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August 22nd, 1964 Reading Ephesians site, 2:00 PM.
15115.
Head of the turn of thy body, Christ, the great salvation.
Right now.
Down to the 12Th 1St.
In season 4, verse 12.
For the perfecting of the scene.
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 other knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, under the measure, the stature, the fullness of Christ.
That we henceforth be no more children, talk to and fro, and carry it upon with every wind of dumplings, by the flight of men, and funny crappiness whereby they lion wake your disease.
Truth in love, and grow up into Him and all things which is ahead, and even Christ, 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, make it any place for the body under the edifying result in love.
Yes, I say therefore, and testify in the Lord that she henceforth walk knowledge of the Gentiles, walk in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated in the light of God for the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. Two being past feeling, have given themselves over into lasciviousness to work. All in Queensland. Greetings.
Ye have not so learned Christ. It shall be that He have heard of Him, and have been taught by Him as a truth in Jesus, that you put all concerning the former conversation, the old man which it corrupts according to the deceitful laws, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man, which after God created in righteousness and true holiness.
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We're putting away lying. Did every man truth with his neighbor where we are members one of another?
Be angry and sin. Let the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil.
Steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands. The thing which is done that it may have to give to him that needeth but not corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth, but that would just go to the use of edifying. That'll be ministered grace under the hearings and breathe not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby he are sealed under the day of redemption.
But all bitterness and wrath and anger and planner, and the evil speaking to put away from you with all mouth.
And be a kind one to another, turn their heart and forgiving one another, even if gone for Christ sake hath forgiven you.
Get the gifts in the 11Th 1St and we get the purpose of the gift.
In 12 first, then we get to the first.
Of the purpose of the gift.
For the first thing of the Saint.
That doesn't mean that the president may arrive at a state where we don't fit.
But but during full growth.
Children who remain infants all their journey down here.
So all dreams over the fact of the Corinthians.
The only thing that there was meat with. No, not with me.
Well, that's horrible.
To mature men and women.
With the knowledge of the truth. And they should walk first. They warm the floor in the sea.
What you say that?
That would be in accordance with the prayer of the apostle in the first chapter and also in the third chapter.
Bring it out, brother. Well, in the first chapter you have a prayer there in the latter formula you mentioned in the 16th verse by making mention you my prayers. Well.
He desired to have them to know something of the council of the purpose of God concerning.
And it's a marvelous.
Saying that he has before him there in Speaking of all those things.
Why the mark will think such bridges are we are included in.
What He has purpose in Christ.
Well, the prayer in the first chapter is sometimes been called objective truth. That is, it's an object outside of herself. It's the.
That album is Christ and Glory, and that in the dispensation of the fullness of time, when you gather all things Himself.
And when he's head over all things to the church or we're going to be associated with him. Now what sometimes thought of the latter part of that first chapter where it speaks about.
All things being in subjection under his feet gave him the head over all things. Well, evidence reporting to the HR everything there.
Is suffered through the.
Thought what? The one thing that we don't get in the Old Testament concerning those things that when the Lord is in that position, we get here in the season.
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Put all things under his feet and gave him a head over all things to the church. Don't get that illness to the church. The church is going to be associated with it. In that time of glory, we'd have us to.
As at the forest. Well then let me come to the third check. And there's also a prayer there and.
He.
Says in the 14th, 1St for this cause, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of whom the whole family or every family in heaven earth is named. They didn't grant you.
According to riches of His glory, be strengthened with might by spirit and inner man. The Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, ye, being rooted in ground and love, may be able to comprehend with All Saints for His length and breadth, depths and heights. Well, now there is a state that should correspond to those of purpose and counsel throughout the force in the first chapter. Well, it seems to be then, that the perfume the same the.
Are entering into those things and have those things punished.
That's where I look at.
The expression.
Vades in Christ.
And is often new and that is used in several places.
Is really a term of something to be afford.
Today's in Christ is lack of maturity.
But they haven't gone on and made progress.
It is used both in a good sense and a bad senses. It's in a good sense why folks just been newly brought to Christ. Like you get the first John 2 The base and contrast the fathers and young men. But in Corinthians when he tells them they're babe why they ought to have been teachers, he said.
Yes, and in Peter's epistle too, as newborn babe desire. We should never lack the desire for the word of God and have them the relish for it. And a new Burton born babe has for milk.
But.
The exact expression.
Is.
The term of lack of maturity, lack of growth, something was hindering.
And in in the Corinthians of the carnality.
What do you think when a baby is born into a family?
Why the parents delight in its little innocent place.
But if that they've never matured beyond that, they'd be sorrow connected with it.
And God wants his children to make progress.
It isn't the question of just getting people saved.
Some people seem to think that's the whole objective of a Christians life is to get people saved.
Leave the word here anticipates a maturity to full growth.
I remember an incident present in one of our readings, and one of the first groups of the work in Bolivia is an old professor. He's an old man and an old bachelor, and one day one of the brothers in the reading said Brother, we've had some meetings before we came here and we've been just having.
The truth just we just open the mouth and in spoonfuls of milk we have been taking.
We've just been having spoonfuls of milk and the old brother says, poor brother, that's all he said. Poor brother. So evidently he'd caught the the the truth of that Bay being Bay. He didn't say any more, but poor brother, as if he had, it was time he was eating some meat.
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That is Hebrews 513.
Was in his mind.
But you have to have a state tree. They can't take the meat. You can show them on meat. Or everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We sometimes hear the expression of.
Better put the hay down low in the crib so the younger ones can reach it.
I enjoyed another brother we all know and love and the truth you said. Well it's sometimes good to put it up just high enough so they have to do a little reaching.
And here our thought in our chapter 4 this afternoon, commencing verse 12 Through the verse 16 is broke, but it is God's or the Lord's provision by His gifts in giving persons like teachers.
Evangelists and so on. It is his gifts that he has given to make provision for the growth of the body.
I believe in our readings in chapter 4. It is a good thing to bear in mind that we have God's, God's purpose in all this. God's purpose is running through these truths that we had this morning and this afternoon. So his purpose was after having descended and then ascended and given the gifts.
It is to provide the growth of his body.
Fuel administering.
Children's ministry here.
Here the gift for that purpose.
And for the hidden line of the body of Christ.
Is merely an individual thought of this one here and there.
The that was in collectively the children of God, members of the body of Christ. So ever industry is carried out according to the mind of God will not leave one here and there, it will leave them together.
Around the person of the blessed Lord.
Might be together.
And be established together, walk together and go on together. Learn how to feed the Lord as.
Members of the body of Christ.
In verse 12 you already emphasized that it is the object of this ministry of special gifts. Well, that little word at the beginning of that verse 4.
Makes that plain. There's four the perfecting. That is the growth of the Saints. In this case, it's a guest, the individual.
That there is the interest in everyone, that they all are in the good of this edifying one another in the developing of the body.
So I say individual Saints because the end of the verse says for the edifying of the body.
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They had to find the body would take in our relationship. One was another that we're not simply independent units.
Part of the thought from the earth about view of the ministry or the work of the Ministry.
Well, isn't it in connection with the work of the Lord?
Your father Paul uses that expression, but you're not.
And Speaking of Timothy.
Here it is the gifts. Is it not their work?
Yes, well, that would be the work of those that the Lord is using. It's his work, working hard.
I saw the important thing to call attention to and and connection with all ministry.
It it comes from a glorified Christ and he ended up on high. He gave these gifts. Then it speaks of the ministry.
Call that in worm is given ministry.
It should and will come directly from that source and glory right on heart doesn't. Just something that cut it out.
And one gets theological or personal Bible school. It's something you received directly, definitely.
And the Lord and glory.
How far man and his sisters have departed dog anything like an ordination of mass getting theological degree to go off absolutely they deny what is left before us here in connection with ministry is one that really.
He gets his commitment, he gets his word, his ordination only from the Lord and glory go. And Paul was writing to the isolation and they were accusing him.
Of not being an apostle at all because he doesn't start out at Jerusalem because he didn't get his credentials from the 12 People who were ignoring were in the city of Jerusalem. But he soon settled her that matter with him. Except all an apostle map of man neither primary by Jesus Christ.
And that principle always abides.
We have already said we have no apostles now, but wherever there is a ministry.
Yet if it's a law, it's what comes directly from the Lord.
So one if he is sent out in the service of the Lord. Anything like going through school to get a degree and getting some more than math.
His own way man is appearing with the authority and with the true source of true ministers that is bestowed by the offended Christ.
You say brother Barry though.
The 6th word either 44 characters of the ministry of the blogging on early.
Watch a six chapter back.
Murphy's Chapter 1414. Chapter 6.
And they were aware of the list and dirty. That's the verse 14 chapters, Verse 24.
First Corinthians six first.
Our brother, if I come on to you speaking with Tom, what shall I BBQ? Except I speak to you either by revelation.
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Or by knowledge, Or by doctor.
The force is hard. Revelation is concerned.
That only belongs to the time when the apostles were here, so you don't have anything like that.
Oh, there's that 14th chapter, First Corinthians. He is opposing that parking in town.
Making it clear.
The importance of what edifies the things Lord Paul came.
Speaking with Thomas.
If he doesn't speak by revelation, or by knowledge, or by half time, or by doctrine.
He didn't give him something that was intelligent, something they could understand.
Something that would be possible to it why would only be a difference to the blessing of the assembly.
So that is an important principle that all things be done. Edification of your speaking out, Brother Brown about putting her in the air where the animals need to reach up a bit for it. Well, we want to be sure, though, that we don't put it up too high.
Well, they're saying the Lord didn't say feed my duress, He's my thing.
Put the water in the head before she are not able to reach the food, and we see a principle till that when there was a State Park where things were going on such a disorderly way by Paul saw this.
Not minister high Truth, it would be a mistake. The minister I believe high truth when Prince needs to be corrected about their walk and we behavior of ministry have to take that carried here.
So when Paul wrote to the Corinthians.
Out of this official to the Ephesians, we find that all the tables and give solid mean.
But it wasn't always in the mind of God for him to do so.
Right into the Corinthians, he would hold back on many of the things that are mixed up to the Ephesians because they were not in the state to receive it.
They have one who is walking in the communion and seeking the Lord's mind and guidance. It would seem that he would have a sense of what was becoming, what would be suitable.
So you see then, Brother Wilson, that not only does the Commission come from Christ and glory, but.
The ministry flows down from Christ and glory through the vessel that he used.
Who is subject to his will?
So that should give much exercise in connection with any line of ministry. It would keep the service dependence on on his knees before the Lord. He might have the mind of the Lord as the justice character of ministry that's needed for the assembly or the place where he is giving instructions.
Yes, we're not sufficient for these things of our own fruits.
We need wisdom from God.
The character of the second official to the Ephesians would show that. I sometimes think of that in connection with the letter to the church that happens in Revelation 2, and I sometimes refer to it as the second official to the obedience. The character addressed to them here is so beautiful, and I believe indicates the state that permitted this wonderful ministry to be brought before them and for our blessing too.
And then when they are addressed the second time a number of years later.
There's that very sad statement. I was left thy first love, so that even though by the wondrous grace of God, practice and written ministry may be made known to us.
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There is always a danger that we slip into that which is Bolton out in Revelation 2 to this same assembly that led by First Law. What is the remedy, Brother Hill?
Repent and do the 1St works.
That's why they're so needed. Self judgment.
Going back to where you started.
That freshness of love for Christ. There isn't self judgment among the faith. There is no really getting things right before the Lord. One may put on a lot of pressure and make a big show and so on, but if there's a lack of self judgment, it doesn't carry with it the power of the Spirit of God.
That is going to eventually only leave to a further departure from the truth. How much need there is among us of self judgment.
And to be willing to get into the Lord's privacy. It's an exercise to see how much we have contributed to the failure in the church and all we all make mistakes that none of us work. When we made a mistake, we need to get before the Lord, humbly confess, and if it affects our brothers, never be reluctant.
To admit to our brethren, for many sorrows be saved in an Assembly of God. If there was a willingness, a humbleness, a brokenness to own to the brothers, when we have caused any sorrow to own it, then the Spirit of God can come in and bless, and otherwise things just build up into a further difficulties, and.
Then further departure.
I have been interested in.
Checking the dates of the references to emphasis here.
Here.
In well in the 20s of blacks, the elders of Ephesus, and I believe that was in 58.
And then this epistle to the Ephesian is about three years later, and we have this wonderful truth drop before us. And then when we come to first Timothy, Ephesians epistle Ephesians was possibly three years later than the 20th of Acts. And then when we come to the first official of Timothy.
It's another two or three years later, and there he says that he left him an Ephesus, that he might charge some that teach no other doctrine shall the working of the will and the mind of man had come in well, and there's quite a few years before the apostle John writes the Revelation, and there have been quite a development of things that had led them away from the love of Christ, which is stressed in this epistle.
That's really the beginning of all the part three. Yes, heart grows cold toward Christ. The infections waned and something else takes place. But it's quite striking to think of this, though, as here, some wonderful troops that you have here. And then about three years later, he has to tell, coming to the stay there, left to charge something to teach no other doctor.
We cannot say that we've reached a certain stage.
We'll be content to hold that.
Chances are that's our attitude. We lose.
10.
Well, we said the object of all ministry in the 13th verse, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, for the major of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
It was mentioned yesterday, but it's worth repeating.
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But the statement there shows that the gifts.
Mansion here, this warped chapter will continue to the end of the dispensation or to the time when the Lord comes and takes his church away. And that is helpful in connection with the understanding of the gifts mentioned in the 12Th chapter, First Corinthians, where you get the sign, gifts, tongues, the mirror, so on interpretation.
Lot of things mansion there, but there's no word said that these would continue until we reach the major of the statue of the fullness of Christ. So while we have the the apostles who are the foundation in their in their writings which we have incorporated in the word.
We have the last three presents today. That is the event.
Faster than teachers. And with that we have till we all come in the unity of the faith.
Now, would you not say that while the court described here?
Of.
The perfect man, the major, the statue of the fullest of Christ, can only be attained in glory.
That's when we reached fully the image and likeness of Christ. When he comes and gives the shout, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, will be perfectly like Christ.
This mortal will put on immortality, and we'll see him and be like him in his glory, and then all that's described here will be fully realized, but ministry as it is given.
Why the gifts bestowed by the heaven Glory is always leading upward in that direction so that.
There might be more of that unity of the faith, there might be more of the knowledge of the Son of God, more of what he speaks of a perfect man, and more of the major of the statue of the fullest Christ. So true ministry always leads in that way.
What you say is this. What you've been referring to here in the latter part of that verse comes to measure the statue of the close of Christ would be a comparative truth of what we have in the second chapter where it speaks about the building.
Grow up into a holy temple in the Lord and that a comparative truth looking at there from the building standpoint. Here's the body.
His growth in in both cases. God's purpose in both cases.
And I take it that it might be helpful for many on this difficult verse at 13, and that there are so many bits of ministry that give you different ideas that in this verse it is not a question of when.
So many minds think, well, what? There must be a death in a time when this is accomplished. It is not a question of when. It is not a question of when we arrive in resurrection and the glory. It is a question of the ministry that's going on now.
In the meantime, and the object of that ministry is the growth of all the bodies.
The first clause of that 13th verse, we all come the unit of faith. Well, that wouldn't leave any ground for saying, well, everyone has to write their own opinion. I can have mine, you can have yours. Well, that wasn't we'd never come to unity to faith in that matter. Another thought that's important is that the the purpose stated here is regardless.
Of the failures that you and I see, it is not looking at the failures, it's looking at the purpose of the Ministry.
Isn't that very beautiful, the things that we do have this prospect before us? Mention was made of the very great weakness that is so apparent. Mention was made in the book of Judges and the increasing weakness and the character of those in the Lord raised up.
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To be used in deliverance to His people, Israel, the left-handed man to be their deliverer and the woman to be their leader, and so on. For these things, if we looked at them and became occupied with them, would cause us to be discouraged. That's why I think it's 13th verse is so very, very lovely and so very precious. Here is something that is not only the purpose, but the assured end that the Lord has endured.
For his beloved people. I wonder if we get a little hint of it in the second chapter of Haggai.
Because I believe one of the weapons that the enemy uses is a weapon of discouragement. These dearly beloved young people who are here, and they're enjoying fellowship with other dear young people. Perhaps they're bleeding a little too from the ministry. But I wonder when they get home to their own assembly, is there the danger of our eyes looking up on the weakness?
And we feel cast down. Weakness does not need to mean discouragement. The 2nd chapter of Haggai was written in the days when the foundation of the House of the Lord were being laid in Ezra time, while we were hearing about the foundation of the apostles and prophets. But there were those who were so discouraged because it all seemed so very, very small. They hoped and thought and expected that it would have been a much larger thing.
And they wept aloud. The Lord heard their weeping. The Lord saw their discouragement. And he sent his dear servant Haggai on in his second chapter, the third verse, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?
Then how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing yet? Now be strong owes a rubble, said the Lord. And be strong, oh Joshua, son of Joseph the high priest.
And be strong all the people of the land, says the Lord, And work, for I am with you, said the Lord, according to the words that I covenanted with you when he came out of out of Egypt. So my spirit remaineth among you. Fear ye not. Are these not the same resources that that dear Bolivian brother gave to his fellow believers? The same.
Three wonderful resources.
I am with you, my word and my spirit fear ye must and then to go down to the.
My verse.
I believe it could be read. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former. Oh, what occasion there was for encouragement to the heart, even of those who were weeping. And what occasion there is for encouragement for our hearts today. We realize we're living in a day of weakness. We realize the weakness in our own hearts.
In the little assemblies from which we come. But what does the future hold? All presidents. 13th verse in the glorious encouragement to the heart. It's going to be fully realized.
You have much the same line of things in the 4th chapter of Zechariah, who prophesied at the same time as the tagyard. And you look at the ninth verse. The hand of the rubble have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it. And thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto you. I want to just comment on that Lord, of course.
No, the first mention of the Lord of Post is when El Canaan and his family went up to Shiloh.
There was another great weakness, and if you fall you through that word, the Lord of hope seems to be at a time when everything was happening to discourage God's people. The Lord reminds them, although you're a weak company till you have the Lord of hosts with you. Well, to go on then.
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The Lord of hosts has sent me unto you. And 1St For who hath despised the day of small things? Well, we surely live in the days of small things. One might think, being here this afternoon, where several hundred are together, that this didn't exactly describe our condition when we break up and go back to our little assemblies.
And attend the next prayer meeting. They may be very conscious of the fact that there is a danger of despising the day of small things. So we see that.
The danger there in the time of Zechariah and Brother Hale has called our attention to the subject that it was when those return captives went back from Babylon.
Jerusalem and we're rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed.
And when the old men who had been Solomon's tenant and temple and all its glory for the small poor little temple that they were able to rebuild on that spot, why they wept over while the young men were so happy to see the temporary bill, that they showed it for joy.
Well, I believe the tears and the shouting were all of God, because we should be conscious of the facts of how much fat failures come in among those who hold the truth that has been restored of the Church of God, the ground of the truth of God, our freedom. Finish this verse. Who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice.
And shall see the plummet in the hands of the rubble with those seven.
Well, in the end, why they're going to seize rubble with a plummet. That is, the work is complete, and that which was so despised now stands as a monument of God's favor and blessing display of his glory. And I was just thinking of it this way.
We think of the little meetings, maybe there's only two or three.
Maybe firm meetings get down so very small and so very weak. And yes, let's remember that if we have gone outside the camp until that rejected Christ and are gathered in his precious name, Lord.
That we are occupying a position that is going to be the same position in a certain way when we all get home to the glory above for when we reach the Father's house, as you get in the 5th chapter of Revelation.
Will be the center of all that redeemed family, the Lamb that was slain. What is the center then for those little twos or threes that meet together and so much weakness. The same blessed person is in the midst, beloved, and may that encourage us to sustain us and give us the judge any.
Photo rising in our minds that would make us despise.
That day of small things.
There's nothing secret of the commendation, the Lord to the little meeting in Philadelphia.
A little company.
They were certainly going on in weakness.
And felt dependence on the Lord.
But there was also obedience there, and perfection of the name of Christ.
But the warning?
To that old church.
Withhold that ******* cell half that. No man takes that crown.
There's always a danger of giving up.
And there is a way of handling.
The truth that we're in the at the end of the time.
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There is a way of speaking about the last days, and the weakness tends to discourage.
Let the hands hang out.
But God has guarded his word that we should be strong, and given us that which makes for encouragement at such a doubt.
That word was read from.
That word that was read from.
We not be strong, be strong now. Well, what do we get from the speech?
To be strong.
Go back to the book of Joshua. Joshua was exhorted to be strong, but the strength is in ours, not in ourselves.
I was thinking of Joshua crossing the job present.
He was met there in the land by a man with a drawn sword in his hand.
I suppose Joshua must have thought he was someone having brought over that.
Multitude of souls across the John.
And I've often thought of it there when he went up to he met the Lord there.
And he says, Art thou for us or for our adversaries? And the reply was.
Made as captain of the host of the Lord in my account, and we read that Joshua fell off his page and worship for the mercy did so well. I thought of it this way, brother.
It's just as if.
The Lord would say to Joshua, Joshua, a great general.
But I'm cheap here, I'm the head, I'm boss here.
And you're just a plain soldier, Joshua. Get into the ranks. I'm supreme here. Well, it's a great truth, bro, that in the midst of all our failure, we have that heavenly Joshua in our midst. He's right in our midst.
And as we mentioned before.
The path and the responsibility of God's dear children.
To is the maintain his glory and when we come to the question of discipline, of times, we're disturbed concerning this. Why not leave it to the law and respect the decision that's made? It's a great secret, but I've often thought of the case of Joshua and the Lord Jesus. He was just a soldier there, just a very ordinary soldier. That's what we are, a very poor soldier.
Present, but we can always count on the Lord Jesus in amidst, and we can always count.
If we walk humbly and softly before Him on that gracious ministration of the Spirit of God tomb, I was enjoying during these last days the remnant testimony that we get in God's Book. It goes right through God's Word, a remnant testimony.
Why? Take for instance, in the case of Hezekiah.
In the 29th, that's the 29th of Sacramento.
What he did he was despised, but there was an evidence of.
Special.
Power given to him, being in the current of God's purposes. And so in the midst of the confusion there we have a bright ray of light. And when we go over to the testimony of Josiah, we find the same thing.
And if we go over into the case of Daniel, we have the same truth. And you can go right on to the end of the New Testament.
How blessed it is, brethren, to know that there will be a remnant testimony in this scene until the Lord takes us out all that we might be happy to be just in the minority and not as far as a great thing, just to be happy to be nothing but God will. He will sustain the remnant in this day. You know, it's been a great comfort to my heart, that truth.
A remnant testing we get, but we can count upon his presence there.
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One of the most striking thoughts I ever came across concerning the Remnant Festival. He was from the strangest page you'd ever think of in the Word of God. I opened my Bible one day rather thoughtlessly for meditation, and it opened up that blank page between Malachi and Matthew.
And I looked at it and I thought, well, here's the only page I know of, and the word of God that doesn't have something for the heart. But you know, the longer I looked at it, the more I thought, well, you know, I believe there is something even on this blank page. And my thoughts went back to the closing message in Malachi. God, all words concerning the little remnant that existed that day. This was said about them. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.
And the lower heart, and then heard it, and the book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name, that seemed to be the character of that little testimony that was so dear to his heart, the fear of the Lord. In fact, it said in the 18th verse, Then shall he return and discern between the righteous and the wicked. Oh, we think naturally. Well, anyone can do that. That's not much discernment.
But the day is so difficult, the discernment between the righteous and the wicked is granted only to those that walk in the fear of the Lord. Well then, there was 400 years of silent history, 400 years in which there was no sound of a prophets voice in all the lands. And to turn over and read at the birth of Christ. And there you find still a little remnant testimony.
Hannah, those that look for redemption in Jerusalem, how can it be that a random testimony so weak as they were in Malachi Day would continue until a birth of Christ 400 years and I just felt I could see in that blank phase representing the silence of God for 400 years. I felt I could see the fear of the Lord written on that page. I believe rather than that's what kept the little testimony during those years.
From father to son the fear of the Lord was handed down.
One has no listing connection with.
The history of the return of Ezra Nehemiah that whenever failure come in, why they seem to bind themselves under an Oakland. Now we won't do that again. We won't have anything to do with that again.
Well, when we come to Malachi.
Why?
Failure is there from the beginning, and the people don't seem to respond at all as a whole. Why? Wherein have we sinned?
So the remnant there.
Their whole thought is that then they that feared the Lord, speaking often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, that is, that they instead of buying themselves, now under nose, and put themselves under a fresh law. Why?
Their whole resources and Speaking of one to another and thinking upon the Lord's name and so we see that thing carried on down during the 400 years until we have the when the Lord is brought to.
Jerusalem there.
To the temple. Why there were those that were still going on that way to welcome him.
I often thought I would. While there is a gap there, there really wasn't a gap. You read the of the little remnant in Malachi, turn right over to the beginning of Luke. There they are.
It's still a remnant, it's still weak, but they're still recorded. They should be mine. And he makes a note of it, and they're there, their names and all about it when you come to Lutheran.
Oh, how good is it, all that was carried on and all recorded by God too.
Paying special attention to the days of weeks.
The truth was always and weakness, wasn't it? From the very beginning. You have the whole world and the early part of Genesis.
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The word telling us that the wickedness of man was great in there for every imagination with lots of his heart, was only evil continually. Every thought that went through the minds of man were evil thoughts.
And how smaller Emland was then. There must have been millions of people living in the world at that time. I would judge because it was over 2000 years from Adam down to Noah and the families lived a long, long time.
And the population must have been the statistics show us that 1000 years in any country makes a tremendous increase in population. Some of us here that are a little bit older can remember when the population of the world was was given and it was just about what is now the population of the world has about doubled and the lifetime of some of us here, that's the statistics. Well, there's must be a tremendous number of people living at that time.
And yet.
There's all gone the ways of wickedness and all their thoughts were evil thoughts and how small dilemma Noah and they live a family. I thought about what about no one brothers and sisters. They didn't impose part of the remnant and yet that we're told of Noah's father that of Noah's born. He lived so many years.
And they got sons and daughters, and those sons and daughters would be the brothers and sisters of Noah. And then there is nephews and these cousins and their nephews and all what a what a large relationship and yet just no one is family. Then they come out of the ark and they start over again with the three sons of Noah. They start over again and the population grows and then the world becomes so wicked again.
That God fathered Abraham.
And evidently from what we would read in the days of Abraham, was available of spirituality.
Abraham was a friend of God, but all had few there were that God recognizes going on himself. Of course there was Melchizedek that's spoken of, but how very, very few. Well then, we're finding that a little while the children of Abraham may drift away too. And there they are, all done in Egypt.
And and the word they were worshipping the gods of Egypt.
Well, there got out of Egypt and the bottom of the land after a while and in a short time where they go again.
Until we have in the days of the kings of and chronicles, we have a tremendous department, God and just a few they're carried away by the Assyrians. The 10 tribes are carried away by the Assyrians because of their wickedness.
You know, and and things became about the 5th chapter of Jeremiah.
A very remarkable statement there. God says to Jeremiah, he says you go through the streets of Jerusalem.
And see if you can find.
A man, not 100 men, or 1000 or 10.
But.
That works righteousness.
And so on. And I was spare the city, but the city wasn't spared the days of Jeremiah. The city was smashed to pieces, the devil was destroyed and the little remnant a little a number of those that were lived in the land located in the Babylon.
And then we have after a while a little remnant comes back and what a curl up. Some of them wear are to be continually exhorted by Ezra Nehemiah. We're told Nehemiah to give some of those many have to cook their beards and get them a good beating. Sometimes even the nobles. There's such a poor law and then down and come back to the lining up when the Lord comes so few that they were hearing about.
And the children of that remnant.
That came back to the line in the days of of Malachi and and Ezra. They're the ones that murdered the blessed Lord Jesus wouldn't have. And then we're not at the end this dispensation living on now. We know they're going to be a tremendous departure from the faith and very few to go on with the Lord and that is true and that remnant appears to be diminishing.
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Because there's a falling off over and kissing them all around us, even what are called fundamentalist groups. There's a tremendous department. The men is falling away from the faith and many are that are about members of these fundamentalist groups When they're spoken through with the blessed Lord. Oftentimes there's no spiritual response at all. There seems spiritually there great many of them.
A big fundamentalist preacher out, are we?
The large congregation made the statement not very long ago.
He says, always says. I wonder.
Of 10% of my members are really born again.
That's a fun, big fundamental service. And that preacher moral more he paid separation.
From evil from the world, one of his members came to him.
Well, he said, if you go on the goddess all go and joining the brother.
Well, he said that one thing we can say about the brethren, they know what separation is. Those were their words, he said.
Well, we're a poor lot, but we can thank the Lord for for the measure of separation that bias grace enables us to walk with and it gives us gives the power to his own to exercise discipline for the glory of Christ. A big Baptist preacher told me one of the biggest Baptist biggest Baptist Church in Iowa. Thank you The pastor told me many years ago I was speaking to him visiting that town where my.
Brother and family live and I got the conversation with him.
And Speaking of discipline, among the sins goddesses of God, he said, well, he says that's one thing that we're very weakened, disciplined. We're very, we can discipline.
Well, we can thank the Lord for the grace he gives that makes us a small measure we have to own with loud heads to her through a lot. But we've seen I believe.
To honor the Lord by having a pure little testimony for his glory.
May the Lord keep us going on seeking His glory above everything else in all the world and all our lives.
I believe our aim and our motive is right.
I certainly don't think we have much to boast. Amen. No, we certainly have. I was thinking there is an encouragement in the difference between the last two verses of the second chapter, this book.
Referred to that as being a comparative truth of what we have in our 14th.
14th or the 13th First. Well, in the 21St verse of the second chapter we had in the 20th verse about being built upon the foundation, the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
And then in whom all the buildings fitly framed together, growth into the holy temple and the Lord, Well, there is the action of the Spirit of God. It's fitly framed together, it's perfect. And there as the Lord sees us building, Why here it's all perfection, and there's no dead material in it. Livingstone.
Well, we might think that's.
That's wonderful to have that viewpoint of it, but we realize, oh, that there's failure. Well then in that last verse, why it's looking at it from a different aspect in whom ye also are building together for inhabitation of God through the spirit. In the 21St verse, I believe it was the God is the builder through these spirits.
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In the 22nd verse, it is in the responsibility of man. The building is carried on, and though it may not, and it isn't in all that perfection as the Lord sees it, but it is the habitation of God through the Spirit in spite of all that. Why do you take that? We referred to the assembly at Corinth and what there was there for the apostle to straighten out, but.
It was still all the habitation of God through the Spirit. Well, that's an encouragement to realize that that in spite of all of failure, as long as there is that exercise before him on the part of the many as we get in Corinthians. Why it is the habitation of God in the church.
I might mention thought a little meeting.
Which I never lived in the town, but I visited there many times.
It's a meeting as far back as I can remember, even as a little boy, that it was a weak little meeting and all of it appears and ready to fold up.
But that meeting has gone on now. I believe it well over 100 years.
Gone all that time as a weak little meeting, but it's still going on in dependence on the Lord and with all the difficulties that have beset those that have been gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
They've not been affected by it.
Dependence on the Lord and the Day of small things is that which will preserve the gathered Saints.
To tear them. Pardon me, some brother was speaking a little while ago of.
The Book of Haggai and How's the rubber bowl was the one that was doing the work, ordering things for the building of the temple, and he was going to complete it.
The problem line was to be in the hands of Sir Opel. He was going to complete.
And isn't that a type of crisis?
He warned his church.
And nothing can prevail against it as he has, and it's all going to be completed.
Take the word Zerubbabel. The name Zerubbabel means deliver from Babylon. Well, what's Babylon? Religious confusion. What is it that's all about religious confusion? But there's a deliverer from Babylon. Christ himself is going to see it all delivered in his top of security before he's finished.
I like the names of rubble in Latin Mexico. She's going to complete.
He holds the Plumb line and he is the one that states how much is our line but and he is the one who does the correct and so we would seek to be in conformity to his mind as to what he sees.
And it will eventually all come to perfection as he planned.
So there's really no, no base for real discouragement. I was thinking of reference to Joshua about being the captain of Lord's house. You know, Joshua says, art thou for us?
Well, when the captain speaks.
The large host while that was served rebuke to Joshua isn't your host Joshua, it's the Lord's host. Well, Joshua seemly and perhaps in the fact that he everything come through all right well he's taking credit to it for us. That's the Lord so.
As you notice too, that the one with a drawn cord didn't directly answer the question of Joyce's art thou force or for our adversaries? He didn't say yes, I'm for you and against your adversaries, but as captain of the host of the Lord and my sin. That is, as long as Israel were going on.
And obedience, like soldiers at our dustbin to obey the orders of their general, of their captain. Then there's victory. But as soon as they acted in independence like they did, AI just said all that's a little place. They'll just spend a few thousand, clean them up. They didn't go back to Gilgal faith or mortification of the flesh.
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When I was in self-confidence, well did they have the captain of the Lord's host leading them to defeat AI as they were led to?
Bring down the walls of Jerry Cornell or they didn't have the Lord living. And so we need to remember it's only as we go on.
In full, humble submission to the word of the Lord.
Trusting Him and Loling the self judgment that we can expect the leadership of our blessed Lord carry a song to the downfall and defeat of the enemy. Otherwise, if we act in independence, if we ignore His word and invent something of our own, try to just go on and cover up evil and be indifferent to it.
Will not have the Lord and may make a show but will not have the Lords presence leading on to the victory over the enemy.
They even increase the numbers by making a bigger show and dropping out discipline in this and that and the other, allowing one kind of error of doctrine to keep in and then another. But they will not have the Lord as the leading.
Leading in all.
And I don't and come to not yes, I was singing to in connection with Joshua when he makes himself know Joshua asked to take his shoes off his feet. But the place where all these stands with holy ground that's.
That connects us with Moses, who thought revealed himself to Moses as he sent him forth to bring Israel out of Egypt. The burning Bush he had to take his shoes off last week, for the place where all these stood was holding ground. Whether it's the Lord coming forth to deliver according to his own holiness and majesty, and bringing Israel out of Egypt, or whether it's the Lord leading his people in triumph through the wilderness and bringing them in holiness becomes His house forever.
Take off my shoes from all thy feet to the place where I'll now stand. This is holy ground. Was was as true in one case as it wasn't the other.
So the Lord is addressing the the Church, Philadelphia. He calls himself the holy and the truth.
Isn't so much his position being officially falling the seven stars, but it's his holy character especially brings before those who really belong to that remnant testimony.
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