strongholds.
They retreat.
Oh, may we have the grace to get down and say, Lord, what is being said to us in this?
So they cried to the Lord, and what does the Lord do?
Came to pass when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites.
That the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel. This is one of the scriptures I believe that helps us to understand that a prophet does not always talk about the future.
The Prophet is really one who speaks for someone else.
A spokesperson.
This was God's spokesperson that came.
With God's answer to them is what as to what was wrong. Do we like it Sometimes we don't we reject prophetic ministry. I believe that's why in.
First Thessalonians. It tells us in the 5th chapter. Despise not prophesying. We have a tendency to despise prophesying when God speaks directly to us. We don't like it.
Don't say things like that. Do it. Say edifying things, but we need it. We need to have a direct word from God. Now what does this prophet say? He doesn't say anything about the future at all. It struck me the first time I ever read that with thinking about it a little bit. He says thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I'm going to deliver you from the Midianites. Is that what it says?
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Not a word of it.
He says I brought you up out of Egypt.
I brought you forth out of the House of *******.
I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all that oppressed you and drove them out before you. It's all past tense, isn't it? This prophet does not speak future. He speaks in the past, but he speaks for God.
And sometimes the Lord reminds us that He has done marvelous things for us.
Marvelous things. Wonderful things.
Think of what he's done for us, brought us out of darkness.
Deliberatives from the world.
Out of a House of *******. We were in ******* and the Lord delivered us.
I gave you their land. Look at what God has given us. So much He has given us.
Do we appreciate it?
Or do we tread it under foot?
And then verse 10 says, And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.
God had solemnly warned them about the gods.
Of the Amorites in whose land they dwell. Stop and think about that, beloved, a little bit.
There's a lot of gods out there that people.
Among the people with whom we dwell.
Are we buying into their worship?
I'm not talking about little statues now or anything. I'm talking about.
Success.
Music money.
These are all gods of the people with whom we dwell.
They're not the gods that were on the other side of the river.
There are gods that our current generation makes a lot of, and God had warned us about that, he says. Don't serve them, don't fear them.
And I believe the Lord has been saying to us so many times.
Ye have not obeyed my voice.
Exit profit.
Well, wait a minute, don't go home. Profit. You didn't say anything to encourage us.
Did he?
He said what the Lord told him to say, and he left.
Verse 11.
And there came an Angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak, which was an Oprah, which that pertained unto joash the ABS, right?
And his son Gideon.
Threshed weed by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. Oh what an encouragement this man is.
Gideon.
I love to think about him.
He says I'm going to get something for my soul.
And I'm going to hide it from the Midianites. They're not going to get it. And so he.
Is threshing weed.
But where?
By the wine press, I believe that speaks of self judgment in this particular case. I believe it speaks of judgment in general, but self judgment here.
Do you want something for your soul in spite of all that is going on?
And all the discouraging things that have happened among the people of God. Have you said I'm going to get something and I'm going to to hide it? Strife isn't going to take it from me. I want my portion of Christmas.
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And here's an Angel of the Lord.
It came.
And what did he do? He just sat there watching him.
Perhaps there's a young person here who has made it and I just encourages me. I I love to, to find a young person and talk with them and young man or lady that says I want something for my soul.
And they make an effort to get it. They thresh the wheat.
And there's the self judgment that goes along with that. And here's did you ever stop and think that there's a spectator, a divine spectator?
Later on, I think we'll see proof that that was the actual.
Presence.
Pre Incarnate presence of the Lord.
The Angel of Jehovah sometimes is many times is the actual presence of the Lord.
And he's sitting there.
He doesn't know who's watching him.
I sometimes mention this but I can say it now because she's not here but I was in the Dr. some years ago, quite a few years ago.
And I was sitting out on the porch of Sister Matilda Garcia's house.
About 7:00 in the morning with my Bible readings enjoying the fresh air.
And coming down the street was Matilda's youngest sister. She's now married to John Hay down in Philadelphia.
Glenside.
Rosa, Maria.
Bible under her arm.
Head covering.
He said. Bruce and Maria, where have you been?
Oh, some of us were out on the beach just getting a little bit of the word of God together and praying.
Now, since 7:00 in the morning, she's finished then.
And I thought to myself, how precious.
That a young person would be, and she was I think 16 at the time, that a young person would want to get something from the Lord and would be willing to go out on.
The beach in Cabrera.
And get something from her Lord.
Nobody else was watching, but I know there was one there who was watching.
Remember the Angel of the Lord sat there watching what Gideon was doing now verse 12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, almighty man of valor. What?
What had he done? What exploit had he done? Had he done anything great at this point?
Just threshing a little weed and getting something and hiding it from the Midianites.
And the Angel of the Lord says to him.
Jehovah is with thee a mighty man of valor. What an encouragement that must have been to him.
But you know, he comes back and he says, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us.
He takes his place with the people of God.
Collective responsibility there. He's willing to take his place and say.
I'm part of this. I'm part of this condition that the Lord is dealing with.
You see, the Angel had said to him, Jehovah's with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
You with you individually.
And he says, if he be with us, why then is all this befallen us?
Do you ever wonder why certain things have happened among the people of God as it distressed your soul?
You'll go running into some stronghold or den or or mountain.
But good like do like Gideon and go get a little wheat for your soul, something of Christ for your soul in a place of self judgment.
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Where are all his miracles? What happened? What is? I mean, I'm in the little assembly where there's nobody there that seems to care and there's no gift, and all the gift seems to be gone somewhere else.
Where is the Lord? Is he with us? Is he really with us?
Verse 14 says.
The Lord looked upon him and said.
Go in this thy might. That was his might, that was his strength, the acknowledgement of what God was dealing with.
And rising above it.
He's an overcomer, isn't he?
I think that's so precious to see this young man as an overcomer, not going, not overcome by the situation. Somebody remarked to me one time that Christians ought to be like the dandelion.
Any of us that had to mow our lawns know that the minute you mow your lawn, the first thing that pops up are dandelions. Isn't it rising above everything else? No matter how short you cut your your lawn, there comes the dandelion up higher.
That's the way Christians ought to be, rising above the circumstances.
Brother remark one time. I'm pretty good under the circumstances. I'm sorry to hear that, brother. You're under the circumstances, you ought to be above the circumstances.
Go in this thy mind.
And thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Do you want to be used of the Lord, dear brother and sister?
To deliver the people of God from strife.
And from the bad consequences of it.
Well, here's an example. The Lord says, go in this thy might.
In that humility of spirit, that bowing under the hand of God.
Verse 15 Oh my Lord.
Wherewith shall I save Israel?
Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
This wasn't a choice.
Product of a noble family here.
He realized that.
There wasn't anything to glory in.
And the Lord says in verse 16, surely I will.
Be with thee. What an encouragement that is. And that's what the Lord says to you, my beloved brother and sister, this afternoon.
Will you be willing instead of running to the caves and strongholds and and making?
Refuge for yourself somewhere. Will you be willing to have the courage to go and thrust some wheat in the winepress?
And hide it from the Midianites.
Lord says I'll be with you, I'll be with you. What a promise to have the Lord's encouragement in that way.
Thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
That's what God is looking for.
Someone like Gideon who's willing.
To do that.
Well, as the occasion goes on, you get the evidence that it was the Lord himself.
And it does empower him.
Something my purpose to go any further, but I just want to encourage each one here this afternoon.
Don't be overcome.
By the situation around us.
I was gathered in 1954.
I'm sure it was a surprise that Frank Vanderhart, because he was in the army with me and and can't think of Virginia and I remember Charles Krauss seeing me at The Who was also there. He saw me at the Ottawa Conference, he said. You're the last person I ever expected to see gathered.
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But in those years since then, almost 4049 years, 50 next year.
I've seen a lot of trouble among the people of God. I wasn't gathered 2 years when?
We had a problem with the Dutchman over.
In Holland that made trouble and I almost threw things over. It wasn't for my father-in-law and Mr. Kohler.
I think I would have.
And there have been a lot of other things like that where strife has come up and consumed the people of God.
But I want to tell you this from my heart.
The Lord wants to use you to deliver the people of God from Midian.
But it's going to take the energy and strength and exercise to thresh the weed.
In the winepress.
And to have a sense.
Before the Lord.
Of humbling ourselves, It is in spiritual pride that is going to do anything.
He grieves me to see any budding of it.
If we are a testimony at all, beloved brethren, it is a testimony.
To what man?
Does.
With the blessings that God has given him, and that is to spoil them.
And it's a testimony to God's faithfulness in maintaining whatever there is for him.
May the Lord give us grace to humble ourselves and to be useful.
168.
Well.
I will be there.
For somebody and was the.
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Whispering.
I.
When you open to Hebrews 12.
Strife is a very.
Solemn thing.
I think of you.
Look around.
See the empty chairs?
You see the result that it can do.
And it's a painful thing to be involved in it.
Brother was speaking about the difficulties with.
Choose Mary.
We went back to Morganville.
Had a lot of strife with regards to it.
Two assemblies gathered to the Lord's name, pitted against each other.
Sad situation, isn't it?
Like to look at a verse in Hebrews 12?
Verse 14.
Where we read this portion, I wonder if we've ever asked ourselves.
Am I the reason?
My local assembly.
Because of the empty chairs.
Am I the reason?
That the young people don't come anymore.
Have I driven them away?
So often we hear.
There's no shepherds among us.
I guess there is.
But I want to look at this aspect.
Because Christianity is a practical thing, brethren.
I asked the brother this afternoon.
If you could tell me what abstract means?
That word is thrown out. John's ministry is abstract truth.
What is abstract truth mean?
He made this comment to me which was rather striking and he says, you know, brother Rich, I said, would you ask 90% of the people here? They wouldn't be able to tell you.
What is abstract truth mean?
But we're not dealing with abstract truth, brethren. We're dealing with souls that have feelings, that have goals, that have desires.
Young people here.
Looking for a girlfriend Looking for a boyfriend is looking for a friend putting the hands on hey I'm here somebody, somebody's I'm here somebody speak to me.
What's on my heart?
Just a little portion here. Hebrews 12/14.
Follow peace.
With all men.
Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently.
Lest any man fail the grace of God.
Blessed, any writ of bitterness springing up trouble you.
And thereby many.
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Be defiled.
The ultimate meeting is a very solemn meeting.
Because we profess that we're going to allow the Spirit of God to take whomsoever He will and feed us.
Sometimes we like to take it out on the messenger, the.
Not the message.
I had it in my heart to speak on a certain subject that's very precious to me. It's Matthew 1820.
There's seven divine principles in that chapter.
I was torn throughout the week if that's what I should speak on.
Because I don't know if it's my exercise, because that's what I want to speak on, or just something the Lord is putting on my heart.
Little Brother spoke about strife.
There was peace in my soul.
As to what I wanted to speak about.
Number of years ago.
I had the privilege of being at this conference.
And I challenged some young people.
And I mentioned a certain age.
And after that meeting?
Brother came up to me as you're sitting down eating with my wife.
And he felt that I had ascended the young people.
And that's where this root of bitterness starts up. Is that word offend or I'm offended?
I'm offended and so this little root of bitterness gets hold.
And it's a terrible thing to offend one of the Lord's people. Terrible thing to offend.
Even more so if we do it willingly.
But the intent of this little talk this morning?
Is to apologize.
To those young people.
You may have all the spiritual intelligence.
But if you don't have the grace.
And it's a hard thing to stand up here and say brother.
I offended some young people.
I don't know if I did or not. They didn't come up to me personally, but they talked to this brother who was a shepherd to them.
And he felt.
They were offended because they spoke to him. Isn't it wonderful young people that there are those in your local assembly that you can actually go up to and talk to you?
And pour out your burdens to them.
You can do that to the Lord. He's longing, He's waiting. He wants us to pour out our souls to Him.
But in this case.
I was here once before.
And I didn't have a chance. I felt that the Lord was holding me back.
But every time I looked at that brother, he looked at me.
I could tell there was a wall there.
The wall had started up because I had told them I would.
I didn't say exactly when I would, but I would pray about it and look to the Lord.
Again, I believe it's a principle of faith. Brethren, if we make a mistake, God brings us back to that very place where he made the mistake.
So I'm going to take this opportunity to apologize to the dear brother who has a.
To young people.
We love you.
Rather than Richard and Love You, where young people get together every year, the Lord is blessed.
But search your own heart. Search my heart. Is there a root of bitterness?
It's real, brother. Gargas and I were on the wrong side.
Work together.
Work together.
Either I'm wrong, you're wrong, or we're both wrong.
There was a man who came into the presence of God and he was told to take his shoes off.
00:45:06
Stood on holy ground.
Years later, another man finds himself in the presence of God.
He's told to take a shoe box.
Why do we take our shoes off rather?
So the Lord can wash your feet.
The Lord has to wash our feet first.
Before a week in Washington brethren's feet.
And it's made of feet washing experience for me to hear this talk about strife.
And selfish strife divided.
But I have two exercises of a brother. One is the truth of gathering.
Seven Divine Principles of Matthew, 1820.
And the other exercise I have is the empty chairs.
I do not want you young people, older one, to become an empty chair.
Why isn't Carl here? Well, he was offended because some brother made some comment to him about how he came to the meeting one night and he didn't have proper clothes on.
Young person said to me recently, what's wrong with the concept of just coming as you are to the Lord?
Have you ever?
Had the grace to.
Tell somebody.
Brother, I'm wrong.
Sitting against the Lord I sitting against you, I'm sitting against my brother.
David got into a big difficulty, didn't he? But his heart was broken because he says, what about the sheep? What have they done? What have they done?
Brother Mr. Lord Terry's there's another Bible reading on 3rd John.
And some of the dear young people in private conversation.
With me and shared their feelings.
And they do feel that there are geographies among us, brother.
That's a serious thing, isn't it?
The very ones that we're trying to help, the very ones that we're trying to be a blessing to tell us that they see things that we don't see, that there is a spirit of the atrophies among us, the spirit of the Nicolaitans is crept in among us.
So there's empty chairs.
There's empty chairs. Are you going to be an empty chair? I trust my.
So again to the young people, 19 and.
Younger that were here.
You must be about 2324 now.
I am sorry if I.
Circled you out.
I could justify and say I was just trying to exercise your heart because you're going to be, if the Lord Terry's the pillar of the assembly, you look at your local assembly, how many older brethren there are, and if the Lord tarries 1 by 1, they're going. Who's going to fill up the rank? But I exercise about anything in the local assembly. You let all the older brethren do all the work.
Is there an exercise in your part? And giving out a hand is an exercise in your part and standing up and reading the scriptures.
I was encouraged.
And Brother Smith stood up and read the scriptures read in such a.
Hard to explain how how I feel about it, but there's such a there's almost if John himself was standing there.
And the grace and the love flowing from his heart as he read those chapters.
Are you going to be empty chair?
Are you gonna be empty chair?
There's a young sister here that often when I take the gospel meeting, I mentioned her name and she bears with me. She knows I love her.
But she doesn't get offended over it. She doesn't get offended over it.
Why do we get offended?
Why do we get offended?
If I look at John Kaiser, I seek Christ and my brother John.
He sees Christ in me. Why do I get offended?
If somebody says something I'll to me, it has to go to the Lord first, doesn't it?
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Follow peace with all men, and holiness with which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently.
Lest any man fail of the grace of God.
Stop and thought about the grace of God in your life.
Rather commented about how in the sense brought up in a Christian home, brought up and brought into the assembly the grace of God. Think of it here, and I sit in this room with this book in the highest, if I can say this in a manner that you won't take it in the wrong sense, but I believe in the most highest ecclesiastical position anybody can be in.
Privilege of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, being at His table, showing forth His death. There are many who are exercised all their life as to the right place. They go from this place, to this place, to this place, searching the Spirit of God, guiding, showing them, directing them, and they finally come to the place where the Lord is in the midst of His own, gathered to His precious name.
Sad to say, those of us who've been brought up in it.
Seem to think there's someplace else.
Are not content to be simply where the Lord has placed His name.
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. But are you looking diligently? Lest any man fail in the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you thereby? Many did you file.
That's the sad thing, brother.
You may get into a situation where you feel it's time to run into a hole and hide.
And you may take five or six with you.
And you'll be exercised about coming back to the Lord's table, coming back to the Lord, and you'll come back.
But the five or six that left with you, they don't come back. They don't come back.
Oh, let's not offend, brother. Let's not have a root of bitterness springing up.
Because that's when the devastation comes in. It springs up.
And then many and you file discouraged downcast.
There are many here who have problems. Indeed, there's a lot of economic stress, physical stress, emotional stress.
The Assembly, brethren, should not be a place of stress.
There's two Oasis in this world, the family in the Assembly.
The family comes through the assembly.
Searching thing, isn't it not to allow things into the home?
Not to allow things into the home.
But how about in the assembly? Oh, you're getting a little bit too legal now. You're getting a little bit carried away, says Follow. Peace with all men and holiness. That which you allow into your home, that which you allow and bring into the assembly, is it characterized with peace and holiness?
Is it going to be a place where the brethren can say it was good for us to be here?
Now there's 7 letters, the seven assemblies in Revelation. Each one of those assemblies had a state of soul.
The assembly here in Des Moines has a state of soul. The assembly in Richmond has a state of soul.
They all would like to be Philadelphian in character and spirit, but sometimes I feel we're so laid to see and we don't even realize our own state of soul. Little Brother has to stand up and talk about strife.
Strife in my heart, no strife in my meaning. Yes, there is. We need to be real. We need to be honest. Why? Because if we go back up in verse 13, make straight paths for your feet, unless that which is lame be turned out of the way. But let her read it be healed.
Last year I stayed away from this conference.
Because I didn't want to confront the brother.
I couldn't stand looking in his face as he looked at me and I got the message. When, when, when?
I didn't feel personally the necessity of it. I had spoken with others. But here's the point. The brother had an exercise.
00:55:04
Let's do not stomp out our brothers exercises. It's good that there are many of us don't have any exercise about anything.
But he had an exercise and a love for young people.
And their young people, there are many here who have that same concern for you. So you.
There are shepherds amongst the people of God.
They'll find you. The Lord will send them.
But how about you, young brother, in the local assembly where you're from, are you seeking to be a shepherd to the young people? Are you seeking to be one who takes a godly concern and exercise about their concerns, their exercises?
Young person constant says, I want to go to school and be this you bring the scriptures before them. Oh, that's a terrific job. You'll have great opportunity to make a lot of money. But Scripture says be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. You have to be unequally yoked together with this individual.
Is that what the Lord wants?
You need to remember one thing rather than young people, God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Satan is a God and Prince of this world. He has all of the gold wealth, all of the riches at his disposable, and he gives to whoever he will. Don't confuse what Satan gives and what God has already given you.
He has given you all things that pertain to life and godliness.
O Pindell, us, Lord, that our love to thy name is so cold.
So cold.
Brother made a comment that struck home too, sometimes.
The truth is given out clear as ice.
Just as cold.
Just as cold.
The love of Christ constrains his brother.
The rest assured, if there is a relative bitterness in your heart that will spring up, it will manifest itself. And it says here many be the defiled.
And then it's at our loss.
I'm going to challenge each one of us in our hearts this room this afternoon, in their hearts.
We've had the sad occasion at times of having discipline in the local assembly.
And when the letter is read and the brother stands up and the letter is read, and this dear young brother, this dear young sister, or this family, this couple has to be put away from the Lord's table.
It's a very sad thing to me.
When there's not a single tier shut.
With not a single heart has been touched with regards to the loss.
The Lord is going to experience here, as it were, this table, the large table were gathered around.
And he sees these empty chairs and there's not a single response in our heart that these dear ones have left. They're gone. Gone.
Have we become so cold and flare as ice that our hearts have become hardened?
Hearts have become hardened.
Rather one time said to me, let him go, they want to go, let him go.
It's not the Shepherd's heart, brother.
The Lord doesn't let him go.
He died for each one of us in this room, for those who have put his faith and trust Him or your sins in His own body on the tree.
Oh, he says, lovest thou me more than these?
He looked at Peter. Peter went out and wept bitterly. I'm going to challenge each one of our hearts this afternoon.
Let's melt the ice. Have you ever in your lifetime got into the presence of God? Presence of the Lord?
Left that early?
Reread about Esau. He did that, but for the wrong reason.
For the wrong reason. But have you ever gotten to that point? Lord just warned my heart. Warm my heart.
How can I go up and throw my arms and shake hands with Brother Gorgas?
01:00:01
Well, it's the love of Christ. It's the love of Christ.
And then sometimes it's a conflict, it's a battle. But when you start striving for truth and lose sight of.
The reality of the people.
We end up with empty chairs.
So again, as I say, that which I really had on my heart was the truth of gathering.
Fact that there is only one place.
Yet this was brought to my attention.
Rather offended it's harder to be one than a strong city.
Contentions are as a bar of a castle.
If somebody offended you today.
Have you offended somebody without realizing it?
All have the grace go to that brother and say brother, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said what I did.
Dear Brother Short, he's a gracious, dear, loving brother.
Rather made a comment, you know about his life.
Every reason a world to get offended. Every reason in the world.
But that's not a style. That's gracious, brothers, I know.
What is your style to get upset as soon as somebody says something to you? All we need to get close to the Lord. Rather remember the stories of Amalek, how he picked off those that are in the the behind. But in closing, I want to share one other aspect with regards to Gideon.
He wanted something for the Lord, for himself, and he got it and hid it, but before it could be a blessing to the people of God.
Put it in our terms today he had a kicked father's TV out of his house.
He had to get rid of the idol that was in his father's house.
If you're going to be a blessing to the people of God and you still live at home, you have to get rid of that thing that's a hindrance to your testimony because you're associated with that house. You're associated with what goes on in that house. So Gideon had to do it. He did it at night, but he did it and it spoke to his father's conscience.
Well, Bells really bail. Let him deal with it.
Sometimes, dear young people, you can be a help to your fathers because we do get cumbered with jobs. We do get covered. After all, you got six kids, you got to feed them. You got cars that breakdown, you got a house, you got all kinds of responsibilities.
You can be a help to your father. You can be a help to your mother.
Let's get rid of that thing in our home that's causing problems.
Why is it that brother so and so doesn't feel free to come to our house? Let's get rid of that thing.
Do we really need it? Is it really following after peace? Is it really that which is going to promote holiness?
There's a dear brother who always to me, it touches my heart. He says what I say to you. I say to myself, first search my own home, things in my own home, in your home.
Why? What's? What's the end product?
There's two girls and a boy sitting over there. That's the end product.
Four €3 and a boy. Now they see now that looks like four and two. Our children, these young girls here.
They're going to leave home. Lord's going to provide a home for them and they're going to reflect on what they had at their home and what the husband or the husband had at his home. You have two homes coming together and to be one, not again mine or yours, but ours, us.
So I just close with this.
Lest any writ of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled. And again, I don't want to labor the point, but it is real. I wouldn't be up here if it wasn't. I am sorry again.
Christian Rd. is going to be full of potholes. It's going to be full of speed bumps.
But if you get offended your young people and brother and over every little thing that comes across your pathway, you're not going to last very long in the path of faith.
It's a path of faith.
Ruben, Uruguay always has a nice motive. Herman always says swallow you pride, brother. So.
Swallow your pride. Go on with the Lord.
Let's not 'cause the vision, brethren. Let's not 'cause strife. Let's that which is lame be turned out of the way.
01:05:08
And Paul says, because I tell you the truth.
I mean, I'll become your enemy.
Oh, let's not take it out on the messenger, but on the one who sends it.
296.
Love divine, all praise.
God.
John, Chapter 4.
First John 316.
Hereby perceive we the love.
Because he laid down his life for us.
And we ought to.
Lay down our lives for the brethren.
There Are Many Voices. Have You Heard the Voice of Jesus?
Gospel—N. Hiebert
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.
To extend a very warm welcome to everyone that's come to the Gospel meeting this evening.
The gospel meeting is important not because of who is speaking, but because of what we have to speak from the Bible, the Word of God.
Perhaps each one of this room has heard the gospel message many times before. We're going to present it again because someone said to me, this may be the last gospel meeting that will be preached. And if that soul, then it's very important that we all pay close attention to what God has to say to us in His Word. So before we talk about the word that God has given, let's sing a song or two. The first one being #4.
Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me. Long I was chained in sins darkness. Now by his grace I am free Savior of sinners, Savior of sinners like me, shedding his blood for my ransom. This is the Savior for me now. I trust as you sing it you will listen or read carefully those words.
And determine if you can see them honestly. Let's stand and sing #4.
Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me. Long I was king. This is darkness now by heavy rains. I like it. Save your heart, swimmer.
Now I can say.
My blessed British me for every forever. This is my life, this is the day.
Now there is no reason.
For the day.
Say.
Sir, I say everybody.
One hour.
Found for the children I only see one young person up here, but I think there's a few more out there that would enjoy singing a song for the children. How about #47 #47 when he cometh. When he cometh to make up his jewels, All his jewels, precious jewels, his loved and his own. Like the stars of the morning, his bright crown adorning, they shall shine in his beauty.
Bright gems for his crown.
Let's remain seated and sing #47 when he comment, when he come.
00:05:25
The morning his right on our.
He will die. He will die.
What stands for His Kingdom? All the faith. You want all the faith.
I'm hungry here right now.
Morning place outside.
Little children, little children.
Her mother are the two well rested jewel his love and.
The stars love the horn. Good morning, his life.
Can we turn together, please, to the to Acts chapter 12? Acts chapter 12. We'll read a few verses.
Acts, chapter 12, verse one. Matthew, Mark. Luke. John. Acts chapter 12, verse one. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church, and he killed James the brother of John, with a sword, and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.
Then were the days of unleavened bread, and when he had apprehended him.
He put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers.
Bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the Angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison. And he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly.
And his chains fell off from his hands. And the Angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did, and he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out and followed him, and whisked not that it was true which was done by the Angel, but thought he saw a vision when they were past the 1St and the 2nd Ward.
They came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord.
And they went out and passed on through one street, and forthwith the Angel departed from him.
And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord has sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the House of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
00:10:10
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even sold. Then said they, It is his.
Angel. It is his Angel. Now I would like to look at a few verses that have the keyword that I was thinking of tonight, and I've jotted down a little note at a prayer meeting. Yet last night when our brother Ron prayed, he said something like this. Voices in the world that cause confusion. Voices in the world that cause confusion. I would like to pick up the rest of what he said.
But it hit me, the voices that are about us, that are causing confusion and buying for our time, claiming for our attention. There are many voices among us. There are many voices I should say. I want you to come this way. I want you to come that way tonight. I want you to look up and look to see what the Lord Jesus Christ has for you. Don't be concerned about those sitting beside you with this particular moment. I want you to look to what God has in His Word and to look to the Lord Jesus Christ of whom we will be trying to speak of a little bit.
This evening we begin this chapter where it says now about that time.
Here the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church, and he killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. Now we see about us a lot of things that vex us in our the city that we live close to. Just last week there was a young lady, 10 years of age, who disappeared Within 24 hours they found her that she had gone into eternity.
And the newspapers were covered with all the wonderful things that she did and was, her beautiful smile, her friends and so on and so forth. It was lovely what they said about this girl, and I trust it was true. But you know something? All those things and this wrenched at our hearts as we thought about the person who would do such an awful thing to kill a young girl. It just hurt us immensely.
And those poor parents and the three siblings, as they considered that their sister was gone, their daughter was gone into eternity. She was 10 years of age. Now, I don't know how many 10 year olds there are in this room tonight, but I want to say to you that the devil is trying to get you. He's going to vex you. He wants to take you. And if he can take your life, that is the end of the road for you.
But, you know, if I should die here on this platform tonight, it would be the beginning of life for me because when I was a young child, there was an aunt of mine who faithfully presented the Lord Jesus Christ in a story to me, and I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That's a wonderful thing to know, the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. And tonight there are many in this room who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Now, there's a voice that's calling tonight, and I want to look at a few other voices that we have in various parts of the Scripture.
And I trust the Lord has put them on my heart. The first one is in Genesis chapter 27, and I should say the second one Genesis 27. And in verse 22 we read. And Jacob went, Oh, let's start verse 21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father.
And he felt him and said, The voice hears the word voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned that discern him not, because his hands were hairy. So his brother Issa's hands. So he blessed him. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am all. We have a story in the early part of the Bible of deception.
00:15:05
Of deception here was a young man that wanted the blessings that his father had to offer and with the aid of his mother they arranged a way in which they could do that. This father was very fond of good food and aren't we all we enjoy good food and he particularly enjoyed venison. And so he, the father said to his son, I want you to go and get the best deer that you can find. I want you to prepare the food and bring it to me. Well, you know there was the other son who said, well, I want that blessing and the mother was with him. I want that blessing. Now how many in this room want the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ If you want to get it through some other source.
You're not going to get it. God's Word says I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. There is no other way.
There is no other way. We hear it all the time today where people are saying, well, there's another way. There's another way of doing it. I heard a little story the other day. If someone said, well, if I struck a piece of gum in your face and I said you got gum in your face, he said when I don't believe it's there, I just don't believe it's there. It's not there at all. I'm, you know, you're just pretending.
Put your hand to your face, it's there. Take it off it's there. You have to do something now I say to you tonight you have to do something. You have to repent of your sins. There has to be an above face. It's not just something you can gloss over and say, well, I'm going to be, I'm going to have a new life. I'm going to start over again. No, God's word tells us all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Here was deception.
Here was a young man who came to his father, and the father says the voice doesn't sound right. And I want to say to you, my dear friends, tonight there are voices out there and some of them don't sound right. Some of them are not the truth of the word of God. They're false, they're counterfeit. Are you listening to them? Are you listening to them? May I suggest to you to listen to the word of God?
The Word of God is the truth.
I was talking to the gospel meeting a little smaller than this not so long ago.
And on this side of the stage, about four rows down, there was a young man sitting there and he was busy doing something else. And in my way, I tried to get his attention. It's tough to do when you're talking to a group. I try to get his attention. Couldn't do it. So after the meeting, I made a beeline over to him and said, you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
He said little bloom.
What does that mean? To me it meant no. There was number desire. It seemed he didn't want it. He rejected the word of God that was presented, not my words, the word of God that was read. He rejected it. Is there someone in the room tonight? I consulted with some tonight, young people who are in the know, young people who know what's going on. And without an exception, they all feel there are people sitting in this room tonight who are on the way to hell.
Not only to talk that way, it sounds angry.
I want you to take it as a warning. Hell is a real place. God's word tells us about hell many, many times. But God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And I don't want you to wait until the hour until you come to the Lord Jesus Christ. God's Word says now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Because there will come a day when the Lord Jesus will sit as a judge for those who have not accepted him as Savior, and he'll have to say, depart from me. Ye workers of iniquity. I never knew you well. Here was Isaac. Here was Isaac who loved his children. He loved his children. Come near, I pray thee. Come near, I pray thee.
I have five children, actually 10. They're all married, so there's ten of them. What's more wonderful to have them nearby, to have them with you and your grandchildren. Come here. I want to know that it's you. But Jesus is saying, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Oh, what a wonderful thing it is to know that your children belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. There isn't one parent in this room, I'm sure.
00:20:13
That wouldn't want their children to be saved.
Dear young people and children.
You have been, you may have been able to pull the wool over your eye, over the eyes of maybe your family, but you know something, the Lord Jesus.
Knows exactly what's going on in your heart tonight. He knows whether you belong to him. Isaac didn't know who it was. He wanted his child dear to him.
He felt his arm, he said. The arm is that.
Of Esau.
But the voice is Jacob's.
Be careful what voice you're listening to. Let's go back to Acts chapter 12.
Verse three and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter, although.
Then were the days of unleavened bread, and when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
The world loves to ridicule the Christian.
Young people, I know that. I've been to school. I know what it's like. You're ridiculed for your stand for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know what it's like to be mocked in an office.
Where some would say if you want to have a revival meeting, go to somebody else's office.
I've said that many times about this fellow that I knew. He's an eternity now.
He's an eternity now. I don't know that he ever accepted Jesus as his savior. This is a serious issue that we talk about tonight. It's not something guys. It's not something we can fool around with.
It's not something we can fool around. This is serious stuff.
He wanted to put everybody in prison that spoke about Jesus, and here it says he took pleasure in taking Peter and he killed James.
The man of this world does not want religion.
And yet he wants a little bit of it.
What we have to offer is not religion, but the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because the Bible says the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. That is the word of God. That is the truth. That's what we're Speaking of tonight, the truth of the word of God. Now you know in Luke chapter 23 and verse 23, we have a number of voices that were very persuasive and let's read it 23rd chapter of Luke verse 23 and they were instant with loud voices.
Much louder than my voice, Loud voices requiring that he might be crucified.
And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed, and piloted sentence that it should be as they required. And He released unto them Him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will.
Crucify him.
In about half an hour, there's going to be some noise starting up in this room.
And there's going to be a lot of people going out of the exits.
If there's someone that leaves this room tonight and still hasn't accepted Jesus as savior.
You're a murderer.
You say, isn't that a little tough? So the word of God says you're guilty of the murder of the Lord Jesus Christ and God will hold you accountable.
Will you dare to leave this room without accepting Jesus as Savior?
God's Word tells us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God sent not a son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Saved. Wouldn't you like to be saved, You know, a number of years ago?
00:25:09
When I was still working, he's going back about 20 years, we were on a trip to Prince Edward Island and the host said we could go on a fishing trip. While I'd never been fishing in the Atlantic and I probably should never have gone. But we went out fishing in the Atlantic and we went way out until we couldn't see land anywhere except lots of water in the cold Atlantic off the East Coast of Canada. And while we're fishing, we noticed something different. There was a different tone to the motor on that boat.
And all of a sudden, it stopped. The next thing we noticed was the pilot saying mayday, mayday. What does that mean? What does that mean? Danger. We need help. We're three miles from the shore. Our engine's dead, and we're taking on water.
You know the end of the story because I'm here, but there was water coming in the boat and there we were with buckets trying to empty the boat.
We're from the Prairie, so, you know, a lot of water in the ocean isn't there. And we weren't just too sure what was going to happen. But, you know, it's a wonderful thing to be a Christian because you could pray.
Well, as it turned out, there was another boat about a mile away and he came to our rescue and we climbed over the side of the boat and we were rescued. We were saved, we were saved. We got to the shore. We didn't get any fish, but we got back to the shore safely tonight. There may not be any fish that will come as this gospel is preached, but I trust that the Word of God, as it is sown, as it is presented, will speak to you. Getting back to what these voices, they cried, crucify Him.
Crucify him. And I would hate to think that there is one boy, girl, young person, older one, who will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord Jesus Christ have to say to him, you heard the gospel.
I don't know anything about you and I'm going to be turned into hell.
That is real today. The man of the world wants to try and smooth that over so it doesn't mean anything. The word hell is used so loosely.
Till nobody is even shocked at it, including many Christians aren't even shocked by the word hell.
But you know the devil is clever, and he wants you to become accustomed to all these words.
He wants you to become accustomed to the things that are happening here, and then you too will join in the chorus as they did here. Crucify Him. We're all guilty, but there's many in this room who've said I'm a Sinner, Lord Jesus, I'm a Sinner, save me. It's that simple.
It's that simple. Many of you have been broader than a Christian home. You have heard it, but you may not have done anything about it. Have you accepted Jesus as Savior? Is nothing as beautiful as to see your children and your grandchildren say I've accepted Jesus as my Savior? Do they know what they're talking about at six? Yes, they do. Yes, they do. And do you know what you're talking about by saying I'm going to do this?
I'm not going to listen.
He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Acts, chapter 12, verse 5.
Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison. Allow me, allow me to.
Take a little bit of different viewpoint of these verses for the sake of the purpose of this gospel meeting. Here was a man who loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was bound for the gospel.
On the authority of some young people that are sitting in this room right now, there are some here who are bound with the chains of sin.
They are sleeping between soldiers who are keeping them and the door of the prison is locked.
00:30:02
There's no escape. There is no human escape. There's only one way of escape.
And that is to accept Jesus as Savior. How can we escape? How can we escape him if we neglect such great salvation? There is no other way, my friend.
There is no other way, I had a friend of mine said at the office many years ago. He said I'm going to start a new religion. I said, what's wrong with all the old ones? What's wrong with all the old ones?
He said my religion, hey, this isn't my word. This is the word of God that we're talking about.
The truth of the word of God that brings us to our hearts. And here was a man who was paying the price, but he was paying the price for the Lord Jesus Christ. When you accept Jesus as Savior, will everything be honey and roses? No, no 1000 times, no. But there's an eternity.
Wonderful. We're going to be with Jesus and eternity. That's what my little brother said. Don't cry for me 10 years of age, I'm going home.
Going home, he went home to be the Lord. He was happy.
The key is, Are you ready to go home?
Or are you going somewhere else? An awful place called Hell? Well, this man Peter was asleep.
I choose to think that Peter really wasn't too concerned what they were going to do to him.
Because he knew that no matter what man did to him, God was on his side.
And he could say, if God be for us, who can be against us?
Let's turn to First Samuel. Just read a verse or two there. First Samuel, chapter 24.
And.
Verse 20. Chapter 24. Verse 6.
Nine. And David said to Saul, King Saul, Wherefore herest thou man's words, saying, Behold, David, seeketh thy hurt? Verse 16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice? Is this thy voice, my son David?
And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
Are you wondering about the voice of the Lord Jesus that you heard time and time again?
Dear young children, you have come to Sunday school, you have sung these beautiful little hymns, the one that we sang tonight. When he cometh, when he cometh to make up his jewels into the tent where a gypsy boy lay one door and only one. Jesus loves me. This I know. Around the throne of God in heaven will many children sing a little child of seven and so on, you know, beautiful songs.
You've been brave and been the first one to put up your hand to say the memory verse. Good for you.
Wonderful. You're there, you're with it.
Then you come out to the permitting with mom and dad. Wonderful.
Great. You've come out to the reading meeting with Mom and Dad. Wonderful. Thank the Lord for your mother and dad for doing that. You come out on Lord's Day morning and you sat there while there was a cup on the table with wine and a loaf, and you saw what was going on. Good. I'm glad you did that.
All that means absolutely nothing if you haven't accepted Jesus as Satan.
We tell our Sunday school children when they come, we ask them, why are you coming to Sunday School? Why do you, why do we want you on Sunday school to teach you about the Lord Jesus Christ? And what a wonderful thing that I can tell you that some of those children have accepted Jesus as Savior. They know what it's all about. Not maybe as intelligently as you do, but the point is they know Jesus as Savior. Like one young fellow when he just says that to me. Mr. Hebert, the angels are having a party for me tonight.
Oh, I thought you that was so wonderful to hear that. I've told you that story before probably, but to me it's such a wonderful story to think that that young lad understood that he was saved.
And the angels of God were rejoicing in the presence of the Lord with a wonderful thing that is. And my friend, young person, if you accept Jesus as Savior now there's going to be great rejoicing in heaven. Here we find that King Saul was chasing after the future King David and he wanted to kill him because he knew that David was going to be king and he would no longer be king. But we find that when David said I was in that cave where you were in.
00:35:23
Yes, my friend, we're all in the same place. We were all shaping inequity. And if you read in Isaiah chapter one, from the top of your head to the bottom of your soul, your putrefying sores and everything that's absolutely rotten. There's nothing good in US. And so saw when he heard David's voice, he said, is this thy voice, my son David?
All let's be careful for the purpose pious.
Squeaky boys, people that try to lead you astray.
Not only that, he wept. The king cried.
Don't be deceived by that. The enemy uses all kinds of ways to deceive you.
Not going to deceive you tonight.
If you're not saved right now and the Lord Jesus should come.
You're on the lost, on the road to a lost eternity, at the end of which is.
HELL.
If you've accepted Jesus as Savior, you're on the road that leads to the glory to heaven where Jesus is.
You know, my mother died a number of years ago in the family had asked me to speak at the funeral. And I think I knew my mother pretty well. She grew up in a Mennonite community.
Where the truth of the Word of God was not really known too well.
And my mother was under conviction. She was concerned because something wasn't right. So she went to a preacher and she said Mr. Preacher, he spoke in the German language.
I need to know about God.
Now here's the Here's what he told her. My mother told me this herself, she said. Where he said, I want you to be, to go home and be a good girl and all will be well.
Wow. Bad, bad situation. Wrong turn, dead end, exit. No, that's wrong. That's wrong. I was able to say to the friends of my mother at that funeral that my mother found out that that wasn't good enough. She couldn't be a good girl. You know, my daughter, I only have one daughter and four boys, but I had a daughter. And sometimes being the first one, you tend to be a little tighter on things, you know? Anyway, she would get her into trouble sometimes and we would have to exercise some discipline reluctantly.
And I can recall the painful wailing of my daughter. We hadn't even punished her yet. I'll never do it again. I'll never do it again. Is that what you're saying? Never do it again? Yes, you will. Yes, you will. But one thing I pray you will never do again, and that's leave a gospel meeting and still be lost.
Still be lost.
What's it like to be lost? That same daughter I was telling you about One day we were in an apartment store, which was very young, just able to walk. She never walked. She always ran and always ahead of us. And she went into an elevator before we got there and the doors closed. We could hear all the way up. We hear all the way up. She was lost, and she knew whether she was screaming.
That's what the Hell's going to be like, only much worse. Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, and that elevator ain't coming down again.
Pardon the grammar, it will never come down again. There is no second chance. I don't care what people are telling you today, there is no second chance. God's word is abundantly clear. For those that have heard the gospel, they will not have a second chance. Let's see if I can find the verse for you.
In Second Thessalonians chapter 2.
Verse seven. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, which with all power and signs, and lying wonders, and with deceivableness of unrighteousness, and them that perish because.
00:40:12
Here it is, here it is the word of God. Now, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Tough words, tough words iron my words. I didn't write this book that.
Is the word of God.
Acts chapter 12 verse 7 And behold, the Angel of the Lord came upon him, and the light shined in the prison, and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, rise up quickly, and his chains fell off from his hands.
God's Word tells us in First Thessalonians 4, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain, we being Christians, those who have been redeemed with a precious blood of Christ, shall go up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. All the voice of the archives as a powerful voice, the dead in Christ will be raised. It's so powerful.
Will you go or will you remain behind? Our brother was up here this afternoon and he was speaking about empty seats.
I would like to see every one of these seats empty.
When the Lord comes.
When the Lord comes.
You dear boys, girls, young people, beloved young people, keep praying, please.
Do you know Jesus as Savior? Do you realize that what we're telling you is the truth? This is going to happen very, very soon.
There are many sitting here that I know personally are going.
My wife is one of them, I'm another one of them, and many others.
But I don't know all of you.
I do know that there's some in this room that are not saved and the Bible tells us awake thou that sleepest. Are you sleeping? Do you get sleepy sometimes? Don't get sleepy in the gospel meeting. I have to confess I get sleepy sometimes in a meeting after a good meal.
Oh, God's Word is speaking to you. Listen to that voice. It's calling to you.
Acts 12 Verse eight. And the Angel said unto him, Gird thyself, bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith in him, Cast thy garment about thee. And here it is, Follow me.
In Psalm 95 we read the words.
Today if you will hear us, what? His voice harden not your heart, you say. How do I know his voice?
You'll know it. You'll know it. The Lord Jesus speaking to you tonight. Don't wait right where you are. I have the responsibility of telling you that you must do it now. Don't wait till the end of the Gospel meeting.
The Bible tells us that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You know it's so simple. Sometimes it's so simple that it's hard to explain. The words are clear. Beloved young people, beloved children and older ones.
Don't take a chance. You may say well, but I've been told this for so many years. Hey look, I just turned 65 last month and I've been told this for 65 years.
I praise the Lord that for 60 years I've been saved.
For eternity I will be with Jesus, with my mom and dad.
My little brother.
My father-in-law, my mother-in-law, who'd gone ahead be with Jesus forever.
You say, well, how can you know this for a certainty? Well, I think in First John we read about that, don't we? First John Chapter 5, it says there.
00:45:01
Verse 13 These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may.
Perhaps know no, it just says know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Oh, how wonderful it is that the voice of the Lord Jesus speaks through His Word, the Bible.
It's wonderful to go in a hotel room and open the drawers, which we always do, and check to see if there's a Bible there. And it's the word of God in every room in this great, wonderful country, almost every room, I dare say there's a Bible and it's in beautiful shape.
It's in beautiful shape.
Not a bunch on the page, most of them.
What does your Bible look like?
What does your Bible look like? Has he got some smudges? I hope so. Read it. Read it, my friend. If you're a Christian, read it.
A grown grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. I speak to you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Don't neglect the reading of the Word of God.
Acts chapter 12, verses 9:00 to 12:00. They went out, followed him, whisked not that it was true which was done by the Angel, but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the 1St and 2nd Ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord, And they went out and passed on through one street, and forthwith the Angel departed from him.
And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety that the Lord has sent his Angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people, the Jews. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the House of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
Praying you know the same book, Chapter 9, it tells us about another man who was who hated the name of Jesus so much so that he got authority to put her to prison. All they were Christians and something happened. Verse three of Chapter 9 of Acts. 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.
Voice saying unto him, Saul, John, Mary.
Why persecute us on me? Oh, my name is John. I'm not persecuting. Oh yes, you are. If you're not a Christian, you're persecuting the Lord Jesus because you're spitting in his face. You're saying crucify him. You're guilty.
Saul could have said no. Just a minute.
I'm not doing that.
But he didn't. He recognized what he was doing. He was touching.
Christians, they belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and he said Paul is hard for you to kick against the ******.
That was the chief of sinners.
That man accepted Jesus Christ. He said, Who art thou, Lord? That was his first question.
And then he said, Lord.
What do you want me to do?
You say that's quick, he made it in the boat face and you can do that tonight. You can make that decision and you will instantly be saved. But you have to confess that you're a Sinner. You have to confess that you have sinned, that you deserve to be in a lost eternity.
Saul called him Lord.
End of his history of the destruction of the Christians, he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. He heard that voice and he accepted it while in verse 13. Getting back to Acts 12, we read there.
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
00:50:05
I am knocking as Peter did.
On the door.
I said to my wife as I just before I came on the platform, I said two things. Jerk.
So, honey, keep praying. My knees are shaking. Keep praying. The other thing I said, I wish you could have been down in that room where there were men on their knees crying to the Lord.
For some that are lost in this room praying, and there are young people who I just spoke to before the meeting that are sitting in these seats right now, they're praying for you.
It's not a one man gospel, there are many that are. Praying for you my friend. Don't.
Don't. Don't reject the Lord Jesus. Don't reject that knocking.
Rhoda.
Hearken.
Rhoda Hearkened Revelation 3 and 20 says If any man hear my voice, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and Sup with him, and he with me. That's a promise, that's a guarantee. That is the word of God.
Rhoda hearkened. Would you hearken like Rose did? That's her name. I believe Rhoda means Rose, Would you hearken?
Would you listen? Would you pay attention? Would you come and open your door to the Lord Jesus Christ in this case? She says in verse 14. And when she knew Peters.
What?
Not no voice. Jesus is calling you by your name.
He knows your name.
Many years ago we had a chairman of the board.
Who was in charge of about 3500 employees He could step into the elevator and the chances are that if there were 12 People in the elevator, he would know the names of seven of them. Unusual, isn't it?
Why? He loved people, but he didn't know them all. No more.
But he knew some of them. Jesus knows everyone's name, first, second, third, fourth, and last name. He knows everything that you've done. He sees you very clearly. He sees you tonight. He's looking into your heart. He knows whether you've accepted him as your Savior. He knows whether you're saying, I'm not going to listen to that man. I'd rather talk to my friends. Pay attention to the word of God, my friend, don't.
Reject it.
She knew his voice, but opened not the gate. Is there anyone here that knows the voice?
I'm not going to do it.
I've got my friends in school.
They'd make fun of Maine.
I've got a career ahead of me.
I like my car.
I like my boyfriend.
I like my girlfriend.
I've done some bad things in my life.
I haven't been to a gospel meeting for a long time, but I'm back again.
So you're going to keep the door shut?
Tell you something, you can do that.
You have the power to do that.
But do you realize that with that decision comes some very serious consequences?
How about hell? Forever. Weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth. No rest forever and forever, you say. How can that be? I don't know.
God has prepared that for the devil and his angels, but all those that reject the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, all those that reject Jesus and what he did and across the Calvary are doomed to go into a lost eternity.
There's a few other verses that we could read, but I think we'll stop there. I just want to say.
That.
00:55:00
Verse 16. Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
He didn't stop knocking.
There may come a time when Jesus will stop knocking at your door.
If that happens, you are in deep trouble.
I don't know when that happens or if it happens even today, but let me save you simply.
This.
Jesus Christ came into this world born a baby in a Manger. Jesus Christ had to come into this world because man sinned in the Garden of Eden.
Man could not walk with God in the cool of the day because they had sinned.
They disobeyed by eating of the fruit that God had told them not to eat.
You say say that again, just because they stole some fruit, didn't even steal it, they disobeyed God, that's a sin.
That's a sin.
God could no longer walk with his own creation.
So he said Jesus into the world. Jesus walked in this world.
A perfect man.
Absolutely, totally perfect. The Lord Jesus could not sin.
He was the perfect man. He walked the scene. He did wonderful things and miracles. That won't save you either, by the way.
Jesus died on Calvary's cross. You and I were guilty.
Now being with a gang that said crucify him and nailed him to that cross.
Jesus died. They took the body of Jesus and laid it in a tomb.
His mother wept. Others wept.
Jesus gave up his life.
But you know, before they put him in the tomb, there was a soldier that came along and he saw Jesus was dead already, and he took his spear and pierced his blessed side, and out came blood and water. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
Jesus was put in the tomb.
Jesus rose from the dead. He's alive today. He's my savior.
He is waiting in glory, a real man in heaven. He is waiting for the moment when there will be that shout and the dead and Christ will rise first. There will be a lot of activity in the cemeteries of this city.
And if you and I are still alive, we're going to be caught up with them. You see, that sounds a little fantastic. Absolutely. It's fantastic. It's wonderful, it's glorious. That's my position and that of many others here. He's coming. He rose from the dead. And then we find subsequently he went to heaven. But before he went to heaven, he said something beautiful. If I go away, I will come again.
That's about the shortest words you could get.
I will come again and receive you to myself.
He's coming.
Repent. Accept Jesus Christ as Savior. Just one short.
Hymn #1 and that second verse it says, almost persuaded. Come, come today.
Almost persuaded. Turn not away. Jesus invites you here. Listen to his. Here's the word. Voice so clear now, falling on thine ear. Come, wanderer, come.
Almost persuasive.
Now.
Do we?
Almost.
Persuade.
Rise to receive.
Now some soul to say.
Go Spirit.
Go thy way.
Some more conditions.
01:00:12
Almost.
1St way.
Turn on away.
Jesus.
In my experience.
Let his voice go clear.
Now All in all.
I come.
Daniel an Outstanding Man
YP Sing Address—J. Kaiser
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.
00:25:55
41.
Before I pray, I'd like to look at 2 scriptures.
So to occupy, or shall we say, prepare our minds.
1St as in Ezekiel 14.
Ezekiel 14 and verse 14.
Though these three men, Noah.
Daniel and Job were in it.
They should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord.
God these three men, Noah, Daniel and Joe and then a verse in James.
Chapter 5.
00:30:08
And verse 10.
Take.
My brethren.
The prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord.
For an example of suffering and patience.
Take.
The prophets for an example, God just offered you a gift. I'm not referring to the gospel meeting where there was a wonderful presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners. And I can't, I don't feel I can or should add to that.
But in this verse we just read, God says take.
Take.
So I hope everyone here is willing to take to receive from God tonight.
An example because we need them.
Now I read a verse in Ezekiel.
Refers to three.
Outstanding men, Noah, Daniel, and Job. Reminds me of how in Second Samuel 23 we get a catalogue of David's mighty men, but it says there were three that excelled, and it says one was chief among three. And I'm not going to say who was chief among three, but you ever think about these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job?
Two of them.
Have failures recorded?
Noah and Job, there's one remarkable person I'd like to bring before you this evening.
Of whom I'm not aware of any recorded failure. Now there may have been one.
But it's not a glaring failure.
His name was Daniel. They were named Daniel means my God.
Is judge. His parents gave him that name.
Because I believe they were God fearing people.
Don't know much about them, but let's go back.
2600 years because there's nothing new under the sun. Let's go back 2600 years and see what we can learn in the first chapter of Daniel.
Let's start reading with the first verse. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. Now Jerusalem was God's holy city. Babylon was the epitome.
Of pollution in the world.
Babylon is associated in the Old Testament and in the New Testament with excess of corruption and wickedness.
And Babylon, one Babylon came against Jerusalem, and the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, he was not actually king at this time, if you know anything of secular history doesn't tell us that here. But Nebuchadnezzar came to Babylon and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah into his hand with part of the vessels of the House of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the House of his God. And he brought the vessels into the treasury House of his God.
And the king spoke to Ashpanaz, the master of the eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, of the King's seed, and of the Princess, children in whom there was no blemish, but well favored, skillful in all the wisdom, and in all wisdom and cunning, and knowledge and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the King's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the King's meat and of the wine which he drank.
So nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
Now among these were of the children of Judah. If you ever wonder where the name Jew comes from, that's where it comes from. These were Jews that they're aware of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Michel and Azariah, unto whom the Prince of the eunuchs gave names. For he gave unto Daniel the name Belshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Michiel of Meshach, and to Azariah of Abednego.
00:35:10
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the King's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the Prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Will stop there for a minute.
I've learned some expressions from some of my boys.
I'll come home from work, right?
Some night and say how'd things go today and they say, man, what a bummer. Actually, that's not a new expression. It was current when I was your age, but it's still it's interesting to me that it faded out and came back the expression. What a bummer. Anybody here have an experience where things really didn't turn out the way expected? You ever been disappointed or frustrated? Do you ever feel like the odd personality? Do you ever feel like your plans have been ruined?
And maybe somebody else did it. Maybe you did it.
Maybe there's somebody here tonight. You feel like your life is hopeless.
Care to trade places with Daniel?
Daniel was probably a teenager.
He was taken by force from his family. He was captured by people who were renowned for their cruelty and for their wickedness. He was taken away to the land of Babylon with no hope of ever seeing his family again. He even lost his identity. He was given a new name.
He was destined to the life of a slave.
Notice what it says here. The king spoke to Ashburn as the master of his eunuchs and I believe is the same person that's mentioned as the Prince of the eunuchs later in the chapter.
Why was David committed to that person? Because.
The Babylonians weren't really kind people.
They when they got a slave, they wanted to really make a slave and they would castrate all the males.
This kind of.
Spoiled things for the man.
And it ruined their hopes of a normal life. It meant that even if they ever escaped.
And by the way, it destroyed their desire to escape, because if they ever escaped, went back to Israel.
They'd be a social misfit. Israel didn't have a place.
For eunuchs. So it means that Daniel and his friends were stuck and now we don't know for certain. The Bible does not say what happened to Daniel. It says he was committed to the Prince of the eunuchs.
Suggests what happened. God doesn't tell us because that's not the issue.
But Daniel's position was bad.
Maybe you came in here tonight thinking you.
You could sing and put on a good front, but inside you're crushed.
I've been there.
And you say my life is ruined, I've made a mess of things. What do I do now?
Or maybe you feel may you blame somebody else. We don't know that Daniel was said. We don't know that Daniel did anything wrong to deserve this. The Bible pictures him as one of the three outstandingly righteous men. You don't. You don't start, you don't get to be that way by starting late in life. Righteousness is a habit that's cultivated.
But maybe you're looking at your life right now and say it's a shambles.
I don't know what good could ever come out of my life.
Would you still care to play trade places with Daniel?
I believe he is in worse, was in worse circumstances than anyone here in this room. You're here among friends. You're here among people who care for you and pray for you.
But it may be that you don't see what God can do.
And I know Daniel didn't.
But he was about to learn.
What you say, if you're in a circumstance like that, what do you do now? In our society, you'd say, well, we'll protest. You didn't do that in Babylonian society. They'd make you a sacrifice to their gods, no problem. They weren't democratic.
00:40:12
Well, you say, I'll make the best of it.
Well, what is the best of it? No doubt it says they took a group of young people from Israel. We only hear about four of them. I'm sure there are more than that. There were some who said, I we're going to cave in, I'll make the best of it. And so when?
They can't. The Babylonians came out with the program, the guy said. OK, well, we'll do what needs to be done and we'll make the best of it. Maybe some committed suicide.
What did Daniel do?
Daniel did the best thing he could have done. He did what he could do that he knew would please the Lord. What did Daniel do?
Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. Now there's a limit to how much we can do in life, But Daniel says, as far as I'm concerned, I will not defile myself.
With the King's meat, and we don't know what was wrong with the King's meat. Maybe there's a way it's prepared. Maybe. Maybe it was filthy. I don't suppose it was. This is the King's meat. But Daniel knew there was something defiling about it. He was an intelligent person and he said this I can do or this I can try to do it anyway, right? Scripture says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. It says no man that Christ is called as a soldier entangleth himself.
With the affairs of this life, sometimes we meet circumstances we can't deal with.
But Daniel said I'm not going to defile myself. Daniel purpose in his heart he would not defile himself with a portion of the King's meat.
You say, what good is that going to do?
Daniel knew his only hope was in God.
And he had two options. He could either cooperate with the Babylonians, or he could cooperate with God. And he chose God. And each of us are faced with a choice. We can cooperate with the world or we can cooperate with God.
What's your choice tonight? Well, we never hear about the ones that cooperated with the Babylonians. They fade out. We never hear about them. We hear about Daniel.
2600 years later we hear about Daniel. Why? Because he made the right choice. He purposed in his heart. He would not defile himself with a portion of the King's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested. He requested, you know the wisdom which is above his first pure, pure. There's some people here who might be proud of the knowledge they have of this Bible.
40 years ago I was in a jail.
I was about 15 years old. I met another 15 year old boy in that jail.
And he knew the Bible better than I did, and he was in there for murder.
Knowing the Bible is not.
Everything there is, it's important.
The Wiz in which is above is first pure, pure and then peaceable.
So Daniel Percy would not defile himself. And then he went to.
The Prince of the eunuchs and requested he was peaceable. He didn't mark up to the.
March up to the Prince unit, say I ain't going to have that stuff.
He didn't condemn it. He says, please, may we try something different. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. I want to talk about this, about this matter of purity.
It's very important.
It's first pure. We live in a very defiled and defiling world. Are you pure tonight? Are your thoughts pure? Is your heart pure? Is your mind pure? Is your history pure before the eye of God?
Because, you see, that's where everything starts. God uses pure, clean vessels.
So Daniel came to the Prince of the eunuchs.
Says in verse nine, now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the Prince of the eunuchs.
Very interesting here. If you'll notice this word brought.
In verse nine and then look at verse two and the Lord gave Jehoiakim.
In the Hebrew, that's the same word God brought Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, into.
00:45:02
His hand, or now God gave Daniel into favor with the tender and tender love of the Prince of eunuchs.
The hand of God that brought Daniel to Babylon brought him into favor with the Prince of the eunuchs. You see, God is behind the scenes working in Daniel's life, and Daniel didn't know it.
And God is behind the scenes working in every life here tonight.
You may not, you may think God's forgotten you, or you may say, yeah, I realize God, God's there and doing something, but God is personally interested in every person here tonight. God doesn't love, didn't love Daniel any more than he loves you or me. God is intimately involved in every detail of our lives. The Lord Jesus said the hairs of your head are counted. God doesn't do that out of sheer boredom. And I speak reverently. God does it because he cares.
He's interested in every detail of your life. He was working behind the scenes in Daniel's life.
And he brought Daniel into favor with the Prince.
Of the Unix.
And the Prince of the eunuch said unto Daniel, I fear, my Lord, the king which hath appointed your meat and your drink, For why should he see your face as worse liking than the children which are of your sort? Then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king? Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the Prince of the eunuchs had said over Daniel. Hananiah, Michelle, and Azariah, prove thy servants, I beseech thee 10 days, and let them give us pulse to eat and water to drink.
Then let our countenance be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the King's meat. And as thou seest deal with thy servants, so he can send it to them in this matter, and prove them 10 days. And at the end of the 10 days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which should eat the portion of the King's meat. Then Melzer took away the portion of their meat and the and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.
Pulse I understand is beans.
I love beans.
My children, consequently, don't.
And while we may disagree on beans, we both agree that a steady diet of beans wouldn't necessarily make you look any better than anybody else. This was a miracle.
God does miracles.
He does the mall, the time actually, and we don't realize it because we're involved right now in spiritual warfare.
And the fact that we are still here, enjoying the grace of God.
That's all a miracle.
We had nothing to do with it.
But I want to focus on this is just the beginning. By the way, some of you, most of you know the history of Daniel. I strongly suggest you, now that you've been reintroduced to it, you read it. It's wonderful how God, God uses Daniel. Daniel, we suppose.
Was a eunuch a misfit? A social misfit? But it's interesting when Daniel stands up for the Lord. It says in in the third chapter or the 4th chapter. Let's see.
And find it.
Oh yes, very interesting. Daniel chapter 2 verse 25. The king had a dream and and the Lord revealed the matter to Daniel and Daniel goes out and finds Arioch this this person and tells Ariac I've got the answer. And Ariac goes to the king and says I found a man. He didn't find Daniel found him, but he wants to get the credit. He says he's honest. He says I found a man.
And later in the toward the end of Daniel may look at that too.
Umm.
Daniel chapter 910 to chapter 10 verse 19. This is what God says to Daniel. Oh man, greatly beloved.
Daniel may have been considered a social misfit.
But he had the favor of God, and God used him in a wonderful way. Why? Because Daniel purposed in his heart. He would not defile himself. And this is what I want to close with.
00:50:03
There's two important things we want to be used by God. There's two important things. Cleansing.
And communion. And you can't maintain cleansing without communion. Why do I say cleansing in your communion? In chapter one, Daniel did what he could. He cleaned up, made sure he was cleaned before the Lord.
And then in chapter 2, God.
Spoke to me.
There's a principle in Scripture God doesn't give.
His truth.
To defile vessels, the Lord Jesus told his disciples, Don't cast your perils before swine, and God does not.
Fill dirty vessels with his truth. He doesn't do it. He doesn't reveal his mind to unclean people. There's a principle. Let's look at it very brief. I can show you a number of places and sworn out in Scripture, but just I want to leave 2 verses with you in Second Timothy.
And if I have gone over my 15 minutes, I apologize. I don't wear a watch. I'm sorry. I hope you'll bear with me.
Second Timothy, just two verses.
You want to be used by God, and I think most of us do.
The first prerequisite is cleansing First Timothy in Second Timothy chapter 2 and verse 21. If a man therefore purged himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet or fit for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
As preparation.
We did that tonight. How many here look for a dirty plate to put their food on and supper? We don't do that. We were glad they had stacks of clean plates out there. We're used to that.
We want clean vessels for our food. God wants to use clean vessels.
And if we're clean, he can use this.
What next? Chapter 3?
This is the other half of the preparation.
Verse 15 And from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for a correction, for instruction, righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect or complete, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This is the other half of preparation. Clean vessels. When God has a clean vessel, you can show it, and he will.
Given the opportunity, you know, I said we live in a defiled and defiling world. We live in the days of Daniel. Daniel lived in the middle of Babylon and there was every corruption available there.
I'm going to be very plain.
*********** is a big problem.
You encounter it everywhere.
And girls think this is a guy problem. I'm going to tell you the other side of it.
They have what they call romance novels. Guys are interested in the physical side, girls are interested in the social side, and they have these romance novels that portray.
Improper social interaction.
And that's defiling too. It perverts the mind.
*********** is not just a guy thing.
We have a choice.
The King's meat is beautifully prepared.
It's there's a lot of variety there.
Are you going to defy yourself with the King's meat, or are you going to be consecrated to the Lord?
Going to be prepared, cleansed and prepared for His use and for His blessing.
Jesus Loves Me This I Know
Children—S. Stewart
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.
Oh, that sounds loud, doesn't it?
You know, when I was a little boy, I never came up to the front row in conferences for Sunday school because I was afraid.
But you don't have to sit back. You can come on up if you want to if you're sitting back. But I understand if you're afraid. I'm afraid even right now, being up here, even though I'm grown up.
Well, let's start this morning with saying some songs.
You know, just before we sing, I'd like to look to the Lord and ask His help for this Sunday school.
And one little story to tell you, and then we'll sing some hymns.
You know, there's a man back in home in Vestal gathered to the Lord's name, and he wasn't saved until.
He was in college and he was going to be an engineer and working hard at college, and he got saved and he came out to meeting and he was gathered to the Lord's name. And in that meeting there weren't really any little children, or if there were, there wasn't a Sunday school. And he never sang.
Some of the songs we sing in Sunday school and he thought those are for children.
He only had sung hymns out of the Little Flock hymn book.
And he said I came to a conference and he said they had a Sunday school and the children were seeing those hymns. And he said I looked around and there were old people singing away, all ages. And he said it made those children's songs special in my eyes and he's loved them ever since. Now I know most of the children's songs are in the Backpage.
But if you have one.
From your Sunday school book, from meeting back home that you would like to sing? We'll try and sing it. I think most of them we know by memory. And if I can't start it, maybe somebody here can. But who has one we'd like to sing.
44.
Into a tent where a gypsy boy lay.
Dying alone at the close of the day.
Is of salvation we carried, said he. Nobody ever has told it to me.
Tell it again.
Tell it again.
Salvation story, repeat or end?
All.
Till none can say all the children of men.
Nobody ever has told me before.
Did he so loved me? A poor little boy, send unto me the good tidings of joy.
Need I not perish my hand? Will he hold?
Nobody.
Ever the story and store.
Tell it again.
Tell it again.
Salvation story, repeat, or and all.
Till one can say of the children.
No man, nobody ever has told me before.
And then we got the last words of his mind.
Just as he entered the valley of death, God sent his son, whosoever said he.
And I am sure that he sends him for me.
Tell it again.
Tell it again.
Salvation story repeated.
00:05:03
Till none can say all the children of men.
Nobody ever has told me before.
Who has another one?
So 4747.
That's a nice one. We sang that last night and I really enjoyed it and I was hoping someone would give it out again this morning. I like this one.
When he cometh. When he cometh.
To make up his jewels, all his jewels, precious jewels.
His love and his own, like the stars of the morning.
His bright brown acorny.
Beauty, bright hands for his crown.
He will gather. He will gather.
The chance for his Kingdom, all the saved ones, all the bright ones, his love and his soul.
Break the stars.
Of the morning.
His bright brown adorny.
They shall shine in this beauty.
Bright gems for his crown.
Little children, little children.
Who love?
Every Redeemer are the Jews, precious Jews.
His love and his own, like the stars of the morning.
His bright ground adorning, they shall shine in his beauty.
Bright gems for his crown.
We'll sing a couple more, one more I'll pick somebody, and one more I'd like to give out. What would you like to sing #40?
Jesus loves me. This I know, you know, I heard a story from a man at work who was a Christian and he had heard an old servant of the Lord who was way up in years. I think he was 80s perhaps.
Some time ago he told me the story, said, I don't remember this man's name, but he had stood up in front of a large crowd of young men who wanted to serve the Lord in some way or another, and he was going to give them a little word of encouragement. And he said, you know, I divided my life into three sections, 20 years, he said, I spent as a missionary.
20 years, he said. I spent studying the word of God and.
And 20 years he had gone around as a servant of the Lord, trying to encourage the Lord's people. And he said, the greatest thing I've learned is this, you know, and all those young men, they leaned forward. They said, what great thing is he going to tell us that he learned after all those years? He said, Jesus loves me. This I know.
And so this song always reminds me of that story because the love of the Lord Jesus we read in Ephesians passes what we can understand. Our hearts take it in. We can't all get it in our heads, but our hearts take it in. So let's sing this song. We can think about how much the Lord Jesus loved us, that he gave himself in Calvary's cross for us.
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
00:10:02
Little unto him belong.
They are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus.
Loves me? Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me, he who died.
Heaven's Gate to open wide.
He will worship away my.
A little child coming.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me.
So Jesus loves me, though I'm by handy waits to make me glad.
Ways to fold me in his arm keeps me safe from every harm.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me, loves me still.
When I'm very weak and.
From his shining.
Home on high, he will watch.
Where I lie.
Yes, Jesus.
So sweet.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me. He will stay.
Close beside me.
All the way.
If I trust him, should I die?
He will take me.
Home on high.
Yes, Jesus.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Well, while we were singing, I decided the song that I had in mind. Maybe we'll save for the end to have a little song to close with. I'd like to open.
My Bible and you can open yours to an account in the Gospel of Mark.
And I think this is a story that probably each one of you know, and I've enjoyed many times in the past, and I'd like to go over it again this morning.
Mark, Chapter 11.
We're going to start with verse one.
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he that is the Lord Jesus, sendeth forth two of his disciples, and he saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you, and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tide, whereon never man set loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this?
00:15:23
Say ye that the Lord hath need of him, and straightway he will send him hit her.
And they went their way, and found the coal tide by the door without in a place where two ways met, And they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye losing the colt? And they said unto them, even as Jesus commanded. And they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him, and he sat upon him.
And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off trees and straw them in the way. And they that went before and they that followed cried, saying, Hosanna. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.
So the Lord Jesus was going to go into the city of Jerusalem.
And in the Old Testament.
And the prophets, it had foretold how the Lord was going to come according to God's Word into Jerusalem on this cult.
In the prophet Zechariah that spoke of it. And so now the Lord was going to fulfill that prophecy and he sent his two of his.
Disciples to this place where this colt was tied. The Lord knew where this little donkey's colt was, and the Lord knew he was tied up, and He sent these two disciples to fetch that little colt that he was going to ride into Jerusalem. The Lord had need of that.
A Fresh Sense of the Beauty and Glory of Jesus Christ
Address—D. Spence
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.
Thing together, number 76 in the back of the book.
Thine Jesus Vine.
No more this heart and mind shall seek its joy apart from thee.
The world is crucified to me.
And I am fine.
Vine. Vine alone.
My joy, my hope, my crown.
Now earthly things may fade and die. They charm my soul no more for I and thine alone.
76 in the appendix.
Find Jesus.
Life.
Shall seek.
Could we turn Beloved to the 24th chapter of Luke?
The wonderful experience.
This morning we had was that of having.
None other.
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Then our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Himself before our hearts. He is the one that will be in the midst of that throne as we read in Revelation chapter 5.
That we will be surrounding and occupied with for all eternity, and the wonderful blessing of being gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ is to have, as so many have spoken, just after the last meeting. We have a foretaste of that blessed scene in this world now.
Only as one brother was saying, just a few minutes ago, he said. Only then it will be wholehearted fellowship and praise without distraction, without any sense of weakness or temptations or feelings or reasonings that we are so often distracted with, encumbered by.
Because it will be each heart and every heart being filled with the spirit to such an outpouring.
Can you imagine the praise when we stood up and sung that last song? It was just a reminder of what the praises will be and the praise will be throughout all eternity.
And someone mentioned that when Paul was caught up to the 3rd heaven that he came back with words that were unlawful in the human tongue to speak because just the wonder of the glory of that person and of that scene struck him such that he could not repeat it in human language. It was impossible.
But it is a wonder of wonders.
To have in our lifetime.
Some little sense of what it's going to be in the glory with him and so soon to be realized. Beloved Saints looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. And we repeat those verses. We say He is coming and we know it doctrinally to be true.
But it is a spirit of God that awakens our hearts as to the nearness of that moment.
When he is coming for us.
Luke chapter 24 speaks of Jesus himself.
And I trust, as we just go over a few verses, that he himself will be so impressed upon our hearts and especially the speakers, that there would be a fresh sense of the beauty, the loveliness of his person, the glory, the love that he has displayed, Yes, at the cross, and yet continuously to you and me as we go through this life, and especially if we become discouraged, Beloved.
And how many times we're swallowed up with discouragement and self occupation and past experiences that have happened, that dragged us down and we weep and we cry and we sorrow because of these things. This chapter is given much to and we know this because we've heard this chapter so many times. And the simplicity, the simplicity of it perhaps adds to the beauty and significance of it to our hearts.
Because it speaks of one who came forth from the grave. And one of his first missions, of course we know, was to visit a sister who was weeping by the grave, who had no other place to be than in the presence of the one that had delivered her from 7 demons.
She had never, never met a power like that in her life, or a love like that that drew her to such an one. To deliver her from the awful oppression and possession of such a power. That man can't deal with it today. Impossible. And so to have him gone in her life. She only wanted to be Mary Magdalene, wanted to be where he was last seen in that sepulchre, and she would not leave that spot.
The other two disciples, as we know Beloved, went home. But here a sister's heart was so attached to one that had delivered her from a lifetime, perhaps of we don't know how long but a *******.
He has set her free and she served him and she knew that he loved her.
And she loved him. Thus he revealed himself to her first.
Wonderful.
At all. What joy filled her soul when she saw the reality of his resurrection? Then of course we know that.
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Peter was one that he had a second meeting with after his resurrection.
And not to go into those details, but here we find that when we're too discouraged disciples, Are there any discouraged disciples in the audience today, beloved?
These two were discouraged about something that you wouldn't think that would have necessarily discouraged them that much if they would have believed. Isn't that the way it is with us?
We say, well, we know all things work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose and so forth.
God is for us who can be against us. He's for us, and we repeat those scriptures. But how wonderful to have the sins of not just the scriptures, which is so important, but to show us that He will follow you and me whenever we stray or wander and get out of the way in any little bit. And if there are some that have come here to these meetings.
That are discouraged. Whatever the problem might be, the Lord Jesus Christ has followed you.
In love to fill your heart, not to change the circumstances necessarily.
But to fill your heart with himself.
Verse 13 of Luke 24 Behold, 2 of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem.
About 3 score furlongs and that's about 7 miles.
They were going away from God's center, beloved. And we know where God's center is today. It is where two or three are gathered together unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is not a physical place like it was in that day and they were going away, as we'll find a little bit later for a certain reason. It was because of their reasonings and unbelief that took them away from the company of believers there in Jerusalem.
But they were going to a place no doubt where their home was, or a home called Emmaus, and perhaps some of you know the meaning of that.
Term Emmaus.
It means earnest longing.
They were going away to a place where their home was maybe to settle down again. Things haven't worked out as they thought.
They were walking away from the testimony there in Jerusalem, those that they had been with and company with.
And enjoyed the new wondrous revelations of this blessed person, the Lord Jesus Christ. They were going down to Emmaus, to a place where there would be.
And earnest longing put within their hearts to return.
There may be some here and I know I've been in this in your position if it's true.
Who may be looking OK on the outside and everything is well as far as your brethren are concerned, but you have some real problems inside that you've never disclosed to anybody.
Outwardly, everything may look fine, but inwardly you're discouraged.
And we know, of course, as some have said, discouragement is never faith. But.
The blessed sympathy and company.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ understands how you feel.
And he is not only understanding how you feel, he wants to fill you with something that will far surpass any experience that you could ever have in this life. And that's not mysticism.
That is reality.
In the language of the Song of Solomon, it is he is altogether lovely.
Whether is thy beloved more than another beloved? The daughters of Jerusalem asked.
My beloved is the chiefest among 10,000.
He is all together lovely. You could have an experience or a relationship or a job or some kind of education in this world that people look for and they work for. That would raise you to heights of experience here that you would say would be the grandest thing in all your life.
00:15:10
But there is no experience that would ever compare with or match.
The wonderful companionship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and being gathered to his precious name.
As we were this morning, knowing that he is just as much here, though we do not see him with the physical eye as he was when he stood in the midst. A little later on in this chapter he is in the midst. Beloved, it doesn't matter what we say, what we feel, or what we think. It is what the word of God says.
And they had left the place that was going to become the assembly.
Discouraged going to a place where their hearts would be changed.
But it was only because somebody followed them. Verse 14, they talked together. Of all these things which had happened, have you ever beloved brethren, been occupied with the past?
Is not a common malady with.
Humanity in general.
Is it not a common problem with Saints, especially because Satan puts in our minds? Well, think about what happened back in your life now. How do you reconcile with that concerning a God that loves you and you begin to question why things happened and why sorrow came into your life. A loved one was taken away.
In a moment, perhaps with no warning, someone hurt your feelings.
We talk about these things, do we not? We think about these things. The word of God says in Philippians chapter 3, forgetting the things which are behind. And the believer has the wondrous not only privilege, but power to forget the things which are behind. He is entitled to forget about everything but Christ. Now that may sound like some high doctrine, but it is a grand reality for the believer. Not only the older ones who are a little bit more mature, but four, the dear young people for a newly saved soul.
Have you ever seen one who came to Christ just newly born into the family of God and the joy that lifts them right up out of their circumstances?
And you say, well, they're just a babe.
Well, shame on me.
May we turn return to that childlike spirit of being obeyed in love with a parent, but in love with the Lord Jesus Christ someone mentioned in their prayer, perhaps at these meetings.
About the Church of Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2.
That fell, and it was a common failure in all of the churches that followed. I have somewhat against thee.
The Lord says to them.
Thou hast left.
Thy faithful service.
You have left.
Your missionary endeavors.
Is that what it says?
Thou hast left thy first love.
Beloved, if there was that desire in my heart to return to the joy of that love that he has for me, it's his love for me that brings me back in my response. And of course, we follow that wonderful sequel in The Song of Solomon. When the bride becomes discouraged or involved, she is revived and restored because of her thoughts of his love towards her.
And she seeks him because he loved her.
And he loves you and me, and He loved these, beloved. And they're talking about the past. The Lord Jesus does not want to occupy me with the past, or you with the past and your circumstances. You are entitled to forget about everything.
But Christ, now we're speaking about the things. There's nothing wrong with happy memories.
I have some very happy memories in this city, beloved.
And I want to tell you one of the reasons I have happy memories where my roots go down here in Des Moines. And that is because.
00:20:01
I have many mothers and fathers.
In this blessed.
Assembly.
Mothers and fathers.
Who cared? Who loved?
Who showed kindness? Who opened their home and hearts?
It is a wonderful thing, the family of God, but I also have some bad memories.
In this place where I grew up.
But am I to dwell upon the bad memories?
Those things that humble my heart, are we to dwell on those things, beloved.
Paul's word to the Galatians was Ye did run well.
And what happens along the Christian pathway is, as we're running the race, so to speak.
With our eye on the goal, sometimes we look back and we think about things that have happened and bad experiences. They may be sinful problems.
Maybe even confess problems, but we lose sight of Christ.
There were two runners that were running, I don't even remember their name, years ago for the four minute mile competition and they were neck and neck close to the finish line. And the one look back, and this was in England, the one look back to see where his competition was and as he looked back to the right, the one passed him by on the left and he lost the race.
He that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is not fit for the kingdoms, Brethren. Doesn't mean we're going to be lost, but we'll lose something when we look back, or think back, or are occupied with the past. And it came to pass in verse 15 that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with him. We know, beloved, He will never leave you nor forsake you.
That is an actual fact. He will never let us go from that pierced hand that holds us.
But we may stray.
We may take ourselves out of the path of his choice. Or maybe we've never really found the path of history. Maybe you've grown up in the assembly like I have and took everything for granted. And I was telling somebody a little while ago, except it was for my friends that I had in the meeting. Because my parents, of course, wouldn't let me associate with with other friends in the neighborhood that I thought were OK. And really, down deep, I knew they weren't.
I just wanted to have some friends.
But had it not been from for the friendships and the love that I felt when I came into the circle of fellowship in the assembly, Had I not felt that, I don't know where I would have ended up today by the grace of God?
And thankful for the mothers and fathers. Spiritual mothers and fathers are so needful. And you folks are in assemblies where there is such a need for the expression of that spiritual care for those who may feel on the outer fringes. And there are some who are very sensitive about feeling the fact that they are on the outer fringes, and we need to take special steps to make them feel loved.
And I was one of those.
How long does it take us to learn the truth when it's so simple Now I knew.
Having had religious seminars going on in my high school, which was in Madrid, Iowa, about 30 miles from here.
And they would have somebody come and preach. And I knew there was something wrong with one man standing up before an audience. I just knew that as a child growing up in the assembly, my father, my grandfather, had a meeting in his home, as many of you know, in this area around Madrid, IA.
But I knew just from the principles that I had been taught in simplicity and you, children.
Know that there is something wrong when only one man ministers to a company of the Lord's people.
There's nothing wrong with ministering to the Lord's people through one voice. But when we're gathered around a man, if he does not, Jesus does not preside. There is something wrong. And if that's all you know, remember that you'll grow in the Word and in the truth. God, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And sometimes, and I know it was this way with me when I was younger, The Assembly was born.
00:25:24
Is it boring to you, beloved children?
Wouldn't it be nice in your thoughts? It wasn't mine if you could move in a little music.
And have some things that would help our singing a little bit.
A little better organization, maybe some clubs and different things to do and activities.
These are the arrangements of.
Man that has brought in those things to make sure that we are entertained and we are attracted, and we love our beloved brethren wherever they are.
They're God's people. They are the sheep of his pasture.
But what a place.
And Speaking of the race, is it not true? Brethren and I asked this question following the character of things in Hebrews chapter 13.
Where it says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him.
Endured the cross, despising the shame and the verse just before that speaks about let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. The race in Hebrews is not a race to see how well we function in a missionary capacity, or how well we we fare, and general faithfulness to the Lord.
All those things are good, and in our growth in the things of God all those things are good in their place. But in Hebrews is it not true If we follow that truth to the 13th chapter, verse 13, it says, going forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
The human form that Judaism.
Took those early believers were to go outside of that system of things. And the human form that Christianity has taken today is similar. It's an extension in a certain sense of the human government organization that has come into Christianity. We are not to be a part of according to the word and beloved are we running the race in that capacity? I ask my heart the question. I wasn't when I was your age.
I didn't know anything about it.
Is it important to him who loved us and gave himself for us?
Here were souls that were wandering away. They were discouraged, they were reasoning and Jesus said what manner of communications are these that you have one with another and walk and are sad? Are you saddened because you can't be like some of your Christian friends around you and do what they do and go where they go. They have liberty to do a lot of things.
I was talking to a cousin of mine just a few weeks ago.
Who came to visit with me? I love her. She was once in fellowship.
Her and her husband.
Loved by our family and the Saints, useful in the things of the Lord.
And she said. Well, you understand that.
My children have to have some entertainment and activities and so they go to dances in the community where they live.
Please understand what I'm saying, beloved. It is such a blessing to me to come to an assembly where I see the healthy, joyful spirit of young people coming together, wanting to be together, to have fellowship together. It may not always be, as we said yesterday, talking about the things of the Lord.
But being together, having recreation together, young people's meetings together, singing together, it will preserve you from a multitude of ills and evils in this world beloved.
And yet, if we were to go outside to some of our beloved brethren and other places, where are the boundaries?
00:30:03
Come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. Young people. My heart goes out to you, and I know your parents and beloved brethren and shepherds here go out to you because of what you come into contact with in your schools.
What you hear?
What they talk about, what they joke about and everything is a free for all. I know things are different now than when I went to school.
If anything goes, is it? Isn't it true anything goes?
And it would take just a simple invitation accepted by you.
To fall into the same path and perhaps be taken away.
From the path you know to be the right path and the company of friends to be the right friends, you may never return. There was a sister who was.
Raised in a Christian home.
In the assembly.
She left as a teenager.
She was gone for 50 years.
And she returned.
50 or 55 years later I don't remember which to the Lord's table and said.
I have missed 50 years of my life because I left the place where He is in the midst. This is the importance of a portion like this. Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ will seek your strained heart and affections because he is not happy.
To have you missing in that chair, as somebody mentioned.
Your seat is empty if you leave the Lord's table. He loves you and He loves me. May we love one another. May we seek those who are strained, if there are indications of discouragement, dissatisfaction, or, as we had yesterday, an offense.
Can we not bring them back to the Lord? It's wonderful how the Lord brings these back to himself.
And to the brethren.
He knows your sadness. He's concerned about your sadness. He is the only one, beloved.
That can make you happy, And I know it says in Psalm chapter One, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, sitteth not in the seed of the scornful, or standeth in the way of sinners. It is an unconditional blessedness. The presence of the Lord in your life, in his presence is fullness of joy. At his right hand are pleasures forevermore. Now we say, well, that's going to be nice when we reach home, no?
When you come into that wonderful relationship of knowing that you you belong.
To him, let it capture your heart for a lifetime.
Take up your cross daily and follow him. The Bible says if any man serve me, let him go his own way. Is that what it says? John, chapter 12. If any man serve me, let him follow me.
The man bearing the pitcher of water, and we know the story, is the man, the Spirit of God. The pitcher of water, the word of God leads to where Jesus was in the upper room with his disciples. That's where he wants you to be beloved, gathered to his precious name. No matter what happens, do not leave.
You may say it would just be easier to give away and go away or move away from some of the problems I've had and discouragements than to have to deal with those things. Beloved, you'll never solve the problem that way, and the Lord knows it. But we don't, we think, just to get away and maroon ourselves somewhere and live like a hermit. And some people do that, Christians.
It will only deepen the sadness and the regret in your life.
The little distance that came into Peter's life came in because of his self-confidence. A little. A very small kind of problem, was it not self-confidence though? He said. Others will not die with thee. Lord, I will. I'll even go to prison.
Doesn't make any difference. He wanted to be the first in the Kingdom. That's where the separation came in. And then it says he followed him afar off, beloved. And when we follow and I have when I follow him afar off, something comes in a little bigger than the fox that is nibbled at the vine. It's a giant that comes in and takes my heart away. Many times with Peter, thankfully there was weeping bitterly because of his sin.
00:35:24
And confession of it, and a self judgment of it. And he was brought back. He was rescued by a loving heart of the Savior, who was seeking to rescue these. Verse 18 one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him.
Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass?
There in these days, it's a wonderful thing, brother. Just go down in these verses and to see how much the Lord Jesus Christ has to say, as we've all heard before, this wonderful listening ear and heart to let you and me and these unburden their heart to one who knows how to fix the problem.
Is a wonderful thing. He knows how to fix the problem in your life.
You come here with a burden. I know some of you have come here with a burden and a sorrow in your heart that's kind of kept you from enjoying the meetings and times together here. Maybe you don't have too many friends.
Maybe you feel alone, a sister told me. If you don't mind me saying it.
When I arrived here, when she came to California, she just didn't have too many friends. She didn't have a real good time.
Didn't seem like we were too friendly from California. I apologize for my part in contributing to the lack of friendliness.
And these are real issues, beloved. They really are. They're real issues to reach out to others beyond our circle.
That we're so comfortable with and accustomed to, to reach out and touch a life and say come on with us, We want you to be part of our group. We'd enjoy to have your company. This is the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 19 And he said unto them.
What things?
And they said unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed, and word before God and all the people how much they are going to say. And it's about 7 verses they have to say.
And the amount of time that the Lord took up of course was about 3 hours probably, and speaking with them. But in scripture he speaks about one verse and they unburden their heart in about 7.
Verse 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death.
And have crucified him, but we trusted.
That is reasoning beloved Saints.
Are your circumstances such in your life that you thought that things were going to workout differently than they have? It's certainly true in my life.
Have you had your mind made-up about a partner for life and it didn't workout?
Or about a goal that you have set on for this life and it hasn't worked out. Or a job.
Or living in a certain place.
Or just a simple thing like friendships?
Many times our lives are detoured.
Because he wants the road to turn to where he is, to where we can find him and all the resources we have to turn to our friends or whatever. There's nothing wrong with good friends. It's wonderful and I thank the Lord for them.
But he wants.
Our hearts.
He knows how to get our attention, his providential arrangement.
Of our lives.
Is not many times his perfect will, but there is a providential arrangement.
Even when we fail and fall, he allows those circumstances to bring us, in a certain sense, into a more vital and wonderful and loving relationship with himself than we could have ever had before.
That is the heart of God, even when David fell like he did.
He was perhaps a more dedicated, devoted servant and king afterwards. After such failure, have you failed in your life and you say it's no use? I have wasted years. I have fallen to such extent, that extent I'm just an unprofitable person and you feel like your life will never be worth anything to Jesus. That's not the kind of God we have.
00:40:25
We trusted.
That it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah, and certain women also.
Of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre.
And when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels which said that he was alive.
And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre and found it Even so, as the women had said.
But they saw him not.
I just like to say this, beloved. They had no business.
In a mess.
Are we going outside our circle to find a better place to fellowship when we know? And I knew down deep in my heart, really, though, I didn't know very much when I was young.
I knew it was the wrong path to do that.
I met a man once that reminded me so much of our brother Albert. Hey, hone. He was such a an exuberant, happy Christian.
And we were able to invite him to come to some of the meetings and he seemed to enjoy being in the assembly. And then he said one day he said, I just want to show my wife that Christianity is a thing of equal exchange. Please come and spend some time with me at my church.
We lost his friendship.
It was the hardest thing to do.
In my life.
To tell someone.
That I'm gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I can't go back and rebuild the things which I knew.
Were wrong.
Oh, as a boy, I went to church with my grandmother. I enjoyed all of those things they had to offer. I knew Beloved.
It was wrong.
Verse 25 then, he said.
Now this is the perhaps the more appropriate thought.
All fools which should be those who overreact.
By their emotions. Have you ever overreacted because of your emotions about things, got upset and walked away and and become discouraged?
This is really what he was saying.
But you believe not all that the prophets have spoken.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself?
I connect those two verses, beloved brethren.
Did he not speak in the Old Testament of those things that looked forward to his sufferings? Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, these things?
And to have entered into his glory, undoubtedly speaking about the things he suffered.
But I wonder if those scriptures that he referred to in the Old Testament.
That spoke so deeply to their hearts and moved them in such a way as we'll find out.
Were concerning his sufferings. I wonder if it was a verse like he was wounded for my transgressions He was bruised for my iniquities the chastisement of my peace was upon him, and by his stripes were healed. All we, like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. I don't know the scriptures that He gave them, but He expounded unto them.
Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, the things concerning Himself.
00:45:02
Undoubtedly, there must have been something concerning his sufferings.
That moved their souls. It brought himself before them. And have you ever been overtaken in a fault or a fall?
Where you have been so humbled, you sat down and you thought about how he suffered for that sin and for that problem.
As those who were perhaps in in the Egypt, and they were eating the lamb roast with fire, it's the deep feeling of the sufferings of Christ within the soul that moved the heart's affections towards his great love. As we think of his love that caused him to go to such depths, it will bring such joy and peace to the soul and humbling and brokenness of spirit.
Nothing like it, beloved.
And you get up from your knees and you feel like 100 lbs has been taken off of your shoulders. You feel the joy of His presence once again having returned, because it is the joy. It is the the Lord that restoreth your soul through His word and through his sufferings that he reminds us of, that we have contributed to.
In what we have done or what we have said or offending somebody.
Here we have himself. It was Jesus himself that drew near. Here we have it is the things concerning Himself. And in verse 36 it is. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst. It is Jesus himself for all eternity, beloved, that we're going to have. What would heaven be without Jesus himself?
Who gave himself?
For our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world. The Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it.
The man Christ Jesus.
A man.
God manifest in the flesh, but become a man, a body. Hast thou prepared me? Lo, I come to do thy will, oh God.
Taketh away the 1St and he may establish the 2nd.
And by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
One offering this man the man Christ Jesus, the one that we belong to by faith we're part of the church, but such a favored part in a certain sense. Beloved, I walked into the room of dear Sister Chapter Brown's wife.
Many years ago when she came to California.
And she looked at me as, you know, brethren, she could do many of you here who knew her. And she said, you have such a wonderful heritage.
Like Brother, Ron mentioned that in his prayer the other day.
Have you ever thought about being born into the household of a king?
We have.
His presence, the truth.
That has won your heart and mind, brother, Jim emphasized the other day.
Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But the truth will lead us to bow at the glory of the sun. And if the sun shall make you free, you shall be free. Indeed, it's the hearts affections drawn to the Son who is in the midst. Beloved, when we give that up, we'll be at Bay to do our own will, to go where we want to do. And I could do that. I could make choices that naturally might make me feel better in some situations. That is my flesh.
But it's the wrong path, beloved. These were on the wrong path. They got their feet washed.
Brother Jim mentioned yesterday I appreciated her the day before about getting the feet washed.
If presenting Christ to the heart, and these had a three hour lecture from the Son Himself, occupying 2 discouraged hearts with his love and his sufferings, and that he was going to rise again.
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What did they do?
Do they immediately turn around and run away back to Jerusalem? No.
It says They deny unto the village whether they went and made as though he would have gone. They he would have gone, he made as though he would have gone further.
But they constrained him.
They constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent, and he went in to tarry with them.
When you get your feet washed by the precious love and grace of Christ, you want His company.
Personally in your life and in the assembly.
There's nothing like his company, beloved. I didn't know much about it at all when I was your age. Age of many young people here.
We're going to spend eternity in his company.
They're compelled now to invite him in. They were wandering hearts at first.
And discouraged hearts. They were listening hearts, and now they are compelling hearts to invite this one into their company. And Jesus breaks bread.
Perhaps, and we know it wasn't the Lords Supper, but as a reminder of what he had asked them to do, no doubt.
We don't know if they saw the nail scars on his hands, as we've said before, but just recognize that he had instituted as our brother reminded us this morning.
As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death till he come.
They knew that he had done that and when he had done that, it says.
Came to pass verse 30.
He sat at meet with him, and he took bread and break it, and blessed it, and break it, and gave to them and their eyes.
Were opened, they became believing hearts.
Have your eyes become open, beloved as to the truth and reality of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst when that happens, and maybe there's an impediment in your heart, Maybe something happened concerning one of the divisions or problems. I don't know. The Lord knows what it is, but it's that impediment that is lodged there, that will not allow you to go over around it, above it, until you just simply surrender it.
To the Lord Jesus Christ.
And say, Lord, show me thy way.
And thy Presence the truth as you have it in your word, the.
And stop resisting. Surrender it to him. He will show. Your eyes will be opened. You'll be a believing heart. Their eyes were open and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.
And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us? By the way, there we have burning hearts, beloved, A sister came to me at the after one of the meetings and she said another wonderful time that we're having my heart just burning within me. Why is that? Because there's such good ministers of the word that we've we've heard here at the conference. Thank the Lord for our brethren.
It is a power of the Spirit of God taking the things of Christ and showing them to us. And we know that the Spirit of God dwells in the.
In the house I know that in the Church in general, but gathered to his precious name, where the Spirit of the Lord there is liberty, and there is liberty for that heart to be blessed and encouraged with these wonderful things, and the glories and the person, the loveliness of Christ, perhaps like no other Beloved.
And the heart will burn. And when the heart burns, you're going to return.
You'll want to go on with him.
We have just a little time left these that day, that night went all the way back. They walked 14 miles. It was nothing to them to traverse that same pathway all over again.
But their hearts burned while he talked with us, by the way, and he opened the scriptures to them, and they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 11 gathered together.
Where two or three are gathered together, and we know this followed when the Spirit of God came down.
Unto my name there am I in the midst of them.
00:55:01
Verse 34 saying the Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon.
And they told what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. Our brother yesterday, if I can close with this thought.
Mention about 7 things.
That he'd enjoyed in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 20. And I don't know if I'm going to repeat these seven things exactly.
As he had them upon his heart. But that short little verse is so blessed and so wonderful. And if you get just that verse in your heart, and you say, Lord, show me the truth, open my heart to believe it, and surrender to it, He will show you.
7 principles in that little verse that have been brought before us by our faithful brethren in times past. For where the divine place?
Two or three, the divine testimony, I.
Are gathered divine separation. It is not easy, beloved Saints.
To separate from family members. Sometimes to be faithful to what you know in the word is true.
But he will bless you for it, no matter what the barriers are and the relationships are. Do you want his blessing? Do I want his blessing?
Gathered together divine unity.
Unto my name divine authority.
You say it's difficult in the assembly. When we receive, we have to put away.
It's his authority. It's his table, beloved. It's the authority of his word we exercise.
I know where my children go, two of my children. Things go on there that are just let let go. They pass and they all partake of the Lord's Supper.
They're not at the Lord's table, though.
There am I.
The Divine Person, Jesus himself.
In the midst.
Of them the divine center.
There is no other beloved How can we have two rival centers? There is only one.
Jesus is that center.
And I would be wrong if I said you must come and do what I'm doing or what brother so and so and sister so and so is doing the place they go to. No, this is what the Word of God teaches.
It's not what the Brethren teach, it's what the Word of God teaches.
And if you follow the Word, and you are exercised about what the Word of God says and the way it leads you to himself, you'll have the blessing. Could we sing, just perhaps?
And closing 283.
283.
And I'll just read the 1St 3 verses. We'll sing just the last verse when we survey the Wondrous cross.
On which the Lord of glory died our richest gain we count but loss and poor contempt on all our pride forbid it, Lord, that we should boast saving the death of Christ our God. All the vain things that charm us most, we sacrifice them to his blood. There from his head his hands his feet, sorrow and love flowed mingled down did air such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich.
A crown.
Open Mtg.
Open—J. Hyland, D. Imbeau
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130.
We pray.
Our voice.
To a verse in the Gospel of Matthew, the last phrase of this lovely hymn We've just sung. The Lord has made us to rejoice.
I'd like to read a very well known portion, but perhaps with a little different application in view of the.
Happy time, we expect.
And long for our Lord to give us this afternoon.
Matthew chapter.
2.
Matthew Chapter 2.
And I'm just going to read parts of verses.
The end of verse one.
There came.
Wise men to Jerusalem.
Now down in verse 10.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced.
And then in verse 11.
They saw the young child, and then the end of the verse, when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts of gold.
And frankincense and myrrh.
Let's turn for a few moments to the 23rd Psalm.
Psalm 23 It's a Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yeah, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
00:05:06
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. Well, I realize that this afternoon this is a well known Psalm, A Psalm that we have all or most of us enjoyed from the very early days of our youth. Maybe many of us memorized this Psalm in Sunday school.
And I realized that these Psalms are taken up and looked at in different ways. We know when we read the Psalms that they're Jewish in their character. We know too, that many of the Psalms are the feelings and expressions of the Lord Jesus as he passed through the circumstances of life as a man. And I suppose that's why on Lord's Day morning, when we're gathered together to remember the Lord Jesus so often, we go back and we read expressions from the Psalms, the 22nd Psalm, the.
40th Psalm, The 69th Psalm, 102nd Psalm that bring before us feelings and innermost breathings that we don't get in the Gospels. In the Gospels we Get the facts concerning the life and work of the Lord Jesus, but there's nothing we'll tug at our heartstrings more than going back and reading those feelings and expressions. We know too, that many of the Psalms are the feelings and expressions and experiences of the remnant in a coming day.
In fact, I believe that these first 41 Psalms, which constitute the first book of the Psalms, that's really what we have. It's Jehovah associating himself with the Godly Remnant in a coming day, and no doubt this 23rd Psalm will have its fulfillment at that time. Israel isn't trusting in the Lord today. They're not looking to him as their shepherd. No, they're trying to work everything out by their own intelligence and by peace pacts and summits and negotiations.
And lining up with the allied forces and all this kind of thing. But there is a day coming when Israel will rest under the shadow of his wings, when the king of righteousness rises with healing in his wings and the Prince of Peace comes back and there's a shout of a king amongst them. Oh, what a day it's going to be for those suppressed people. Israel or Jerusalem is not the city of peace today. There's fear in Jerusalem.
I suppose people go to bed and get up in the morning with trepidation in their hearts, because they know that the enemy has their missiles pointed at them and they'd like to wipe them out in a moment if they could. But we find too that these Psalms have an application for us as well.
It's been interesting to my own soul in visiting those who are elderly, those who perhaps are shut in, or going through times of real trial and testing. And you ask that person what portion of the word of God would you like to share together? And I would say that more often than not they want to have a Psalm read because the Psalms and especially the Psalms of David, they take us through the experiences of the believers life.
They take us through the ups and downs and there's many ups and downs in the believers life.
This is an up this weekend we've been enjoying the ministry of the word. We've been enjoying being gathered around the person of Christ and with so many of our dear brethren from near and far. But you know, there's a lot of downs in the Christian life as well. And I'd like to just look briefly at this Psalm and this connection because I'd like to speak a few words to our hearts. I have no doubt that our brethren here and your hearts are troubled and burdened. You are troubled as you think of going home tomorrow afternoon.
And facing the situations at work, maybe in the home, often in the assembly.
And you say it's been such a wonderful weekend, but I just dread to go home knowing what is awaiting me. But isn't it interesting that so often in scripture he speaks to our hearts? In the 39th chapter of Isaiah, you have a great failure brought before us, the failure of King Hezekiah and how God was going to have to act in his governmental ways because of Hezekiah's failure. All you say, How could there be any comfort in that? Why the 40th chapter?
The very next chapter opens with these beautiful words. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, sayeth your God speaking comfortably, or if you have a margin, speak ye to the heart. And so I'd like to speak a few words to our hearts, because it's the heart that needs to be engaged. Yes, we need to have our consciences stirred, that's true. But we need the hard engaged. There's only one way to be a true disciple, a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And that's to have a heart where there's only one object in it, because I believe where our hearts are, then our feet will follow. And we find here in these Psalms of David, David takes us through the experiences of the believer's life. And you know, when you go back and read the life of David, it was not an easy life. He had all kinds of problems and difficulties we find that he's taken.
And anointed by Samuel to be king over Israel.
And it just seems from that point on there's all kinds of ups and downs. You find that he goes sent by his father Jesse to see his brethren and take them some provisions as they're fighting the battle with the Philistines. And when he comes down to his brethren, what did they do? Why they even judge the motive of his heart for coming down. And then the next thing you read, he goes down into the valley with just a few stones and a sling to meet the champion of the Philistines.
Then we find that from that point on he runs for his life from King Saul. He feels it when his best friend Jonathan didn't associate with him in his rejection, he could say reproach hath broken mine heart. He slept in The Cave of a Dullum. He had living conditions that perhaps were not really what he would have liked to have had. And what about after he got his Kingdom? Why, it was a Kingdom that was plagued with all kinds of upheaval.
He had wars from his enemies around him. He knew what it was to shed tears. He knew what it was to lose family members in death. A young child on one occasion, his son Absalom on another. He had domestic problems. He had to flee for his life, problems in his own family. And yet I believe when you read the Psalms of David, you find that while he felt these things very keenly, and sometimes he did get discouraged.
And sometimes he wondered why God had allowed things in his life. Yet by the end of the Psalm, he always comes back.
To what he had in and of the Lord. And again, that's the way I'd like to look at this Psalm, because.
He begins by saying The Lord is my shepherd. Can anything change that, brethren?
We belong to him. He belongs to us. Yes, there are problems and difficulties. But, brethren, we have one who's with us, one that we belong to. And I say nothing can change that. I have redeemed the I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. And so he says, the Lord is my shepherd, and everything else that follows in the Psalm is based on that glorious truth. And what does a shepherd do?
Well, a shepherd cares for the sheep, and it says he shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. I think of it at a conference like this. There's so many needs in a room like this. There are brethren who are at all different points in their life, both physically and spiritually. But isn't it wonderful that the shepherd understands the different needs of the sheep?
I know nothing in a practical way of the care of sheep, but my father before me raised sheep in his younger days, and he told us how you treat every sheep as an individual. Every sheep has individual needs, and the Lord recognizes that. He recognizes that there are some of us here who are young, some children, young people, some of us who are raising families, and some who are a little further along.
And he's able, at meetings like this, to minister to every need. Have our ears been open to the precious word of God in these meetings? If they are, and if we have tender consciences and receptive hearts to take in what God has for us, then we can go away. And as vast as the needs might be here this weekend, every need can be met from himself, from this blessed book.
00:15:03
In the power of the Spirit, if I go away and my need is not met, then I need to examine my own heart. And so the Lord is my shepherd. We have one who's caring for us. He knows your need, you say. Nobody knows what I'm going through. There's nobody I can share it with. I've got a burdened heart. My heart's broken. My heart is overwhelmed. Oh, maybe there is no one that you can share it with. But there is one above one. Who's that great shepherd?
Of the sheep, and he cares in the Psalm before we find him as the Good Shepherd.
That gives his life for the sheep, because we have there brought before us the sufferings of Christ. And in the next Psalm, the 24th Psalm, I believe there he says the great, the chief shepherd, Because in Peter it talks about that chief shepherd in connection with the coming day of glory and reward. And there's a day coming when the chief shepherd is going to have his rightful place here in this world when he appears again.
But here I believe in this Psalm. He's the great shepherd who's caring for the sheep. Hebrews 13 brings that before us and shows that through that one we have a tremendous resource and tremendous power at our disposal for the path of faith and service through this world. Well, no wonder the Psalmist could then say, I shall not want. Is your soul hungry this afternoon? Is there something that seems to be lacking in your life?
Well, no doubt it's because you aren't drawing from the shepherd. You're not walking in fellowship with him. You're not letting him minister to your every need. And I'm not talking this afternoon so much about physical needs. It's true he does take care of those physical needs. I'm not talking so much about temporal needs. It's true he takes care of that. My God shall supply all your need. But I'm speaking now in a spiritual sense.
And the Psalmist said, I shall not want.
How could he say such a thing? How could he say I shall not want all? He was drawing on the source. Are you drawing on the source, young person? Is your heart empty? You say I belong to the Lord. I know I'm on my way to heaven and I know there'll be fullness of joy and complete satisfaction then. But what about along the pathway here? He doesn't want you to have an empty heart while you're here in this world. Now he wants to fill and to satisfy.
That heart, Jeremiah said. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and they were unto me the joy and rejoicing.
A mine heart. And the very next verse says he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Now lying down would speak of rest. Those pastures I would, I believe, would speak of our enjoyment of the word of God. I say that because you remember.
With Isaac back in the 24th chapter of Genesis that he went out into the field or the pasture to meditate at even. Do you do that? Do you make it the habit of your life every day to open this blessed book and let it feed your soul? It takes time. You have to stop from the activities of the day. You have to lie down, as it were. And you know, if we don't do it willingly, he maketh me to lie down.
Sometimes the Lord has to put His hand upon me. I like activity. I like to be busy. Sometimes I'm driven. But, you know, sometimes the Lord has to put His hand on me in one way or another, and He has to make me lie down in green pastures. So I take that time to enjoy His word and not just to read it, but to meditate on it, the psalmist said in another place. Oh, how I love Thy law. It is my meditation.
All the day, brethren, there's no substitute for meditation on the word of God. Take it in, read it, take it with you. Stop every once in a while during the day and chew on what you have read, because one of the characteristics of a clean animal under the Levitical order was that they were to chew the cud. I believe it speaks of meditation, and David, often in the Psalms, spoke of the need.
For meditation on the word of God, I can't overemphasize it enough. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures because we're walking through a world that is a spiritual wilderness. It's a spiritual desert, and there's nothing to refresh and feed the new man here in this world. There's plenty to feed our lusts, plenty to appeal to the natural appetites, the to the flesh, I should say.
00:20:24
But there's nothing to feed the Newman. You know, it just seems today. You can hardly stand at the checkout counter without seeing something to feed the flesh. You can hardly drive down the freeway. But we need to satisfy our appetites with the word of God. We need to meditate on it. You know, it's interesting that the feeding of the 5000 in the Gospels is mentioned in all four Gospels. It's the only miracle before the cross.
That's mentioned in all four Gospels and in one of the Gospels, or in three of the Gospels, I should say it tells us that it's a desert, was a desert place. But you know, in John's Gospel it doesn't say anything about it being a desert place. And it's the only gospel where it doesn't. And it just says in John's Gospel, and I love it, it says there was much grass in the place and he made them to sit down and he fed them, oh, it was a desert place, but what did he provide for them? He provided a place where they could sit down.
In those green pastures, as it were, and brethren, he's provided that place for us individually as families and in the assembly. And I want to encourage you. Read your Bible personally. Be at the family reading fathers. Make sure you feed your families with a little portion from the word of God. Give them the green pastures. Oh, it takes exercise, it takes diligence. But how well you'll be repaid.
And then those times set aside in the assembly where the word of God is ministered and our souls can be fed collectively as the people of God, and He leads us beside the still waters. That's the refreshment that we need. We spoke in these meetings of feet washing, and really to some feet washing up. It's the refreshment that comes from the practical application of God's Word in our lives. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto. According to thy word, it's the washing of water. By the word that we hear so often about, there was a brother. He's with the Lord now in my home assembly when I was growing up, And he used to tell us when he came home from the office at night, he needed a good wash. And he wasn't talking about soap and water. He was talking about the word of God and the cleansing effect that it has. But I'd like to just say this too, for our exercise. It speaks here of the still waters.
Because she cannot drink from troubled waters. And I want to just say this, to exercise those of us who have responsibility in the local assembly, are we providing those still waters, or are the waters in the local assembly troubled? You know, when the waters in the assembly are troubled, there is no refreshment for the sheep and for the lambs. Oh, I know the Lord is sovereign. I know he's able. But the sheep and the lambs are not going to be able to drink and be refreshed.
The waters are troubled. And you know the assembly, the local assembly ought to be a sanctuary. It ought to be a place of quiet and refreshment for ourselves and for our children. And so He leads me beside the still waters. But you say I failed. There's been sin in my life. I've been cold. I haven't walked to please the Lord the way I ought to. He restoreth my soul. And you know, I believe that times like this are often real turning points.
In the Hearts and the lives of Brethren. It was so in my life when I was a young person, I got away from the Lord. I was going on with things I ought not to have gone on with. And I came to a meet to meetings like this in the city Of Montreal. And it was a time of real turn around and restoration in my own life, how I thank God for meetings like this. And maybe there's someone here and you say, oh I failed and I failed badly. You say Jim, you don't understand the things that I've allowed in my life in recent times.
Well, maybe I don't, and I don't want to hear about it really. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And you know, we can never say we fail too badly, so badly that there isn't a way back. There's always a way of restoration. Yes, there are consequences. Sin has consequences. Yes, we reap what we sow and that's why we need to walk certain spect. But there is a way of restoration.
00:25:22
David, when he penned this, no doubt thought about that time in his life when he failed, a moral evil came in. It was a grievous sin, a grievous evil. But if we were to turn over just a few pages and read another Psalm, we would find that there was restoration for David. Yes, there were consequences, but there was restoration, and he praised there. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, he says. Here he restoreth my soul. His restoring grace, brethren, is as limitless.
As his saving and preserving grace. And then he says he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. We mentioned this, I believe, in one of the readings the other day how that when there's restoration, we don't have to go on in the path that we were in because he's able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to lead us in those right paths. You know he has a path of faith and service.
For each of us, and I just want to say this to perhaps this is what is particularly on my heart. You know, in the path of faith and service. We're not going to see the removal of all the difficulties in this Psalm. We don't see the removal of all the difficulties. But what we do is grace to go on, strength to go on in the resources that we have in the Lord, despite the difficulties, the hurdles, the trials.
And the exercises, You know, sometimes when we go through a difficulty, perhaps our prayer is that the Lord would remove the difficulty. But, you know, Paul had a problem and he prayed three times that the problem would be removed. And the Lord said, no, Paul, I'm not going to remove the difficulty, but I'm going to give you what is needed to live for my glory and to serve my people with even with the difficulty. And he said, my grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. We'd like the problem removed.
But sometimes I believe we need to pray that the Lord will give us grace to.
As it says, by my God, have I run through a troop. You don't see the troop removed, but by my God have I run through the troop. By my God have I leaped over a wall. It's not that the obstacles removed, but it says he gives us Heinz feet and sets us on our high places. And then he speaks in the next verse of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Now usually when we read this verse and it's a verse that's often read at a funeral.
We usually apply it in connection with passing the believer, passing from this light to the next.
One who is absent from the body and present with the Lord. But I'd like to make just a little different application, because I would suggest in its context here that the valley of the shadow of death is really this life. It's this world with the shadow of the cross hanging over it. And isn't it true wherever we operate in the world we see, it's stamped with death. We sometimes sing that hymn We're Pilgrims in a wilderness.
Our dwelling is a camp created. Things, though pleasant, now bear to us. Death stamp this world. Cast out the shepherd They didn't want the Lord Jesus Christ. They crucified him. And this world is under judgment and it's stamped with death. But we have to walk through this world. The Lord doesn't take us home the minute we're saved. And so David speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
And he says, I will fear no evil. Are you sometimes afraid as you walk through this world, as you see sin and its consequences on every hand? I have to confess, sometimes I've been afraid. But you know, if you're afraid, you don't get that from the Lord. He hasn't given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, and so often in the Old Testament, at times of real weakness and failure.
Amongst the people of God, he exhorts them. Fear not, fear not, I have redeemed thee. Fear not, be not dismayed, be not discouraged. And on and on the exhortations to fear not. And so the Psalmist says, yes, this world is stamped with sin and death. Yes, there's many trials and difficulties, but he says, yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
00:30:20
And notice the tone of the Psalm has changed. In the first part of the Psalm, he's talking about the Shepherd.
But now he's not talking about the Shepherd, He's talking to the Shepherd. And it seems to take the valley of death to do it. And isn't it true? As you go through those circumstances of life, those things that just seem to cast you down, isn't it true it drew you closer to him, that some dark situation in your life just caused you to cry out and you found yourself closer to him? You found yourself walking in the conscious sense of his presence, and you could talk to him.
Isn't it wonderful that we can talk to him? And so David isn't talking about the shepherd. Now he says, thou art with me in that wonderful brethren. He'll never leave us nor forsake us. You know, sometimes we pray and we ask the Lord to be with us. But, you know, I don't believe we need to pray that prayer as much as we need to pray and ask the Lord that we would be in the conscious sense of his presence with us.
Because he's there. We can walk in such a way that we don't enjoy it. When the two were on the way to Emmaus, did they understand who was there with them? No, They were going away in discouragement. But Jesus himself drew near and went with them, and he worked in their hearts in such a way that their hearts burned. And they eventually returned that same night. But he was with them, even though they didn't know who this person was.
He's with us always. I believe that's really the thrust of the verse in Philippians that says the Lord is at hand. That is, he's right there. He's holding our hand. Someone takes your hand. You're conscious of their presence. You can lean on them. You can feel the support that they give. The Lord Jesus, He's always there. And in another song we read. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast hold in me by thy right hand. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire.
Beside they oh, is that what our desire to walk in his company, to draw on the source that we have in himself? And then he says, Thy rod and I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Two things that comfort comforted the psalmist, the rod, and the staff. Perhaps the rod would speak of correction his ways with us. And isn't it wonderful to know that?
Even though there are sometimes, when he has to correct us that he does it for our profit, it says he chastens us for our profit, that we might be partakers of His Holiness. I can't say that about my children and my dealings with them. Sometimes I correct them just for myself. Maybe they're making a noise or I don't want them around. I want to do something and I say go on outside and if you don't go, there'll be some punishment. Why? That's not for their good. That's just for myself.
But the Lord, everything he allows in our lives, even in chastening, is for our prophet. He knows what's best, but not only is there the rod, but there's the staff. One of the things that Israel was to have when they went up out of Egypt was a staff. It speaks of support we.
Need support. They have support groups for all kinds of things in this world, in business and in school, and support groups for the elderly and support groups for Alzheimer's patients and all that kind of thing. And those things I'm not criticizing. They may be helpful in their place, but we have a great support. And Israel was to take up, take that staff. You know, it took Jacob his whole life to learn the lesson, but at the end of his life of trying to scheme and do things for himself.
It says he worshiped leaning on his staff, what support we have, and and both are a comfort. Whether it's his rod to chasten us or whether it's his staff to support us along the way, both are a comfort. I look back and I'm thankful in my life as a child that my parents corrected me. I didn't always appreciate being chastened at the time, but as I look back I realize how necessary it was, what things it kept me from.
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And so it is as God's children in his family and in his schooling and his training with us. And then he says, Thou prepare us the table before me in the presence of mine enemies, right here in this world. A table would perhaps speak of several things, but I was thinking of it first of all in connection with authority. You know, a table speaks of authority. If you were to come to my dinner table in Smiths Falls, who has authority at that table?
It's my table. I have authority. I have authority to invite to that table. I have authority to refuse if there's conduct that I feel is not in keeping with my table. And I just want to apply it in a broad sense. Because, you know, this is a day when authority is undermined on every level. And I know you children and young people, you hear this all the time. It's ingrained in you to rebel against every level of authority.
Be it parental authority, authority in school, they had an illegal teachers strike in Ontario this year. I said what did that teach children to do? It taught them to rebel against authority. Governmental authority is brought into question the authority of the husband as the head of the home and sad to say, the the lordship of Christ in our lives. And so I want to encourage you. God has set up authority for the blessing of man on the earth and of course the supreme authority.
Is the Lord himself. We used to sing a hymn when we were young people. Lord of my life. I crown thee now thine shall the glory be. Sometimes we sing that hymn rain thou within our hearts alone. And but I believe too a table would speak of fellowship. If you come to my table you I will partake of a meal and we'll have fellowship together in eating of that meal. We've spoken of that in connection with First John One. How we've been brought into a place of fellowship.
Not only with the father and with the Son, but with one another as a result.
And what a wonderful place of fellowship it is. But I would like to, just before we pass on, to make another application, because, you know, this morning we had the privilege of sitting down at the Lord's table. You get that in First Corinthians. And we had the privilege, I believe, with all my heart, of partaking of the Lord's Supper at the Lord's Table. And as the loaf in the cup was passed this morning, did you partake of that loaf and that cup? Did you remember the Lord Jesus?
I was thinking this morning of two expressions, particularly in what connection with what was before us. At the end of the meeting, in the end of Psalm 22, it says he hath done this. That's the work of redemption. That's the work of Calvary. And then he says this do in remembrance of me. Does the work of Calvary mean no more to your heart than to sit there Lord's day after Lord's day, and open your hymn book and Bible and bow your head when one and another praise?
And yet you don't. Your heart doesn't respond. And where is the heart so hardened? And who is so vile as he that seeth the Savior suffer? And Seth, that is nothing to me. Is it nothing to you? Is it nothing to me? I want to encourage you. And if there's something in your life that perhaps is hindering you from taking your place at the Lord's table, oh, judge the matter. Get before the Lord. Get it taken care of. If there's others involved, get it taken care of.
Don't let it keep you from the joy of being at the table, at the Lord, at the Lord's table, to remember him. And so he says, Thou anointest my head with oil. Well, oil invariably is a type of the Spirit of God. And you know, here it's the head. And I like to think of this in connection with what it says in the New Testament, bringing every thought into obedience under the captivity, into captivity, under the obedience of Christ.
It's having our thoughts governed by the word of God.
In the power of the Spirit, it's to saturate your mind with the Scripture, all the enemies busy to fill your mind with all kinds of junk, with all kinds of defilement. But what are we filling our minds with? And parents, when our children go off to school, I'm appalled at what is crammed into their minds. But what are we filling it with their minds with? Are we filling their minds with the word of God? Are we filling our minds with Christ? Do we have as it were, our heads anointed with oil? And then what's the result? My cup runneth over.
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Well, we had this before us at the beginning of the meeting and the singing of the hymn, the comments that were made. Rejoice in the Lord always, not just sometimes, but rejoice in the Lord always and again. I say rejoice. In other words, if you didn't get it the first time again I say rejoice. We don't just have a lot to be thankful for, brethren, We have everything to be thankful for. And David again had a lot of trials, but he could rejoice in that one because he had found his resource. Paul had a lot of trials, but he could sing in the prison.
Because his heart was overflowing with Christ, my cup runneth over and then he says, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. You know, we sometimes sing to him through every period of my life. Thy goodness I'll pursue. When the children of Israel came to Elam, one of the things that was provided for the refreshment were three score and 10 palm trees. Why were there three score and 10 palm trees?
Because all the days of your life shall be 3 score years and 10. That is, there's provision for the whole way. And then he says, I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. For us, brethren, it's going to be the Father's house. And the Lord could say to his disciples, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. How could he say such a thing? How could he at a time like that, when they were troubled and thinking of the Lord going away?
Oh, he says, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Brethren, we have a glorious future. We sometimes sing that hymn the worst that can come, but shortens the journey, and hastens us home. But not only that, but we have the promise of the Lorde return at any moment. He promised I will come again, and there's not failed one word of all his good promise. Wherewith he hath promised all the promises of God. In him are Yay, and in him Amen. To the glory of God by us we're going to dwell.
With him forever, it says, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. But perhaps I can sum up my remarks by quoting a verse in the Book of Colossians. It says there, I think it's the third chapter. In the 11Th verse it says Christ is all and in all. Or if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, Christ is everything. Oh brethren, Christ is everything. We need him, I say I need him more before my soul.
To to enjoy those pastures.
To drink of those waters of refreshment. To walk in the power of the Spirit, even though it's through the valley of the shadow of death. To experience his presence and his care. Oh, I wouldn't want to trade places with anybody who doesn't know the Lord. What do they do when they go through trials or they meet some crisis in their life? No wonder people are wrecking their lives, turning to all the abuses of humanity and all this kind of thing that we always have. Christ, when my mother and her father forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
Oh, brethren, Christ is everything. May he be more to your heart and mind as we go on and await that day when we will be satisfied when we awake in His likeness.
Before I start, before I turn to the scriptures that.
I trust will be for our help and encouragement.
We have in the Book of Revelations, Chapter 2 and 3A History of the Church.
And the first one in that list is Ephesus.
And Ephesus was given by the Apostle Paul the highest truth that ever was delivered to the Saints.
And in that book.
Of Revelation, the second chapter, there's nine or 10 things mentioned of Ephesus that they had done.
And without concluding that, let's turn to the 13th chapter of First Corinthians.
And let's read it.
The way it was really written.
Charity is not a good word.
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Charity is not the word that was originally used. It's love.
And in Ephesus it says they left their first love.
1St Corinthians 13.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love.
I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.
And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries.
And all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love.
I am nothing, and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
God is love. In first John 4 verse seven it says for love is of God and he that loveth.
Is of God, for God is love. Let's turn to it the oldest place and turn to 1St John Chapter 4.
We don't misquote it.
First John chapter 4 and verse 7.
Behold, let us love one another, for love is of God.
And everyone that loveth is born of God.
And N God.
Kent first he here in Islam, not that we love God, but that he loved us.
What a marvelous thing love is.
Without love.
There's nothing to hold people together. The Assembly of God. The Assemblies of God. The Church of God. The people of God. Ever since the day that the Spirit of God came down into this world and formed one body, it's been held together by love, nothing else.
Love is of God. When I say nothing else, I don't mean that God's spirit doesn't work to hold us together. But what holds us together is love.
The first.
3 verses we read tell us that IA. What the Apostle Paul is saying is it doesn't matter what we do. It doesn't matter how hard we work. If we don't have love connected with it, it's hollow. It's worthless.
The Book of Revelation, the second chapter, 9 or 10 things spoken of.
The Ephesians.
And the Lord says, I have something against you.
You've left your first love we've had before us in John's epistle love. John's epistle is a book of love.
The first epistle is filled with it.
The second epistle is the love of God demonstrated in a woman keeping her house.
The third epistle is a demonstration of a man by the name of Gaius.
Was a man of love.
And there was another man there, too.
And he had no love.
For his brother.
There are 8 positive things in this about love, and there are eight things that love doesn't do. There are eight things that love does do, and there's eight things that love does not do. Let's look at them. The first two that they that love does enforce for charity or love suffereth long and is kind.
We've had much ministry in regard to young people getting discouraged.
What about those of us who are older? Or have we shown them the love that we should?
Love suffereth long How long? It doesn't say.
What about God's love? How long has God's love suffered with this world and with the assembly? How long?
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Love suffereth long.
And is kind.
Ephesians 4 and the last two verses.
Marvelous freedom.
I wish that God would give us the grace to live in that those two short verses at the end of Ephesians 4.
This part of it right here.
Now the next state mentions are that love does not do.
Let's go through them love. Envious not.
Love vaunteth not itself.
Is not puffed up.
Does not behave itself unseemly.
Seeketh not her own.
Is not easily provoked.
Thinketh no evil.
Rejoiceth not in iniquity 8 things that love does not do.
There's many.
Young couples in this room this afternoon.
This is read often at weddings. Nothing wrong with that. That's good. But it's not just for weddings. It's for each and every Christian, each and every day of our life.
How many of these things, these eight things, that love does not do? How many times have we found ourselves doing them?
Envious not.
Wanteth not itself.
Is not puffed up.
Does not behave itself unseemly.
I'm not going to tell you what these things mean. You know what they mean.
You've all got good solid minds. You know what they mean.
What is love?
It's of God. Love is of God.
If we demonstrate love, we're demonstrating the heart of God, for his heart is love.
Let's look at the rest, the six others that are positive that love does do.
Rejoiceth in the truth.
We've had the truth before us. We had the truth before us yesterday. We've had the truth before us today. What is truth?
This is truth.
The Lord Jesus, standing before Pilate, spoke of the truth, and Pilate says unto him, What is truth?
The Lord Jesus had said before that.
I am the truth.
I am the truth.
Rejoiceth in the truth.
Beareth all things.
Do we get angry at our brethren? Do we get angry at one another?
Beareth all things. That's love.
Believeth all things. That doesn't mean I believe a lie. That means I believe what God says.
That's what that means.
Hope of all things.
What is our hope?
Scripture asked that question. What is our hope?
What is our hope this afternoon? Right this afternoon, the hope of the Lord's coming could be realized.
Is that your whole?
Is your hope to hear the shout.
The trump of the Archangel.
The voice of the Archangel, the trump of God. Is that your hope?
If it's not.
I don't know how many people are in this room.
304 hundred.
Every single seat.
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Where one is sitting that does not have the hope.
Of the Lord's coming will be right here.
When that shout comes, every single one in this room that has the hope.
In himself that knows the Lord the Savior will go. The ceiling is not going to be any barrier. None whatsoever.
Hope of all things.
The hope of glory, The hope of seeing, the faith of the Lord Jesus.
The hope of being with him, like we have in first John 3, does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when we see him, we shall be like him.
Where we shall see him as he is hope of all things.
Endureth all things.
Endurance.
What is endurance?
Carrying on, going on, do we have difficulty in our assemblies?
Excuse me?
Are we enduring?
Are we persevering?
It takes love to do that. We can't do it ourselves. We can't do it in our natural capabilities. It takes love and it takes the love of God, For God is love. Endureth all things.
Love never fail.
To some in this room this afternoon.
That have been married maybe 60 years or more.
That's quite a while.
That's quite a while.
It says of the Bride of Christ.
1000 years after the wedding ceremony that she comes down from heaven adorned as a bride.
That's love.
Love never faileth.
This love is God's love.
The one who loved this world enough to send his son to die.
Do you think that he would give up one of those that his son purchased with the blood of his own? It tells us never.
Love never faileth.
If the only thing that goes on, we're not going to read the rest of the chapter, but we are going to read the last verse.
And now abideth faith. Oh, stop there for a month.
Is there necessarily going to need to be faith and hope and glory? No.
No.
The Apostle Paul says if you've got it, why are you hoping for it?
The greatest of these is love. Love never fails. Love is going to go on.
Love is what keeps the Saints of God going on happily together.
Love is what does it.
Do you love your brother?
Do you love one another? Do we love one another?
It so happens that.
A Christian can't help himself but love another Christian. You you can't help yourself. However you know you can demonstrate all kinds of things that don't demonstrate love.
And God asks us.
The Lord Jesus said, If ye love on earth.
Let's turn to 15th chapter of John's Gospel when the Lord Jesus.
By the way.
The 15th chapter of John's Gospel is during the last day of the Lord's life here on earth.
John 15 verse 10 If ye keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
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The 12Th verse. This is my commandment that she loved one another as I.
Have loved you.
Amazing.
Absolutely amazing that she loved one another as I have loved you. How much did he love you? How much did he love me?
Enough to die.
For you enough to die for me.
The Apostle Paul could save the Son of God who loved me.
And gave himself for me. That's how much he loved you. Love.
That which binds the Saints together.
Love.
This is my commandment that she loved one another.
Gospel
Gospel—D. Gorgas
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Now that you're all comfortably seated, I'm going to ask you to stand up.
And sing hymn #6.
I don't know. I've taken that as a good Canadian custom. I suppose the Canadian conferences I go to, they have that practice of standing up at the beginning of the gospel meeting and singing A hymn, at any rate, gives the children a chance to stand up and not have to sit for the rest of the time. Or they can sit better for the rest of the time. Number six, God and mercy, send his son.
To a worldwide.
Towards horses near Jesus died.
Oh, the glory of the grace.
Joining.
The Savior's Race?
Darlington.
Jesus died and lives again.
In the.
Glory.
To bring the light.
For the glory.
Of the grave.
Joining.
The Savior's face.
Telling Sinner.
From above.
God is.
Late and God is.
Love.
All the way in his name he lived.
Everlasting life freezing.
Lord of all is Jesus now.
Every.
Day to him must fall.
Oh God, glory.
All blood Grace.
Joining in the Savior in space.
Telling.
Sinners.
From above.
God is light and God is.
Love.
Praise the Lord.
Will come again.
He will saw third ones will reign.
Every.
Turn at last Willow, Jesus Christ, his Lord alone.
All the globe.
Of the great shining.
In the Saviors face.
Telling sailors.
From above.
God is light.
Light and God.
Is love.
Please be seated, Lord. But first send a warm welcome to anyone who may have come in who's not been at these meetings during the two days that we've been having them.
And.
We're thankful for every person that's here.
And we just ask you to.
00:05:01
Join with us now as we express our dependence on the Lord, Chapter One.
And I was thinking I mentioned it in the reading meeting, but I'm also freshly thinking about it.
What it must have meant for those men, and particularly John.
To hear the Lord speaking.
See him to hear him.
Contemplating.
The word of life.
John, particularly as he lay his head on the bosom of the Lord Jesus.
What did you hear, John?
What was the message you got?
Do you get any special message?
And I think most of us.
Myself included for a long while would probably say.
God is love.
We usually associate that with John's ministry.
But I was very surprised some years ago to notice.
In verse five of first John chapter one.
This, then, is the message which we have heard of him, Oh, John.
That's what we want to know. What did you hear from him?
And declare unto you.
Yes, we'd like to hear. We want to hear what you what you heard.
That God is light.
And in him is no darkness at all.
What?
That's what you heard.
God is light.
I'm sure most of us know that in the scriptures.
If I remember correctly, there are three things said about the nature of God. Many things about his attributes, but as to his nature.
God, first of all, is Spirit.
That's taught us in the 4th chapter of John. God is the Spirit.
Not something material.
Is a spirit.
And then we're taught as we have here. God is light.
God is light.
When I was first gathered in the.
Brooklyn meeting room.
There was 2 little texts up on the wall.
God is light.
God is love.
That burned itself into my.
Thoughts.
God is light.
In him is no darkness at all.
You know, the world has gotten a very strange view of God in recent times.
It's a shadowy picture of God.
Reinforced by.
Movies.
Such as what? I never seen it, but what I understand Star Wars and that sort of thing. The light side of the Force and the dark side of the Force. There is no dark side to our God.
But I'm glad for that. There's no dark side. He's light.
And in him is no darkness at all.
Anybody tells you that Star Wars is a Christian allegory? Tell them that's garbage because it's not a Christian allegory.
It teaches something fundamentally wrong right at the very beginning. It teaches there's a late sign and a dark side of the Force, The Force being God.
God has no dark side, and I'm glad for that.
But that's the first message that John gives us.
That he got from the Lord.
God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
00:10:05
No darkness at all.
When light was introduced.
In the beginning.
In the book of Genesis.
The Judge God divided the light from the darkness.
There could be no fellowship between light and darkness.
Don't ever be persuaded that there can be.
God is light.
God is lame. Does that make you uncomfortable?
You ought to.
If you're a Sinner and you're here without Christ, you ought to be uncomfortable to think that you are standing before one who is light in His very nature.
There are those who would have you believe that.
God is love is the main thought, the first thought you wouldn't even need the thought of God is love if he wasn't light.
If you could get away with anything in his presence, you can.
It's the very fact that God is light, and that light makes manifest all that is searches out.
If you're here tonight without Christ.
I want you to get that message and get it clear and straight.
Right from the Lord himself, from a man who leaned on the bosom of Jesus.
And got a message. And the message was God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
And it is until we get over into the 4th chapter.
Now listen to this. It isn't till you get into the 4th chapter that you get the other expression that was up on the wall in the meeting room in Brooklyn years ago.
The 4th chapter tells us.
In verse 8.
God is love.
God is love.
How can that be reconciled?
How can a being who is perfect light in his nature, not just righteous, but in his very nature?
Is light.
How can he also be loved?
Where do you reconcile that?
Well, we sang in that hymn, oh, the glory of the grace shining in the Savior's face, telling sinners from above. God is light, yes, but God is love.
And it's only in the cross of Calvary.
Mr. Grundy, we're hearing correctly, he led like that expression, Calvary, like Golgotha, he said. That's the scriptural expression.
I don't want to be picky about it, but I always think of him saying that.
Only that cross.
Are those two things clearly show now?
God is light and God is love.
Have you ever come into the presence of a holy God, a God who is light and there's no darkness? Have you ever come into that presence?
Have you ever?
Knowing what it is to have that light shine upon you.
And expose all that you are.
There's no cover up in this. You can't cover it up.
There's no way to cover it up. That light penetrates and shines and exposes.
00:15:03
Let's go over to the Gospel of John.
And again in the Gospel of John.
It kind of surprised me when I first noticed this.
Maybe about 10 years ago I noticed it for the first time.
That John's Gospel doesn't speak of love first, it speaks of light first.
John Chapter one.
And verse four in him was life.
And the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
Or apprehends it not.
It's a terrible thing to think about that.
God shining in light.
Into this Dark World.
Darkness doesn't apprehend or comprehend it.
Then there was a man sent from God whose name was John, not John.
The Apostle but John Baptist.
They call. In Latin countries, they call.
The evangelist, they call him.
Juan de la Cruz, John of the Cross.
Kind of a nice name to have, John of the Cross.
But this is John Baptist.
Verse six, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness.
To bear witness of the love of God. Is that what it says?
No.
What did John Baptist come to bear? Witness of the light?
Now he was not dead late, that's made very clear. But he came to bear witness of that light.
Verse 9 says that was the true light.
Which lighteth every man.
That cometh into the world. Another way that's put in another translation is.
Which, coming into the world, lighteth every man.
The Lord Jesus came into this world as light.
We read those verses earlier. He was in the world and the world was made by him.
The world knew him none.
I think one of the most moving hymns and our little hymn Booker is that 27 that was given out this morning. I often think of it.
Wandering as a homeless stranger in the world thy hands had made.
What a thought The creator of the universe entering into his creation as a man and wandering as a homeless stranger.
One found Joseph. Remember that he was wandering.
Wondering, I'll just point out that there's a difference between Cain was a Vagabond in the earth.
The Lord Jesus was a wanderer.
Is there a difference? Vagabond has no purpose. He doesn't know where he's going or why he's doing it.
Cain was a Vagabond in the earth. Jesus was a wandering stranger in the world his hands had made.
Does that move your heart? It does mine.
That precious savior coming into creation.
Entering into the creation that he had himself, his own hands had made.
You have to be careful of creeds. I think creeds can lead you astray.
The classical creeds and I don't want to kiss any shadow on them at all essentially, but.
They start out, I believe in God the Father, Maker of heaven and earth.
00:20:02
That's not scriptural.
The one who made heaven and earth was the blessed Son of God.
And that blessed Son of God entered into this world.
Came here as the light.
To shine upon every man.
As that light shined into your heart.
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Has shined in our hearts.
They give us.
Not light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Don't be afraid of that light.
Let it expose you for what you really are. Don't try to cover.
One of the terrible things that Adam did after he sinned was to hide from the presence of God. Did he get away with it? Did God find him? He found him.
And the question he asked him? A haunted question.
I want to ask you tonight, where are you? Where are you?
Hiding in the trees.
Come into his presence.
Come into his presence.
Easy, because he's also a God. Who is love.
If you want to go over to the.
8th chapter of John You can go through the Gospel of John and you'll find.
Many references to light. I think there are 17 references to light in the Gospel of John.
Does that surprise you?
17 references to the light.
Come on, John. I thought you were the apostle of love.
Yes, yes, thank God for that part of John's ministry. Thank God for John 316. God so loved the world, but would you need the love of God if you didn't have the light of God to expose what you were?
That's a solemn thought.
We need to be exposed and God exposes us.
Scripture says that.
Everyone who does evil hates the light. Neither comes to the light, lest his deeds be reproved. He doesn't want it.
Years ago when they were trying to.
Lower crime in an area of Brooklyn called the Bedford Stuyvesant area.
Brooklyn meeting didn't meet too far from the Bedford Stuyvesant area.
They put new lights in, made it like daylight.
Did it lower crime? Yes, it did.
Why? Because he who does evil hates the light. He doesn't want to be in the light.
Didn't change man's hearts.
Doesn't change men's hearts to put lights up.
But it exposed what was going on.
Let's go over to the 8th chapter.
The 8th chapter of John.
And verse 12.
And I know there's a hymn that is sung.
Quite widely in Christian circles, the light of the world is Jesus.
When there's a lot of truth in it, but I want to point out something to you that the Lord says.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of light. By the way, I think that's the scriptural basis for what was said in the reading meetings.
That a person who is a believer is walking in light.
He's not walking in darkness.
That's the scriptural basis where the Lord himself said he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but you'll have the light of life.
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The Apostle Paul says to.
Folks, he says. You were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord?
Let's go over to the 12Th chapter.
And by the way, I think this chapter is the last place in the Gospel of John where light is mentioned.
The 12Th chapter of John's Gospel.
And.
Verse 35.
Yet a little while is the light with you.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you.
For he that walketh in darkness knows not where he goes, whither he goes.
You know, many years ago I worked on my uncle's farm.
Just north of.
Vestal.
A little place called Cincinnatus, NY.
And work 5 summers on that farm. Uncle Henry's with the Lord now.
But one of the things we like to do is young men, teenage boys, we'd like to go see some visit some Christian girls that were lived in a pharma a little further up the the path from where we were.
And in those days, I don't know how it's the how it is there with that particular area, but there were no lights.
No St. lights nothing.
And we forget to take a flashlight many times and we'd stumble along, you know? And it was a little game with us to see if we could stay in the middle of the highway on our way to visit those girls.
And more than one time I fell in the ditch on one side or fell in the ditch on the other side. Why?
I didn't know where I was going, that without light, we don't know where we're going. And I want to tell you tonight, if you do not have the light of life, you don't know where you're going.
You may think you know. You may think you have a path laid out for you. And many a man has laid out a path. Many a woman has laid out a path for himself.
And they stumble and fall.
Because they're not walking in light, they're walking in darkness.
We learned to take flashlights after a while.
At least we could see where we were going. We didn't fall in this ditch.
Now the Lord says, Yet a little wild is the light with you.
The Lord also says.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
So.
Are you saying, Brother **** that?
The Lord is not the light of the world. In a strict sense, no. We are lights. We shine as lights in the darkness. Now who are believers?
One of the things we'd like to do tonight is to direct you.
To the light of God.
To the one who?
Can make manifest all that we are.
Come into that presence.
Don't go on walking in darkness.
One of the things that's most distressing is to find the intellectual.
Pride that one runs into in universities where?
They think they got the answers.
On moral and.
Moral issues, they don't. They don't have the answers.
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I learned that when I was in college. I learned that very quickly. The mother, the brightest and most appreciated professors I had, were in darkness.
When it came to the things of eternity.
Because they were walking in darkness.
There.
Now verse 38 of John 12 The Lord says while ye have light, believe in the light.
That's what I want to challenge you with tonight. Have you believed in the light?
That you may be children of light.
There's two kinds of people in the world today.
There's the children of darkness and the children of light. And if you're here tonight without Jesus Christ as your savior, you're a child of darkness. You're not a child of light.
Would you like to be a child of light?
Would you like to change from being darkness to being light in the Lord?
There's only one way. While you have the light, believe in the light.
That you may become.
The Children of Light.
Verse 46.
Well, we'll start with verse 44, Jesus cried and said.
You know we read those verses kind of the monotone sometimes, but I believe that when it says Jesus cried and said we got to say he that believeth on me.
Because I believe that's what crying is crying out, isn't it?
He that believeth on me believe is not on me, but on him that sent me.
Who is that who sent him?
God sent his beloved Son. God the Father sent his beloved Son into the world.
And when you believe on him, you're not just believing on him, you're believing on the one that sent him.
And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.
That would be a blasphemous statement.
If it were not that the Lord Jesus were.
The person that he said he was.
The Son of God come into the world.
Light come into the world.
Dear Christian young person, You don't need to be apologetic about believing in what we believe in. These are certain things. They're real and they have the support of the word of God. Learn what the Word of God says and you can be confident. You don't have to go to people's mind. I think I believe this. I, you know, I my opinion is this.
46.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
That is why the Lord came.
As a light into the world that you might not abide in darkness.
A man chooses darkness because his deeds are evil.
He doesn't want the light. He rejects the light.
They're in darkness.
Darkness, and that darkness is so thick right now.
I'm sure all of us have experienced it. You can feel it.
There was a darkness in the land of Egypt. The word of God says it was a thick darkness so as could be felt. Have you ever felt darkness?
Moral darkness you can feel.
And I believe that we are coming closer and closer.
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To that time.
When the world will be totally enveloped.
In darkness.
As believers are caught up to be with the Lord.
Forever. Where will you be?
Will you be still here?
I think most of us are familiar with a.
At least the fact that a number of.
Very successful books have been written called.
Left behind series.
And a brother persuaded me.
To read the first one of those.
He said you'll find it enjoyable.
And I read it in there that it the insinuation, the clear insinuation that a person who is left behind when the Lord comes, we'll have another chance to believe. I want to tell you right now, if you are left behind, if the Lord were to come now, you will not have another chance. You will be deceived.
God will send you a working of error, a strong delusion.
So that you'll believe the lie.
I was encouraged recently.
On a trip to Pennsylvania.
To hear.
From a Christian publisher.
Didn't have anything to do with those books.
But he's got his ear to the ground and maybe John Kaiser will be able to confirm that sometime to me that.
Tim La Haye, one of the joint writers of that series of books, is very disturbed that people are taking that inference from it and is about to make a statement. Whether he makes a statement or not, God has made this statement already.
If you're left behind, you're left behind for judgment.
There will be no hope.
And the Lord is coming very soon.
There's no sign to be looked for.
The stars in the sky.
The Lord is coming.
When you say don't you see things happening in Europe and then in developments and religion and such that are things that scripture speaks about? Yes, we do. But I often think of Charles Ajo's illustration and I value it, he said. When you're driving across Canada.
And you're heading to the City of Windsor ON, and I've never done that. Some of you, I'm sure have.
What's the first sign that you see, or the first thing you notice as you draw near to Windsor?
Is it the buildings of Windsor? No, he says. It's the towers of Detroit that are beyond.
And the things that we see now that are things that are.
Clearly, things that Scripture speaks of that will develop after we're gone.
Are just the towers of Detroit that tell us that Windsor is even closer.
We're not waiting for any signs. The Lord is coming.
And I want to plead with you tonight while you have the light. Believe in the light.
That you might become a child of light.
That you might move out of that place of darkness.
Colossians Chapter One.
Many scriptures we could look at but.
Being one that tends to be long winded, I'm going to try to be shorter than I usually AM and so.
I'm going to.
I'm not going to take the hour.
It's not that there aren't things that could be said. But I want to leave with you this solemn message that if you are not saved tonight, if you have not trusted Jesus as your Savior, you are in darkness and you nothing but judgment awaits you.
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I don't want to take away from that at all. Colossians, chapter one.
And verse 12.
Giving thanks unto the Father who has made us now who are the US?
They're the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you're not a believer in the Lord Jesus, you can't.
Say I'm one of those, but if you are, you can rejoice in what it says.
Giving thanks unto the Father who has made us meet.
What does that mean? Meat.
Means suitable, suitable.
To be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.
I like what old Brother Hale used to say about that, he said. All the light of God will never discover anything that the blood of Christ has not put away.
Sometimes.
When I'm going out to.
A meeting and I have the gospel in the evening. My wife gives me the once over and she says you've got a big dirt mark on that tie or on your shirt and I'm not as cautious of that as I should be.
God gives us wives for that, you know, to help us out with those things.
But suppose I discovered it too late to do anything about it.
What do I hope for? I hope that lighting is poor.
That right? I don't want to be exposed.
But you don't have to be afraid if you're in Christ, because all that blaze of light will never discover anything that the blood of Christ has not taken care of. Every spot has been removed.
There's a dear fellow in the jail where I go.
Who?
Maybe about a year and a half ago.
Came to our meeting for the first time. I happened to be away at that time and another brother was there, but the Jim Robertson was there.
It's a bilingual man.
Puerto Rican fellow.
He's there on a homicide charge.
Under the influence of narcotics.
Name is Eric. It's actually I found out that's not his name, it's.
That's an alias he's using, but he's stuck with it. That's the way the records are in the jail.
And Eric came that night, and he was one of two people who came out to the meeting.
Is it worth going into the jail if there's only one person or two people that want to hear the gospel? Yes, it is.
Because that night Eric put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he was saved.
And that awful spot.
That awful spot on him.
Of homicide was removed before God, not before man. He's facing a 30 year prison term.
I don't know why he's still there in the county jail, but he's won many people to the Lord in the last.
Year and a half or so.
And he always says, oh, I'm so glad for that night when Brother Jim could give his full attention to me.
And tell me the gospel.
He passed from death to life.
He passed out of darkness and into light.
Verse 13 says who has delivered us?
From the power of darkness.
And has translated us into the Kingdom.
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Of his dear son.
Have you been translated?
I like translation. I do a lot of it.
What is that? Taking you from one language to another or from one place to another? In the case of Enoch, who was taking him from this world right into the presence of God? In the case of everyone who has, who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior is taking him from the authority of darkness?
And translating him into the Kingdom of God's dear Son.
Bringing him out of darkness and into light.
Would you like to be brought out of darkness into light now? I don't want to neglect the side of the other side in the in the Brooklyn meeting and you say Brother **** then you realize that there was 2 signs up there. Yes there were.
Because the light that has revealed all that we are.
And has made us afraid to be in his presence, The love says Come.
Into my presence, I've made provision.
In the work of my beloved son on the cross of Golgotha.
Dear friend here tonight.
Perhaps brought up under the sound of the gospel, I don't think there's anything that scares me more than the thought of someone who has sat week after week, come to conference after conference, heard a message like our brother Norm gave us last night.
And has never trusted in Jesus.
Never open the door.
To him.
And to think of them left behind forever and ever.
The one who tenderly says to you, now come.
Unto me.
I will give you rest that same one.
Someday will say to you, depart from me.
The workers of iniquity into everlasting destruction.
Remember one night, Albert? Hey, I was preaching the gospel.
And he mentioned that he said the last face you will ever have see.
As you pass into hell, is the face of that same one who wanted to save you, died to save you, saying to you.
Depart from me.
Into everlasting destruction. It's a solemn thought, isn't it?
It's a solemn thought.
You want to be afraid. If I could scare you into being saved, I would. But I know you can't do that.
It's the Spirit of God that has to work in your soul, and God is speaking to you through His precious word. He wants you to come.
He's made a wonderful provision, oh, the love that would send his blessed son into this world to wander as a homeless stranger.
In the very world his hands had made to be taken by his creatures and lifted up and nailed to the cross.
And by that very cross.
Provide the means of salvation for you and me.
Inscribed upon that cross, we see in shining letters, God is love.
The Lamb that died upon the tree has brought us mercy from above. What a precious words they are.
What precious words.
He loves you, my friend.
In spite of what?
Wicked perversions of the gospel have proclaimed that there are some that God doesn't love. I want. I'm here to testify. God does love.
God does love you.
And no one will ever pass out of this world.
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Saying nobody loved me.
God loves you.
He loved you and he proved it.
And this was manifested the love of God, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world.
That we might live through him.
Now will you reject him, or will you receive him?
You're going to be going out those doors in a short while.
Have you counted the cost if your soul should be lost?
Have you counted? Have you counted the cost?
Are you willing to take that risk to say well?
Some other time.
This is the time. Behold, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. 2nd Corinthians 6.
Wonderful Scripture.
Now.
One of my favorite gospel stories is illustrations is The Story of Name and the Leper.
And I noticed years ago.
That Elijah said to him. Let him come now to me, now to me.
I can't guarantee you tomorrow.
I don't know where I'll be.
I said I was going to quit early than I am.
Fellow, just one more little story. I'll tell you, the young fellow.
One night was in the Gospel Meeting in the jail.
And went back to his cell.
That I don't know whether he received the Lord or not. I trust he did, but.
But somebody told me that he was reading a.
A Bible just before this happened.
But he went out on the basketball court for rec and dropped dead of a heart attack.
A little while after hearing the gospel.
We've heard of hundreds of cases like that of people who have despised the goodness and kindness and mercy of God.
Where do you stand tonight?
Are you saved? Can you say? Oh yes, I've passed from death to life.
I've passed out of darkness. I'm a child of light. May it be so, dear one.
I say the same thing our brother Norm said last night. If you are in earnest and you care.
And you're still in doubt about it. Talk to us. Come see brother N Put your hand up, Brother Norm, so they know who you are.
And there's plenty of others here that would do the same thing for you. We long to see you saved.
Don't take the chance of walking out that door without praying.
You may walk into a lost eternity forever and ever, and there's not going to be a second chance. Gordon Hay Hill wrote a little track not long before the Lord took him home, I believe. Or at least he published it.
Indicating that there would be no second chance.
Get ahold of that tract if you don't have it.
Continued Steadfastly
YP Sing Address—J. Bilisoly
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#168 that's where I 168, OK.
105.
You know, on Friday night when we arrived here in Des Moines for the prayer meeting, for these meetings.
After meeting my wife and I, my wife Carmen and I were standing in an aisle visiting and we were making our way over to speak to someone and we were stopped by brother Ron Siegler and Ron had a stack of cards, index cards in his hand and he started. First of all he said to me, he said we would like you to have a meeting. And my heart kind of skipped a beat or two.
And he started going through his cards.
And I saw a gospel address gospel address. And then he came to this card and he handed me handed me this card and it said, Lord, stay young people sing 830 PM 15 minute talk. And I, I have to admit, I somewhat side with relief and yet not totally because dear young people, it's it's a challenge to.
Stand up here in front of you and think, now what can I say in 15 minutes that I can leave with you?
And as I thought about that and I, I'm going to watch my time, as I thought about that, I thought, you know.
There probably isn't that much that I can do in 15 minutes that's going to leave make a lasting impression with these young people. And as I thought about that more, I thought, you know, it's really not what I say that's going to make a difference. It's probably what I don't say. And what I mean by that is what we have in the book of Romans. And it says there in the 15th chapter that none of us liveth to himself.
And no man dieth to himself.
Now, dear young people, you and I have an influence on one another. We have an influence on others. And it's by our everyday life, just by our walk, just by our going on day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. That makes more of an impression than anything else, perhaps than anything that you will say. Maybe some of you won't have an opportunity to stand here. Some of you will.
No doubt, but your life can make an impression and can speak louder than something that you might say and so.
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I thought, what a what a challenge for my own heart. I have 15 minutes tonight. That's not very much. But what's more important is how I conduct myself because you're watching me. And, you know, it's an encouragement to me, too. It's been 2 years since we've been to this, this conference to Des Moines here. And I see some familiar faces here. And it's encouraging to me. I see young people that are going on.
They're here again.
You're two years older.
You've grown physically, and I trust that you've grown spiritually.
And that's encouraging to me. That speaks to me maybe more than what you might say to me. I haven't talked to probably most of you and probably won't get the opportunity to during these meetings, but what your life speaks to others and it speaks to me.
Before we came to this conference, the Lord impressed me a little bit with a verse, and that verse has been mentioned. It was mentioned by our brother Dave.
Imbo in his prayer. And then Brother Doug Nicollet mentioned it again, and it's that verse in Acts chapter 2. And that that really is what I had before me.
That's primarily the only verse I want to look at.
And I just want to capture a couple of words primarily out of this verse in Acts chapter 2.
To leave with us.
I may refer to a couple of other verses and I may look at them.
But let's turn to Acts 2 and let's just read part of that verse that was referred to verse 42.
And they continued.
I want to stop right there.
You know, that's quite a thought, isn't it? Who's it referring to here? Well, if we were to read the verse before, we would find that there were 3000, about 3000 souls that were added to the the church, the assembly. And so it's referring to those early believers during the times of the apostles and during that time when the Spirit of God was working mightily and many souls were added to the church daily. And here there were 3000 that were added.
And it says that they continued.
Now I wonder, if someone were writing about this company here tonight, would they be able to save us to you and I, they continued.
That's quite an exercise, isn't it?
To continue on.
It's not easy. We've heard some ministry during these meetings about the difficulties of the way.
And the enemy that we have that wants to discourage us, that wants to get us to not continue. You heard about that enemy last night, and I happened to be here.
And we were told about a man that purposed in his heart.
That took purpose of heart for Daniel, didn't it? It's going to take purpose of heart for you and I to continue. But they didn't just continue. What else does it say? It says they continued steadfastly.
And I think that's very, very important. You know, we just had a storm in in Denver.
A very wet snow after all the trees had leaved out and the snow was very wet and heavy. And we were talking to one person and they said they woke up in the middle of the night and they heard this cracking going on all around them. They listened, didn't know what was going on. Well, what it was, was this heavy snow was breaking tree limbs off of the trees. And we had a tree in our front yard and and in the morning there was two large limbs of that tree laying down in the front yard.
They had broken off during the night. And that poor tree, it was hit once before about four or five years ago in a not a storm, but one of the branches had broken away from the tree, a large branch. And so now we have this tree. I'm not sure what to do with it. It looks kind of spindly. It's looking more and more like a pole. It's losing all its branches. But you know, I hate to, to cut it down. That tree is there. It's been steadfast.
It's still standing and it's it's leafed out as much as it can. It can be with what few branches it has left.
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And it looks a little unsightly, but it's weathered the storms and it's still standing. It's not leaning at all. It's just as straight as it was before.
I wonder you want to be like that tree.
Do you and I want to be like a tree that's planted by the waters? Do we want to be steadfast, dear young people?
They continued steadfastly.
In the Apostles, doctrine and fellowship.
And in breaking of bread and in prayers.
These are all important things, aren't they? The apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. I've enjoyed this little thought. Someone has expressed that.
The the apostles doctrine is what makes the fellowship. It was told us that these two go together. You can't separate them. The apostles doctrine and fellowship. So it's the apostles doctrine that makes the fellowship.
And it's the breaking of bread that expresses it. That's how we give expression to it, and prayer maintains it. So if you can remember that, it helps, doesn't it? The apostles doctrine is what makes the fellowship.
The breaking of bread expresses it in prayer is what maintains it, and someone else has said that we have perhaps illustrated here.
The meetings that you and I attend, I trust we attend them.
Where do we hear the Apostles doctrine?
Here in the reading meeting, don't we?
Lord's Day morning we go and break bread as we did this morning.
And then there's the prayers. There's the prayer meeting.
Do you make it to those meetings?
I won't ask you to raise your hands.
But I'll just ask you to answer that in your heart before the Lord do I make it.
If not, I would ask you what's the hindrance?
Is there something that hinders you from being there?
Maybe there's something that is a hindrance to you. You need to be there. That's how you're going to be able to continue steadfastly.
Could we say this is the divine formula for going on with the Lord? This is the formula that God has given us in His precious word.
And I can think of three there's many a multitude, we might say a host of many cloud of witnesses in the word of God of those that continue steadfastly, but one that stands out in my mind is Joshua here was a man that.
Was given the responsibility of leading the people of God through the wilderness.
And into the land.
And that was a big responsibility, and there must have been many things to discourage that dear man.
And yet he says.
If it be evil to you to serve, the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve. And then he goes on to say, But As for me and my house, I will serve the Lord. Would you say that he was steadfast? Would you say that he continued steadfastly? I would say so. There are many things that could have discouraged him, but he continued steadfastly.
And I'm sure.
I'm sure he won't be sorry in a coming day for having continued on. He could have given up. He could have said this is a rebellious people.
It's too much, but it continued on.
As for me and my house?
We will serve the Lord, It's almost like he was saying.
You make your choice, I've made mine.
How about you tonight, dear young people, people, have you made a choice? And then another one that stands out in my mind is Anna.
You know, it says that she was there in the temple.
Serving the Lord with fastings and prayers day and night. Now that's what the scripture says.
And I thought to myself, when did this dear woman sleep? When did she do the all the ordinary things of life that we we feel are so important? It says that she served the Lord with fastings and prayers day and night. Now I don't doubt that she slept. I'm not saying she didn't sleep. But this dear woman's heart was so in tune with the thoughts of God. She was so in the attitude of prayer.
00:45:24
And fasting that it speaks of her doing it almost continually day and night. I think that's wonderful. There's a a dear woman that continued on steadfastly. She wasn't shaken by the apostasy all around her to giving up. No, she was waiting for that one that was promised to them, the Messiah. And she, you know, she, she got to see the Lord Jesus. What a wonderful thing for her.
To behold the fruition, you might say, of her prayers and fastings.
She continued steadfastly. And then it's hard to leave out the Apostle Paul. Brethren, I count my not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do.
For getting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. There's a man that continued, and he didn't just continue, but he continued steadfastly.
You know, there were many things that could have.
As it were, 'cause the apostle Paul to leave that path of faith, he labored.
He labored in a way that perhaps we won't be called on to, and yet he did it for the Lord, and he did it steadfastly. He did it. He continued steadfastly without wavering. The Lord helped him. You can't do it in your own strength, but the Lord can help you to continue on. That's all I had was just that thought, to leave those two words with you.
If you forget everything else, just remember those two words out of that verse continued steadfastly.
3 John 1
Reading
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Lord, we can see.
Where?
I'm at the peace and the peace and life of the peace and life of the end of life tomorrow to my heart, to my heart and strength to life.
Lord.
The fizzle of John.
Well, there be something lacking if we didn't, wouldn't it?
The third Epistle of John.
The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest, prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee.
Even as thou walkest in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers which have borne witness of thy charity before the Church, whom, if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well, because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles, We therefore ought to receive such.
That we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
I wrote unto the church, but diotrophies who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, praying against us with malicious words.
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And not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the Brethren, and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church.
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.
He that doeth good is of God, but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Demetrius has good report of all men, and of the truth itself. Yeah, and we also bear record. And ye know that our record is true.
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee. But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the Friends by name.
I'd like to just make a short comment.
In general on this.
Wonderful little epistle that we have before us. And the 2nd Epistle there was a warning of receiving those who came bearing wicked doctrine into the home.
And I suggest again that as we even heard in the gospel last night, in a different application, the light of the truth of God held in love was to shine on those. And that would give the ability to to not receive that which was going to bring error, blasphemous doctrine, things that would bring real hurt, and not to receive that into the home now in this epistle.
We have what's to be received, or those rather who are to be received in the assembly, even though there are those in the assembly, or in this case one particular, we might just say a spirit, perhaps acted in the assembly, that would deny receiving that which should be received. And, brethren, there's testimony given to Gaius Love charity.
Diotrephes love, too.
But it's a different Greek word. It's based. I don't know the Greek well enough, but it's based on.
Diatrophies love loveth to have the 1St place is not the love our brother Dave spoke of in our open meeting. Charity, divine love, agape love.
That was the love that Gaius used in receiving these that came diatrophies. Loving is a word that's based on phileo, and I would leave others who are more expert in Greek if they want to carry that on. But it's not that kind of love but brethren. My thought is this. Today Satan is as he always has been, but incredibly active to bring sorrow and contention and confusion and every conceivable sort of difficulty.
Among the Saints of God.
And if we're not careful, we're going to miss.
Blessings that the Lord would have us to have because of the confusion and the active work of the enemy. And we need to while we need the light, the love of the truth of God, the light of God.
To give us wisdom for what not to receive into our homes, Brethren, I've never personally known a time when we more need to know, practically, agape, love, charity, to know how to receive in a day of confusion when Satan is active. That which would be for the blessing of the people of God in the assembly, and may we be a very, very tender.
In our hearts today and seek in love.
That true divine love.
To know and to be willing to receive that which the Lord is sending for our blessing in spite of.
Acknowledged weakness sorrows confusions and difficulties among the Saints of God. Love does still receive and there's still blessing. May that be so with us.
I think I know the answer to this, but you mentioned a diatrophy spirit. He was an actual man though, wasn't he? There was a man in that assembly.
Who acted in that way and.
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It's interesting that the apostle doesn't.
Tell you how exactly to deal with it, except to overcome his evil with good, and he says I'll take care of him when I get there.
So.
I've wondered sometimes how you deal with the person who has that diatrophy spirit and maybe that could be addressed. I just will quickly say this and leave it to others, but.
To me, it's very important to see these things. There's an Absalom spirit. There was a real Absalom. There's an Absalom spirit that's out to steal our hearts from our David. There's a diatrophy spirit. There was a real diatrophies. There's a diatrophy spirit that would seek to usurp and deny that which ought to be received. And I think we have to look at it both ways. If we're going to get good. We have to see these were real people. They really did their.
Work of.
Of hurtful things. But brethren, for us today, it's the spirit of those things that's going to bring in problems. Although there are literally men, I think, **** perhaps you were saying this that can usurp that kind of a position in assembly even today, and perhaps others can help us with.
Dealing with that.
The apostle does not tell Demetrius and Gaius to leave. Very interesting. Don't, don't leave.
The Lord is able to strengthen you, keep you. This man was so wicked, and I don't hesitate using that word, that he probably had thrown Gaius out of the assembly also, and anyone that didn't agree with him and didn't follow in his way of thinking, he just tossed them up.
That's what we get in the 10th, 1St and but it's very interesting he didn't tell guys leave him. Just just leave him go away. And it makes me think of Hannah in the days of Samuel, how she took Hannah to the most wicked place. I believe in all of Israel. Why? Because that's where the Lord had placed his name. That's an amazing thing.
You couldn't find anything worse than Shiloh in the days of Samuel. I don't believe in Israel.
But that's where she took Samuel, because the Lord was there and he could keep Samuel. And the apostle here tells Gaius the same thing.
Go back.
My teacher Mrs. George told us antecedents need when you use the word we us, who is it talking about? We get into difficulty if it says receiveth not us who is a talk? Who's the US?
And that's important question here. When it says receiveth not us that we understand this epistle because he's talking, we kind of jumped great I guess to what the sore spot was to the 9th and 10th 1St here. But he's talking about walking in the truth. And what is the truth? the US is the apostles. I once asked a brother would the apostle Paul be free to preach in your church? And he bowed his head and thought for a minute thoughtfully and he said no, it would bust it up if he did.
Paul wasn't welcome there. His doctrine wasn't welcome there. That's what Geotrophies were shutting out.
He was shutting out the apostles doctrine and those who sought to maintain it, because it challenged the place that rightly only belonged to Christ. And geographies wanted that place and ministry will always exalt Christ, not man. And where you see man exalted, it's because Christ is a practically displaced. When the Lord spoke to Peter, he said, Get thee behind me, Satan. And what did he say? Thou savers the things that be of men and not of God.
And what is going to practically displace the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of us is the exaltation of man. Absalom craved that place. Geographies crave that place. But the apostles ministry is always going to exalt Christ and there are also those that came along that.
Thought the apostles doctrine that taught Paul's I I'm just.
Talking with some believers.
And they got exercised about the truth and the pastor prayed that they would leave the church.
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Why? Because I believe they wanted Paul's doctrine. They wanted John's doctrine. the US in this epistle is the apostles. And So what? John's longing heart for these dear ones was.
Was that they would not talk about the truth but walk in the truth. And the unique character of the assembly is that we're in the truth. Where there's authority. You go into the world and they say you can't say. But in the assembly the Lord's authority is there. And so the assembly says, yes, we can tell you what immorality is. We can tell you what marriage is and what it isn't. We can tell you what fornication is. The world says you can't say. You can't judge.
Judge not that she be not judged, but we are in a place where the Lord is in the midst, and we can open up the word of God with the Spirit of God and with the Lord's authority and say, yes, this is this and this isn't that, and people don't like to be there. We like to talk about the truth, but to walk in the truth and to walk in it collectively so suddenly we can say, yes, this is a scriptural marriage that is not a scriptural marriage, that suddenly that's where the rubber meets the road, if you may put it that way.
And so John longed to see because the truth, these truths have real. As we see the breakdown in the truth, we see the tragic effect in the lives of individuals, we see the breakdown in the truth in these so-called Christian lands is to marriage. And as to these things, what is as to the home and so on. These are the truths that the assembly supports and we see the breakdown in it and the effects have been just absolutely heartbreaking and tragic.
And so.
John delighted in the truth, and we delight in the truth. And so he desired that they would walk in the truth because he God wants us to be happy and we're not going to be happy. People think they're going to be happy by just shedding the truth like it's too much weight in their backpack. But in fact, the more truth we get, the happier we're going to be. And that's what he desired. I'm going to just thank my brother for we use words and it says in Corinthians we're not to speak in an unknown tongue.
And I can speak in French and maybe about 5% could understand me and I used a word abstract. And if 90% didn't understand it, I think I should interpret it and tell you what it means. Because I think most people believe that abstract means ugly art in an art gallery that somebody paid too much money for.
But John, what we got in Sunday school yesterday was abstract truth and it's helpful to the children that even the four year old can understand that.
I was, we were having some young people at our home, and I asked one of the young people who was 18 years old, what's sin and he kind of grinned at me and he says taking a cookie out of the cookie jar. When your mom says no and, you know, many Christians, their notion of sin does not rise above that.
But what we got in Sunday School yesterday was abstract truth as to what sin is. Every sin can be described. Sin is lawlessness. It's been a wild little donkey. It's not having a rope around your neck tied to a tree that was the law. But it's being constrained by the love of Christ and having Christ ruin my life.
And so if you ask Christians, is it wrong to steal? Is it wrong to rob banks? They'd say yes, that's sin. But if you said is it wrong to attend the Church of your choice, they say, well that's not sin.
But where did I ever get a choice? The disciples said, Where wilt thou that we prepare it's sin not to look to the Lord and not to want to know what the Lord's will is to do it, To prepare myself to do the will of God. That's sin. It's lawlessness. And so that's what we mean by abstract truth, I think if you say, what is a chair? And we could, each one of us could have 10 images in our mind of what a chair is. But a chair is a movable seat with a back that describes every chair that you ever saw.
And when you say sin is lawlessness, it describes every sin that you ever saw. And what we heard in Sunday School yesterday describes what the character of sin is. It's being a wild little donkey that wouldn't be controlled. And so that is why it's very helpful and it's practical even to the little children sitting here in the front row, they can understand that.
But I thank my brother for pointing that out because there's no point in speaking using words that people don't understand. And I I'm guilty of that and I I appreciate that. And that's the benefit of being where there's liberty to to, to bring these things out. I think it's very beautiful to see in this epistle that it begins and ends with a man, Two men, one is Gaius, the other is Demetrius, 2 men who amidst the.
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Spirit of things that was going on in the assembly, they were seeking to go on and walk in the truth and to hold the truth in love. And I think as I thought of this as our brother Dave was speaking, because.
We might say, well we're going back to an assembly and there's a lot of things wanting. Maybe there's a bad spirit in the assembly you come from. Maybe there's someone who does like to take the preeminence, someone who's who doesn't appreciate the apostles doctrine, and so on, but we can never give the Lord a good reason for leaving the Lord's table. We might have all kinds of excuses, but what are we going to say, brethren, when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ? Are we going to say things were too bad there?
What about those? When the Lord came, things were wanting. At Jerusalem, things were wanting. In the temple. There was a lot going on that wasn't according to the mind of God and according to the truth. But there were those who were going on faithful. There was Anna and Simeon and others who are named.
Small remnant, no doubt. But they were seeking to go on faithfully amidst all that was taking place that was not according to the truth. And brethren, we can go home, and we never want to condone or be indifferent to evil. These ones here weren't indifferent to what was going on in the assembly. They were exercised about it, no doubt, but they were seeking to go on in the truth, despite the situations that they were facing.
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he wrote of the breakdown of everything, not just in the world, but even amongst the people of God.
And what did he say to Timothy? He said, continue. Thou, in other words, Timothy don't give up. And what was Timothy to continue in? He was to continue in the things that he had learned and been assured of, knowing of whom he had learned them. He was to continue in the apostles doctrine. And so again, Jude tells us to earnestly contend for the faith. And so I just say that as an encouragement. Maybe you say, I just hate to go home this afternoon.
I hate to go back to meeting next Lord State, where I come from, but God knows the situation. He knows the end from the beginning. He's in full control of the situation. Remember one time there was a difficulty in our area and I went to see an older brother and he said these words to me, said Jim. Just remember, sometimes things might seem out of hand, but they're never out of the Lord's hand. He's in full control. And John recognized that there were problems here.
And that he warns us to this man and speaks very strongly as to diotrophies. But he also is thankful that there were those who were seeking to go on even amidst this difficulty. Brethren, we can do that too.
That this little, this little letter. That's only a few sentences.
And it's really not only written to gas, but really it's it really focuses on gas. It's about gas.
And I think of August as a little stream in an obscure part of the forest and and it's a little stream that that we've stumbled across and we've kind of sat there and enjoyed it. But then we take a little hike upstream and a little ways up we see that there's some some dams across that street, some obstacles and perhaps in the context here of third John.
There was an obstacle of his health. There was an obstacle of.
Meeting problems, there was perhaps also the obstacle that he had been put out of the meeting. And yet the nature of a stream is that as it flows along, and if it comes to a dam, you know.
It just rises up and and it keeps going and it flows right on over and it flows in the downstream. It'll be in the same course, the same natural course, the same volume, the same everything about that street.
And that's what we really need to be like and that's what gas was like.
We might ask what part of that stream do is shown. What part of that stream does my family see or my brethren see or my coworkers see? Do they see the obstacle part or they do they see the downstream free flowing part?
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You might ask am IA victim or am IA victor? And if I'm pointing at the obstacles?
And focusing on that, I've really made myself a victim.
But if I see that walking in the truth and the love of God, and it can flow downstream in its natural free flowing course.
Then I'm a victor.
Because there's been overcoming.
Difficulty. It tends to constrict the affections, and I think that's what you're saying, and I it tends to narrow the affections. But Paul said to the Corinthians, you're straightening up, you're not straightening us, but you're straightening your own bowels. And Paul went through great anguish of heart as to how to write to the Corinthians, because his heart was very large to them. Their hearts were very narrow towards fall, and sometimes we get things backwards.
False. The apostles hearts is very large to us. We desire the blessing.
That the apostles desired their blessing and the truth of God desires the blessings of Saints. And sometimes we just scratch our heads and say.
How do I show love in this situation? It's difficult sometimes, and so he doesn't want to constrict the affections of the heart. And that's what he says. What thou doest to the brethren.
A beloved thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the brethren. Can I say that the way that I act towards my brethren is faithful to the Lord?
If you can't, if I have to act in a way that compromises the truth of God in acting towards a brother that I'm not acting faithfully, If I have to surrender a principle of the word of God to act towards my brother that I'm not acting faithfully, and so he could commend this one, that he acted whatever he did, it was faithful.
And so we need to be faithful to the Lord, and then we'll act faithfully towards each other.
Isn't that interesting that?
He says.
His beloved brother.
I wish above all things.
That thou mayest prosper and being felt even as thy soul prospers. What an amazing comment. Here was a brother. That soul was in tune with his Lord and master, and we get evidence of that in the fifth verse. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever. Thou doest to the brethren and the strangers, a man that walked with his heart set on the person of Christ, and to follow in his footsteps.
Did everything.
If we have in First Peter chapter 2, the end of the chapter, that he left us an example, Gaius was following that example, and how beautiful to hear from in the fourth person, since I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. Well how did he hear it? He he heard it from other brethren that had visited, and they said Gaius is a man in that assembly that's walking for the Lord. How nice that is, if that could be true of each of us.
Set.
On him, on Christ.
And as the Psalmist said.
My heart will not be moved. Psalm 16 If I set my mind and heart on him, therefore I will not be moved.
And this was gay as the spirit of Gaius. Undoubtedly he rose above the problems and overcame, and was the victor. As our brother mentioned, there was a brother, a wonderful brother, who came into the.
Fullerton meeting, perhaps 30 years ago.
I think it was a Buena Park meeting at that time and he said, Who has a preeminence here or who presides here?
And so he was answered, of course, very faithfully by our brethren. And he said, well, we don't have a paid minister, if that's what you mean, or a pastor who presides over the Saints here. But there is one. And the Scripture says that in all things he might have the preeminence, he is the head of the body, his church. And who is that? He asked. And the brother said, well, I know who you mean.
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But doesn't anyone preside here that is a pastor that you can sit? And he said, no, the Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst, brother. He has the preeminent place here. And he spoke to him humbly, not as any contest, but humbly. Well, the brother didn't remain. He left because the flesh isn't a true brethren always desires to have a place.
And even with the apostles there were there was a contest among them.
They were seeking to have the 1St place Peter, James and John.
And even the mother supported her sons, and having that first place of preeminence. And as a brother, Ron and I were speaking before the meeting, even Peter on the Mount.
Said Well, we'll make 3 tabernacles, one for thee Lord, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. But how much? We have been instructed by grace in the truth, brethren, and it's not to find fault with our brethren in other places.
A beloved brother among us.
Perhaps some know this story and I'll mention his name. He is with the Lord now.
His name is Clarence Mayo.
A brother who had his beginning in the ministry from a theological seminary and very well informed and a very gifted man who loved the flock, loved the Saints.
And he was perhaps in a very preeminent place or church in Placentia, CA. And that day, perhaps 4050 years ago, it was a very popular place to go to attend church. And some very, some very prominent personalities were behind the pulpit in that church. And he was one.
But he saw the need of meeting simply, very informally, with some of the fellow believers in the church.
In the basement of that building to have reading meetings.
And as they had reading meetings together.
He saw the wonderful flow of the Spirit of God working in other believers to bring out things that he had never heard before, and saw that he wasn't the preeminent one in a certain sense, but others were gifted in that place to have a part in the ministry. Well, it came to this conclusion.
The organization, the Baptist organization, said a brother Mayo.
Either you leave this building or we will have to ask you to leave.
And he left.
Not knowing where he was going to go.
And several others followed with him beloved Saints, And the Lord showed them where to go, and they came into fellowship in the Fullerton Assembly many, many years ago, and had been a great blessing and help to the Saints, and not only brother Mayo, but many who came with him.
Sadly, his mother never forgave him. Now, I'm not saying, brethren, that every minister behind the pulpit has a spirit of Diotrephes. I don't mean that at all.
But to show the place that the assembly puts us as believers not to love, to have that place of preeminence, is a spirit that we need, and it is a spirit of Christ. And if there is that spirit among us, we will not be content in the assembly. We will perhaps leave, because there is no place for the flesh in the assembly.
Man once asked me, I was having a little reading with a friend and his two pastors came and they sat down, two of them to return at one cake pan. And they said, do you have pastors in your assembly? And I said yes, I can see some of them here. I said there's been men that have gone long out of their way, care for my soul to follow me, to write me, to encourage me in the things of God, he said, you don't get my question. He said you have one man to run things in your church. I said yes, I we do.
Do you have one man to run things in your church? I said yes, we do. And he sits on the throne of God. And he's a good song leader, too. If I read this 22nd song and the 2nd Hebrews and he said I got to go play hockey, he's beat up a little bit. Brother Neil, I can't play. I'm sorry.
He said.
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He said, do you have a pastor in your church, pastors in your church? And I said yes. And I can see some of them here. Ones that have cared for my soul and taught me and phoned me and written to me and.
He said you're not getting my questions. You have one man to run things in your church and I said yes.
And he sits on the throne of God.
Talk to this brother instead of them.
I.
He sits on the throne of God, and he's a good song leader. We do have pastors and we're thank God for them. And we should never say you don't have pastors. We do. But we have a man to run things and we're in the very place where he's in the midst and to crave the place that Christ has is that spirit.
But you know, they bore witness to the love.
They said it borne witness verse six of thy charity before the church and men, as our brother was Speaking of love. Men know what love is. And I got red hair and I met a brother who had red hair and we had a bit of a discussion about things and we argued about things a little bit too much. But he came to me afterwards and he said to me his brother was in the hospital and he greatly criticized the assembly in that place. Had lots of bad things to say about it, but he came to me and he said, Neil, I want to tell you something, he said.
Those brethren know how to laugh.
Those Brethren know how to love. I've never seen such love anywhere. Said I might disagree with you on doctrine, But he said those Brethren know how to love. He bore testimony to the love of the Brethren in that particular assembly and that speaks to the conscience of man. And I believe that they bore testimony to the fact that there's love and we've experienced it here. We came here and it didn't matter how much money we did or didn't have. We were loved and we were cared for and.
And we've experienced that love, and it's true of every St. of God that we know. We've passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren, but we enjoy a special privilege in the assembly to experience that love and to share that love in a freeway.
Of Jonathan in the 9th chapter of Judges really brings out a beautiful point that here they want somebody to reign over the trees and so they go to the fig tree. And the fig tree says well should I leave my sweetness to to reign over the trees and and the vine says the same thing and and so does the olive tree and we might say, well can't you do both?
Well, you know, we can't do both. And so here's the Bramble. And he's willing to take the responsibility while he doesn't have any fruit. So he's got nothing to lose. But if we want to have the preeminence, we've got a lot to lose. And so I think of Gaius, I don't know if it's the same one, but in Romans 16, Paul speaks of Gaius Mind host. And, you know, it's wonderful to have those brethren.
A man and his wife.
Posting and in their home and have Holstein in the assembly. And to think that Gaius could go on hosting, he could raise a family in the assembly that would go on with the Lord. Now what is this matter about the Lord allowing diatrophies in the assembly under these circumstances? Is the wisdom of God involved in this?
Please save Brother Dave.
Isn't it? Things cost a sacrifice to be made. That's the value of Christianity. It isn't the South wind blowing softly that makes quality and character and gift and sweetness. And so the Lord knows how He needs to preserve us in the assembly in which we are in. The circumstances are difficult.
Does that mean that I can't function in the capacity that the Lord has given me? And so if these things are lacking in the assembly, we know what's going to happen, why go there?
Now I say the Lord is there and we don't, but I'm just saying in a practical way, but we want to be there for the nourishment that every joint is privileged to supply for the body.
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Chapters. I think that's most useful in considering this is the very one you referred to in Judges. I had an experience years ago, I was traveling from Lima, Peru to Bolivia for to leave the Bolivia Lima conference and go to.
Go over to Montero, Bolivia.
And the brethren came to the airport with me.
We spend quite a bit of time fellowship being together.
The brother Raul Chavez, who is a brother who is very devoted to the Lord and evangelism.
Has one lung and he carries on going up in the mountains. There was one of the brethren that were waiting with me in the airport.
Brother, Raul said. Tell me a little bit about this ninth chapter of judges.
Well, I hadn't really considered it before, and all the way over on the plane I considered it. And the more I considered it, the more I enjoyed the light that the Lord seemed to give out of it. But I noticed something interesting about that Bramble.
He says if you want me to, I'm here. I'm your candidate. But if not, what does he say? Let fire come out and devour the Cedars. And so often that happens that we have one Who?
Has nothing really to offer and yet wants preeminence. It's interesting that in the Lima meeting room when you come in, there's a little sign up there that in all things you might have to preeminent.
It's nice to have that. I think every meeting room should have that reference somewhere, but.
He said. Come rest under my shadow, my influence.
But if not, let fire come out from the Bramble.
And devour the Cedars of Lebanon, how many tall?
Cedars of Lebanon have been destroyed by a Bramble that once preeminence and I I so indebted to brother Ralph Chavez for calling my attention to that and challenging me with that chapter and I think it it's exactly an antidote to what we have here.
Because that spirit of Doug mentioned spirit of diatrophies earlier and I I think that's exactly what we can see in ourselves if we're honest.
We'd like preeminence. We like to run things.
We're a lot of us do. There's there's the occasional person who doesn't, but I think most of us like to have a a preeminent place and if we can't have it.
Then we'll destroy what?
Whatever there is for the Lord, so I'm grateful you've referred to that chapter and.
I commend it to everyone here to meditate on it, because you leave in each case, each one of those things that is special. You might say ministry.
So I leave my good fruit. Shall I leave my fatness?
Ministry and the power of the Holy Spirit and and each one of them had something.
To minister.
Fake, I suppose, would speak of healing, wouldn't it? Each one had a little something to offer. And yet.
If they went to be king.
Over the trees.
They were going to be.
They were going to lose whatever they did. That and how wonderful it is to picture the assembly working together, each one with his special.
Thing that the Lord has given him to do. We don't need kings.
We don't need kings.
Jim, you were talking to us down in Carolina about is it the locust that goes worth? And they don't have any king, do they?
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And it's something to be instructed by. Did you have a model of the locust, too? I I thought you did. Yeah. Jim had some interesting models down there. He even had hands and he was talking to the Sunday school in North Carolina about it. And we we don't need kings. We don't need king makers either. And there there's where brethren I think fall into difficulty is they like to make kings.
Because whose fault is it?
When someone steps out of the role that God has given them for preeminence.
Who is to blame?
Often it's the ones who.
Are sitting under that ministry. May the Lord preserve us from that. And I appreciate very much Brother Ron that you brought that out. It just brought back that whole conversation with Raul Chavez there and and Lima. Interesting that we have 14 verses in this little book and only two are involved with the atrophies.
I think we ought to remember that the rest of it is encouragement. It brings you out from under that burden and turns your heart to Christ. I think that's very good.
I was trying to make earlier that yes, we want to see that there is a faithful warning given by the apostle concerning this one. And you know there are faithful warnings given. I've often said there's a fine line between gossip and godly concern, and sometimes perhaps we do give a warning. I've been thankful for brethren who've come to me and said, well, just be careful of brother so and so. Thus and so is that gossiper godly concern? Well, I don't say I always discern the fine line between the two.
But sometimes we have to give warnings. If we didn't give warnings, what if we didn't give a warning and a brother was swept away with something? We hadn't delivered our soul on the matter. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. But I would like to just say this in connection with what has been said, Brother Ron and **** that love desires to serve. True love never desires the preeminence. And you know, God teaches us by contrast, Brethren, and I believe there's a contrast in this epistle.
It opens with one who whom John could confirm his love to in the truth, and one who loved the Saints and desired to serve them, in contrast with one who really, shall I dare to say, loved himself. He wanted to have the preeminence, but it wasn't really true love, true love for the people of God desires to serve and the Lord Jesus it says he made himself of no reputation.
And took upon him the form of a servant who exhibited who was love, the Lord Jesus himself, who exhibited that love in a practical way more than himself, because he came to serve even at the end of His pathway. When the disciples were gathered around him in the upper room, he lays aside his garment that which would speak of what a person is. Are we willing to lay aside our garments, brethren, to just forget ourselves?
Not try to make something of ourselves, or put a person, or put ourselves forward, but are we willing to lay aside our garments and to gird ourselves in humility and love, and to seek the blessing and refreshment of the people of God? I believe Gaius was one who desired this.
Desired the blessing and refreshment of the people of God. He desired to have them in their home. And I'd like to just say a word about that, if you'll bear with me. Because you know, when I was growing up, I'm thankful for parents who were exercised to receive into our home those that they loved in the truth and those that were a real blessing and encouragement. I knew a side of brother London when I was growing up that you didn't get when you saw him in a setting like this.
We he played with us, children had little tricks he do with us, and he'd give us little hints as to the truth as he he went along. I value a picture of myself sitting on Brother Lundin's knee when I was a young boy and others who were in our home. And I just want to say to those of us who are parents, it's a tremendous blessing to receive those that we love in the truth and those that are faithful in the truth. And your children and young people will benefit and profit.
Yes, we need the ministry in the assembly. We need to be at the assembly meetings, and I value that too in my upbringing. But I say I look back and I realize that I received a great blessing because of those that were received into our home and administered the truth to us in that setting as well.
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I grew up in a gym and I know that Jim and I would both testify. My brother Jim and I would both testify of the blessing that came from that. Now, we were not gathered at the time, but I recall a very dear brother who stayed with us regularly and he always was late coming down in the morning and we wondered what he was doing and so.
My brother and I did a terrible thing. My brother Jack. Not, not Jim. We.
We.
We eavesdropped on him. We put our ear to his door to see what he was doing, and his brother Rudolph Nehring and brother Nehring was crying out to the Lord for blessing on us boys.
That made a profound impression on me. A profound impression, He could say they're all day as far as we were concerned. After that we were very ashamed. And I just like to point out here that it says not only the brethren, but that strangers, they were not people well known, my favorite brother and that are coming around. I think the new translation makes that very clear that it was strangers, people previously not known.
And maybe some of you don't experience that because we live in a little kind of a well known community that we're all together, but I've so much enjoyed that going into places like.
Peru and Bolivia and Argentina people have never saw me before but received me.
In the name of the Lord, what a blessed thing that is, Lemoyne. Isn't that precious?
It's a precious experience. Brother Le Moines has done a fair amount of that too, and we we enjoy that so much. You don't have to be people you well know.
It's easy to receive.
Brother Jim in the house, and we know him. We've known him for many years. But what about a brother that's a stranger, but who has gone forth for the Lord's sake? And that's what it says. There, isn't it? In verse, in verse.
Six. It's they they are proud of verse five, They What he did was toward the brethren, and that strangers and what he did was to set them forth. Now what does that mean, to set them forth? I think it's important to understand that to set them forth.
Somebody told me a terrible story about a brother in Canada that overstayed.
His time in an assembly and somebody finally spoke to him about it, he said. They said, have you any thought of moving on? He said yes, I'm going to have the money for a train ticket.
Who's? That's a reproach as it does.
That he wasn't being set forth on his journey.
Well, we may talk about the.
Steve, in which we rightly should hold those that serve the Lord and Hebrews 13 gives us very clear direction on that. But I noticed a few words here in the eighth verse where it says fellow helpers to the truth and sometimes we our our our sights are settled a little bit too high to certain individuals and I don't want to run them down. But in this group here.
There are very important people, and let me just refer for a moment to a very few verses in Acts chapter 18 where it mentions Apollos verse 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Now the last part of that 26 verse might well have been taken away, because Apollos was eloquent. He was qualified, but there was a brother and a sister who quietly took him aside in their home and showed them a better way.
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Beloved brethren, there are those of our beloved sisters in the home that have done a tremendous task as fellow helpers. There are young people around who have done a tremendous task as fellow helpers. Can we recognize it? Can we show them the interest and the support that is needed? There was Eli Hugh in Jolt who took on some of the brethren whom he said they weren't very wise.
Well, maybe he wasn't either. But at the same time, the spirit of God saw fit to put it there. And so I just say to you that there are fellow laborers. Everyone in this room is a fellow laborer, and if it's only Brother **** or Brother Doug or whoever, it might be that our fellow laborers were missing something very valuable. There are many laborers around it, and it's so nice to have.
Some young person or some older person come up to you and just give you a word of encouragement. Those are fellow laborers. There are sisters that have come forward, their fellow laborers, and do we recognize them? Now, I want to quickly add that I'm not taking away from those whom we esteem highly that minister to us and are our teachers. And I just refer you to Hebrews 13 where it clearly tells us what we want to do. But I just want to say this.
Helpers out to the truth that could be baking a cake or making a glass of of of kool-aid let's Washington brothers underwear that may not be easy to do some sisters are very wonderful in that way and but I think setting forth is is all those little things that are necessary isn't it to help them on their journey and there are those that the Lord values.
Thank you Norm for that point. It's such an important point and we need to keep it in mind that we not deteriorate into a clergy idea, because the work of the Lord is done by those who are the Lorde people, isn't it? Every member of the body of grace functioning together the sisters kennel.
Getting them on a journey with two eggs for breakfast.
But it is in the truth, and that's the point just.
Just tell another little incident in my childhood that impressed me to follow up what we've said earlier. I remember one time a brother did come to our home and he stayed a couple of days, but it was very evident by Saturday afternoon that he held that which was error. And I still remember as a young boy and it rather impressed me, my father taking him to the train station by Saturday evening, you know, that stuck with me. And so there were those in our home that we had happy fellowship with.
That my parents loved in the truth and they were a help to us. But immediately on my father detecting that there was error being held by this brother, and I believe he was a brother in the Lord, but there was error. It's love governed by truth, brethren and brethren. That's the point of John's ministry. We've had this expression several times. We've kind of passed over it. We've skirted around it, but it's love in the truth. And later on the apostle John when he sees the vision of the Lord Jesus.
Walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, 7 literal assemblies that existed on Earth at that time.
In Revelation chapter 2 and chapter three, we find that the Lord Jesus walking there is gird about the paps with a golden girdle. What is that? The paps speak of love. The golden girdle speaks of righteousness and it's love governed by truth. Just take a minute and go over to a verse in two Timothy. I just want to apply in this connection.
Second Timothy, chapter 2 and verse 22.
Flee also, youthful lusts, but follow. Now I want to notice the order of this list. Follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. And I just want to say this about this list here. If I had been writing the list, I probably would have put love and peace at the beginning of the list. And that's what people want to do. They say, well, we're all Christians.
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We're all believers. We're all on our way to heaven, brethren, that's true. We are all Christians. We are all members of the body of Christ. We're all on our way to heaven, and we ought to have a largeness of heart to embrace all the people of God in our hearts. But again, I say it's love governed by truth. And the Spirit of God hasn't put love and peace at the beginning of this list. He's put righteousness and faith and faith. Because, brethren, if we have love.
At the expense of righteousness and truth. That's compromise. And again, who showed more love in a practical way than the Lord Jesus? But did he ever compromise the truth? Did he ever compromise a principle of Scripture? I've enjoyed it in connection with Hezekiah. You know, because there are two things that characterize King Hezekiah that I think are very precious in this connection. One was a large heart he did, in his heart, embrace.
All the people of God Hezekiah came to the throne of Israel when Israel was in a very divided state, and 10 tribes were meeting at Dan and Bethel where they ought not to have been meeting. And Hezekiah comes to the throne, and he comes to the throne in Jerusalem, and he's thankful to be there where God had placed his name. But his heart embraced all the people of God. And he writes letters to them, inviting them to come up to the House of the Lord at Jerusalem.
And to keep the Passover. But wouldn't you think it would have been broad minded of Hezekiah to have gone up to Dan on one Sabbath and Bethel on another Sabbath and then invite and hope that some of the people of God would come up to Jerusalem on the third Sabbath? That would have been broad minded but it would not have been faithful. And the point I want to make is Hezekiah had a large heart. He loved the people of God. He recognized that they were the people of God.
But he had the exercise to walk in a narrow path. It was love governed by truth. And what was the result? Well, the result was that many laughed and laughed them to scorn and moth the letters. But there was also another result that sometimes, perhaps, we missed. There were those that came up. There were those that were exercised because they saw that Hezekiah loved them, but they also saw that he was faithful.
That it was love governed by truth. And brethren, if we are wishy washy with people in our relationship to people and we think, well, if we go along so far it'll exercise them. We're never going to help somebody if we're wishy washy when it comes to the truth. But if we're faithful in the truth and they see that we hold the truth in love, then I believe the spirit of God can exercise souls so that they see those two things love in the truth.
Well, I believe, brethren, this is very important. Do we love all the people of God? I trust we do. Are there certain of the people of God we can't practically manifest that love to? Yes, there are, because they're not walking in the truth. They're holding that which is not according to Scripture. They're walking in a wrong path. And it's interesting that Gay is here. He confirms his. I'm sorry, John. He confirms his love to Gaius. Does he confirm his love to diotrophies? No. Did he love diotrophies any less? No. I'm sure he did love Diotrephes. He didn't want to see Diotrephes acting in the flesh and wanting the preeminence.
But he restrained in confirming his love to him because of the spirit and the conduct of this man. But how wonderful, Gaius, he could confirm his love, because he was going on in the truth for the blessing of the people of God.
Should look at the last four verses, really. And then the next verse that comes before us here is the 11Th verse. And beloved, follow not that which is evil and that's just been given to us.
But that which is good, he that doeth good, is of God, but he that doeth evil has not seen solemn. But then the next verse. And this man, Demetrius, every single one of us has already been said, can be a Demetrius. Every single one of us. Here's a man that I don't know if any of us ever have been in a situation as bad as what Demetrius was in. I don't know, maybe some of us have, but he.
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Held forth he followed the dictates of the person of Christ, and that we can do every one of us.
The truth. He had a good report of the truth. And so that's really the brother **** spoke last night on God is love, and God is light and God is love. That's what he is in his essence. And if it's not according to the truth, it's not love.
We say, well, he loves them, but it's not according to the truth. Then it's not love.
It's love is not some kind of feeling. It's not people have all kinds of ideas of what love is in the world, but if it's not according to the truth, and this is a wonderful thing about Demetrius in the ninth verse, he said. I wrote on to the church that.
Deus received those who John could commend, who the truth could command. And so it says here of Demetrius was a good report of all men, and of the truth itself. And so.
This is, I believe, the the essential part here. And you know that our record is true. And so fellowship is a real thing. It's a real thing. We know the strangers come, they come not just recommended to us, but they come commended to us. Maybe somebody comes from an assembly from South America. We don't know them. They don't come recommended to us. They come commended to us. And it, fellowship becomes a known thing and that's why we can receive a stranger.
Because we know our brethren in South America walk in the truth. I've never been there.
Know if somebody comes from Japan with a letter of commendation, they're not recommending them to us. We know that they walk in the truth and they're commending us, them to us and they have a report. And so fellowship is a known thing and Demetrius was of that character and that's what the devil wants to do. He just wants as our brother was saying in his address yesterday, he just wants to lower and lower and lower fellowship so that it's nothing more than playing mini golf. And it's fine to play mini golf, but.
It is, but fellowship is in the truth.
Brethren, before we get too far beyond this 11Th verse, I'd like to remind our hearts that we tend to follow what we focus on.
So often.
We are occupied with what's wrong. If we're occupied with what's wrong, are we really following what is good? We tend to follow what we focus on. So let's not read this verse casually. Follow that. Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. And we've got a book full. We've had three days full of what's good.
Let's focus on it. Let's concentrate on it.
Like to make this comment about verse 12.
We're very quick to sit down and write letters sometimes.
And letters are necessary sometimes, but they're cold.
Letters are cold, they don't convey.
The tears or the smile or the.
They're just not the same.
So there are some things that John says. I have many things to say.
But I'm not going to write it with pen and ink. I want it mouth to mouth, face to face. But the coward in US always says be nice to write. I'm scared to talk to him face to face. I'll write him a letter and that's not God's way to do it in my opinion. I think what we have here is an exhortation or an encouragement that we.
Defer the letter writings. Sometimes I have files at home that I.
Have burned recently of letters back and forth, back and forth on matters.
And I don't detect any of the real heart, many of the real.
Feeling that is there, but sit down and talk to a brother, mouth to mouth, face to face, makes a big difference, doesn't it? And it may be hard to do, but we ought to be courageous enough to do it, and we might have a lot less difficulty between us if we do that.
I'd like to make a final comment.
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From myself, the rest of you, you've got all day but.
Where do we, each and everyone of us really fit into our home assembly? And do we run into a situation that makes us maybe angry?
What about this man? If we get into that problem, let's turn to the scriptures where we can find men that have gone through far, far worse and what they did. And this man Demetrius is a beautiful example. I don't know. As I said earlier, any of us ever have been in the situation this man's in and look what he does. He just goes on and we can do the same. The person of Christ is our example. And again I quote first Peter 2.
The very last 3-4 verses he left us and example, He's our example.
Sin, Matthew 15.
Cried out. Have mercy on me, thou son of David.
And he doesn't pay any attention to her.
The disciples say send her away.
And she comes and falls at his feet, and says Lord.
And he says it's not meat to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs.
And she says.
Truth, Lord.
But the puppies eat to come from the table.
Truth, Lord, but the puffies eat the crumbs from the table.
If I just could have the crumb I.
I'd have the blessing.
You know the word of God says Remember the pit from which you were digged?
There is a depth of suffering the blessed Son of God has gone to.
However deep that pit was I was in, he went deeper still to get under me and bring me out of it.
He says remember the pit. He doesn't say remember the sins you committed.
You're entitled. Forget them.
There's a reason why she says truth. Lord, we've had truth much before us in these meetings.
Let's look at 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 just one more time. We touched upon it a little bit yesterday.
We know our time is gone, but just these two verses.
Verse 10.
There's a reason why after the Rapture, as was mentioned last night, there will not be a second chance for those who have rejected the grace of God. And it's given in the end of verse 10 because they received not the love of the truth.
That they might be saved. Then look at verse 13.
Or verse 12.
That they might, that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now that's those who are left after the rapture. But look at verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
Wonderful, isn't it? That truth empowers the soul to be.
For God in fellowship with God in this world, Gaius had it. Demetrius, perhaps, was one of those not received by Diotrephes.
But the love of the truth.
As a preserving effect, it has the salvation of your soul at its very state.
Truth is an uncreated thing. God is true, every man a liar.
Truth is what is.
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And we get in Psalm 119, verse 89 forever. O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
Dear soul, God empowers you with truth from His Word, that you may walk through this world in fellowship with Him and in fellowship with them who call upon Him out of a dear heart. What a wonderful privilege.
Meditation
Address—R. Klassen
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Our meeting by singing number 57.
On the Lamb, our souls are resting.
57.
Yeah, yeah.
I.
Let's turn to a verse in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews to introduce the subject of meditation.
Hebrews, Chapter 11.
And verse 32.
And what shall I say more, for the time would fail me.
To tell, let's drop down in the verse to David also and Samuel.
David also and Samuel.
In this verse we have 5 judges and one king that are in the listing here.
And we noticed with interest how that the successor is mentioned before the mentor, if you allow me to put it that way.
And why is that? We have a barrack before we have a Gideon?
And we have a Jephthah before we have a Samson. And we have a Samuel before we have a David.
And so the wonderful commitment of the truth has gone on, passing from one generation to another.
And so for a few moments we might look together about the life of Samuel and bringing David into it just a little bit.
And we'll first turn to First Samuel Chapter 8.
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First Samuel, chapter 8.
Begin by reading verse one.
And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his first born was Joel, and the name of his second abaya, and they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel unto Rama.
And they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us our king, to judge us like all the nations.
And the thing displeased there was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Well, what a history.
We all have a history.
And we can't hold our heads up.
As this history is in review.
But there's kind of a line of divide here, and that's why I read this and I want to look on both sides of the line of divide.
So as we look on this side of the line, we go back to his mother and we might turn to the second chapter.
Without reading, I have to make a few comments to seek to cover what is on my heart.
His mother, Hannah.
The Lord closed her womb so that she couldn't have children.
A very difficult situation that is. But why did he do it? He wanted to lead Hannah's thoughts further than just to have children for pleasure. It's wonderful to, to hold your first born. I, I can still feel that little girl in my hands and I've held other little babies, but this one was bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.
But Hannah.
Didn't have that privilege until she came to a certain point, and that point was not to bear a son in the light of her enjoyment only, but to bear a son in the light of the need of God's people.
I believe there are many that have been through this exercise. It's a wonderful exercise to have.
And how deep are the plowings of God go and the soul, so that somebody looking on gets a totally wrong impression of of what they see? And it was in this case with Hannah that the priest thought she was drunk.
Well, the Lord blessed her with a son, and she named him Samuel, which means ask for.
And she had come to the point where she was willing to lend him to the Lord to serve his people. Very unusual.
Privilege at a very young age. I don't know what the age was.
But in Hannah's prayer, I believe we get the heritage that his mother gave him.
You know, it was a heritage that isn't just right here, it's the heritage that looks on.
And we read.
In verse 8 for an example.
Think of this little boy beginning to mature and to apprehend a little bit, to hear his mother say he raises up the poor out of the dust, lift up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.
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Isn't that a beautiful?
Living in view of the future, to have a vision of glory before your soul.
Going to keep you from many a football and snares because you're looking beyond that's not natural to us. We want to get everything right now. The prodigal son his spear was give me. He wanted things right here in his hands. But we want to live dear young people, in view of the coming glory that we're going to enter in for many in this room. It's not going to be you're not going to be very old.
When we hear the shout and we all go together right into the presence of the Lord Jesus.
Well, this is a prayer. One thing I've enjoyed about it. If you must by mistake, call it a song. I believe that you're right on key. I've never checked this out, but I'm just conscious of the fact that this prayer is scattered through the Psalms bits and pieces here. Someday I'd like to check it out and see if all the parts can be put together. They went into the Psalms for song. How wonderful it is when our prayers.
Lead to songs.
Of praise and joy, Well, the day comes.
When she takes this boy.
To the Tabernacle.
Our brother Dave described that to us in the morning reading, taking him to the divine center and to see such a loathsome.
Situation there when it should have been the brightest spot on earth. I believe he said it was the saddest. I don't take issue with that, but by faith she takes him there.
And lends him to the Lord as long as he lives.
All mothers, is that the issue with your heart, with your children? It can be. It's a wonderful desire to lend your children to the Lord.
Heard about the wild little donkey, the master says I have need of him.
And for parents to experience to see this operation going on in the heart, you see, the master has made his claim.
And so Samuel grew, and it tells us in the third chapter, and the Lord verse 19 was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.
You know, that's kind of thrilling to read that. And we may say, oh, what a wonderful era we're coming into.
We've got a profit that's going to give us the mind of God, and it hasn't been that way. It's been failure and so on. And so are hopes rise up and we're looking forward to a reign of blessing.
How does it go?
Samuel was there in the Tabernacle opening the doors for the people to come with their offerings. Saw some pretty sad situations.
And he wore the linen ephod to show that his heart was in tune with the mind of God as to how things were to be done.
And then one day, there's a sudden convulsion.
It's a shattering thing. War has broke out.
On the front and they go for the ark of God.
Think of you are standing there and to see these two boys.
Wicked, unclean, dirty hands and heart go behind the curtain and pull out the ark of God to take it out on the battlefield. And you say, what are you doing this for? Never mind, we got scripture for doing what we're doing. What do you mean? Let's turn to Numbers chapter 10.
Numbers.
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Chapter 10 I believe it is.
One verse, verse 35.
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
You know, that's a wonderful verse.
You can count on it.
But not under these conditions.
The Ark of God is not a good luck charm out on the battlefield.
It won't work.
We have here that them that honor me, I will honor. He would be glad to undertake for his people, but.
They're caught up in idolatry.
They must be.
As he allows his government to take its course.
And so the Ark of God is captured.
They didn't put the the travel dress on the ark as it should have been to think of the veil being laid over the ark, everything being so careful. Why? They're just a boldness.
And to think of taking it out there with no covering on it, there to see the cherubim looking down on the mercy seat.
And it's taken by the enemy.
It's in that land for seven months.
Going from place to place.
They are being smitten as that art goes by.
Hemorrhoids, you know, they never figured out what caused the plagues.
Never figured it out.
And they hook up milk cows to the cart, put the ark on it, send it away.
You know, farmers who have dealt with animals say this is different. They've got calves.
Now, what were the Philistines doing? Perhaps I'm assuming too much, but I think they realize they had something on their hands that they better get off.
For we find that all the time that the ark of God is in that land, we learn a lesson that God ever and always maintains his own glory.
I believe they hooked those milk kind up to that cart to put the ark on it, figuring that they would kick it to pieces.
In other words, there's any damage the animal Kingdom did it. Is that anything new in this world? No.
Those cows go right on course.
The best Sheamus.
And they're the men of Bashimus. You're out harvesting weed.
You can check this out. They're reaping the goodness of God. Oh, what a day the harvest is for the farmer. That's his paycheck and that's his food. He banks on it.
And if it isn't there, it's like a nightmare. You heard of the Farmers nightmare?
Well, imagine these men looking up and seeing as sight.
And they could say there's the Ark of God.
And they could say, oh, it's wonderful to have the Ark back. Let's quickly get it to Shiloh back in the Tabernacle where it belongs.
Didn't seem to cross anybody's mind to do that.
Furthermore.
Think of it, dear ones.
As they approached the Ark, they took the mercy seat off of the Ark.
What were they doing? They were setting aside the blood of the atonement that was there on the mercy seat to look in to see the tablets. 2 stones of the law.
And I believe that careful reading will give us to know that 70 men died.
We have a number of 50,000 involved there. No doubt this was no small matter.
00:20:02
For these men to look in there and dropping over dead and they probably couldn't figure out what was happening, 70 of them had to perish before somebody got the mercy seat back on the ark.
Oh, how important the blood is. How I enjoy the words of the hymn writer when he says that precious blood will never lose its power.
Till every ransom St. of God be saved to sin no more.
Well, the Arkansas.
Did not go back to the Tabernacle.
And the psalmist tells us why in Psalm 78. We'll just look at that.
Because we might wonder why it didn't go back.
It tells us in verse 60.
So that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh the tent.
Which he placed among men.
You know, there was nothing to go back to. It was just a shell. Those that have the responsibility were dead.
Oh how man, how we fail in our responsibility.
And so Shiloh was forsaken. Ephraim.
And we read in verse 67. Moreover, he refused the Tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount Zion, which he loved.
Oh, there is God's divine center. That's the place that the Lord Jesus is coming back.
From glory to assert his rights in the earth. The Mount Zion that he loves. Isn't that wonderful?
And so it didn't go back to the Tabernacle.
And we read.
In Chapter 7.
And verse two, perhaps verse one, And the men of Kerja Jurian came and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the House of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eliezer his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
And it came to pass, while the ark abode incurred gesture. I am that the time was long, for it was 20 years, and all the House of Israel lamented after the Lord.
Think of the heart of Samuel.
They take the ark and it goes into a hidden place. It's not accessible to the people. Oh, those are hard years. Those are years that we say the bottom dropped out of everything.
Samuel seems to disappear out of view.
Perhaps he redeemed those 20 years by taking a wife, having two sons.
We don't know anything about his wife, don't even know her name, but he had two sons.
Perhaps he used those difficult years as we ought to use them, redeeming the time, the care of the family.
The nurturing and the admonition, it's not lost time, but it was a difficult time.
We have the privilege of.
Going with two sisters, widows.
That it invited us to come to.
Be with our brethren in England. We have another sister.
Like to say of her that she was a ray of sunshine even when it rained in England.
And our purpose was to go to visit the Brethren. 10 testimonies, and we touched in with all of them.
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And my desire was is to catch the heartbeat.
We look at England, we say the bottom has dropped out of it. Here is just a little handful here and there, gathered to the Lord's precious name.
And as I went from one to the other, I didn't hear, oh, we're ready to give up. It's just so weak here. And we're ashamed of things. You know, I found the spirit of Caleb.
The Spirit of Christ that was in Caleb says we be well able.
All to redeem the time when the bottom is dropped out. No, it's a valuable thing and I want to be a little bit vivid now to give you an example of what I'm speaking about. We had the privilege of going to the Isle of Wight.
We are going to visit a sister there and we have this much information about her and that is that her name was Deborah Biddlecombe.
And that she had had a hip operation in the month of March.
And that was about it.
So he went and knocked on the door.
We were warmly welcomed in.
To decide where we were going to eat.
And she says I haven't been downtown since my operation, but I'd like to go. She took two canes and down the sidewalk we went for six blocks.
And we hear this story. She's 65 years of age.
She's a retired foot doctor. She took out a retirement.
February and had this hip operation so there'd be no pressure on her.
And then she tells us about the testimony in the Isle of Wight back in the early 80s.
There were ten of them in fellowship, two brothers, eight sisters.
And she said.
And over the years, one by one, they went home.
And the last one went home this last January.
Here I am listening now what is going to come? I'm the only one left.
Pretty doldrum around here.
And I'm in isolation.
No, no.
She wasn't isn't alone. The Lord is with her.
Oh, it just lifted up my heart.
Never mind the canes that she had to walk on.
Spirit of Caleb, we be well able and we suggested to her, why don't you come?
And pay us a visit and with a smile says don't be surprised.
Well.
Samuel did something else.
Instead of having the people come to him.
In the holy priesthood character, he takes on the royal priesthood and he goes out and he has a yearly circuit.
I would have loved to have been on that circuit, I mean to Ben a house on that circuit, to have this dear servant drop in and cheer our hearts, tune them to the Lord Jesus Christ.
We get that in the 7th chapter.
I want to read verse 15.
And Samuel judged, I'm going to use the word served.
Israel all the days of his life.
Isn't that a marvelous commendation?
Is there a message to your heart and to mine in that?
Friday afternoon I watched our brother gorgeous come up here.
Staff in hand, leaning on it.
Hangs it on the stand here and ministers the word of God, the.
I thought to myself, I guess he doesn't believe in retirement and would to God that he would not retire.
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We may take a lower profile.
And our public.
Exercises as grace is given. Nothing, no matter with that.
But we don't retire.
There's always something to do and serve until we take our last breath on earth, my dear father.
Taught his son how to die.
Is that a service? It's a wonderful service.
To look into the face of a man.
No Fear.
Nothing coming out of his mouth.
Strange. No thrashing around.
Laying there, waiting.
To come home.
Well, we find Samuel on this circuit.
And it's interrupted.
There is a council to be held.
And it amounts to Samuel. We thank you for your service, but it's time for you to retire.
He's neither feeble nor senile.
When this comes about.
Terrific blow.
And they wanted a king as much as to say, well.
The Lord and you are just not a good enough combination for our safety.
And so the Lord tells him, he said, you do everything that the people tell you to do. You give them a king.
And you just check out the details.
Of the nobility.
Of this prophet Samuel.
To anoint a king.
According to the desires of the people.
Wouldn't you recoil at that? What do you say? I'm not going to do that. That's totally dishonouring thing.
We've never had this before.
Does the servant's heart get tested?
Supremely.
Think of it.
To anoint a king according to the people's desire.
Democracy.
It's fatal.
There's only one thing we recognize, and that is theocracy. God rules and reigns.
What a wonderful thing to have that one who is overall. God bless it forever.
Reigning in our lives for eternal blessing.
You know the prophet Hosea.
Born many years later goes back over the review here and let's see how he evaluated this situation. Hosea.
Chapter.
13 Hosea.
Chapter 13.
Verse 9.
Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.
For in me is thine hell. I will be thy king.
Where is any other.
That may save thee in all thy cities, and thy judges, of whom thou says, Give me a king and Princess. I gave them a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath.
You know, this is a view that we don't see immediately doing We're troubled.
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And don't want to carry out the word of the Lord.
Now we get a real view here.
It's an awful thing when the Lord gives us our own way. We're going to suffer and suffer and suffer if we get it. In fact, the word here is they self destruct.
Is that easy to do?
It's very easy to self destruct when our wills are set and we're not going to bend to the will of God.
Self destruct.
Well, the nobility.
Of Samuel goes on, he not only anointed him.
But he stood by him. He sought to instruct him.
Until.
You feel embarrassed.
And he sends them off.
His army to do war with Amalek.
Told him to utterly destroy Amalek.
He didn't do it. He saved the best.
And when Samuel heard that?
He wept all night.
You know, there's something about an old man weeping that gets through to me.
To know what the glory of God is.
And should be maintained.
And it's not that important.
We decide on our own what we what's his glory and what isn't.
Oh, what a scene this is.
That Samuel had to face.
Verse 32 of the 15th chapter.
You know, even though.
Samuel, as it were, was set aside from public responsibility.
He served the Lord all the days of his life.
And he does two things.
To save the Kingdom of Israel.
And this is one of them in verse 32. Then said Samuel, bring me, bring ye hit her to me, a guide the king of the Amalekites. And a gag came unto him delicately.
And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is passed. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.
And Samuel hewed a gag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
These meetings we've had quite a bit about righteousness.
I visualize that.
It was said to Saul, here's the king of Agag, you take care of him.
He knew what he was supposed to do. Utterly destroyed.
And a gag got around him.
Had some saying that just struck him.
Where he said, well, you know, he's not too bad of a guy really when it comes right down to it. I think we can work with him and get him straightened around so he thinks, right.
That's an extremely dangerous thing.
I mentioned brother John and sister Grace Simpson.
They understand this principle here.
They understand the devastation that it does among the Lord's people.
And to see them with sober faces saying the meeting rooms here in England are being shut, locked, let the dust and the cobwebs collect.
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Let evil come ahead.
It'll do its work.
And here he comes now into the presence of Samuel, and I don't think that he could have chosen a way, the very way he walked and carried himself and what he said.
That if the Spirit of Christ had not been in Samuel, he couldn't have taken it either.
The Spirit of Christ is jealous for the glory of God.
He takes that sword and he hews that man to pieces.
Let's stop and ask what would have happened if he had enough.
His empire was destroyed.
He can build an empire right there in Israel.
You can always find sympathetic hearts flesh to flesh, that's no problem.
Get a bill and make Kingdom right there. The outcome?
Divided and scattered.
Oh, let us have a face of Flint when it comes to evil.
And interfering with the truth of God and the glory of Christ.
I wish I could pass this on to the young man. I'm going to try.
One has a horror.
Of touching the infinite perfection of the Lord Jesus.
To make a statement that may not be true about him.
I shudder.
And to dissect his work.
The Godhead. It cannot be dissected. It cannot be pulled apart.
Would that we mark our words closely and to hold the truth dear to our hearts.
If we don't.
We'll have a situation like this among us.
One's heart is filled with sorrow this afternoon.
To see the enemy lined up.
To put down the interest of Christ among his people.
All may we gird ourselves.
And to be careful, walk softly and humbly with our God.
Oh, what an act Samuel did.
An example that goes right on we live in the favored dispensation of God's grace, but the principles of God have not changed one atom.
Now what's the other thing?
Chapter 16.
Verse 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil.
And anointed David in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.
So Samuel rose up and went to Reina.
I believe that I'm safe and sane, that if Samuel would have recoiled and said I'm not going to anoint that man.
He wouldn't have got to anoint this man either.
You know when he anointed Saul.
King David wasn't born till 10 years later.
Here he is a young shepherd boy.
And Samuel goes to the household of Jesse there in Bethlehem, and he has seven of his sons passed before him, and and Samuels bewildered.
I believe that when he wept all night before the Lord, and he had no more to do with Saul after that.
Our gracious Lord, it gives us impressions that it isn't all over with.
Just continue on impatient continuance. And now the the man after God's own heart is before him, but he has to be called out of the field from the sheep, and there he anoints him, the future king of Israel. And what a king King David was, a man after God's own heart.
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Oh, those are things that we can do. It's not in the sense that we.
Have successors and that we appoint successors among us, but we certainly do encourage one another in the Lord to go on. Don't give up. I know things are difficult, but how are we going to treat the difficulty? I'll just turn it into a blessing before God.
Learn, Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good.
Almost ask the question this morning or our brother Dave when I was speaking about good and evil, which one is the strongest?
My mind, it appears like evil is the strongest as we look out throughout the world.
No good is. It can put down evil easily. Try it. Overcome evil with good.
Well.
Like to close?
With the blessing that came to Samuel in First Chronicles chapter 6.
I.
It's an awful thing for us as parents.
To see our failures with our children, how hard of a thing it was for Samuel to say, well, they had to say, Samuel, we, we don't have any charge against you. He could give an account of his stewardship and they had to agree with him. But your sons, they're a whole different lot.
And we just bow to what Scripture says about them.
That is at the end of the story, let's notice in chapter six of First Chronicles.
Verse 33.
And these are they that waited with their children.
Of the sons of the Goethites, Human, a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel.
Oh, mark that in your Bibles.
Joe was the first born.
He had taken bribes. They had a case against these boys of his.
But him and a singer.
See if I can find the.
Maybe someone knows here in the first Chronicles?
Where his name is brought up again? Yes, in the 15th chapter.
Lovely.
The First Chronicles, 15.
And verse 16.
And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be singers, with instruments of music, sultries, hearts, symbols, sounding by lifting up the voice with joy. So the Levites appointed human the son of Joel, let me add, the son of Samuel.
I believe there was an exercise.
The beginning of these meetings.
As.
To grandfathers and grandmothers.
And their role?
Toward their family.
And the family of God.
What an important role grandfathers and grandmothers have. We don't realize it.
That the ministry would touch our hearts. We sometimes focus on the young people and hope they get a blessing, but I think we better come.
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To where it really begins, the grandfathers and the grandmothers.
And then on to the fathers and mothers.
The responsibility that they have toward their dear children.
Only have them for a few days. Just was speaking with the mother before the meeting, he says. I just.
Ken Harley Bear thinking of my children leaving and yet here they are ready to go. What have you given them?
What have you put into their hearts? What values do they have? They're going to carry them out.
And if our values are right.
Children are going to be blessed.
I enjoy this little poem. Blessed are the children.
Who and their parents see the Father love of God, and find their way to thee?
May the prayers of our dear brethren.
The exercise they pass through to have us.
And to give us this Elam at such a cost to themselves.
May something drift back to them?
Of the blessing that we have secured in our hearts, young and old alike.
And may they have the smile of his approval. While they wait, let's sing the rest of the story in hymn #95.
Pray for them.
Sing a song.
Waking.
Every dawn.
To praise the praise, the praise the praise, the praise the same.
Yes, my love Glory.
Say.
Shall we hear?
And say.
Yeah, Ransom.
Children.
'S and souls.
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Aren't we going to be interested to have a little visit with Human?
To find out.
What they learned in the school of adversity.
Caused him to be the chief of Sing the chief singer.
In the courts of David.
How wonderful to think of being singers now.
Day is going to come when we're going to fill heaven. Songs of the Redeem.
Very soon at hand may we be found looking up, quietly pressing on to glory and the victor's crown.
Fellowship