Detroit Conference: 1962
Table of Contents
Three Pilgrimages to Jerusalem
1 Corinthians 3:1-5
Reading
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General Meetings, Detroit, November 1962 Reading Meeting Friday AM.
2, 175.
I.
Chapter First Corinthians.
First Children. Chapter 3.
And our brethren could not speak of you as of the truth. But are the new carnal even that underbays in Christ? I have Sergeant Mills in Mount Richmond, Ferguson. You were not able to bear it neither yet no. Are you able?
Before you are yet on over, as it is among the endings and strikes.
And divisions are you not Carnal and Walt advanced for why one says I am appalled.
I am an appalling are you not Carnival who? That is all.
Then who is the problem that ministers by who we believe?
Of the Lord gave every man.
I have standard Apollo 4, but God gave the increase.
Seven, Neither is he the kind of enemy, neither he that walk with me, but God that's given the increase.
For he the planet and he that waters are one, and every man can receive his own reward according to his own lady.
Former leaders together miss doll your dog hustling he our dogs will.
The court of the grace of God is given unto are going to arise master building. I have laid the foundation and another bill on the 3rd upon and another bill that's there on, so that every man takes heed how he builds it there upon for other foundation can no man lean then that is laid through Jesus Christ.
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Not if any man build the lift foundation, gold, silver, precious stone, wood, space double every man's words of demerit manifest for the days will declare that the college you'll be revealed by fire and the fire should try every man's work of what sort of kids?
If any man's worth abide which is built there upon, he shall receive a reward.
Any man's work should be blessed, he should suffer loss, but he himself will be saved.
Yet stored by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God? And the fear of God dwells in me. Is any man to fire the temple of God until God destroyed? For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Let no man defeat himself, but any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world.
Let him become a fool, that he may be wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness is God forge is written. He taketh the wise in their own passionate. And again the Lord knows the fault of the wise that they are they.
Therefore let no man glory of man in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo or FIFA or the world, or light, or or things present, or things to come. All are you in your Christ, and Christ is God, God.
You have something set to foil Brother London and.
Yes, I believe that we have in Corinthians.
At the beginning of that line of things.
That we see so prominent around us today.
And that is the the outward profession of Christianity.
Which today, in many cases, there's no life at all.
We have the beginnings of it in First Corinthians, so the apostle is warning.
As to the position he takes, and in the end of in the Second Corinthians we have the development of it, which finally ends in the book of Jews, that is the the corruption of the whole thing itself. Now at the very beginning of First Corinthians.
We seek those who were gifted and no doubt some wealthy.
And some having a position.
And these are the things that have become prominent in Christendom.
Spirit of God is left out.
And we must remember as Christians, that there are two things that preserve it. One is obedience to the Word of God, and the other is complete dependence upon him. We see those marks very prominent and set forth in the captain of our salvation in the 5th chapter of Hebrews.
But here we see the beginning in the first of Corinthians of a spirit.
That would Elephant Man, and it will end in that awful apostrophe, the corruption of that which has the highest blessings and privileges.
And the apostle Paul was the one who was given to set forth this mystery Christ in the church, and before he passed out of the scene.
You just saw that very thing began to crumble as to its outward.
Aspect here in this world.
Now let's see what the apostle expected dealing with.
The wisdom of this world.
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Part of it in the country where?
There was so much human way and he joined the college at all. And one thing that was very humiliating through these Corinthians was to be told that he couldn't.
Admit it to that.
The higher wisdom of God.
They were in such a state that they were not ready to receive it.
So that he takes care of this first. First, my friend, I could not speak unto you as under spiritual, but as under carnal, even as under days in Christ.
There, there where they will them only made them Colonel Christians. All that though they were real Christians.
Real, born and gone soul. Yet they were only carnal Christians and spoken of as they've been Christ.
See, you'll get three times of people mentioned here.
At the end of the second chapter.
The second, there are various pairs as the clerk resource, but the natural brand receivers not the things of God, for they are foolishness. And again there is a natural man.
Now this the first verse of the third chapter. So carnal Christian.
And it also speaks all the spiritual Christians. So we find that the whole world.
Divided into those three classes.
An actual man. It was the man that only has the mind of the plague. He isn't born again, he only looks at things from a natural sense and therefore he cannot receive the things of God. Impossible because he hasn't experienced a new birth.
The carnal Christian is a real Christian.
But a child of God who has not made the spiritual growth of coverage, it's something that has hindered his role, something that the war is spiritual life.
So we have that class mentioned here.
And we also have.
3rd old man you you look back in the second chapter of the Christine Birds.
15th, first of the second chapter. But he that is spiritual discern us all, or judges all things, but He himself is judged or discerned of no man.
Word is burned is a better word.
All right, give us the question of the spiritual man.
And he was able to discern and they're into the things of God. And yet no one can understand in the natural man can't understand him because he has motives.
That are entirely outside of this world altogether.
Be a man going on in faith, waiting for the Lord to come, and satisfied with having Christ and his objects, while he is a puzzle to the world. What does that man live for the man of the world says about it.
Does this show here?
Oh, great, dependence is needed in connection with the Ministry of the Word. It wasn't simply a question of giving out the truth, but the time for it and the state of soul. Well, he says here that.
He could not speak unto them as spiritual.
But as I'm the carnal.
Well, he said you weren't. They were not able to bear it, neither were they now able to bear it. So it isn't a question simply of the truth, but the time and place and state forest. Is that something important to be borne in mind?
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I'm sure it is.
There's no use the harmful to give a soul a line of ministry that is not in here with his walk as a Christian. The minister had their things to a man that's going on in in in a court that's just gone into the Lord would be.
That is enough.
For his girl, he needs something to allow this conference waking him up here to stay.
Wouldn't even encourage him after his salvation with it.
It means all that, brother. Well, the brothers going on badly and going on in the world, you wouldn't.
Speak, reminding him of the fact that it's all right, he saved anyhow. You bring something before his conscience, wouldn't you? I'm sure that's right and very important.
So just to just to give him something that encourages him to think that he paid and he's trying to get to heaven regardless of his walking ways, only harden them in the in the wrong time. And then there is the possibility that you will never save at all. You have to bear that in mind.
I remember our brother part telling one time about the.
A woman who had been in fellowship changed the scene. Well, ** *** was under the influence of grace, and he read that.
Striptease or in the 6th of.
This book for granted about work mentioned several and are going on in sin and one of them was Drunkard. Drunkard did not inherit the Kingdom of God. Well, she says, don't you believe I'm a Christian?
Well, he simply said no drunkards to inherit the Kingdom and he wouldn't budget from that.
The mind is only a channel whereby the truth of God gets down into the heart.
Well, if our heart is not right with the Lord, if the state of soul is not what it ought to be, the truth can't get down into the heart. And after a while, if much truth is taken in that which could be the channel only to bring it into our soul is clogged up. And that is a disastrous thing. It's a solemn thing.
And the person may get stopped heavy. And if there's a bad state, then it certainly won't make it any better. It'll make it worse.
The 12Th chapter of Luke, the 4040 second verse.
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise cured, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of being in due season? So we see that there are two things needed in connection with the ministry of the Word.
Faithfulness and wisdom, and it's only out of communion with the Lord that that will be solved. Now that that's what a spiritual man is. I don't suppose any of us would like to take the place of saying, I'm curious. Well, it's not carnal, but if we're walking into communion by the Spirit, the Spirit of God will lead and direct and it's really very important. Sometimes faithfulness is needed.
Wisdom and discerning the means. But there are two things that always could be reached in ministry, isn't there? The constant and the heart. Don't you think true sometimes, brethren, that a person must be built up with the love of Christ before they can even receive that which touches the conscience?
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Just like a person who needs an operation, the doctor might say, well, this person has to be built up before we can give them the operations. He's not well enough to receive it. And isn't it often so that when the ministry of Christ has warned the heart, and it always will, whether divine light, then there will be a readiness to see that ministry that touches the conscience and the things that are a hindrance will drop off because the heart is filled with Christ.
I believe that's very important to notice.
Brothers Halo especially. I was brought out with Peter.
In the first of John, Deere learned to go the love of Christ, but it was later that Peter discovered in the 5th of Luke, arm of sinful man, O Lord.
He learned to know something of the love of Christ first.
Blue Dog. And then the Parsons would read.
And I believe that is a very important principle to notice in the word of God, and also a new passage that has been alluded to in in the 12Th of Louis.
We notice that there's a there's a word for the conscience of Peter here. Who there? He says. Who there?
Is that faithful and wide tour? So the question of stewardship, it's a question of exercise on the part of the individual.
Not to take place of prominence, but to fulfill that ministry that God has given him. And if Peter is a man, better fulfill it because it's all coming out as a judgment seat of Christ. As we see in the Second of Corinthians, the whole thing is coming out.
Now the difficulty here in this first part of our chapter was that there were factions among them.
And that's the beginning of trouble in an assembly.
The the having regard to one person more than another.
It's it's an evil.
That there there's bitter fruit of the end, there should be the affection for all the things that the apostle tells us without partiality.
Without our salary, some may divide over some particular things separate from other Christians. It might have been in Torrance over a matter of some having more than others.
Some may have been following some particular petty doctrine that they love, but it's all wrong dividing the things if the heart of the Saints is attached to Christ.
The ministry will be accepted no matter who gives it.
Who say brother Eric on my I expect you with milk and not with meat is the dog.
In the beginning of the second capture, determined to know nothing among you, say Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Well, it would change though.
Then they know that he fixed out here and his mom was.
Instrumental.
And bringing them to Christ as a Savior.
Owner offenders were driven all that they were state and on their way to heaven.
But that will remain.
Knowing nothing but.
A lot of given us as the gospel, Speaking of the gospel, now we're Speaking of that with God.
Right as a failure before the soul, they must be see that river lost.
We're on our way, we're lost, we kind of thing and the price met our needs is definitely and now.
He has offered as a savior to all who will accept him Well, who?
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That's golf balls with the beginning of the old Christian license tested, but if we only.
Faith to God, have no peace. Give me. In other words, have no Bible readings, have nothing but gossip. Christmas.
We wouldn't make problems with Christmas at the milk, but again we are reminded that the reason why every apostles would only give them the milk and this was the apostle himself here that says that that he kept them with milk and not was me because.
Because they were in. They were not in a state of troll to enter into the.
Deeper things of God.
And as you mentioned, rather.
Mundane that one thing was that that characterized their carnality. Was those divisions among them a lack of the unity of the spirit?
And the first thing you had mentioned that.
Christ crucified what to do, or to the Greek fully well, when He came among them, the Spirit of God, no doubt.
Gave him to realize how that their natural tendency was to.
Look at things from an intellectual standpoint. Well, he was determined that he wouldn't do that.
He would bring Jesus Christ and Him crucified before them.
Connection with the eternal failure. I was thinking of the verse in James that says for ending and strife is there is confusion and every evil works. And one is often found that ending in place is what is on the surface, but there's always something else behind it. There's carelessness in our lives that causes this sort of thing. And when you can be exercised, sometimes we try to correct what's on the surface, the ending and the stripes.
That maybe there are things underneath, that there's a real cause.
That are not judged in our lives and when we get before the Lord and our hearts are refreshed in his love and were drawn back to him. I believe love goes out to the same not by being cold that it should go out, but it says he yourselves are proud of God to love one another. So I believe brethren that very often in what is appearing on the surface is not the real thing.
And with thoroughly thought, Carl, for when we come to the fifth chapter, we find that there were other things underlying all this. There never been a third judgment of that way that they walked before they were saved. The practice of the Gospel had been brought before them, as our brother has remarked, and they had been saved, but there hadn't been a fair separation from those things they went on with, and they were still looking to man, and occupied with man, and not growing in their souls.
This conviction here at Corn, which he calls the carnal condition, really means that these things were swarmed. They had never grown. Well, I does not think it is to see a dwarf. And sometimes babies remain. They could hear.
Well, it's a sad thing to see and not condition and maybe two of our two spiritually.
Still dwarf haven't ever thrown with the Hebrews. It seems to be a different thing with them as we read of it in Hebrews 5.
It was a kind of a second childhood. They've gone back again and they were acting like children.
Again.
In the 11Th verse of Hebrews 5 it says, of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, we have made that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of prawns meat.
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Become such. They had gone back on what they had retained. They had become such and have made of milk. They were in need of the first principles of things again, the elementary things.
And the apartment wall speaks to them to exercise their hearts, even as he's speaking to the Corinthians to exercise their hearts. Or why are these things in the Word? They're to exercise our hearts too.
Don't you think, Anderson, the first first for the 4th chapter of Galatians, explains the conditions of those in the 5th chapter of Hebrews by which you're just reading?
Late and four and one you read now I say that the air as long as he is a child. If there is nothing from the service, there will be the Lord of all, but he is under cooters and government until the time appointed of the fathers. Even so, we when we were children were in ******* under the elements of the world. I believe that those in Hebrews.
Has gone back to the law.
Through the ceremonies and temple worship and so on of the Jews, and having thoroughly broken with Julian. And so they were just in the states of the Old Testament faith, who are like children, the apostle, life and friends who haven't reached their maturity.
Underage.
Haven't entered into their rights yet.
But the apartment was thinking to bring before the installation.
The the.
The Christian now who has entered into here the privileges.
Why he is like a grown up man centered into his inheritance and all his blessings that belong to him now as a has a sun and an air and one who was the best of all spiritual blessings. So there's that little difference. I believe in the.
Really impossible.
Thinking about.
They're needing just some milk there and and Hebrews 5 and and here in in First Corinthians 3. Definitely carnality.
We're all liable to be affected by our environment and what we have been brought up in, and these Corinthians have been brought up to make a great deal of the human mind and philosophy and that sort of thing after they were saved and they were seeking to bring that kind of thing into the things of God.
And that was carnality. It was fleshly with the with the Hebrews. They had these ritual and ceremonial Judaism. They had a tendency to go back to that or introduce it into Christianity. Well, I suppose, brethren, is a lesson for us all. We all have a background of something. And if we're not going on with the Lord, these things will affect our Christian progress. They'll hinder us.
Unless we get before the Lord about them. If any man be in Christ, there is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. And if he has to bring out in the second Epistle, it was necessary that we're to bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. That is the end of what we were as men in the flesh, that the lakes are also Jesus.
Might be made manifest enough to ensure that this has the word for us all. The more we get into His presence and occupied with Him, the more we'll see the need. And God sees the need, and we see it too if we're in His presence of the self being judged.
But it will appear different ways in each one of us according to what our background has been.
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I like what you spoke, I've just been ourselves wanting to judge something wrong that we have done. It's another thing to judge the self who is guilty of that wrong thing and there isn't real restoration until felt as good.
In the 11Th chapter of First Corinthians.
In the 31St, 1St, 1St instance of letters.
Or if we would judge ourselves to notice that of the some failures. But if we would judge ourselves.
We could not be done.
Judge, there means the justice on the case of the Lord upon his children, because of their their way.
But when we are judged, we are cases of the Lord that we should not be condemned to the world.
Showing that the one he is Speaking of, there are two children of God, will not be condemned to the world that it is, will not be at the great white strong judgment and have their ten thread out into a lost eternity.
Now they get their their.
Just run down here. There's judgment, right? That's why God builds old strictly with his children, because they're not afraid. That awful judgment that awaits.
Those that are in their sins without strength, but I love their emphasis, that point there that you made and it's very important. We would judge ourselves. We couldn't help the we couldn't help the judge.
There's a much deeper thing, just like.
In the case of Joel, well, Job was such a man that said God pulled even faith and that he had none light. The perfect man, no Christ man.
But still, George has never discerned himself.
Never seen what he was in the presence of God, although a true child of God, but after the child he went through.
By the consulate where he says, I've heard of thee, by the hearing of the years, and now mine eyes see it, and I have for myself.
Don't say I warned myself. And repentant destinations.
I suppose the apostle Paul was given grace at the very beginning of things to to see the the light after that and the judge the whole thing, and that's what gave him liberty as he went on in service for the Lord. It wasn't just judging little things merely as they came along, which was true, but he saw the whole thing as opposed to God the flesh, and we judged it from the start.
And that's what gave him the power and life, I believe.
I believe you ever get the arms.
Habits and associations, it's only great that gives us to rise above them, and these are the things that that cripple us spiritually.
Is swinging through our old habits and our associations.
There has to be that break if we're going to go on with God.
And then they're asked to be the constant self judgment.
This is something that we can go through and be done with.
And never return to those things.
But it's the daily exercise for daily matter of self judgment, constant self judgment.
As we go on every day and every moment we have to be the exercise and things are allowed. Even thoughts come into our minds that are unseen are disarming to the Lord and the need of media self judgment.
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Rather than have come in.
Nice to to leave time for progress too, because in this part consider too, you were not able, that is, may have been saved for some time, and there was time that there should have been more progress than there was. And in the passage that our brother read to us in Hebrews, it says when for the time he ought to be confused. We ought to make a mistake, I believe, rather than investing too much when people are first raised.
It takes time.
Samuel's mother made him a new coat each year. And so if we're going on with the Lord, there will be progress. But too rapid growth is not always a sign of spirituality. It may be just what we're talking about, head knowledge. But if the Lord Jesus is before us, he's the object. These things will gradually drop off, and it's nice to watch our president just like we watch our children.
We like to see them grow naturally. That is, we like to see them get taller and stronger. Well, that's what we should look for in our brethren, that progress in the things of the God, of what pleased the heart of the apostle here and Hebrews or the Baptist growth didn't take place.
And he thought that you're that ministry that was necessary so that the growth might be resumed, that it might go on. And we ought to be exercise too. But I say this because young believers might get the series. God is taken, but is Christ becoming more precious to us?
Is there in us a deeper desire to know His will and to walk in it?
How would you explain the difference to the way Peter used the word melt in the second chapter of the first epistle and way the apostles?
And for you that here.
Well, I believe the.
Depends on the you might say the sense in which faith is used Lord faith in First Corinthians or bathe reviews why it's in a in a bad sense that is, there have not been.
Spiritual growth problems Peter is taking know of the natural growth.
As.
They there in the natural growth, why they desire the sincere milk of the word. They grow thereby. That's the natural thing for me to do, as far as quite a different thing, you know.
If your child is older and still claims that, why there's something wrong.
That's the way it seems to me.
I was just going to ask you.
In connection with judgment about First Peter 4.
17 and 18.
I'm going to reassign her.
For the time has come that judgment must begin at or. I believe it's from the House of God. And if it first begins from us, what shall end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall we ungodly and the sinners appear?
That word carefully should be difficulties in this year to be a difficult. Well, I believe that's just the line of things talking about basically what's before us in the 11Th chapter.
00:45:00
Apartheid training, the bread that we could not be condemned with the world that God is. God deals with his family before he grew over.
This guilty world, oh God how people, all the living stones needed help.
A second to capture Mr. President, we also live in stones are built up of spiritual power. Well, if there's any place that one would fit to have one of the system and what it is according to his.
Desire and thoughts is what goes on in his home and can't keep all the neighborhood children going on and we were we think they did, but you know, give his own house in order and so so that's the way it was gone.
First thing he has to deal with is his house.
All that.
We often see here man of the world that will do something terrible things one in the fifth honor ungodly wicked way and live a whole life.
And when they get in, no trouble over it. And the child of God maybe just takes one step in that direction and immediately he's in trouble.
God is dealing with it well. The very fact he is in trouble, He is being dealt with so that he is a child of God. Judgment must begin at the House of God.
You know an individual day when?
The prophet was told and taken to.
Play the souls that Jerusalem, he said. And begin it at my sanctuary.
So he began. And there the elders, the ones that were most prominent and most responsible for the state of things.
They're in connection with the work, they're in connection with the work of Jehovah were the first ones that were were struck down.
Well, let's just carrying out of that same principle. And then he says if the race was difficult in his face.
Well, it's a difficult task. Every child of God is following through this.
This guilty world and the enemy of our souls is busy and the world is speaking to deceive us. Everything, so to speak, is is opposing our problem. Or it is a difficult path for a child of God to wend his way through such a corruption and evil world that we're living in. Well, if it's a difficult path for the child of God.
Will the envy of those that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, Those of heaven Christ stand naked before the Greek Christ thrown on a lawful.
For the novel Thing away friends, is that something of the false brotherhood? Yes, I think so. I wish that friend 9. Perhaps you had something more on the subject.
No.
I believe it has been remarked, the difficulty, the righteous, the difficulty, say the difficulty is the care that God uses over His own and their passage through their wilderness. That is a great care that He exercised.
Going on, according to his lawyers.
There's a verse and a month. Amen. Chapter 3 and verse 2.
That brings out this principle.
Too.
I'll start with verse one.
Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you or children of Israel.
Against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt stage.
You only have unknown of all the families.
00:50:00
On the Earth.
Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.
He doesn't say now, because you're my family, you're my people, I'll pass over all those iniquities. Your fault. Your kids, No Jesus.
You're my family.
How fun is you brought your iniquities?
And we certainly need to have that kept before us. As well as knowing the grace of God, we need to remember that God is the God of government.
Get the same thought to don't we? In the 30th of Jeremiah I was thinking of the of course the care for these people in Jeremiah 30 and the 11Th verse.
And then for I am with thee, that's the Lord to save me, So I make the full end of all nations, whether I have scattered bees.
Yet, well, I am not made the full end of these, but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether on money.
That's lovely. I've enjoyed that verse that's been lying.
With that bird whom the whom the Lord loveth is taken, encourage that every son whom we receive, it's always done love.
Just like those when we spoke roughly to his brother because he saw there wasn't repentance in their lives. He had to be faithful. And yet his heart was burning in love while he was speaking so severely to them. He went off and wet, you know?
Because he couldn't reveal himself to them at that time.
These two scriptures that were read in the Old Testament have no doubt their fulfillment in the day when.
When the Lord will deal with Israel again before he sets them up and blessed him as a nation, and no doubt the principal is in this first theater. Could we could we not say that first Peter will give us the government of God's house, where the second Peter would be more in regard to.
Outside in the world, would that be the the thought of things?
Let's watch your friend, Mr. Garvey says.
I'm thinking of.
Peter and.
And growth has been mentioned, a thinking of Peter when he came to the end of himself, that he saw himself before the Lord, and at the very end of his epistle.
That is the 2nd and fiscal, he says. But yo in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I said lovely. The last part with Peter was Grove.
Regarding this responsibility.
Does this.
Orson and Luke 1247 and 48 apply.
As regards responsibility.
We certainly are thankful to the Lord for the truth which we have.
And for his manifold race of love and wardens.
I was just wondering about Luke 1247 and 48.
Or does this have some other applications and that service which knew his Lords will?
And preferred not himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many sights. But he that knew not. And did cement have been worthy of stripes. They'll be deep in a few strikes.
For unto whomsoever must be heaven of him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much of him, they will add more. I believe they have 47 minutes to retire the 1St to a man that takes the place in the 1St place that is not saved at all, and he will be meeting with many stripes.
00:55:09
And it shows the principles to and connect them with the judgment of the law, that all will not be together the same. Some will be two stripes, and so many tribes. But.
Is the principal a general principle there?
Being in connection with God, dealing with his people now.
Those who haven't been sucking, haven't been taught the truth, no one having but maybe some system of men. Well they're not as responsible as those that are brought up in the truth and have heard the full wonderful truth all their lives. They found who are responsible and God will.
Deal with them and connect them with his ways in government more severely. But I've never had those privileges.
Most times as we actually are in danger of even thinking of spiritual growth and the understanding of the scripture as a matter of gift.
I wonder if I'm the only one that's ever been guilty of thinking of it that way. We'll see a brother and sister who perhaps is growing in his soul and in the understanding of scriptures. And we rather excuse ourselves by saying, well, that's against the brother and it's to be expected that he would grow and understand the scriptures well. But not being gifted, I'm not expected to grow as he does. I'm not expected to understand the sister that he does.
I wonder if I'm the only one that's ever been guilty of feeling that way. I think in scripture we do see that giving out of the truth as a gift, but the taking in of the truth and spiritual growth is certainly not a gift. I suppose it would be the result of.
Diligence and submission. And if we feel that we have known the Lord and are not growing in our souls and are not growing in the world, we can't put it down to lack of gifts. I believe within the exercise before the Lord by what you've just been hearing.
All these people, all men. She's a man's name. Philosophy.
I wonder why?
Now the Lord has given us any knowledge of these things that can be a blessing to our brethren and considered us to give it out for responsible to do it. Aren't we the same thought to be 10? So perhaps our articles had the ability in reducing that ability for other things instead of for the glory of the Lord and for the blessing of His people. And I believe it's still true today.
But there are those in the Lord could use very much and ministering to and blessing his people. But we can use what we have for ourselves. We can hide our town and the earth is at work and get occupied getting along in this world. Well, I'm sure there's a little word of exercise to us all. Are we teaching to give out the word in the measure in which it's been made precious in our own souls in the measure of the Lord has enabled us to do it.
And one gift that mentions in Romans 12, along with the other gifts getting with the apology of the prophet, that's the gift of a health.
Well, everyone can be a help and I'll be a gift to gospel preacher. May not have a gift as a teacher, but we can all help.
And I believe that appeal to the young people.
That occurred in the tables or something they could do for the Lord. Well, they're helping and maybe ask the judge repeat of Christ and that some of these young people that are seeking to help their brethren in this way.
Get more of a reward than those that are taking the lead and administering the word the Lord.
01:00:08
Measures everything according to whether.
Christ is the arm.
I was just thinking of work in the 17th chapter.
John Gospel, where the Lord is prayer to his Father, expresses his thoughts.
And the transfer all mine are thine and mine are mine and I am glorified in them.
Mother Potter made this remark one time.
Had a bedridden sink might be glorifying gloss more than a brother that cooking the gospel because the sister, the bedridden sister is submitting to the Lords will in the trial he is going through. Whereas perhaps the brothers are preaching the gospel might be occupied with himself and his gift and his ability and much of self.
The.
Their in connection with his, his service. So it's something to remember. The Lord looks at the heart, you know, And then there's another thing Brother Potter said about that verse.
In terms of.
That it's not what the disciples say about themselves, it's what the Lord says about them. I am glorified in them.
Ever since, we're anything, and we're essential to the Lord's glory.
It's early in a bad state, but it's lovely when the Lord can say that and said about for disciples that had been.
Been only a short time before in an argument among themselves who should be the greatest? And yet the Lord looks far deeper.
Brother among us, Lord sees wherever there's a real heart and a desire to please him, the Lord sees that. And all of these, he says I'm glorified in them.
Would you say that Apollo?
We have a policy here in the next two verses to say Apollo's with more alignment with in the work of an evangelist.
Paul says here I have planted the fall of water. It seems that in this festival with their thoughts that.
Paul had preached the gospel, and through his.
Labors in the Gospel.
Sinners have been saved in the assembly. There has been formed. Then the parcel. Paula comes along later.
It doesn't seem that it was so much the preaching of the South in this case for the pause, but establishing those things and.
That was we expressed that my water in there watering the sea just like to put a little seed in the ground and then the Lord makes it come up and grow, but then it must have the water to moisten the soil so that plant and develop and grow.
And that's a very needed work that any the Lord zone can do for him. And I think we need to remember until the love of that we're instigating about any gift whatever that we're not limiting the thought of of kids to adjust those who go about in the Lord's work.
And a gift is divorce.
Time and lives may not be a very.
Very much ability, but it's it can be used even if in a feeble way, to help our brothers go in saying this, we want to encourage.
01:05:05
All here in their local meetings to help strengthen one another and the things of the Lord.
Does the word I'm not word help?
Was an encouragement to me one time what was pointed out that there is such a thing on on the ship called health. It's the band that are underwater, out of sights that hold the ship together.
And to think of our sisters and our young people who are the Lord. They can be helped. Perhaps they're not on the platform, but they're on the knees in prayer. Or there might be during a quiet work in the home.
Is not known by many, that's by a number of the Lord, but it's not help and it's very, very essential that we be willing to take those little places of humidity and serve the Lord as health.
Remember the reason why I mentioned the followers was not necessarily that he was given over to vandalistic work, but I believe in the book of Acts is the references are not to to praise the city of the gospel. Wasn't that a policy?
Hello, going off for work doesn't necessarily mean you just the freaking like would be preaching on the corner or in the hall, but possibly.
The the work that would establish gold, and at least there was a distinction, was there not between the work of the Apostle Paul in some respects no matter Apollo, and some were clinging to Apollo.
And making a center around the palace and some are making it better around the fall. And that was the difficulty was here at Torrance with the Doctor.
In the case of Paul the Polish, don't we read about them in the 4th chapter first thing please?
And these things, brethren, I have been a figure transferred to myself, and to apologize for your faith.
Was not really anything else in front of the.
Railroad and corn, and certain ones who tell me, or I think it is probably is a very fine speaker and others would know. I think the 5th brother is very, very much before the Lord, and there was a forming of parties in the court.
But Paul wouldn't give the names of these brothers, but he would just give the thought that he and the tallest might be followed by a person number of people. And they did.
Talk of one brother against another woman. Come on.
That's a different thought, isn't it, brothers India, from what you have here in the third chapter. I have planted Nepalis water that were.
The work of God.
And going on to get in the first chapter.
The difference between the apostles.
And the first chapter were 12. And I think in that verse it's the same as this verse. They were making parties really. I'll be apostle. But there were also men among themselves leaders and were forming.
Sex on their own, so release that in this fourth step.
Well, we're having sex.
I was thinking that perhaps that sixth verse in the 4th chapter might be connected with the fifth verse in our third chapter where he says, and who then is Paul and who is the power? Well, it has been remarked, I believe, that dear Paul didn't bring out these leaders who are causing the trouble, but he demolished himself first.
01:10:00
Who then is Paul? So he used those terms. So the names of all the pollets, Justice figures.
But he demolished himself first. Who is Paul?
Something like John the Baptist brother heirs them around the disciples of John.
Were in Galleria their leader?
And they came and said, told Jesus that John was baptizing more to power. Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John. Well, the way John needs that.
That cause of division. He does just what Paul does here.
He makes the Rodney just smashes himself to pieces.
So I'm he must increase, I must decrease.
Other words, if there's going to be any spirit of rivalry among the disciples where John would just go into the background and disappear entirely, for in no way that he would hinder the eggs all cave of the person of Christ, there never be any division of all God's service of action in that spirit.
Willing to be nothing so that Christ would be everything.
Nor our service puts us in the public eye, the more danger there is of self coming in. So we have to be get back to Guildhall. If there's a special victory, however, in connection with what the Lord would have us do. When Saul of Parsis was saved on the road to Damascus, he said, Lord, what will thou have me to do? And it isn't just for us to find something ourselves.
We're not all trying to do the same thing, and maybe the Lord doesn't intend out at all, but if we ask him, Lord that will God have me to do? And in his presence we find what he wants us to do, then He'll enable us to go on with that.
Quietly and humbly, and be willing, as it's been remarked, to be made nothing of, because it's the approval of the wander we serve that is before us. But I believe there's a danger with our poor heart that if some service obtained a certain amount of prominence and popularity, we want to do that kind of thing. Well, we have to be before the Lord and ask Him, what do you want us to do?
And it may be that that thing that is not seen and is hidden from the public eye, as the Lord said.
Their father would see us in secret. Himself shall reward thee openly.
So let us eat to other brothers, especially young old, ask the Lord what He wants us to do, and then also find from Him the great to do it.
The 2nd Corinthian 11 / 2. Is that her 20?
Jealous over you with godly jealous I have exposed to the 100 and I may present you as a big worth of surprise.
And the gospel fall, there's a peaceful effect. Soul to himself start to affect the first gloss. Is that the principle? Yes.
Too reminds me of the summer dates and I had not too long ago a couple of brothers in an assembly team to be concerned, I believe with a godly exercise about the assembly Bible reading which was not too well attended.
And I simply ask them if they both spend a little time in prayer before they came to the assembly Bible reading. Neither of them were brothers who took any part in the local Bible reading. But I asked them if they and their wives look to the Lord in prayer before they came to the Bible reading.
And it seemed to me that the destiny that I certainly felt I needed personally, that if each one of us.
We're really personally concerned about these things, that we would be found in that way, a hidden hell, and that if we really were desirous of the blessing of the Lord and the growth of the Lord's people, and we would be found in that way in prayer. I think perhaps those of us who made from time to time be in the public eye a little, shall we say, we realize how very peaceful it is.
01:15:10
To be before the Lord. But then perhaps the next evening when someone else is going to have the responsibility, we take it much more indifferently and sometimes we're made to feel how very, very sad that is. Why am I so much more concerned about one evening and not so concerned about another? If I really have the glory of the Lord and the blessing of its people, I believe we would be in prayer at home in our local assembly.
That the blessing of the Lord might be found in the assembly. Bible reading. I was going out the door after a Bible reading the evening.
And I think perhaps there were a number of us that felt there was some hindrance. There seemed to be a sort of Baroness that evening and a sister turned to me on the way out and she said there must have been something wrong with my appetite tonight or the Lord would have given better food.
Well, I thought that was a very lovely and personal way to take the feeling that all of us seem to determine there must have been something wrong with my appetite. Didn't point a bit to that brother when she felt could have explained things a little better and rather pointed to herself as perhaps being.
And kill me before the Lord. And if we each one, and that certainly would apply to brothers and sisters were prayerfully concerned about the welfare of the Lord and people, we would be in prayer.
No.
Responsibility a while ago.
Possible to use the words of illegal strength regardless of strength.
Well, there's always a danger of falling legality.
We're doing a thing just.
Of Arabic or though we were forced to do it loses its power, but it's it's guns or union with the Lord where maybe the very same thing that state of the union with the Lord.
Our blessing was done in a legal way. My caused further trouble and or irritation and maybe just embittered with another.
So. So is the spirit in which anything is done.
There is a sense of corresponding to the Baylor that if the Lord gives us something to do, it becomes our responsibility to do it, Paul said. War with me if I preach, not the gospel.
And so that in another place he said, But so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I accept thee to be a light to the Gentiles. So if we have discovered what the Lord wants us to do, love causes it to have the power of a command over our hearts. We feel we must do it. But it's by the constraint of love. It isn't like under law.
An old brother, Blount said one time that he got.
A legal state and he felt that he had to do certain things. He said that he felt one time you should go through a factory and speak to everybody in that factory about their souls.
Depressed about it and spent hours on his knees and finally got up and went and it was a noon on. There wasn't anyone there.
It was just legal urge.
Was behind it all. Well, he found there, he said he had to learn some lessons. You know, not getting into that legal state.
46 in the back of the book.
Have I and obviously floors with all which would divide my heart to be which would be hurt even though and after July concentration.
#46 in the back of the book.
1 Corinthians 3:6-17
Reading
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General Meetings, Detroit 1962 Reading meeting Friday.
The Holy Ghost.
The Lion Lord, since we've been of pilgrims, all give us pilgrims way.
Long lots of self defending, no flammers vibrate all make up each more holy and spirit your me more like your heavenly citizens and more of heavenly sea 231.
1St we begin.
3706.
Great picture, that.
Property 5 is better.
Where's Princeton St. verse 5?
By whom he believes.
Either the Lord goes to every man I have a powerful that God gave the empty.
For neither he department anything, neither is he wandered water that God has given the influence.
Well, he the plan, and he the walkers are once and every man should receive his own reward according to his own language.
Corn to his own later for your laborers together with God here our God building.
According to grace of God, which is given unto me, otherwise, Master builders, I've laid the foundation and another bill of their own that let every man take peace how he build up there upon.
Foundation. Can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ?
Know of any man build from this foundation? Gold, Silver, Precious.
Every man's work should be made manifest.
For the days of the clearance, because it shall be revealed by fire. Under fire should try every man's word of what sort is.
If any man's work abides, which is built their upon, he should receive it in their heart.
They've been around work to be burned. He should suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so is by fire.
00:10:03
Know ye not that you are the temple of God, and that the fear of God dwells in you, If any man defile the temple of God until God destroys, or the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Let no man defeat himself. And then the man among you seemeth to be wise in this world. Let him become a fool that he may be. Why? For the wisdom of this world is foolishness, or it is written.
He's taken the laws in their own craft, and again, the Lord knows the fault of the wise that they are being.
No man's glory is man, for all things are yours.
Whether Paul or Apollo or pizza or the world or life or death or their friends or things to come, all are yours and you are Christ, and Christ is gone.
Pasco is giving us the view of the work of God.
And car.
In viewing that work hard, we get caught through the work of God at all times.
After all, if God is given the increase.
And then as to Labour.
We are fellow laborers. I believe that's the way it should be.
You are God's husband. Isn't the thought of laboring together with God his fellow laborers?
That is, the fault is that all the Lord servants are.
Are just working together to be harmonious.
And create one another, go on together one work the work of God.
That's the always important thing. It saw us work that are caused by that and how close the determined is doing.
It's about Brother Mary.
The eight workers together in the work, not not working with daughters. That's the thought.
As I remember the translation, is that right for the children?
Fellows, fellows doing God's work. That's the thought Workman.
We're working together now. We're working with God and sort of a partner with us, but we're partners together working for.
For God himself.
There is also in Mark. This is there they went forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and unless he works by what is done, there is nothing really accomplished. Of course, here I'm sure it's the thought of responsibility, because immediately is brought before us the view of all this being manifested, that the judgment seat of Christ and what has been done.
Whether it's according to the instructions that are laid down.
Or whether there's been a lot of outward shells. So that was the danger at Corinth. They were occupied with the outward show they came behind and no gift. But the question is, is the work going to abide?
Being called God spelling. Yeah, God.
We are God, husband Ray. We are God building. So there's two cops there, Husband Ray.
And is this the problem? Vineyard or something? A farmer is growing and there are those that tend to the plants look after the care.
00:15:02
Call the patience.
Being cared for.
Then the building.
A building like Paul says. As a white master builder, I have laid the foundation and another building there upon.
That is all went to Corinth when it was the heathen city.
And preached to God.
Preaching Christ, he laid the foundation for he says, other foundation that no man lay than that easily which is Jesus Christ.
But then we have immediately size of a service responsibility of every man. He can't how he knows the fair font.
And it's helpful in considering the subject of the church to look at it, and this way that man is the builder here if you take the 16th chapter of Matthew's Gospel and look at that chapter a moment.
When I am replying, here is the face in the 17th bird that.
Unto him left with our thou Simon bar Jones, for flesh, Blood has not revealed it under thee. But my Father, which is in heaven, and I fear to be that thou art Peter. That is, Peter was a little soul. There are two words there in the original.
But upon this rock, that's another word.
It's the bedrock, Peter. Was the little stone built on that on that bedroom, on this bedrock, I will build, I will build my church held off the veil against.
Christ is the builder himself and all the material that's brought into that.
Building good material. He only builds with good material, but in the third chapter, First Corinthians.
Man is the builder there and that's why you get not only gold, silver and precious gold, but you get good hands double.
Those who serve the Lord and bring in furious material.
I just want to make a profession of Christ that wasn't real.
Well, I've seen it done. I've done it myself. Talk people into a confession that wasn't real. Well, I brought one into the confession of Christ.
And Doctor Palmer as a Christian when he wasn't really converted, well, that's what the apostle is warning us to hear about, about how we build on this foundation.
There'll be no such serious material in the real church for the turtles. He is the oldest way is the church that's only built a living stones, as Peter should tell us.
Gates of hell shall not prevail against us. It's heavenly hearing.
The place that the Satan can't touch.
We get the husband we brought out and they 15th after John.
I am the turbine, and my father is the husband. Every branch in me that very nuts from you take it away every breath that very soon you purchase it, that it may bring forth more. So I think that's along the line of what six others God's husband raised.
Planning.
Planted in his garden, as it were.
Even in that place is all there was, one of the Frances that was cut off. That was good. It wasn't really a believer at all.
00:20:19
You mentioned Brother Very.
In First Corinthians here man is the builder. I was wondering if if in Ephesians 2 is that God is building there, isn't it? Yeah that that is in line with the 16th chapter of Matthew. The part is the builder there in those verses in the second of Ephesians.
The nineteen, 20th and 21St verses Now therefore, you're no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the buildings fit a framed together, grow up onto a holy temple in the Lord.
God is building. There isn't.
And the wonderful purpose of that building.
And whom he also are building together? Or have they have gone through the Spirit?
I think I heard you, Brother Hale, bring out one time why in that second chapter of the season. It's built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets. You find that out again, I think be helpful.
See it in the.
In this chapter, we're considering the 3rd place for Infinity.
Christ himself is the foundation.
Here it speaks about being built on the foundation of apostles and prophets.
Well, it says in our chapter here. As a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation. The foundation is the Lord Jesus. But the apostles and prophets laid the foundation, and that's why we don't have apostles and prophets today. The foundation has already been laid. It doesn't have to be laid against.
The work that is going on now is building upon that foundation, those groups that profess to have apostles and prophets. It's because they have a different foundation. But here, where we have learned the truth.
The truth that has been ministered by the Apostles and prophets from the New Testament to abide.
And our responsibility now is to walk in that truth, to minister that truth.
God giveth the entry and we need to remember that the prophets here are not the Old Testament prophets. There are New Testament prophets, and the very fact that apostles precedes the precedes the prophet.
That the Apostle is not talking about.
Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah or to them the truth of the church does not even reveal with hitting God who created all things by Jesus Christ that time.
So they were in New Testament prophets at the beginning.
They were inspired men like the apostles. That's quite clear from the end of the 16th of Romans, isn't it? 16th of Romans in the 25th verse. Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God.
Made known to all nations.
For the obedience of faith there we can see that He's Speaking of New Testament prophecy. This was something that was kept secret before now is made manifest and has been given to us by the New Testament prophets.
It's really the prophetic scripture Speaking of the partners of the Old Testament.
When Christ went on high in the second of Acts, he received the Spirit in man.
00:25:04
And gave gifts, did he not? And it's the apostles that date from that time, I believe, that referred to here.
That passage in Ephesians 2 That we were looking at just a moment ago.
It might be well to remark that the 21St verse.
Is that building that?
Will be complete and the whole church is gathered in.
But the 22nd verse is really What's true now is the God.
Yes, I believe that's right. The 22nd verse is there for the habitation of God through the Spirit. That's what's taking place now. And the same this man's responsibility in the 22nd verse. But in the 21St verse. Why, that's God's building.
The excitation of the 4th chapter is based on. This is enough. Yes it is. The third chapter is really a parenthesis in between.
But I asked that in the 4th chapter where it says he gave some apostles and some prophets for the perfecting of the states. Does that mean that the foundation and ministry of the apostles and prophets bill with us, but not that the apostles and prophets themselves are expected still to be with us, that means.
You don't run this foundation. We're up to the ceiling, do you? You lay the foundation and then you proceed. You wrecked the building on that foundation. The foundation has been laid.
And now the work is going on.
In that view of things that still in process of formation and will not be complete until.
Lord comes in the air and the last stone will be laid and the Lord will take his people away. But his brother Ericsson was saying that in the 22nd verse of season 2.
Let's truest completed any one time in the history of the Church year or so.
Are build it together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
That is, the Holy Spirit dwells in church here on earth. He came down on the day of Pentecost. He dwells in the church that was formed when he came church. Began to grow. 3000 saved that day.
So the number increased, but it was still a habitation of God by the spirit of soul. That habitation has been here on the earth from last day to this.
I thought, Brother Sheldrick, the habitation has the thought of the Tabernacle and the verse before the thought of the temples have the two costs.
The Tabernacle was God's habitation with Israel, wasn't it? During their wilderness journey?
It says in Revelation.
The 21St chapter.
Verse 3 Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they should be his people.
I I just want to ask a question, what connection would that have with this that we're Speaking of?
Well, I believe Brother Anderson, that is the whole heavenly company Tabernacle.
Over the the earthly people during the eternal state, is that right for their?
Yes, I believe that's right. The Tabernacle of God is with men. That is, it is swelling place so to speak, but it's with man and it is the.
00:30:10
Well, it's definitely the church now as to how much that Tabernacle might embrace and the whole redeem.
Why? That might be a question, but.
11 Could speak definitely honest.
But the thought of the Tabernacle?
Is.
Has lived in you, or this. Bring bring this before us. That is God's dwelling place where God dwells.
Tabernacle with Israel and the wilderness. Now there's a habitation of God through the Spirit that is Tabernacle now where God dwells on this earth at the present time, and then in the eternal state where.
God will Tabernacle and the connection with the heavenly company and the men, which will be the earthly company.
Does Hebrews 3?
And four and five have something to do with this thought that they have before us Hebrews 3/4.
For every house.
Is builded by some man.
But he have done all things of God, and Moses barely was faithful in all his house as a servant.
For his For his testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, but.
As as his son over his own house, whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope? Herman's end is that the boiled eggs deposit.
But he that built all things as God.
That's the.
The whole little creation.
You might say it's like this. You see the Tabernacle has three.
Hearts. It was the court. And then there was the, the, the, the first sanctuary, and then there was the inner sanctuary. Well, so to speak, God dwells in the whole creation. That's like the first part. And then there's the.
The second chord and the third chord. But when when it speaks here.
But Price has gone over his own house. Whose house or we will of course be talking about? About believers forming the House of God now here.
And are continuing in holding fast as long as we are part of that house.
But we say that the words are used, I think, consistently in the word that when the word house is used, it has to do with our conduct.
When it's the temple it's the thought of worship, but usually the thought of distance in connection with worship, because in the heavenly city it says I saw no temple there in for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. But the thought of Tabernacle is always in scripture I believe, the thought of dwelling among men.
And that is the wonderful thing that God has become a man in the person of his Son. And it's not just for a while, it's for all eternity that he's going to dwell among men. And so that which brings before us there on the 21St of Revelation, the eternal state, I believe is this wonderful fact.
That he's going to be a man forever to dwell among men, and he'll be the first born among many brethren they redeemed. There with him are one. In that sense, he is not ashamed to call the president.
By the hail would be the same as what we have in First Timothy 3:15.
First Timothy 3:15 but if I'm very long.
That thou mayst know how.
Thou Artest to behave thyself in the House of God, their conduct, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
First Timothy 3:15.
00:35:00
So it's important to realize our responsibility as the members of the body of faith to behave ourselves as they come up the House of God.
Christ is Son over. I believe it's God's house, isn't it?
It has to do with our conduct now, Just as when Israel went through the wilderness, the Tabernacle was there, but there was also the governmental ways of God. And Christ is done over God's house. God has manifested himself in grace in the most marvelous way.
Brought us into a perfect standing, but I believe there's a responsibility side brought before us from that expression.
Well, the word of warning, for all that seek to serve the Lord and winning souls for Christ, let every man take deep cow He built us there upon.
Because it's a serious thing to lead a soul and confess Christ.
Before the Spirit of God has really wrought my soul, and sometimes I believe it's possible.
To cause one that is really exercised to have an untimely birth.
Sometimes you see a soul that's going through a lot of trouble and sorrow about their sins.
And it might be a mistake to try to leave them immediately to accept Christ as a failure. That exercise they're going through.
As darkness are most important work of God, I know I've seen cases where someone came along and no one was really exercised.
Maybe they gave them believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and got them to make a confession of Christ. Well, they doubtless it was real, and they did accept Christ, but they they were hindered in their in their Christian.
Walk by, having been lit to make confessions before the work of repentance was sufficiently wrought out in their souls.
I've seen, I've done myself and I've been connected with it and made that mistake. So I feel like them warn others of the danger of it. Getting people to confess the Lord before the the the work is really.
Finished work of God so to speak, my viewers illustration You know you take.
A A Caterpillar or a butterfly. You know he's in a cocoon and you see him struggling and struggling to get relief from from this prison where he's been caged and he struggles and someone feels sorry for him and tries to help him out.
Break some of these friends that are holding him and when he comes out, why he's a, he's a he's a wounded butterfly and he never climbed very well because he's been, he's been injured well. It's that struggle you see that he goes through getting out of his cocoon is the way that he's impatient to get his wings so that he can become a full-fledged butterfly.
Well, I believe there's a leader warning along that line. We're very apt to want to be convert, to be people, confess the Lord. And it's been the great harm in connection with revival words. Those who were so anxious, you know, to number their comforts, they well, I held a period of meetings and so many confessed the Lord.
Well, maybe they did a lot of harm, and maybe those who made the confession were not really converted to Paul.
One brother remember he classified such as damaged soul, damaged soul.
They say I tried it and it didn't work.
And they are. They go home discouraged, I say. Well, someone asked the question, did you get saved, Leslie? Well, I said, the preacher said I did. I shook his hand. I signed his card. I don't know what happened. And they're discouraged, which is rather than go back, perhaps more deeply into sin than ever before.
00:40:12
I remember years ago when.
Brother Hart and brother both sisters down Kentucky and it was it was a real work of God going on but people were in front so he's always brothers preaks that saw powerful gospel and those meetings and I'm not sick to get anyone confession of Christ, one brother said. close their brother close. I believe you can get some convert. He tried.
Oh yeah, he said. I could go and shake that tree and bring down a lot of that, he said. But they'd all be green.
Generally.
When anyone built a building, they have a blueprint to follow. Well, there's usually a blueprint for the foundation and a blueprint for the superstructure. Apostle Paul followed the blueprint for the foundation. Now it jumps to us to follow the blueprint for the other part. We have no more license to leave the blueprint to one side than the Apostle Ball did.
He was faithful. We need to look to the Lord for grace to be faithful too. That's the point here, isn't it? According to the grace of God, which is given unto me as the wise Master builder. Now he puts the grace first if God has used him as an architect.
Here why He has the grace first from God to act on it. And I suppose that's the principle if we're to have wisdom in matters that have just been Speaking of.
Grace is found only on our knees, is it not?
The blueprint, I suppose, would be found in the book of the Acts gone. It's very instructive to notice that there isn't one single instance in the book of a person being pressed to a confession.
The gospel is preached powerfully and faithfully, and it was urged the importance of receiving Christ, but not trying to make people make a confession on the front. And it says here in the eighth verse, every man shall receive his own reward according to his own not results, but labor.
So important that we should go by but God has said in his word and he's going to reward according to the labor.
And as we climbed out later, whether it's good material, that is, is it that which God himself is rock, so that the work gathered in will abide?
Very encouraging verse along that line. I believe it's Philippians 1/6.
One has enjoyed it and then much encouraged by it.
Of Philippians 1/6.
Being confident of this very thing that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, If in the clicking soul God will complete the work. And God doesn't need you need me to do it, He can do it without me and.
That's better by far, in connection with the foundation of a building.
If a foundation was played out for a filling, which was to use the expensive materials we have mentioned here, gold, silver and precious stones.
It would be comparatively limited in its extent, but if a foundation was laid out for building that had wood or hand doublets, but here in the much greater extent, and so in Second Timothy, it's called a great house, It must have overrun the foundation.
One is often heard and said here in the.
First Corinthians, that we have three kinds of workmen here. One is a good Workman whose work of five. One is a bad Workman whose work is burned up. And then there is the corrupt Workman who defiles and he is cashed out.
00:45:01
Well, I've often thought that.
In the practical.
Application.
That the first two, the good and the bad workmen, There would perhaps be some of both in everyone, every labor. That there was no one who was 100% good or was no labor really that was 100% bad.
But when it comes to the other one, the corrupt Workman, why it is 100% bad? We get the results of that building in Revelation 18, do we not?
Of that great House, that the the part of it which is which is overrun the foundation.
Revelation 18 and two.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Battle. The greatest fallen is fallen, and it's become a habitation of demons.
And the hold of every power, spirit and a cage of unclean and hateful birds. Cage of every unclean and hateful bird. That's the thought there. That's the the final. Yeah. When the Lord comes, he takes two shirts away. And the perfection of Christianity is left behind. And left. The description of the left behind. This would be the climax of apostrophe. Yes. And.
It all merges into ones that one's destiny.
Oh, lavender and the green.
Both of you that take them here also is not only the manifestation of the work itself, but reward or otherwise for the Workman. So this brings before us the judgment seat of Christ.
The healing of that which is apostate will take place in your remark the living, at least when the corrupt system is destroyed.
But there will be a manifestation. There will be a manifestation in connection with our work at the judgment seat of Christ. And this is all it says in the 12Th verse upon this foundation. That is, there may be those that don't deny the proper foundation, but the warning is to take heed how we build upon this foundation. So we find that there is much that acknowledges the foundation.
Build upon the Christian foundation, but it won't abide in that day. It will be manifested as being worked with. God can't acknowledge. Don't you think also, brethren, that it's connected with what we have here before?
That is, they were saying I am of a policy, so on. In other words, if in our work we try to gather people around ourselves instead of occupying them with Christ.
But that's all going to be lost. What a sad thing to think it Christendom that there are systems and true believers and men working diligently in these systems, But what are they doing? They're gathering to themselves. They're gathering to the names of men, while God would have us to gather to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's one thing that impressed me in Africa when I was translating the book of the Acts into the native language.
I saw that the Apostle Paul didn't do that. He didn't stay in a place and gather them around himself When they were saved. He gave them the truth and established them as assemblies and went on, and they were left there to depend upon the Lord himself. Well, it was a wonderful thing to see that it was the Lord himself that was showing us that thing, because we've never seen anything like that practice anywhere.
Perverse things.
Of your own cells.
The first thing one of those things, well, maybe, I suppose they might be evil doctrines, and they may be just distortion of truth in such a way as to gather people around oneself so we see in systems about us.
That some particular doctrine is made, the system is all around that. And instead of being gathered to Christ, why the very names of some of them suggest the facts, Presbyterian and so on. Don't they suggest that there is a certain idea, certain measure of truth, and that is made to ground on which the system is built? Well, the Spirit of God would gather us to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:50:24
The Church is the pillar and ground of the truth.
Is responsible to maintain the truth, but we're not built upon some particular truth.
I suppose in this first epistle we have the warning of what's coming on Christmas. In the second episode we have the judgment seat of Christ brought in. We also have false apostles, those who appear as angels of light, Satan fearing that way.
They'll finally at the end.
In the book of Jews we have brought out the full thing and it's it's corruption, which of course went in violence. But do we not have here the beginning, the warning of those things that creep in among the Saints and?
Not only disturb things, but finally, as we have here, it's already been mentioned the one who corrupts.
Corrupts the temple of God.
No doubt one who's not saved at all in that case.
I quality corrupted by bringing in evil doctrine.
That way, corrupt temple God for one, denied the eternal function for Christ, Well, he's corrupt.
He corrupts the temple of God in that way. Wasn't that? Isn't that the faces of this?
That all planted and the fullest water I was thinking of.
Of those two men in connection with their ministry, I was thinking of fall in the 9th of act.
The expression there that's used in the 9th of Acts.
In the 20th verse it says And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues.
That he is the Son of God. And then in the 22nd verse. But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews, which dwelled at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. Well, if we turn to the.
18th of Acts we find the polis.
And we started this doing the same thing. I was thinking of this the 24th of the 18th of act. A certain Jew named Nepalis, born at Alexandria, eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, came together. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord. Being fervent in the Spirit, spake and caught diligently the things of the Lord. Knowing only the baptism of John, he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them and expanded unto him.
The way to cross more perfectly. But when this was done, in the 20th verse, it says for a mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. How lovely that is. That's the foundation, isn't it? Now we're warned to take heed how we build their arms. Are we attracting to ourselves or men?
Or are we pointing them to pray? That's the point.
Next, the immediate subject here is the.
The laborers work that will be examined.
After dead feet of Christ and the wood hay out of trouble represented.
Gold, silver and price of stone represents 2 believers that are brought in, but I believe that most.
Instructive and helpful for us to see this and what we have is the principle that applies to every work that will be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ.
So we could go on and speak of our whole life being manifested there and our work looked into there, whether it's reaching a golf or whatever it is.
00:55:12
So it'd be well for us to look at it, considering it as the principle applying to everything that comes out at the destiny of prayer.
May we read 5 verses?
In Second Timothy 4 as to a faithful servant.
Second Timothy 4 and the 1St 5 verses.
And I would like to think especially of the of those who have itching years.
I can't see therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall dust as quick as the dead that is appearing in His Kingdom, preach the Word the instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all own suffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lifestyle keep heat to themselves, teachers having engineers, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned under fables. But what thou in all things endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof by ministry.
One was thinking of what president let's for us to think about one time in Des Moines.
Of those having itchy ears, he connected this verse with those and Aaron days who perhaps to give their hearings.
And Aaron apart through the earrings, the golden earrings into the fire and the bitter cap, jumped up something to that effect. And he said, well, those are the people that we have today. One is thought that the people with engineers are responsible.
For hiring modernistic creatures, we can't play the modernistic creatures so much, but we can blame the people that have brought in this wood, hay and stubble but with the itching years. And they have hired modernists too. The particular ears are itchy and therefore we have corruption and chaos and confusion in Christendom. So it's important to preach the Word and nothing else but the word and.
To beware that we're not.
4/6 A soul to confess Christ falls.
I believe it would be helpful if we were just look into the subject.
Taking the the gold, silver, and precious stone that's representing.
The works of God's people and the wood and double that which is only.
Material on fire.
And that brings death itself.
The judgment seat of Christ and reverse return to the fifth chapter of Second Corinthians.
And the 9th price of the this chapter Second Corinthians.
Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him that should be agreeable to him.
That is, to be alive when the Lord comes in the air. To be absent is to have.
Passed out the theme by this.
Regardless of how he left, his great concern was that he might be acceptable that less than one before whom he was sustained by coming days. Then he goes on, and that introduces the subject that we have before us, or we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
That everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.
How? For the younger believers? Only, just.
Make this remark that this in no way disagrees with the.
01:00:02
John Doff, or chapter 5 and verse 24, where we get the Lord saying, verily, verily, I stand to you, he that heareth my words.
And believe upon him that hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment.
His past, Stephan to life Almighty, they will then will our sins will never come up again. Then, well judicially, they never will come up, because pray for those sins in his own body on the tree, but the first before us here in Second Corinthians.
Five, the word is better than if we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ. You see, it doesn't matter of the believer being judged, but the judgment of his work. As far as the believer himself is concerned, he's already in glory when this.
This judgment takes place.
Because you get in the 15th chapter First Corinthians Speaking of the Lord coming and fell into.
Honor. It is raising glory.
So when the Lord comes and gives the shout, everyone that has accepted his.
Will instantly receive his glorified body and be perfectly like Christ. So how?
Wrong and how?
That's leading it is. You think I've come to that. We have to wait until we get to heaven to find out whether we're going to stay in heaven, if it's true that we won't get faith until we get to him, or then God would have to condemn and consign to hell.
So that he has already conformed to the image of his son. Well, let's let's show how impossible such a book.
But this subject of the government fear of Christ as a believer being manifested there, and his all his work coming out there to be looked into in view of the reward that he will receive.
Now that he is in heaven.
References being made to not pressuring a soul for a confession, that's the same principle applies to one who is safe. That may be considering that remembering the Lord, there could be no pressure brought upon them either. I think you're very right in that, brother.
I think it's very important. Very often you hear those pressure put on.
A young believers, why aren't you remembering the Lord? Well, perhaps there's something they haven't judged, they haven't separated from, and just to press them to take their place might be one of the most harmful things possible in their Christian life, but because they might come in there with something ungood that afterwards is going to only lead to.
Getting away from the Lord and their souls.
I'm glad you mentioned that, because I believe there's too much of that. It's a dangerous thing we see, one that is honestly seeking to follow the Lord.
Why then, as the precious thing, to just leave them on and told them to play, but just to press everybody in a general way that you ought to be remembering the Lord? I hope I have the mind of all the president about that, because I felt the importance of that.
We have to forget the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We read in Zechariah 4:00 and 6:00, not by Mike, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Holy Spirit is here, and certainly it's His work.
To bring conviction to a Sinner and to complete the work in a soul that's brought under conviction. And firstly, it's the work of the Spirit of God to gather souls through the Lord Jesus Christ.
01:05:01
If Christ in any case, whether it's the salvation of the sinners or the gathering of a sage, the Spirit must fix the eyes of the Sinner on Christ.
Savior and the Spirit must fix the eyes of the Saints on Christ as the gathering center is not right. I agree with you fully Brother Anderson in that statement. I think it's very helpful. A brother in Des Moines who has taken his place in the large table a few months ago made this statement to me.
His first appearance at the Reading meeting was last winter.
And then one thing that impressed me all the time, that an attendant needs meeting and that this that no one pushed me or pull me.
So they're just allowed the truth to be proclaimed and the Holy Spirit uses to separate and he said. I I don't know where I am and I'm happy to be here.
Just like to read in that connection a few verses in Ephesians 4.
A million four, A million four and verse 11.
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we had fourth be no more children.
To and fro and carry the boat with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive. But taking the truth involves may grow up unto him in all things which is ahead even praise from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplier according to the effectual working in the measure of every part.
May increase in the body of the edifying of itself.
In love. The reason I read these verses, brethren, is because I believe in our chapter that is most important the line of truth that's brought before us here. But it says.
He that's and he that watereth are one and laborers, God, fellow laborers, God's husband, race. We need to remember that the truth is all the souls would grow up under Christ and whether it's the preaching of the gospel, the person that set before them.
Whether it's the ministry of the word, whether it's the joints and bands, all should have before us the thought growing up unto him. In all things we have the full blown fruit of departure from this and the apostasy and in the system.
But rather than the open departure, and the system hadn't begun here in Corinthians. But the seeds were there. And the seeds will be right in the assemblies where we come from, if we're not seeking to set Christ before our brethren in our ministry and by our walks. But if the ministry in our walk is such that Christ is exalted and set before our own hearts and one another, then there will be that growing up unto him.
They had a fine of the body in love. All I feel we can talk about these things, but unless we have Christ the person before us, and unless we minister Christ, there will not be this happy result.
I think we need to have a word of caution perhaps here now.
That we don't get the idea that we can just sit back and trust the Holy Spirit of God to do a miracle without the preaching of the gospel.
Out the Minister of the Truth of gatherings. Now there may be in some places they don't have a gospel meeting. Maybe the gathering is too small and they just don't feel capable of carrying on the gospel meeting. Well, certainly in that case, if there are any children are unsaved there in connection with those families that they need the gospel and it puts the responsibility upon the parents to see that the children are given the gospel.
Because we cannot expect God to use to save souls except by the Word. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The Word must be preached, whether in the God Book or if it's the matter of ministry.
01:10:12
On the ground, on the truth of gathering author needed.
Other ferry in connection with.
Second parenthesis.
Does not the 11Th verse show that it has really a wide aspect? Knowing therefore the care of the Lord we persuade men?
That's a pretty.
Carries worthless thought that all the judgment seats over which Christ resides are really included.
Wouldn't you say, Brother Aaron like a Circuit Court?
I understand the Circuit Court. The judge goes to different places.
Since the judge may be in different countries, but it's the same judge, but it's had a different faith, so God has committed all judgment on the Son.
And whether it be the judgment of the sheep and goats, or the judgment of the believers works in heaven, or whether it's the the great white throne, if the judgment seat of Christ, so as you say, Brother Ericsson having crops being manifested at the judgment seat of Christ.
Why he? He thinks all the unfazed.
And while an awfully solid thing just stands before, the judge was nothing to cover his spin to be facing.
An eternity.
Of being cast out into outer darkness.
Law blood to cover his sins. The throne is of Great White Throne.
So the very thought of being manifested and the practice of the judge just gives the apostles to plead with sinners not to go on in their sins and have to face that terrible judgment that awaits the law.
Is that the thought Brother isn't Yes.
The thought is that in appearing before the judgment seat of Christ, it isn't all at one time. Is that the different sessions you say?
But it's good praise everyone they're traversed over. In Romans 14, that speaks of the judgment seat.
And I understand.
That instead of.
Reading the Judges Seat of Christ, you should read the Judgment Seat of God.
Because the judgment seat is the judgment seat of God, and it's borne out by verse 12 because it says so that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. That would include all, wouldn't it?
Christian second before the judgment seat of Christ, and the unsaved standing before the great White Throne.
That is the ninth verse. This is the dead and the living, yes.
And in Romans, is that not a question of righteousness? And so it's the judgment seat of God. In fact, all the way through is the God, like the gospel of God and so on, having to do with God himself. And that's what the apostle thinks of us. He thinks of that awful day when men will knowing the terror of the Lord. It's really the judgment seat of God, and Christ sits on it.
There are different views taken of the judgment seat of Christ in different scriptures, aren't there in 2nd Corinthians 5. It's rather the general view, the deeds done in the body. It hasn't to do with I believe all will come out there. It'll be manifested how God picked us up in his grave but we were and how He saved us when we were so far away.
All this will pass into review to magnify his grace as well as her reward, since we have been saved in what has been done for him. And then I believe in this passage, it has to do particularly with our labor. It says every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. And the 4th chapter, it speaks of it again in connection with the secrets of the heart, Not only what we do, but the motive that governs the action.
01:15:26
The action may be good, but God is going to make manifest the counsels of the heart. To me it's a very sweet thought that in that passage alone that's in First Corinthians 4 and verse five, it says, then shall every man have praise of God? Because we might even fail in carrying out that which we should do for the Lord. But isn't it lovely to think that he's going to see the motives that was there and he is going to reward?
So even perhaps one who might have been serving in some capacity that is not altogether according to the Word, if they had Christ before their hearts.
It can't be rewarded for what they have done, but God will surely take notice of the desire to honor and please the Lord Jesus. And the measure of sleep then, when in the passage that was referred to in Romans chapter 14, seems to me it's a very searching thought, says, why does thou judge thy brother? That's all right to talk about my life being manifested, but what about my attitude toward my brethren?
Oh, that's a Solomon searching thing. That's the way we treated our brethren. Whether we set them if not, or whether we sought to see Christ in them, that too is going to come out of the judgment seat of Christ. So there are different views taken and each has a different line of thought.
Well, all is going to come out there, thank God. There will be something in every believers life that will be received praise of God. But it's the work of the Spirit in us that there might be more, that there might be an abundant entrance, there might be fruit that remains to his glory and praise.
It's not true that there's not a single belief, The true belief I understand that the President Jesus Christ.
Well, there we've just gone over that, Mother Parks, and that we must all appear or be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, Of course, the the Great White Throne. Not one child of God to stand before that throne. He will be already in heaven before that judgment takes place.
In 1000 years between Elizabeth, Yes.
I know all too that down here when we pass judgment on something in our lives as we fail.
We oftentimes do not reach the bottom of it.
We know then as we are known, and that day we'll see as God sees the judge, the right judgment upon that act in our lives. We may have thought that we judge down here.
But we'll not see it, perhaps in its true light, until that day.
And that's the thought of the London and going back to the fifth chapter of the Second Epistle of Creation.
Yeah, the 11Th verse Apostle fell following what he thinks about the care of the Lord in the middle of the world. He says but we are manifest under God, and I trust all who are manifest in your own conscience, that is. Paul didn't wait for the judgment seat of Christ the judge. What was wrong in his life? He kept a clear conscience before God.
Oh, that in the next step, or the 4th half your first rinse would be peasants that I had the didn't feel that he had anything against himself, but I'm not hereby justified. But he that doesn't here discern the sea of the Lord, that is he kept short accounts with God.
Didn't allow things to go uncovered up or undone and his life God in the Lord President and he says I trust although in your own country you know there were some there at cars that were not in sympathy with him.
01:20:02
And and connection with his what he had written in the first epistle and all, except that the different that had taken place there. So he knew there were those that were not.
Satisfied with the Apostles, he had everything done before the Lord, but he desired that his brethren might be happy, and seeing that everything was, was going on in his life.
And and he was walking in an undead spirit. Go to speak.
One would like to call attention.
In connection with what has been said, if the judgment seat of Christ, a verse that has already been referred to in Philippians one and six, he that has begun a good working, they will perform it on the day of Jesus Christ. Well, that's a large care over us now and our wilderness journey. Well then in the first chapter of the second Epistle, Corinthians, the 14th verse.
As also ye have acknowledged us in parts, that we are your rejoicing team, and he also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus will be brought out there. It seems to me that the care that was exercised over us here, and all our failures so that.
There is rejoicing that at that time we are out the We are Your rejoicing evening.
Hours in the day of Jesus, the Lord Jesus, there is the rejoicing in the care of the Lord exercised over us in all our failures here.
I've often thought, Brother Hale, what you mentioned last year here we were here. That but for the but for our sympathetic and mystical high priest, not one of us would make it to the wilderness.
The Corinthians must give.
And must truth.
But but they lacked what we so often lack, the practical grace to walk in it. And what you've just mentioned, Brother Whitaker, is the.
Part of it.
Self judgment and the only that it was great to take us to grace every step of the way and withered as individual Saints.
Or as gatherings we find that lacking in our midst, we need to get down and hold it in humiliation. For you give us more grace and he'll come in by the power of His spirit, and give the game that happy, deliberate, but only greatly happy give from the very things that we have had before us that were besetting them in this factor.
First, the left first is on this fifth step, the First Corinthians.
Yes, that's that's close.
Well, we are the righteousness of God Christ now.
But this matter of the judgment seat of Christ has to do with our behavior and the wilderness we're passing through. And you notice in this third chapter.
It has the 13th 1St. Every man's work can be made minus there for the days to declare it.
Revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work on how much it is but at what corner, and we need to remember that quantity will never make up for quality.
On my still left, something that the newspapers are taken up with is great work.
A wonderful preacher of the gods, But and the question is.
01:25:05
Does it have that about it which is spoken of here and that sort?
Withstand the test, in other words, of the judgment seat of Christ. You see, fire here is a symbol of God's justice, and his judgment will test out.
All that we have done down here and while there was only for self.
I didn't have that motive, Speaking of.
Christ as the motive, He will be just so much for the bonfire to be burned up, and we'll be glad and thankful in that day to see the rubbish burned up and gone forever. And it will be.
The happiness of the Saints of God for all eternity.
To have everything out between their souls and the Lord, and I believe the Lord is going to look over, as already been stated, the whole life journey down here, and we'll see how we watched over and kept us from going this way on the wrong course or that way, and how he safely brought us to the end of the journey.
I mean, they used to say that when we're in our fence, so all that will come out the judgment seat of Christ and then.
Remarked there in the mail. After then tell every man have praise of cause God is going to find something in the lives.
Of everyone of his children.
But he can, that he can pray. I believe that the view we have here of the work being done to see if you took it.
Just as it failed here, if any man's work, a vibe which he had built thereupon, he shall receive a reward as though all the works were good.
If any man's work.
Shall be burned up. Well, you might think there's a man always works are burned up Here is a man always works. They're doing well. That is the Lord today. Possible is just simply giving us an illustration of the doctrine.
I'm sure that the Lord will find something in the lives of everyone of His children that He can reward her. Do I think that everything that any of God's most honored children have done and their service down here?
We'll all be rewarded in that day.
Brother Potter said he had a dream in his old age. He thought he was left the judgment seat of Christ and he thought his works were brought out. And he loved the Lord that fired him. He said they burned and burned and burned. Oh, he says, Lord isn't there anything to be left? And he said, the Lord said to him, yes.
However, there's something going to be left.
Oh, their old brothers. We had heavenly in his soul, the consciousness. But there was much that was not Sam the test of the judgment. He was Christ. I think that we can all feel that there's so much that wasn't for the Lord. So much that was just please fell for it to get some empty glory down here.
Little Brother Potter, find a nugget of gold in the ashes.
Peter speaks of the grace that's to be brought unto us. That's the revelation, no doubt, when we see. But the grace of the Lord has done in saving us and taking us all the way through this wilderness journey, we we have finished that session, the judgment seat of Christ, and we've seen all of that. No doubt we'll burst out with a louder note of praise than ever.
Praise the Savior. You know him who comes down, how much we owe him.
256.
For the rise of 6.
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Reading
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Detroit 1962 Reading meeting Saturday, November 24 AM.
How pleasant is the sound of praise. It well becomes a face of God. Should we refuse our souls to raise.
The stones like the 317.
Yeah.
Seems to me that the 4th chapter of Second Corinthians.
Somewhat follow up, obviously left off.
As to the effect of the judgment seat of Christ.
On our lives down here.
Before we stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
And all our words are their manifested.
The presence of the glory of Christ.
Now if anyone feels there is something else.
More suitable or imparted on oppressing this, but that came before me is falling up the subject.
00:05:04
Thank you very much.
You use the whole chapter? I thought so, brother.
First Corinthians, chapter 4.
2nd Corinthians.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 4.
Therefore, here we have this ministry as we have received mercy. We think not.
Photo renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness. It's not handling the Word of God to speak solutions, but by manifestation of the truth, commanding ourselves for every man's conscience.
In the sight of God.
Some of our gospel be his. It is give to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world has blinded the mind of them which believe not less than life of the glorious daughter of Christ, where the image of God should shine under them.
Before we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.
And I filled your servants for Jesus.
For God, who commanded the light to shine her darkness, have shined in our hearts to give the luck of the knowledge of the glory and love in the face of Jesus Christ.
What we have this treasure in earth investments at the Excellency of power may be of God, but not about.
Fear troubled on every side, yet not destroyed. We are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. And the rifle through Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies, For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus state.
That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal place.
And death working enough the light in you we having to say it's fair to say according to written, I believe and therefore am I supposed we we also believe and therefore we.
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also, my Jesus, and shall present us with you.
All things danger for your sake at the abundant faith might, through the Thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God.
For with God we think not that there are outward man's heads, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Poor light afflictions, which is but for a moment work for us, are far more exciting in the eternal weight of glory. Or we look not the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen.
Things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I suppose the two ministries are counteracted in the previous chapter, are they not?
Are you referring to brother? Well, there was administration that had to do with death because the man was not able to meet the loss. But there's a new administration or ministry now which is of life because it depends on another, the Lord Jesus Himself putting assembly for our souls. It all depends on Christ now until the apostle has that blessed ministry.
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And he was the one, you know, who was so bitter against this precious truth, because I believe in Corinthians we have at least from the 10th chapter on of the first more and more subjects of the body is about and that was the ultimate purpose of God, to bring the children of God together.
And it's the it's the marvelous privilege today.
Expressing that truth here in this world, great, the truth of the body and all that's connected, I believe with this new administration that has to do with the Christ. Christ is ahead and that is members down here, Bill still that moment when we all talked up together to be with him. This marvelous news demonstration of life is all contrasted with what has gone before.
Not that the law wasn't good, but there was no means in the hands of man to to meet the requirements of it.
Now he's been brought into blessing on the grounds of sovereign grace.
God has said the soul that Jew ascend shall live in them, but they didn't do them, they didn't do the law, so it brought in death condemnation.
But Christ has brought in life, brought in a new order of things, and in fact we have before. This is the goal.
The 6th parts of the previous chapter contrast those two ministries, does it not?
Who also has made us able ministers of the New Testament for not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kill us, but Spirit give us life. Well then you connect that with the 17th word or the 7th to the 16th versus parenthesis. Now the Lord is that spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all was an open face, beholding is in a glass, and the glory of the Lord. Our change is the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
If Christ, that's before because.
The Spirit of all the types, the shadows and the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and He is the one we have before us now.
That's the importance of that 18th person is just read to us.
It's it's just the contrast of the law in the law.
Has been quoted. You do these things, you live in them. Now that wasn't eternal life. That was just the life down here in this world, we continued. If these commandments were kept.
The Prince of Beloved, I suppose, will be in the millennial day. But here we have.
The beholding occupation with Christ market. Well, it's occupation with Christ that makes the change here. It isn't the efforts of the flag.
And there's the one here in this room.
You would say that what could qualify for this? And that's what the young man was really asking the Lord when he said, what shall I do that I may inherit the eternal life? And the Lord gave him the commandments.
Would be perhaps a little puzzling if that were the answer to inherit eternal life as we now understand it was an eternal life here on earth that he was really thinking about. I think Brother Hale, that.
What the young man was looking for was just to live on and enjoy his wealth and position down here, the eternal life.
Isn't revealed in the Old Testament.
We do have mentioned I believe twice on some dangling 12 and months and 133rd farm, but it's more connected with the Kingdom. So here was the young man that had every advantage. He was at money and his position and honor and respect. Well, he'd just like to live on and enjoy those advantages and his wealth down here. So he wants to know what he can do.
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To inherit what he looked upon as eternal life. But now to get back to our subject here, my brother.
London has been speaking about in the 18th 1St we all now you notice it says open here but it should read as Brother Ericsson read it with unveiled faith.
If you look back in the chapter.
It says in the 13th verse, not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is the Bali we're taking.
To the second giving of the Law. The first time Moses came down with the two tables of toll, his face wasn't shiny.
Because he was greatly distressed about the making of the golden castle, he broke the tables and stone at foot of the mountain. But the second occasion, when he went up on the mountain and received again the French commandment.
He came down with his face shined, because God had revealed himself to him there as merciful and gracious. That is, God was not going to take the people through the wilderness on the ground of the law, that he was going to take the people through the wilderness on the ground of mercy.
Although law was still the requirements.
But till mercy came in and spared them, when they failed to teach the law well, That was why Moses faced with China. But all that the children of Israel could see in the dining face of Moses.
Was the glory of the law and that condemned or Moses put a veil over his face so they couldn't see that glory. Now they apart from draws the contrast. In this 18th verse we all will unveil faith beholding the glory of the Lord, that is the Lord Jesus now glorified on high.
Requires no glory to conceal.
That radiancy that times in his blessed face, there's nothing in his in his glorified face that condemns the Sinner, because the very one who is now glorified on high is the one that took all our sins upon himself on the cross and satisfied with the.
The demands of the Holy God.
Putting those fins away and rising triumphant beyond the power of death and all the judgment of God, taking his feet fair at the right hand of God. Now God made Christ responsible for every sin that I am that is against me. God heal Christ responsible for those sins.
Before my sins could be brought against me, all would have to deal with that man in the glory because he's responsible and he has settled the the the justice and the holiness of God about them. So instead of the mural of his glorified faith filling me with fear and dismay.
Why? It just fills the heart with unspeakable delights because we not only see the face of the ones who put those sins away.
But we see all the glory and perfection that in the heart of God.
Displayed in the radiant space of that one who was there glorified now on high and the further Lundeen says that the occupation with that glorified man settling every question of our sins for all eternities, so that the conscience.
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Is it red also fills our hearts with that object that God has to occupy our goals so that as we gaze upon Him, there is that transforming affect in our lives. We become more and more like that blessed one. So that you can see the contrast between what there's a law required. The law says this too.
For now, to live well, we couldn't come up to God's requirements at all. But instead of being under law, the rule of life, occupation will that glorified man. The very things that the righteousness which the law requires of man is fulfilled as Romans.
8000 are fulfilled in them who walk not after the flakes, but after the spirits.
So there is a light that fulfills the righteousness of God without our being in any way in ******* too. They demands of the law now in connection with the testimony.
The first verse here speaks of ministry.
Or has to do with testimony?
In the high priest breastplate there were 12 Stones.
I believe the first one was a Ruby, at least it was of that character was not clear.
It wasn't transparent. It did radiate light, however.
And it's a little picture to us of how that which was manifested in connection with the law, it was the glory of God. All right.
But it wasn't the full revealed glory of God as we have, for instance, in Revelation 21 where we have the foundation. Don't mention, turn to it just for a moment. We'll see the difference.
21St of Revelations and.
The 18 first and the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the city was pure gold like under clear glass.
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.
The first foundation was Jasper, the second Sapphire.
Now notice in the 11Th verse of the same chapter.
In connection with this city in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And their light was like under a stone, most precious even like the Jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Have a testimony. But how different from that which was on the High Street breastplate?
Transmitting the light of the full display of the glory of God now as a result of this new ministry that has been brought in through the Lord Jesus.
How would you say Brother Harris?
Is this ministry to make it? I know it's been mentioned but to make it simple for all, I don't know what this ministry is so we can go on with our subjects.
Well, it's not this memory.
Christ and Church.
Our portion was in.
And wouldn't you say to that it's the the ministry of the Spirit of God?
Revealing to us.
The the glories of Christ.
That one who is now stated that God's right hand. You see, it's definitely spoken of in the third chapter.
In this way.
In the.
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The the eighth verse while reading before that, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the faith of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away, how shall not the administration of the Spirit?
The rather glorious.
So we have what is most wonderful, most precious for us to consider, that we have the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God come down from a glorified Christ, telling us of His finished work, telling us of all His glory that he has won.
Through his sacrifice and death and all that's connected with that. And so as you were saying, Brother Aaron, that brings in the fall of the church too, because it by the Spirit that believers are united together and form the body of Christ. So as we gaze into that glory to see that blessed one, we see the head of the church's body.
Now their seat is on high, and every believer below is a member of that body. So I'm sure that this ministry is picking up the Arizona takes in quite a range of truth, doesn't it?
Gives us the whole range of our, our, our Christian faith. That right? Yes, I'm sure does in John's Gospel, chapter 16.
So in the beginning with verse 12.
We read, I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How do you? When He the Spirit of Truth has come? He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself.
Whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come.
He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. Well, it's Christ that's brought before us by the Holy Spirit, and it speaks of, of his things there. And I suppose when we are Speaking of the Church, that's something that's connected with Him.
And anything, all that is connected with the Lord Jesus Christ is now ministered to us by the Holy Spirit.
When we go back to the second chapter of our epistle, brethren, the.
18th verse.
But as God is true, our word towards you was not yay and nay, or the Son of God, Jesus Christ to us, preached among you by us, even by Sylvanus and Timotheus, was not yay and nay.
But in him it was yay for all the promises of God. In Him are yay, and in him Amen, under the glory of God by us.
Well, we know that when the law was given there was a year and there was a nay. And when the children of Israel entered the promised land, they stood on one mountain and pronounced blessings for obedience, and another they stood in the mounts curses for disobedience.
And so we know that's been remarked that they didn't learn the blessings. Instead they earned the curses because of their disobedience. Now he says it's not that way in Christianity. The work of Christ upon the cross has opened up the way of blessing and made it sure. And so in him everything is yay, the purposes of God embrace are going to be accomplished. And this is the ministry that has been committed to us.
I think it's nice to notice here, brethren, then that the I should have said the first chapter where I read in the second chapter we see the trouble that had come into the assembly. Or what is it that will encourage us when trouble comes into the assembly? All the knowledge that through the work of Christ all of God has purpose He is going to accomplish. He is going to see us through these difficulties and He is going to bring each one of His own safely home to glory.
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And then in the end of the second chapter, we see the ministry of the gospel. Well, perhaps it's rejected. Well, it's the Savior of life unto life, or a Savior of death unto death. But God is glorified in that the message of his grace is proclaimed in a world where he had, where his Son has been crucified and cast out. And I believe the reason it's introduced in this epistle is that the brethren were speaking against Paul.
They were saying his bodily presence is weak and his speech is contemptible.
Where these things tend to discourage us, do we? Do we see trouble in the assembly? Do we see little blessing in the gospel? Has something unkind and said about us? Occupation with Christ and glory, and what He has accomplished, and the sureness of all He has accomplished. Bringing about the purposes of God will give us faith and courage to go on, so we won't think.
And I believe perhaps, brethren, that's why it's introduced in the beginning of this chapter. How lovely it is where it says as we have received mercy. We think not. That is, we go on. And I'm sure that if we're looking at Christ and glory, no matter how many difficulties you set the path.
Be the courage to go on, and then the next verse comes in and shows the moral effect in the life of one who is occupied with Christ and is enjoying what you are thinking of. All the promises being gay in our men to the glory of God. If God is going to bring about His purposes, it has a definite effect.
We see especially in these verses opening this first, this 4th chapter, the effective cast on the light and on the ministry of the Apostle Paul for that he says in that second verse, but have renounced.
The hidden things are dishonesty or exchange, not walking in craftiness that's deceased, but.
Not handling, not handling the word of God distinctly, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. It's lovely to see that.
The ministry of the Apostle himself.
What he is presenting to others.
Had a moral effect on his own life. I was just observing not long ago in the 15th chapter of First Corinthians.
Where they are, the apostle is speaking about.
The resurrection of Christ.
And whoever and that he was seen of people. So about 500 brethren at once. Then in the eighth verse 2000. Last of all, he was seen as me also as the one born out of due time. That is, Paul saw Christ in the glory. Well, now the very fight of Christ and glory, the remembrance of having seen him there.
And the practical effects on his life and ways. And what is the effect? Well, just read on, he says the ninth verse. For I am the least of the of the apostles.
That are not meant to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God, but by the grace of God I am what I am.
As soon as Paul springs before the glorious resurrection of Christ and Helen that he has seen and glory. Why he just kept down to the lowest place who fell on the lease of all their problems, not me to be called the apostle. Well, the entering into the truth of God in the power of the Spirit of God is always to bring us to a look.
Place.
That is low, far from South, fitting, as the little hymn says, Proclaimers of His grace. And so here in this 4th test, here in this second verse.
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You see the effects this ministry has on the life of the Apollo.
For those who speak to go on and serve the Lord, there should be the spectacles.
Power of the truth and their own souls that they're giving out to others. Otherwise, if it's not that way, it does the content and.
Leads one into a path that may be very disastrous for themselves and for others.
The very solemn thing, isn't it, to hear truth and not act on it.
Seek faith to walk in the truth that we hear.
In connection with our chapter, the Apostle Paul.
The first thing that was mentioned to Ananias by the Lord.
Was.
I will show him what great things he must suffer for my faith. Now in our chapter we have just a very contrast of what was given in the Old Testament regards to those who served in Sebastian with the Law. There it was the outward display. There it was the ceremonial line of things that had to do with the people in relationship with God on the earth.
But with the Apostle Paul he sets before us.
Here in this chapter, the complete breaking down of the vessel that was necessary if the light was to shine out. What a contrast there is here then with the law now tripping them today is pursuing much in the lines of the old system of things, and we need these truths today especially because these things are vital in connection with.
Testimonial Service.
In the subject of breaking down the vessel, we noticed in Romans that the expectation is there to reckon yourself dead.
Now that's because in Romans, especially in the 7th chapter, the man has seen struggling.
There hasn't been the the complete understanding in the soul of what it means to be dead with Christ. I won't speak to these things, but the consciousness of how little one has entered into them oneself. Still in Romans, I believe we have the man struggling, and so it's the expectations. I reckon yourself to be dead indeed out of sin.
In clauses, there's a plain statement.
There the man has seen is written head on high and so the plain statement she are dead. That's a fact. That's the fact that we're to recognize. But then we have also here the apostle is seen as dying daily.
That is, he's applying this truth.
Practically in his life, because it's a question of the testimony. There's no testimony in the flag and it's the, the taking over the the vessel being allowed, allowing Christ to take over completely. If there's going to be any testimony, I believe we have the picture of it in the Old Testament. You know, Gideon's vessel there. There must be the breaking of the vessel because the light was inside.
The treasure in the earthen vessel. The vessel had to be broken.
Then we have one added saw here too that is delivered under death.
As though God was saying to the apostles, well you want to follow this path, then we'll go all the way.
It's still the Apostle Paul was the word delivered unto it, because he had a particular testimony to manifest, and we see those most blessed epistles written in the inner prison. He was, he went through all these things that are mentioned.
In Corinthians and the reducing of of the body.
Reducing everything that would hinder the going out of this marvelous life, this new testimony that had to do with Christ in glory and his members down here being formed into one body. The mystery that which has been hidden from before the foundation of the world is now being revealed through the apostle.
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Not merely in words, but it was the administration of the Spirit, and it had to do with his whole being, the demonstration of it down here.
What do you think Brother Harold is meant by not handling the word of God is faithful, but by manifestation of the truth? Go on. Well, I believe the Apostle Paul is answering the charges that were made against him. I believe the new translation speaks about making the trade out of the word of God and the pardon. Excuse me, but that's the that's where it comes in the 17th, 1St and the 2nd country, doesn't it?
Driving line hardly for interrupting you, but I just want to call attention to what you're talking about.
Notice there in the 17th verse where we are not as many which corrupted really make a trade for the word of God. So go on part of it. Well, I was thinking of the things that they said about him and he is seeking to answer that by showing that the the ministry that precious ministry was so real to his soul that he would go on. I was thinking in connection with Elijah.
Elijah went with him. Elijah's ministry was to call the people back to the law.
But Elijah's ministry, we know he has seen Elijah go up, and so his ministry is in the spirit of grace. Well, when he crossed the Jordan and came back and went into the land again, why they said the spirit of Elijah does rest upon Elijah.
Now he may be charged with things that are not true. The only way that we can answer it is by going on and loving and serving our brethren. There's no use trying to vindicate ourselves. We usually find we get into more trouble. But if we commit things to the Lord and our brethren see that we love them and serve them, our ministry will commend itself to their consciences. And so we don't have to twist the word of God. We don't have to try and make a peace certain things.
If we see Christ in the Scripture, that all fits in so beautifully, and we go on happily ministering that which occupies the heart with himself, our brother read to us in John about the He shall glorify me. Well, if the truth of God is given out in the power of the Spirit, souls will be attracted to Christ. Christ will be exalted and.
So I was thinking of that in connection what it says here.
Have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully. All false teaching and all that which would draw away disciples after ourselves as we were seeking out yesterday results in a twisting of the Word of God.
But there's always a personal gain that's to the object of it. True ministry doesn't twist the words. It turns the heart to Christ, occupies with him, and commends itself to the consciences of both saved and unsaved.
Very fine. There is a principle in the world. The end justifies the means. Well, that would be having the word of God to speak to, covering up and passing over certain things because they think that in the end, why it will be the glory of the Lord.
And in Galatians chapter 5.
Verse 16.
It says walk in the spirit and we shall not fulfill the loss of the plague.
Walking in the Spirit, what is it?
Well, I believe it's this allowing the Spirit of God to occupy it with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not allowing anything else to come in to hinder that, it means that there will be things that will have to be judged.
Because if we're not judging these things, the Spirit of God is grieved. And you can't occupy us with Christ, but you'll have to occupy us with those sins, those things unjudged.
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So walking in the Spirit goes along with self judgment. But if we're walking in the Spirit, we'll be occupied with Christ because the Holy Spirit loves to occupy us with Him. And when our eyes are fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ and our hearts filled with Him will not be fulfilling the loss of the black.
I believe this is a very important expression about commanding ourselves.
Every man's conscience and the sight of God, we see that so perfectly exemplified in the life of the Lord Jesus. Even though they rejected Him and despised Him, yet conscience always bore witness to who he was, because the loveliness of his person and the blessedness of his walk always spoke to the hearts and conscience of his tears. And I believe it's an important principle for us too.
So much of our difficulty comes by trying to vindicate ourselves.
But all if we were just have our eye upon Christ and go on with him before us, others would look on like they did at Elisha. Elijah didn't say I'm going to take Elijah place. No, he came back and when they saw him they said the spirit of Elijah.
Elijah death, rest upon Elijah, and if you and I are looking at the Lord, it will be like Moses. He didn't say my face is shining. The people who looked at him said it was shining. And so many God grants that we will have our eyes upon that one. Not so occupied with trying to make our brethren think right about us, but occupied with him, and leaving the rest with him. He'll see that the truth of God acts in the hearts and consciences of the hearers.
So Paul, that what we have in the second Timothy.
2 verses 24. That's what we have in Second Timothy.
To verses 24 and 25 instructing Timothy.
The servant of the Lord, the front drive of the temple under all at the speed space neatness is starting over the moment.
Will give them respect to the acknowledging of the truth.
Yes, I'm sure that's true, because if I have enough persuasive power, I might be able to persuade a person to think my way. But unless God works in His heart, there'll be nothing abiding accomplished. But if the truth is presented in love and in patience, I'm sure that it will commend itself to the conscience, and God can work repentance in the person's heart and cause them to acknowledge the truth.
You should say that Paul walked in the fear of God.
And.
In the suspense or looking on what we were.
Talking about yesterday, the time when everything will be manifested, the judgment seated Christ.
That is, Paul looked on, not to the way things look down here or how he might be criticized or condemned in this world, but what was the Lord say about it in that day when everything in his whole pathway would be brought under the searching light of the glory of Christ? How it how will it look there? And it's the most important principle for us to bear in mind.
That as we go on to adjust, look at things in this way, well, how will that look?
At the judgment seat of Christ, don't be too much concerned about the way it will react or what will be the result down here. Of course, we don't want to deliberately cause friction or a gift unnecessary offense.
Among our brethren, or even in the world.
Want to be careful and walk circumspectly as we go through this thing, but there are two of the outcome of all that engages us down here. We want to look on to that day where everything is going to be looked at in the light of the glory of Christ and everything that will not stand.
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The light of that glory will be just what we were saying yesterday. Wood hands double. Just so much material for the bonfire. It'll be burned up.
Alex. Blessedly true that all will be manifested, but I suppose here too the apostle Paul was thinking of the present effects of it. For notice he says in the third verse, If our gospel behead.
And then in the fourth verse, the glorious gospel Christ, and the fifth verse, we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. And that's the thing, as our brother Lundeen has remarked, what he is bringing out is that.
The body is just the earthen vessel, but what God is seeking to bring out is the treasure that he has put in the vessel. And it doesn't matter so much what brethren think about us as long as they see Christ in us. That's the point. And so he says our gospel, and he says here, the glorious gospel of Christ we preach, not ourselves. He says, suppose you do run us down? Well, he said, we're not preaching ourselves anyway.
We want you to see Christ, and saw his whole desire was that this would be seen in his, in his ministry, that he was seeking to set Christ before Saul's. Perhaps some of us have heard the little incident in the life of Mr. Darby which condemned us. He was in a certain place, and some unkind remarks were being made, and untrue also, and.
He never replied at all.
And a brother was standing by and listening and said, Brother Darby, why don't you defend yourself? He has what he has said is not true. All he said he hasn't seen anything. He hasn't said anything against my Savior yet. Well, I believe that's the spirit that the apostle is showing here and one has been helped by this. Props. If someone says something about me that's unkind and untrue.
Supposing I just say like this, well, it could have been true and it would have been true but for the grace of God. Well, why should I be annoyed? If I get annoyed, I'm as good as saying, oh, I wouldn't do that but bread, and I would do that if the Lord didn't keep me.
Let us just think that God's purpose in all our ways is that the light that he has put in the vessel might be seen. And I think it's such a lovely manner in which the beloved apostle replies to the remarks of the Corinthians.
I don't think there's any epistle, let's call the flows, where the love for the Saints as the ones replied to the people that were speaking against them.
Eric on the third first it was called will be hit. It is hit to them that are lost.
You think anyone else could have could say that but the apology?
Our gospel is it really can be veiled. It is veiled to them that are lost.
Well, no, I don't believe anyone else could.
Why do you say that brother here? Well.
He was a special vessel called out by the Lord, and he seemed to always have the judgment fee of Christ before it.
He was walking.
Walking and living with that thought of everything was going to be manifested there.
So he would be deeply concerned then that that in his life was.
So to speak the gospel, it wouldn't be borne out his life.
So you and I couldn't say well after I preached in a certain place.
That those who refuse the dark for the thought of this world is planted their their minds in the way the apostles say it could be. No, we could.
There might be some self there that would bind their minds. That is, it would obscure the message was given. I've been thinking in connection of what we have been thinking of here. There's a verse in the first chapter of First Timothy.
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The fifth verse seems to me is very appropriate.
This and six words. Now the end of the commandment or what is enjoying is love out of a pure heart, a good conscience and a faith on faith which some having squirrels turned aside on the vain James. Well, there's love out of the pure heart. Heart not double purpose.
A good conscience? Well, a good conscience doesn't need vindication.
No, it says something about the about the Gentiles and the section of Romans.
There's their conscience is bearing witness in the meanwhile, either accusing or excusing one another. Well, if there is that going on in one in one's conscience of a certain matter that just keeps before them, they can't think of anything else and the.
Either accusing or excusing themselves. Well, that's not a good conscience. It's time to call a halt.
Well then of faith on faith. Well that's that's quite searching face on pain. The Lord was the only one who could say that all together that which I send you that I am.
Well, it seems to me those St. things are very important. And here Timothy was left at Ephesus, and this is written only a year or two later than the Epistles of the Ephesians. So the end of all is gone Before, so to speak, is these three things.
Would always suppose that everything is based on the word of God, wouldn't it? Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Yes, yes. And that we weren't trying to make out we had more than we really have.
Love out of a pure heart is also mentioned in first Peter one, and I wonder if that just a little word of caution to us, lest we might seek to be.
Occupied with love and gentleness and meekness and patience and.
Perhaps fail the love out of your heart. That is, perhaps there are times when, although love might be felt very, very deeply, there might be times when it would not be the mind of the Lord for us to show love in the way in which people would expect it of us.
You might be misunderstood for that, but I believe love out of a pure heart would cause us to love our brethren at all times and to love them unfeignedly, but to show that Bob in a way in which they might look for it and expect it to be governed with it, not by its expression. Lava of a pure heart, the Lord's glory first, Is that true? You're referring now to First Corinthians and then Second Corinthians where there was a sample of discipline.
One case the love could not be shown, but in the second epistle show your life to it because there's been repentance. Is that the thought? Yes, the same thing in first John 5. By this we know that we love the children of God when we.
Love God and keep His commandments. I don't believe we're showing true love if we disobey the wisdom of the Word of God in showing love where it ought not to be shown, although it ought to be felt.
Do you think Joseph Joseph couldn't show his love to his brother? And 1St after the repentance came, we are verily guilty. The Bradman said he could let his heart close. Yes, he had to reframe himself and go into his chamber and weep there. Well, we have that spirit. If we find it so hard to refrain that we have to weep about it, then the Lord will grant us, I believe, the joy of being able to show the love later on.
01:00:08
Notice brother getting out of that into the first work of repentance in the brothers of yoga. So therefore he'd spoken roughly through them and put them in prison and then they he heard them say we are very guilty concerning our brother.
But I believe that was something like what Brother Wilson was bringing before us. And in connection with the 19th capture of numbers, there was a third day and there was a 7th day. The third day you see the the man that had.
At the cut the bone, or some way to pile himself where he has purified with the water of separation the axes of the red pepper.
Brought out in the remembrance.
Of the death of Christ that has put that sin away. But that wasn't sufficient. There was a seven days and again the water of purification is applied and then there's a man is fully cleansed and restored.
Well, that work had begun right then and there. Joseph in his wizard, in his faithfulness has been used of God to begin a work of repentance and his brother. But when they come back the second time, you know, and Joseph has the story puts the cup in the cracks and then they absorb.
In Benjamin's background.
Better than all returns stand before Joel. Well, you remember when Judas takes the lead, he he says to Joseph.
God has found out the iniquity of thy first. Now it's not merely a matter of being disturbed in the country because of the sin against their brothers, but of the sinners having to do.
Where the Queens and the holiness of God. And then another matter comes out after that.
Because.
When due to speak to Jordan.
He he, he tells about his poor old father, how that they would bring down the Gray hairs of thy servant, our fathers, with power to the grace that Benjamin didn't return.
Well, that was getting down farther into their sins, and to say we're very guilty concerning our brother, that was one thing. But here was another matter there sorrow they brought up from their father, in which they had so callously.
Despise.
And go on arms for those many years and disregard and their father is broken hearted sorrow over those sons that matter is just. But I believe while spring was a full restoration, they might say the 7th day of the 19th of Revelation when they really get into the presence of God about their sins. Well then when they have when Judas has spoken in that way.
Well then, the doors that have come near unto me.
He puts his arms around him and tests them, and he never once accuses them or scolds them or condemn them for the way they treated him. He chose nothing but love. The work of restoration was fully wrought out in their goals.
There has to be the recognition of Joseph before there can be a Benjamin, doesn't there? That was the whole point. It was the one who went down into death.
That had to be recognized before the son of my right hand.
Had to recognize the one who who took up the case of Israel and all their guilt.
The one who took it for them, they had to recognize.
Joseph and in that day Israel will.
When he says you're my people, they'll say Jehovah is our God. Then they'll come in the son of my right hand, the one who takes over in in the rule of authority.
01:05:08
They have to recognize that Jesus.
Who bore all the guilt to the nation? That's the true repentance of that nation.
I'd like to hear Brother Harrison give us something on why this hospital says and whom the God of this world is blind in the mind of them that believe not. Why is it the God of this world, brother?
Well, it's not a Satanist.
Looked at as the in two ways, as the Prince of this world and as a God. Well, it is not. They have rejected Christ and so Satan has become their gods.
Reaffirm.
The plastic Why is it that the 13th, 13th.
Comes in there as a Princess.
I guess you heard it, said Brother Taylor. That's the 12Th chapter. First Corinthians is like the machine. The 14th chapter, First Corinthians is like the machine and operation on the 13th step through the oil that makes the king run smoothly. I think that was what we got from Brother Potter when he was with us. And it's a very.
It's a very nice illustration.
Satan's work is always to blind the eyes of the natural man, because if he once saw the glory that shone out in the face of Jesus Christ, not only is glory and light and holiness, but also the love that has been displayed at the cross, he couldn't help but accept Christ. So Satan blinds into that. And I suppose too, there's body camps lying to true believer.
He can bring in things that make us short sighted, as we have in Peter's epistle. He that lack of these things is blind. It says, but the the word and the thought there is he cannot see a far off. He's short sighted, so the devil can't.
Their eyes completely because God has opened them. We have seen beauty in the Lord Jesus. We know him as our Savior, but I'm sure he can bring in things that make us short sighted keep get us occupied with other things instead of with himself. So we need to have the veil that were taken away and look up and see has a little him puts it nicely.
Its clouds have dimmed my sight when past eternal lover toward me as air. Thou art right, He hasn't changed.
As Lily should read the Gospel of the glory of Christ. That was especially what Paul called my gospel.
There's two ways that the gospel is looked at as the gospel of the grace of God.
And the gospel of the glory of God, the gospel of the grace of God, teaches us that there's a man come down from heaven.
Covered and died in this world.
Public pretensions work on the cross, but the Gospel of the Glory teaches us that that one who accomplished that work has gone up and is seated on high, exalted and glorified and vindicated before.
Angels and principalities there. And that was the special line of things or ministry that was given to the apostle Paul. See, the other apostles had seen the Lord in his pathway down here. They saw him as far as the clouds Paul went, was carried up beyond the cloud and saw him in the glory. So his ministry.
Takes us to that glory, occupies us with that glorified man that shows us the worst.
Completed and accomplished, and God glorified about it.
Satan as the Prince of this world in Ephesians, but here he's the God of this world, and I suppose there are two ways in which he can hinder us from occupation. With Christ as the Prince of this world, I suppose it would be occupying us with all kinds of worldly and earthly things, but perhaps as the God of this world.
01:10:24
How often it has happened that it is not something of the world, but it is something perhaps that has got the eye of Christ among our brethren that has caused us to lose sight of Him and we might look and see someone that's being carried away in the world.
And feel grieved about that. And well, He might. But rather, things that come up even in our assembly life that cause us to have our eyes off the Lord. Oh, May God grant that we may perceive that it tells us we're not ignorant of His devices we may perceive as working.
Surely loyalty to Christ is important. Faithfulness from the apostle wrote the first epistle with many tears.
But he he didn't want and he didn't want his brethren in it all to lose sight of the glorified one of God's right hand that's pretty facing his head of the world system as God of this world. He wants to give us anything to displace the Lord Jesus Christ, to give us another God besides the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Prince of this world.
Politically or head of the world system?
And he wants to bring the world into our hearts and take us out into the world. But as the God of this world, he wants to give us another God besides the Lord Jesus Christ, displacing him.
Rather solid than to think that the devil himself is the head of the of all the religion of this world.
Who will follow them to consider that and why the Father scared is that part faking makes his faithful attack upon is the truth of a glorified Christ. If Satan can get people to believe that the life of Christ is all they need, but he cut out the light of that glorified man.
The prison can bring souls to believe that their good works will save them. Well then there's no need of the finished work of Christ. So again, he set out the light of the glory of Christ, so you can trace every false doctrine in the whole world, and it all shuts out the light of that glory. Glorified man at God's right hand.
Well, he's he's thinking in every way to keep that light from shining and the souls of men.
When you see again how?
The apostle, as it were, hit himself, so he would in no way hinder that glory reaching thee.
The souls of others, or we preach not ourselves, but praise Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servant for Jesus faith. That is the only place the apostle desired to occupy.
Well, just a servant, just a farm slave of Jesus Christ.
In these two verses.
In the 5th and 6th verses, don't we have the two things that Gideon men had in their hands? They had the trumpet and they had the picture with a light in it. Well, the trumpets, we preached not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. They blew the trumpet, cried the sword of the Lord and the Gideon. They didn't speak about themselves.
And then the picture in which the light had been placed was broken so that the light could shine. Well, that's all we've got in our hands if we're really serving as we should. It just has the two things the trumpet control claim. Not themselves, but the fact that God had one whom He was going to use for a mighty victory over the enemy. And then all they were doing was holding up the light. All that we have also in Philippians.
Where it says, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, well, that's the light shining. And then it says, holding forth the word of light at the spoken testimony. Well, that's our whole testimony before the world, brethren.
01:15:13
Is our the testimony we live and the testimony we speak a God granted will be of Christ. They learn to know they were to watch Gideon. He says what I do you do and then they were to cry the Lord of the Lord and of Gideon. Well the sword of the Lord might have been her down but Gideon type of Christ the Savior. Well that brings peace.
And light to the soul. So there is the two things that are used of God's.
In connection with his work was sold.
And the mother thought I recently enjoyed from that in the 7th chapter of Judges, in the 17th verse. That's what our brother quoted.
That is 7 verse 17.
And he said unto them, He, Gideon said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise. And behold, when I come to this is the part I just noticed recently. When I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that as I do, both shall he do the 19th verse. So Gideon and the hundred men that were with him came unto.
The outside of the camp. The 21St verse. And they stood, every man in his place round about the camp.
Lovely place to stand the stand there with our trumpets and with our battle outside the camp with Gideon.
I don't suppose Gideon would be referred to as a priest, but I believe that in the law. And if the priest was that, now he was to blow the trumpet or the son of the priest. And that is the consciousness of our relationship and position too.
Each one who takes the place is all. Every child of God, of course, is in that position of serving in any way.
That is the consciousness.
Being a priest with supervision as part of the new position is about.
Doesn't require a great army to fulfill his purposes.
Excuse me?
I would not require the Army to fulfill his purposes. Doesn't it requires empty vessels with lights in them, not 300?
Reference has been made to.
Gideon saying what I do you do every not the example of that in the 4th chapter of Matthew where the Lord is captured by patience that are in our position now.
We certainly his brother knew the Lord is indeed our patroness. Brother Anderson brought out. And where to?
Peter tells us the following his death to mark out the way for us he's given us.
The way to meet every attack of the enemy because he has met the enemy.
By the author of the world. So if we keep the Lord in his pathway for us, what we have.
That needed instruction to meet the the dangers and the temptations that are pathway.
I believe that in my fifth verse we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ Jesus.
Word is left out.
Christ Jesus Lord.
That's important both for Saint or sinners.
Because it's when the Sinner owns Jesus as Lord. As the apostle says, we are faith and for the time of God filled with owning his Lord in his authority.
And that's what the apostle thought the exercise. Every soul that he had, he had to do without to the rights and authority of this glorified man over his soul.
01:20:09
Whole thought isn't this in Corinthians of his lordship even over the dead to He's in Florida both dead and living. New predictions. Thinking of those glories, the gospel of the glory, I believe we had it brought out most beautifully in the 9th of Luke, just to refer to it. That is, those who are called to follow him in his rejection.
And the 9th of Luke and the disciples were learning a new position.
It's a turning point. It looks gospel, and as a result of those who take up their cross daily and follow him in rejection, now he sets before them three glories.
And it's peculiar, I believe, to look gospel. They're all three heavenly glory. They're his own glory.
That is the glory that he wanted, the Son of Man and the Fathers.
It's the Father's glory.
That is the Father, the glory the Father gave him, but also.
If the glory in regard to the angels that is man now as the Lord Jesus passes through the heavens, he takes the place of supreme authority over the whole creation, and he associates his people with him. Luke sorry, those who take him up the path of rejection with him to be in founders associated with him now.
As a result, it answers all our rejections to be associated with it in these glory. Of course, it's only the glory that.
Thing in this man we will be associated with him, but we will behold His glory, will we not as well?
If you say Brother Anderson, the sixth verse takes us to the first chapter of Genesis, and the second verse I believe it is.
I believe.
We have something very significant there in Genesis chapter one.
We find a pattern of things. Genesis is a deep squad who put it through the Bible.
And there we have darkness.
The second verse of chapter one of Genesis.
And.
Then we get the light brought in verse three. God said let there be light and there was light.
Well, it's only God that can bring in the light. That's what we have here in our chapter. Only God can bring in the light.
And he brings it in right out of darkness, doesn't he?
That wasn't sunshine, was it brother? No, it was light. We don't see the the vessel of light until later on.
You say that's like the 4000 years between.
Adam's creator man, the coming of Christ.
Yeah, they had light in the Old Testament times.
But the one in whom is all light didn't come until then. He didn't come in, and he wasn't made manifest until he came down here as a man. What a lovely thing.
To have the light manifested in that way, Now we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
It has been mentioned that in the Old Testament they had light, the patriarchs. But when it comes to the New Testament, why we also needed warmth. So it's the only begotten Son who was in the bosom of the Father. He has declared Him we get light and warm.
The Lord hasn't yet charmed forth as the Sun of Righteousness, so that's in a future day. So it says the world knows us not because it knew Him not. So the light that was called to shine out of darkness was something that we don't know anything about. It was. It was something that we can't explain, although it is now. The world knoweth us not because it knew Him not. And that which enables us to shine in the midst of the darkness will not be understood by the world.
01:25:23
But how wonderful it is that there was a life that shone in that darkness. The Lord Jesus was here, unknown, and now we have the treasure in us too. He was the light of the world when He was here, but they wouldn't have him now. He says here are the light of the world, the day when the sun will shine forth as yet future. But we shine in the darkness now, brethren, with a light that's heavenly, just as it was back there when God said, let there be light.
Someone who suggested that that third verse of Genesis would tell us that Christ was the first thought of God in connection with His purpose is down here. That is, as a man. It's going to be the wonderful building.
Everything #275.
Our God is light, and though we go across the practice wild, our Jesus whatsoever shall pass for every child. 275.
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
Reading
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General Meetings, Detroit, 1962 Reading meeting Saturday, PM November 24.
On the 2nd Corinthians 4.
I think there's still much forest there.
Not the seventh verse.
00:05:01
4th chapter, verse 7.
What we have is treasure in earthen vessels.
The Excellency of the power. Maybe it's all and not about.
You're troubled on every side, but not destroyed. We have replaced but not understand, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always daring about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus at the light bulbs of Jesus might be made manifest in our body, for we would lose are always delivered of the death for Jesus sake.
That the life House of Jesus might be made in manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death working enough with light in you.
We having the same spirit of faith according as is written, I believe, and therefore have I spoken. We also believe in their foresee.
Knowing the sea which raised up the Lord Jesus to raise up us also by Jesus, and represented with you.
For all things are for your sake, that the abundant grace might, through the Thanksgiving of many, get down to the glory of God.
For which 'cause we think, but there are awkward man perish, Yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Or our light affliction, which is not for a moment work, is for us of all our more experience and eternal rate of glory.
We look not the things which are seen, but are the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
There are different ways in which the fascicle here is seen as being broken down.
There's a way in which it might be seen as completely crushed, and so that the light might come out.
But our brother Willis is to tell us of a.
A little vessel that was made in China.
That had to be.
Worked on continually until it was made perfect and every time the vessel was worked on. This after it's been cast out of play.
A very transparent kind of material.
That there was sandpapering going on continually until.
As the light was placed inside of the vessel, there could be seen that evenness of light all the way around it.
Until there are various ways in which the vessel here is seen as being broken down, and it might be just that the constant wearing of the vessel away so that the light might shine out, because the expression here is.
We have this treasure in earthen vessels.
The Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
And that's in the breaking down of the vessel.
Human efforts.
Do not produce this excellence. It is a God.
The vessel has to be broken, so there could be no human effort or fleshly efforts. Then the Excellency is a fraud.
So we see Joe being broken down the way he was in Satan Pan for a while. Then God undertook to work himself.
And in the end there was that I couldn't say perfect work, but Job was still in this world. But still he was more and more who God's will or desire for him.
To know himself a little bit. I believe that's the principle that's seen all the way through in this.
00:10:02
That's the subject.
Wasn't God's intention to attract attention to the vessel, but to the treasure that's in it? You buy an inferior piece of jewelry, it'll probably be in a beautiful box. You look at the box and you're distracted from the inferior quality of the jewelry. But God has put a wonderful treasure in an earthen vessel that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. I believe again that this was Paul's answer to what they said about him.
That his bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible, Well, he said, be it still, God isn't trying to attract attention to the vessel. He is seeking to cause that the light would be seen, and all that we have to pass through is but God's way of distracting from that which is of nature in the world. They make a great deal of good appearance and personality, and all that would give us a place in the world.
Where God makes everything of that which would that which would attract attention to Christ. And the ones whom he uses may be fishermen, or maybe one who had an infirmity. But the important point is that we preach not ourselves of Christ Jesus the Lord.
I just wanted to make it clear to all here come in.
This afternoon or?
Meeting yesterday or this morning?
Hitting his little van, the 300 that went down to the army of of the Midianites.
And.
They were. They were commanded to take pictures.
With light inside of the pictures.
And then that general signals.
Gideon told them to watch him, and to blow the comet, and to break the pictures. See, the light was hidden within those pictures. But when the picture was broken, then the light shone out, and it threw the whole army, an immense army of the Midianites, into wrought and confusion, so that there was a marvelous.
And complete victory over these enemies that had robbed them and had caused so much trouble. Well, it's a lovely picture of our nation going through this scene, the enemy so busy trying to rob us of our blessings.
God has a way of defeating.
Satan and all his hope and the light that shines into the earthen vessels. See, the earthen vessel is just a picture of the body of the believer.
That becomes the vessel for Christ, like from the glory above is shown into us, but before there is the outstanding of the glory of Christ, all that it's being below by others, That vessel has to be broken, just as pictures have to be broken. Gideon's army so that the light could shine out.
That light, that testimony of Christ, is something Satan cannot stand before.
That your.
Wonderful light of His glory. Peyton, as we saw, was trying to keep that glory from shining into the hearts and sinners. But when that light shines out, by Satan's work is defeated.
It would seem not. The light comes in through the eye. I suppose when a Sinner fixes his eye of faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, that's when the light comes in. I gather it from Luke's Gospel, the 11Th chapter.
It's actually verse 34.
00:15:00
The light of the body is the eye. Therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body all through is full of light. But when thine eye is evil, my body also is full of darkness.
Well, when the eye of faith is fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, that light comes in.
But then after the light once it's come in.
There has to be a continual fixing of the eye on the Lord Jesus Christ that there might be a continual shining out.
Now we know how we are, we're apartment to turn our eyes away from the Lord.
And we may not have the single eye and then we're not shining. So right, something comes in to give the light. Well, how important it is to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. And that's what we have in the 18th verse of chapter three of Second Corinthians, gazing on the Lord in glory. And that's how there's a change. And certainly that's that's the only way that there will be any outshine of that light.
I wondered from the Lord we began to sing.
And our walk will be.
It's very sad if we keep don't keep our eye on the Lord.
You say then, that beginning with verse eight through verse 9 and 10, we have the breaking of the urban vessels. We're troubled on every side.
Although God sends five or something tribulation or persecution into your life.
So that God has a purpose.
For his own glory and for your eternal blessing in the line, those trials.
The comments of your life. Now when we think of such devoted servants of Christ as the Apostle Paul, we might think that a man who surely made Christ is obvious from the time that he met Christ on the road to the Mass that he could walk consistently.
As he had been actually seen Christ in glory. But no, even a man as devoted as the apostle Paul had passed through all kinds of trials.
As he described here, troubles on every side.
Passed down and so on, all those persecutions and so on. Well, that was just as necessary for the apostles Paul.
So that the light might shine out and his life as it is in any other child of God's younger old days. So if you find you young people at school that you're persecuted for your testimony, remember God is allowing that and it defends trouble into the lives of any of his people. The loss of a job is.
Our health is broken down.
We're allowed to be in an accident. Plenty of God's children have been. Well, that is all part of the breaking of the earthen vessel. And when you think that God can use just the daily trials and sorrows and disappointments we have in this being to let some of that glory of Christ dying out.
It's it's the marvelous thing.
Any.
Or that are saved by grace down here could become a vessel.
To display a bit of the glory of Christ, there is no greater higher honor that could possibly be the soul upon a creature in this world.
Some of our trials, of course, come in the path of loyalty to Christ. Some of them may come in his governmental ways.
It's all with the same end in view, but there won't be the same, there won't be the same joy in the trials unless we are seeking to go on. So when Paul was in prison, he could sing in prison. But if I stole something and got in prison for that, I couldn't sing. And so God works out His purposes. But I believe we have in the 8th and 9th and 10th those things that come in the path of loyalty to Christ.
00:20:19
In which case we see in them occasions for the glory, the life of Jesus to be shining out. When we come to the 11Th verse, we which labor always delivered unto death for Jesus sake. Those are the things that come in God's governmental ways with us. The result may be the same, but there won't be the same joy in it at once, and it may mean something that will cripple us for life.
And I believe that's why the 10th verse ends with might be manifest in our body. The 11Th verse might be manifest in our mortal flesh. That is, take Jacob for an an example of this. Jacob worshipped leaning on the top of his staff. But why did he become lame? Well, he was scheming and planning to get things in his own way. And the Angel wrestled with him and finally broken down Jacob, why he received the blessings.
And in the end of his life, a lame man he was worshiping. So brethren, the Lord doesn't want to break the vessel down.
He passes us through things in the path of faithfulness to Him and would seek that the light would shine. But always a faithful God. And if we don't learn in the past in this way, then He may have to pass us through other kinds of trials. But it's His blessed purpose.
And he says that it's accomplished, that the life of Jesus should be seen.
When the Lord came into this sea.
He walked, here's a man and a voice came out of heaven saying, this is my beloved son, and whom is all my delight. Well, it was God the Father testifying to his Son, to his delight in his Son, and it was in him as a man down here, Jesus. And I believe it's very important to see that it's the life of Jesus.
God was interested, very much interested, interested only in that light of Jesus down here. And there was a light shining down in this world, the lack of which had never shone here before, and it had never shone like that since. But now the Lord Jesus and our brother Hayhoe reminded us, have gone back to glory. Men didn't want that light.
And that light isn't here, but we're here, and we are responsible to shine his light here. And God is interested still in that one thing of seeing that light of Jesus, the life of Jesus shining out down here. All we need to keep that before us.
It's as important today to God as it was then when His own Son was here. The important thing is that that light shines in this dark place.
11Th verse might be representative, might have not preventative discipline ever branch in me to bear through the purchase. Biscuit may bring forth more fruit.
Well, what do you mean by discipline, brother?
Well.
We are here in this scene why we are subject to the discipline of the father, and it's often been spoken of that there are three kinds of disciplines.
There is.
Well, what we've been Speaking of presented and the Apostle Paul.
Last, that when he was said, he was given a thorn in the place that lest he be exalted, it was preventative. It wasn't something he had done Well. Then there is corrective discipline, that is discipline in connection with.
Is our failures is corrected. Well then there's that in the 15th of John is burning his is that it might bring forth more fruit. You didn't correct you or didn't prevent it, but that might bring forth more proof.
00:25:05
Well, Kennedy would be corrected.
That's why I spoke of His governmental ways. It may not all be always be for something that we have done, but it is always because we have the old nature within us. The Lord Jesus was persecuted. The Lord Jesus passed through every kind of suffering that a righteous man could pass through, and all that he passed through but brought out the loveliness of who he was. The crushing of the vessel in every circumstance only brought out his the loveliness of his persons. But of course, with us there's an old nature within.
And whether it's a preventative character or whether it's because of something that we have done, it's because we have an old nature within us, and that must be either in a preventative way or in a punitive way or otherwise.
Put in the place of death. It's the hindrance, isn't it? Yes, and what we have here shows that the Lord couldn't trust the flight in an apostle. But what about the rest of it?
One may pass through trial though, and not have very much exercise about it, but in Hebrews, which is go down a different subject, we do have that expression that.
Leave it as exercise.
And.
I suppose, though, in this chapter it has more to do, does it not, with the question of service, the apostle and the particular thing that he was called to, and that was the the Gospels of glory. And so there's a particular line of things in this missile that has to do with that testimony. And the apostle went through things that practically others never would be called upon.
For that very reason.
I will show him what great things he must suffer for my sake. And it was in connection with the dispensation of the gospel which had been committed to him. And he was the one also in Timothy, who himself would be a pattern, or really a delineation, I believe.
Of this very thing for those who afterwards should believe as we turn alive we get that off, so do we not in the end of.
First chapter Colossians where that the 21St verse.
Will now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my place, Roy's body space, which is a church. He was a special pattern of suffering. So in connection then with the subject of the testimony.
There is, there is that side of it, of these trials and testing. I suppose they grow here, don't they? They start with trouble.
Distress, the flex, then persecution and so on. It seems to be increasing. And they're particularly connected here with one who is has one purpose before him, and that that Christ might be manifested in his mortal bodies. And so all all these other things are true. There was a sense in which the apostle was delivered to these things. God.
And God said, well, you've taken this path willingly.
I'm going to deliver you to it, to think of what he suffered and yet at that very hour when he was.
Going through these sufferings, not only the care of all the churches, but also these particular.
Things that we have in the second epistle, where there were false apostles rising up, questioning his authority. Right in the midst of it all, we find him writing these lovely epistles, a man who is completely taken over by the Spirit of God.
To that work that God had given him as a result, and the body itself of going into decades.
So that the apostle has.
Experience the pricelessness of the gifts that he possessed in that earth investment so that he could say we are troubled on every side.
That's the urban vessel passing through the trials along the way. But immediately it says, but not distressed. So you bring in the the traitors, what we have in Christ. It sustains the soul, no matter how great the trouble may be. And he goes on.
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Black.
But not in despair.
Everything might just seem to be overwhelmed.
Let's build the treasure comes in. You see what he has in Christ. Christ becomes more precious to him so he doesn't give up, and so he might be surrounded by hosts of enemies.
And he goes on.
Persecuted but not forsaken, the Lord comes in just like that last night after Paul had.
Been tried there before the Sanhedrin.
And the Lord stood by him last night.
And said, Fair enough, Paul, as thou hast borne with us for me in Jerusalem, thou shalt, O fool, that was very precious. And Paul had made a mistake on that occasion too, because he took advantage of the company, being Sadducees and Pharisees, to throw a bone of contention among them, and seven, wrangling among themselves, who get their attention also his trials.
And that was when the night came and he fought over all that had taken place the day before. He must have been very much downcast to think that he could have resorted to such carnal means of of defending himself. But isn't it lovely though? He had made a mistake and he apologized, mentions it afterwards, except as I just before the Council.
Try to cover it up.
They were the right way to cover up our failures. He doesn't cover it up. Even though he was a great apostle and had such a high standing among the people of God. Yet a man of all positions, he didn't think he has position as an apostle was so high that he couldn't acknowledge when he made a mistake and was wrong. But the point I was getting to is this.
That very night when Pablo, he would be just overwhelmed because of his mistakes. How gracious though the Lord. The Lord stood by him that night. Boy, they thought so sweet. The Lord could buy him and encourage him.
So it is persecuted but not forsaken.
Perhaps being thought from giving them more in connection with bearing about.
The dying of the Lord Jesus, but for with the discipline of the Lord. But still we do find how the Lord sustains.
Those that are passing through trial and connection.
Where there that's him only for him in this scene that would make us think that brother Barry of the second chapter in the 14th verse.
Now thanks be unto God, which always I suppose it should be, leaders leadeth us.
In triumph in Christ, make us manifest the Savior of His knowledge by us in every place. I suppose the apostle on this occasion probably didn't measure up fully to what the Lord might have expected him to, but still.
The apostle has so given over himself completely to the work.
Even if his heart was moved by affection for Timothy or for his people or for anyone else, I believe in that sense he was walking blameless. And he had that continual confidence in the Lord because his whole object was to serve Christ.
Now there is such a thing, I believe. We know there's no perfection down here, but I believe, brethren, there is such a thing.
Walking in that path to have the Lord's generous before us.
And in that sense he will keep his people blameless, not perfect. There's no such thing as perfect down here. But he he, he looks at the heart. And the Apostles personal attachment to Christ was the chief thing. Not that he was an apostle Maryland, but it was that personal attachment to Christ the person, the object for his heart that preserved him.
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Not just the fact that he was appointed in apostles.
All there to be an example of what has been spoken of in the 11Th of Matthew. Not that there ever was any need with the Lord, be that of course for the breaking down of anything, but it seems to me lovely to find in that chapter.
The person of the Lord Jesus doubted in the opening part of the chapter by his servant John, and his testimony reviewed his verses.
16 and 17 and his miracles to rejected from the 20th verse on. And then it says at that time These have answered, that I thank thee, old Father. And then it ends with Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.
Well, perhaps it would suggest that if anyone of us would wish to have that joy in our souls, and would wish also to hear in any happy yoke with the Lord Jesus, we too might expect that which the Lord even passed through His measures. That, though there should have a secret.
Just what you're saying. Samson had a secret with God. As long as he maintained that secret, he had power in his testimony. But the moment he gave up that secret, he had his eyes put out and he grounded in the prison house.
And he was. He lost his testimony because he lost that secret with God. In the chapter we were reading yesterday and 1St Corinthians chapter 3, the apostle said to the Corinthians that they were walking as men.
Well, Samson said, if you do such and such to me, I'll become weak like any other man. And so when his hair was shaved off, he did become weak like any other man. He was just like an ordinary man. And that's what had happened to the Corinthians. They've been shorn of their power. They've been shorn of that which would give them power. They were.
Looking at men.
They didn't have their eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Their power was gone and they walked as men. And what we need is to have our eyes fixed on Christ, not on things around us or on other people, but on the Lord himself, and walk in separation with the Lord. And then we'll not be like ordinary men. God doesn't want us like ordinary men. He doesn't want us walking as men down here. He wants us to be walking.
According to him.
And to walk us, Christ walked in this seat.
One thing, Brother Albert, that you referred to in regards to John the Baptist was very precious and that is that John the Baptist instead of him that he did know America. I believe that's sold in the Gospel of John. What was the power of his life after demonstration?
No, we could see it when he says of the Lord.
He must increase, I must decrease, and that's the same principle.
Even though John the Baptist hadn't been taught yet what we have here, he had the spirit of it. He was in communion.
At that time though, in that passage in the 11Th of Matthew, the same incident brought before us in the Gospel of Luke where the Lord Jesus is presented as the Man of sorrows. It's the only instance where it says at that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit.
Why was it that he rejoiced in spirit? Well, for the very thing that we've been talking about because the law rejected by the nation. What was going to be the result? The result was going to be that blessing was going to go out beyond the limits of Israel. Blessing was going to reach out to even to the Gentile and all how lovely it is that if there's an adverse circumstance comes in our lives, what will be the result if we take it from the Lord.
Further blessing, more blessing than if the circumstance had never arisen. And we see that as we have called our attention most perfectly in the life of the Lord Jesus, and I believe we see it in the life here of the apostle Paul. For how would we have known the lovely Spirit that control his life and service at the Corinthians and never spoken against them. The very thing that showed that the more abundantly.
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He loved them the less he was loved, and yet he continued in it. What was it? Brought it out.
Father was the way they acted. Know how lovely it is brethren, there can't be any circumstance arise in your life and mine. It ought to be a fresh occasion to manifest the life of Jesus and to bring further glory to God. Joy in our own souls if we take it from the Lord and if we don't take it from the Lord. The Lord has his own way of humbling us and bringing us down and perhaps after, like Jacob with some.
Some trial it has come from breaking down of some way or other the life of Jesus will be seen.
May take time, but how lovely it is to see it in the end of Jacob's life. He worship like to ask the question in connection. What was said about a secret? Perhaps to the sake of some of the Youngs we have a secret do we not? Maybe we just have a few words along that line. Respect for many that are young and don't know what Samson's secret was.
Well, we're a heavenly people.
Samson and his horse walked this Padre, we might say, to the course of Israel. He was one who was chosen out for entirely new distinct paths as a judge to deliver thoughts people in an evil day. And it's a picture to us, I believe, of the secret that we have.
As a heavenly people.
Not unless we maintain the blue on the border of the garden. That's what the children of Israel were told to do, you know.
Numbers, they were to have a ribbon of blue always from the borders of their garments. That was their secret. There are heavenly people. Now. If we keep that in mind, we won't attach ourselves down here. We'll have our high 6th on Christ. That's Colossians, the third chapter. You have the two things there. You have ye are dead, but you also have the fact that we're now the center of mind on things above.
That's the secret. It's having crisis, the object conscious that we do not belong to this world.
Fall from above and heavenly men by birth, who once were about the citizens of earth, now maintaining that in our soul be conscious of the truth that we have here.
What a blessing they'll be. If these things were practical with it wouldn't be a secret aspirin.
Who we just thought we've been occupied with all day. And that is the fact that he had long hair showed that he gave up the dignity that belongs to a man. He wore long hair. He gave up the dignity longed for our purpose. A vessel was thrown.
And the long hair too, would be known that he was a public man, a man living in the church and the dependent land. So I think when the question is raised as to what is the secret, Brother Bob, the secret is for you and me to give up the dignity that belongs to us as men in the world, be subject to the Lord Jesus in our walking ways. And I think when we're living, and that's the secret of God.
Then we have power and the light shines up.
There's one thing about Samson when his hair was shorn, he didn't realize that his power was gone, and he went out to do as he'd done it the other time, and he was overcast. So a child of God in connection with failure.
Why if he attempts to go on and do what he's done other time could be no power there.
Is there any reason why it says Jesus instead of Lord Jesus here on Christ Jesus?
I think.
Is bringing the life of that blessed ones before Jesus as the personal name of our Savior. So it's looking at his life down here and he's showing us how that which we see in the life of our blessed Lord when he lived and the man here among men may be manifested and the life of his people as they go through the same world with the same problems and difficulties and persecutions.
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That we may be called upon to pass through in our pathways through this scene.
Pathway of humility too, wasn't it, Brother Barry? I was thinking of this tenth verse.
Reading always bearing about his body the dying of Jesus, isn't it?
This is this humility that is he walked in such a way here, and I was thinking of that verse.
That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. Thinking of that in first John, a little first there that.
Speak to our hearts in connection with that.
Down first, the football.
And the second chapter of the second words.
Jesus said he abideth in him off himself also closely walked, even as he walks.
There's victory in that walk.
Brother Eric, I'd like to hear you explain what that means. Always bearing about in the body. The the time I'll be that's the way it is. The other translation, the dying of Jesus.
Is it always there about the body?
Dying, dying, Jesus. Well, I believe that would mean that.
The considered simply as growing into death.
There's been no life of the old man manifest I think. Seems to me here the secret delivered under stats for Jesus state it that the natural strength and energy has no place in that pathway.
So that's what I would get from.
Bearing about the bodies of dying of people. Not taking anything here but.
To follow him in that pathway.
That's not Speaking of physical death here. This is what you would call moral death, isn't it? Yeah. It's not the thought we have in Romans 611.
Likewise, reckon ye yourselves also dead to be.
Death indeed understand, but alive under God, through Jesus Christ, our letter. I think that's quite right. Only here you notice. And always daring about the body.
Now the six Romans show the destiny that we have died with Christ.
That's the answer to the activation. Shall we continue in spin, that great may abound? The answer to the apostle gives is, How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? And he explained what he means, that we have died with Christ.
Not only this blessed Lord died for my sins on the cross, but that was the end of the man who committed those sins.
God saw me there at the cross.
So that I can be completely done with every thought that there's anything worthwhile in the old man.
We're looking at a man in the place that man met his end of the course of Christ.
Now fills the apostle in the verse you quoted, brother.
Always bearing. So I mean, we reckon yourself that indeed understand now that's the that's the act of faith.
Because our experience seems to contradict it.
Instead of finding ourselves dead to sin, we find ourselves very, very much alive, ready at anytime to say or do something that breaks.
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Would suggest.
Oh our our experience seems to contradict.
What the truth of the word prevents to us, and that's why we're called upon.
Selecting ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God, We don't. We mustn't stop just the negative side of the truth.
Just they reckon ourselves dead indeed on the sins the bears, the others pride the positive side, but alive on the dog. Brother Brown gave a very helpful illustration.
My name may have heard it, but it's worth well worth repeating. He said as a young man, before he was saved, he he used to go to the theater and I was quite taken up with the articles. Although he said he was paid before the movies came along, he didn't get caught in that snare. But Philly said what he had seen in the theater Airwolf was an appeal to the old nation.
And in fasting, the moving pictures show will be display outside of what it seems acted inside. He felt appeal to something inside of him. I would say I want to go in and see what's inside there.
Well, what is the remedy for meeting the suggestions of the old makers? Just to tell himself what? I have died to that kind of thing. That man doesn't go to a movie picture show.
Well, that's the end of the of the effort of the enemy.
To get us to go on in the place to just reckon ourselves dead indeed on suspense. But I believe that the thought and the the first before always bearing about in the body. The time of Jesus, that is.
A continuous thing.
Can't say. Well, like Brother Brown, I reckon myself dead. Yesterday when I went back went by the moving picture show. So I'm quite immune from ever being misled or aligned myself to be.
Go into such a place, but the next time I will have to meet the same temptation. Maybe again. It's the constant thing as we go on our way because.
As we all find in our pilgrimage down here.
The time and experience doesn't change or improve the desires of the old nature. It still loves the things of the world and the things of nature that are contrary to God and even the suggestions of faith. And so we have to remember that daily. We need constantly that to have that before.
The sign of Jesus You think we got a little picture of that brother Mary and the.
And either from this there nor wash the clothes all the time that David was away and rejected.
Until he returned in peace. That's very nice.
Connection with what you said to Brother Hamilton about the secret of Samson and our brother Barry mentioned not only the negative side, but the positive side. It's true in the negative side that he wore the long hair. He gave up his rights as a man. But we find that when there was the Nazarite strength, he was feeding on the honey that came out of the slain lion, wasn't he? That would be the positive thing.
Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong one sweetness. And so Satan.
The picture to us in that way, He's the one who seemed to accomplish his own designs and put to death the Lord Jesus. But through that death sweetness has come to us, and we see them up there in glory. Well, stamps, and stop feeding on that honey, that sweetness that came out of the slain wine, out of the heater, came forth meat and out of the strong unsweetness. And the next thing was to give up the outward thing. And brother, we'll give up the outward thing too, if we're not feeding upon Christ.
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We cannot retain Nazareth separation, we cannot go on with the outward Marks and separations, unless we're in the inward joy of feeding upon himself.
So I believe we have the same order here. And they head into the third chapter gazing upon Him in glory. Now he finds the negative side of it here, bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.
I used to be puzzled as to whether it was really right when we were invited to attend something and we felt as a Christian, we ought not to go. Someone had just spoken in that direction. Was it really right to say, no thanks, I don't want to go?
Don't know whether I'm the only one that's been invited to attend something and said I don't want to go. And then something inside said you hypocrite, you know you do want to go.
Well, it really puzzled me for quite a while. Am I right? Am I telling the truth to say no thanks, I don't want to go?
But I do believe that in the 7th of Romans we hear the beloved apostle identifying the eye with the new man, so that it's perfectly all right for us dear believers to say, I don't want to, even though there is an old nature within them to be kept in the place of death.
That might adapt to us that we still do want to. We're entitled to identify the eye with the new nature which would find no delight in those things.
And we linked Bert Peter score first Peter 4.
And the first, first of first Peter four. And we linked that verse up with the second, the chapter of Hebrews and the last verse.
That was embarrassing about first Peter and four the first third.
Of Hebrews and the 18th.
A chapter in Hebrews chapter 2 who seeks their believe their Hebrews 2 and 18 that he himself himself is being tempted.
That is 13 years, four and the.
Right have suffered for us in the back and then it says in the last part of the verbs where we have that has suffered in the flesh has seeds from the tail like to hear from word on that.
Don't you think, brother, that meaning of that first verse of the 4th, the first Peter?
Laura Much then, as Christ has suffered for us in the slaves.
So we can be.
We can be done with the place, we don't have to go on and live the rest of our days.
Our rest of the time and the place for the lust of men.
Get in the second verse. But here is the remedy. It's.
For he that hath suffered in the flesh has faith through sin. That is, let the old nature suffers before someone says something very provoking and and unkind to me, and the old nature immediately comes up to hand back something just as severe as.
Other said to me, well, instead of the line, the old nature to have its way, which it was surely delightful.
Allowed to have his weight while just take it, he suffers. Well, I the old nature has suffered, but I speak through sin. So it's a view that in many ways.
And the old nature would like to go on with something that is pleasing with the Lord. Well, let the old nature suffer the best thing in the world. And that's the old nature. We've all got it. It'll suffer, but in letting the old nature suffer.
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Will faith through sin?
The Lord flesh was the holy flesh, and ours is sinful flesh. The Lord suffered in the path of obedience, but never because He had any inclination to do what's wrong.
Or, as with us, we suffer not only in the path of obedience sometimes.
But because we have an inclination to do what's wrong, the flesh is not the sinful flesh.
In the Lord Jesus that was holy and Allah, so he, he sympathizes with us in the sufferings that come upon us in a physical way in our pathway here. But there's no sympathy with us in connection with the old nature. It should be in the place of death.
Well could that first verse in the 40 Peter they looked at the Christ has suffered for us in the flesh. Well we know he suffered on the death. Death came in. Well now then, if we have something in the place, if we have became dead forward.
Where, see, we seek from Sam. So if it is considered in that way that we have really taken that place, why then we see some sense because the old man is gone.
Then you add another first, the second of Hebrews in the 18th, 1St we're in that he himself has suffered being tempted. He is able to suffer them that are tempted.
Well, in that path, it's the Lord's suffering down here.
To enable him as our great High Priest who enter into our trials and suffer.
We pass through. The Lord has already been through the files of His people. He knows what it is to be diverted, to be despised and taken.
Lord knows all about that. He's been in the home of those that are bereaved. He has left there and company with the soaring ones.
So now as we go through this scene, the very fact the Lord has suffered being tempted.
Get another hair on that the Lord was never attempted with the old nature like we are. Oh, in the fourth chapter, where this same subject is taken up, the apostle says sin apart, he was tempted in all points, black as we are, yet without Sinner Sinner park.
Fossil carefully.
Travel to that point is spin apart. Well, now the Lord, though having entered into the trials of his people, He can sympathize with us, but He never can sympathize with us. When our when is the truth of failure.
When the failure come in, while then we have the Lord not as as a High priest, but as an advocate to restore our souls and bring us back into communion.
In the book of Exodus.
Chapter 15. We're having the children of Israel coming to Mara.
They called it narrow because the waters that they found there to drink off were bitter water.
Verse 23.
When they came tomorrow, they could not drink of the waters of Mara, for they were bitter.
Well, I suppose that speaks of the trials of the waves, trials of the wilderness, and there are the bitter things that we encounter. The Apostle Paul is Speaking of that in our chapter, the trials, the bitter things that he encounters in his wilderness journey.
And then in verse 25.
After Moses, after the people, And what shall we drink?
Moses cries unto the Lord, and it says the Lord showed him a tree, which when he passed into the water, the waters were made sweet.
Well, when you read that, you can't help but thinking about the cross, and that's what we have brought before us in that tenth verse in our chapter. The dying of the Lord Jesus is being put to death, the crucifixion.
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And all how good it is for us to meditate upon that when any trial comes.
There are two sides to trial. We see that very plainly in this chapter in the fourth of Second Corinthians. Two sides to it, perhaps we might say there's our side and the large side. Well, when we look at it from our side, it's bitter. It is a trial. But when we look at it from his side and connected with him, then the sweetness comes in.
Well, one can speak from personal experience from very recent trials, and I mentioned it because I'm sure others have perhaps had the same experience. When you think of losing a loved one, you think of the empty place there. Are you going to miss that one? Well, that's our side. But then we think of the Lord side up, connected with the Lord.
Well, that loved one is with the law. And why? Because he went to Calvary's prompt and died there. There couldn't have been such a thing. There couldn't have been that side unless he'd gone to the cross and died. And as it's been brought out, we reckon ourselves dead.
Well, to everything around us, then to sin that which is within dead to that which is without the word.
And.
What a help it gives us. It brings sweetness in.
If it is true that large.
To not be with us.
And I sympathize with our failures.
I was thinking of the children of Israel that says of them.
All their afflictions.
He was afflicted.
And why did they have a second? Was it not because they failed?
And yet it says in all their afflictions he was afflicted with someone. Explain that to me.
Well, the Lord never sympathizes with us in our in our sin, or in any way in which we display the old nature.
But if in the display of the old nature, we get into a circumstance that we might have to reach the rest of our lives.
The Lord, if we turn to Him and repentance will surely be with us in that. Or when He was here upon earth, fly with sickness here. Why, with all the misery in which He found Himself here, was all here because of sin, But He came here and sympathized with them, not in their sins, but in the circumstances where their sins have placed them. Yet I'm glad you brought it up. I thought of that when the remark was made. Brother, the Lord never sympathizes with us in our sins.
I should never say, well, he simplifies with me and losing my patience because it was a very provoking thing. No, but if I lost my patience and lost my job over it, then the Lord will sympathize with me if I turn to him. And on it He'll sympathize with me in being without a job, even though it's part of his government. That's what a gracious high priestly house, that's the third star. But in that song, David is running from his own son, Absalom.
And they those that are with him says, there's no help for you and God. But the very first word in the Psalm is, Oh Lord. But remember in that Psalm he says, when I went unto thy holy hill, my brother has mentioned that it's after there has been the acknowledgement of our failure, then we can enjoy the sympathies of Christ, even though we're under his government.
The government of God, I should say, the Father.
Proverbs says He the covers and sin shall not prosper, and he.
Constructed and protected them to find mercy. That's what we need. Is that all the way along?
Yes, there's not only the confession, but there's also the forsaking.
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Well, there's no place in connection with these troubles or persecutions. But what there's a way out, as is mentioned here, not in despair.
Not destroyed.
And so on.
But there's a deliverance in every case.
And there's not no necessity for discouragement, because discouragement really is not of the Lord, is it?
There's a wrong doctrine.
All the evil ovens where the apostle says I'm crucified with Christ.
As all the old nation was slowly dying every.
Soul is dying every day. Well that is not a a truth of all.
The fact is that when the apostle says I'm crucified with Christ, he is looking at what took place when Christ was dying on the cross.
That's the thing that has already taken place. That's why we reckon ourselves dead indeed on suspense. Be done with it to get God's viewpoint over here. He is done with it and we can be done with the hills.
Our younger.
Horses here.
It says in the 11Th course where we would live are always delivered on the death for Jesus faith.
The fact that we have died with Christ.
Oh no. And we're called upon to bear in our bodies the dying of Jesus.
Every day we need to to remember that we have died with Christ.
Well now God in his grace put his own through circumstances that bring about that bearing in our bodies dying of these. So the 11Th, the 10th verse is is the doctrine, so to speak.
The 11Th verse.
Is the practical way that God sees to it.
That is carried out, of course, this, he said. So they run the impossible himself.
Persecutions and trials that he went through himself. But the principle is true for every one of God's children. God sees to us that we do carry out the truth that we have died with Christ. And in Paul's case, if you look at the first chapter of the Capitol.
Look at the.
6th Bird, or whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same suffering which we also suffer. Whether we be comforted is to your consolation and salvation.
And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as he are partakers of the suffering, so he he also of the constellation. For we would not present have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of major above strength in so much that we had even of life, but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not sustain ourselves.
But in God, which raises the dead, well, that gives a little description of.
These, what the apostle is thinking of by always we would live, are always delivered under death.
It wasn't a day that Paul rose in the morning, but what he could say. I may be martyred before the day is over. Well, that's the way it lives, the Lord.
Dealt with his.
Faithful servants and weapons in order to bring out your testimony of Christ, and so that Jesus was manifested in his mortal place. So what severity was necessary to bring it out?
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Even in the light of an apostle.
Like the beloved Paul himself, would you not say, brother, that in the 10th verse? It's when we do this in communion with the Lord and in the 11Th verse is when He has to do it in His ways with us.
For instance, the Lord said to Peter, before the **** crawled twice, thou shalt deny me twice. Well, Peter didn't realize how weak the flesh was, so he went on in the self-confidence of nature and he had to learn through a fall. But he did learn and thank God he did, but it was through a fall. If he had said, Oh Lord, if you don't keep me, I will dishonor you, then he would have cast himself upon the Lord, realizing that he couldn't trust himself.
And he would have been preserved, and instead of denying the Lord, he would have displayed the life of Jesus when he was put to the test.
So with us, there are two ways in which we can learn the wretchedness of the old man. We can either believe what God says about it and because we believe it, put it in the place of death. Or God may have to pass us through very humbling things in our lives to teach us what the old man is.
So in the 10th verse he says always bearing a boat in the body, that's when we do it in communion with the Lord in the 11Th to 20 has to deliver us to death for Jesus sakes.
His ways with us, well, he's faithful. But as one is often said, to put it very simply, there's two ways for the child to learn that the stove is hot, to touch it and burn his fingers, or to believe that it's hot because mother said so. While God doesn't want us to burn burn our fingers rather than to find out what the flesh is, He's shown us what it is at the cross when his own son died under sin and.
May God grant that we may lay hold of this truth, and reckon ourselves to be dead indeed under sin.
And here is a continual thing always. It's the faithfulness of God, isn't it? In this matter, the death of Christ is a full perfect thing, but our apprehension of it is imperfect. And in the measure that our apprehension of the death, crucifixion of Christ is imperfect, in that measure, we'll get what we have in the 11Th verse where we can thank God for that.
If he allows anything.
To come into our lives, to deliver us to death, to death, to give us a better apprehension of what Christ really went through on Calvary cross. I believe what you said, Brother Halo, about those two verses is very good practical application for our soul. But it seems to me there still is that reserve of the general thought of this particular chapter that we.
Lots of just apply it to that particular thing only that the Apostle Paul was under any particular discipline.
Because the apostle had a particular dispensation committed to him. And you know you and I don't. Don't ask the Lord to put us into trouble. Do it.
But the Lord did deliver him to this. He was carrying out a particular thing as our brother.
Ericsson has called our attention to it isn't always that we're being punished or that we're under discipline. There is a a reason that the apostle was placed in this position.
Because God is carrying out a special work in his particular case. But what you said is very true as to the application of these two versions for ourselves in a practical way. In a practical way, we all have to learn it experimentally, more or less. But God would have it to be left. That is, he doesn't want to have to deal with it. But in a practical way, there's not one of us can lift up our heads and say, well, I've learned all the truth and communion.
The Lord never had to deal with me. We all have to hang our heads and face often had to deliver me to death for Jesus sake, but he doesn't want to do it brethren, he wants to teach us in communion and if we lay hold of these precious things in the meeting will go away happy manifesting the life of Jesus. He doesn't want to have to teach us the other way. In verse 11 The apostle says we and ours. Would that indicate that he includes us in it with himself.
01:20:07
I thought Brother Anderson.
Something like we say the editorial we and I I doubt if he is taking in and specifically all the children of God, the castle himself. Perhaps Timothy and others associated with him and he has persecutions that we read about in the first chapter and it seems to me that.
11 First, as far as the apostle is concerned, it's not so much a matter of failure with him and God having to seek him through failure.
The.
Wants of place he is.
But.
It was in connection with his ministry. We that live are always delivered on death to solve that in the first taxes that the life also Jesus I don't see him the apostles piece that it is connected so much to failure as with God.
Ways with the apostles going on in his service so that.
That.
The life also Jesus might be manifested now I started, Hailer says is perfectly true.
That if we are not willing to learn what the place is in communion, why then God does have to teach us by allowing us.
To exhibit the place or interact in the place like feeder. Then when of course we learn in a very solemn way what the place is.
Love the very you referred to Galatians 220 but I'm crucified with Christ.
Is it not?
Really not in that verse have the.
My representing.
Our being in different aspects.
I'd be glad to have you explain it, Brother Jasmine. Well, I believe I am 35 with Christ refers to the old man. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Well, that's the new man I live.
And yet not I, well, I'm not left here in my own strength. Christ live within me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, well, that's I'm responsible. I realize, I must realize I still have that old man, and there's a new man, but I am responsible nevertheless. I live, though I have that old nature still with me.
Why the life I now live in the place?
I live by the faith, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to me.
Well, I like to look at it in that way.
That's very helpful. Sometimes it's a new man, sometimes the old man, and it's the responsible man.
Now there's heard the story told about a man one time was brought into court and he told the judge that was the old man that did that. Well, the judge says we'll send the old man to jail. You can go along with him, keep him comfortable.
I have a case where a brother was invited. It might be helpful with some of the young brother was invited to a party and he had a conscience against going there.
So he answered the people that invited him. He said it would be impossible for me to come. He didn't say why, but I think that was the reason. Our brother Albert remarked the talk before about sometimes we have to admit that we'd like to go and I think the brother would have liked to go on the party.
They're going to have a good time, but it was for the old man that they were having a good time.
I think what you say, Brother Eric, is important. There is the the old nature and there is the new nature we both have.
Two preventers, but there is a responsible eye that.
Allows either the new nature or the old nature to act.
01:25:02
Need to remember that which nature am I aligned to have its way.
Just at the end of the last really meeting brother and I'd like to hear something about the last part of this 11Th verse. Seems to me it's we got something very wonderful here and especially for the young people among us. Is it possible, brother Barry, that.
It is possible that the life of Jesus.
And the brazen minor stuff in our marketplace.
Personally is possible, wouldn't have told us though.
No, grandeur are more wonderful.
Families in this whole life to watch your speech.
Manifest the life of Jesus.
In this poor world, and he gives us the means that makes it possible.
To write to such nice.
The Justice card put my sentence away.
And the cost of cars would be alive.
We often say, Brother Taylor, that the that the cross of Christ is.
What separates me from the world? The blood of Christ is what?
Puts my sins away, and the death of Christ is what puts me away, and it's the cross of Christ.
There's more of the same side of the death or exaggerated.
So that's what really separates from the world.
Almost into the future.
#316 We are by Christ 2 deeds.
Nothing better goals esteemed by good connection. We're the best. We're our own with all very score. And thou, Lord Jesus, we're on home. He's still poor. Our urgent vessels great the world of South Carolina world.
Christ.
And mold he'll give these bodies while fashion like his own. You'll get the whole creation smile and Usher is growing 360.
3.
Revelation 1
Address—A.M. Barry
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.
148.
For the.
Oh, I.
First chapter of Revelation.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him.
To show unto his servants.
Things which must shortly come to pass.
And he sent, and signified it by his Angel.
Under his servant John will bear record of the word of God.
And of the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And of all things.
That he saw. Blessed is he that readeth.
And they that hear the words of this prophecy.
And keep those things which are written therein.
For the time is at hand, John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.
Grace be unto you, and peace from him which is.
Which was which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ.
With the faithful witness.
And the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us or loves us, and washed us from our sins in his old blood.
And has made us kings and priests, and the God and his Father.
In the glory and dominion, forever and ever.
Amen.
He wholly cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him. They also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of it Even so. Amen. I am alpha and a major, the beginning and the ending.
00:05:07
That the Lord which he is, was.
Which is to come the Almighty.
Hi, John.
You also am your brother and companion.
In tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ within the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.
And heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the 1St and the last, and what thou seest write in a book, and send it under the seven churches which are in Asia, and the Ephesus, and the Smyrna and of the Pergamon and under fire tire.
And other Stardust.
And unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea. And I turn to see the voice that speaks with me. And being turned, I saw 7 golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, flowed through the garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with the golden girdle. His head and his hair were quite like wool.
And white as snow.
And his eyes were as a flame of fire.
His feet likened a fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.
His voice of the sound of many waters, and he had in his right hand seven stars.
And out of his mouth went a sharp 2 edged sword, and his confidence was as was fun, Join us in his strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, praying underneath fear and heart. I am the 1St and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead.
And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell or Hades, and of death Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are the things which shall be hereafter the mystery of the seven stars which thou thought, in thy right hand the seven golden candle sticks.
The seven Stars are the angels of the seven churches, the.
The seven candlesticks which thou saw are the seven churches.
You know that the.
At the opening of the Book of Revelation.
That this has been inserted the Revelation of John the Divine.
When you read what is inspired, it says the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him.
Now that introduction that you have is what man has inserted.
The capture opens with what the Spirit has given us and how different.
Man cannot touch the word of God in any way without corrupting it.
And as soon as man brings in anything, he immediately seeks.
Why their work of Satan to direct the eyes off of Christ and to occupy the soul of mine, the all the divine, as though some ecclesiastical dignitary was the one to be occupied with how different John thoughts about himself.
And the one who inserted that.
00:10:02
That we have.
Look at the line first again.
Heather, John saying I am.
Saint John the Divine, he says. I, John, who am your brother?
And companion and tribulation.
Oh, how lovely it is the love that when we see a servant of Christ.
Willing to take the humble place so that Christ might have his place.
Might have his importance before the soul.
Well, this is a revelation.
The introductory capture to a whole book.
That is a revelation of things that are to come.
Well, beloved with all man accumulated wisdom, and he can look back over.
6000 years of his history and traced all the empires that have arisen and.
The experience, but it teaches how men succeeded in rising to certain positions and so on.
With all that hearted wisdom that man has, he has no idea what lies in the future.
All a dim mystery to him.
If we're others who have any thoughts, whatever of what lies ahead.
However, it must be revealed by.
The God who knows the end from the beginning.
And the marvelous thing is beloved.
That God has been revealing to man all along through his history what is to take place.
Now those who are instructed are never in the word of God, are never.
Deceived as to the future and.
Fact Those who lived in Old Testament times knew that there was a coming Messiah.
And those who loved the word and were subject to the word.
Were looking for the promised savior in the fire to come.
Now, beloved, that the Christ of God has come.
We are permitted to look right into the future before us and to know just exactly what is to take place.
In this world and concerning this world.
All on beyond this present age completely.
Into the Kingdom of Christ and into the eternity of glories that lie ahead. Isn't that marvelous? Isn't it wonderful? Think how short sighted man's view is. Think about what?
Great distance.
The word of God carries the soul into.
That which lies ahead.
Well, it tells us here that it's a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Which God gave unto him.
Now this revelation is coming to you and me through a person.
He doesn't merely.
Some doctrine?
That we might study and and speak to.
Profit by but all when we consider beloved.
That is brought to us through the most glorious person, and that person is a man.
The third man that we have been occupied in our meetings, that glorified man.
Now we're in need to remember.
That God's son has become a man for all eternity. You'll never cease to be a man.
And he has a heart and feelings and compassion of a real man today.
00:15:08
How lovely it is in the book of Acts, deceived on different occasions, how the Lord would remind his own that he was that same blessed man that they knew in his pathway down here in this world.
Oh yes, when Stephen was stoned.
Why, He looked at steadfastly into heaven, and he saw that very man.
Standing there at the right hand of God when Fall of Tarsus was converted on the way to Damascus.
And all the venom, hatred he had towards that blessed one. And yet when that light shone upon him, and he hears that voice, what does it say? I am Jesus of Nazareth. Just think He identified himself.
Without despise a town of of Nazareth where he grew up and lived for 30 years.
Was known as the Carpenter of the carpenter's son. Oh no, he hadn't changed.
Jesus.
That had been here, but now on high in glory. Well now, beloved, when we.
When we see this, that in looking into the revelation of Jesus Christ that it comes from a real man interested and concerned about the welfare of everyone.
Who is dear to him?
Though it says, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.
Now it doesn't say here that show unto his people, although of course it is his people. But there's a reason why it says to show unto his servants. And then it says.
He sent, and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John.
Well, that gives us a little hint as to.
Who is specially referred to in these servants? John was one of them.
And what is it that is characteristic of a servant? Well, suppose we turn to the 8th of proverbs.
The 32nd verse.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children, where the blessed are they that keep my ways?
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is that man that heareth me, watching daily at my gate, waiting at the post of my doors. For whoso will findeth me findeth life, and I'll obtain favor of the Lord, but he that sinneth against me.
Wrong of his own soul. All they that hate me love death.
Our thinking especially of our 34th verse. Blessed is he that heareth me, watching daily at my gate and waiting at the post of my doors. Now there is the characteristic of a true servant of Christ, and we're now talking about brothers that give their time to preaching the gospel. This wasn't written to.
Just such men as Peter, James and John and Paul. And for those that were to go out in the Lords work, the sisters here are as much included among the servants of Christ.
As the most devout brother that the Lord ever raised up, the whole thought is, are we like the one who is waiting at his?
00:20:09
Waiting just to receive directions and orders from his precious words. Well, now, if we are in that state of soul, where the Lord's commands are everything to us, we're fully submissive and subject to what he has to say.
We're in a state of soul, Angela, that we can enter into the truth.
That are about to be unfolded in the Book of Revelation.
Now a prophecy can become a mere intellectual study.
My brother gave a remark to me not long ago.
That, I thought, was very striking. I'll try to repeat it, he said. That prophecy.
Unless Christ is the object can become an.
Unholy.
Now the word flipped from me. I had it a moment ago.
An unholy speculation.
That is, one can study prophecy and be out of communion with the Lord.
Well, one could be going on very carelessly and very indifferently and I've seen it, those that were on their way into the world and yet.
Much taken up with prophecy. Now let's see just the secret of the understanding and entering into prophecy according to the mind of God.
There is a verse in the 19th chapter.
Of Revelation.
And the 10th bird.
The last part of the 10th verse or the testimony of Jesus. I notice that the testimony of Jesus.
Is the spirit of prophecy.
So I unless the.
Consideration of the subject of revelation.
Or prophecy.
Unless.
It occupies the soul where the glories of the person.
To whom all glory belongs, the one that's to be the judge of the whole thing, the one who is the coming bridegroom, unless the hearth is drawn and attracted to him.
Of that expression says it can become.
An unholy speculation.
Now he says here the show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.
All the Spirit of God has always intended.
That these events that have to do with the judgment of the world and the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ.
Immediately before.
His old.
Now we know that a long time seemingly has.
Come and gone 1900 years since John was writing these words. Although time in no means nothing to God for 1000 years is just as one day. But if John considered in writing in his day.
That these things.
Were to shortly come to pass.
How about you and me, beloved?
Who are living so much near?
These coming events.
It surely behooves us to be.
00:25:04
To be concerned about these things.
To have a holy interest in these things.
To be inquiring into these things.
And not to be neglecting these things.
So he says, And he sent and signified it by his Angel.
And he his servant John, why are we told here that he has sent and signified it by his angels?
Why does an Angel come, as it were, between the Blessed Lord?
And these things that are to be revealed to you and me.
I believe the reason is this.
Bad judgment, as we know from the Prophet, is God, reigns working.
Oh, how slow God is to judge. He waited in the days of Noah until the earth was filled with corruption and violence, and there was only knowing his family left before the flood came.
So that the fact that an Angel must bring these things before us.
A distance has come in. I will just give you a contrast. Perhaps it will be helpful if you'll turn to the first chapter of John's Gospel. I remember the same writer.
Wrote the gospel and wrote the Book of Revelation.
The 18th verse. No man has seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him, that was the subject of this Gospel.
All the life, the death.
The resurrection of that blessed in front of God.
Ah, no need of an Angel there, beloved the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. Oh, how delightful it was to the heart of God to reveal to poor sinners like you and me that precious life of that blessed One who loved us and gave himself for us, but as soon as revelation.
Is brought before those terrible judgments on the earth.
Ah, there is a reserve an Angel comes between and you notice another thing that God is never spoken of. I believe in Revelation as our Father.
Yeah, Christ, pick something as my father.
But not your father.
God is now viewed in that relationship, even in connection with walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, as we thought him prevented, he's not looked at there.
He's not there showing us that and hearing us that intimacy, that relationship and all. He's there as a judge.
So all through revelations.
We're having to do with those mysteries that God is so slow to bring.
And to execution.
Now it says who bear record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And of all things that he saw in that little verse, we have comprised.
As it were the whole word of God, you know, in John's day.
The New Testament hadn't been completed then, but they had the word of God.
They had the Old Testament and they had the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Yawn. An inspired man had been giving that testimony. And now we have this.
That's attitude or proceed and that because of all things that he saw. So that now as we bring in the Book of Revelation.
00:30:04
The coming glories of Christ, the destiny of this poor world, the Kingdom set up, and the eternity of companionship with God's beloved Son, marvelously, wonderfully beloved, complete.
The whole revelation of God to your soul and mind.
Now he says in the next verse, blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy.
Well, there's two things mansion at first, like three things. Those that read and those that hear the word of this prophecy.
Now I do trust dear friends, and I think of all the dear young people included.
That you will read the Book of Revelation.
And then another thing. I trust that you'll go to the meeting.
Where you'll hear the Book of Revelation, read It's not the Book of Revelation. Some other book.
Book in God's precious words.
That's important business not only to read the word in the privacy and quietness.
Of our own life.
Perhaps when you get up in the morning, or perhaps when you before you retire, you pick up the word and you read a portion.
That is, bless your soul. But there is this too, to remember those that hear the word read. And where can you go to hear the word read in that little meeting at your home where you live?
All we have had quite a large number here today.
And.
It's quite easy to come here and be with so many and find so many here that are together and so many that are looking into their Bibles.
Friends, how about that little meeting at home?
I just as interested in the reading of the word of God.
And that Wednesday or Thursday or Tuesday night meeting, reading, meeting that's been going on.
Only the Lord give this little word to search everyone.
Remember one time years ago in Chicago at a conference?
There on Central Ave. Brother Brown.
Spoke of this, he says. You will see people that will travel hundreds of miles to get to a conference to be over the word of God that they're practically never seen at the little reading meeting at home or the prayer meeting either.
Well.
That's true, and as been said by a sister, I believe it was.
He said it in more or less of.
There was something a little sarcastic, but a lot of truth in it, she said. Everybody was lovely at conferences and letters.
So we can easily get deceived in the spirituality of.
Those who attend the conference room, thank God for everyone that's here and everyone that has a desire to be here. But all beloved, what about the little prayer meeting to it at your home gathering?
The value of that meeting.
I have been told, or at least I have read, that when Mr. Darby and the group of young men were translating the Bible in Switzerland into French.
That the work necessitated such so much that was merely intellectual. In examining the different manuscripts and comparing words and getting the right words and so on, they felt the danger of a poverty for their souls.
So he and these young men broke bread in remembrance of the Lord every day they weren't establishing.
00:35:01
A custom. They weren't beginning an assembly or anything, but they they just felt that unless they got into the presence of the Lord in connection with even the the trying to bring out the very best translation possible of the word of God, that was a danger of getting out of communion.
With the Blessed Lord himself.
So we're told here.
Bless it, is he. Oh friends, you want a blessing?
You want a real blessing in your life and soul here it is. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy.
And then keep those things.
Which are written therein.
Well, what is it to keep the words of this prophecy?
One might fail. We're not living in and the time when the Book of Revelation is to be fulfilled. How can we keep the words of this prophecy? We're not living in the tribulation when they will be passing through those terrible.
Trials and persecutions. How can we end this far away land from the special seams of the fulfillment of prophecy teaches these words.
Well, I believe the lover that this is a very searching and a very practical question for us. How can we keep it?
In other words, do you desire to keep it?
And I can say this if you desire to please the Lord.
There there will be.
That entering into his mind so you can keep it.
And I believe what especially meant here by keeping the words of the prophecy of this book.
As to be absolutely free from the terrible spirit of this godless, Christ rejecting world that's going on so with to its own judgment.
All our hearts are so subtle, beloved, that we can become carried away and engrossed.
And.
What this world?
Is engrossed in.
We can be carried away with the world's education. It's higher education.
Now, I'm not condemning education if it's to fit anyone for a means of making a livelihood in this world, but it's quite another thing, beloved, if it's just merely a matter to fill your mind.
Where this world's wisdom and yet some of God's children? Oh, I I could have wept with some dear ones not long ago. Brilliant young man.
Very promising.
That he got into philosophy.
Where is he now? He's spending a letter of resignation from the knees of little meeting.
All beloved water lost, even to a real child of God.
That's not keeping the words of the prophecy of this book, is it? And if we are.
Sticking to.
Do great things of this world get a name, a reputation, or build up something down here. This is the grand home. Also, that I am condemning anyone having the comfort that enable them to be free to go on in their Christian life, on not condemning you're having a comfortable, pleasant home.
In surrounding feet. Oh, there's so much danger in everything in this.
This age in which we're we're living and facing is using it to to clog the avenues of the soul, to keep out the more important and more precious things of Christ and beloved. If we're keeping the words of the prophecy of this book, we're going to look upon the whole scene as a condemned scene, a theme that is soon to be under the awful judgment of God.
00:40:18
No, even at this moment.
With Russia and the United States have enough atomic and hydrogen bombs to destroy the whole civilization.
And know that.
Nothing is secure here, beloved, but thank God we've got a portion that is secure outside of this scene. And if we're keeping the words of the prophecy of this book, instead of building our hopes in a scene like this, we're looking on into that bright, glorious scene above. And beloved, if we're going to walk consistently as the children of God.
We have to be.
Undeceived as to the true character of this world through which we're passing it hated Christ and it still hates Christ.
And it's.
Its its course is marked out of opposition to that blessed One, until finally, in the end just think of it, man is going to be actually found fighting against Christ.
Oh God, grant that there may be more of the keeping of the prophecy of this book.
Looking on to the glory, expecting the bridegroom. And that wedding day when the when his wife will have made herself ready, when she comes forth in fine linen, clean and white. And it tells us that the fine linen is the righteousness of of Saint or if we're keeping those prophecies that are brought before us in these.
And these pages of this blessed book, out of what a testimony it will be in connection with our lives.
John to the seven churches which are in Asia gracely unto you, and peace from him which is.
And which was, and which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before the throne.
Oh, there, you gather in that little verse the triune gobs.
O many verses bring the Trinity before us. There is God.
The Holy Spirit.
And Jesus Christ.
Brought in special.
Each in a special character that has to do.
With this revelation that's before us.
How we might just inquire why is it that the the Holy Spirit here is spoken of His Seven Spirit?
Well, that's the that's.
Give us to remember beloved, and that whenever you come to a verse you are not clear about, then we need to speak to get the scope of Scripture.
To see one verse will clarify and explain another verse.
Now in the season four, we're told that there is one body and one spirit. Oh no, there's not seven individual spirits of God but what the Apostle is bringing before us.
Is the perfection of the work of the Spirit of God.
That is he is diversified for seven is the perfect number, is diversified operation.
Marvelous, isn't it, to think of how the spirit of God has wrought all through the ages.
And everything that the Spirit of God has wrought out is divinely perfect.
I remember hearing dear brother clothes give a young man the a little illustration of the three persons of the Godhead, he said. It was like 1 erecting a building.
00:45:13
You hire an architect First, he draws up the blueprint. Well, that's like Bob the father. Then there's the Carpenter, the contractor that works out these these plans.
And.
That illustrates the Lord Jesus. And then there must be the power to bring this all to that. So there we get the sweet person.
And when, when it's the power, it's the Spirit of God, you know, we're told that by His Spirit he has garnished the heavens.
All those glorious bodies and face are all the work of God's Spirit.
But oh God, doesn't compare in any way with the work of God's Holy Spirit.
In the soul or the very life of the new nature you possess.
Was implanted by the Holy Spirit of God. Were born.
Of water and of the spirit that.
The Spirit of God has produced a life of the very life of Christ himself. What could be more perfect than that? Well, I'll go on now.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth, Now there is Christ in his in his past and pathway down here.
Thus faithful witness, oh how unfaithful man has been. God has one faithful witness, the First Begotten of the dead. There's what he is to the Church, and then the Prince of the kings of the earth.
That's what he is in connection with the coming day, when the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of Our Lord and of His fright.
So here is a little break in the subject.
Now this is just John's own enjoyment of the blessed person of Christ.
Now we have called attention to the three persons, and basically the operation of the Spirit of God, but all beloved one, that blessed person of the Lord Jesus is brought before your heart and mind. What effect as it has upon it? Well, I'll tell you the effects it had the writer of this book John Fell, and if you'll read the on in the fifth verse you'll find out.
Here's what he says unto him that loved us. It should be who loves us and have worcesters from our sins in his own blood, and has made us the kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory, dominion, forever and ever. Amen. Just like suppose when Eisenhower returned after the.
His victories over in France.
Country is occupied with him and he arrives in and the airport at New York, and the whole city is celebrating the coming of the great general. He'll say his wife is among the ones that are waiting.
What is it that?
She is thinking about what is it that she will say or she says.
You wouldn't be saying, well, there's the great general, would you? That's my husband. Well, it's just like that with John, the Prince of the kings of the earth, he said, thinking of him and his glory for all, says John, this is the one that loves them.
Or is something more wonderful and more dear to your heart and mind beloved than all the Kingdom and its glory? And that is to know that that one who fills the throne as we sang this morning, and fills it without wrong, is the one that washed it from our fins in his own blood? Isn't that a marvelous statement? Why, it's so marvelous, and yet it's so simple.
00:50:13
Any of these little girls sitting right here in front of me can understand that their sins are all voiced away in the blood of Christ. And yet if you would speak to explore the depth of that, that's the blind truth. When you think of all the redeemed, when you think of all the sins that have been committed by them, and to think they're all washed away, you've entered into such.
A marvelous subject.
The lovers, that no human mind could ever penetrate the marvels of it.
And yet it's true of every believer, and we can rejoice in it always, so I can focus feasibly comprehend it.
Voices from our sins in his own blood, and has made us unto our God kings and priests.
Her kings and priests under God and his Father, to him the glory forever and ever. Amen.
What a little doxology is brought in to our subject here and then he goes right on.
If you read from the middle of the fifth verse where it says the Prince of the kings of the earth and then the seventh verse, you have simply the continuation.
The holy cometh with clouds, that says the Prince of the kings of the earth, that he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also would Pierce him. And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him Even so come in.
Now that's not the coming of the Lord for the Church when he comes.
Or his redeemed people.
He comes as the bridegroom and there'll be no wailing, there'll be nothing but a rejoicing people.
Changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye caught up to meet him in the air.
Go with him into the Father's house, to be forever with him there. But now we're viewing the Lord when he comes down to the earth. That event that we're Speaking of Him and in connection with his coming as the bridegroom, will not be true at that time that every eye shall see him.
If you're a believer in the Lord Jesus, your eye will gaze upon him.
Oh, I'll just ask.
The first in questions you all hear.
Are you certain that you would be the Lord and gaze on his blessed faith? If the Scout were to sound the trumpet's voice be heard airless meetings over? Would you Or would you not? But the day's coming when every eye fulfilled, They also let Pierce him that the Jews were nailed into the cross.
And all kindreds of the earth.
Thou wail because of him Even so, army.
I see we're very slow and going over these verses.
So I will bring in.
Whilst might be fed on each verse.
But I want to call attention to.
The ninth verse I, John, who am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the aisle. That is called Patna, so the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet.
I remember.
Here, Brother Potter saying one time.
I think I can recall his very word.
00:55:03
That.
The Lord didn't spend.
John to the Isle of Passmore, but his testimony took him there. That is, he didn't go there to try to evangelize.
A country that had never heard the gospel.
But you see, John was banished to a lonely, rocky island called Pathmark. And what took him there? It was his testimony.
Well, the lover, dear, the testimony.
Of the Apostles John.
Landed him.
As.
A vanished man, all of the all of the other lands of the Roman Empire.
If a great Roman Empire could only think of one place to spend such a fervent of Christ as to isolate him on a lonely island.
Father, can we think as to one who speaks to serve the Lord ever becoming popular in this world?
If his testimony has the true rings of the testimony of John, They, the writer of this gospel.
All will have a true testimony, for Christ will never make us popular in this world.
But here is something that we can.
Consider.
With prophets to our souls.
And there is how that God's ways are not our ways, neither his fault or ours. You would have thought that, or I would think that for such a gifted man, as one of the chief of the 12, that the Lord sent out and ordained.
To have that man cut off from his laborers and vanish where he couldn't even have an assembly to minister to, that his work was all over. I'm sure the devil thought that, and God bless the devil thought that he had won.
A crowning victory against the servant of Christ.
But all beloved, how marvelous to be.
That the Riddle of Samson has been so many times.
Come out, and that is out of the eater, king forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweet. That is, Satan has been compelled.
All old man's history to use weakness in spite of all his attacks and his embassy.
Now when John was banished there, you might say well.
Don't can serve the Lord no more.
But all beloved, both John had been permitted to go about as he previously had, and put in all his energies in serving the Saints in that day and preaching in many places.
You and I wouldn't have this Book of Revelation. The same thing is true in connection with the dear Apostle Paul the devil thought he had.
Ended his laborers, and so he had him imprisoned and sent to Rome and changed to a soldier. Devil says I'm done with him.
For all beloved, when you consider that while Paul was in prison, he wrote the book in his Speed and Philippians.
Colossians First Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Lehman, and Hebrews as a prisoner.
Well, I'll just compare the work of Paul and of John during the few years of their lives, at best 1/3 of Christ.
Isn't able to perhaps preach or about teaching for more than maybe 50 years or 60 years would be a very full time of and cure of.
01:00:00
Service for Lord ServiceNow. Compare, say 60 years with 1900 years.
That there those books they wrote have been blessed to the people of God. There's no comparison, isn't it? And then just think too that the very fact the devil landed.
All there on the on the Isle of Pascal that Paul was given by the Spirit of God.
To write the very doom of Satan himself. Oh, what a victory and triumph.
It is for over all the attacks of the enemy, and the other day I'm sure that we can apply that this profit to ourselves, if that was true in the lives of the greatest servants that the Lord Jesus ever had in this world.
What about?
But what about you and me and our time?
If we are true to Christ, if our testimony to Him.
Is unfold and if where there is that about?
About us that we see in John. I'm just going to read again what it says here.
For the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Two things there, the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Oh beloved, if you are thoroughly subject to God's word, it will never make you popular in this world. In fact, it will make you very unpopular. I don't mean by that that you are to deliberately irritate people in a very unwise and unnecessary way. Some folks, you know, they they get to be fanatic and they're only creed trouble by that. I'll never expect these people to be fanatical in their ways.
But if there is that quiet, calm, steady.
Were obedient to the word of God and the humble testimony.
To the blessed Savior that you're trusting in, it's going to put you in the path and in the position that God intends for you to fulfill.
Your your testimony for him.
Oh, you will not write a Book of Revelation?
You won't write a book as you see. In fact, no one writes inspired books anymore. That was completed long, long ago. But I can tell you this to love it if you go on quietly and humbly obeying God's word. And when you see a truth set forth in His Word instead of your align that within you to resist it. Because we need to remember this.
Whether that we have within us an old nature.
That just as much resists the word of God as the old nature. And a man who is never born again, the same old nature always resists the Word of God. And if we find within it something that says no or begins to try to reason out of the way, the Word reaches our conscience.
We can be very sure of this. That is the old nature that is resisting the truth of God. But if we go on and let the keen edge of the Word of God cut as it will, it's allowed to have its way in our soul and judge whatever the Word of God is exposing in our lives without trying to conceal or cover up.
Or to excuse ourselves for what is contrary to his mind and will?
And if we if we're loyal to Christ, oh beloved, he is so worthy that blessed one.
Let her, let her which I speak of.
That we see in the beloved John of old, placing him where God could most use. It will place you where God can most use you too. If ways are always the same and you know as far as rewards are concerned, every just as great a reward for.
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A believer who is just is subject to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In this day and time, as John was in his day and time.
You see, it isn't because of some high position they have one merit, a special bright reward in heaven.
It's still going on in the path of obedience that gains the reward that the Lord has to give to his own, just as we were seeing the other day.
Well done. Good and faithful service. So it's been faithful. What does he say in a law?
Doing what Paul or John did know no faithful in the very little.
Why the very highest reward that's mentioned there in that parable, where the servants that were given the talent stand before the judge, and he looked into their ways. Why, that's the one to whom he says, thou hast been faithful in a very little.
Oh, I doubt many times the Lord by those who have gone about in the Lords work are going to be the ones that get the brightest reward. Perhaps to some praying sister that may have been bedridden and vowing to work to the will of God in connection with his ways with her that will get the brightest reward in that day.
Well, isn't it beautiful, beloved? And I trust these pure remarks that I've made will lead our souls into a real interest and inquiry into this lovely portion of God's Word. Solemn indeed, it is solemn to think that this very world and those that were moving every day among our subjects, many of them or most of them.
So the awful judgment of God in this world with all that it has.
Invented and.
Has attained to as soon would be utterly destroyed. Oh what an awful judgment awaits with poor guilty Christ rejecting world and all beloved to be living above and outside of it all.
As we nearer this approaching end, for these things are right at hand, so near we we do not realize how how near they actually are. Everything, as it were, just lined up for the the coming ends. The Lord may come at any moment and take us away, because as far as events are transpiring in this world, we see nothing that doesn't.
Oh sure, that everything is just prepared for that which will take place after the church is gone. God grant, beloved, that there may be that state of soul that will enable you to not only to read, but to keep the things that are written.
In this book. And that doesn't mean, beloved, that we're going to.
Understand the meanings of all their the symbols that are found there and may not clearly understand the the seven seals and the seven trumpets and the seven vials of the wrath of God. But the very reading of it has a has a sanctifying effect upon our lives, that is, if we read it as in the Lord's presence.
Letting the Lord speak to our souls.
He always conveys A sanctifying blessing in our lives.
Well, I was just going to close with this.
If once you read in the 10th verse, I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of the trumpet.
We were speaking about the importance of being where the word of God is read.
01:10:07
Now we have the Lord's Day brought before us.
And here was a man that was banished for his testimony, where he couldn't even have another brother to break bread with, and yet he was in the spirit on that day.
Whether there is something very precious about this?
The Jews were to keep the Sabbath.
But we keep the first day for a very different reason than those under the law kept the Sabbath day. We keep it.
As the Lord's day. Not a day of rest necessarily, although I think it's very unbecoming for a child of God to continue with his daily employment unless it's impossible. Unless he's employed in a way that he has no other, nothing else that he can do, He's not desirous of it but for.
Dog people to go on just as though it was any other day of the week is very sad and is very unbecoming for for a believer. Let's remember beloved that this is the Lords day and it speaks to us of his authority that he has a right to this day. I read one time an illustration I thought was.
You've got three important of how we keep the Lord's Day. Before us there was a man that had an apple tree, and on this tree there were.
There were seven lovely, beautiful apples and he saw some boys sneaking into these gardens to steal his apples.
So he kindly went out and he gave the boys each one of these these lovely apple, He said. No, I'll just leave one for myself.
Well, after the old man had gone to bed, the boy sneaked out in his in his orchid and took his one apple.
Well, we would say they're erected.
How could how could fellow act that way after the owner had been so, so lovely and so kind to them and didn't didn't mistreat them because of their dishonesty, gave them all his beautiful apples that he had and just kept one for himself and then they took that.
Well, beloved, isn't it? Something like that when we just ignore the Lord's day and go on and plead just a common day to please ourselves.
Maybe to get out in the world, maybe just to go to the breaking of bread in the morning and then something like a lot of sex about us, that they say they've performed their religious duty and then the rest of the time they can do just as they please. They can spend the rest of the time out in the world or having a good time.
Not speaking in any way to spend the way as the Lord would surely have them spend it. Now this is a lovely thought, isn't it, John? Their banish was in the spirit on the Lord's day. He wasn't refining under his trial. He wasn't mourning under the fact that he wasn't permitted to go about anymore.
Oh no. He was in the spirit on that day. And just think, beloved, as we were saying, you submit to God's word and let God have his way in your life.
And then there is that.
That yielding to the Spirit of God in such a way.
That you and I can be in the Spirit too. It isn't something that was peculiar, something that only belongs to an apostle, to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day law. Indeed, if we follow the love of the same path that we see this, this servant of Christ falling.
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If we.
Are following the Lord.
Judging whatever hinders our communion.
Allowing things to go on undudged in our lives.
And justice.
Taking the Lord first.
In the morning, Tom, was this day, of all days, the best?
Will be in the spirit on the Lord's day. It doesn't try to whip yourself up into certain kinds of emotions. However, forget a correction the dear brother Potter gave me when I was a young man. I was at. I was at a meeting.
For prayer before a two day little sort of a general meeting we had up at Moore, Minnesota and the night before we had a prayer meeting specially.
For the to be prepared for this meeting and I pray that we might be in an attitude of worship the next day, well after the meeting was over. Brother Potter never knew him. He'd quite understand how he said it to me. Turns on me and he said arson. When are you going to stop praying to be in an attitude of work?
I said, brother, father, what should I pray? He says pray that you will be occupied with Christ and then he says you will be in an attitude of worship. Well, how important it is to love them more occupation with Christ.
And that really tests us. It really exercises us, especially it does to one who is speaking. To think how much of my time is far from being occupied with Christ. Well, how long should we go on that there might be more of that occupation, and that's what we should pray for. And, you know, there's one that is, is there set apart in heavenly glory to bring that which the new nature so long for to be.
Engaged.
This thing, at least the words about him, O Lamb of God's killed people.
The 318.
I don't really have time for the game.
Hola. Hola.
Privilege and Responsibility
Address—W. Blennerhassett
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.
Shall we open our meeting by seeing him #242 two 4/2?
Sing aloud to God our strength.
He hath brought us hitherto, he will bring us.
Home at length.
This the Lord our God will do.
Don't, not for his word is stable. Fear not for his arm is able 242.
One has been impressed during the reading meetings.
Which I'm sure all felt were practical.
And that which we need so much for these dark days.
How often we've been reminded by.
Those that the Lord has used in these meetings.
What a precious privilege it is to sit under the sound of the word of God.
But.
We were reminded over and over again.
That this privilege carries with it.
Responsibility. Responsibility.
00:05:00
And it was pointed out to us.
But as the word of God.
By the power of the Spirit administered to our hearts and consciences.
It has the effect.
Of drawing us near.
To that blessed Savior attracting our hearts.
From away from things down here and filling our vision.
With his loveliness.
But then song to say that. Sad to say.
But it's not always so. I'm sure each one of us would confess and we are reminded too.
That if the truth of God is ministered to our hearts.
And there is no response.
No desire to walk in it. It has a hardening effect.
I'm sure each one of us in our pathway have experienced that.
And we've had to learn the lesson.
The lesson that he would teach us all that he will not be satisfied until he had our heart's affection. And before reading a few verses in the 143rd Psalm, I'd like to read one verse in First Samuel.
This verse was first read to me in my home by our beloved brother Mr. Harry Hales.
Whose presence we have missed very much at these meetings.
First Samuel, the second chapter and the latter part of verse 3.
The Lord.
Is a God.
Of knowledge.
And by him.
Actions are way.
The Lord is the God of knowledge, and by him.
Actions are ways. I'm sure it rejoiced the hearts of the brethren who invited us here.
To see so many respond.
But in that response on my part and on your.
In coming to these special meetings.
What was the motive?
What was the desire?
Was it to draw apart from the things which crowd in upon us?
In our busy lives and to be over his word together.
And to seek to gain from his precious word that strength, that wisdom, that spiritual discernment that we feel we need so much for these dark days.
Oh, I trust that was the desire of each one.
But he is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
And now that these special meetings are drawing near to a close.
As he looks into your heart and mine.
What responses are these?
Always we think of the privilege that has been ours.
To sit under the ministry of the word of God.
With the Word of God in our hands, the Lord Himself in our midst.
And the Spirit of God here.
To minister.
Christ to our heart, oh, how this should speak to us solemnly, and give us.
And increased desire.
That the time that we have spent here together.
In his presence.
Would not have been just that we have had the privilege of attending another conference.
But if we have been here to hear his voice speaking to us.
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Those words of encouragement, of counsel, of comfort, of strength that we need.
To walk independence.
Till that moment, so soon at hand.
When the wilderness journey will be over and you'll see that lovely man in the glory.
Let us turn now to the 143rd Sam.
Psalm 143 I'm just going to read.
A few verses.
The eighth verse.
Caused me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning.
For in thee or do I trust?
'Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee the 10th verse.
Teach me to do thy will.
For thou art my God.
Before.
Speaks to those that are his own one would like to address.
A few words to Whitney in this room.
Who may not have yet.
Come to know his loving kindness.
Oh, how solemn it is, as we heard the faithful word.
That went forth in the gospel the last two evening.
To think of the any and especially those.
Who are the children of Christian parents?
Could go away from those meetings.
Go away from these three day special meetings.
Still in their state.
Our brother read us that verse in Luke 12.
Where it speaks of those who have been in a place of privilege, who have heard the truth of God.
And it speaks so solemnly there of them, and it mentions.
Shall be beaten with many stripes.
Shall be beaten with many stripes.
All Is that your position out of Christ?
Are you still a stranger to his love and grace to that kindness?
That loving kindness that he desires to show you.
One is reminded of a group of.
Internationally known Alpine climbers.
And they decided to tackle this.
Alpine Peak, that was so difficult, so dangerous.
And they made their preparations very carefully and finally they were ready.
And they started up that week.
And goes so often.
They were almost swept to a terrible death in the.
Chasms below.
And.
They ran out of food. Their strength was almost gone, but finally.
They overcame all difficulties and got to the top of that peak.
And.
They're almost frozen.
And so weak.
Food gone, they realized that they were in the precarious position and they hastened downwards.
And all they feared that before they would find a place of shelter, that it would be too late.
00:15:00
But finally they saw a little shepherd's Hut and they hastened towards it, and there they found shelter and comfort.
And after the shepherd's wife had prepared them a warm meal.
And their strength returned. They started to recount.
Their achievement?
The great dangers, The rest.
A certain death that seemed to stare them in the face at times. And finally their triumph.
And as this shepherd's wife.
Stood by and listened to this account.
After they had finished all their.
Recounting of their feet.
She turned, and she looked at them.
She looked at them and she said just one word.
She said Put a cloth, put a claw.
Why? Why?
Leave dear ones in home, risk the loss of their lives, all the suffering and danger. Why, Oh, that was her question.
Why?
And those men had no answers. Those men had no answer. Why? Pourquoi. Why?
And though we'd like to ask that same question now of any hero to Christ.
Why? Why would you risk all? What are you trying to heights? Are you trying to reach position, Money. Wealth. A lovely home, whatever it may be, when your eternal soul salvation is at stake?
Oh, why would you take such a risk and go on in your sins?
Knowing.
Because that was certain doom.
And the judgment of God for your sins lies ahead of you. If death should overtake you. Oh, we trust that if there is any here still in their sins still of Christ.
That you will not.
Risk another moment your eternal soul welfare, but that you will bow your head and accept Christ.
Without embalmers delay.
Well, in this first verse.
We have that lovely prayer.
Caused me to hear.
By loving kindness.
One felt as.
We sat in the prayer meetings throughout this conference.
But this seemed to be the spirit of those prayer meetings.
When we owned our wholeness of heart.
Are indifferent so often to his claims upon us.
There seemed to be that spirit in the prayers caused me to hear.
Of thy loving kindness.
All I trust that that has been the prayer of each child of God.
At these special meetings.
But that love that has won our hearts.
That love of which we were speaking and singing this morning. That love beyond compared.
That right now as these meetings draw to a close.
That we will not be satisfied with what we've received, a rich portion that it has been.
But that our desire may to be go on and to know more and more and more.
Of his love and his kindness.
But oh, at times we find.
That there has come.
A distance between our soul and that blessed one.
Whose name we have confessed.
00:20:00
We have allowed that perhaps in our lives unjudged, which is hindering us.
From the enjoyment of that loving kindness.
Well, we know with the prodigal.
With the prodigal, what was it that brought him into blessing?
When he owned his knee, when he owned his need, then he turned his face.
Towards that place that he knew.
Where there was everything to meet his needs.
And old, dear child of God, what a needy people we are.
What a needy people we are, but at time the enemy comes in.
And fills our hearts.
With things that shut out of that loving kindness.
And then we have to be taught.
But we too, are prodigal.
Their prodigal Christians as well as prodigal sinners. And in that connection I'd like to read a verse in Hosea.
Hosea 14 chapter.
And verse 4.
I will heal their backsliding.
I will love them freely.
Well, we know to whom these verses were written.
But all the promises that were made.
To God's people of old.
How much fuller? How?
Much deeper they are for we who are members of his body.
Oh, how he would delight in his love to put his arms around you and remove everything between your soul and his.
So that there will be that.
Restored joy.
And communion.
And you too will be able to say, cause me to hear of thy loving kindness.
But you know, the flesh doesn't like self judgment.
The flesh doesn't like to be dealt with.
And the enemy has been just as busy at these special meetings, if not more so.
Than at normal times to prevent any child of God, to prevent me to prevent you from entering into all the blessings that are ours of Christ.
And from judging anything in our lives.
That would hinder the outflowing of his love to us.
Can always pull.
I've told that story often before. I love to tell it. I'll like to tell it again. Many here remember Captain Dunlop, who labored so long and faithfully in the Lord's service.
And he used to travel about in his day.
When there weren't cars like there are today, he used to travel about with horse and buggy.
And he tells, you know, he'd say, you know of that course, that course of mine.
Is cleverer than I am.
He'd say, you know, when I start out in my journey away from home.
The further I get from home, I have to take out the whips and give the horse a flick to keep it on its way and the further we get away from home, the oftener I have to give it a little touch with that whip.
But he said the moment I turn that horse's head homeward.
Forward now. I never have to take that whip out again. I never have to take that whip out again.
00:25:03
And all you and I have been turned homeward through a saving grace.
And yet how often, how often in his ways of wisdom and love, he has to use his rod upon it.
Mr. Dunlop used to speak of those unsearchable riches of Christ that are going to be displayed to our hearts through an endless eternity. And he said all that horse had at the end of the journey with a bag of oats. A bag of oats. And he said to think of what you and I have at the end of our journey.
That precious savior, that love that will be displayed in all its fullness.
And we will be with them and like them, for we shall see them as he is.
Not only like him physically, but we'll be morally like that Blessed One.
Now there's another lovely prayer in that verse.
Caused me to know.
The way wherein I should walk.
Caused me to know the way wherein I should walk. Oh, isn't this a prayer that has suited for these difficult and dark days?
Caused me to know the way wherein I should walk.
Is that the language of my heart?
Is that the language of your heart?
All the Titans he giveth more grace and if as the result of these meetings.
This is our prayer.
Caused me to know thy loving kindness.
Caused me to know the way wherein I should walk.
Or he will come in, and in His love and grace He will give us.
Of that wisdom.
He'll give us that guidance. He'll give us his mind.
So that we will have the joy of being able.
To know the way we're in.
I should walk. I'd like to look at a verse in Isaiah, the 30th chapter.
And verse 21.
And thine ears shall hear a word behind these things.
This is the way what, Yemen?
What a blessed promise from the word of God.
Thine ear shall hear.
This is the way to walk the unit.
For, you may say, well, that hasn't been my experience. I've never heard a word spoken to me.
In quite that way that may be true.
But oh, as we have sat under the sound of the word of God, how much we have received in the last few days.
That would answer to just.
This verse, this is the way what, Ian?
And no matter what the problem may be, how difficult, how complex, how prying, there is an answer in this blessed book, an answer to every problem in life's pathways, either direct instructions from the word of God or a principal layer. And so.
The word tells us Thy word is a lightness of my path and the lamp of my feet.
Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Oh, may we cling to this precious book.
00:30:00
May we read its pages more frequently?
You know, I was visiting a dear young Christian couple who were exercised about their pathways.
And the question came up during our talk together about family readings. And they said, you know, we've always wanted to have a family reading, but, you know, with getting children away to school and the husband gets my husband getting away to work, we never seem to be able to have time for it.
Never seem to be able to have time.
Well, I said.
If we start the day with the Lord.
We started in a way that will sustain us and keep us.
If we don't find time for it, we miss the blessing.
So I picked a chapter in Ephesians.
And I said, now I said, I'm going to hand you my watch. And I said it has a minute's hand on it, as well as a second hand as well as a minute hand. And I'm going to read 16 verses.
16 verses. I'm going to read them. Not quickly, not slowly. And I said I want you to tell me.
Just how long it takes. So I read the verses.
And one of the reading was over, I said. How long did it take?
He put up his finger 2 minutes, 2 minutes.
Now I said the longest prayer in the Bible.
The dedication of the temple.
If you read it through, you'll find it takes 5 minutes.
Oh dear. Think of God, how the enemy comes in and fills our hearts and minds. That we haven't got time. No, we haven't got time. We've got time for most everything else, though, to have a good hearty breakfast and to arrange our ourselves in a way that we feel will be suitable for the day. But oh, when it comes to this precious word.
How far short we fall?
Oh, may we start the day?
Start the day on our knees, start the day feeding on Christ, and we'll find that throughout the day. He'll give us to know in all the problems that come before us.
The way wherein we should walk.
One verse in Ephesians before we go on.
The 4th chapter.
Ephesians, the 4th chapter.
And there's a precious exhortation there in the first verse.
I therefore the prisoner.
Of the Lord beseech you that she walk worthy.
Of the vocation wherewith your call.
Oh, how often our brother Barry reminded us that no privilege on Earth.
Was greater.
Than seeking to walk with a rejected Christ.
And those.
That have sought by his grace.
To follow in the path that he has pointed out.
Have found this to be true. Blessedly true.
What were the other vocation wherewith ye are called?
Oh, what a wonderful vocation.
And as our brother Hail used to remind us so often.
That if this morning we broke bread just as forgiven sinners.
How much we missed?
Of the truth of God.
Members of his body.
Members of his body not only forgiven sinners, but members of his body.
And the habitation of God through the Spirit.
All how little thought we give to these things.
That you and I through grace are members of his body.
00:35:03
And the habitation of God through the Spirit.
Surely as we ponder these things in this presence, it would give us.
To be on our knees.
Seeking grace.
Seeking that strength that we need to walk worthy of the vocation where whip.
We are called now in the 10th verse we have another prayer.
Teach me.
Teach me.
To do thy will.
All how needful each of these prayers are.
Cause me to hear thy loving kindness.
All if that isn't true of us.
If your heart and mind.
Is not occupied with that blessed Savior.
All of the ministry that we have received.
He is not the object of our lives, all of the ministry that we have received.
Will not have its fullness and freshness with it.
'Cause me to hear thy loving kindness caused me to know the way we're in. I should walk.
Teach me to do.
Thy will, O here again, is a prayer that we fall far short him.
And how often we forget.
How often we forget to ask for grace.
To be submissive, to do his will.
If there is one thing that hinders, it hinders us in our Christian pathway. It's both wills of all.
Teach me to do.
Thy will, Oh may we.
Not forget that as on bended knee, we seek from day-to-day and throughout the day for wisdom for grace.
May that be part of our prayer. Teach me to do Thy will.
And in that connection, I'd like to look in Philippians, the second chapter.
And verse 13.
For it is God.
Which worketh in you both to will and to do.
Of his good pleasure.
All, some may say, well, I find it so difficult at times to know his will.
Oh, if we're walking in subjection.
This will be true of us, for it is God which worketh in you.
Both to will and to do of his.
Good pleasure.
Sometimes we think in connection with our daily prayers.
Of our pathway here and all the things that we had before us.
Our local assembly.
The dear ones that we have in our hearts.
Our own families and everything in the circle with which we are connected.
And we forget very often.
For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do all his good pleasure. Oh, let us never forget, because if we do, we miss so much.
Of the blessed truth of the word of God, that what he does.
Is for his glory and his pleasure, and in wisdom and love for our richest blessings.
But first of all, it's for his good pleasure.
His glory. And that is always for our richest blessings. And so that is something.
00:40:08
When we're thinking of that prayer, teach me to do thy will.
Oh, let us keep in mind that he is working first of all for that which is his good pleasure, and if we have before us.
The scope.
Of his good pleasure, his wisdom, his will, it will give us the grace and subjection.
And the desire that he will workout.
Work in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure.
Now in the eighth verse.
We have another.
Precious thought.
Or in thee do I trust? For in thee do I trust?
How often it's been mentioned during these special meetings?
That the object of the enemy of our souls.
Is to instill a doubt, a misgiving.
As to the love and wisdom of his ways with us.
And sad to say, he has succeeded with me.
Perhaps he has with you.
May this be?
As it was the psalmist prayer for in thee.
Do I put my trust?
And then we have.
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
That holy confidence.
Coming with boldness to the Throne of Grace.
There to find help in time of need.
And there in that trust.
In his wisdom and in his love.
And that confidence, independence upon him weakened. Say those lovely words, for I lift up my soul unto thee. Oh, what would we do?
Without the prayer meeting, what would we do without that private prayer?
Which one feels for himself is so often neglected.
But all let us each one.
Take advantage more and more of the resources that are ours.
In that blessed savior.
In thee do I trust.
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
Oh dear child of God, how much we have missed in our lives.
Through not being in the sanctuary.
How many problems have the setup that we might have been saved from if there had been that laying it all before him?
And oh, how blessed it is.
But as we see all around us, the truth being given up.
The truth being given up.
That we have this recourse, this wonderful recourse to the throne of grace.
At all times.
That one who never slumbers nor sleeps.
That one whose ear is ever open.
Oh, may we be found.
As.
These difficult and dark days seem to crowd in upon us.
And there's so much to disturb, so much to exercise.
May we be found increasingly on our knees.
Before the throne of Grace.
And if we are.
In his presence we will find that strength.
That helped that blessing that will sustain us every step of the way.
00:45:08
Many years ago at the time of the Klondike strike.
There was a man in Chicago who made-up his mind that he was going to join those that were searching for that goal.
And he made his preparations and left home to leave home.
But he told his daughter before he left, he said. If I'm successful.
In striking it rich, I'm going to bring you home a beautiful gift.
A beautiful gift.
And he made his way to the Klondike.
And thereafter, a period of time, he did accomplish what he set out to do.
He struck it rich, he found a rich vein and of gold and became a very wealthy man.
But he didn't forget his promise.
To his daughter, and he bought her to that expensive gift that he had promised.
And when he brought it home.
All beautifully gift wrapped.
She unwrapped it, and when the rackings came off, there was a burst of exclamation from her at the beauty of that casket in which these present flames.
All the beauty of that casket was really something to behold.
And then she opened the casket, and she noticed that there were compartments.
And in each compartment there was a beautiful jewel.
And it seemed that each one in the next compartment was larger, more beautiful, more lovely.
Than the one before.
And though her ecstasy as she examined all these beautiful diamonds and jewels.
But then as she shut the casket again.
She exclaimed. All my this casket is even more beautiful than all those jewels in these compartments.
Though isn't that true with us?
That. That blessed one, that one who is altogether lovely.
He is more beautiful.
When we think of all our wonderful blessings.
Of which we've been occupied in the last few days, all those blessings in him.
But all he is the one who is altogether lovely. He is the one that desires to fill.
Your heart and mind, oh have you found themselves?
Or has your sights become dim?
Have you allowed the things of the world to come in between your heart and Christ?
And is the enemy succeeding in robbing you of the joy?
Of your salvation.
Oh, how Solomon is.
But if we do not exercise daily self judgment.
There is no limit to how far we can wander away.
From the path wherein we should walk.
Just recently.
There was a dear sister.
Who's who had lost her husband very suddenly?
He just dropped dead like that.
And one had the privilege of seeking to help her in her circumstances and the settling up of her affairs.
But there was a member of that family who would once confess the Lord.
Once been at this table.
And as one got to know him more.
Got to know better in the days that one was around this house.
One had known of his course.
And how far he'd wandered from the Lord.
00:50:00
Wandered in such paths that are unmentionable.
It just questioned as to whether you could even invite him to your house for a meal so low.
Heavy stuff.
Well, is he a child of God? Scripture says by their fruits.
He shall know them.
And with each one of us if there isn't that daily.
Self judgment in his presence.
You and I can wander in the path that will lead us into deeper sorrow and dishonor, to that precious name by which we've been called. Oh, may we seek grace.
And may our prayer be.
For in thee do I trust.
For I lift up my soul unto thee for.
Thou art my God, for Thou art my God.
All the Apostle Paul could speak of my God shall supply.
My God.
For thou art my God, oh, what wondrous resources of our hour, as we think of the position into which we've been brought, and how grace is wrought for us.
And now he tells us that God.
Is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye having all sufficiency in all things.
May abound unto every good work.
Oh, may the result of these meetings be.
Not that you and I are going to go home and say, well, I've been neglecting the prayer meeting. I shouldn't do it. I know the Lord is there. I should be there. I've been neglecting the reading meetings. I should be there too. And there's service for himself that I should be occupied. Oh no, that line of things will never keep us, although those should be our desire. But if you and I go home.
And our prayer is cause me to hear Thy loving kindness.
'Cause me to hear Thy loving kindness.
All to no one, a deeper in a fuller way that love that went down into death for us.
Because that is the only thing that will keep us is occupation.
With Christ walking by faith and in obedience to His Word.
And in communion, as we tread our.
Journey Homeless. We know that we can only do this through His Grace.
We know that we cannot do it in our own strength. But all this these special meetings have pointed out to us, I've never heard. I've never been at a conference before when these chapters have been taken up and one felt how shooted and how needed they are for the day in which we live.
That we might have that wisdom and that grace to walk worthy of the high vocation.
Where with your call.
#47
Grace taught our wandering feet.
To tread the heavenly road and new supplies each hour we meet.
While traveling home to Gulf #47.
Zechariah 3
Belshazzar
Gospel—G. Hayhoe
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General Meetings, Detroit, November 1961. Gospel by Gordon Hayhoe.
And her hold in the thorns of us 11:00.
That fall, their wings are dry when the strong times left and the cable strains boil your ankles.
Cannot move grounded, firm and deep in the Saviour's love.
Oil your anchor hold in the trace of fear.
When the Breakers roar and the races there while the surgeons Raven the wild winds blow, shall the angry.
And the Saviors long.
Well, your anchor hold in the floods of death.
Where the water's cold fill your latest breath.
On the rising tide, you can never fail.
While your anchor.
Well, your eyes.
Be all through the morning.
Like the City of Cold and the Harbor Bright.
Oh well, you ******. Saved by the heavenly shore.
Oh, and my stars are.
Forever.
More.
We have an acre lot of people.
That fast and sure, while the bill was wrong.
Fasten to the rock where it cannot move.
Around the thermodynamic.
Saviors long.
Like to turn to the book of Daniel Daniel, chapter 5.
00:05:18
Bell shires of the king made a great feast to 1000 of his Lords and drank wine before the thousands.
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels.
Which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem.
That the king and his Princess, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the House of God, which was at Jerusalem.
And the king and his wives, his Princess, his wives and his concubines drank in them.
They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand.
And rode over against the Candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the King's palace.
And the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the King's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him.
So that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another.
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers.
And the king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof.
Shall be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the Kingdom.
Then came in all the King's wise men. But they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his Lords were stunning.
Now the queen, by a reason of the words of the king and his Lord, came into the banquet house.
And the queen spake and said, O king, live forever. Let not thy thoughts troubling, or let thy countenance be changed.
There is a man in thy Kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God.
And in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him.
Whom the king? Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, The king, I say, thy father.
Made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and Soothsayers, for as much as an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding, interpreting of dreams and showing of hard sentences and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel.
Whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called and he will show the interpretation.
Then was Daniel brought in before the king, And the king spake, and said unto Daniel.
Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of jewelry?
I have even heard of these, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
And now the wise man, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof. But they could not show the interpretation to the king. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet and shalt.
And have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shall be the third ruler in the Kingdom.
Then Daniel answered and said, Before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another.
Yet I will read the writing unto the King, and make known to him the interpretation.
O thou King, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, a Kingdom, and majesty, and glory and honor.
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him.
Whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive, and whom he would He set up, and whom he would he put down.
00:10:02
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened and pried.
He was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beast in his dwelling was with the wild *****. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God ruled in the Kingdom of men, and that he appointed over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humble thine heart, though thou knewest all this.
But as lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven, and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee.
And thou thy Lord, thy wise, thy concubines of drunk wine in them.
And thou hast praise the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wooden stone, which sea not, nor here, nor and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways Hast thou not glorified? Then was the part of the hand sent from him, And this writing was written, and this is the writing that was written, meaning. T kel You Farson.
This is the interpretation of the thing, meaning God has numbered thy Kingdom and finished it. He kills our weighed in the balances and art found wanting puries. Thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes. And Persians then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with Scarlet and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the Kingdom.
In that night was belle shahs of the king of the Chaldeans flame.
And Darius the Median took the Kingdom, being about 3 score and two years old.
With one more sausage in Acts chapter 13.
Acts chapter 13 and verse 38.
Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin, And by him all believe our justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophet, Behold Jesus, and wonder, and perish.
For I work a work in your days.
Our work, which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declareth unto you.
Well, this chapter friends that we have read in Daniel 5.
Is a very solemn one. I believe it brings before us a picture.
Of the very time in which we live, because here we see Gentile power. Belshazzar was a Gentile, and we see them just having a grand and fine time on the very eve of the judgment of God falling upon that Kingdom. And isn't that just like the day in which we live? It's a time of great prosperity. It's a time of parent progress.
The time when man is going ahead and the glory of this Kingdom.
Seemed well, it was so. It was so impressive, and Belshazzar was so satisfied that his city could not be taken that he felt he could just settle down and enjoy himself, and that it would be impossible for the enemy to enter the city. They felt they were well protected, and in those days when they didn't have airplanes, he felt that he was quite safe. He could just sit down and enjoy himself and have this feast along with his Lords and concubine.
And isn't that similar to the time in which we live? I say when people feel.
That now they have come to such a point in world progress that they can really enjoy.
What the world has to offer, and they don't seem to have any thought of the awful judgment that hangs over this world. And I want to say to those who are here tonight, especially to you who are young, who have Christian fathers and mothers, that is a very solemn warning in this chapter for you because Belshazzar had a believing grandfather, I believe we can say.
00:15:19
Levick of Nazareth had turned to God. Nebuchadnezzar attic knowledge that the Lord was the true God.
But a low fell Shazer. His son or grandson knew all about it. He was still going on in pride. He refused to humble himself. He made-up his mind that he was going to have a good time. And it may be that you have a Christian father and mother. Perhaps you have a Christian grandfather and a Christian grandmother, but you're out to have a good time.
And you're saying, oh, I don't need to be saved now there's plenty of time. I'm going to have my fling while I can. While I have my health and my energy. I intend to enjoy myself and I'll think about serious things later on.
But all how little Belshazzars and all those who were enjoying this feast with him.
Realized what was going to happen that night, that night. And there's no guarantee, dear friend, that this may not be the very night in which the door of grace should be closed and God's awful judgment will begin to fall upon this poor world that has rejected and cast out God's beloved Son.
We see here then, a very solemn setting, and yet as far as the world was concerned.
This was a time that would be called a grand feast. A good time. And perhaps it may be that way with you. You may be saying, don't disturb me, please. I'm having a good time. I don't like to hear about hell and judgment to come. I don't like to be told about it because it spoils my good time, it spoils my happiness. But all how much better to be warned.
Before it's too late. How much better it had been. Or Bell Shazer, if he had listened to this warning instead of going on in his blindness and his indifference, and that awful judgment overtook him that very night, all he had lots of warnings.
It says God speaketh once, yeah twice. Yet man perceiveth it not.
How many times has God spoken to you? How often have you been warned?
Upcoming judgment How often has someone put a little gospel tract into your hand? Some friend laid his hand in your shoulders and spoken to you about your soul. How often, perhaps Father and mother have played with you and brought before you the solemnity of what it would be to spend eternity under the judgment of God? And are you still indifferent? Are you still careless? Are you still thoughtless?
How that immortal soul of yours?
All of the time coming, dear boys and girls and all the ones here when you're going to have to.
Stand before God as a judge if you are not saved.
You'll have to meet God as a judge, but you can lead him to.
You can meet him tonight as the one who loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. It says in Isaiah that judgment is God strange work he doesn't like to judge. He's delayed the judgment as long as it's possible.
For God in his perfect wisdom to do it. But the time is going to come very soon.
When the judgment will fall, God is patient.
The long-suffering of our God is salvation, not willing that any should perish.
But that all should conjo repentance.
Well, this was a great feast, wasn't it? 1000 of his Lords and concubines. Perhaps you've heard of great parties, but this was something very, very wonderful when you can think of a royal feast with 1000 guests. Oh, what a fine time they seem to be having. And yet the armies of the enemy were right outside the city, making their way under the wall.
00:20:13
Saw that they would enter into the city and it may be that tonight.
It may be that tonight God has written upon your page that this day, this very day in November 1961, will be the last day of your history on earth. It may be that this is the very day that the Lord Jesus Christ will come. Or I plead with you.
To consider this question solemnly tonight, while it's still a day of God's grace.
Well, it was bad enough that they were just going on having a good time.
But when we come to the third verse, we see how they filled up their measure of iniquity.
And what was that? Well, it was when the king commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels.
That came from the House of the Lord, and bring them in to this entire speech.
And drink wine, and praise the gods of gold and silver, and brass, and iron and wood.
And may I say that that's just about the stage that we have come to.
In the history of Christendom, it's bad enough when people go on in their sins, thoughtless and indifferent to the claims of God. But when people begin to make plays and make jokes out of this blessed book, when people begin to make fun from this book and despise the God who has written it, it's a very strong thing that I say as I go about through the city.
I thank God that I don't frequent the places of amusement down through the streets of this world.
But as I see the signs that hang out in front of these picture palaces and places.
I can't help but think of this feast of Nebuchadnezzar. There is nothing too holy.
There is nothing too good in God's precious word for people to make a joke out of it and to make it a thing to entertain them in their wicked, evil course. And man is fast filling up his measure of iniquity and sin. He's, as it were, taking the gold and silver vessels out of God's house and using them to drink wine and praise the gods of gold and silver and brass and iron and wood.
His own accomplishment, what he has done, his own human progress.
Is put on the pedestal to be exalted and the Bible and the truth of God.
Was dropped down and ridiculed, and trampled upon all friends.
We are living in solemn days. We as Christians need to be warned about it. One has often said to the children and to the young folks, never make a joke of any kind about God's Word. It's God's precious, unchanging word, and it's a tremendous thing when people begin to make jokes about God's Word.
There will be no laughing when people stand before God to be judged.
There'll be no laughing at the Great White Throne. There'll be no laughing in hell in that place where there's weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
And we can see the awful condition of things that were existing here.
But now they had, as it were filled up the measure of their iniquity.
God had been patient with the Kingdom under the Kingdom of Babylon, but at last they filled up their measure of iniquity. But God never asked without giving a warning. God never asked without giving warning. He warned the people that the flood was coming and he gave faith to repent. Our brother read to us in the second chapter of the Revelation this afternoon.
About that great corrupt system, and it says I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not. God gave nine of the space to repent. He sent, He sent Jonah down. And while there was a temporary repentance, God held her off the judgment. And it didn't come at that time because of the repentance at the preaching of Jonah, but when they returned to their evil ways.
00:25:11
And fill up their sin. Then God brought the promised judgment upon them. He told Abraham that he would give him he he would give him the land of Canaan. But he didn't give it to him until the iniquity of the Amorite was full. Don't be surprised that you see things getting worse in the world. The reason God is waiting is he is going to allow man to show out.
The evil that's in his heart. And you dear young people, you dear boys and girls.
Growing up in an age like this, you are just seeing the very thing that I'm talking about. You're seeing the measure of sin being filled up all. Let us be sure that we're like Daniel, that we stand apart from all this. It's true that in his employment he had to frequent the palace. He was there in a higher position in the palace in Babylon, but he was still a separated man. And you and I must earn our living in this world.
But this world is a system is under the judgment of God. Its religion is first hastening on to the time when they'll not only give up the Christ of God, but they'll actually they'll actually leave out God and Christ.
Out of the whole profession in the earth altogether, and when God brings His judgment.
On an apostate prison them they will not only have given up Christ, but they will have given up God altogether. And the whole Christian world, as we speak of it, will have song in with the worship of a man. For it tells us in 2nd Thessalonians 2 That the Antichrist as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, and the apostate Jews in their land.
And Apostate Christendom will fall in with that kind of thing.
And the Christ of God and God himself will be completely abandoned and given up as far as this world is concerned.
That's what's coming. That's what's hastening upon this world.
Well, where was Daniel? He was separate from all this. He was fulfilling his daily work conscientiously.
The next chapter tells us that in his daily work they couldn't find any error or fault in it.
All that they could say is that we can find no error or fault in this Samuel.
Except we find it in him concerning the law of his God. Dear Daniel was a faithful testimony for God and separation from the whole corrupt system. Oh, May God keep those who are His so that they would be separate from all this that's going on and quickly ripening for the judgment of God.
Well, the time came in the middle of the feast, after they were drinking out of these vessels of gold and silver from the House of God.
That there was a part of a man's hand that rolled upon the wall.
And it says the king fall apart of the hand that wrote.
And sometimes I think that the great men of this world already have seen the part of the hand that wrote. I believe that there are people today in high places in this world that have seen that hand, and they're trembling and they're afraid. And yet it seems that there isn't repentance produced in their heart. There wasn't with Nebuchadnezzar, Edward Belshazzar.
There was no repentance rod in his heart, but he saw the part of the hand that wrote the Lord Jesus said man's hearts, failing them for fear and for looking after those things that are coming upon the earth.
And there are awful things coming upon this earth, and men know it, and men know it. He saw the hand. It was over against the Candlestick in that dimly lighted place. For all this impiety and evil was going on, there was still a little flare of light, And under that flare of light the part of the hand wrote, God, hath numbers thy Kingdom.
00:30:09
And finished it, and there's still a flare of light in this world. The Bible still here. The gospel is still being preached. And that's why people don't like to see this blessed book circulated. That's why they don't like to hear the gospel message announced. Because in it they see the part of the hand that wrote. They don't mind us talking about God being a God of love.
But they don't like that which God writes on the plaster against the Candlestick.
That is, our brother spoke this afternoon about the church being a Candlestick in the earth.
And so God always has, even in spite of all human failure.
He always in the day of his grace, gives a testimony to man.
And he first tells him of his grace and love.
But he also warns them of what's coming. Well, the king, he he was very upset. It tells us here the sixth verse. Then the King's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loose and his knees smote one against another. He was afraid and all. If there's anybody in this room tonight who's unsaved, I hope that you too will tremble.
It's a rare thing to see anybody today.
Afraid of coming judgment, people are so indifferent.
The word hell is used as a slang word more than in its awful reality. But let me warn you, dear friends, God says as a hell God says there's judgments coming. And whether man likes to make a slang word out of it or not, I tell you, it's an awful, awful thing to think of a Sinner under the judgment of God for all eternity, A Sinner exposed to the wrath of God.
Because he would not have God's beloved Son as his own precious flavor.
Well, the king was appraised, and in his fear, who did he turn to? He turned to God. He knew about the true God. Daniel reminded him about that. He said you knew your grandfather spoke of these things and you knew about it, Belshazzar. Yes, he knew. But who did he turn to? He He turned instead to the astrologer's.
The Chaldeans and the soothsayers, that is, he turned to those who.
Regarding supernatural wonders in the heavens, he regarded those who had the learning of the Chaldeans.
And then he turned to the people that spoke. Nice. Smooth thing, the Sooth Sayer. Isn't that what the world is doing All they're looking up into the heavens. They're boasting of how they're going to master space. They're boasting of the progress of human knowledge and wisdom. And they like the people that tell them there's nothing to be afraid of. A golden age is just around the corner. God, the God of love.
And everything is going to workout and we're going to have a wonderful golden age in this world.
And jet down in their hearts. They know it's not true. It doesn't answer the question.
It doesn't remove fear from their minds. And those people who are talking about the space age and those people who are boasting in the advancement of knowledge in this day, and those who say that there's no hell and that everything is going to be all right, the joints of their loins are loose and their knees are smiting one against another. They're only talking. You know it, You know, they're just talking.
They're afraid.
Underneath all their bravado and underneath all their boasting.
They're afraid because they know that the handwriting is already upon the wall.
And that what God has said is going to come true. And isn't it a strange thing that in this modern age?
When there's been more preaching saying that there's no hell and judgment to come.
People are more afraid of the mention of hell today than they ever were.
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They're more afraid of it today than they ever were. There's nothing but they dislike so much as a preacher that preaches hell, fire, and judgment to come. But I warn you solemnly, dear friends here tonight, that God's Word is true and all the wisdom of the Chaldeans.
And all the men who are talking about faith and what's up there in the heavens.
And all those who are trying to gloss over the present situation.
Haven't got any peace in their own souls. They're afraid. They're afraid underneath it all.
And if you are not saved, I hope you are afraid. The Lord Jesus said, Fear not them to kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him who, after he has killed, hath power to cast into hell.
Yeah, I say unto you. Fear him? Well, these people were called in.
They couldn't make known the writing.
And isn't it true that today by all those things we speak of?
Man doesn't know what's ahead. He doesn't know what's going to happen tomorrow.
Everything in the future, even in the greatest nations of the world, look so uncertain.
That people don't know which way to turn. So after these people that were called in.
I had been brought, it says. They couldn't read the writing, They couldn't make known the interpretation.
And this is a strange thing, that the wisest man of this world still find. This book, a sealed, closed book, as far as they're concerned, tells us in the 29th chapter of Isaiah that the word, the the vision of all has become unto them, is the words of a book that is sealed which men delivered to one that is learned, saying, read this, I pray thee. And he says.
It feels. It feels.
They can't understand it. It's a sealed book to them.
They need to have their eyes opened to see what this blessed book means.
When it tells us what's coming and yet the Christian knows what's coming. Oh, I know that many in this room tonight are Christians born again. Know the Lord Jesus as savior. And isn't it amazing thing that we can look out on what's happening upon this world and we don't need to be disturbed As far as uncertainty is concerned, all were disturbed as we think of the awful judgments that are going to fall.
But as far as what's happening in the world, the Christian who is taught of God.
Only sees that the handwriting is being fulfilled, that everything shaping up toward the final end as God has said it. So Bells Daniel. He wasn't afraid. The writing told him what was coming upon the Kingdom of Babylon. And so God's precious Word has told us of what's coming on this world and the Christians.
Has found a way of escape from the coming judgment.
Under the shelter of the precious Blood of Christ, the precious Blood of Christ.
Oh friends, are you under the shelter of the blood? Can you look up tonight and say thank God?
The blood is on the door when judgment fell on Egypt.
There were those who could point to that door and say no judgment can touch our home tonight because God said when I see the blood.
I will pass over you. Isn't that lovely? When I see the blood, I will Passover you. What gave them peace? Were they better than the others? No. The blood was on the door. Dear friends, we who are saved.
Don't think we're any better than the rest of the world. We're no better than the people who are carrying on in this world and their sins.
We're no better than the ones who scoff and mock at the Bible, but for the grace of God.
But God has opened our eyes to see, our ears to hear.
And our heart to receive crimes. And will you do it tonight? Will you receive Christ? As many as receive him to them gave thee power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name? Well, in this hopeless, seemingly hopeless picture.
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It tells us in the 10th verse. Now the Queen, by reason of the words of the king and his Lord, came into the bank, into the house.
God saw to it that there was one there.
Who would bring in a message to the king if he would only listen?
And all how wonderful it is. God is still sending His messengers.
To tell of the one who is able to answer the question.
The one who is able to dissolve doubt. The one who was able to tell what is coming.
And the one who engraved who himself has provided a way of escaping the judgment.
He has provided a way, so she came in and she said in the 11Th verse.
There is a man in thy Kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God.
And in the days of thy father likes and understanding and wisdom.
Like the wisdom of the gods was found in him whom the king Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, the king, I say, thy father made master of the magicians.
Astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.
Yes, there is a man in my Kingdom. There is a man in my Kingdom.
There was one in the Kingdom, but he was despised.
He was a man that had been carried away captive out of Judas.
He was one whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away as a slave, and brought him down to Babylon. And here many years later, we find that Belshazzar looked upon him in about the same way. Heart thou that Daniel says in the 13th verse, I saw that Daniel which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father, brought out of jewelry.
Can't you hear the pride in the voice of the king and the way he despised this man?
Who was carried captive only a slave brought from down and not despised country of Judah. But he was the one whom God had brought here, that he might make known what was going to happen to the whole Gentile power, and of the judgment of God that would fall in the end. And to whom to whom has God made known these things?
As to those who are despised, it says, God hath chosen the poor of this world.
Rich in faith. Another verse says things which are despised.
Has God chosen? Yeah. And things that are not to bring to not.
Things that are The Lord Jesus himself was despised, it says in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. He is despised and rejected of man. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid, as it were, our faces from him.
He was despised and we esteemed not. I remember quite a few years ago.
We had a man come into our little mission hall back in Ottawa and he sat there in the Bible readings all perhaps for a month or so. And he said, isn't it a strange thing that we have to come to a humble place like this to find out these things?
But that was the turning point in that man's life. That was the last time he came and he went and joined a large church. He wouldn't be identified with such a despised little company who were just in a little, a small little hall out in the country. Oh, he didn't want that. And that's the way the world is today. They'd like to go to some big, pretentious place.
They like to listen to the astrologers and the Chaldeans and the soothsayers.
As our brother remarked that they want a religion relevant to the space age.
They want something that expresses man's greatness and his architecture and all that he can do. And they want the ones who stand up to speak to these soothsayers, but to hear from a despised person who hasn't been to college and who doesn't, isn't trained in the wisdom of this world, to hear the truth of God. It won't happen. They won't have it. But let me warn you, dear friends, tonight.
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That the Lord Jesus said, except to be converted and become as little children.
He shall in no wise enter to the Kingdom of God.
He that humbles himself shall be exhausted.
Ma'am. And the proud captain of the host of the king of Syria. What was said to him?
Go down and dip in Jordan 7 times. Oh, that was too much for the pride of that important general. And it wasn't until he finally yielded and humbled himself that he got the blessing. And tonight, if you would be blessed, you must come down.
To the feet of the despised savior, you must bow before him.
And acknowledge that you're nothing but a poor, lost, guilty, hell deserving Sinner.
You must take your place humbly before him if you would be blessed.
There is not one in this room tonight who is saved, who hasn't had to come down.
And take his place as being nothing but a poor loss in it.
And dear friends, if you want the blessings, come down tonight. Come down, step down from your pride and say, Lord, I'm a Sinner. I acknowledge that, but I believe you died for me. But something else that's very nice to hear about the 12Th verse, or as much as an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding and interpreting of dreams.
And showing of hard sentences and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel in this lovely says dissolving of doubt.
Quite a few children here tonight. Now that's one of the things as the enemy tries to do. He tries to bring doubt into the mind.
I can remember even with our own children, they professed to have believed in the Lord Jesus as their savior.
But sometimes when they go to bed at night, the lights were all out.
They want you to come in and speak to them. And they had doubts. They had doubt. They weren't sure. How could those doubts be dissolved? How could they be taken away? Could we do anything by any wisdom of our own or power of our own? Could we remove those doubts? No. We could just tell them of this precious word of God. We had the privilege of finding them to the precious, unchangeable word of God.
And if there's a boy or a girl or a young person here tonight who has doubts.
What is going to remove those doubts?
Just to take God at his word. Just to take God at his word. Oh how important this is. A day when people like to think things out. As they say they like to think things out. But God's way of salvation is by his face, by faith. And for myself, I can say I was troubled with those doubts too. And the only way to have those doubts removed is just to look up and say Lord is a child.
I believe what you have said.
Remember, a young man brought up in the meeting said to me one time. Well, he said. I've asked the Lord over and over again.
To remove the doubts they still seem to come. Oh, I said. Don't ask the Lord to remove the doubts. Look up and tell him you believe his word.
Said. How would you like it? You told me something and I said to you, I can't believe what you said. I hope you'll remove the doubts from my mind. Wouldn't you feel quite insulted? Wouldn't you feel insulted that I was telling you I couldn't believe what you said? Well, tonight I know that the devil tries to bring doubts even into the minds of Christians. Want to remove those doubts.
Oh, Paul said. I believe God.
That it shall be even as it was told. And when the devil seeks to bring Doats into your mind, remember the only way to meet them is to look up and don't ask the Lord to remove them, because that's it's almost unbelief. If I ask you to remove the doubts from my mind, that's as good as saying I don't think I can trust you. But if you look up and acknowledge that, it's Satan that's trying to put in those doubts.
00:50:28
And tell God that in spite of the fact that Satan's trying to put the doubts there.
That you still believe him, that honors him, that glorifies him. Well, it says the removing of ghosts, the answers to the hard questions, they were all found through this man who believed God, this man who was God's messenger. That's why I read in the 13th chapter of Acts a work which he shall in no one is believed on Man declared unto you. They might have said, Oh, Paul, who are you?
He said I am only a man, but he said I am telling you what God says. I am telling you what God says.
Through this man, not me, but through this man, Christ Jesus his priest, and you, the forgiveness of Friend.
And by him all it believes are justified from all things.
All believe are you in that all?
Well, if you're in that all that believes, then it says are justified from all things. Oh hogrance. Oh, how simple.
Salvation is just taking God at his word.
Well, Daniel was called in. Great offers were made to him.
Now, the king said. Why? I've heard about you.
That you can dissolve outside rewards richly. I'll put a chain of gold around your neck. I'll make you the third ruler in the Kingdom. I'll quote you with Scarlet. I'll do a great deal for you.
I'll take you out of this insignificant place and I'll give you a place of honor in the Kingdom.
As Daniel said, let thy gift be thyself. Give thy rewards to another.
That I don't want any pay for speaking the truth of God. And tonight is not going to be a collection plate classed at the end of this meeting. We're not going to charge people for telling them the truth of God. God's word is true and salvation is free. And tonight you can have salvation without money and without price. And the king didn't have to pay anything. True, He did give some things.
To Daniel, but Daniel didn't want anything for what he was saying.
He said, he said I don't want a thing for it and I don't want any honors for it. And he said in another place, it's not in me, there's nothing in me. He said that God, there is a God in heaven that reveals secret, he said earlier in this book.
There's a God in heaven? Well then, he reminded Nebuchadnezzar.
Of how his grandfather had known these things, he said. Your grandfather. He was high and lifted up, and his mind became hardened and pride and God brought him down. He lost his reason. He was driven from the sons of men, and for seven years he was a raving maniac. And at last God restored him. And what was the result?
He said that after after this he prayed.
Extolled the God of heaven. All dear friends, what is God going to have to do to you?
To bring you to repentance, many a man has had his body smashed to pieces.
Many a man has had terrible grief and sorrow come into his life and into his home.
And yet it is all Son of God in love and for his blessings.
Belshazzar knew all this. He had heard about it. He had heard about it from his father.
And no doubt he heard about it from the queen, who had, who knew all about this Daniel, and had no part in this impious feast. Yes, I expect he knew all about it. And so Daniel said, thou the 22nd verse, And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart.
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Thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of Heaven.
And they have brought the vessels of his house before thee.
Thou, thy Lord, thy wise, thy concubines, have drunk wine in them, and thou hast praised the gods of silver, of gold, brass, and iron, and wood, with sea not and are here and all I notice this. And the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways that thou not glorify? You're sitting in that seat, drawing your breath.
Over and over again, you breathe in and out, and God has given you that breath.
And God may take away that breath tonight. God may remove your breath tonight.
You wouldn't dare to sit in a seat here with a sword hanging over your head by a thread.
Yet move your seat at once if there's something worse than a sword hanging over your head.
By a thread. God holds your breath. He might take it away tonight.
Jesus might come tonight.
Judgment might begin to fall upon this world as it will when the Lord Jesus comes.
But all friend, still the day of his grace, he still waits.
He's still patient, but soon the day of grace is going to be over. That night, it was over for Belshazzar that night. That was his last opportunity and.
The hand said.
God hath numbered thy Kingdom, and finished it.
Do you remember the rich farmer? He was so successful, he was going to tear down his barns and build greater. And God said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall these things be which thou hast provided?
And as you think of all the wealth and all the inventions and progress of this world.
But it's all reserved on the fire.
And God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness.
By that man whom he hath ordained for Avi hast given assurance unto all men.
And that he has raised him from the death.
Well, what did? What did Belshazzar do about all this? That he'd take a humble place.
Did he own his sin and his wickedness? Did he say I humble myself?
No, he had had many opportunities, but I believe is a very fond thing pictured in this chapter.
That there is such a thing as God speaking for the last time, and I believe God had spoken to Belshazzar for the last time, and you'll notice.
That there is no message of pardon offered to Belshazzar in this chapter.
It's a song thing, but if there is such a thing as a man.
Rejecting the grace of God once to us, once to us, the Bible says, my spirit shall not always strive with man. And as a little hymn says, there's a line that is crossed by rejecting the law where the call of His spirit is lost and you hurry along with the pleasure mad throng. Have you counted? Have you counted the cost?
Belshazzar hadn't counted the cost, but I believe I can say that he had crossed the line. He had crossed the line. Oh, dear Sinner, don't cross the line tonight. This may be your last opportunity.
And if you say no to the Lord Jesus tonight, it may be there will never be another.
Offer its pardon to you. There will never be another offer of pardon. There may be lost in pleasure and sports and things of this world, but all what an awful thing, if God should, right beside your name up there in that book in heaven. He's had his last opportunity. He's had his last opportunity. Oh, I plead with you, dear strength.
Say you're called in love to my savior calls in love and grace.
Goodness and offer salvation to you. Very kind here.
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But it was very kind what Belshazzar did here. He clothed David and Daniel, rothering Scarlett. He put a chain of gold about his neck. And remember this with all the kind acts that you do for a believer, All the goodness you show to a believer will never outweigh your sins. It's Christ to me. It's Christ. You need all wanna come to him tonight? Why not close in with his offers of mercy?
All to you, dear boys and girls.
And to any older ones here who may be unsaved, why not look up?
In this very meeting and say, O Lamb of God.
Icon These are solemn, stern reality. We're Speaking of things that really count. The things of this world don't count in view of eternity. Oh, I plead with you, set aside for this time all consideration of earthly things. The people in Nineveh, they even left their cattle unfed. They set aside all their occupations, and they said, let us cry to God.
Perhaps he'll hear what I can tell you tonight, that if you'll cry to God for mercy, he will hear. He will hear. Because the Lord Jesus said him that cometh unto me. I will know why Scott says all come to the Savior tonight. The sad, sad end of Belshazzar is brought before us in. That night was Belshazzar sling that night. That was his last opportunity. That was the last time.
All this may be your last opportunity. Why not come tonight? Why not yield heart and body, mind and will, to him who died through thee? Look up tonight.
There's a little hymn says come as thou art with all thy sins.
Come with thy hardened heart. Come with thy cares. Thy doubt thy fears all great He will imply the Savior stands without stretched arms. Will you come to him tonight before it's too late? Receive them as your Savior right now.
Shall we sing #25? Life at best is very brief like the like the falling of a leaf, like the binding of a sheep in time. Bleeding days are telling fast that the dye will soon be cast and the fatal line be passed in time. First verse and the 3rd and 4th verses only of this hymn.
25.
Life that best is very brief, like the.
Police like the binding of a ship.
Bleaking days are telling files that the die will soon be cast and the faith to lying behind.
Day and time.
For our voice of Jesus calls, you'll be in time.
No longer wait, you may find no open gates and your cry be just too late. The end time.
Time is gliding swiftly by death and judgment, both drawn on to the arms of Jesus.
John 9
Gospel—G. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Shall we say #56?
All blessed gospel sound get their room to tell to all around. Yet there is room the guilty may draw near. Oh vile they need not fear with joy they now may hear. Yet there is room 56.
Oh, bless that God, Bless God.
Yeah, there is room.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I will.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey, I know you're married.
Yeah.
Shall we turn tonight to the Gospel of John the 9th chapter?
John Chapter 9.
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth, and his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did send this man or his parents, that he was born blind. Jesus answered neither at this man sin nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he found the ground, and made clay of the spittle. And he annoyed the eyes of the blind man of the clay, and said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent. He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing the neighbors therefore they which before had seen him, that he was blind, said.
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Is not this He's sighed and begged. Some said that this is he, Others said he is like him, but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How are thine eyes open? He answered, and said, a man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash. And I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he?
He said. I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that a four time was blind.
And it was the saddest day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes, then asked the Pharisee. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.
He said unto them. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a Sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, he is a prophet, but the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight.
Until they call the parents of him that had received his sight and they asked them saying.
Is this your son whom he say was born blind? How then doth he now see Parents answered them, and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. But by what means he now seeth? We know not earth opened his eyes, we know not. He is of age. Ask him, he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents because they feared the Jews. For the Jews that agreed already that if any man did confess that he was Christ.
He should be put out of the synagogue, therefore, that his parents he is of age. Ask him then again, call they the man that was blind? And said unto him, Give God the praise. We know that this man is a Sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a Sinner or no, I know not one thing. I know that whereas I was blind. Now I see Then, said they to him again, What did he to thee? How open he thine eyes.
He answered and said, I have told you already, and ye did not hear. Wherefore would ye hear it again?
Will he also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said that thou art his disciple. But we are Moses disciples.
We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The man answered and said unto him unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing.
That we ye know not from whence he is, and getti hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners.
But if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will him he heareth.
Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of him, of one that was born blind?
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou art altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered, and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him.
And it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.
What is so particularly beautiful and striking in the Gospel of John is the way the Lord Jesus deals with the individual. It's lovely to see him in this gospel. We find him in the third chapter of John. And there was a man of the Pharisees came to Jesus by night, and the Lord Jesus talked to this man alone in the darkness of the evening. He talked to this man.
And brought this man to know.
The blessed truth. But except the man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. In the next chapter we see him by the side of a well, and there is a poor Sinner. He's not talking to a multitude. He's spending his time talking to a poor Sinner who lived in disgrace and bringing blessing to her soul, bringing her to know what true worship is and so on, as we read in the Gospel.
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In the next chapter, here was a man by the pool of Bethesda, and the Lord said, Arise, take up thy bed and walk and so on through the gospel. It's beautiful. The Son of God. You know, if a great man came to Detroit, he wouldn't be interested in poor.
Suffering individuals in this city, they plan public appearances. Where he would be before multitude, where he would talk to hundreds or thousands, and according to his greatness, there would be larger companies together. They wouldn't plan his time to talk to individuals, much less to those who were in disgrace. But here was the Lord of glory in this world, interested in the individual. All friend. You're never lost in the crowd to God.
He looks down upon this room tonight, and he sees you as an individual. He knows your individual, me. He knows whether you're saved or lost. He knows whether you receive Jesus as your savior or on your way to heaven, or whether you're still rejecting him and on the road to hell. Yes, I say, He knows you. He knows your name. What a surprise Zacchaeus had when the Lord amid that strong going under the tree.
Did still, and looked up, and said, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down. He knew Zacchaeus, he knew his he knew him by name. In another instance, in this gospel too, Nathaniel came, and the Lord knew him. And Nathaniel said, Whence knowest thou me all? Let me assure you, my friend again, the Lord knows you, He knows the whole record of your life.
Everything you've ever said and done and thought, it's all an open book to him.
He knows all, and he was never too weary to meet sinners in their name. We find in the end of the chapter before that they had taken up stones to cast at him. He had been rejected, as we were Speaking of this afternoon. The one who walked through this world despised and rejected, are the very ones who came to bless, unappreciated, that he weary in the service of love. Did he say, they don't want me here?
Even on the cross when they said he saved others himself, he cannot save. Let him come down from the cross. What if he had come down? What if he had come down? Every one of us would have gone to hell, every one of us. He didn't yield to their jeers. Now he had come not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life for ransom for money, and isn't lovely here.
In this instance is brought before us to see the Lord of life and glory.
To see God's beloved Son here.
And as Jesus passed by, he had just gone as it tells him the end of the chapter, and we're going to throw stones and pick them up to throw at them. And he walked away. And as he was getting away and saw this man flying from his birth, supposing you were in a place, and the crowd gathered around to throw stones at you, and you went to go away, and you saw a man who was sick or in trouble, you think you'd feel like stopping and paying any attention.
You or I would say, let's get out of this place here altogether.
As Jesus passed by, he saw man that was blind from his birth. Yes, he saw this man and his maid he had never seen who was blind from his birth. That's a picture of what we are by nature.
Born blind.
The natural heart sees no beauty in Jesus. Take the tiniest babe born to this world, the prettiest, most beautiful one that ever was born.
As a fallen nature.
The child is blind from birth. That's what I was. That's what every creature of Adam's race is, a hearted enmity with God and the Lord Jesus said, except the man be born again, must have a new life that cannot see the Kingdom of God.
00:15:03
Or it's a good thing, though, when we come to realize that this man knew he was blind, he didn't suppose that he could see he knew he was blind.
It's a good thing when we get to realize this, when we know that we're blind as to the things of God, all we may be able to see in natural things, but be spiritually blind. And if you don't see any beauty in the Lord Jesus tonight, if your heart doesn't respond to that precious name, why you're blind from birth to and you need to have your eyes open.
And there's only one who can open your eyes, and thus the Lord Jesus, the blessed Savior.
It reminds me of a story.
Of a.
Reporter Some years ago, just around this time of year, he was walking down the streets of a large city and there was one of the beautiful department store windows all dressed up with all kinds of decorations like they have at this time of year. And there were two children standing at the window and they were looking into all toys and dolls and nice things displayed in the window.
And one child, her face was all aglow. She was just taking in all these things, and she was doing her best to describe these things to the child beside her. And as this reporter passed by, he wondered why this one child looks so happy. And the other one, her face looked so almost without expression, he got a little closer and he looked, and he saw that one child is blind.
He said. Now I understand the child can. It can't see, and more than this, it doesn't even understand what it's told.
Because it doesn't know what things look like, it just can't form any metal picture.
And when the child talked about these nice toys and dolls that formed no picture whatever in the child's mind who was blind. So he wrote a little article in the paper saying how thankful we should be for our eyes, what a blessing it was to be able to see. And at this time there was a preacher in town, and he saw this little article in the paper and read it. He thought, what a fine illustration of the gospel.
Isn't that just like sinners? I've come to this city of Boston and I've been trying to tell the people about the Lord Jesus, and no matter how I speak about him and his love and his grace, they can't seem to enter into it. They can't seem to lay hold of it. They're just like that blind child. I'm trying to tell them that they can't understand. They need to have their eyes open. So when he was preaching that night.
He told his little incident that he had read well. He was quite a notorious preacher in the.
Newspaper had asked the reporter to go and make a report on this man's visit to the city of Boston. So he went to the meeting that night and has he listened to the gospel story? He tried to make a few notes for the newspaper, but he wasn't too much interested. He was an unsaved man. But then he heard this little incident called, and the preacher emphasized how this story was in the newspaper and how he'd feel sorry for that child.
Then he said, I feel sorry for those in this room tonight who are spiritually blind, who see no beauty in Jesus. They need to have their eyes open before they can enter into these things. But he said there's one here who can open the blind eyes who came down from heaven, saw the blind eyes might be opened to see him, the only savior. Well, that caused these reported to open his ears. He'd written the story in the newspaper.
Are not only realized that he was worse off than the blind little girl. The little girl couldn't see the pretty decorations in the window, but he couldn't see beauty in the savior of sinners. He was living only for time and God used the story to speak to his heart. At the close of the meeting, he went up to the preacher. I believe it was DL Moody and he said to him, he said I I'm the reporter that put that story in the paper.
He said I never knew before tonight that I was blind. He said. I never realized that I was just like that child, indeed worse. I never saw any beauty in Jesus. But to night my eyes were opened. Tonight my eyes were open to see beauty in the Lord Jesus. He opened his heart. He received him as his savior. Dear boys and girls, you were born blind too. But there's one here tonight in this room.
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The Lord of life and glory, the Savior of sinners, has come into this world.
And he has come here to open blind eyes, to cause you to know him as your own precious and personal savior. And as Jesus passed by, He saw this man. Well, you know, the disciples, they began to reason about it. They said, well, why was he born blind?
Is it something he did or something his parents did that caused this? Well, the Lord said that wasn't the cause. He said it was that the works of God should be made manifest in Him. No. People like to argue. They sometimes say, well, why is sin in the world? Why is it here anyway? And what have people done to have to suffer so in this world? Well, the Lord himself didn't.
Explain this question here, he didn't answer.
And tell them why sin had been allowed and why the results of sin were there. God has some secrets that he doesn't always tell us. But one thing I do know that a low sin has entered this world. The Savior of sinners has also come. And I know that I'll have a better place with Christ in glory than if sin had never entered. If sin had never entered, I would have never known the heart of God.
And if that man hadn't been born blind, he would probably never have known about the Lord Jesus and his love. It's the very sorrows and troubles of life that often lead people to the Savior. Yes, it's often the difficulties and troubles of the way. And so don't say, well, why is sin here and why did this happen to me? And why is all this trouble coming to my family? Perhaps God brought it that you might be brought into contact with the Savior.
It's man made that leads him to Christ Never because.
There's something in his own heart that would lead him there. The natural heart is enmity against God. And so here was a man in need, a blind man. Jesus saw him in his name. Jesus passed by, and Jesus came to heal that blind man. And so the Lord simply said that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Some people talk about their own works, but the works of God have been made manifest in a poor Sinner like me. I was a Sinner deserving to go to hell, and the only reason that I'm going to heaven is because of what God has done through his beloved Son. No other title have I No other reason have I to be fit for heaven only that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanse with us from all sin.
So the Lord said, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. They cast the light out. They didn't want him, but He came the light into the world, and now he's up there. He's left his own down here to shine for him. Are you and I were Christians shining for him, telling of Him? We can't open people's eyes, but we can tell them about the Savior and his wondrous love.
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle.
Well, this might seem quite a puzzle to the natural man as to why the Lord would do this. Why did he do this? Well, it's just this fact, I believe, that's brought before us that what blinds the natural man is that God's son came down into this world in a body of clay. It says that we dwell in houses of play that is our bodies. We're just made out of the dust of the ground.
And here, wonder of all wonders down in this world was a man amongst men.
But a man who is the scent one of God, why did he become a man?
He came down to this world in order to say, to open the prison doors, to give liberty to those that are bound, the opening of the eyes to the blind, to set the prisoner free. That's what he came for. And so when the Lord put the clay on this man's eyes.
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We might say, well, if he had any sight at all, this would only make his sight worse and so.
This man had no sight in the clay put on his eyes, only seemed to make him blind or still.
Well, it was a picture of the nation when the Lord was here. They didn't see in the son of Joseph, the carpenter's son, who sent one of God, but some did. And when this man went to the pool of Siloam, and the meaning of the word Siloam, it tells us here is sent.
Sense that is, when he went to the pool of Siloam, he was brought to realize that the one who was there as a man down this world was the scent, one of God.
Assembly of God as it says God soul of the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Yes, that's why God sent him. God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. That's why God sent him. Have you been saved?
Have you put your trust in that blessed Savior?
Have you been to the pool of Cylon, thousands of people in Detroit?
Well, acknowledge that Jesus was a wonderful man. They'll acknowledge that he taught some wonderful things, but only those whose eyes were open see him as the one who was sent down to this world to become their own personal savior. Yes, that's what it means to have your eyes open. If not, you're still blind. Still blind, Can't see any beauty as it says. Isaiah 53.
When we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire. Him his despise and rejected a man, a man of sorrows and acquaintance decree, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed enough. But this man, now he does exactly what the Lord Jesus said. He might have said that, well, this is only going to make my condition worse, not better.
To have Clay put on my eyes, but he didn't raise any questions. I say again, he did just exactly what the Lord Jesus said.
And in all, when we preach the gospel, many people start to reason their minds go to work and they start and argue, say, how is this and how's that? You know, the way to be saved is God's way, God's way. We're not to ask questions, we're to believe.
Or to believe what he says. The only question that is proper for a Sinner to ask is what must I do to be saved?
And then the ready answer is.
We leave on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. All this man didn't argue. He asked no questions. He went to the pool of silence. He washed and wonder wonders. His eyes were open and he could see, oh what joy filled his heart Now his eyes were open.
And he received his sight.
And it tells us here.
He went his and the end of the seventh verse he went his way therefore, and washed.
And came came seeing how simple it all was. Know how simple it is to be saved. The devil would make it a very difficult thing. Some people have said to me, Well, you have to do a lot of studying. You certainly must have to do a lot of studying to understand these things. This man didn't have to understand very much. All he needed to do was to understand what the Lord said.
Dull and wash in the coolest. So long, that's all, he said.
Simple, wasn't it? And he did it. He went and he washed and he came. Seeing Salvation is not a difficult thing, boys and girls. It's very simple. Salvation is so simple that a little child can understand and believe it and be saved. Will you believe on the Lord Jesus? Some people believe in themselves. They believe in their works.
They believe in their feelings. They believe in their church. They believe in their baptism.
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They believe in a lot of different things, and some of them mix all these things together and believe partly in their baptism, partly in their works, partly in their church, partly in their in their own amount of faith and partly in the Lord Jesus.
But tonight I stand here to tell you that I don't believe in my own works. I don't believe in my feelings. They change from day-to-day. I don't believe in my church. I don't believe in my baptism for salvation. I believe in one thing only for salvation.
I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I rest my whole salvation on him and on him only. Do you, Do you? It's simple, but there's nothing to be added to it. It's not Christ and something else. It's Christ only. Christ only. God only has one way, and that's through his beloved Son. How simple it was made for this man and how simply he believes it.
He acted upon him, and he came.
Seeing you came seeing well, this caused quite a stir. The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said this is he, others said he is like him.
But he said, I am he. Why does it tell us about the neighbors here? Well, you know, when a person is really saved, people notice the change. People notice the change. Sometimes we hear people about people that profess to be saved, but we watch in vain to see any difference in their lives.
We never would know that their eyes were opened at all. They don't seem to act any differently. And then we begin to wonder. But this man, there was a difference. He wasn't blind anymore. His eyes were open. He knew Jesus. He could see. And when there's a real work of God in the soul, there is a change takes place. It isn't the way to get saved. You don't change to get saved. The change is because you are saved.
The man didn't change in order to get his eyes open.
The change was because his eyes were opened. Now he could see. And if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. I hope your neighbors know that you're a Christian. I hope the neighbors on the street know that there's something different about you than there was before you were saying.
There ought to be a difference. There will be a difference too, because when you're saved, you love the Lord Jesus. He is your dearest friend. He's the one you want to please. He's the one you want to talk about. And this man didn't take long to talk about the one who had done so much for him. And it says here.
That, they said to him. How were thine eyes open?
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash. And I went and washed, and I received sight. Wasn't a very long sermon, was it?
Just one verse long, that's all. Perhaps you say, Well, I don't know what to say. I can't say very much.
I heard folks say, well, there's no use for me to try and talk because I can't say very much. I don't know very much and I wouldn't be able to express myself very well. Well, this this man didn't know a great deal. There were quite a few things he didn't know, but he knew the man that was called Jesus, he knew what he had told him to do, and he knew that he had done it, and he knew that a great miracle had taken place.
His eyes have been orphaned.
And so don't be upset about the things you do know. Be thankful the things you don't know. Rather be thankful for the things you do know. Some people are very upset about the things they don't know. Well, we can leave a lot of these things we don't know, but we can give thanks for many of the things we do know. Do you know the man that was called Jesus?
You know this one who was born into this world, of whom it says, thou shalt call his name Jesus, or he shall save his people from their sins. You know that blessed 1A man that is called Jesus and all. How simply he told a story, how well he knew it, how he had been, had that clay put on his eyes, he'd been told to go and wash.
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And he had done it. And he came back saying, oh, how simple it all was. Oh, dear friend, I speak to those who know the Lord when we're asked about him. Isn't it nice to be able to tell in a simple way what he's done for you? Have you told your friends about the Lord Jesus? Have you confessed his name? If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus?
And shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved.
Well, when he said this much, then they began to ask him another question and they want to know a little more.
And said they unto him, Where is he?
He didn't know that. He said. I know not. Don't be afraid to say you don't know. If they ask you a question at school, if your friends or neighbors ask you a question and you can't answer it, just say, I don't know. But there's some things you do know aren't there. If you're saved, you know the man that was called Jesus. You know that he's his blood climbs you from sin. You know that he's given you everlasting life.
It says. In one John chapter 5 it says.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know.
That she has eternal life. And if you have received him as your savior, these things you know. And so again I say, there may be things that you don't know. Don't be afraid to say I don't know. But also be willing be ready to speak of the things you do know.
I'll tell about that blessed savior.
Well then they brought this man to the Pharisees. First of all, the neighbors see what's taken place. His testimony is given to the neighbors of what has taken place. And now he's brought to the Pharisees, to the religious leaders.
Would this stand the test of the theologists, the religious people, the ones who ought to know? Would they be satisfied with this story?
From this dear man whose eyes have been opened, he's brought to the Pharisees. Well the first thing that they they raised a great difficulty over the fact that this took place on the Sabbath day. Well, don't expect the religious leaders of the world to appreciate what it means to be truly saved and born again. Many of the religious leaders in the world preaching in pulpits, holding high positions in the religious world. They have never been born again themselves.
Their eyes have never been opened. They will not understand or appreciate these things.
And they may raise all kinds of questions and try and find fault because they don't appreciate this wondrous grace of God that is able to save sinners. Oh, how many there are? We've seen dear boys and girls. They come to the Sunday school. They continue to come for a little while, but then one day they confess the Lord as their savior and they go home and tell their parents.
And immediately the parents want to know. They'll wonder what the minister of the church is going to say about this. Is he going to be pleased about it? And first thing you know, there's a difficulty about them continuing to come. Who was it that was making the hindrance? Well, it doesn't suit the religious leaders. It doesn't suit the people of the day. This can't be sold. And a man can really know that he's saved. They tell us what simple space, the faith of the child.
Knows and beliefs, knows and believes so.
Finally found out it was the Sabbath day.
And then they asked him, they said, How did this take place? How did you receive your sight? Well, he said unto them. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
How simply he stated it to them. He told the case very simply, again, in a few words, what the Lord had done for him. Well, then they begin to have a little discussion about this.
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Some said, well, if this man were not of God, he couldn't, he couldn't do anything. The other said, well, how could this be on the Sabbath day? Well, there were different ideas about it. The world is full of different ideas. You don't have to walk very far from the door of this place till you find out the world. There's all kinds of religion and they all have different ideas. One thinks this and the other thinks the other.
But there are only two religions in the world.
As a religion of Do and the religion of done, there are those who put their faith and trust only upon Jesus and his finished work. And there are those who raise all kinds of questions and arguments and discussions that they have never had personal contact with the Lord Jesus. They don't know what it is to trust in the finished work.
What he has done to be able to say Jesus did it all, all to him. I all sin had left the Crimson stain. He washed me white as snow. Well, they had a division about whether this was right. The Indonesia was there, whether it wasn't.
But they didn't seem to be concerned about whether they needed the Savior or not. The whole question was, what about the Sabbath? Was was it right that it was done on the Sabbath day, or was it wrong?
And how often we find people divided up over things.
That have nothing to do with salvation at all, have nothing to do with that which is really important and the very important things they know little about.
Oh, what a, what a picture. Here we see of Christendom. Why don't we picture we see a man's religion and how often religion blinds people's eyes. So the Pharisees began to ask this man.
Questions and.
At last they decided they call his parents and the parents are brought in and now they want to find out from the parents about this boy. They said this your son and you say he was born blind. They said this is our son, we know he was born blind but how he sees we don't know. But he says ask him, he'll speak for himself, he'll speak for himself.
I'll find 2 very important things here.
We find, first of all, the importance of people speaking for themselves. May I stop here to say a little word to parents? Don't speak to your children. Let your children speak for themselves. Some parents, they speak for their children. You ask their children if they're saved and their parents answer you. You know, it's a better thing to let the children speak for themselves. I like to hear a boy or a girl confess the Lord Jesus himself.
Gives joy to the heart of the Lord.
And it's a blessing to the children. It's a nice thing when a child, when a boy or a girl speaks for himself, Paul said. It was a joy to him. He said, I think he he's as he stood before Agrippa, he's, he said are permitted to speak to thyself. And he said he was glad to be able to. It's nice to hear a young person speak for himself, nice to hear a young girl speak for herself.
And say Jesus is my savior. This man wasn't ashamed to speak for himself. He didn't meet his father and mother to talk for him.
His father and mother said, Let's let him speak, but then there's another thing here.
And we find out in this case, there was a reason why the parents didn't want to speak. The reason was that they were afraid that they would be cast out of the synagogue. They were afraid of men. And then, isn't it often so that the fear of men governs our hearts? It's a sad thing the parents didn't want to speak up and speak well of the Lord Jesus.
Even if they didn't speak for their son, they could have spoken for themselves, they could have said.
We believe in Jesus, too. We believe in Him. We see what a wonderful thing he has done. We have put our trust in Him. No, they had nothing to say about him for themselves. Well, it shows us that many people have the fear of men before them. They're afraid of others. Perhaps somebody here would like to confess Christ. But you're afraid that somebody might laugh. You're afraid somebody might despise you.
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You're afraid your friends might cast you out of their company. That's the very reason why the parents didn't speak here. They're afraid that they would be put out of the synagogue if they spoke well of the Lord Jesus. Because it says here the Jews had agreed already that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. And so they knew that if they spoke well of the Lord Jesus, they'd be thrown out. And you know, dear folks.
Dear boys and girls and older ones here, you know very well the same thing today.
That if you speak well of the Lord Jesus, your friends give you the brush. They just stay through with you. They don't want you if you speak well about the Lord Jesus.
And so these parents, they were ashamed. They didn't say why, but the Lord looked into their hearts.
And you may not say why you haven't confessed Christ, but God is looking into your heart right now, and He knows why. He knows why. I have to confess that I have lost opportunities to speak for the Lord. And the reason I haven't spoken for him is because the fear of man was in my heart, the fear of man.
All, let me tell you, there's a real joy in confessing. Jesus, do it tonight. You've never done it before. Why not confessing tonight? He says, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. And when you confess that blessed worthy name on earth, your unworthy name is confessed up there. Oh, how lovely. Don't be ashamed to speak for him. Don't be ashamed.
Speak for yourself. Tell what he's done for you.
Well then they call this man, and they said to him, give God the praise. We know that this man is a Sinner.
What a terrible thing to say. And yet in the next verse we find that this man was appallingly ignorant. He didn't know, it says, whether he be a Sinner or no, I know not.
He doesn't know. And you know when you first say sometimes you make some mistakes, sometimes we say some things and do some things we shouldn't. And the Lord has recorded the mistake this man made, but he wasn't long getting set right, you know. And when we make some mistakes, when we're first saved, the Lord is patient and He teaches us and He sets us right. And the things that we didn't know at first, He shows us if we want to go on and please him. We look back, some of us, when we were first saved, and we think, what's strange things I didn't set after I was first saved.
But how good the Lord is, how patient He is, and so He's put this down in His word.
To show us that even this man that had such a bright confession about the one who was called Jesus.
Made such a mistake here, but he was growing, you know, Samuels mother made a new coat for him every year. And let me say this to those who are older. Don't expect the children to wear the coats of grown up people when they first say. But as time goes on, we like to see them get a new coat every year. We like to see they've grown not only in their bodies but grown spiritually Too nice to see boys and girls.
Learning more about Jesus as they get older.
Nice to see grown up people as they go on from year to year, growing in the things of God, says growing grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Well.
In the 26th verse, then said they to him again.
What did he to thee? How open he thine eyes, He answered them. I have told you already, and ye did not hear. Wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples, or isn't this lovely? This shows surely that in spite of his mistakes, that He's growing.
When I asked him to tell it again, he said do you want to hear it again because you want to be his disciple? Oh isn't this nice? He wanted to win others to know and to love the one whom he had learned to know and love. And that's always the proof that it's a real work in a persons soul. When you're saved, if it's a real work you want others to know the Savior too. You're not only willing to give a testimony, but immediately your heart goes out in love that others might know the Savior. If I could say that he became a soul winner.
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He said to these men, he said, Do you want to be his disciple, too?
All he would have gladly told the story again if they wanted to be his disciple. He didn't just talk to satisfy their idle curiosity. He didn't just talk to have a little religious argument and to compare his beliefs with theirs. Now he wanted them to become disciples, her followers of Jesus. And so may we each have this desire that others might learn to know him too.
Even the ones that perhaps laugh at us, even the ones that perhaps despise us.
Until we have a love and a desire that they might know the Savior as well, will He also be His disciples?
Then they reviled him, said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses disciples.
Well, that's what they'll say to you too. Sometimes they say, oh, you go to that little hall. It doesn't have any name.
Where they'll tell you some name of some church that they belong to, they have the name of some great man that was a great man in this world, perhaps such a name as John Knox or Martin Luther Calvin or something. They don't talk about some great man, but it is five, the blessed name of Jesus.
God blessed me, said, where Moses disciples. But he says you're you're a disciple of Jesus. All dear children. He's not only the Savior, He's the one that we ought to be gathered to. We ought to be gathered to him. Those were two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the midst. This man, so to speak, repudiated any other name.
There was one name that was precious to him. There was one name that was dear to him, and it was everything to him. Precious name of Jesus, all. He's all sufficient for salvation. He's the captain of our salvation. He's our gathering center. He's the one we're looking for to come again. These are All in all.
So then he goes on, he starts to talk. And they 30th 1St the man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that she know not from whence he is, And yet he hath opened mine eyes, Now that we know that God he heareth not sinners. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, But if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will him he heareth all They didn't like to be called Sinner, didn't like to be called sinners.
They were religious people. They were leaders.
And here to be called sinners. So it is people don't like you to tell them they're sinners.
They don't mind if you acknowledge the fact that they have their religion, but when you tell them they're sinners.
It does something that produces a it produces an opposition, an enmity within.
And they couldn't bear to have this man call them a Sinner. They said, all us all together, born in sin. And dost thou teach us? He was born in sin. He was born in sin. So was I. So were you. But the question is not whether you are born in sin, but have you been born again? That's the important thing. Every one of us were born in sin.
But have we all been born again?
You can be born again. You can have Christ. You can know him as your savior. You can be among the number who will be up there with Christ in glory. All I ask you have you accepted that Blessed One as your savior? Do you know anything about the second birth, or do you only know about what it is to be born in sin? Oh, May God grant that you will know what it is to be a child of God.
Faith in Christ Jesus.
Well, that was the result of all this. They cast them out.
Cast him out. We don't want this man. He doesn't fit in with us at all. He loves that one whom we despise.
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So they cast them out. And so it is. The world may cash to us by Jesus found him, but Jesus found him. And let me tell you this, that if the world cast you out, they'll cast you out into His company, into His company. Those who are cast out for this world, for Jesus, will always find that He's right there to be their companion, but he's right there to speak to them.
That he's right there to be the one who will never leave us, not forsaken.
Oh, how lovely. When he was cast out of the synagogue, Jesus found him. He first of all found Jesus as the one who could open his eyes. Now he found Jesus as the one who reveals himself to him, who becomes the object of his worship, who becomes the one in whose company finds his joy and his delight and his happiness.
Oh, how lovely it is. He not only wants to be your savior, He wants to be your All in all. He's not going to save you and just leave you. He may let you go through a little bit of persecution for his name's sake. He may have to feel the cold shoulder of the world. He may let you feel that the world doesn't want your testimony. But all. He'll not leave you alone. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
And so it says here in the 35th verse Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto him, Thus thou believe on the Son of God.
Did the Lord say this to him? Well, you know, back earlier in the chapter they had said that this man wasn't of God and.
They had said that he was to worship God, and this poor man had very little knowledge of who Jesus was.
But now the Lord Jesus reveals himself, He says, Dost thou believe in the Son of God?
He said. Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Thou seen him, and it is He that prophets with me all her lovely. He was in his presence, He was in His presence. And so it is when the world casts you out, When the world doesn't want you, You'll find yourself in his company. You'll find yourself in the company of the Son of God, the Son of God. All again I say we may have much to learn. We may not know all that we should know this blessed book.
And of this blessed person that we have been speaking about, that he knows all about us.
And he loves us and he wants to make himself known to us that we might know him better. Paul can save many years. And he said this, that I may know him well. You might have said, Paul, don't you know him? Haven't you known him for many years? I believe his answer would have been I want to know him better. I want to know him better. He said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. He became a worshiper.
And so it is when we accept the Lord as our Savior.
When we find in him the one who has opened our blind eyes and has given us to see beauty in him, and we know he's washed our sins away, we feel the reproach of the world, but we find them that he is the one who is our All in all, he became a worshipper.
He was in the presence of the law, and this morning some of us gathered in this room in his presence. What did we come for? To get our eyes open? No, they had been open. What did we come for Is to be in his presence around him, worshipping him. Oh, May God grant that each one here in this room may know that blessed 1A Savior. And if you do know him, don't be ashamed to confess his name.
Let it be known that you belong to him, and you'll find that he'll be nearer and dearer to you day by day as you seek to walk to his glory in this world. Oh, May God grant that there won't be one, will go out of this room without Christ and go on to a lost eternity. Let me warn you before I close that if you reject this Savior, there's nothing but the eternal wrath and judgment of God in hell ahead of you all. How awful.
To have the opportunity to hear about the Lord Jesus, to hear about his love, and to turn away and go down into a lost eternity. All sinners. Don't reject him, Don't refuse him. This may be your last opportunity to see Christ as your Savior tonight and confess him as your Lord.
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Shall we sing? Hymn #1 calmed his Jesus gently calling he with care and toil, oppressed with your guilt. How I'll appalling come and I will give you rest for your sin. He once has suffered on the cross the work was done, and the word by God now uttered to each weary soul.
To come #1.
Contest.
Play hall.
Hebrews 12:1-17
Address—P. Wilson
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Detroit, MI October 14, 1962 Address by Paul Wilson.
1400 Lord, our hearts are waiting, the archangels, heaven sent cry, which wakes the Saints now sleeping, until thee brings them die, when we with them ascending, shall meet thee in the air to gaze upon thy glory, and all thy likeness bare #140.
Lord our hearts our way.
2500.
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I can't believe.
It.
Thought this afternoon.
Is to read the 12Th chapter of Hebrews.
I like to make a comment or two concerning the Epistle to the Hebrews.
That the Epistle to the Hebrews is the epistle of our wilderness journey.
Our wilderness experience.
I've known some brothers.
Who seemed to like to speak only of the Epistle to the Ephesians.
Where we get our heavenly calling, that is, that our life is hid with Christ in God.
Where we are seen in him up there.
I was quoting from Colossians, however, But our life is Satan up there. He's there. He's our life.
And we're down here, seated in him, up there before it got him.
Precious truth in the Epistle to the Ephesians.
The highest note I suppose, that we have in any of the epistles.
But in the Epistle to the Hebrews we were in the wilderness, and we find instruction for the wilderness journey.
And we need it, I think, if one Christian were to be occupied only with the Epistle to the Ephesians.
He would like much for his wilderness journey, for his feet day by day.
Now here we come to the 12Th chapter.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin or sin which dost so easily beset us.
And let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking under Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Over the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame.
And is set down on the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind.
Ye have not yet resisted under blood.
Striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation.
Which speaketh unto you, is unto children, my son, Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord.
Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.
And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, where of all our partakers, then are ye ******** and not sons?
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Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live, for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down the feeble knees.
And make straight paths for your feet. Bless that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently, lest any man fail the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.
Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as he saw.
Over 1 morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Where you know how that afterwards when he would have inherited a blessing.
He was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
For ye are not come unto the mount, that might be touched, that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness, and Tempest, and sound of a trumpet, And the voice of words which spake which voice they that heard entreated, that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with the dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.
But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God.
The heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels.
The General Assembly and Church of the First Born.
Which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.
And of Jesus, the mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
See that you refuse, not him that speaketh, for if they escape, not who refused him that spake on earth.
How much more, much more, shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven?
Whose voice then shook the earth, But now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
And this word, yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken.
As the things that are made.
That those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.
We've just read the 12Th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
The first expression, wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.
Takes us back to the previous chapter.
Now, in the previous chapter, we have a long list of those who lived and died in faith. They didn't receive the promises. They had promises, but they didn't receive the fulfillment of them.
They went on.
Day by day.
Looking forward to something that didn't come in their day.
Now if we would go back to the Epistle to the Hebrews, I mean to the 11Th chapter of this epistle.
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We would find 2 Characteristics of faith.
The patience of faith and the energy of faith.
Now you and I may be called to exercise faith in our wilderness pathway.
Either in patience or in energy.
One may be needed and then the other are both together.
You go down the chapter and you find patience, patience, patience. Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went.
And then you go on.
And come down all the way to Moses when he came to years before you get the energy of faith.
Moses refusing.
Moses choosing Moses making the right choice. Oh, I'm glad Moses made the right choice.
Moses could cast off all of Egypt's honor, its pleasure, its wealth. Just put it all aside.
And cast in his lot with a company of slaves. Why? Because he saw that that company of slaves were God's people.
Took faith to do that.
To cast, to leave the throne, to leave the royal family and all its advantages.
And go and cast your lot in with the company of slaves you know, if we hadn't had.
Moses Life of faith.
The energy of faith that carried him forward, he would never have been on the Transfiguration mount with the Lord of Glory.
No. You probably would be able to go to the British Museum today and find his mummy.
Probably made a pretty good mummy along with some of the other Pharaohs we put in the British Museum, but instead he shared a place on the Transfiguration mount with the Lord of Glory in that preview of the coming Kingdom.
Well, you go down the whole 11Th chapter in its faith in one way or another. May I make this comment too about the word faith?
The first part of the first verse of the 11Th chapter of Hebrews says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Better translation there is Faith is the conviction.
Of things hoped for know the substantiating. Of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen.
Faith enables you to lay hold of what you don't see. That's the meaning of it. Faith is the substantiating of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Some people speak of this first chapter, the first verse of the 11Th of Hebrews, as though it were a definition of faith.
It is. It's what faith does.
The better definition are the best definition of faith than I know of.
Is he that hath received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true, He says, I believe God, and I believe what God says. He accepts that Abraham believed God.
The Apostle Paul said, Sirs, I believe God.
That's faith. Every man has faith in something.
They pick up the morning paper and they read about places and people they've never seen.
And they accept it without question on the word of men.
But they pick up the Bible and read if they do, and they question it. But they were, the real thing is they're questioning the word of God.
Mr. Garvey made this remark concerning Catholicism, which pretends to tell you what the word means. He says It's really infidelity, for instance.
If I come into the room and I say I just saw an accident down the street and a man was killed.
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And you say, well, I have no reason to doubt your veracity.
Are the worthiness of your report, but I will wait till I hear it from somebody else.
Before I accept it.
Well, if somebody else comes along and tells you and then you believe it, you're believing on their testimony and not mine.
You reject my word as untrustworthy. So when God gives us His word and I say.
I'll only believe it if the Church confirms it. If the Church explains it and gives it to me, then I'll believe it.
I am not believing it because God gave it and in substance it is infidelity.
But now faith in the Epistle to the Romans is that principle.
On which we are saved. Faith believes. God believes my lost condition.
Faith believes God's remedy. I accept his salvation that meets my need. Faith is the principle on which we're saved. In the Epistle to the Romans, in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Faith is the principle upon which I live.
In this world, it's the living, practical reality of how I take God and His Word.
To direct my path day by day. Faith is the substantiating of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
For by if the elders obtained a good report, and you go down the chapter, and there were many of them, they obtained a good report through faith. We come to the first verse of the 12Th chapter, which we've already read, where we're seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, that means only that we've had this long list of those that lived and died in faith in the 11Th chapter.
They've been given to encourage us to go on in the path of faith. Here they are lined up.
Some people have tried to explain it, that they are in heaven watching us now.
There's nothing to that. There isn't. There's no truth in that.
But here we have them in the 11Th chapter as those that preceded us in the path of faith.
Now they should be an encouragement to us to go on in their steps, that is in the path of faith down here day by day.
Now let us lay aside.
We're to go on in that path of faith that these Old Testament Saints have.
And remember, this was written to converted Hebrews.
Converted Hebrews were constantly in danger of turning back.
To Judaism. And that was apostasy. It was to give up Christ.
And go back to shadows. Suppose you're waiting for a man to come.
And you see a shadow coming down the street, and you're quite elated to see a shadow.
You know he's coming, but after he comes, who wants to go out and look for a shadow?
You have it. Well, in the New Testament we have the substance of the things of which the Old Testament was the shadow. And for a converted Jew to give up the substance for a shadow was to give up Christ for all, for ceremonies that preceded.
Let us lay aside every weight.
Hebrews 12 We just read the whole chapter.
Speaking now the first verse, let us lay aside every weight.
And sin. I believe that these should be left out there.
If you put it in.
The sin referred to in Hebrews would be unbelief.
Let us lay aside every week.
And sin which does so easily beset us. Do you know there are things that easily beset us down there, things that are hindrances to us in the path of faith. Now he said, there are two things. One or one are weights, the other sins, sin.
Let us lay aside. Notice how easily he puts it. It isn't as though it was some Herculean task, something that we had to really bend all effort to, he says. Let us just lay it aside.
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As though it were easy, you just don't be encumbered with Just put it this guy.
Let us lay aside every week what you and I, each one of us, know.
Water waste to us. What would be a weight to one in pressing on in the path of faith would not be to another.
It's often been said that if a man wanted to run a race and win the race.
A bag of gold would be a weight. If he were bent on winning the race, he'd castaway the bag of gold.
Because he couldn't win the race and carry the gold with him, so he just laid aside and go on and win.
Let us lay aside every week and the devil has plenty of weight, something to encumber us, to slow us down in the race. You and I, fellow Christian, are in a race.
We're not just saved to be passive.
We're not just saved to get in the boat and rest on our oars and float downstream, but that's the only way you can float is down.
Know where to be actively engaged. Let us press on. There's a race.
Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Philippians this one thing I do.
And he says I down to the goal. I press he has the goal before it. Well, that's what we need. We're in a race, we're in a may I say it, we're in an obstacle race. We have many obstacles, hindrances, things to impede our progress.
I'm sure that anyone of us that have reached any maturity in the Christian pathway can look back.
And say, well, in such and such years I was impeded in my Pilgrim pathway by allowance of this or allowance of that, Things that crowded in on us, that hindered us from making advance in the race of the Pilgrim pathway. So he says, let us lay aside every weight.
And sin.
Well.
May we say this, that what may be a wait today?
May become sin tomorrow.
That is, I may become more heavily engrossed with it to the point that it becomes a sin.
But whether it be waits or sins, anything that prevents me from pressing on to the goal, and that's Christ in glory.
I should just put it aside.
Well, you say it isn't as easy as that. With the Lord's help, I believe it is.
With the Lord's help.
If there's something in your life or in my life, it is a hindrance to my progress.
May we have grace to seek the help from the Lord, to just lay it aside as an incumbent, as a hindrance.
And let us run.
That takes energy, doesn't it?
Let us run.
Can you and I run?
It's the energy of faith that takes one for let us run. Now let me say something else. It isn't natural energy that we run with. Let us run with endurance. It's an endurance race.
All the devil has so many obstacles and difficulties and problems that they try to hinder us in the path of faith. So, oh why press on? Why not give up?
I talked to a brother one night.
I picked him up to take him to meeting and he says I have such a terrible headache.
I don't know if I can take anything in, I said. Well, why didn't you stay home? The Lord doesn't expect you to go of your headaches that bad.
Well, he says. I'll tell you why I didn't stay home, he says. If I gave in and stayed home tonight, next week, it would be easy to stay home when I didn't have a headache.
He says I just won't give in on it. Well, now, I'm not advocating that because there are times, and the Lord knows it, when physical conditions hinder us, but there is such a thing as allowing things to come in that hinders from running the race.
By getting into the way of not coming to the Bible readings, not coming to the prayer meetings.
I'm not making progress in the race. I have allowed something to come in. Well, you say, what else can I do? My job is so terrible I can't get around to it.
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Well, I believe we should seek the Lord's help to make some adjustment of it in some way that we can make his things.
First, let us run with endurance.
Not their fleshly energy, but endurance that we get from the Lord himself to carry us through.
Run with endurance, the race that is set before us.
Well, I've gone to cities.
Where I had maps to tell me how to go and I have read the maps most carefully and still miss the road.
It's a whole lot easier to have somebody with you. It's a whole lot easier to follow someone now, he says. I want to have your eye on one that's ahead of you.
Want you to keep your eye on the one that's already been in the race.
Looking steadfastly on Jesus. It should be keeping your eyes steadfastly on Jesus.
The beginner and completer of faith leave out the word ours in italics, it doesn't belong.
He is not the leader and completer of our faith, but he is the leader or the beginner and completer of faith itself, the whole path of faith. He began and ended it in perfection.
Every other one. All those listed in the 11 of Hebrews now remember.
Only their faces mentioned there, not their favors.
In fact, I don't think the failures of the Old Testament Saints are recorded in the New, but with one exception, and that is Elijah made intercession against Israel and that is recorded in the news. There was a such serious consequence He made intercession against Israel.
We should never make intercession against our brethren before so.
Looking steadfastly on Jesus, the one who began and completed the whole path of faith.
Without wavering, without a failure, take Abraham the father of the faithful. He went down into Egypt when a famine came with that phase. No, that was a lapse in the path of faith. And all the time it was in Egypt he lost his 10th and his altar.
And when he came out of Egypt, he brought an Egyptian maid that was to plague his house for years to come.
Abraham the father of the faithful, and when he was down there he denied his wife even.
We once get on the wrong path. There's no telling how far we go, but you go right down the list. There isn't an Old Testament St. of whom you can't say there's failure somewhere.
He was the only one that began and completed the path of faith without intermission, without interruption or failure. But keep your eye on him. He's in the way. He's been in the way before you, not on those.
One listed in the 11Th chapter, but on Jesus, the one who did it perfectly.
Over the joy that was set before him endured.
Where to endure He endured. How did he endure? Why he was looking forward to accomplishing the Father's will and going back to the father's right hand, whoever the joy that endured.
Over the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and he sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.
In other words, keep your eye on one that ran the race in perfection from start to finish and has reached the goal.
Is already there.
Now we have one before us in the race that has attained the goal. Now there are four times in the Epistle to the Hebrews that the Lord is spoken of as having been having been seated at the right hand of God, with little variations. As to the expressions in the first chapter. He seats himself as one having accomplished redemption. Well, he seats himself at the right hand of God as God. Who but God could sit down at God's right hand?
In the 7th chapter.
I think it's a 7th. We won't take time to turn to it.
He's our great High Priest at the right hand of the majesty of the in the heavens. He's there as our High Priest, representing us at the very summit of power.
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That's where our High Priest is, at the right hand of the majesty on I.
In the 10th chapter, he is seated on high as the one that has accomplished the work of redemption.
The work is all over. He'll never take up the work of redemption or have to do with sin again. That's over.
At the 10th chapter the priest there was number seat for him in the Tabernacle or in the temple. His his work was never done, but our Lord is seated there with the work all done.
Now the fourth time is right here, and he's seated at God's right hand.
As the one who has a one race, he's attained bull.
Rather, we're not running an uncertain race. The one that was in the pathway before us is already there.
There is but that one in the waist, which is footsteps of marked as his own, and we follow in diligent haste to the place where he's put on his throat.
Put on his crown all we follow in. Diligent hates the pathway of that blessed man that has attained the goal.
For consider him.
I think Mr. Garvey even says it will consider well, consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be worried and faint in your mind, you have some problems.
Do the manager work? Make it hard for you because you're a Christian.
The other pupils at school make it difficult for you.
Reject you from their company and cast you out. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. You've never had anything like he had. You couldn't have what he had as to the way he was rejected and suffered the rejection of men all through his pathway.
Remember in the 11Th of Matthew?
A list that sailed A cursed and Capernaum, as the cities were in most of his mighty works were done.
And he mentioned that they had rejected him, and he pronounces, Woe unto thee, woe unto thee war.
But in the midst of it all, he says. But I thank the old Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because I was hid these things from the wise and prudent Ms. revealed them on debates. Well, that's the one that's before us in the race. Consider him, consider him well, and endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind, one thing that the devil uses and uses.
To with great effect on the Saints of God is discouragement.
You remember the children of Israel when they entered the.
When they were about to enter the land, they're just about the end of the journey.
And the people were much discouraged because of the way just at the end of their wilderness journey, they became discouraged.
And then you remember what happened.
Why the serpents bit them?
It all stemmed from discouragement and the devil likes to discourage the Saints of God.
And remember, we are just at the end of the journey and the devil would like to discourage you and me today.
Get you to let your hands hang out, say, oh, what's the use? Now I know we're in the last days and there is such a way of Speaking of the last days as to discourage people and say, well, what's the use? Why try any longer? Just let's go like a dead fish and go with the current brethren. Let's press off. It's at the end of the journey that he tries to discourage the Saints. It was at the end of the wilderness journey that he discouraged Israel.
He couldn't keep them from getting into the land, but he could spoil their abundance and abundant entrance. He could hinder their enjoyment of getting into that land by having discouraged them at the end of the way.
Now he says in the fourth verse, ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against them.
That one that was in the way before us did.
Someone has said he would rather die than not do the will of the Father.
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I often think too, of that awful night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
There Satan was pressing upon him what it would be to be made sin.
What awaited them the next day? And he finally takes, he takes it all from the father's hand, and he says, not my will but thine be done.
He has the victory and he comes out perfectly calm, goes forth to meet the betrayer, and the mob goes forth knowing that he's going right to the cross to accomplish that work, the will of the Father.
And what happened in that garden? He prayed earnestly.
And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly.
And his sweat was as it were, grade drops of blood falling to the ground. The agony was so intense.
At night.
That the sweat fell down to the ground, but more than that, it was tinged with blood.
Can you imagine such extreme agony that blood would exclude through the poor?
I've heard of people doing it, having that happen to them in a terribly weakened condition.
That they had blood would be exuded through the pores, all but the agony that Christ endured in the Garden of Gethsemane, anticipating what it would be to be made thin.
As you have not yet resisted under blood striving against sin.
Sometimes.
There is very little real courage, real endurance with us in standing out for God in an evil world.
And ye have forgotten, the excitation which speaketh unto you is unto children.
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
Here are two ways that we can.
Treat God's dispensations with us in child training. Chastening is really child training.
Two ways we can treat it that are both wrong.
Thanked or despised?
Now how can we faint? Well, we just get so discouraged when difficulties come. The things that God allows for our training and for our prophet, We get discouraged and we let the hands hang down.
How about despising it? Well, a man says, well, I'll do it. I'll carry it through.
It's nothing but human fortitude. I've seen Saints of God meet the most.
Adverse circumstances, perhaps difficult cases where God was allowing to exercise and they met it in human fortitude.
Now that's despising the chastening of the Lord. If I can just rise above it and throw it off and not seek to be find out what the Lord would teach me in it.
So he says, Ye have forgotten the excitation.
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou is rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chase them.
Do we ever consider?
When difficulties and trials come across our pathways.
That is because of his love.
They're all evidences of his love.
He says why If God doesn't treat you or treat you that way, you are not a son at all.
Says you've forgotten the exhortation. It says this. And then he says, if he endured chasing God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chaseth not? Would you want to go through this world without any correction?
Some of you, some of us, have seen children that were brought up without any correction.
And what sorry children they turned out to be.
No correction, just do their own will well.
If you plant a tree in your yard.
And the trace leaning one way, you can let that tree alone and let it lean, and it'll lean farther and farther over, a little more and a little more, and after a while you can't even begin to straighten it. It's so old and so set, you couldn't straighten it.
If you're if it's going to be straightened, it's going to have to be straightened while it's young and tender and so our God deals with us, would we want to not have him do it? Would we dare say that God said I'd rather be living alone?
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I'd rather not be corrected. I'd rather not be trained. Oh, I hope not. We need these things.
Furthermore, we ninth verse, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather, be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live we we recognize the authority of our fathers on earth? Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits, and live for they verily ask. Now let's correct this rendering here, for they verily corrected us as seem best to them.
Not for their pleasure, but as seem best to them.
They may not have been wise, They may have failed in their methods, they may have been failed in lack of of firmness, they may have failed into being too severe.
But he doesn't make those mistakes.
We submitted to our fathers in the flesh, who corrected us as seemed best to them. There may have been mistakes in what they did.
But he for our Prophet that we might be partakers of His Holiness.
What is God? What is God working out with us down here? Why He is?
Try a seeking tool in all these things bring us to.
Holiness.
Is correcting this thing and the other thing.
Oh, he does it with a wise hand. Our father is all wise.
Our parents were not always wise.
He's all loving.
And he's all powerful.
Well, our parents weren't all powerful. They weren't always all wise.
But.
We gave them reverence, but our fathers all loving, all wise, all powerful.
Now, in his love, he wants to do what's the very best for us.
In his wisdom, he knows what is very best for us, and in his power he is able to do what is very best for us. So we can't. We can't fail to get the blessing.
And the end my deeper takers of his coordinates.
Oh God, we're in the school down here. There's one thing about it. If you go to school down here in the world, you go to this college or this school or the other.
You'll get a degree when you'll finish it, or you'll get a diploma or something.
But you know, in the school of God in which everyone of us are will never get a diploma down here.
Never get a diploma down here.
No. We await the judgment seat of Christ for his appraisal of it all. We are not looking for diplomas here, but he's training us. He's dealing with us that we might be partakers of His Holiness.
Now, no choice, no chasing, for the present seemeth to be joyous.
Agree with.
I heard today a letter from California of different ones that are suffering severe trials.
There's a dear sister there known to some of you here. Salma Kutcher.
In Los Angeles, she pitifully crippled with arthritis.
She was having so much pain in one limb from, she thought, from very close veins.
They put her in the hospital and got a specialist to take care of the situation.
Today I learned that the specialist in examining the limb heard some grating of bones.
He rushed her in to call a bone specialist and rushed her in for an X-ray and found the blade was broken in two places.
Hard, no. Chastening, for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous.
But nevertheless.
After there's an afterward to all of it. It may be an afterward when we be with Christ. Afterward, a deal is a peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are exercising now that that's the 3rd way to treat them, that we can treat God's dispensation first, despise or neglect.
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Or be exercised by it.
The exercise. That's the way we should treat them. Oh, I don't mean that we should be morose and get down with everything that comes along. I have known Christians that were just so long faced. They were always down under something and wonder what God was doing this or that. For I think we should hold a simple.
Childlike.
Attitude, desiring that we may know the Lord's will in these things.
And if something crosses our path, we can go to him and seek to know why.
Or what he would teach us. Maybe it's not for correction at all. Maybe it's prevented.
You know, Mr. Brown tells us that there are three words that express God's dealings with us as children.
And he uses 3 peas to do it.
Preventive, preparatory and punitive.
He tells me it isn't original with him, but I got it from him.
Preparatory. Well, maybe God brings us through a lot of hard circumstances.
That we may comfort others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Now that's one of the characteristics of preparatory discipline.
Maybe it's a case where God was going to use one in where he would have to endure hardship.
And privations? Well, maybe he trains them beforehand in allowing privations and hardships.
As they grow up, so that they are accustomed to it, that he may train them for what's coming.
Preparatory, or it may be prevented. You can imagine a young man in high school. He's all taken up with sports. He's on the football team and he's on this and he's on that. Everything that shows.
Natural energy. Well, suppose the Lord says that he's going the wrong direction and is going to carry him into the world. Maybe allows him to break his leg and get put out of it.
He may have always lived to thank God for it.
While he's here.
We have a brother in California.
That as a young boy fell out of a tree.
Broke his back.
You'll always go on crutches.
Always have to go on crutches.
But one time his mother was weeping about his condition and his hardships and suffering.
He says mother.
If you see me getting away from the Lord, weep.
But don't wait for this.
Ah, he lurked.
And he realized that the Lord had allowed it in his dispensations for his good.
Lots of things troubles that are not pleasant.
Now he says 12Th verse, Wherefore lift up the hands and hang down on the feeble knees.
I remember what ah Rule once wrote on this point.
I enjoyed it, he says. In this chapter, we find that we have to run.
We have to run with endurance. But, he says when we come down this far in the chapter, we find that we don't run simply.
We run as a group. We run as a cloud.
We we're not just going to run on our own independently of all the rest.
We have to run together. And so he says. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down the feeble knees? There are some Saints that we're going to have to carry. As long as they're here or we're here, we're going to have to bear with them and help them and carry it. They're weak, and God allows the flock to have weak ones in it.
If we had our way, we would have a perfect flock now.
Raven ISM tries to accomplish having a perfect flock, and so they cast out everybody that doesn't come up to a certain standard. They've cast out hundreds and hundreds in the last year or two.
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Follow this rule and follow it exactly or out you go.
All but the Lord allows some weak ones to be with us.
And it wouldn't be right if we didn't have some respect for weakness, I'm not saying.
That there are not cases of sin that need to be judged. But I'm speaking now what the Lord speaks of.
Wherefore, lift up the hands that hang down. Is there a brother? Discouraged.
Can you encourage?
Do we not have a responsibility toward him?
And the feeble knees.
I think Mr. Garvey renders that faint hearted, I'm not sure, but it gives a better idea of it.
Not only hands inclined and let down, but the knees are weak. We're faint hearted. We're ready to give up.
You and I have a responsibility to the weak brother.
We're not running single file. We're not soloing. We're not just going alone.
And make straight paths for your feet, Mr. Darby says.
That a Goodman can run over any kind of a course.
He can get over obstacles.
That a lame man would fall.
God allows us to have some of the lame with us too. Make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.
Yes, we have to lookout for the lane. I knew a place one time where some trouble came into the meeting and a lot of the lame are turned out of the way.
Then I got a letter from one party there and said well, so and so brother and sister have just come into the meeting and they show real interest and they were here when they were coming to the meetings when all the trouble was on and now they've asked for their place.
And that just goes to prove that only those that wanted to were discouraged or turned aside. I don't believe that. I don't believe that.
It doesn't prove that only those that want it to be turned out of the way were turned out of the way. There are the lane, and I know that there were some of the lame that were turned out of the way.
Make straight paths to your feet, lest that which is lain be turned out of the way. Oh, how what crooked paths we make.
I remember one time I was driving through Oregon with a brother.
Right here and it was up near the Crater Lake area and it was night and the snow was coming down very heavy.
The heavy fall of snow is beautiful, right between a lot of tall Pines, it got heavier and heavier.
Finally.
This brother said, look, there's a track to whether that man just went by us, he says. Look at what a crooked path he made.
He says. I suppose he's looking at our crooked path right now.
It wasn't straight. Which of us can boast that our path has been so strict that others could really follow a straight path, But nevertheless, there is a responsibility to make straight paths for your feet.
Let it rather be healed the lame follow peace with all.
And holiness? Again, there is holiness mentioned. We need holiness. God requires it, without which no man shall see the Lord. Suppose a man would come to set you and say, do you believe in holiness? What would you say?
Wouldn't you say? I certainly do.
Not this spurious kind of holiness that people talk about that they think that they have acquired a certain status and.
Elevated themselves by their own bootstraps to the place where they never sin anymore. That isn't it. But God has called us. The God who has called us is holy, and he says, so be ye holy.
Holiness becomes our God and becomes his house forever.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently doesn't say Just looking, it says. Looking diligently.
Lest any man lack the grace of God.
Not just fail of the grace of God, lest any man lack the grace of God.
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Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled.
I have seen some of the smallest little roots.
Work and work until the whole meeting. The whole assembly was in confusion, looking diligently.
Lest any root of bitterness bringing up trouble and thereby many be defiled, you know some root of bitterness that's springing up.
Well, let's choke it off. Let's do something about it.
Most of these roots of bitterness are just ideas. There are clashes of personalities.
Looking diligently lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble.
And there by many be defiled.
I've seen cases that were nothing in the world but a clash of personality.
Brethren, this is a practical chapter. This is a wilderness chapter. This is a way to walk down here to please God.
And what he's working out in us down here and how we run together and we have a responsibility toward one another.
I don't think there's anything farther from the truth. And to hear somebody say what I do is my own business.
No. I know we often meddle with the other man's business, the other brother's business, when we shouldn't. But what I do does affect others and if we can't, avoid it.
Looking diligently, lest any man lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.
I don't suppose we better go farther with faster time, but.
I would comment one thing just for correction's sake.
Many have thought in that 17th verse that Esau.
Repented and couldn't find any place for repentance. But that's a wrong thought. It's a wrong interpretation of the verse.
He sought the blessing and he couldn't get it. There was number place for that. He had rejected the what God had given. He had spurned his title, his birthright, which amounted to a title to the land of Canaan. He spurned God's gift, and then he wanted to come back and get a blessing, and he couldn't get it. There was no place for it. He was rejected, though he sought the blessing carefully with tears, not a place for repentance.
Well, I think we should stop there.
We sing that verse in 139.
Maybe a standard two in it?
3rd and 4th.
Might read, Might sing 345 and six.
There is but that one in the waist, which is what steps have marked as his own.
And we follow in diligent hate to the seats where He's put on His crown. For the path where our Savior is gone, has LED up to His Father, and gone to the place where He's now on the throne, and his strength shall be ours. On the road stands as 345 and six 139.
I did not know why.
Wind away and now I'm alone.
Forgiveness The Riches of His Grace
Gospel—A. Hayhoe
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Detroit General Meetings, November 23, 1962. Gospel Meeting.
Hymn #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. Now I can say I am pardoned, happy and justified free. Saved by my blessed Redeemer. This is the Savior for me #4.
Christ is the Savior of Savior.
For me.
Oh my God.
Nobody is breakthrough.
Look at the crucified One. There is life at this moment for thee. Then look Sinner. Look under him and be saved Unto him who was nailed to the tree we rise again, and sing #26.
There is life.
All right for you.
Microsoft.
So death passed upon all men, for that all have sins.
Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. What a solemn, solemn statement this is, and how very easy to be understood the Word of God tells us all have sinned.
The other evening we were accused of using language which men and women of this present day could not understand.
Such old fashioned out of date words as saved and born again. I was disturbed to hear a remark like that out of date words in this present day in which we live. Oh my friend, I'm going to make no apologies for what I find in this book. Nor shall I dare to change the language used by our Lord Jesus Christ and used by inspiration within the pages of this book, God says.
All have sinned.
That's not difficult to understand. That takes us from Adam to the end of man's history.
And according to God's own statement, all have sinned.
And God is fully qualified to put a statement like that in this book. God has looked down upon the very thoughts and intents of the heart of man.
From the moment Adam first drew breath until this present day, God has looked down from heaven and seen and heard all that has taken place, and God has recorded that all have sinned. Now, I don't believe there's anyone here that would deny such a statement. I don't suppose there's anyone here that would stand up and claim that you know of someone somewhere. Whose every thought whose?
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Every word, and whose every deed has been pure and holy and perfect, in the very sight of God Himself.
It's not too hard to bow to a statement like this, is it? It's rather a broad, rather a general statement it takes in all of mankind, and so perhaps it's not too difficult for us to realize that it is true. But, my friend, the word of God comes a little closer still than to tell us that all have sinned. Will you turn back to First Samuel? First Samuel?
The 7th chapter.
And the sixth verse.
First Samuel Chapter 7 and verse 6.
And they gathered together to Mispa, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there.
We have sinned against the Lord, and Samuel judged the children of Israel in Misbah. Here we have an expression that brings it just a little closer home. We have sinned. It is true indeed, my friend, that all have sinned, But perhaps for the moment, forgetting about those neighbors who are not here tonight, forgetting about those whom this world wouldn't point a finger at, and considering those of us who are gathered here in this assembly room.
Is it true that in the sight of God, everyone of us can say together we have sinned? Would you be willing to join in that statement? I believe that's what God's word would lay upon us tonight. Each and every one of us present in this company before gone ought to be willing to bow our heads before the truth of this book and say we have sinned. Our beloved friend, the message of God's heart for you and for me is a message of marvelous love and grace and pardon.
But it will have no charm for your heart. It will have no meaning to you unless you are willing to own the truth of God's Word that we have found in these two verses that under the eye of God tonight you and I have been found.
Guilty. That's a word that's also easy to understood, and it's found in God's Word.
Guilty, my friends. Guilty, I say, on the sight of God. How solemn that is in this very room, this very moment, your heart and mine is either guilty and stained with sin, or it's cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.
Before we go any farther in this meeting, how is it with you? How is it with you, my dear boy? Is that heart of yours? Is that heart of yours, my dear girl? Is it cleanse from every stain of sin, or are you guilty before gone? Let's come just a little closer still by turning to the 15th of Luke.
The 15th chapter of Luke.
And the 21St verse.
And the Son.
The wayward prodigal son said unto him, Father.
I have sinned, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.
And am no more worthy to be called thy son. Now we're down.
Closer still, here we find the language that I long to have heard from your heart. I have sinned all, my beloved friend. God is looking down at you and me to night, and God longs to hear that language from the heart of someone in this company. It's not too difficult to look around and say, yes, it's true that all have sinned. Perhaps it's just a little easier to say we have sinned, but to come right down to the language of this verse and say in the presence of God.
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I have sinned. Have that moment come in your experience?
Thank God it has in mind. I look back to the time when as a boy.
Brought up in a Christian home, I had the burden and the knowledge.
That my heart was stained with sin as we were down in the basement this evening praying for this gospel meeting one after another prayed for.
The children of the Saints. Do you know what that means? I'll tell you what it means, my dear boy, It means you.
It means the boys and the girls, the sons and the daughters who are here in this meeting room, whose father or mother knows and loves the Lord Jesus Christ. And at this very moment, in the depths of your heart, you know that you've never had to do with God about your own sinful guilty condition. Perhaps it is with you that was with me when I was a boy. I remember listening to the gospel addresses.
I remember the burden of my heart as I realized that I was a Sinner. I remember the terror of my soul as I knew that I was LOST, lost.
And would go home from a gospel meeting with the fear in my soul that I was on my road to hell.
The door. I thank God for those who prayed for the children of the Saints. I thank God for those who prayed for the sons and daughters.
The fathers and mothers who are under the shelter of the blood of Christ, and my heart is burdened once more tonight for these dear boys and girls.
Even the dear young people who are sitting in this meeting room with a Bible in your hand.
And you don't yet know your sins forgiven. You don't yet know the Lord Jesus as your savior.
And as you've heard throughout the day, the glorious promise of the near return of our Lord Jesus Christ, it has had no charm for you. You've tried to put that thought out of your mind because you know you're not ready. You know that if the shout came this very evening, this very moment, those in this meeting room who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior would be God gone home in the twinkling of an eye.
And my friend, you left behind, left behind with that Bible, but with a closed door.
It's a solemn, solemn thing. It's a solemn thing to sit in a gospel meeting like this and to know in your own soul that you've never yet in God's presence, said I have sinned, but all my friend, the glorious news of the gospel, I long to tell it forth. We find that when this dear young man said, Father, I have sinned, What a glorious response, the whole being of that father.
Went out in love to that dear son, even when he saw him afar off.
What was the response he saw on afar off and had compassion on him.
And ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Isn't that a glorious verse? In some little measure I've tasted something of that. He saw him with his eyes of love. He had compassion on him with his heart of love. He ran with his feet of love and embraced him with arms of love and kissed him with lips of love. The whole being of that father went out to that dear son who was returning with the language in his heart. Father, I have sinned.
And I want to tell you, my dear friend tonight that if only you will only for God the truth of this statement. If only you will bow and say I have sinned. There's forgiveness for you. There's pardon. There's a welcome. There's more than my tongue can ever tell you. But first of all, there must be an owning of your guilty condition. As I look into your faces tonight, I wonder if you've ever felt.
The solemn reality of what it means to be guilty and lost before God.
I was in the hospital the other day on Tuesday, visiting a dear man. His wife was standing by his bedside.
He had had an operation and he was awaiting the verdict of the doctor.
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As to whether he would recover or whether the case was beyond hope.
That's quite an answer to wait for, and I spoke to that dear man about the Lord Jesus.
And tried to put it to him like this. I said, Sir, suppose when you went to the doctor, he took your pulse, he took your temperature, he took your blood pressure and a number of tests, X-rays and so on, and told you to return in a few days for the answer for the diagnosis. And after a few days you go back into the doctor's office and you see him looking very solemn. You see him looking very, very sober.
And he looks at you then and says, Sir, I'm afraid you won't like what I have to tell you.
It's much worse than I expected and a good deal worse than you expected. You know, Sir, by the time the Doctor gets that far, you feel pretty miserable in here. You feel pretty unhappy. You're afraid of what the Doctor's going to tell you, but you want him to tell you the truth. And he does. And then he says, now, don't let it bother you. I have a remedy here. And he produces a remedy that he absolutely assures you will make you completely Well, we both agreed that we'd go a long way to find a doctor like that.
That Doctor Who would honestly and truthfully tell us the condition of our bodily needs, and be able also to tell us that he has an assured remedy. Now, dear friend of God, dear friend, we went on to tell that dear man, And we want to tell you tonight that the first thing you must do is to own before God the truth of what he has to say. For when he points the finger down from his home in the glory, and begins to tell us that which he sees in this heart.
Perhaps we shrink from it. Perhaps we feel, Oh no, it's not that bad, It's not that serious. I know a lot of other people much worse than I am.
My friend, I beg of you to allow the finger of God to probe to the very depth of your heart until you're able to bow before this verse and say I have sinned to bow before the truth of God's word, that there is none righteous, no, not one, but all the glorious news of forgiveness. That's what I long to tell you, although the word of God proclaims this guilt.
Precious, glorious book tells us of a free and a full forgiveness. Let's turn to the Epistle to the Ephesians.
Ephesians chapter 4.
And the last verse.
Last verse of Ephesians 4.
And be kind one to another.
Tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God.
For Christ's sake hath forgiven you. I love to read this verse, because I believe it presents to us in the last few words the author of that wonderful forgiveness that you and I rejoice in. God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven you, the author, I say, of the forgiveness which so many of us rejoice in.
Who is it? It's God himself. It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? And when we read this language, for Christ's sake, let us not get the impression that the Lord Jesus played with God to display a forgiving spirit. All far be the thought. God's own tender loving heart yearn to forgive you, my dear friend. And the desire of God's heart has been realized in this poor one that stands before you.
For my sins are all forgiven, and I can stand here tonight and say, by the grace of God, it is God that justifies. Who is he that condemneth? Could I have peace if it were otherwise? Could I have comfort and joy in my soul, unless I knew that the very God against whom I had sinned, the very God who knew all about me, put in his precious word this wonderful language?
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God for Christ sake.
Has forgiven you. Isn't that lovely? Isn't that delightfully personal? I can put my finger on this verse and say this is the heart of God, the author of forgiveness displaying itself to me. The heart of God, I say, Oh my friend. When I speak of that, I feel so unable to tell it out. If only you knew the heart of God.
The very one who so faithfully throughout this book tells us of our need.
Tells us of our guilt, tells us of our lost conditions. That same God looks down upon poor fallen guilty man. Looks down upon this company, Looks down upon you and longs to forgive you, longs to have you know the quiet peace, the wondrous joy of sins were given. I say again, this doesn't charm your soul. This doesn't mean much to you.
Unless you've known what it is to feel a burden of those sins. Unless you have known what it is to be in the presence of God about the guilt of your heart. Oh, my dear young man, have you ever been in the presence of God about the guilt of your heart in his sight?
I tremble, I tremble as I see the dear young people and the dear boys and girls come and go at these meetings.
For I I feel deeply burdened. Do you really know what it is?
To rejoice in the knowledge of a God that delights to forgive sin. Do you rejoice in the knowledge that your sins are forgiven you for his namesake? Well, we find here God, for Christ sake, hath forgiven you, and in this same epistle, the first chapter and the seventh verse.
Ephesians one and verse 7 in whom we have.
Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to.
The riches of His grace. Could we not say that this would show us the cause of this wondrous forgiveness that we rejoice to tell about in the gospel? The author of that forgiveness is God himself. And the cause? What is it according to the riches of His grace? Why does He forgive? Because we're worthy of it.
Because we have repented sufficiently. Because we have begged for it. Oh, it is according to the riches of His grace, not according to anything that he has seen in our hearts, or there has been nothing there but guilt But God, according to the riches of his grace, delights. To forgive takes pleasure in it. Oh, my friend, I say, This night is a joy to me to look into the faces of those who know God.
As a loving God filled with riches of His grace, who know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and for a long time you have rejoiced in the knowledge of sins forgiven.
What about those here who are not yet in the enjoyment of that wondrous forgiveness?
Are your hearts? Is my heart burdened as we ought to be about this matter?
We read in the 12Th of Exodus of the judgment of God, which was about to fall upon the land of Egypt.
We read of the Israelites who took the blood of that slain lamb and sprinkled it upon the lentil and the two side posts, and then we come to a solemn verse. Let him and his neighbor next unto his house.
His neighbor next unto his house. If the household be too little for the lamb, what about your neighbor? What about my neighbor? Which neighbor next unto his house? It's very specific, the very man.
Who lives next door to you? Has he ever heard about the Lord Jesus from you?
As my neighbor heard about the Lord Jesus from me, if this forgiveness is as real as we know it is, thank God.
Why are our hearts not more burdened about those who are still guilty in the sight of God? All that it were more of a reality to us, the knowledge, the joy of sins, forgiven through the tender heart of God. May God grant it all our hearts may be more burdened to make it known to others. So I believe, we find that the author is God, and the cause is the wondrous riches of His grace.
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I would like to emphasize that, for I feel that perhaps through faulty illustrations that we ourselves are guilty of.
We've left the wrong impression that God was a God who was going to bring down the rod of judgment upon poor guilty sinners like ourselves. And the Lord Jesus stepped into our room and stand and bore the judgment of God. And so we are forgiven.
Does that sound like the gospel? There's a serious error in that illustration, and I believe it's this, that the very heart of the God against whom I had sinned loved me. And although His Holiness and his righteousness demanded judgment against sin, who was it that supplied a substitute? Who was it? 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.
I suppose there are many who really do know their sins forgiven, and they are most thankful to the Lord Jesus for the wondrous work of redemption.
But they never have learned the heart of God. They've never learned that it was God's own heart and the riches of his grace that was able to offer, through the work of Christ, this wondrous, this eternal forgiveness. Let's turn to the 13th chapter of Acts.
The 13th chapter of the Acts.
And the 38th verse.
2.
Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin.
Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
I believe I can say it in truth. Not all of God himself was the author of this mighty forgiveness.
Although the cause was the exceeding grace of his own heart, yet God himself must find a righteous means whereby a poor guilty rebel like you and me could possibly receive forgiveness. God himself could not offer forgiveness to poor sinners like you and me, unless a righteous basis could be found in order that God might be able to show.
The exceeding riches of his grace be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through.
This man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins through this man. Oh my friend, what a story this is. This presents to us the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God through this man. My heart is bowed as I read these words.
It melts my heart to take it in. It challenges my lips to tell it out.
Through this man God looked down from heaven upon a poor guilty sin stained rebel like me, and I trust you're willing to say the same. And such was the love and the grace of God's own heart that he sent into this world, this man, his own beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You have enjoyed reading of it, and so have I.
We see him born and cradled in a Manger in Bethlehem. And what happened? Why, a multitude of the heavenly hosts burst forth into praise. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, Goodwill toward men. What a nod of praise as the angels look for the first time upon their creator, a little babe in a Manger in Bethlehem. But there's something rather unusual about the end of that pathway.
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Angels are there also. We come to the empty tomb. We find the stone has been rolled away, and the message is he is not here. He is risen. The one who was born in Bethlehem has trodden the pathways of this world that led to the cross of Calvary. He's risen, and there at his tomb there are two angels in white sitting. What about the notes of praise? What about the multitude of the heavenly host? Where are they?
Why this silence? I believe my friend, It would be this.
That when the angels looked upon their Creator, they were called upon to praise and worship as they saw him for the first time.
But as they stand at the empty tomb, I believe the angels realize this work was not for us. This triumph is not ours to rejoice in. This is for for poor, fallen, sinful man. Then may I say the angels stand by in silence and wait for you and me to raise a note of praise. They wait to hear our voices raised in praise and Thanksgiving in songs which never could come from their lips.
For the one who loved us and died that we might be forgiven is risen. Now, my friend, you tell me you're a Christian. You tell your father that you're saved. You've told your Sunday school teacher that you're saved. Do you ever find your heart welling up in Thanksgiving and in praise?
To him who loves you enough to send his son to redeem you, do you find it the joy of your heart to get down on your knees and thank him day by day?
For that which is wondrous, grace is wrought for you. Don't tell me you're a Christian.
Don't tell me you're saved if it's just simply a confession that has been wrung out of you as we were hearing this afternoon.
You know, when I was a little boy, I used to go visiting with my father quite a bit.
And there were quite a few occasions when this happened, but I remember 1 quite specifically.
He was visiting a Mr. and Mrs. Anderson in Westborough. Mrs. Anderson was my Sunday school teacher.
And all of a sudden Mr. Anderson turned to my father and he said, is your boy? Albert saved? And I looked at father with a smile. I thought, I know what he'll say, but he didn't, he said. Well, he tells me he is. That's all he said. I felt disappointed. I thought he would have said, oh certainly my son is saved. He's told me he is, But I thank God now that he answered that way, he tells me he is.
Dear father, dear mother, that boy of yours, that girl of yours, that young one sitting with you in this meeting room tonight.
Are they really the Lord? Can you see by the testimony of their lives that they know the reality?
The sins forgiven through the precious blood of Christ. Oh, I believe that it is in order for us to be very, very solemn about this matter tonight. What a dreadful thing it would be.
To deceive Father and Mother and Sunday School Teacher, and to know deep down in your own heart that you've never yet accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior through this man is preached unto you again. How delightfully personal.
How can that be? You and I know that God, according to the holiness and the purity of His eternal throne, cannot possibly overlook sin. He is a pure eyes than to behold iniquity. And yet we find forgiveness so gladly offered in this precious book, and the answer is found here through.
This man.
It takes my thoughts back to the 32nd chapter of Isaiah. And there we find prophetically these lovely words. A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and are covered from The Tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Oh the finger of prophecy points onward to the one that we're reading about here. And then we find that same blessed man.
00:35:01
The Son of God come down among us. We find him standing in Pilates judgment hall. He's bound and Pilot presents him to the multitude and says, behold the man, behold the man. What a sad picture. There's a man of Isaiah's prophecy and he's standing on trial. And Pilate says, behold the man. And when they beheld him, they cried away with him.
Crucify him, my beloved friend, I want to say to you tonight, Behold.
The man, the man Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of the living God, come down.
Beating of God his Father, in order that you and I might know the assurance of sin, the eternally forgiven.
I often picture it God looking down upon that holy spotless pathway.
God looking down and seeing his beloved son prostate in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Sweating, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground, and saying, oh, my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. What did the eye of God see at that very moment? God looked down upon his beloved Son, loved with a love far exceeding anything you or I have ever known, that I believe. At the same moment God looked down and saw those torches being lighted.
Saw those weapons being girded, they were going to come forth and take that blessed man. God saw it all take place. God knew what was in the heart of man, and yet God looked upon his beloved Son in anguish of spirit at the prospect.
Of receiving the cup which I deserve to receive, of bearing the judgment which I deserve to have borne, God looked on upon it. But God loved you, and God loved me for such an infinite love. So great was the riches of his grace that God allowed that beloved Son to rise from the Garden of Gethsemane and go onward to the cross of Calvary. And there, my friend.
The one who upheld the pillars of the universe was spit upon by men.
How can God forgive? Oh, if it were not for the riches of his grace? There had been no forgiveness to night. There had been none for you. There'd been none from me. I marvel at the grace of God when I think of that which is I saw heaped upon his beloved son from sinners just like me. They crowned him with thorns. They nailed into the cross, and then and not till then.
Did God deal with him about sins?
You and I will never know what the real ******* of sin and darkness means. Thank God for that. There is a *******. There is a slavery. There is a power. It's spoken of in the word of God. But God knew all about it. God saw you. God saw me chained with the chains of sin and slavery under the very power of darkness. But it was not within God's power to reach down into that darkness and ****** me out from it.
It was not within God's power to break those chains that I might be delivered.
God must become a man in the person of his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That I see, that blessed Son of God, standing and saying, This is your hour and the power of darkness. And he bowed his wholly devoted head under the very power of darkness, in order that you might even hear about forgiveness, in order that you might have forgiveness offered to you tonight. Have you ever thought, even in some little measure, my dear friend, of what it cost God, that you and I might find?
Verses such as these within his precious book.
God the giving of his beloved Son. It cost God the forsaking.
Of that holy, sinless, devoted one upon the cross.
Until we hear that cry. My God, my God.
Why hast thou forsaken me, His forgiveness a light thing?
00:40:00
Is it something that we heard about and received quite a few years ago, but we've learned so much since that forgiveness has no great charm for us now?
I trust it's not so. I believe that those here present who have long rejoiced in the knowledge of sins forgiven.
Would certainly say with me that it's still a very precious reality to you. I know that it is. But the first step I know as a boy when the Lord Jesus saved me, that the two great joys of my heart were these. One was my sins were gone. The other was that I was going to be in heaven instead of hell, which I feared and justly so. That was 35 years ago, and I thank God I stand here tonight by His wondrous grace.
And perhaps have learned a little more of what that wondrous heart has.
For me, those things which are now mine to rejoice in, but I've never never advanced, shall I say, beyond the point where I enjoy the fact that God, against whom I had sinned, found it the joy of his heart.
Forgive me through this man. Isn't that glorious? Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Let's turn to the First Epistle of John.
First Epistle of John, the Second chapter.
And the 12Th verse.
I write unto you, little children.
Because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake.
Now I know that the hand that held the pen when this verse was written.
Was that of the beloved Apostle John. But I believe I can take the liberty of justice receiving this verse.
As though it were written from the very heart of God to me.
And I love the language here. I write unto you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake. We've seen in God's precious word the universal guilt of all mankind. We've seen in God's word the stains of sail every one of us present. And I hope we've seen. I hope you have seen, my friend, that God wants you to say I have sinned.
I hope you have considered the state of your own heart in the sight of God tonight. I say again, stained with sin or washed whiter than snow in the blood of Christ, either one or the other, this very moment. And then we've seen God, the author of that forgiveness which he wants you to know. We've seen the cause of it, the rich and matchless grace of his loving heart.
We have seen the means by which God has been able to offer salvation.
Through this man, and now I believe in this verse, we find that which would give the assurance of forgiveness.
Would it be all right just to put your finger on this verse and say, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake? Am I entitled to do that? I believe I am. I will say that the verse used of God to the saving of my guilty soul was John 524. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word.
And believeth on him that set me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. But isn't this another glorious verse? If you, having found the guilt of your heart in His sight, if you have realized tonight that God wants to forgive you, that at the cost of his own beloved Son, he offers you forgiveness?
Will you receive it? Will you accept it? I don't ask you to beg for it. God doesn't ask you to do anything for it except simply to receive it. And then lay your finger upon this verse as though it were written by the very heart of God for your personal enjoyment.
00:45:09
I right under you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
Believe that God puts language in Scripture that is intended for the young ones to lay hold of. And I believe we wouldn't be misapplying the thought of this verse if we said that God intends us still to rejoice in the sweetness of it. I write unto you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I will say this.
That Satan harassed me with doubts for some little time. I don't know whether I'm alone in saying this or not. I've heard other people say that they never, never had a doubt, but I did. Satan used to trouble me, and I used to think in my boyish mind. Oh, if only I had something real, something that included my own name. If only I were personally and individually told that my sins were gone and I were going to heaven.
I would then feel more assured.
Well, you know, someone one day showed me a letter. I didn't recognize the handwriting nor the content.
But they said, look at the signature on this letter, and to my astonishment, the signature was the very same as my own. I didn't know anyone else had the same queer name that I have, but apparently someone does. There was a letter written with my very name of the bomb mail from somewhere I had never been in my life, a handwriting and a content that I was utterly unaware of. And you know, I thought as I looked at that letter now if I had read somewhere.
That my own name, my sins were all forgiven and I was on my way to heaven. Where would I be now?
Oh, I think it probably doesn't mean me at all, but I thank God for the wonderful, wonderful school.
Of God's precious Word, Christ Jesus came into the world.
To save sinners? Isn't that good enough for you and me? Thank God it is.
I'm ever so glad for the wondrous, plain and simple language of God's Word, and I make no apologies for it.
Let's turn back for a moment to the 4th chapter of Romans.
For justice, one more verse.
The 4th chapter of Romans and the seventh verse.
We have seen in first John 2 The assurance of forgiveness which God wants you to possess.
And now in this 4th chapter, I believe we see the result.
That ought to be known in the lives of those who are forgiven. Blessed are they.
Whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered?
Now isn't that glorious? Where does that place us? Oh, it places us in a position where we are now.
Entitled to this glorious word, blessed or happy? I like to put it that way. Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. I want to tell you, by God's matchless grace, that in the 35 years that I have known the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, in the 35 years since the burden of my sins were rolled away, I say this verse is gloriously true.
It's a happy thing to be redeemed. It's a happy thing to be pardoned. It's a happy thing to be forgiven. Oh, my dear young friend, I know that there is an enemy whispering in your ear as he whispered in the ear of Eve, telling you that what God offers is a restricting and a narrow thing, that there are happinesses and pleasures to be found elsewhere. But we heard this afternoon and I say Amen to it.
That there's joy and happiness here as well as up there.
To be found in the one who died that you and I might be forgiven.
Just a few days ago someone gave me an article briefly describing.
The 6th most wealthy man in the world.
One was a king 2 where Arabian sheiks one was an Indian Prince.
00:50:05
One with a German industrialist and one was the American.
His name was Slipped Me Getty Paul Getty Income. One of those men is a little bit over $1,000,000 a day.
An income of over $1,000,000 per day. And the account was given as to how these men used their money. And to my astonishment, this article was written by a man of the world. He said the one thing common to the six billionaires was that they all had sad faces. Sad faces? Wasn't that strange? And yet, in a way it wasn't strange.
I have seen some sad faces and I have seen some very happy faces.
And I believe that's what's meant here. Happy is the man whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Oh, my beloved friend, if you want the joy of knowing sins forgiven, now in a home with Christ in glory forever, it's yours to be received this very night, it's yours to be received. Are you going to go out the door of this place with that heart of yours still stained with sin? When God.
At such a cost.
Has offered you once more the eternal, glorious forgiveness of all your sin. Oh, I know there's a lot more to it than that, and my soul would love to tell it out where I stand here, not only forgiven, but redeemed to God by the death of his Son. I'm a child of God, and may I say it, the very heart of God delights to call me one of his children.
Any delights to have me look up and address him as my father and he's going to find his own eternal delight.
Not in the beauties of a new creation, but in having a redeemed.
Family and the Lord Jesus Christ, that man.
Whom forgiveness is offered. He has a destined bloodbath bride, and you and I form part of that bride. I say these things ought to rejoice our heart. We're spoken of as members of His body, and we're given the privilege of showing forth that truth in the way, and in the place of His own appointment. We're spoken of as living stones in the Church.
Oh, what glories and blessings are ours as the result of the grace of God's heart?
And the mighty work of Calvary.
We have simply spoken of forgiveness tonight.
And it's a wonderful, wonderful thing that all my friend, I just must close by telling you.
That is just the first thing God has to offer, but it is what you need.
Yes, it is my friend, all word to God that every soul here might feel individually, in God's presence, constrained to answer that question, What about the stain of your sins? Has it been forgiven? God, the author, at such a cost, offers to you this night the forgiveness of all your sins. And I want to leave you with that verse. How shall we escape?
How shall we escape if we neglect S?
So great salvation. It's yours to be received. It's yours to accept.
I suppose when this meeting is over, there will be another meeting announced for tomorrow evening.
When God alone knows whether it will come to pass, God alone knows whether you or I will be here to listen to it.
And so I beg of you tonight that in view of the fact that you have been offered.
From the God who sent his Son into this world, that you might be pardoned, that you receive as a gift, forgiveness through the precious blood of Christ.
We sing hymn #12.
Just as I am without one please, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou ***** me come to thee. O Lamb of God, I come, we rise and sink #12.
Proverbs 8
Address—G. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
So say #230.
Found a friend, all such a friend. He loved me ere I knew him. He drew me with the cords of love, and thus he bound me to him, and round my heart still closely twine those ties which not can sever, for I am his, and he is mine forever and forever 230.
I found a friend.
Of such a friend.
They loved me and I knew Helen.
Hey, girl.
I'll stay by.
Still safe on.
Those guys. So it's not cancel.
All I am.
Oh my God.
I.
Love you.
My heart, my strength.
My life, my all.
I found that brand of.
My friend.
Our to hell.
Eternal.
Glorious play, my love.
Honor my faith.
In there.
So now.
I'm laughing around.
Forever.
I found a friend.
00:05:43
Our eyes are.
Shall I?
Fall down.
Or hell.
No.
I am.
Here for.
I'd like to turn tonight to the 8th chapter of Proverbs.
Problems Chapter 8.
Does not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of the high places, by the way, in the places of the paths, she crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors unto you, old man, I call.
And my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple understand wisdom, and G fools, be of an understanding heart here. For I will speak of excellent things. In the opening of my lips shall be right things, for my mouth shall speak truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing forward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth and write to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instructions and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired or not to be compared to it. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogance. See in the evil way and the forward mouth do I hate.
Council is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding. I have strength by me King's reign. Princess decree justice. By me prince's rule and nobles even all the judges of the earth. I love them. That love me and those that seek me early Shall find me rich. Is an honor with me. Yeah. Durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold. Yeah, than fine gold.
My revenue, the choice silver I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the path of judgment, that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning or ever the earth was, when there wasn't were no depths. I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water before the mountains were settled.
For the hills was I brought forth, while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there. When He set a compass upon the face of the beep death. When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the beef. When He gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass His commandment. When He appointed the foundations of the earth. Then I was by Him as one brought up with Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth.
And my delights were with the sons of man.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children, for blessed are they that keep my ways, hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the pulse of my doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth light, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me wrong his own soul, all they that hate me.
00:10:21
Lock down.
Well, I am sure that most of us are acquainted with the book of Proverbs. We don't find in it the way of salvation. But the book of Proverbs brings before us wisdom for our pathway here in this world. And it's very important for us because young folks go to school to get wisdom, to get along the education they need to get along in this world. But, you know, in the word of God, we find not so much the education that's necessary.
To get along and make our living here in this world, but to mark out for ourselves through the wisdom of God, a safe and happy path through this world. And every time I look over a group of young people, I wonder what is ahead of them in life if the Lord leads us here. Only the Lord can bring blessing and true happiness into your life, dear young folks. He is the only one that can. But you know our natural tendency is.
To try and choose our own way. To mark out our own course. To plan our own lives.
But it says in Proverbs the third chapter, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. And if you and I try to find a happiness for ourselves by our own wisdom, we may plunge ourselves into a great deal of sorrow and trouble. But if we would hearken to the wisdom of God's Word, if we would listen to the voice of God through his word, we would find that it not only tells us the way of salvation.
That God in His word has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. He's given us everything that we need for our pathway here, Know if we would just turn to Him, we would find that there is something in this book for every step of the way, as it tells us in the end of this chapter, Waiting.
Watching daily at my gates, waiting at the pulse of my door.
That is, before you take a step to ask God to give you wisdom for your path, Is he interested in the kind of education that you need? Is he interested in the line of work that you follow in life? Is he interested in the place where you live? Indeed he is. He's interested in everything in your life. It says in Romans 8 he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all.
How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? And if God loved you and I enough to give his Son to die for us, He's surely interested in our happiness. He's surely interested in our blessing. And it's the greatest mistake of all to think that after we get saved, and that we must just choose our own way and follow our own wisdom, if I could only impress it upon each one of you.
And upon my own heart as well the importance of turning to the Lord for every step of the pathway.
We make trouble for ourselves, as it gives us in the end of this chapter he that sinneth against me wrong.
You say I did a lot of harm to the other person. Well, perhaps so. But who did you harm the most when you went the wrong way? He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. Yes, our own souls. We're the ones that we do the most harm to when we walk in disobedience to the word of God.
When we chose the path of our own, that is in direct opposition to that which God has revealed in His precious word. And so I'd like to say, dear young people, not only the importance of salvation, but the importance of acquainting yourselves with God's revealed mind through His Word. Of course, before you can understand this book, you must be saved. Perhaps there are some who come in here and you're not saved. If so, I know that this book is a sealed book to you.
Says the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
Neither can he know them, for they are foolishness unto him because they are spiritually discerned. We don't expect unsaved people to understand this book. It tells us in Isaiah that it's like a book that's delivered to a man that's learned saying read this, I pray thee. And the learned man says I can't. It's sealed. So it's delivered to a man that's unlearned, asking him to read it. And he says I'm not learned. I used to think of that often when I was employed by.
00:15:21
Company in Ottawa. We had some fairly well educated people in the office.
And then there were quite a number of employees doing flavors work who didn't have much education. When I tried to talk to them in the office about the Bible, they'd say, oh, nobody can understand the Bible, nobody can understand that book. It's too difficult. Then when I go out and talk to some of the men out in the shop, we're doing laborers work, they always say, well, I'm not well educated, I can't understand it because I haven't got an education. So if it's an uneducated man, he says I'm not educated so I can't understand it. If it's given the one who is educated, he says, oh, it's a sealed book.
Well, how are we going to understand it then? All God has made the way of salvation.
So simple that even the youngest can understand. It doesn't take any special amount of wisdom to understand the simple way of salvation. The Lord Jesus said, except you be converted and become as little children, He shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God. And many of us who are saved can remember how we stumbled at the very simplicity of the gospel. It just seems so simple that we didn't believe it could be that easy.
And so for a long time, we didn't have peace with God because we were trying to make something difficult out of salvation.
Oh, there's nothing difficult about it. There are about two things, and that is the disease and the remedy. The disease is sin, and the remedy is the precious blood of Christ. It's very simple, isn't it?
If a doctor's called in and he knows what the disease is, and he knows what the remedy for the disease is, it's all very simple. Well, the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus, has told us what the disease is. It's sin. All have sinned.
Can come short of the glory of God, every boy, every girl, every man, every woman.
Has been afflicted with this awful disease of sin, sin before God. It's brought all of misery in this world. And God has declared that sin is not going to enter heaven. He's not going to allow one sin there, one sin spoil this world. And so he's not going to let one sin into heaven. Well, what has he done for us so that our sins could be put away? All this is lovely. He's undertaken the whole thing himself. He's undertaken the whole thing. The doctor might tell you that there's a certain remedy, but it costs so much.
You might hang your head and say, but I'm too poor to buy. But God has not only provided the remedy, but he offers it free. He offers it without money and without price, because the Lord Jesus paid the price in full. And I love to say this, that God has settled sin not according to our knowledge of sin, but according to his own perfect knowledge. By that I mean.
Supposing that you had to confess all your sins to get the mall forgiven, do you think you could remember the mall? Well, I couldn't remember all the sins that I've committed. If God told me that I had to confess them all before I could be saved, I'd go down into a lost eternity because I couldn't remember them all. And more than that, I'm sure that even some of the things that perhaps I didn't think were sin, they are sin in the presence of God, who's so holy that he can't even look upon them.
And so you see, if it depended on us at all, it was sure, it would be surely just too bad because we couldn't tell all the sins that we have committed. But all the good news is this, that God himself, who knew all about me, who knew everyone of my sins from first to last, was the one who put my sins on Jesus. It says the Lord.
Hath laid on him.
The iniquity of us all is not lovely. The Lord, it was not me that put them there, It was God himself who put my sins upon Jesus.
And now what he asked me to do is to come and acknowledge that I am a lost guilty Sinner and believe what he has done to put away sin, just like the Israelite back in Egypt. He doesn't have to be good. He merely had to believe the provision that God had made for him and put the blood on the lentil and the side pulse. And God said, when I see the blood, I will Passover you. So before I go any farther, if there's anyone who's unsaved.
00:20:24
The Bible is so difficult for me, I can't understand it.
That's the important thing for you tonight is to be saved, the important thing for you to come, just as you are in all your sins. Tell God that you acknowledge that you're nothing but a lost guilty Sinner deserving the judgment, and thank him that he sent his son and put your sins upon him and you'll be safe.
But he said all more than that. God will give you a new life. You'll put inside that body of yours a new life. For unless he gave us a new life, we never understand his book. That's why that's the greatest proof that this is God's word. Because when a man writes a book, other men can understand it. That God has written the book that we can't understand unless he gives us the very life of the writer. We receive the very life.
And nature of God himself. And then we can understand it says, what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man that is in him.
Even so, the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the Spirit which is of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And there are two wonderful things take place. When you accept Christ as your Savior, your sins are all put away, washed away in the precious blood of Christ, and God gives you a new life. The Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell you.
So that you have the power to be able to understand his precious word.
And so before I go any farther, I want to say how important it is that you should accept the Lord Jesus as your savior and receive this new life. And then this book, God's precious Word, will become food to your soul, and the Spirit of God will open up this precious book to you. But you know, God doesn't give us understand everything the first day we're saved. It says in Psalm 119 and 105.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. What is a lamp your feet for? Just light for one step. Just light for one step. Isn't that lovely? You know, just like when you're driving your car along the road. Supposing we started out tonight to come down to this meeting. Supposing I said, oh, I won't get in this car. These lights will never shine for 10 miles down to Sylvester Ave.
But they did. Why? Well, we kept going. And as we kept going, the light kept ahead of us, and it was always ahead of us all the way. Well, that's the way God does. And when God gives you light for one step, take that step and you'll have more. If we just stop halfway down and said, well, we won't go any farther and we'll see if the light will go all the way to Sylvester Ave. No, it wouldn't. The light would have stopped too. But when we kept going, the light kept ahead of us.
Thy word is a lamp under my feet.
And a light under my path. And so, dear young Christian, if God gives you light for one step in your life, you take that step and then He'll give you light for the next one. It's a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. How wonderful it is that God opens up His word, and day by day in our pathway here, just like the children of Israel, it says He took not away the pillar of cloud by night, nor the pillar of fire by day in all their journeys.
And when they left Egypt, there was that pillar of cloud over them. And as they moved along through the wilderness, the cloud was there giving them light. And so that's the way it is with God's word. And that's also the importance of reading the word, reading it. Because, you know, the Spirit of God is the remembrance, is the remembrance there to bring things to our remembrance. But how can he bring things to our remembrance if we don't read them, if we neglect reading His word?
If we hustle into bed at night without reading his words and we don't come to the prayer meeting.
We don't come to the Bible reading. We don't come to the regular meetings. Well, we're neglecting His precious word. And so if the Spirit of God is going to bring things to our remembrance, we must first of all read them. We must become acquainted with them.
00:25:10
Well now my thought in reading this chapter was, and to show how that in the path of wisdom there's all that we need for our pathway. So it says here, doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth, or voice. She standeth in the top of the high places, by a way in the places of the paths she crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in, at the doors.
I might say that in the first 7 chapters of Proverbs we have the father instructing his boy. You know, God intends that we as parents should instruct our children. And through the chapters before, up to the end of the 7th chapter, you'll notice that each one of them begins with my son, or here my son the instruction of a father, and so on through each one of the chapters except.
First one. It begins in that way.
In the 4th chapter it says, hear ye children, the instruction of a father. But each one of the others begins with my son, except the 1St. And so you see that it's always a father instructing his children. And so may I say to those who are parents, how important it is that we should bring the word of God before our children. God told his people, Israel, that they were to speak of these things when they walked by the way, when they sat down, and when they rose up.
Do we have a Bible reading with our family? Do we seek to instruct them?
Should set those whole 7 chapters give us a parent talking to his boy. But now we come to the 7th chapter and to me it's a picture like this, As though in my mind I see that child that has been listening to his father talking. The time comes when he walks out of the house and he goes to the city. That is in a figurative way, he's no longer under the parental roof. He's no longer within the voice of his father.
But now he goes out, and as it were, he meets the world. And now here, it's not so much the voice of the father speaking to his children, but it's the voice of wisdom. That's not wisdom. Cry an understanding. Put forth her voice, just as if here's the person, perhaps just entered his or her teens and sort of feels, well, I'm not a child anymore. I'm in my teens now.
And so he or she walks out of the home, walks and starts into the city, goes to the to the gates, perhaps the high school or something, and now feels a little bit beyond just listening to everything that father and mother says. But there's another voice that cries, wisdom, cries Who is wisdom? Well, we find when we come to the end of this chapter that wisdom is personified in the Lord Jesus himself.
It says He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And so you've listened to your father and mother. They've told you these things. But then as you leave home, that voice still follows you. That voice of wisdom, Lord himself has his eye upon you, and he sees you. He knows the dangers that are ahead of you, but you don't. Young folks don't know the dangers that are ahead of them. None of us do.
But God does. The Lord knows.
And so he cries, just as if you were walking down the street and someone comes shouting after you says watch out, be careful. And so wisdom cries and sees this young person starting out. And he says, my voice is to the sons of man, oh ye simple, understand wisdom. Well, there's nothing that a young person, when he enters his teens, likes and dislikes more than to be called simple.
But why does it say this always simple. Well, because no matter how much we may know about the things of this world, we don't know anything about the things of God. We don't know anything about the past that is pleasing to him. Unless we get the wisdom from this blessed book. Dear young people, you'll never learn it in the school books. They'll never learn it on television. They'll never learn it on the radio by listening to the wisdom of man. But in this blessed book.
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You'll find the wisdom of God.
And her mind may be ever so wise in the things of this world.
They may be able to answer a great many questions as to the wisdom of this world and be absolutely simple when it comes to the things of God. It's surprising how wise people know so very little about this wonderful book.
I expect there are people right in the city of Detroit that have degrees from universities that couldn't quote one verse out of the Bible correctly. Not even one. Not one verse out of God's Word. Are they wise? Well, they are as far as this world is concerned, but before God. They're simple. They're simple.
If I told you that I knew a great deal about dentistry and I couldn't tell you one thing about it when you asked me, you'd say, well, talks a lot but doesn't know very much. And so how important it is that we should listen to the wisdom of God and you'll find it in this book all ye simple understand wisdom, God's wisdom, this blessed book that tells us what we are as sinners.
Tells us the remedy tells us about all God has purposed and planned for us. More than this, it tells us what's ahead for this world. The wise man of earth don't know what's ahead for us.
Christians who read their Bibles do.
Yes, Christians will read their Bibles and all what's ahead for this world.
And they're not surprised that things they see taking place, because God has forewarned us in His word.
The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, I have not called you servants, but I have called you friends. Why did he call us friends? He said. All things that I've heard of my father, I've known, I've made known unto you. Isn't that wonderful that he should be so interested in us that he should tell us all that's in the purpose and counsels of God? Yes, he calls his own friends. What a wonderful thing.
To be the Lord, to have the Lord himself call you a friend, he sang the little hymn. I found a friend, all such a friend. He loved me ere I knew him. That blessed One who died for you wants to instruct you in the pathway of blessing and happiness through this world.
So it tells us here in the eighth verse, all the words in my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing forward or perverse in them.
Yes. What you find in God's blessed book are excellent things. They're in righteousness. There is nothing forward or perverse and it's not raised. It's not difficult, it's simple. If we're willing to walk in it, we make the difficulties ourselves because we're unwilling to walk in it. You know when we don't want to do something, we'll start and argue against it. I remember one time I was talking to the children in Sunday school and I said.
We're speaking about that.
Passage in Luke, where it says they all, with one consent, began to make excuse.
And I said to the children, what is an excuse?
One little boy put up his hand. He said it's what you say when you don't want to do something. Well, I thought that was a good answer. You don't want to do it, so you make an excuse. But the real thing is that you didn't want to do it. And why is it that we make difficulties out of the Bible?
Why is it that Christians often say, well, I don't understand what that means? Well, many times it's because we just don't want to do it. We know that if we do it, why? It's going to cost us something. Perhaps we'll be laughed at and despised by our friends. Perhaps they'll call us foolish. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, and the world looks upon the Christian as being foolish. And so.
Tells us here that there's nothing pro or perverse in them. They're all playing to him that understand the word of God is plain. It's been written all for willing hearts. Did you ever get down on your knees and ask the Lord to direct you in your pathway? And if you didn't understand some verse, did you start and argue about it, or did you say, Lord, teach me, I want to do thy will?
Says in John if any man will do his will.
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He shall know the doctrine.
If any man will do his will, do you want to do it? It doesn't say if any man will know his will. I've heard many people say, well, I'd really like to know. Doesn't say that though, does it says if any man will do his will. Sometimes we like to know this for head knowledge. There's quite another thing to want to know so that we can do it, so that we can act in obedience to it. And if you and I want to know God's mind about any matter and we turn to him.
With submissive hearts, he'll certainly make His will known to us. They're all plain to Him that understand it and write to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction and not silver. This is something better than wealth. To have the wisdom of God's Word for our pathways, better than all the wealth in the world. Money doesn't bring happiness, never has, never will.
The best definition that was ever given for it is this, that money is a universal passport to every place but heaven, and a purchaser of everything that happened.
You can get most any place in this world if you have enough money, and you can buy almost anything in this world but happiness if you have enough money.
But money doesn't buy happiness, and it won't get you to heaven. Or will money get you into the path of wisdom?
While often one who doesn't have much of this world of goods has found the path of wisdom, Paul gave up the things of this world, but he had the wisdom of God for his pathway when he stood before King Agrippa. King Agrippa came into the courtroom with great pomp and ceremony.
Paul stood before him and held up his hand with the chains hanging down both hands, and he said, I think myself Happy King Agrippa.
Before he was done talking, the king said, Why almost thou persuadeth me to be a Christian?
He said I would to God that not only thou, but all of hear me this day, for both almost and altogether such as I am.
Accept these vaults.
I wish came abruptly. You had the happiness I have right in here. I wish you had it. I don't wish that you had this chain in your hand, but I do wish you had the happiness that I have found in Christ. All money doesn't bring happiness, but Christ can. He can fill and satisfy the heart. Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice. Gold.
In other words, perhaps you're going to school. Perhaps you're getting a good education.
Are you robbing your soul to get it?
I am so diligent in all studies that you're robbing your soul. It's not worth it. Dear young person, it's not worth it. I'm not speaking against your getting an education, but I do say that if that education is robbing you of getting the knowledge of God's Word, why it's a poor exchange.
Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold.
One often feels like this as I watch the dear young people growing up. In this age, they're better educated than they ever were before. Young people are growing up with fine opportunities to get good educations. But what I often feel sad about is how little they know about the true wisdom, how little they know about this blessed book.
They're getting their education, and as soon as they've got it, immediately they starting to use it and to get something of this world's goods. And often to the neglect of this precious book, the neglect of these precious book, All dear young people, don't put your education before the Bible, don't put it before this blessed book. It's wonderful to get a knowledge of this book. And I'll tell you this too. That's a lot easier to learn it when you're young than when you're older.
How often older people have said, oh, I wish that I.
Could I wish that I could remember the things that I've read, but I can't. I just can't. I I read them, but I don't remember them. There was a time when they could remember things. There was a time when their memory was fresh and keen. But what are we doing with our memory when it's fresh and keen? Are we using it to store it? Is that precious word of God. I can tell you tonight that whatever little knowledge I may have of God's precious word.
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I received probably the greater part of it when I was quite a young man.
Quite a young man, yes. The only time that you can really take things in and remember them is when you're younger. That's the most receptive age of your life.
This is better than fine gold. This is the true richest.
Her wisdom is better than Ruby's and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions. This is a very good verse for us. I wisdom dwell with prudence. That is if you know God's word why it gives you wisdom for the situations that arise in life.
There's a lot of situations that arise in life. You'll find it more as you go on through life. There's difficult situations and all. How often When we come to these difficult situations, we say, oh, what should I do? And I believe if we had the knowledge of God's Word, we'd more often know what we should do.
We know what we should do for wisdom we get from this book, but prudence is knowing how to put these things together.
And work them out in a practical way. And so wisdom dwells with prudence and knowing how to choose a prudent path, A wise path through this world is the result of having a knowledge of God's precious word. Have you got a knowledge of God's Word? He is seeking to read the Word so that you would have this, this knowledge that when the difficulties come that you won't just have to run to your Bible and flip it open and hope that you'll open at the right page.
So that you'll get a little bit of light. Well, God sometimes does come in and let U.S. Open our Bible at the place and get a verse that gives us light and instruction. We can thank him that he often does hear our cry, but that isn't the way he wants to guide us. It says I will guide thee with mine eye. That is, we need to be close to a person. We need to know the person to be guided by his eyes.
Somebody, I'm sure we've all done this. We know somebody well, and there's a remark made. Did you ever look at your friend's eye? Just watch your your friends eye. And you knew just exactly what your friend thought about the remark by just watching his eye. It would do something in his eye that made, you know, whether he agreed or disagreed or just what he thought of it. But you have to know the person well to be able to read that in the person's eye. Well, you and I need to get close to the Lord.
Walk in his company so that we can look up, as it were, into his very eyes and he'll guide us that way. He doesn't want to use the the bitten bridle. We've all seen the bitten bridle and the horses mouth and the horses turn this way or that way by that thing that's in his mouth is not very pleasant. The Lord doesn't want us to guide us that way, he says. Keep close to me and I'll guide you with mine eye.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
Pride and arrogance and evil way in the forward mouth. Do I hate all dear young people? This is a day when we need to remember this. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
We're not to hate people. We're to love people. We're to love the worst Sinner on earth, that he might be saved but. Or to hate evil, Hate evil. If you see something bad or you hear something bad, hate it. Hate it. If there's some magazine and somebody asks you to read this story and you know it's a bad one, hate the story. Hate it. Not only just put it aside, but hate it.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. And if you don't hate evil, first thing you know you'll be found reading these things and they'll affect you. And many things that you read when you're young you may never be able to forget. Isn't it a funny thing about us that the good things of God's word we find it hard to remember that some of the bad things that we heard in our life we never seem to be able to forget?
They just seem to stick with us. I remember visiting a dear old man over in the east and he was past 80 years old. He told me he was saved when he was in his 30s and he said here I am retired and he said I have to spend a lot of my time alone. And he said a lot of the things that I said and did when I was a young man keep coming back into my mind always said I know the Lord's forgiven them.
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I know that he has saved me, but all he said that I wish I could forget them. Well, he didn't hate evil when he was a young man and all those bad seeds got sown in his mind. Oh dear young people, be careful of things you read. Don't read the trash of this world. Don't watch those things that come across the air on television that will defile your mind and be a snare to you for the rest of your life. Be careful. Those pictures are photographed in your mind for life.
They will be there till the day of your death. Be careful what you allow to get photographed on your mind. Your mind is just like a great depository of all the things that you see in here. And that's why it says, it says avoid it, pass, not buy it, turn from it and pass away. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogance and the evil way in the forward mosquito I hate.
Our natural hearts are so proud. So many of our troubles come because of wounded pride. Somebody says something and it hurts our pride. We just can't get over it. And we nurse a bad feeling. And then all it was a matter was wounded cry. God hates pride. Let's judge it when we're young. Let us learn the habit of judging pride in our lives.
When somebody says something that hurts us, let us get before the Lord and judge that spirit of pride. If we don't it'll it's liable to become part of our disposition until we carry it all through life. There's some people that as the worldly expression is they carry a chip on their shoulders all their lives, never judge pride, and they're just so proud that anything that reflects on self just.
They're so, so hateful to them that they just can't seem to get over it. Dear young people, God hates pride. Let us learn to judge it. Let us form the habit of judging these things in our youth. For if we're growing in the things of God, we think less of self and more of Christ day by day.
Less himself and more of Christ. There's nothing good in self to think about. It was so bad that God himself didn't attempt to improve it.
He condemned it. It was so bad that it said God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemn sin in the flesh. God hasn't attempted to improve the old nature. He condemned it. He crucified it, and in baptism it's buried. It's put out of sight. And May God grant that we'll watch that miserable old self, that proud arrogancy of our natural hearts that gets us into so much trouble. It throws us into a rage when we can't have our own way.
It's nothing but unjust pride. Oh, May God give us grace to remember that. God hates that sort of thing. He hates it. Well, this is the path of blessing and happiness. Are you ever glad that you lost your temper and got mad because somebody hurts you? No. We're often sorry about things like that, but not glad about it. Ashamed of ourselves. But at some judge pride, that's what's at the root of it. Oh, it's a great thing to learn these things from their young, dear, young people.
It's easier to bend the tree when it's when it's a sapling. If you try to bend it when it gets older, it'll crack. So let us watch these things, the voice of wisdom.
Cries, warns us while we're young.
And it tells us here.
In the 14th verse council is mine and sound wisdom I am understanding. I have strength by me King's reign and Princess decree justice by Me prince's rule and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
All this tells us that the hearts of all men are in the Lord's hand. That's a great comfort because sometimes.
The devil might say, oh, but if you try to please the Lord and everything, life is going to be very difficult. Life is going to be very difficult and.
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You have to sort of go along with the times a little bit.
While all is in the Lord's hands, it's a lovely thing to know that the heart of your teacher in the school, the heart of your employer, the heart of all the authorities of this land.
Is in the Lord's hand.
I tell a little incident in my own life. One time there was a certain matter came up in the company where I worked. I felt I must make a faithful stand about it, and I knew that it might possibly even mean my job if I took a stand about this matter. So I prayed a lot about it. And when the office manager called me in to talk to me about it, I told him what I felt I must do because I belonged to the Lord.
And he hesitated for a minute and he said, well, he said, I guess we'll let you off this time. But he said, I don't know why I'm doing it. Well, I could have told him why. I could have told him that by me King's reign and Princess decree justice. It was the IT was the power of God that wrought in his heart and made him take a favorable attitude toward me. God can do that.
When Daniel and his three friends were in the court of the king of Babylon, Babylon.
That ungodly king Nebuchadnezzar had the power of life or death over those men. And when they wanted to please God, he could have said the whole 4 of you have to be put to death. But it says God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the Prince of the eunuchs.
God can bring you into favor with your school teacher. God can bring you into favor with your employer. God can bring you into favor with your next door neighbor. God can even bring you into favor with your brethren. The hearts of all are in his hands. And if you and I seek to please the Lord, it says if a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with them. We have a wonderful God who cares for us, who knows everything, knows it beforehand.
And not only knows it, but controls it, controls it all. Everything's in his hands and the Lord Jesus is head over all things to the Church, which is His body.
So it says.
In the 17th verse, I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me all. Seek him early, seek him early, seek him earnestly. In your youth, while you're young, ask the Lord to guide you step by step. Don't look a long way ahead and say, oh, but how am I going to get through this situation and that situation? Remember, it's one step at a time, just one step at a time. And if the Lord gives you light for one step tonight.
Take that step and he'll give you light for the next one.
And he'll undertake your cause. And my fruit is better than gold. Yeah, than fine gold.
And my revenues and choice, Silver, you know, the most priceless possession that you can have in life. It's to have the sense of the Lord's approval in your soul.
There are young people that go through life with the sense of the Lord's approval. In your soul is the most priceless possession you can have. I don't care how much you have of this world's goods or how little. If you don't have tonight the sense of the Lord's approval, you're not a happy Christian. But to have the sense of his approval is everything. These are the true riches. That's what gives happiness in life, and that's what will bring his reward. His well done.
At the judgment seat of Christ.
And so the 21St verse that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance in Iowa.
All their treasures. I will fill their treasures. Oh, how good he is. Now these next verses from the 22nd down to the end of the 31St, might seem to us like a little interruption in the subject that comes here. We might wonder, well, why do these verses come in just at this time in this chapter? Well, I believe the reason is this, that it's the voice of wisdom that is speaking.
I might try and instruct someone and give him wisdom. I might see a person taking a step that I thought was a foolish one and I might go and say to him, well, I think that's a very foolish thing to do, but I haven't had a lot of experience and I might make a mistake sometimes I give bad advice to people, I might make a mistake. But who is this one that's going to give us this advice? Who is this one that is giving us wisdom for our pathway?
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Oh, it's the one that made everything He made you.
He made your friend. He made me. He made the world in which we live. He made everything. And so it goes back and shows us that this one, who is personified as wisdom, is the one who is the creator of all things. And there He was present when the foundations of the earth were laid. Everything was made by him. And what was it made for?
It was made for the blessing of his creature, it says. When he laid the foundations of the earth, his delights were with the sons of man. I said to the young folks up at Otter Lake this summer, I said, you see that nice lake out in front there? I said, when God made this world, he made it and knew that right on the shore here there was going to be a group of Christian young people who would be meeting. And he made this nice shoreline and everything.
For our happiness he did. That's what it tells us. His delights were with the sons of men, and he was rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth. He made everything for your happiness. How foolish it would be if we came to the shores of Otter Lake and said, well, we don't care about his word, we're going to have a good time on this shore. And God says, I made this shore to give you a good time. And my word tells you how you can have a nice time.
My word tells you how. Isn't that so? And if you and I want to have a nice time in this world, dear young people, how foolish to look out on all the good things God's made and say well, but I'm not going to accept his word. I'll put that aside. I'm going to have a good time without that book.
Follow on who is wisdom. The one who made all these things was His delights were with the sons of man.
He was thinking of you and I, and planned it all for our happiness and for our joy. Oh, how foolish to disobey him, Oh, how foolish to turn our backs upon the wisdom of God's precious Word. That's why it says here in this 32nd verse. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children, for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it. Not supposing you go out for a little time of pleasure, a little vacation. It's as though the Lord stood right beside you. And He says, I want you to have a nice time. I want you to have a happy time. But don't do anything in disobedience to my word, because it won't be a nice time. It won't be a happy time. The pleasures of sin are only for a season and all. How often some foolish act in our lives.
Has brought sorrow.
For years to come.
Whatsoever a man saw it actually also reap how often some foolish act. Like David who saw a nice looking girl, he fell in love with her and because of that sin it says the sword shall not depart from my house forever. And for the rest of David's life he suffered in the governmental ways of God. Is there anything wrong with a nice looking girl? Anything wrong with a pretty face?
The wrong was in the use that he made of it.
He used it to satisfy his fallen lusts, and so he brought a lot of sorrow on himself and all the things that God has made in this world.
If we use them in disobedience to the word of God, it's going to bring sorrow and shelter to us nothing but sorrow and trouble. Oh blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors, For whoso findeth me, findeth life. I ought to find life. The world is the world wants to find life.
Who shall find with me findeth life the Christian alone.
As the secret of life and happiness.
When you have Christ as your Savior, you've got the divine life. And when you follow the wisdom of God's precious word, you find the path of life and happiness through this world.
All dear young people, how important it is. All I beseech you tonight. Many of you are just beginning in life. Many of you are just starting out. I don't know whether the Lord may leave us here much longer, but I do know that in the thought of obedience to this precious book, you'll find happiness. For you know, all Christians are not happy. Some Christians are unhappy. They've got the source of happiness in them. They've got the book that tells them the way.
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But, you know, if we walk in our own ways as Christians, says all they that hate me love death.
He that sinneth against me wrong with his own soul. My dear father used to often quote that verse to me as a boy. He that sinneth against me along with his own soul, he said, Remember, every time you take a step in disobedience to the word of God, you harm yourself, you harm yourself. Oh what a wonderful thing it is to know the Lord and your savior.
The Wilderness
Christian Responsibility
Nearness to Christ
They Believed
The Wilderness Chapter