Glendale Conference: 1970
Table of Contents
Redeemed or Found Wanting
Gospel—A.C. Hayhoe
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Glendale General meetings.
December 26, 1970 Gospel by Albert Hayhoe.
And is Jesus densely calling ye with care and soil? Press with your guilt, however 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 is.
Comes.
Gently.
I'd like you to turn with me tonight, please, to the.
Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter One.
Ephesians chapter One.
Verse 7.
In home we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace.
I love the sound of that verse. I love to read it. I love to lay my hand upon it and say thank God it's true of me. And I'm not alone in this. I know that there are many in this company tonight who rest your eyes with joy upon the good news contained in this verse and that precious little word. We include you and me by the grace of God.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of His grace. Beloved friend, is this true? Is this true of you, as by the grace of God it is true of me? Are you numbered among those who know what it is?
To possess redemption through the precious blood of Christ, to know the assurance of sin forgiven through the cleansing power of that precious blood, to know it on the authority of God's own Word, and to be able to look up and say according to the riches of His grace, I am redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ.
It's my joy to delight in that redemption, in that glorious forgiveness.
In the grace of God that has been manifested toward me, the poor.
Lost. Guilty Sinner. Now I want to read the other side of the story, one solemn little verse in the book of Daniel.
The 5th chapter of the book of Daniel.
Verse 27.
Daniel 5 verse 27.
00:05:02
Thou.
Aren't weighed in the balances.
And are found.
Wanting.
I must be faithful about this. The word of God lies open in your hand and mine.
And God paints two sides to the picture that we must prevent tonight.
The one by God's matchless grace is that in which we share with joy in who we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace. And the other side. And you are on either one side or the other. The other side is the finger of God that points down into this company tonight.
And says to someone here.
Thou art waged in the balances and are found wanting. These are not my words. This is not my estimation. It's gone, fallen pronouncement about you unless you are redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ. I wish to read one verse more to connect the two which we've just read.
And that one further verse is in Luke's Gospel.
Chapter 16.
Luke chapter 16, verse 26.
Between us.
And you there is a great.
Go does the reading of these three verses found offensive to you?
On the one hand, God's Word declares in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. On the other hand, Gods Word declares with equal certainty and solemnity.
Thou art laid in the balances, and are found wanting.
And between the two, the solemn statement.
Between US and you, there is a great gulf.
It's a solemn responsibility, beloved friend, to point out to you this solemn fact that there is, in this meeting tonight, a great gulf.
I cannot see that gulf, but I look out over this company and I see.
Husband and wife side by side. Is it possible that such a ghost could exist between husband and wife?
You know it's badly possible. You know it's badly true. Is it so In this company tonight, that side by side among us there is one who can say with profound joy, in whom I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace. And right beside that redeemed child of God, there sits one to whom God's finger points.
In solemn words of warning and the verdict is thou.
Art weighed in the balances and art found wanting, perhaps father and son side by side.
The one redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ, the other weighed in God's balances and found wanting.
I tremble as I paint the picture, for it was true of Maine. I don't want to stand on one side of this gulf and mock those who are on the other. I want to tell you, my friend, that I was on the guilty side of it golf for too long a time.
I sat right between a praying father and mother with a mighty gulf between us.
I was weighed in God's balances and found wanting. My father on the one side, my mother on the other, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, praying for their son.
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Oh, I wonder if I'm looking out on such a picture tonight. I wonder other neighbors here tonight sitting side by side.
A loving friend who cared for your soul brought you here to this meeting.
And that friend, you know it right well, has rested his or her soul for eternity upon the cleansing value of the precious blood of Christ. And you, sitting beside them, must hear the solemn word of God. Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting. Between US and you there is a great gulf. It could not be greater.
Whose balances are these that we have read about?
The word of God declares a false weight and a false balance are an abomination to the Lord, and there are many false weights and false balances in the world today. Men measure themselves by the standard of conduct that exists in their communities, and they feel quite satisfied with their own conditions. They weigh themselves in the balances of public opinion and come to the conclusion that all is well.
Because in the community where you live, no one points the finger of gossip toward you.
In fact, they might well speak of you as a fine and respectable citizen.
Generous, all upright church going, Beloved friend, Whose balances are they? They are the balances of God, and God has declared of every child of Adam's race.
Thou his finger points at me, Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting.
The weights and the measures of man's devising are an abomination to the Lord. God's Word declares all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That's God's standard that God measures. Have you come short of it? You know you have. I know I have.
God's weight has declared that I have come short.
What about these balances spoken of here in the 5th chapter of Daniel? Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting. What shall we put in those balances? Did you know, my beloved friend, that God has observed and God has heard, and God has recorded every act, every word, every thought entertained during your lifetime?
Mind God has kept that record, and into the balances goes not the record your neighbors have observed, not your own opinions that God's records of your life. With every stain that has plotted those pages. Oh, I hang my head at the very spot of it. This was God's record of me, and in faithfulness God pointed down.
To this guilty sin stained heart of mine, and reminded me from the pages of this book, all things are naked and open under the eyes of him with whom we have to do. I might cover much up from the eyes or the ears of my parents.
But not from the eye of God. May I say it again.
All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. There is a day coming when you and I are going to stand in the presence of him who knows all about us. The records are going to be opened.
And every stain in your life will be laid naked and bare before his eyes, And your beloved friend will stand silence and guilty and condemned before him who utters these warnings in his precious word. This is why we present the gospel to you tonight, because it need not be so. The faithful God who points so solemnly at those guilty hearts has loved you and loved me.
With such an infinite love that he has bridged that mighty ghost, he has seen to it that the great Death has been paid, And now thank God. There are among us many who rejoice to know that having seen that gulf bridge by the mighty work of Christ upon the cross, we can share together in the joy of saying, in whom we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sin.
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What about the other side of those scales? On the one side, all that guilt has been accumulated. What about the other side? Well, I know the natural thought of many is that on the other side we may hopefully place those good things which we trust, God has also observed in our lives.
What shall we say about such a concept?
God's Word, not mine. God's Word solemnly declares Their is None.
Good no not one God's word declares all our righteousnesses are as.
Filthy rags.
God's Word declares these things. God's Word says not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Friend, I beg of you to pay heed to what God points out in his fifth chapter of Daniel.
Thou Thou art way in the balances.
And found wanting.
It's a wonderful thing to discover this during the moment of time.
During the day of God's matchless grace, it's a frightening discovery.
It's a discovery that made me tremble. It's a discovery I tried to forget about. Thank God he would not let me forget about it night after night. It troubled me to know that the accumulation of my guilt was rising higher and higher.
An astonished to stand here and say this, when I knew all the while that the God of love had sent his Son to redeem my guilty soul, when I meet those whose hearts have been open to receive the wondrous story of God's love.
And I remember how often I spurned it. I marveled. We were prevalent just very recently.
To stand by the bedside of a dear young man who had just escaped from Communist China. He had risked his life to swim out from that land.
And for the first time in his life.
He had heard before our arrival. He had heard the name of Diva. He had never heard it before.
We met him on a leper island.
There he sat in bed. A leper.
It just undergone surgery for a deformed hand. It was swathed in bandages and throbbing with pain. But I wish you could have seen the face of that dear young leper about 20 years of age.
He had just recently heard for the first time a name.
And I conceive his face yet as he raised those pitiful hands, and with joy told us of what it meant to him to have his guilt blotted out by the precious Blood of Christ.
In the midst of the pain and in the midst of the heartache of that disease, his soul is filled with joy to know that his guilt was gone. He was on the wrong side of that gulf.
For about 20 years, but by the grace of God, when he heard the glorious news of salvation through the precious blood of Christ, he bowed and accepted the Savior. And I know as I stand here, that he's still on that same bed with that same affliction. But I know that if you were to look upon him and mention one word, Jesus, you'd see that face light up with joy.
Oh, friend, I'm here to present to you the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior. For I see you tonight on the wrong side of that great gulf. Respectable. It may be so religious. It may be so a beloved friend. The hands of religion in this world are stained with the blood of Jesus Christ. You know that's badly true.
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I am not here to preach religion. I'm not here to present a creed. I'm here to tell you, on the authority of God's precious word, that those who once stood on the wrong side, the guilty side, that condemned side of that great gulf.
Many have now been made to know its joy and with certainty.
That they are redeemed with the Precious Blood of Christ. That we turn then again to Ephesians Chapter One.
In whom we have redemption through His blood.
I want to pause and go over this slowly, that the precious and glorious simplicity of a gospel of the grace of God may not be lost in words of my own, in whom we have redemption through His blood. Is it possible to possess as a certain fact that which is here spoken of as redemption?
I know that it is so commonly held.
That these things cannot be known with certainty until we reach the other side.
And then, and not until then will that great balance be brought forward, our good deeds put on one side, and our sins upon the other, And then it will be determined which destiny we are worthy to experience. This is not what the Word of God declares. The Word of God declares with fallen faithfulness, that here and now, as you sit in this meeting room, you are either redeemed.
Hard and cleansed by the precious blood of Christ or you are guilty. You are condemned already. This is the language of God's word. You are on your way, as we were solemnly and repeatedly.
Reminded last night. You're on your way to eternal hell.
That's a word that's not very often used eternal hell. Is it true? Is it a reality? Friend, I believe you know that the most loving heart that ever beat here upon earth was none other than the heart of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. The most loving words that ever were uttered upon this earth were uttered by the lift of the Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet no other lips, both more faithful.
Of the awful reality of eternal hell in the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I would be an unfaithful servant if I left.
Any other impression before you, this sight, than this solemn, solemn reality. You're bound for hell, for you are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and on your road to glory there is a great gulf. God's Word declares it. It's not a flattering thing to speak about. There is no middle ground between the two, no place where a respectable religious citizen might fit in.
Without knowing the reality of redemption and yet shunning the awful horror.
Of knowing that you are guilty, there is no middle ground. The only thing between the two is that great go, You are on either one side or the other. A friend. I was once on that guilty spy. Those stains of sin were there under the eye of God. As my record grew greater and greater, I thank God that my conscience was touched with a sense of my guilt, I realized.
Realized the eye of God upon me, day and night.
And the day came when by God's matchless grace alone.
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In my room.
And not many days from this date it was the 1St.
Day of January. A new year to me in more ways than one.
I bowed my knees, and I owned silently before God.
That I was indeed guilty. That I was lost? Could I remember every stain of guilt? Of course, Ma.
But God had the entire record, and in my lost and guilty conditions I lifted up my hard hook to him whom I knew love guilty sinners, and claimed the cleansing power of the precious blood of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and opened my Bible to John Chapter 5 and verse 24. And these were the words that greeted my eyes.
Verily, verily, I say unto you.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me.
Ha everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment.
But is passed from death unto light.
Is it all right to trust such words as these? Oh, if they were the words of any human creed, I might well doubt them. But I knew that this was the word of God. I knew that these were the words of my precious Savior. And that night I rose from my knee with the joy of knowing that the stains of guilt were gone.
That instead of being on the guilty side of that great gulf, instead of hearing those thundering words, weighed in the balances and found wanting, I knew that I at last could say with a thankful heart, in whom I have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
May I go just one step farther because I know there are here tonight.
Boys and girls whose parents love the Lord Jesus, they have prayed earnestly for you. I have knelt beside parents who have prayed with the tears running down their cheeks for their sons and daughters. Oh dear boys and girls, tell me, have you ever knelt, as by God's grace I have to own that you were lost to own that you were guilty?
And to receive from the hand of God that which He offers so lovingly the forgiveness of all those stains of guilt, the blotting away forever of that record by the precious blood of His own dear Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Have you done so?
I wait a moment.
While you answer this silently, friend in your own heart, have you done so?
Have you accepted Christ as your Savior?
Is it difficult to understand?
I visited one time in the hospital in Smith Falls.
There were four patients in this particular room.
But I had been asked to go to see a certain one and I read to her, I remember well from John's Gospel. He listened very eagerly and when I was finished he said, oh, that's beautiful, that's so lovely. Thank you so much for coming and reading those beautiful verses. To me that is so lovely.
But I didn't know whether she had really accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior. It was my last visit. In a matter of hours. She was in eternity.
But she said again and again, Thank you so much for coming.
It was so lovely of you to read those verses to me.
What should I say? There was number other visitor in the room, but the other three were watching us.
And this is what I said. There are those here who know her, and I'd better omit her name.
I said to her, lady, let me imagine, though. I have entered this room with four bottles of medicine, one for each of the four who are sick in this room. I come to you and set the medicine down and proclaim this fact. If you will take this medicine in one hour, you will be in sound health and ready to leave the hospital.
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And you sit, lie back in your bed and say thank you so much for coming. I'm so glad you came.
You've been so kind to me and I do appreciate it.
I move on to the next bed and that Lady was watching me pretty carefully and I said I'm going to imagine that, this lady.
Rudely rejects my interference and tells me to mind my own business.
So I move over to the third lady and by this time she was watching and the third lady says, Sir, I'm really quite interested in what you have to offer, but I would like time to think it over. Could you come back next week and repeat this offer to me?
There's one more, And I turn to the fourth lady, who was wondering what her picture might be, And I said, and I'm going to suppose that the fourth lady promptly removed the cover and takes the remedy. Which one of the four will receive any benefit from that which was offered Only one. One was very polite and very grateful, unless the medicine right by her bedside.
One rudely told me to mind my own business. One said she'd like to think it over. Would I please come back next week? And one of the four took the remedy. Oh, beloved friend, there's no time to think it over. I beg of you. I plead with you, as God's word is true, to remember that it speaks the truth when it points to you, beloved friend, and reminds you once more, perhaps for the last time.
But if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your savior, you are on the guilty side of that great ghost.
And God solemnly pronounces these words, and I repeat them again and again.
And hope they'll ring in your ears till they are no longer true of you.
Thou art way in the balances and found wanting, and there is a remedy. Oh, I turn back to this again with joy in whom we have redemption through his blood. This is what it costs God to redeem the one who stands before you tonight. This is what it costs God that you and I might even open this book and read the wondrous offer of his grace. I say with my hand upon his birth. It cost God the lifeblood of his own son that you might even read this verse tonight.
Remember, as you read it, friends, remember as you look at these words, that you will never, never forget them. Never is true, friend. There are at this moment, as we are gathered here together for this gospel meeting, thousands of souls already in a lost eternity, as fat as you are sitting. And they listened to the gospel of the grace of God. They heard such warnings as this, and they knew too, that they were true.
They knew that they could not rise up and say God has not written down one stain against me.
You know, friend, that you record as mine was, has been stained with guilt. You know too, if you never knew it before, that God's Word declares with glorious invitation, in whom we have redemption through His blood.
I know I have been accused of great presumption to speak with certainty as to these matters, and have been spoken to thus by those whom I hoped would have known better leaders of religion, The friend I turn not to such things for my confidence, I turn to the authority of God's own word. And I dare not look up from the pages of this book and say I wish I could believe it. I dare not look up from God's testimony and say.
I hope it's true. Is it humility to speak thus? It's not, friend. It's an insult to the God who paid such a price that you and I might read such a verse as this. What did he pay? Could he just reach over and rescue me from all my guilt and transplant me to the other side of that great gulf? No. God himself could not do such a thing. God in infinite love, according to John 316, so loved the world.
But he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God looked down at me, lost and guilty. God looked at his beloved Son, or may I say it in all reverence. And God loves me so much that he send his Son to bear my guilt.
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Picture with me that's seen upon the cross there on either side of the cross.
Not far distant, the one from the other, where two thieves remember that.
Two things not one better than the other. Not one deserving of heaven and the other deserving of hell.
Both alike guilty before God and man.
And the hour of their death was near at hand, and one of the two.
Turned and said, We are indeed guilty, We receive a due reward of our deeds and turning to the blessed Savior who hung upon the Middle Cross, he said. Lord.
Remember Me?
Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. Did he receive an answer? Oh, thank God for that answer. Verily met a grand word, all the certainty of God behind it. Barely, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise? Could he trust the word like that? You know he could, and he did.
Not long after, the Roman soldier came up that hillside.
And found that very thief struggling in the last agony of his.
Of his suffering.
And with a stroke of his spear, he broke the leg of that.
Writhing man, His head went down upon his bosom in death, and he was gone.
Where did he go, friends? Where did he go? According to the word of the Lord Jesus Christ, he went straight home to paradise to spend eternity with his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. What about the stains of guilt? What about them? Those hands which had been outstretched in deeds of violence and wickedness were nailed to the cross.
And he could do not one thing. Those speak which had trodden the path of the transgressor were nailed to the cross. He could go nowhere.
His heart was free. His tongue was free. With his heart, he believes, accepted the Lord Jesus Christ when his tongue turned and confessed him, and the guilt that would have sent that man to an eternal hell.
Was taken from him and laid instead upon the Holy One who hung upon the Middle Cross. God must punish sin. God will punish sin, and the strokes of God's judgment against the sins of that malefactor fell instead upon the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who hung up on the middle cross. My Savior, my Redeemer, my substitute.
Oh, friend, I present him to you this night when he appealed to his people. Israel enslaved in the land of Egypt, he said. I will redeem you.
With a stretch out arm with a stretched out arm, he redeemed 2 million people from the land of Egypt.
But it took both arms outstretched to redeem the one who stands here tonight.
The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, straight through his arms. There from a cross, while a bird of my guilt was laid upon him, the strokes of God's judgment that ought to have fallen upon me fell and stared upon him who took my place.
Upon him who alone could bridge that great gulf, where the gulf existed still on the other side of that cross, was a malefactor no better and no worse than the one who hung on this side. He mocked, he rejected. He refused to own his guilt. He refused to turn and accept the Savior.
And the same soldier came and broke his leg.
With one last gasp, he was gone into eternity, friend. He went to hell.
He went into the blackness of darkness and he's there tonight. That was a long time ago.
He's there yet, my friend. The great gulf that separated them during those last moments was fixed forever, one with Christ in glory and one in outer darkness. Oh friend, as I look out over this company, as I see sitting side by side those who have come to hear the gospel, I say again, could it be that that gulf exists between you and the one who sits beside you?
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Perhaps you know so well that that one beside you is a child of God.
Cleansed by the precious Blood of Christ. And you know just as truly that this is not the case with you. Come back again to Ephesians one and Seven, in whom we have redemption through His blood. That precious blood was exalted tonight. Let man mark it as they will. It will be the theme of our song throughout the courts of glory for all eternity.
And tonight I look to that cross and I see the soldier pierced the side of my blessed Savior.
And from that wounded side in death there flowed that precious blood.
That has cleansed me. Thank God from every stain of guilt. I have redemption through His blood. The forgiveness of sins. They're gone.
That page upon which that record was guilt is now quieter than snow, God's Word declares. And I love to think of it.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is.
Covered. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing to know? But all that record of guilt which you might wish to forget?
God declares can be covered, but more than that, God's word goes on to declare.
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away, taketh away the sin of the world.
It's grand to have that transgression covered, but the word of God declares, taketh away the sin of the world. Again we turn a little farther, and we find be it known unto you. Therefore, men and brethren.
That through this man the Lord Jesus Christ, is preached unto you the forgiveness.
Of sin, Grand or still covered? Yes. Taken away, Thank God. Forgiven, true, forgiven. Peter comes forward and tells us Christ Jesus who his own self for our sins in his own body on the cross.
Comes forward and tells us the blood of Jesus Christ his Son.
Cleanse us from all sins, the word of God further declares Isaiah 43.
I, even I am he that bloodeth out by transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins anymore. They're blotted out, They're gone. They're forgiven, They're cleansed. They're taken away. Every charge that could be laid against the one who trusts in Christ is gone, in whom we have redemption through His blood.
The forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace.
That we turn back now to Luke's gospel and read again that verse.
Which we read at the beginning in the 16th chapter of Luke.
Luke chapter 16, verse 26.
And beside all this, between US and you, there is a great gulf.
6.
Fixed. I didn't read that word at the beginning of this meeting. May cause I'm addressing those who are still.
In the land of the living, I am addressing those who still are the objects of God's long-suffering. Mercy, and I must say it to you, in truth, the great gulf is there, not yet thick, but it might be this very night. May I remind you, beloved friend, as we are gathered here together, that the hour is rapidly approaching, when that great gulf will be finally and forever.
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Fixed so that they which would pass from thence to you cannot.
Oh, there are those who would tell us that after much suffering and many prayers, there is the possibility of escaping the suffering that face a lost soul after death. God's word declares otherwise. Where do I go? Ye cannot come, says the Lord Jesus of those who reject him. And here we find a fixed gulf separating for all eternity, forever and forever.
What the good and the bad? No, friends.
The redeemed, the redeemed from those who spurned.
The offer of God's matchless grace. Oh, what a guilty world this is in which I stand this night I stand amazed that I should see the end of 1970 and be privileged in such a date to present the gospel of the grace of God from the day the Lord Jesus Christ was cast out and crucified. The long-suffering of God is astonishing to witness.
Will give the reference. A beloved friend, I I say my solicitor.
From the dark caverns of the catacombs, from the blood stained sand of the Coliseum, and from the rack and the dungeon of Europe in the Dark Ages, they rings out of testimony of man's rejection of the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the cleansing virtue of the precious blood of Christ. And God looked down on all that and still lingered. 1970 I can hardly comprehend it.
But I'm still here. I am a trophy of that long-suffering grace.
I'm glad he waited for me.
He's waiting yet to make, but I cannot promise you tomorrow.
That gulf which now separates the redeemed from the lost, may be fixed before this night is ended. Fixed, oh friend, fixed forever, and to think this thing. But now, as I stand here, there are those whom I have known, beside whom I personally have sat in such meetings as these, who are gone out into eternity without Christ.
They heard it, they heard it, they heard it, and they heard it again.
The offer of forgiveness at the cost of the blood of Christ was presented to them with faithfulness and with love. They rose up from their chair again and again, guilty and lost and rejecting or neglecting that wondrous offer of God love. And now they're gone.
I remember one young man. I'll tell you only his first name. Wesley.
At the close of a gospel meeting, I was there and saw it happen. Wesley walked up to the preacher that night and he said I've made my decision all the speaker was glad to hear that, he said. I have decided.
That if God will give me 7 years of pleasure, I'll go to hell for it.
Can you imagine the horror of the preacher as he heard that decision?
I have decided that if God will give me 7 years of pleasure, I am willing to go to hell for it.
The preacher fled with him that night worthfully. Take it back. You don't mean it. Yes, I do. Wesley, take it back. Stay tonight and accept Christ as your savior. I mean it. You heard my bargain. I watched Wesley as those seven years began to roll by. Part of it was spent in terrible suffering in the hospital. Part of it was spent behind prison bars.
And before the seven years were ended, Wesley met with a sudden, tragic, awful flaming death. Wesley's in eternity. God loved that boy. God played with that boy. Christ died that he might have his sin forgiven. And Wesley made that awful bargain. I know there's no one here tonight who would utter such words as these, but all beloved friend, you're very indifferent as you rise up from your seat.
00:50:08
Without accepting Christ as your Savior, you do so at the peril of your soul's eternal destiny. There are now souls in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there are now souls in the darkness of a lost eternal the gulf for them is fixed. Not yet for you, beloved friend, may I repeat those two verses, and may I ask you as I do?
To answer solemnly in your own soul. On which side of that gulf am I at this very moment, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of His grace? Is it true of you?
It can be this very moment. You need not wait till the meeting is over and do or say something spectacular now, right now.
Where you sit, beloved friend, you may receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
You may accept from him that pardon, that redemption which cost him the shedding of his own life blood, If this is not your testimony, if you cannot stay with me, as I said, by the grace of God, in whom I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin, I charge you before God to remember that you stand on the other side of that great gulf. And the finger of God points down this moment towards you, and says Thou.
Thou art weighed in the balances, not the balances of your neighbors.
But the balances of God and are found wanting. Oh, May God grant that not one.
May leave this room tonight until this matter is settled.
And made, may I request, of those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, that when this meeting is over.
We may not forget that eternal issues are at stake. There may be someone beside you, someone behind you, who is a stranger to God's love and with whom the Spirit of God is working now, friend. You wouldn't want to spoil that by some thoughtless attitude when the meeting is over.
May God grant us for the glory of his own names sake. There may be souls turned from darkness to light, from guilt to pardon to night. Shall we sing him #1.
Almost persuaded now to believe.
Almost persuaded. Christ to receive. Seems now some soul to say Go spirit go thy way. Some more convenient day on the aisle. Call almost persuaded. Come come today.
Almost persuaded, Turn not away.
Jesus invites you here.
Listen to his voice, so clear now following our mind. Here come, wanderer, come. Could we rise, please? The thing #1.
Almost.
Marvelous.
All the.
00:55:00
I'm good at.
All this way.
And my way.
Home in my goodness.
Forever.
In Whom We Have Redemption Through His Blood
Gospel—P. Gladding
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Like you to turn with me tonight, please, to the Epistle to the Ephesians.
Chapter one, Ephesians Chapter one, verse seven, in whom we have redemption through his blood.
The forgiveness of sin according to the riches.
Of his grace.
I love the sound of that verse.
I love to read it. I love to lay my hand upon it and say thank God it's true of me and I'm not alone in there. I know that there are many in this company tonight who rest your eyes with joy upon the good news contained in its first and that precious little word. We include you and me by the grace of God.
In whom?
We have redemption through His blood.
The forgiveness of sin according to the riches.
Of his grace, beloved friend, is this true? Is this true of you, as by the grace of God it is true of me? Are you numbered among those who know what it is to prove it? Redemption through the precious blood of Christ, to know the assurance of sin forgiven through the cleansing power of.
Blood to know it on the authority of God's own word, and to be able to look up and say, according to the riches of his grace, I am redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. It's my joy to delight in that redemption, in that glorious forgiveness, in the grace of God.
That has been manifested toward me, the poor.
Lost guilty sinners.
Now I want to read the other side of the story, one solemn little verse in the book of Daniel.
The 5th chapter of the Book of Daniel.
Verse 27.
Daniel 5, verse 27.
Thou art weighed in the balances.
And are found wanting.
I must be faithful about this.
The word of God lies open in your hand and mine, and God paints two sides.
To the picture that we must present tonight, the one by God's matchless grace.
Is that in which we share with joy in who we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace. And the other side and you are on either one side or the other. The other side is the finger of God that points down into this company tonight.
And says to someone here thou.
Aren't weighed in the balances and are found.
One thing, these are not my words. This is not my estimation.
It's gone. Fallen pronouncement about you.
Unless you are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. I wish to read one verse more to connect the two which we've just read. And that one further verse is in Luke Gospel.
Chapter 16.
Luke chapter 16 verse.
26.
Between us.
And.
You there is a great.
00:05:00
Go.
Does the reading of these 3 verses sound offensive to you?
On the one hand, God's Word declares in whom we have redemption through his blood.
The forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace.
On the other hand, God's Word declared with equal certainty and solemnity.
Thou art laid in the balances, and art found wanting.
And between the two, there's solemn statements between us and you.
There is a great gulf.
It is a solemn responsibility, beloved friend, to point out to you this solemn fact that there is in this meeting tonight a great gulf.
I cannot see that ghost, but I lookout over this company and I see.
Husband and wife side by side. Is it possible that such a gulf could exist between husband and wife? You know, it's sadly possible. You know, it's sadly true. Is it so in this company tonight that side by side among us, there is one who can say with profound joy in whom I have redemption through his blood.
The forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace, and right beside that redeemed child of God, their fifth one, to whom God's finger points in solemn words of warning. And the verdict is, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Perhaps Father and Son side by side, the one redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the other weighed in God's balances and found wanting.
I tremble as I paint the picture, for it was true of Maine. I don't want to stand on one side of this gulf and mock those who are on the other. I want to tell you, my friend, that I was on the guilty side of that gulf for too long a time. I sat right between a praying father and mother, with a mighty gulf between.
US.
I was weighed in God's balances and found wanting.
My father on the one side, my mother on the other, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, praying for their son.
Oh, I wonder if I'm looking out on such a picture tonight.
I wonder other neighbors here tonight, sitting side by side, a loving friend who cared for your soul brought you here to this meeting.
And that friend, you know it right well, has rested his or her soul for eternity upon the cleansing value of the precious blood of Christ, and you sitting beside them.
Must hear the solemn word of God. Thou art weighed in the balances.
And found wanting.
Between US and you there is a great gulf. It could not be greater.
Whose balances are these that we have read about?
The Word of God declares a false weight and a false balance are an abomination.
To the Lord, and there are many false weights and false balances in the world today.
Men measure themselves by the standard of conduct that exists.
In their community and they feel quite satisfied with their own conditions.
They weighed themselves in the balances of public opinion and come to the conclusion that all is well because in the community where you live, no one points the finger of gossip toward you.
In fact, they might well speak of you as a fine and respectable citizen.
Generous Honor. Upright Church Going.
Beloved friend, whose balances are these? They are the balances of God, and God has declared of every child of Adams race.
00:10:01
Wow, his finger points at me. Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting. The weight and the measures of man's devising are an abomination to the Lord. God's word declares all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That's God's standard that God measures. Have you come?
You know you have.
I know I have.
God's weight has declared that I have come short.
What about these balances spoken of here in the 5th chapter of Daniel? Thou art waged in the balances and found wanting. What shall we put in those balances? Did you know, my beloved friend, that God has observed, and God has heard and God has recorded?
Every act, every word, every thought entertained.
During your lifetime and mine, God has kept that record and into those balances. Goals, Not the record your neighbors have observed, not your own opinions that God.
Record of your life with every stain that has blotted those pages, or I hang my head at the very spot of it. This was God's record of me, and in faithfulness God pointed down.
To this guilty sin stained heart of mine and reminded me from the pages of this book, All things are naked and open under the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
I might cover much up from the eyes or the ears of my parents.
But not from the eye of God. May I say it again.
All things are naked and open under the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. There is a day coming when you and I are going to stand in the presence of Him who knows all about us. The records are going to be open.
And every stain in your life will be laid naked and bare before his eyes.
And your beloved friend will stand silenced and guilty and condemned before him.
Who utters these warnings in His precious words? This is why we present the gospel to you tonight, because it need not be sold. The faithful God will point so solemnly at those guilty hearts. Has loved you and loved me with such an infinite love that He has bridged that mighty gulf. He has seen to it that the great debt has been paid.
And now, thank God, there are among us many who rejoice to know that, having seen that ghost bridge by the mighty work of Christ upon the cross.
We can share together in the joy of saying in whom we have redemption.
Through his blood the forgiveness of sin.
What about the other side of those scales? On the one side, all that guilt has been accumulated.
What about the other side?
Or I know the natural thought of many is that on the other side we may hopefully place.
Those good things which we trust, God has also observed in our lives.
What shall we say about such a concept?
God's Word, not mine. God's Word solemnly declares there is none good.
No, not one. God's Word declares. All our righteousnesses are as.
Filthy rags.
God's Word declares these things. God's Word says not.
By works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy.
He saved.
Frame, I beg of you to paint heed to what God points out in a fifth chapter of Daniel.
Thou, thou art waves in the balances, and found wanting.
00:15:07
It's a wonderful thing to discover this during the moment of time.
During the day of God's matchless grace, it's a frightening discovery.
It's a discovery that made me tremble. It's a discovery I tried to forget about. Thank God he would not let me forget about it night after night. It troubled me to know that the accumulation of my guilt was rising higher and higher.
And astonished to stand here and say this, when I knew all the while that the God of love had spent his Son to redeem my guilty souls.
When I meet those whose hearts have been opened to receive the wondrous story of God's love, and I remember how often I spurned it, I marvel.
We were prevalent just very recently.
To stand by the bedside of a dear young man who had just escaped from Communist China. He had risked his life to swim out from that land.
And for the first time in his life.
He had heard before our arrival, he had heard.
The name of Diva. He had never heard it before.
We met him on a leper island.
There he sat in bed, a leper.
It just undergone surgery for a deformed hand. It was swathed in bandages and throbbing with pain. But I wish you could have seen the face of that dear young leper about 20 years of age.
He had just recently heard for the first time the name.
Of Jesus.
And I can see his face yet as he raised those pitiful hands.
And with joy hold off of what it meant to him to have his guilt slotted out by the precious blood of Christ.
In the midst of the pain and in the midst of a heartache of that disease.
His soul filled with joy to know that his guilt was gone. He was on the wrong side of that gulf for about 20 years, but by the grace of God when he heard the glorious news of salvation through the precious blood of Christ.
He bowed and accepted the failures. And thy knoweth I stand here.
But he's still on that same bed with that same affliction.
But I know that if you were to look upon him and mention one word.
Jesus, you would see that face light up with joy. Oh friend, I'm here to present to you the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior, for I see you tonight.
On the wrong side of that great gulf.
Respectable it may be so. Religious, it may be so.
A beloved friend, the hands of religion in this world are stained with the blood of Jesus Christ. You know that's badly true. I'm not here to preach religion. I'm not here to present a creed. I'm here to tell you on the authority of God's precious word, that those who once stood on the wrong side, the guilty side, the condemned side of that great gulf.
Many have now been made to know with joy and with certainty.
That they are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
That we turn then again to Ephesians chapter one, in whom we have redemption through His blood. Oh, I want to pause and go over this slowly, that the precious and glorious simplicity of a gospel of the grace of God may not be lost in words of my own.
In whom we have redemption through.
His blood is it possible to possess at a certain fact?
That which is here spoken of as redemption. I know that it is so commonly held.
00:20:06
That these things cannot be known with certainty until we reach the other side, and then, and not until then, will that great balance be brought forward, our good deeds put on one side and our sins upon the other, and then it will be determined which destiny we are worthy to experience. This is not what the Word of God declares. The Word of God declares with fallen.
That here and now, as you sit in this meeting room, you are either redeemed, hardened, cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.
Or you are guilty. You are condemned already. This is the language of God's Word. You are on your way, as we were solemnly and repeatedly reminded last night.
You're on your way.
To eternal hell.
At the word, that's not very often used.
Eternal hell. Is it true? Is it a reality? Friend, I believe you know.
That the most loving heart that ever beats here upon earth was none other than the heart of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. The most loving words that ever were uttered upon this earth were uttered by the lips of a Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. And yet no other lit spoke more faithful of the awful reality of eternal hell.
In the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I would be an unfaithful servant if I left any other impression before you this site than this solemn, solemn reality.
You're bound for hell, for you are redeemed by the blood of Christ and on your road to glory.
There is a great gulf. God's Word declares it. It's not.
A flattering thing to speak about. There is no middle ground between the two. No place where a respectable religious citizen might fit in without knowing the reality of redemption and yet shunning the awful horror of knowing that you are guilty. There is no middle ground. The only thing between the two is that.
Great go you are on either one side or the other.
How, friend, I was once all that guilty. Sigh. Those stains of sin were there under the eye of God.
As my record grew greater and greater, I thank God that my conscience was touched with a fence of my guilt. I realized the eye of God upon me day and night. And the day came when, by God's matchless grace.
Alone in my room.
And not many days from this state, it was the first day of January.
A new year to me in more ways than one.
I bowed my knees, and I owned silently before God.
That I was indeed guilty? That I was lost. Could I remember every stain of guilt? Of course, ma.
But God had the entire record and in my lost and guilty conditions.
When I lifted up my hard hook to him whom I knew loved guilty sinners and claimed that cleansing power of the freshest blood of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and opened my Bible to John chapter 5 and verse 24. And these were the words that greeted my eyes. Verily, verily, I say unto you.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me.
Ha everlasting life.
And shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto light.
Is it alright to trust such words as these? Oh, if they were the words of any human creed, I might well doubt them.
But I knew that this was the word of God. I knew that these were the words of my precious Savior. And that night I rose from my knees with the joy of knowing that the stains of guilt were gone. That instead of being on the guilty side of that great gulf, instead of hearing those thundering words, weighed in the balances and found wanting.
00:25:15
I knew that I at last could say with a thankful heart.
In whom I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
According to the riches of his grace.
May I go just one step farther because I know there are here tonight.
Boys and girls whose parents love the Lord feed us. They have prayed earnestly for you. I have no beside parents who have prayed with the tears running down their teeth for their sons and daughters. Oh dear boys and girls, tell me, have you ever knelt as by God's grace I have.
To own that you were lost, to own that you were guilty, and to receive from the hand of God that which He offers so lovingly.
Of all those stains of guilt, the blotting away forever of that record by the precious blood of his own dear Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, have you done so?
I wait a moment while you answer this silently, friend in your own heart.
Have you done so?
Have you accepted Christ as your Savior?
Is it difficult to understand?
I visited one time in the hospital in Smith Falls.
There were four patients in this particular room.
But I had been asked to go to see a certain one, and I read to her. I remember well from John's gospel. She listens very eagerly. And when I was finished, he said, oh, that's beautiful, That's so lovely. Thank you so much for coming and reading those beautiful verses to me. That is so lovely.
But I didn't know whether she had really accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior.
It was my last visit in a matter of hours. She was in eternity. But she said again and again, thank you so much for coming. It was so lovely of you to rebuild verses to me.
What should I say? There was number other visitor in the room.
The other three were watching us and this is what I said.
There are those here who know her, and I better omit her name, I said to her, Lady, let me imagine, though. I have entered this room with four bottles of medicine, one for each of the four who are sick in this room. I come to you and set the medicine down and proclaim this fact. If you will take this medicine in one hour you will be.
In sound health and ready to leave the hospital and you sit, lie back in your bed and say thank you so much for coming.
I am so glad you came, you have been so kind to be and I do appreciate it.
I move on to the next bed and that Lady was watching me pretty carefully and I said I'm going to imagine that this lady.
Rudely reject my interference and tells me to mind my own business.
So I move over to the third lady and by this time she was watching and the third lady says, Sir, I'm really quite interested in what you have to offer, but I would like time to think it over. Could you come back next week and repeat this offer to me?
There is one more.
But I turned to the fourth lady, who was wondering what her picture might be, and I said, and I'm going to suppose that the fourth lady promptly removed the cover and take the remedy. Which one of the four will receive any benefit from that which was offered? Only one. One was very polite and very grateful, and left the medicine right by her bedside.
One rudely told me to mind my own business.
One said she would like to think it over. Will I please come back next week? And one of the four took the remedy. Or, beloved friend, there's no time to think it over. I beg of you, I plead with you as God's Word is true, to remember that it speaks the truth when it points to you, beloved friend, and reminds you once more, perhaps for the last time.
00:30:12
But if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you are on the guilty side of that great ghost.
Then God solemnly pronounces these words, and I repeat them again and again.
And hope they will ring in your ears, till they are no longer true of you thou.
Aren't we in the balances?
Found wanting and there is a remedy. Oh, I turn back to this again with joy.
In whom we have redemption.
Through his blood.
This is what it costs God to redeem the One who stands before you tonight.
This is what it costs God that you and thy might even open this book and read the wondrous author of his grace. I stay with my hand upon his birth. It cost God the life blood of his own Son that you might even read this verse tonight. Remember as you read it, friends, remember as you look at these words that you'll never.
Never forget them, never his true friend. There are at this moment, as we are gathered here together for this gospel meeting, thousands of souls already in a lost eternity.
As far as you are sitting. And they listened to the gospel of the grace of God. They heard such warnings as this, and they knew true that they were true.
They knew that they could not rise up and say, God has not written down one stain against me.
You know, friend, that you record as mine was, has been stained with guilt. You know too, if you never knew it before, that God Word declares with glorious invitation in whom we have redemption through His blood.
Oh, I know, I have been accused of great presumption to speak with certainty as to these matters.
And have been spoken to thus by those whom I hoped would have known better.
Leaders of religion, oh friend, I turn not to such things for my confidence.
I turn to the authority of God's own word, and I dare not look up from the pages of this book and say I wish I could believe it. I dare not look up from God's testimony and say I hope it's true. Is it humility to speak the It's not, friends. It's an insult to the God who paid such a price that you and I might read such a verse as this.
What did he pay? Could he just reach over and rescue me from all my guilt?
And transplant me to the other side of that great gulf. No, God Himself could not do such a thing. God in infinite love, according to John 316, so loved the world that He gained His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have.
Everlasting life. God looked down at me.
Lost them guilty. God looked at his beloved Son. O may I say it in all reverence?
And God loved me so much that he spent his son.
To bear my guilt. Picture with me that scene upon the cross.
There, on either side of the cross, not far distant the one from the other, where two thieves remember that.
Two things, not one better than the other, not one deserving of heaven and the other deserving of hell. Both alike guilty before God and man.
And the hour of their death was near at hand.
And one of the two turned and said we are indeed guilty.
We receive a due reward of our deeds and turning to the blessed Savior who hung upon the middle cross, he said, Lord.
Remember Me?
Lord, Remember Me when thou cometh into thy Kingdom.
Did he receive an answer? Oh thank God for that answer.
Verily the met a grand word, all the certainty of God behind it. Barely I send to thee today. Shall thou be with me in paradise?
00:35:15
That he trumped the word like that. You know he could and he did.
Not long after, the Roman soldier came up that hillside.
And found that very thief struggling in the last agonies of his.
Of his suffering.
And with a stroke of his spear, he broke the leg of that.
Writhing man, his head went down upon his bosom in death, and he was gone.
Where did he go, friend? Where did he go? According to the word of the Lord Jesus Christ, he went straight home to paradise to spend eternity with his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. What about the stains of guilt? What about them? Both hands which had been outstretched in deeds of violence and wickedness, were nailed to the cross, and he could do not one thing.
Those feet which had trodden the path of the transgressor were nailed to the cross. He could go nowhere.
His heart was free, His tongue was free. With his heart, he believes accepted the Lord Jesus Christ when his tongue turned and confessed him and the guilt that would have sent that man to an eternal hell.
Was taken from him and laid instead upon the Holy One, who hung upon the middle cross.
God must punish sin. God will punish sin, and the strokes of God's judgment against the sins of that malefactor fell instead upon the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who hung up on the middle cross. My Savior, my Redeemer, my substitute. Oh friend, I present him to you this night.
When he appealed to his people, Israel enslaved in the land of Ethiopia. That I will redeem you.
With a stretch out arm.
With a stretched out arm, he redeemed 2 million people from the land of Egypt.
But it took both arms outstretched to redeem the one who stands here tonight.
The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, stretched through His arms there from a cross, while the birds of my guilt was laid upon Him, and the strokes of God's judgment that ought to have fallen upon me fell instead upon Him who took my place upon Him who alone could bridge that great gulf, for the gulf existed still.
On the other side of that cross was a malefactor's no better and no worse than the one who hung on this side, He mocked.
He rejected. He refused to own his guilt. He refused to turn and accept the Savior.
And the same soldier came and broke his leg.
But one last gasp. He was gone into eternity.
Friend, he went to hell.
He went into the blackness of darkness and he's there tonight. That was a long time ago.
He's there yet, my friend. The great gulf that separated them during those last moments was fixed forever. One with Christ in glory and one in outer darkness. Oh, friend, as I look out over this company, as I see sitting side by side those who have come to hear the gospel, I say again, could be that that gulf exists between you and the one who sits beside.
Perhaps you know so well that that one beside you is a child of God claimed by the precious blood of Christ, and you know just as truly that this is not the case with you. Come back again to a seasons one and seven in whom we have redemption through His blood. That precious blood was exalted tonight.
Let man mark it as they will.
It will be the theme of our song throughout the course of Glory for all Eternity.
And tonight I look to that cross, and I see a soldier Pierce the side of my blessed Savior.
And from that wounded fight and death there flowed that precious blood.
00:40:02
That has cleansed me. Thank God from every stain of guilt I have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins, they're gone.
That page upon which that record was guilt is now quieter than snow.
God's word declares, and I love to think of it.
Worth it is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Be a wonderful thing to know, but all that record of guilt which you might wish to forget, God declares can be covered.
But more than that, God's Word goes on to declare.
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away.
Taketh away the sin of the world.
Its grand to have that transgression covered, but the word of God declares taketh away the sin of the world. Again we turn a little farther, and we find, Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man the Lord Jesus Christ is preached unto you, the forgiveness of sin.
Grander still covered, gas taken away. Thank God. Forgiven. True, forgiven.
Peter comes forward and tells us Christ Jesus through his own self for our sins.
In his own body, on the cross.
Tom comes forward and tells us the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sins. The word of God further declares Isaiah 43. I even I am he that loteth out by transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Anymore, they're blotted out.
They're gone, they're forgiven, they're cleansed, they're taken away. Every charge that could be laid against the one who trusts in Christ is gone, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace. Can we turn back now to Luke's gospel and read again that verse?
Which we read at the beginning in the 16th chapter of Luke.
Luke chapter 16, verse 26.
And beside all this.
Between US and you, there is a great gulf.
Six, I didn't read that word at the beginning of this meeting may 'cause I'm addressing those who are still.
In the land of the living, I am addressing those who still are the objects of God's long-suffering mercy. And I must say it to you in truth, the great gulf is there, not yet sick.
But it might be this very night. May I remind you, beloved friend, as we are gathered here together, that the hour is rapidly approaching when that great gulf will be finally and forever.
6:00 So that they which would pass from thence to you cannot.
Oh, there are those who would tell us that after much suffering and many prayers.
There is a possibility of escaping the suffering that face a lost soul after death.
God's Word declares otherwise. Where do I go? He cannot come, says the Lord sees us of those who reject him. And here we find a thick gulf separating for all eternity, forever and forever. What the good from the bad?
No.
The redeemed. The redeemed from those who spurned the offer of God's matchless grace.
Oh, what a guilty world this is in which I stand this night. I stand amazed that I should see the end of 1970 and be privileged in such a date to present the gospel of the grace of God.
00:45:03
From the day the Lord Jesus Christ was cast out and crucified, the long-suffering of God is astonishing to witness.
Forgive the reference.
Beloved friend I I say my soul is.
From the dark caverns of the catacombs, from the blood stained sand of the Coliseum, and from the rack and the dungeon of Europe in the dark ages, they ringed out of testimony of man's rejection of the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the cleansing virtue of the precious blood of Christ. And God looked down on all that.
And still lingers. 1970. I can hardly comprehend it.
I'm still here. I am a trophy of that long-suffering grace. I'm glad he waited for me.
He's waiting yet to make.
But I cannot promise you tomorrow that girl which now separates the redeemed from the lost may be fixed before this night is ended.
6 old friends fixed forever. And to think, to think that now, as I stand here, there are those whom I have known, beside whom I personally have sat in such meetings as these, who are gone out into eternity.
Without crying, they heard it. They heard it, and they heard it again. The offer of forgiveness at the cost of the blood of Christ was presented to them with faithfulness and with love. They rose up from their chair again and again, guilty and lost.
And rejecting or neglecting that wondrous offer of God, love. And now they're gone.
Remember one young man? I'll tell you only his first name, Wesley.
At the close of a gospel meeting, I was there and saw it happen.
Wesley walked up to the preacher that night and said I've made my decision.
All the speaker was glad to hear that, he said. I have decided that if God will give me 7 years of pleasure, I'll go to hell for it.
Can you imagine the horror of the preacher as he heard that decision?
I have decided that if God will give me 7 years of pleasure.
I am willing to go to hell for it.
The preacher fled with him that night. Wesley, take it back. You don't mean it. Yes, I do. Wesley, take it back. Stay tonight and accept Christ as your Savior. I mean it. You heard my bargain.
I want Wesley of those seven years began to roll by. Part of it was spent in terrible suffering in the hospitals. Part of it was spent behind prison bars.
And before the seven years were ended, Wesley met with a sudden, tragic, awful, flaming death.
Wesley's in eternity. God loved that boy. God played with that boy. Christ died that he might have his sin forgiven, and Wesley made that awful bargain. I know there's no one here tonight who would utter such words as these, that all beloved friends who are very indifferent as you rise up from your feet.
Without accepting Christ as your Savior, you do so at the peril of your soul's eternal destiny.
There are now souls in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there are now souls in the darkness of a lost eternal. The gulf for them is sick. Not yet for you, beloved friend, May I repeat those two verses, and may I ask you as I do.
The answer solemnly in your own soul, On which side of that gulf am I at this very moment?
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. Is it true of you?
It can be this very moment.
You need not wait till the meeting is over and do or say something spectacular now, right now, where you sit, beloved friends, you may receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. You may accept from Him that pardon, that redemption which cost him the sharing of His own life blood. If this is not your testimony, if you cannot stay with me, as I said, by the grace.
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God, in whom I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
I charge you before God to remember that you stand on the other side of that.
Great God and the finger of God points down this moment toward you and says, thou.
Thou art weighed in the balances, not the balances of your neighbors, but the balances of God, and are found wanting. Oh, May God grant that not one may leave this room tonight until this matter is settled.
Handmade May I request of those of us who know the Lord Jesus.
Christ of our Savior.
When this meeting is over.
We may not forget that eternal issues are at stake. There may be someone beside you, someone behind you who is a stranger to God's love and with whom the Spirit of God is working. Now, friend, you wouldn't want to spoil that by some thoughtless attitude when the meeting is over.
May God grant us for the glory of His own name.
There may be souls turned from darkness to light, from guilt to pardon, tonight.
Balaams Prophecy
Address—A.M. Barry
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23rd chapter of Numbers.
Numbers.
And the 23rd chapter. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here 7 altars.
And prepare me here 7 oxen and seven Rams.
And Vela did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a Bullock and a ram. And Balaam said unto bailiffs, Stand by thy bird offering.
And I will go for adventure. The Lord will come to meet me and whatsoever he showeth me.
I will tell thee. And he went to a high place.
And God met Balan, and he said unto him, I have prepared 7 altars, and I offered upon every altar a Bullock and a ram.
And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto deluxe, and thus hath thou speak.
And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by the burnt sacrifice, he and all the Princess of Moab.
And he took up his parable and said, Billick, the king of Moab, has brought me from Iran out of the mountains of the east, saying, come curse me, Jacob, and come defy Israel.
How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed, Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied? Far from the tops of the rocks I see him.
And from the hills I behold him. Lo, the people shall dwell alone.
And shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob?
And the number of the fourth part of Israel. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his. And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and behold, our hats bless them altogether.
Now it's a remarkable fact that.
God made use on this occasion of a wicked man named Balaam.
To give four of the most remarkable prophecies that you'll find in the whole range of Scripture.
It shows God's sovereignty that He can use.
Any vessel that he pleases to take up.
Or his own glory.
I have thought that Balaam was like Judas Iscariot of the New Testament, and the Lord chose Judas, although he was an unsaved man, and gave him the power to heal the sick and to cleanse the lepers and to open the eyes of the blind and even raise the dead.
And I'm sure that Judas must have been a wonderful creature.
Perhaps there are people in heaven that were saved.
Through the preaching of Judas is carried.
So we are not to be confused if men that are not real have been and are used.
In the presentation of the truth from God's Word, of course we know, and it's a solemn thing to know that it was only head knowledge that had never reached the conscience, never reached the heart.
Well, on this occasion.
It seemed the logical time for Satan to make one final attack.
To prevent God's people, Israel, from getting into the Promised Land.
They had failed so badly and so sadly that it would seem that things were right, that a terrible curse might be brought upon them.
And Satan always has his instruments ready. And so Balak the Son, the king of Moab, sent for Balaam.
This false prophet, although he was a prophet, apart from his being false.
For we read that in the New Testament. How?
The ******* speaking in man's voice for bad. The madness of the prophet.
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And he knew a lot about what was pleasing to Jehovah, you know, about sacrifices. And the number seven was prominent in his thoughts.
But he loved the wages of unrighteousness.
And he heard again before him, and he truly desired to carry out Bates wishes, and to bring this curse upon the children of Israel.
And I doubt not that the Angel meeting him on the way.
And would have killed him had it not been for the *******. So I filled Balen with fear that he dared not communicate anything but what God or the Lord told him when he met him to communicate.
Well, now here is a very remarkable prophecy we read. As I said, there are four prophecies that we find.
I don't. I'll have to wait and see how much time we have to.
Who enter into these four prophecies, they're very full and very complete. Take us right on to the end of the whole, the whole councils of God in connection with this world. A marvelous display of God's counsels and wisdom.
But the first prophecy we have read, and it's interesting to notice what he says in the eighth verse. How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?
Or isn't that marvelous, beloved young people and Saints of God, to think that although we deserve to curse?
If ever people deserved a curse, it's ourselves. But instead of that, God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Or just think of all the blessings that are ours in His wondrous ways with us.
And God will not permit the enemy to bring the curse which he was sold.
Light to bring on God's children and beloved we know something that balaam didn't enter into or hadn't been revealed that the reason why there's no curse is because on the cross our blessed Lord and savior was made a curse for us as he hung there as one of the.
Subjects of the death of Christ, that he was made a curse.
And now there's no curse can ever come upon the fabulous believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Balaam looked over from the tops of the hills, from the tops of the rocks.
His whole mind was thrilled with the sight that lay there before him, this remarkable nation that had come up out of Egypt and we're now on the borders of the land that God had promised to Abraham and to his seed. But you notice that the the first thing specially that he has to mention.
In the 10th verse.
Or the ninth verse, he says, Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
The first thought in this prophecy is separation.
The people shall dwell alone. They should not be reckoned among the nations.
Now we know that.
In the Old Testament times that God called a nation.
From all the nations of the world to himself.
And gave them a favored land where they had his sanctuary and where they had earthly blessings.
Well now God still has a people here on this earth. Wonderful to think of this planet with all the misery and sorrow that still God has a people.
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But instead of God having a nation like Israel.
God has people that have been called out of this world through the gospel.
And when brought to the knowledge of Christ as Savior, they have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and thus they form the body of Christ.
Instead of God's people being.
Located in one part of the world, they're scattered all over the world.
Every part of the globe God has a people.
Angela Lavigne, isn't that precious and wonderful that if Israel were God's people of all that you and I through grace.
Are His people at this present time only with infinitely higher and greater blessings than God's earthly people were ever given?
But what God desired for his people, Israel is what he desires for his people today, and that is that they should be a separated a separate people. Let's think of it in this simple plain language we have brought here before us where he says.
The law. The people shall dwell alone. They shall not be reckoned.
Among the nations, that was what was the desirable.
That was beautiful in the eyes of Jehovah to find a sea of people down here.
Separated from the nations of the world, those ungodly Amorites and Moabites and Hittites and so on that were worshipping false gods, to have a people here on earth that he could look down and say, there's my people.
But to be, to give satisfaction to his his heart, they must be a separated people. They were not to be reckoned among the nations.
And you know that.
Word separation. It cuts deep, doesn't it?
For naturally we like to be like others, and that was what brought Israel down to to the ways of the nations.
The time came when they said to Samuel, make us a king.
That we may be like all the nations of the world.
And oh, how deeply Jehovah felt that Samuel wept all night over it. And the Lord told him in the morning, he says they haven't rejected you, they have rejected me. And just think of that beloved young friends here this afternoon, that when you express the same desire that they expressed that you want to be like others in this world.
That you want to copy their styles and their ways and their behavior.
Thank God the Lord feels about it.
Yes, he, as it were, is saying.
As though you and me.
That you haven't rejected some, some friend or some person that you looked up to down here, but you've rejected that blessed one who loves you and gave himself for you.
Now this subject of separation is a subject that could be followed with.
And for many different scriptures, for surely God has that.
Ever in mind, in connection?
With his thoughts.
And his desires for his people.
There's a saying that that is true.
And has a lot of meaning to it, and it's this.
That.
Separation.
As that separation from evil is God's principle of unity.
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I read a tract on the plane coming here that was written by a most honored servant of Christ.
And I got a love, light and help from reading that.
For this statement is most true and important for us to know.
That.
Separation from evil is God's principle of unity.
That is, we can't go on with evil and be really on the under the guidance of the Spirit of God that would unite us together in a way that is for the glory of Christ. But here is the point that this.
Servant of Christ makes.
And if I remember it rightly, that while we could say that separation from evil is God's principle of unity, it's not the power of unity. The power of unity is grace.
And I'll just seek to point out a few things that I learned in and reading this where I feel I need it equally as much as all the dear young people. And everyone here needs to know more of that grace that really separates us from those things that dishonor.
Our blessed Lord, that's the power of.
Of that which separates us, you know, if it was just merely a matter of separating from ecclesiastical.
Evil or separating from moral evil, or breaking connection with those that are worthy or being stirred up to.
To judge the the styles and the ways of the world if it was really merely a matter of.
Of legality.
The effect would be that it would exalt itself.
Oils have separated from other groups of Christians because there was evil among them. And I'm not going on with this worldly group because it isn't right and consistent, But if, if it's only that mere separation that is important in itself.
While there would only be in the end the exaltation of self, but all beloved young friends and all here.
When we think of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, what a difference that surely makes. One thinks of that verse, You know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he were rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.
All the power that has if it's only admitted in its reality into the soul.
The grace of that one who was the highest, the lifted up one, the one that inhabiteth eternity, laying aside all his glory and coming down into this world, a lonely stranger to pass through this world and there to to win those so far away from God.
And then to lay down his precious life to save them.
Now you will find, I believe, beloved, that where the subject of separation is brought before us in Scripture, that you will also find that it has that.
That special power of grace connected with it one thinks of worldly.
Our social separation. And if you'll turn with me to the 6th chapter of Second Corinthians.
I'm sure we've all had this read to us.
The 14th verse be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with video?
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Or what part hath he that believeth was an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God.
As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.
Therefore come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, that the Lord Almighty.
Now before the apostle brings in this word of exhortation.
You have brought before us.
His path of service.
I couldn't say I won't take the time of bringing this.
Side of things, but just notice a few things.
In the ninth verse, as unknown, and yet well known as dying. And behold, we live as Jason did not kill. How sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all things. And now here is his way of approach.
Instead of justice taking up the subject, come out from among them and be a separate. See how he approaches it. Oh, ye Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged. You're not straightened in us, but ye are straightened in your own vows. Now for a reconstance in the same I speak as unto my children.
Be also enlarged.
Isn't that a wonderful approach of grace in the heart of the inspired apostle to exercise laws there at corn, who are reigning as kings when they should be realizing that they were strangers and pilgrims in this world?
Well, that's just one place where separation is approached by the wonderful grace of God.
And when it has reached the soul in that way, I'm sure there is that effect. Wherefore come out from the moment.
Or think about the grace of God has done for you. I'll come out from among them, and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing. And what does he say? Oh, he says, I will receive you, and ye shall be my son and daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty. I don't think, beloved, that you and I can.
Can consider too much what the grace of God.
Has done for our souls well you know it's only on the ground of grace that we.
Have salvation by grace. You are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It has the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. And then we get in in Romans 5. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by which also.
Well, I'll have to read it as the by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
And rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
So it was grace that saves us, and its grace that keeps us who we can't keep ourselves beloved. And I believe the more we're occupied with His wondrous grace to us along the way of our our Pilgrim journey, the more we'll be preserved from getting entangled into the ways of this godless world.
Just think about grace. It was.
From the heart of our blessed Lord to go to Calvary's cross and suffer that shameful death there in our stead. Think of all that He endured for us there lifted up.
And The Walking crowd deriding him and insulting him and telling him to come down to the from the cross and they would believe him. He endured all that. Why was it beloved? Was it because there was anything good in you and me to draw out such love?
None at all when we were yet without strength. Yay. When we were enemies we were reconciled. And God by the death of His Son. Oh, what a wonderful subject. Grace is, beloved, and you'll find the same thing in connection with separation from ecclesiastical error.
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In the 13th chapter of.
Hebrews.
I'm sure we are all familiar with that word. Let us go forth, therefore, unto him.
Without the camp bearing his reproach, for here have we no continuing city?
But we seek one to come. But before that call is given. Let us go therefore unto Him. Without the camp. We have this.
Brought before us in the 12Th verse. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Then let us go forth therefore unto Him, suffering without the gate of Jerusalem.
What is brought before us is this, to see that blessed One whose black back was bleeding with a cruel Roman scourge. He'd been spit upon. He'd been struck in the head where the crown of thorns was driven down into his blessed brow.
Then he takes up that cross to go to that calvary's hill, to die and suffer for our sakes. Now the apostle brings that side of the grace of God before us, and then he says, Let us go forth therefore unto him. Oh yes, there is a reproach that's connected with going out to a rejected Christ. But when we lay hold.
Of what that grace has accomplished for us, beloved.
Then there is power in that grace to leave any system that is is of man, and to go out to a rejected Christ, And there will be the courage then, and the strength to to bear his reproach in this world where he is still the outcast and rejected 1.
Well, I just call attention to this.
Beloved, because I believe the tendency of our poor hearts is to become legal, and even when it's a matter of discipline.
There is this side of things we should not forget because sometimes, and I know that I'm no better than others and I know I failed a lot in this very connection that we would like to rid ourselves of troublesome people. And sometimes it seems that discipline is the only way to bring this about.
No, I'm not in any way condemning discipline, for we cannot go on with evil as gathered to the Lord's name. Evil must be judged, and if there is the various kinds of evil that are causing distress or corrupting the testimony, we're responsible to.
To exercise discipline towards it. But all, beloved, let's not forget that grace.
That would seek to win the earring one, you know, in connection with that instruction we get in the 18th chapter of Matthew where we get personal trespass.
The word is there. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Oh, that is a prominent thought, isn't it? Thou hast gained thy brother.
If that was more the desire and exercise of soul to gain those who are out of the way, I'm sure they would be many that would be recovered and restored and not go on and the path of disobedience. Now in what I've been saying, and perhaps I'm talking to a class more my own age.
But I felt led to bring this line of things before us.
Here this afternoon.
It's in no way to.
To.
To compromise with what is evil and wrong, whether it be an ungodly ways positive moral evil or whether it be ecclesiastical evil. I'm not in any way.
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Of giving.
Giving or seeking to give the impression that we want to just.
Cover up evil and make a nice story out of what is positively wrong and and dishonouring to the Lord. Now that is not my intention at all, because the only way that evil is really corrected is when it is absolutely judged and confessed and the whole thing is out. And then there is full and happy and blessed restoration. Now that is lovely.
And wonderful. But what I am seeking to set before us is this the importance, beloved of the of that power of grace in connection with our dealings with one another that will have power to to correct many things that otherwise would not be corrected.
Well.
We just have this brought before us in the most remarkable occasion and the most remarkable way.
He says.
Lo, the people shall dwell alone. They shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Now I know that no amount of scolding or is going to change a lot of the customs that have been adapted from this.
Evil, corrupt world through which we're passing. I do not think that that is God's way of of correcting what?
As wrong and grievous to see, and which we surely mourn.
But all if the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was more before our souls.
I'm sure then there would be power in the lives of those who are affected and who are copying.
The customs and ways of this godless world would be truly judged and there would be a testimony that would be to the honor and glory of our blessed Lord.
You know in the all through the history of the Church of God and there have been overcomers and there are only two classes when we think of God's children.
They overcome and the overcomers, we're going to put ourselves in either of these two classes.
Well, do we want to be overcomers? Oh, that's a marvelous thing to be among the.
Overcomers who have gone through the very same temptations and trials that God's people have gone through through the ages, and yet they have been able through that infinite grace in having Christ before them, Count the cost. And though they were ridiculed and laughed at and became just.
Subject of mockery for others because of their odd ways, yet they had the peace and joy in their souls of doing that which was pleasing to our blessed Lord. Well beloved, we can all be overcomers.
And if you get only that before your souls of that wonderful grace.
That has been loud, safe to you what that grace has done for your soul before you, and what that grace is yet to do for you. For you know, Peter tells us that.
We are to gird up the loins of our minds and to well again my memory feels as I quote this verse in first Peter one, he says.
To gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end for that grace.
That has to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So if it's grace, it saves us, it's grace that keeps us, and it's grace that's to be revealed.
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Here at the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Well, you know what God is going to reward in that coming day.
Is that grace that hath been wrought out in your life? And mine will not be boasting of having a crown up there. Ah, we'll give him all the glory. Indeed, it will be like those we read of in the 5th chapter or the 4th chapter of Revelation. They cast their crowns before him, as they say, thought worthy.
But all beloved young folks this afternoon and all present.
Are you hindering that grace from working in your heart of this moment? Do you resist the word?
You say I prefer to go on. Would you rather miss that high honor? Would you rather be among the overcome that among the overcomers?
Well, God leaves the choice with you. Which will it be?
Has that grace of power over your soul or beloved, let us look into this matter carefully and may it be true of God's people, all that we seek to walk through this world with with that.
As villain says here.
Law. The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
I know it isn't a very easy thing to be alone to be.
Object of the smears of others, but may the Lord give us.
That desire that comes through a knowledge of His grace to really judge those things that are so dishonouring to Him and surely grieve His blessed heart so that we might walk more for His glory, for His own beloved will be in His presence.
With him and like him forever.
John 14 and John 15 Reading
Reading
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We read the word, brethren, not so much to know.
That's where the this heady mindedness comes in. But we read the word of God to do.
And if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, or know of the teaching.
I've often told those dear Latins that we read the Word of God not merely to know. It's good to know. The Lord knows that our very thoughts are a vacuum, so we needn't be very proud about it anyway. We read the Word of God.
Not to know, but to do. I think it's very important problem.
Preparing his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to enjoy one Father and to teach.
A great thing that characterizes the day in which we live is the coming of the Spirit of God.
It's the day of the Spirit of God. He's here and it's mentioned here that.
The Lord is praying that.
God would send the comforter that he might, or the Father would, that he might abide with you forever.
Now this is something, of course, that gives us an added assurance of our salvation. The believer knows that.
The Spirit is going to be with him forever. But then we have an added thought in the next verse and that is.
That he shall be in you. Now this was not true in this chapter was written, but it was true in the day of Pentecost. And so the power then of communion in the believers life is the Spirit indwelling. There is no communion outside of this, the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
And he's.
He was with them at that time.
About he's going to buy forever, but now we are assured from the book of Acts and other places that he has already come and he's indwelling the believer. And so we have the spirit mentioned here, but in a very unique way characteristic of John's gospel, and that is that he is the spirit of truth.
So that it's the constant and not only keeping our souls in communion, but also keeping our souls exercised as to that which is in keeping with the word of God, because there's no communion outside of this that our souls are exercised as to what the Word of God teaches us that we might act on it.
Isn't that beautiful there? He says. If you love me, keep my commandments.
When you contrast that with the 10 commandments.
They were. They were given on Mount Siding Island.
Mountain was all smoke.
Standing afar off, but what was the consequences of not keeping that law? There was nothing but judgment. Every transgression and disobedience received it. Just recompense of reward followed the giving of the law. But how different it is with the commandments of Christ.
He says if you love me, there's there is the power of keeping them love for Christ.
And instead of saying, if you fail, there will be judgment upon you that he says, I will give you another comforter, but if I'll give you the Holy Spirit to enable you to keep false commandments that are pleasing in my sight.
In connection with the 15th verse, I was thinking of the scripture in the 16th of Judges.
Says in our verse, If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16th chapter of Judges and verse 15. These are the words of Delilah to Samson.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?
It appears that Samson had told his wife he loved her, but she wanted a deeper proof than the mere expression of his lips.
She says, Your heart is not with me. Well, if our heart is not with Christ, if our affections are not drawn out to Him, where is the love? It's not merely the expression of our lips. We love the Lord, but we need to show it by obedience to His Word, and that our hearts affections might flow to Him in all its fullness because of His worthiness.
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The subject is continued, of course, in this chapter and in the 21St verse. The.
He says, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and so it supposes in Communion that we have his commandments.
And then it's supposed supposes also that we keep them and that's the test, is it not, of the law?
South Carolina, The circle of John and his commandments are not grievous.
So many think that to obey the Lord and.
Walk in his ways one would be depriving himself of the.
Everything that the heart naturally desires that it would be a very difficult, a very grievous path to walk in.
But the Spirit of God assures us that it's not a grievous path at all.
It's a happy path. That's what is really meant by the law of liberty, isn't it?
The law of Sinai was the law of *******.
For it only awakened in the heart the desire for the thing which the law itself for bad. But now the believer has the new nature, and he has dwelling in him God's Holy Spirit.
And so and walking in obedience to the Word.
And with love in the heart for Christ, there could not be a happier path through this scene. And you're losing nothing. You're gaining everything by walking in that path.
My yoke is easy, says the Lord, And my burden is light.
Most remarkable, how much we have in the Psalms that sets forth a new nature.
And take the 119 Psalm, for instance. There we we can read it and we can see that new nature expressing itself. It may not have a great deal of intelligence in many instances, but it's expressing after its kind. And one of the expressions is thy law. Do I love? And so the believer.
If he's walking in communion loves the word of God.
And even though it's a commandment to him that he may find interferes with the course he's in at present, he bounced to it because he loves the law of God, which is the word of God, of course. And he vows to it because of affection for Christ, because of that nature that he has. It isn't that we have to do certain things because we now are Christians, it's because we love to do these things.
Once we discover them.
We have the nature.
Yeah, our brother mentioned the perfect law of liberty. We get that twice. And the Epistle to James.
And in the Psalm 40 and the verse seven or eight.
As to the Lord Jesus, it says, yeah, I delight to do thy will, oh God. And so this perfect law of liberty is the exercise of that new nature in the power of the Spirit. And as to the 119th Psalm, you mentioned how much, how often we get such expressions as.
Draw me.
Incline my heart.
Quicken thou me, and also many expressions of the godly desire, the attitude that the new nature has to want to please the Lord.
What a wonderful transition is quickly for us. In these verses we think of those apostles who were just about to see the departure of the one with whom they have been associated.
And although they did not yet know, the Lord knew their hearts would be in deep trouble to see Him leave them, or they had been completely dependent upon Him and every need He had graciously provided in their walk. But now He was to leave them. And we have read before how, as He spoke to them of His receipts.
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And things to come. They understood not what things he said unto them.
No 8000 or one who is to come, and what a probably divine title is given of that Holy Spirit be called the Comforter to comfort their heart. Supposing that no such provision existed, how sad these apostles and disciples would have been, and they would never, never have understood what took place.
And they would never be able to respond to the work of Calvary, for they would be responded over it. But God graciously provided.
In answer to that prayer of the Lord Jesus, and since the Holy Spirit, as we read in Acts 2:00 and 11:00, we are none the better than those of old we do would be without the response. We would be without enlightenment as to God's purposes for us, were it not for the Holy Spirit.
Who now indwells every believer we read in the first of these seasons?
That's true and how He will abide with us until the redemption of the purchased possession. And so if our hearts know a little something of responsibility, should we not be thankful that we have that Holy Spirit given to us?
And if our hearts are dull and we have no response?
The precious book is not of meaning to us. We find a little interest in it. Is that?
Something wrong with what God has provided? No, there's something wrong with me. We need to look inside and see what is it that hinders this comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, from drawing our hearts out that we enter into and enjoy the things of God. Well, I just propose that we can be most thankful.
For this wondrous indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every child of God.
Never to be taken from us, to see us right through until we're brought into the glory. We'll find an act. My 9th chapter and 31St. Very first walking in the theater of the Lord and in the comfort of the whole church.
Are there two ways here that the that the Lord will come to us?
In this chapter.
I refer first of all to the fact that he says if I go away, I will come again to you.
But also do we not have in this chapter?
That's coming now in Communion.
I believe that's mentioned twice. First himself and then the father a little later.
But really, in a sense, it's still his person.
And he does come.
He comes by the Spirit, of course, and the conditions upon which we might enjoy this.
Is obedience to his work because there can't be communion?
Without holiness, that is separation from evil, there can't be communion. And then we have the other side too, brethren, and that is.
The verse our brother read in in the end of Peter this morning at the beginning of our reading.
What manner of persons ought we to be the view of His coming? It isn't simply the fact of communion now how precious that is, but what manner of persons ought we to be in view of His coming Now? They're both in this chapter. I believe the fact that He's coming again for it now. If we're going to be in communion, there has to be holiness.
And if we're going to be in that state of Seoul?
That introduces us with an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Peter says, well, how about our conduct then? How about our communion? Because that's really the meaning there. I believe in Peter, the question of communion, state of soul.
Between.
The love, loving John's ministry and Peter's ministry.
John dwells.
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On the Lord's love for Him.
And Peter dwells more on his love for his Lord.
Herein we sometimes fail to understand.
Matters in view of this need of our behavior, but when we recognize that.
John's ministry deals with the Lord's love for him, and not our poor love for him, but the Lord's love for him, and not our who will love for the Lord Jesus. And it makes a great deal of difference, brethren.
Concerning our walk down here.
I will not leave you comfortless. Really should read. I will not leave you orphans.
That is when parents are taken away from their family.
It's more powerful.
Distressing thing, children left without parents who instruct them and to guide them. How helpless and how sad their position is. Well, the Lord assures his disciples who were mourning at the thought of his soon departure, that he wasn't leaving them, so they were just.
A company of orphans in this world, he says. I'm going to come to you.
And I believe you have the thought, Brother Lundeen, that the coming in this place is his coming in communion. But it's by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, isn't it?
The way we have, the enjoyment of the Lord along the way.
In connection with the orphans as the verse and Jeremiah 49 verse 11.
Says, leave thy fatherless children.
I will preserve them alive.
Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive and let thy widows trust in thee.
What words of confident encouragement.
Live communion is reciprocal. It works. It works both ways. To be in accord with God's Word and God to be in accord with our walk.
Now we can ask ourselves God in accord with our walk.
And if he is not, then we have no communion with him.
They come if I lie just once, it breaks up the communion.
Not your relationship, but the communion.
In connection with Brother Gill's remarks as to the provision that we have made for us, for the child of God, I think it's good well to keep in mind that the 16th verse. I will pray the Father that He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.
Because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.
But ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you then down in the.
26 verse.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, there the Comforter and the Holy Ghost is brought together, the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Now the 15th chapter.
And one more expression.
Verse 26.
But when the comforter is come, whom I will send you a send unto you from the Father.
Even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Maine, He shall testify of Me, and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. The full provision of the Holy Spirit in that office on high end. Glory for the believer.
As we go through this scene, what for it more do we need?
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Other than the Word of God and the Holy Spirit dwelling within, which is our teacher and takes of the things of Christ and ministers among to us the things of Christ, you will glorify Christ, not himself nor the individual, but he will glorify Christ in all instances. It's beautiful to see the provision, and in each case it is the Comforter.
And I believe here in John's Gospel, John was that one that leaned on the bosom of our blessed Lord. He learned the secrets of his heart. And so you have the relationship brought in in John's Gospel and John's epistle, the Father and the children and the Father's house.
It's been pointed out before.
But it might be well to notice, again in keeping with your remarks, Brother Growth, that we have this mentioned in all three of these chapters, the spirit of truth, the comforter, and in the verse that we're considering.
The father sends the comforter, but there seems to be a reason in each case.
Here, it's because they're orphans.
And so the father sends the comforter.
And he's going to bring all things to their remembrance.
But now in the 15th chapter, as our brothers expressed.
It's the Lord who sends the comforter, because when he goes on high, he receives the inheritance. He's the one who receives the inheritance, so he's going to send the comforter.
And this is in connection with testimony, as our brothers pointed out. But in the next chapter, you'll notice in the 5th, in the 16th chapter.
The 13 first.
And the Spirit simply comes on his own.
And when he does come?
The disciples are seen here as under persecution.
They're seen as those who are losing everything here. They're taking a place of rejection. If they've rejected me, they'll reject you. The Lord tells them so. He's going to show them things to come. They've lost everything here. He's going to show them things to come.
In Exodus 12, in connection with the communion, there are three things that characterize the children of Israel. First, was there to be sheltered by the blood of the lamb, there to feast upon the lamb, roast with fire, and they were to put leaven out of their houses? Well, now the presence or absence of level made no difference to their safety, but it did interfere with their communion.
Because it says.
And the 15.
Even the first day you should put away 11 out of your houses, for whosoever eateth leaven bread from the first end of the seven, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
So the presence or absence 11 There did not make any difference their safety, but I did interfere with their communion.
Another joke and another thought. If you allow there were two things in that chapter that they might eat. I think that's would suggest communion. One they could eat the roast lamb roast with fire. The other is they could eat unleavened bread. Both Speaking of Christ.
Isn't it remarkable?
In these three chapters in John that the comforter is always called the spirit of truth. Verse seventeen of our chapter and verse 26 of chapter 15 from verse 13.
Of chapter 16 and then one John.
The first Epistle of John.
Chapter 4.
And verse.
6 Hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.
In the.
19 First he had a little while, and the world sees me no more.
But ye see me because I live, ye shall live also.
Well, we know that isn't the site of the natural lives by with the eye of faith. We believe fully and absolutely what the Word tells us, that after the Lord had accomplished redemption's work, he went back to the Father and took his seat on high.
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That he's now there as as Hebrews 2 tells us.
Crowns of glory and honor.
And the apostle Paul gives us the same thought, where he says, we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor.
Isn't that a marvelous thing, that incommunion?
Faith, we have a real side of the Lord. Of course, it's not that we see as far as faith as we'll see His face when we meet him on the cloud, but still we see Him. We know Him there, and what a revelation that is to the soul. And then there's this too, that as he lives.
The Ash.
Because I live, you shall live also.
Well, the sight of Christ and glory, the eye upon Him develops.
The the life of the believer that goes on in communion I fixed on Christ. Then we enjoy the true life that belongs to the one who has in all this blessing.
Doing racism for the washing of the feet though, are they not?
And one of them, of course, as you mentioned, is the cleansing away the defilement. But after a day's journey, one likes to be refreshed. And if we're going to be in the Father's house, we have to not only be clans from defilement, but we have to be refreshed. And that's one of the reasons for washing the feet, so that we might be in a state of soul.
That can enter into communion. We know that if we we rush to a meeting.
We might be clean enough, but it's good to be refreshed and quiet before we get to the meeting so we'll be able to enter into the things that the Spirit of God would would bring before us. If I watch enough, they'll have no part with me.
The Washington would take away the defilement in order that they might be in communion.
It's nice to remember the two chapters in this way. In chapter 13, it's preparing.
Them for the place in chapter 14 at preparing the place for them.
And this expression in the verse 19 is very precious, yet a little while we have that expression mentioned seven times in four verses in the 16th chapter.
How lovely this is. What an encouragement to those dear disciples. The Lord says a little while, seven times in four verses, beginning of the 16th. We have the same expression in the Epistle of the Hebrews for yet a little while. How encouraging these words should be to us today, beloved Saints of God, to know that we're not here for a long time. It's only a little while. And if there are any here today, discouraged because of the journey, remember the Lord's words. It's.
A little while.
Is there a thought in connection with the last part of that verse?
Relative to.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Actually, it goes on to his new heavenly position.
Because I live.
Ye shall live also.
In first no no. In Romans 59.
Is it 9? Maybe the next verse to it? Let us see.
Romans 510.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, that settled that much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved that is now not future, by His living up there for us.
Will be saved by his present life on high. That's a guarantee.
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Another verse is in Hebrews 7, verse 25. Is it? It may be.
That he ever liveth.
On high to make intercession for us his life.
Sustains us.
There's a perhaps a dual thought in that verse though, as you said, it leads on to that line of things. But in our chapter, I was thinking of of the 57 first of the 6th chapter of John, which is truth that he'd already brought before them.
Which?
Would be in keeping as well with our chapter.
As the living father has sent me, and I live by the father.
So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. Now that is really communion, is it not?
And that's our subject in our chapter. And so we have both thoughts.
That as a man, he lives, and that's why we live, but immediately.
We live because.
He lives.
In that communion with the Father, and we live in that same communion.
My commandments and keepeth them. Here it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved in my father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him again. We have a lovely expression of communion.
And there both the Father and the Son are brought before us, loved of the Father, because the Father loves the Son and the.
So when we are walking in communion by obedience to the Word.
Why we have the very same love that the Father.
Imparted to his son, in which the son enjoyed in all his blessed pathway. Through this scene he walked in the sunshine of the Father's love.
Then Judas, not Ascari, had asked the question, How is it that thou was manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? You see the.
Disciples.
We're very slow to realize that what it meant for the Lord to leave the scene and to send the Spirit in this world. They were looking for an outward manifestation of His glory in the setting up of His Kingdom in this world.
So Judas, not his carried, asks this question, how it was possible. Now here we get on a further thought. And Jesus answered and said unto them.
If a man love me, he will keep my words. I believe it's my word there, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
I believe there is a difference between keeping his commandments and keeping his word.
I have read this which I thought was helpful giving us the difference. We think of a mother that is going away from home for a time.
And she tells her daughters to perform certain duties during her absence.
Well, this obedient to her.
Carries out all these duties as carefully and as consistently as possible.
Well, that would be keeping the commandments. Those were things he was told to do.
But we think of this beautiful daughter knowing her mother's desires and thoughts, why she performs a lot of other duties that she was never told to do. Maybe when her mother comes back, she has the house tidied up and maybe has vases of flowers and different parts of the house that she knows would please her mother. She wasn't told to do those things.
But the knowledge of her mother.
Enables her to carry out.
These various things that are so delightful to the mother's heart to find how much the daughter has carried out to please her.
Or would we not then say that keeping his his commandments is carrying out those duties, but those things that were not definitely told her that she should do is more keeping his word?
00:35:13
Beloved, there are many things that perhaps it wouldn't be so easy to point to a scripture.
Very quickly to tell about what we should do, but the more one goes on to know the Lord's love and walk in his ways, there comes an acquaintance with his ways.
So that there is a knowledge of what pleases and delights His heart, that we could not definitely point out a Scripture to. But with the whole volume of Scripture before us, we become acquainted with His blessed ways. And you notice that in these two verses, the 21St verse.
And the 23rd verse that.
There is.
There is a advancement, for in the 23rd verse He says I will love him and will manifest myself to Him. Well that's like coming and making a visit. But when it comes to keeping his word, he says we will come unto him. That is the Father and the Son, and will make.
All our bold with him.
And you know that the word there, bold, is the same word that you get in the beginning of the chapter where the Lord says In my Father's house are many mansions.
We read that many abodes.
Well if you want to use the word mansion here, you could put it this way that.
And we will come unto Him and make our mansion with Him. So before we're in that semen lost many mansions of those many aboard, we can have the Lord's presence.
Enjoy the presence and the pathway down here.
And the Lord went on, aye to the Father's house, the man and the glory, to prepare and abode.
For you.
A special one for the Church. There are many abodes in the Father's house, but the abiding place, the abode he prepared when he ascended on high as the man, the resurrected man and the glory.
His very presence there has accomplished that. He has prepared a place for us. It is not that He is carrying on a preparing a place, but He has prepared that place by His presence, the man in the glory.
Of this picture of this, I should say we have a picture there of what we have here. That is, it's just in a few words.
First, wilt thou go with this man that's obedient?
Next is we see only a very short journey, it seems, and Rebecca is with Isaac, but all the time she's been in the presence of Eleazar the servant. Well, that's a picture of what we have here, I believe, because it's by the spirit that we enjoy his presence.
And so if we're walking in communion, this will be our experience here.
Now there are two passages in the Old Testament that can be contrasted.
One is the passage I refer to the 24th of Genesis, where the bride is seen.
In the enjoyment of the company of what the Spirit of God would bring before her about Isaac.
But in the Song of Solomon we see the bride passing from 1 testing to another.
Trial experiences.
Until she finally comes to the place where there's one mindedness in the 7th chapter with a bridegroom. So one could have either one experience or the other. We can either go on in disobedience, willfulness, and have to pass through these trials. We all have some trials, but I mean these extreme trials that are.
00:40:05
Required of those who walk carelessly.
Or we can go on in Communion.
And the enjoyment of his presence. And that's what this chapter would encourage us to, I believe.
Just in that.
Our thoughts, our soul might want to say, well, how can I go on in communion?
This might contribute a little and the most important part maybe.
2nd Corinthians chapter.
Five and verse 14.
The love of Christ.
Constraineth us.
His love.
Known, felt enjoyed.
Dwelled upon.
The love of Christ.
Constraineth us.
And surely the Holy Spirit.
Gives these affections.
To be realized his affections for us.
And then it goes on in verse 15, the end of it's telling us so that we no longer live unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us and rose again. His love attracts and wins our hearts and so fills our hearts that.
We we don't want to live.
A life wastes our life living unto ourselves. We want to live our lives unto Him who loved us, who gave Himself for us, and was on high.
He was raised again for us. He's everything to us. Well, just this thought that if I do not have some sense of this, to win my heart, to devote my heart.
To devote my life in some measure.
That surely his love is the motive that will make the difference. Go ahead. Now if you notice in verse one, it's the Bridegroom speaking and right on through, oh, most of this here is himself speaking. Look at verse nine. I was ravished my heart, my one of my eyes.
In verse 10, my spouse and all that.
Well, in our verse you quoted brother 6 or you read.
He says until the Daybreak or the day dawn, the truth in scriptures to the Old Testament Saints Israel.
I believe the day dawn is the day when the Sun of righteousness shall rise and shine upon that people. The day dawn. Oh, if you look into this subject, you'll see that that's the way it weighs in the Word of God until the day dawn when He comes.
All what, what glory there will be. And he'll take unto him his earthly bride, which the Song of Solomon primarily speaks of.
Israel, the shadows flee away. Oh, what shadows during the hour of Jacob's trouble Fall upon that people, Until the shadows flee away. And the day dawns, that day of glory. And he'll get me. In the meantime, to the mountain. He's on high.
A mountain of myrrh and to the hill of Frankincense.
Brother, do not our hearts well off of this think of.
Wonderful divine.
That operates in US and for us. These chapters in John remind us that all three persons of the Godhead.
Have a personal.
Loving interest in us. They are for us.
The power and the might, the divine love of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit rest upon His people. Should we be discouraged in the way? Surely not.
That we fail to have our hearts lifted up to the place that is ours and the treasure that is ours.
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All we have to confess. Often this is true, but why should it be so when we have God in the free person?
So eminently for us, and assuring us of that love and devotion and attentiveness to us all the way forward.
20th Verse That day he shall know that I am in my father and you.
Me and I in you.
What is the meaningfulness of the expression at that day?
In that Pentecost, Brother Bell.
At that day we we're highly favored figure out the contrast with the disciples that time. They never seemed to understand the Lord or enter into his mind. But when that day came, God the Holy Spirit came down and end well believers, but it was a complete change.
So whatever understanding we have is because of that is spiritual understanding and in communion, it's the fact that we have the Spirit of God now indwelling us.
And I believe the love of theirs. We have considered this subject of communion. We should not forget the importance of meditation, Paul tells Timothy. Meditate on these things. Give thyself fully to them.
It's important to read the word, but it's also important to meditate upon it.
To carefully weigh the words as we go over them, take time to grasp the meaning. And then in our quiet moments, maybe we're lying awake at night. Oh well, it is if we get our thoughts on the blessed Lord. Maybe travel through his life down here. Think of Him, that babe in the Manger.
Think of him and him so service.
As he went on his way, think of this life and teachings and going on to the cross and finally to where he takes them out to Bethany and lifts up his hands to bless them.
All while often what peace we all find in our souls if we put in our quiet moments and just being occupied.
Where the blessed Lord Himself.
And I found too that sometimes taking up the different gospels and speaking to see how much of the Lords life I remember in the way that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have in preventing the blessed Lord.
So we have this occupation with Christ is a very practical.
Way that.
The Spirit of God would keep us in communion, for when we are occupied with Him, the Spirit of God is as active then to bring His person before us.
Ephsisians 6:10
Reading
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Would we feel that it was of the Lord in view of the coming in of apostasy?
And the terrible departure from the truth.
And for the inroads the enemy is making in so many ways to take up the whole armor of God in 6th chapter every season.
I'm just suggesting this.
Someone else has some other subjects only too. Happy to.
Pick up something else.
I thought of beginning at the 10th verse of the 6th chapter of Ephesians.
Reading through the 20th verse, someone feel that to read?
April Chapter 6, verse 10.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil.
Or we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities.
Against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.
And having done all to stand.
Stand therefore having your loins jerk about with truth.
And having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints.
And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in Bonn, that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
And Joshua?
1St chapter.
And the sixth verse.
Strong and of a good courage.
Run to this people, shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I swear unto their fathers to give them.
And now the ninth verse.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, need to be doubt, dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goeth.
I'm reminded of the armor that David put on when he has stayed to go forth to meet Goliath. He had to put it off again and said that he had not proved it. But the armor that we've just been reading about this morning has been proven armor for many centuries, and we can trust it thoroughly. I suppose this exhortation is based upon the first two chapters of Ephesians, is it not, Brother Berry? There we have the.
The completed truth, as it were, of the Word of God together with Colossians, and that sets us in a certain position, and responsibility flows, does it not, from the position that we're in.
Everything in these seasons is in the heavenlies, isn't it?
1St chapter. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
In the second chapter, we're told that we've been raised up together and made to sit together.
In heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.
And now in the well, we should say, of the 4th chapter, the Lord has ascended upon high.
And.
Given gifts to the church for every.
Spiritual blessing comes down from a glorified Christ in the heavenly. And now in the concluding chapter of the epistle.
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We are told that.
We wrestle with novel flesh and blood, but with really should read spiritual wicked spirit in the heavenly.
Our brother Brown has called our attention to the first chapter of Joshua.
And it's been often said that.
That Ephesians.
Is the Joshua of the New Testament.
That is, we got the children of Israel having crossed the wilderness journey.
And are on the other side of the Jordan.
And they're ready to take possession of the promised land.
But before they can possess 1 foot of that land.
They have to fight the Canaanites, they surreal the heights, the Amalekites and fur on so that it was a matter of warfare. Well, you know when Joshua had.
Crossed the Jordan, he threw in the flames of Jericho, a man with a drawn sword, reminding him that what was before him was a matter of conflict.
And well in this truth to brought before us.
That every spiritual blessing that we are to possess and enjoy for our souls has to be wrestled from the enemy. We have to fight the enemy in order to possess these spiritual blessings.
And I'm sure as we go on through this theme, we're made to realize increasingly the character of this world and that the only thing that is really worthwhile and important for the Christian is what he.
What he gains and a spiritual blessing. Not that we don't have to make our livelihood down here.
Young people must get enough education so as to provide for their families and their.
Passage through this scene, but really when we step things down.
The great important thing all how very important it is that our skulls are fed, that they're build up and that we gain these spiritual blessings.
For our holes and our jobs and all that we have possessed have temporal things we're so soon to leave behind and leave behind forever. But what we have gained in a spiritual way, we're going to carry those blessings into the heavenlies with us. And indeed, we're to be on the great enjoyment and encouragement.
Of those blessings down here.
It will keep us happy. It will make us a testimony for Christ.
Productive here in this 11Th verse, but on the whole armor of God that you may able to stand not against the devil, but against the Wiles of the devil. That is it. It isn't open attack. It isn't the devil king coming along and saying no, I'm the devil and I'm going to I'm going to show you the way.
But he comes with wild, clever deceit.
And that's the way that we're misled and get into serious trouble. Resist the devil and he'll flee from you. Resist him and he'll flee from you. But all he has is wild his clever approaches that cover up what he what really is at the bottom of it. So we need the whole armor. And that's what we're warned about in the 12Th verse. Is that right, brother Barry?
Brother Brown, and we should not forget the first verse we read, for I believe that is the introduction to putting on the whole armor of God, and that is finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
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Well, that necessitates.
Increase occupation with Christ, and if we're strong in Him, where weaken ourselves.
We can't be strong in ourselves and think of ourselves as important and be strong in the Lord. At the same time, though, it makes nothing of self, and it makes everything of Christ know what it is to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might to realize that we're wielding the greatest power that there is in this universe.
For everything has been made subject to God's beloved Son, and he has his rights, His power, and His authority.
Wonderful thing, isn't it, when the Lord was on the way to the cross.
Why He said that all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth? Well, that's really and the after the crucifixion.
But I was thinking more of the 13th of John where we find the Lord saying.
That when he knew that the Father had committed all things into his hands. I think one of the most remarkable evidence of condescension is not before us there. That knowing that all things were committed unto him of the Father, what is the next thing? He lays his garments aside.
And gird himself with a towel and gets down and washes the defiled feet.
Of the disciples, beloved, isn't that touching? Certainly that close our hearts to look up to Him.
Where delight and admiration to think of one who has such power willing to lower himself to the defiled feet of his disciples And brother brethren, if we're strong in the in the power which is in Christ Jesus, we're going to be willing to be nothing and we're going to be ready to perform the humblest servant service.
That our blessed Lord performed for His disciples at that time.
Doctor has to learn a secret when he crossed over Jordan.
As their brothers just mentioned, he was met with the man with a drawn sword in his hand. Well, he goes up to this man. He says, art thou for us or for our adversaries? And the reply is?
Nay, as captain of the host of the Lord, and I come. And we read that Joshua's cognizant of the fact that he was in the presence of the Lord himself.
And so he gets on his face before him. Well, it comes to me this way, that he was met with the Lord Jesus there.
At the very beginning of his entrance into the land. I've often thought of that, beloved.
It's just as if Joshua would say to himself, I am, after all, a great general. I brought these across Jordan, some 2 million of them. And so he's met with the Lord Jesus there in the land. And it's just as if the Lord would say to Josie, yes, Josie, you are a great general, undoubtedly. But I'm chief here. I'm chief here.
Oh, that's a very important lesson to learn.
Concerning victory.
Well, may we recognize that, beloved.
There's nothing. We read that he removed his shoes from off his feet.
Is there anything so humbling as a soldier in bare feet?
A soldier with bare feet.
I saw plenty of them in the World Checker War. There's nothing so humbling to a soldier to have bare feet. But there it was. Joshua, you were a great servant. But I'm cheap here, beloved. This is victory. This is victory. We are met with the one who has won the day. The victorious 1.
We are nothing. We are just poor soldiers in the ranks, nothing more. But to be able to in that verse five, to cast down our homemade reasonings that are not of the Word and the Spirit of God is so important in a day when the Word of God is being so lightly esteemed.
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So much disregarded.
Oftentimes, we fear not concerned, unconcerned.
It's so important that this self.
Thinking and carnal thoughts are out of place, unbecoming and defeat.
Our successful warfare.
Reasonings. That's the reading in the margin, isn't it? Casting down reasoning. Not imagination, but reasoning.
Well, he was thinking, Brother Brown, as to the progress of this reasoning business. I don't know what it was you or another brother was speaking to us yesterday as to the fact that there's just a flood of translations coming on the market, a flood of them. And the tendency is to get further and further from the mind of the Spirit of God in the Word by these.
Repeated attempts.
To improve on the translation, I believe that we need to be warned at the present time.
And as you have attempted to give us help in that pamphlet you wrote.
A number of additions have come out since that was written, and were you the one saying how many different translations were available now? Is it?
Well, it isn't that they're available, but since Wickliffe translation 1380.
Since that translation in the English language, it was the first we have enumerated or located.
250 translations in the English language that cover either the whole Bible, or the whole Old Testament, or the whole New Testament, or the Epistles. Now, besides that, there are many, many other smaller attempts, but the enormous number in general to sum it up this way.
There seems to have been a general.
Clearing up of the account of the text.
A rising improvement, declaring up the text until about 1881. Now, there were some exceptions, some bad ones like.
Joseph Smiths and other such things, but in general there was an honest, upright and increase of ability as he had more manuscripts to clarify the text right up until about 1881 when they produced when two important translations were introduced.
The English revised version.
And 15 years later, of course, the American standard version, which is a little better. But the I believe and you believe, dear Brother Brown, that God has given us the most faithful, outstandingly faithful.
Renderings of his mind in the translation of Mr. Darby's in 1881. Most excellent for anyone to compare.
To get the mind of God in the maximum of best rendering in that translation.
Is that right, Brother Brown? Yeah. And we believe that he was accompanied with an amazing intellect, naturally guarded, endowed him with that. But in his case it was accompanied by a deep devotion which perhaps wasn't exceeded by any other of whom we've read his.
His deep knowledge was sanctified by a deep sense of the preciousness of Christ and his all sufficiency.
So that Mister Darby can say, along with the apostle Paul, for me to live is Christ.
Just add one more word please.
Since about 1881, those translations just mentioned.
There has been an ascendancy of scholarship in translation.
But a descendancy of spirituality not. That's true in general. We have had a few helpful corrections added to what we'd had, just a very few. But most of them are just put out to sell or to have some new flavor. And the less we have to do with most of them, I think we're better off.
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What is the cast of the week? What is the fast of the week?
I believe probably because the picture a good translation of their brother Darby has been able to pursue it was because he lives in Ephesians truth and he had his eyes on the man of the glory.
Amen.
Remember not too long, for the Lord took our dear brother away from us.
At a meeting in Des Moines, IA, he gathered a number of the Lord servants and some of the brothers of that day together. And he gave us this exhortation. But I believe is important to remember, he says, brethren, don't give up the King James translation, he said. I believe that that was a work of God that has never been equal.
And while Mr. Darby's translation is most helpful for certain renderings that are not.
Not clear and for making certain corrections where they were either biased or else they didn't have the latest manuscript.
And then he said another thing. He said I would far rather than Mr. Darby's name was not used in coding his translation, he says. I think our dear brother, if alive, would be very much grieved to have his name made prominent.
In connection with that translation, he said this instead of quoting Jay and Darby's.
Translate and rather say a better translation. And I believe brethren that that is very important in these days. And I remember he said this too, that he says if you get too much occupied even with Mr. Darbys translation, he says you will become a.
Intellectual reader, and miss the mind of the Spirit. You'll get too much occupied with the Greek or the Hebrew.
And love with what the Spirit of God is sitting before us now. I believe our brother Potter had.
His hand on the post all the blessings of God's people in these days and I treasure that as something to be remembered for. If you'll just read J&D and I've been in some places where they substituted.
And these translations for the King James and attended to becoming very.
Intellectual and very critical of the exact word and the exact meaning, so that they really miss the.
The the words that's coming by the Spirit of God reaching the conscience and the heart of the thing. Now I wanted to just say a word in addition to what Brother Smith has just said about the man with the drawn sword.
And Joshua, you see Joshua says to that to man Arthur Forest or for our enemies. Well, it's well to notice the reply. He doesn't say, oh, I'm for you, I'm on your side. I'm against your enemies. That isn't what he said at all, but he says as captain of the Lord host.
Oh, my Sinner may not have the last word correct.
That's the problem and that was very important at that time and its instructive for us now.
That is, as long as they were walking in the past of obedience to the word of the Lord, they had the captain of the Lord host directing them. But whenever they acted in disobedience, they didn't have the captain of the Lord host with him, and the victory at Jericho is an evidence.
Of the Lord of post directing of post directing them. They want a mighty victory there, but immediately following that they have the defeat of AI and the.
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Lord of Hosts was not with them because they were acting in independence. They hadn't gone back to Gilgal, the place of Mortification of the Flake. A fortress had won such a victory that they were capable of taking things in their own hands. And instead of consulting the Lord why, they just looked at the size of their army and said, well, we have an easy victory ahead of us.
And isn't there a lesson for us brethren, and, and what we have just been Speaking of, that we can only count on the Lords blessing and the Lord being with us as long as we're walking in humble obedience to His blessed word. But whenever we depart from it, we're headed for a fab defeat. The enemy will gain.
The victory instead of those who should be.
Gaining the victory through Christ.
May I just add one more little word about the the translation before we leave it for the young people's sake. Turn together to the epistles of Paul to Timothy, and let us just notice a few slight differences which will serve to make it evident to.
Our minds what the difference is between.
Now, one translation and one that's more spiritual. First Timothy, This was helpful to me as a young believer when I came to know that beside the King James Version, there was another that had been prepared with great care. Take, for example.
First Timothy, chapter 5.
And verse one.
Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father.
Now the other version reads.
Rebuke not an elder sharply, but in dream as a father.
Sometimes an older brother.
Well, as Baker himself, sometimes an older brother may need a word of correction.
But if a young Timothy comes to him and.
Rebukes him sharply. He's not in the mind of Christ. So we notice that this is a little nicety in translating rebuke, not an elder sharply. Any spiritual mind can discern that that is a better rendering. Now go on to.
Verses 22 and 23 of chapter 5.
Laying suddenly, and no man that is approved of them, neither be partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach sake and thy often infirmities. I once had an unbeliever throw this verse into my face and say, you see?
The Bible recommends that you drink wine, but I went and looked up the other translation and it reads this way.
Drink no longer own their water.
It isn't a recommendation to stop drinking H2O. It's drink no longer only water. Timothy, you need something beside water. You're a sick man and I'm prescribing a medical prescription for you.
Drink no longer only water, while the simplest young believer can see the force of that.
Yes, the accent. Oh yes, and the accent is on the word little when it comes to the medicine, a little.
Now.
The last chapter in verse 10.
For the love of money is zero of all evil.
If we read the other version, it reads The love of money is rid of all evil.
It's not the exclusive roof.
Of all evil, it is right. Of all evil, along with others in the next chapter and the next epistle.
Chapter One. Chapter 2. Verse 7.
Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding.
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In all things, this reads as a prayer. I mean, the Lord gives the understanding in all things that is good. But the other version says, consider what I say and the Lord will give me understanding in all things. It's a promise.
Based upon considering what the apostle wrote to Timothy, the Lord would give him understanding and all things. Our prayer is good, but it promises even better. May I inject a word here please, Brother Smith, just for a moment, to give emphasis to that verse.
Consider what who says it? The great apostle to the Gentiles to bring out the truth as to the church, including all believing.
Gentile believers along with the Jews. Consider what I say that is Paul's teaching 13 epistles.
The weighty truth as to Christianity by Paul and all to neglect that. I just want to emphasize, consider what I say and the Lord will give you understanding in all things.
Now just two more and we shall have terminated.
Chapter 3 and verse 4.
Paul is giving Timothy the terrible category.
Of men's characteristics and characters in the last days and in verse four we read to sum it up.
Traitors heading high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Now the other version reads lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. These people have no love of God whatsoever. It's not a question of comparison between loving pleasure and loving God a little less.
It's lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. He's entirely explicit.
The last one now is in chapter 4 and verse 14.
Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil.
Lord reward him according to his works, is the way it reads here. It's an implication. It's calling for vengeance on Alexander the Coppersmith. But that is contrary to the spirit of Christianity and what Paul himself laid down many times in his epistles. So we read it in the other version. Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil.
The Lord will reward it according to his work. Simple futurity.
And not calling on the Lord to take vengeance on this man. So I'm sure that the youngest flavor here can clearly see from these few.
Comparisons between the King James and the other version that one's own spirituality as he walks with the Lord enables him to more and more appreciate the translation that is evidently of the Spirit of God because it's according to the doctrine.
Of the Word of God verse verse seven. Brother Smith of that chapter.
It fits into what you're saying. Verse seven. Do you like to read it?
All right, this is verse 7 to chapter 4, Second Timothy. I have fought.
A good fight. Well, that looks like he's proud about it, doesn't it?
It should read I have fought the good fight. Now when we come to the end of our course, all of us are the household of faith are through with the fight of faith and that's what he refers to. I have thought the good fight of faith. I've come to the end of my course. He's not saying how good he's done it, but he's it's it's a good fight.
The fight of faith, and we're all in it.
We may be very, very poor at it. Going back to our chapter in the 11Th verse, we have the wild of the devil mentioned.
Now the question may arise with some who are younger and some who have just been saved. How are they going to meet the Wiles of the devil when they are not instructed, when they they don't know a scripture, they don't have the discernment?
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Well, we learned from Corinthians that one of the things that is the second chapter of First Corinthians, one of the things that every believer has is discernment.
He has the Spirit of God, He has the anointing, and I believe the latter verses that we have in this portion that we have before us this morning.
Which bring out truth, righteousness, and those things.
Would indicate that the very same resource is available for the young believer As for the old believer.
Now, making it practical, in the epistle of John we find that those.
Who were mature and were called fathers were not fathers because they had a great deal of knowledge, but they had known him from the beginning or they had known him which was from the beginning, as either translation I think is correct. But the point is that they had an object that they followed. It wasn't the question entirely of having a great deal of knowledge, although it's important to have knowledge.
And in that connection, when the Lord Jesus was in the wilderness, being tempted, we find that he uses 3 verses from the book of Deuteronomy, two of them from the same chapter.
Well, that should help us to see that he was able to meet the enemy with those verses showing that a believer who was very young.
And he has the word of God. He may only know one verse.
But that verse will be sufficient to meet the wild of the enemy, And it is it not here a question of state of soul, and the desire of the heart to please the Lord.
I know the wild of the enemy are all around us, but I wonder sometimes if we expose ourselves unnecessarily to those Wilds. I think of a great flood of literature that is around us, which I'm afraid creeps into the homes of some of the Lord's people because it has a captive title, and the reading is perhaps a little.
Easier than some of the old writings of those who love the Lord and valued the truth and walked in it.
And also all around us in the air are these strange voices. I've heard the expression used that all these things come uninvited into our homes. I hardly think that's accurate. I think they are invited into our home and to expose ourselves. Brethren, I hope this is not harsh, but to expose ourselves to the voices and to the writings.
Of those who do not want the truth and do not walk in the truth, I believe.
Unnecessarily puts us in the path of some of these Wilds which we would be spared from if we value this precious book and value the ministry of those who loved its truth and walked in its truth, if we valued the privilege of the Assembly.
Bible reading and prayer meeting. I believe we would be spared, not entirely, but from a great flood of the Wilds of Satan. I stopped too as I heard this discussion about.
Those in Gideon's day who had a great danger around them and a battle before them, and the Lord's instruction to Gideon was bring them down to the water.
That was the step that had to be taken before they went forth to battle. And I believe that that which we have here in the armor of God would remind us of this, bring them down, casting down reasonings and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.
It is in the eyes of the natural man, a foolish thing, a humbling thing to bow down before the precious wisdom and authority of the Word of God, but that preceded the victory of Gideons day.
Are you not concerned about the present tendency around us to modernize our methods of giving out the gospel and adorn it?
To bring it up to date so that the old fashioned gospel simply the giving out of the word of God.
Isn't enough, we've got to bring other adjuncts in in connection with it and in order to make it pleasing to the younger generation.
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That that movement has gotten in among us and it distresses me.
I do not believe we're called upon to modernize our methods. The thing to do is to have confidence in the word of God and give out the word and, and leave it there. Not go further and say, well, now I'm, I'm going to make this so attractive that these young folks, they'll, they'll all accept it because I'm going to adorn it and, and make it more cheerful and more acceptable.
Have you not discerned that?
Yes, I often think of First Corinthians 1558 when I see it. Be therefore steadfast, unmovable.
Always abounding in the work of the Lord. It seems to me that that prevents both, because there is a danger that we're so steadfast and unmovable. Perhaps I'm misapplying it, that we fail to make any outreach at all in the gospel and boast of our steadfastness and our immovability. But that first seems to me to bring both together. Be steadfast, unmovable. I believe that's what you're emphasizing.
Always abounding in the work of the Lord. Hamilton go together. Yes, by the grace of God they can. A man who is steadfast and unmovable and values the truth of the Word of God can be and ought to be always abounding in the work of the Lord. And how encouraging the rest of the verse. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, if we labor according to that spirit of steadfast immovability.
We know that the labor is not in vain. It may not be as spectacular as if we abandoned that place.
But it's not in vain. We don't have to dress it up and make it modern enough so it'll be acceptable. A sort of a an allurement and a nice picture to the younger generation. We're not called upon to do that. The drift of our day is towards trying to make things attractive and even sensational.
I don't want to offend anybody, but I think you'll allow the mention of the Youth to Christ movement.
May God bless everything that's of the Spirit of God and for the glory of Christ in it. But the trend of that movement has been to decorate everything by sensational speakers, literature, the manner in which it's put out, and the programs and advertising it. Oh, it's popular. Oh, beware.
Should I read a verse in First Corinthians? The 2nd chapter and the first first few verses?
In this connection.
First Corinthians, the 2nd chapter in the first few versions, and I brethren, when I came to you.
Came not with Excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men.
But in the power of God.
I think that's just to the point. They're very good, just to the point of what we were Speaking of.
And we have another very good reference in the first chapter of Galatians.
Verse six of the first chapter of Galatians.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from that, from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel which is not another.
That there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. But a very solemn statement how true it is. For do I now persuade men or God, or do I seek to please men?
For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
It's good how we do need to be on our guard against these things you mentioned, Brother Brown. I believe it. I believe it very definitely. Well, he said to the Jews. I became a Jew, so I became the Jews.
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For them without laws, without law, well, I why I fear this just one adapting is approach.
Who are the state where that one is in? You can't go to a Heath on tour. And sorry, I'm not talking to him like she would. In this country where there are open Bibles, where the gospel has been preached for years, there's a certain background, isn't there?
In preventing the gospel to such, but in the heathen country you'd have to be very simple.
And in talking to a Jew who had.
Burton twinks with the Old Testament and well, he'd have to poke them according to the knowledge under which they had been brought up. But it isn't the thought of an any wise compromising or going along and they taking voting to the synagogue with the Jew and agreeing with him and putting oneself under law for even where he says.
To them that they're under the laws under the law here again you're better translation comes in. How does it read brother Jimmy Smith. I think it reads does it not but as legitimately subject to Christ. Yeah, that's that's beautiful power, isn't it? Instead of being under the law of the 10 commandments thou shalt not.
That being subject to Christ and.
One would never for the moment take himself out of that position, and I'm sure someone else may have a more helpful way of bringing this subject before us. Only I would say it never means to compromise in any way. Not the truth.
Then King James Version says sin is the transgression of the law. Well what a.
What a blunder that translation is.
I have thought of the example of our Lord Jesus Himself when he was here. We read on him going into the synagogue, and I'm sure it was that same spirit that Paul mentioned in the ninth election. He went that he might minister the word. But I never once have read of our blessed Savior taking upon himself the phylacteries and the long prayers and the.
Desire to be seen and admired of men.
But he did go to bring the truth to science, but he did not compromise his own position in doing so. Is that not the principle I believe in? In Acts 17 we have a concrete example of what Paul means by that expression becoming all things to all men. And we read in the.
24th verse of Acts 17 After he had found an altar with the inscription to the unknown God, he addresses the company on that basis, that they didn't know God. And so he says, Whom therefore ye ignorantly worshipped him, declare I unto you God that made the world.
And all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth, dwelleth not in temples made of hands, neither is worshipped.
With men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things and so on. I hear he he speaks to the company on the ground in which they would understand him. They wouldn't understand him if he started talking about the Jewish ordinances. They wouldn't understand what he meant if he started to talk about.
The beginnings of Christianity.
We find he does mention the resurrection, He leaves enough there so that they can begin to enter in to the new order of things, but he starts out on the ground in which they're found simply as heathen, not knowing the true God. In the book of of Luke, the gospel of Luke, the last chapter, we find the Lord Jesus.
With his oath as they are going away from Jerusalem.
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He goes and walks with them.
But I think we'll have to consider the circumstances there that the Lord was going to recover His own. It wasn't a question of the heathen or it wasn't a question of the unsaved. It was a question of His own disciples and He went after them.
And the moment the work was done in their souls, he leaves them and then they return to Jerusalem. But that's a different case from what we're Speaking of in connection with the gospel. And we shouldn't use that expression to to illustrate that is in the 24th of Luke, to illustrate the other in the last two. And Paul flying into the synagogue, He didn't compromise in any way.
And it says that when the Jews goes up against the.
He separated the disciples, went through another place, and instructed them independent of the finito. And do we not learn a lesson that the gospel was through the Jews 1St, and also to the Gentiles? So that in the beginning of the gospel forever Paul and Barnabas have fallen. Pilots went they went to the synagogue of the Jews.
Preach the gospel to them and when they rejected it, by then they are simply separated from the whole thing. But I've had Christian freedom is that we learned from the apostles going to an affinity. That is the reason why we can go to the churches everywhere and preach the gospel now because Paul went to the synagogue.
But don't you think, brethren, that when the truth that we hold is being gathered, being gathered to the Lord's name alone?
Has been rejected by Christendom that we're an entirely different situation.
And at the beginning, when the truth was just coming out and it was something entirely new, and there were those that were just getting hold of these things but christened them as a whole have rejected the truth.
They of the one body and will not have it. And for my own thought, I believe that it is a mistake to think that we can go on with the camp and thank you to bring blessing in that way. We can't put ourselves under law and say we'd never go to such a place. An old brother.
Penfield was preaching on the street somewhere in Missouri one time, where he'd never been before, just traveling through the country.
And some man came up and said, wouldn't you preach the gospel in his church? Well, Brother Penfield wouldn't. Brother Potter said to him, Penfield, perhaps you lost an opportunity by not going. There was a place where.
Things were entirely new. We can't just put ourselves under law and say we'd never go to any place except the meeting room. But it is something that.
Where the truth is known, where it's been ministered according to it, of those places that are gathered on sectarian grounds, where I am sure are lowering the standard of what we stand for as gathered to the Lord's name alone. The synagogue was not the temple and the temple was the center of the religious worship, but the synagogue was the place where there was an open forum held and and.
Necessarily directly connected with the center of worship.
Brother Barry, the Lord Jesus, and say stay here, go ye, go ye, and praise the gospel.
He didn't say stay here, although we have a place where we got it to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ and we love to be there. We ought to love to be there, but in connection with the Gospel he says go ye.
Before brother Penfield, that he.
Would and we should seek the counsel of our brethren and not act in independence. Some time ago in Montreal we heard of a group of Roman Catholics that were studying the Bible and a brother who worked with some of these was asked if he would come and meet with them in the building, not in their church.
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But in the building near their church and have Bible readings with them.
This brother wisely brought it before his brethren, asked their counsel, their fellowship, and particularly their prayers, and they went to this building.
And they had reading.
A number of Catholics were there, including the the parish priest and they were given full liberty to minister the word of God and there was a real interest there, but one was thankful that the brother that had this opportunity did not go off in his own but stop the council.
And the prayers of his brethren before he took such a step.
This is what I've had to do, brethren in Bolivia.
And pardon a word here which comes from my own heart.
Truth is largely rejected in these favored lands.
Truth is largely rejected.
And there is a danger even among God's dear people, separated people, to make compromises.
To be on the good side of someone.
Now in Bolivia, I want to tell you, beloved, that our brethren there have suffered untold sufferings because of their stand.
In absolute separation.
From everything that ecclesiastical.
It may seem hard.
And when missionaries came and to Bolivia, I was 15 years alone there. When missionaries came there, there was a rift among the Saints for stock.
Five meetings left.
Turned away from the truth.
Well, there's no sadness so great as that. For five years I never was able to put my foot.
In those five meetings.
But one day.
I got a letter from 9 of them.
Seeing Brother Smith, we are in trouble. We've been making compromises and we're in difficulties. Well, that meant 4 1/2 days on you back to reach them and the rainy season going through the flood, flooded waters.
When I got there.
They were waiting.
And we talked it out from 5:00 in the afternoon until 2:30 in the morning.
And I remember saying to them, Brethren.
Is separation separation or not?
There was a long pause.
Separation is to Christ first of all, and consequently.
From this world.
Its sin and its system.
Now, beloved, excuse a personal remark.
I was ordained as a clergyman in the city of Melbourne.
Among the Baptist affiliated.
And for three years preached for them.
And it was not until my eldest brother.
Sent me such books as Mr. Darby and Kelly.
And Wigram.
And so on bail it that I was awakened to the fact that I was in the wrong place.
In the wrong place.
Now there was a decision to be made.
Just there was a decision to be made in Bolivia.
The ecumenical movement there has caused tears.
Called tears and I do thank God.
By the grace of God, those brethren got together, 150 of them for four days to thrash it out on their knees and before God with the with the open Bible, and they wrote over the whole business, separation, separation.
Beloved.
The truth of the one body.
To my soul.
Is like a new confession.
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The truth of the one body.
And the joy of being where the Spirit of God.
Is open and free to wield all His blessed truth that would separate us in heart and faith to Christ.
From this world.
Mr. CHM wrote this way.
To emphasize this.
As God separated people is not presumption but faithfulness to God.
Faithfulness to God.
The Lord delivered me. Now I just want to mention one more thing if you please.
When I went back to New Zealand.
I went back to the South of New Zealand where my brother was laboring for the Lord.
And I went back to the very place where Mr. Deck had labored so successfully.
In those early days, the truth of the one body was never taken to New Zealand until he took it.
Mr. **** I did not know him, but I knew all the family.
And I have in my possession a confession that Mister Beck made a copy.
He made a compromise.
With a strong minded lawyer from London or Bristol.
Consequently, those five meetings.
Were swallowed up.
It caused the death of Mr. **** before his time.
And he wrote a letter to his brethren, and prior to that Mister Darby went across, as you may know, write to New Zealand and so did FG Patterson and wrote a book there on lessons from the wilderness, which I recommend to the young Christians here.
He made the confession that he had seen.
And he asked his brethren to forgive him, and we know they did.
But what about his family?
One gathered to the precious name of Christ.
I spent some time in London many years ago with Doctor Northcote, a dear child of God.
And when I spoke to him I said N cup.
Are you following in the footsteps of your father? You remember his confession?
He looked down.
And said nothing. Well, he's with the Lord now.
Beloved.
May we hold fast.
May we stand fast.
And you young people, I noticed that a great number of young people are not convinced that this is the word of God.
That's the truth.
This book in your hands is the word of the living God.
And we believe it from cover to cover.
That holy men of God wrote as they were born along.
Spirit of God, it's not a private interpretation.
It's God's word.
This is the basis on which we begin.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, and let everyone that name of the name of Christ of the Lord depart from iniquity. Beloved, I went through times of deep soul trouble, ecclesiastical error, ecclesiastical iniquity.
And broken hearted.
Was abandoned there in the city of Melbourne, just because I want to follow that Blessed one.
Yes, I had the scholarship of $5000 to study medicine to go to China as a medical missionary.
I wouldn't take a cent from that.
Which I labored with were not ascent, never did finish medicine. Now don't misunderstand me, we love every child of God.
Everyone that belongs to Christ. But we cannot work with the mall, beloved.
And if we think we can, and pardon me as an old, worn out mission.
If we think we can walk.
With those in the sects, we are wrong.
And we're selling the truth.
Consequently, there's no weakness.
That sweeps through our meetings, our direct weakness.
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I hope you'll have this. I've talked more than I wanted to, but I feel it. I really feel my soul.
Romans.
Speaks of the Apostle Paul as separated unto the Gospel of God. Well, what is the Gospel of God? Is it something which needs to be dressed up to suit others? Now the Gospel of God is concerning his Son Jesus Christ.
In the second verse we have the the promise of the Gospel. The 3rd and 4th verses we have the person of the Gospel. The 4th and 5th verses we have the preaching of the gospel.
And in the sixth verse, the product of the gospel. And the apostle Paul did never need to dress it up to appeal to others. It was the gospel of God concerning his Son and nothing else.
And that's what had the power.
Now we are Speaking of victory a little while ago. I'd like to just read a reference in the 18th chapter, Second Kings, where Hezekiah gained a wonderful victory.
And we can see why.
Second Kings in chapter 18 and verse 5. Read 3 or 4 verses.
First of all, he trusted in the Lord God of Israel.
So that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. Now seven things here which ended in complete victory. First of all, he claved to the Lord. How important this is.
He claimed to the Lord, and departed not from following him the Lord, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses, and the Lord was with him, and he prospered with us, whoever he went forth, and he rebelled not against the Lord.
He rebelled against the king of Assyria and served him not he smote the Philistines. There's the victory.
Ephesians 6:11-13
Reading
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Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 11 put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil.
Before we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints. And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
For which I am an ambassador in law.
Therein I may speak only as I often speak before we enter on our chapter.
I feel that I should make an apology for.
Completing a remark two of my contemporary brethren.
Spoken to me of the matter and they return again to.
Epistle to Timothy.
Turn to Timothy again and.
Chapter five of the First Epistle.
And verse one.
We were just seeking to.
Indicate how clearly a superior translation of the Word of God.
Manifests itself by the fact that it agrees with the doctrine.
Of the word of God, but on this verse one of chapter 5.
A rebuke, not an elder, but entreating of the Father.
We quoted the other translation, not an elder, sharply.
Let him treat him as a father.
Well, the two brothers who spoke to me said that they thought.
That we should not.
Encourage younger brothers to be ever rebuking.
The older brother that it would be better if rebuke were necessary.
That an older brother administer the rebuke rather than a younger.
And it was pointed out that.
Timothy was an exceptional case being.
An Apostolic delegate who had authority committed to him, which we do not have today.
So I just wish, brethren, to make that clear that I was not indicating that younger brothers should.
Encourage themselves to rebuke their elder brother. It's the spirit of rebellion in the world today.
That is creeping in even among Christians.
For example, the word of the children of Israel to the prophet.
When he called upon them to walk in a good old way and they said we will not walk in.
This fair to rebellion.
And God forbid that it be encouraged among us.
About that rather, we submit ourselves to the Lord.
And to one another in the fear of God.
And that the younger be subject to.
Their elder brother.
And if I may be permitted a practical observation.
From having been in.
And practically all of the gatherings in the world except.
Those in the Orient in Africa.
That the practice of young people.
And calling their elders by their first names is something that is foreign to the testimony of the Lord in general.
It's something that we've fallen into in Southern California.
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But there is a due respect always to be paid to aid. It would be well if our dear young people.
But bear in mind that all their fathers and mothers may call contemporaries by their first names through long acquaintances and friendship. It isn't becoming in the children to use the same address, but to address Brother Brown and Brother Jones rather than Clifford and George.
Well, suffered this little word, brethren. I hope it's not out of line right connected with this subject of translation. A young brother.
Asked me to ask another brother if we could have a word, especially from the older ones.
As to the addressing of God.
In a familiar way, as you instead of thou, I trust you know what I mean. And some of these modern translations have have adapted themselves to the modern spirit. But if we might have a word on this, help us Brother Barry, or any other older brother.
Well, I know what our brother Eric Smith would say about using you instead of thou in the Latin American world.
The above in the Latin world has never, not even the elders are ever dressed like that until they know them very well. But among the Indians they do use exclusively the above and never you.
Exclusively so, and for that reason I found it very hard to pray in that language. We're not wanting to make any laws or rules this afternoon about it, but we'd like to have expressions from.
Brothers.
As to the wisdom and honoring the Lord in this matter, the Lord knows the heart, even in those that might do it unwittingly.
I would just like to make a little suggestion as to my own experience as to the modern. Now when you come to the Italian people where God is put at a distance from the people, it would be absolutely unbecoming for an Italian to use the word lay, which would be the equivalent of dao in the Italian language.
So when I address God as my Father, no, I'm not Speaking of the Lord of the ship of the Lord Jesus now, but when I address God is my father and the Italian language, would it be absolutely unbecoming to say lay, which is the third person? But in the Italian language you say you. Now when it comes to the English language, I notice a very striking different it would be absolutely unbecoming to say you father.
For thou, Father, so that's very blessed.
Wisdom of God is absolutely far above to the wisdom of man in the Italian, where God is kept at a distance from man when we get saved and then we say you, Father, this is very blessed. And that would be very unbecoming in the English language. In the English language, I think that it's very precious. It is very appropriate to say thou Father.
We do feel as though that God allowed the translators.
To at least endeavor to give a special reverential respect for addressing them in the Vienna. And yet I don't want to make a rule of it. But we have a few remarks on the Wilds of Satan just in connection with our spiritual life. For how or how else could it be? I believe that it has to do with every aspect.
Of our sojourn here.
Satan has managed to pervert our conception even of breasts.
Now this is hard to speak about.
But Satan has managed.
To pervert.
A godly conception even of dress.
General appearance.
This is one thing that is very sad to see where I just mentioned that, brethren, because.
Is behind everything.
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That would tend to destroy any conception of holiness. Now, what is holiness after all, but the exclusion from our life and testimony? Everything that would be contrary to God's mind and to God's nature, to God's Word.
And the perfecting of holiness in the fear of the Lord is just that.
To exclude everything, dear Christian.
Everything that would be contrary to God's mind, God's nature.
God's word. I mentioned that because it is stressed very much.
Among our Latin brethren.
So that it's a very rare thing to find among them any perversion of that which would be in accordance with true holiness. There are defects we own, but in that that sense we haven't found it to be so.
The way that's possible.
To all of that which is evil and pleased. To that which is good.
Really, the more we enjoy and enter into what the blessed Lord as.
Has done for us and is doing for us to be occupied with His love and grace and mercy to us.
Well, and being occupied with His love and grace, we enter into something of the holiness of His nature and character. If we make it just a mere legal thing, Thou shalt not and try to correct things in that way. I believe we missed the.
True way that God has of reaching our souls.
And these things can be hard on they can be.
Much admonition on it that doesn't avail, but if the dearest Saints would become more occupied with Christ and His love and with us to awaken our desire to walk in His ways and to really respond to His love, those things.
Would be corrected.
In the way I believe that would be godly of correcting.
I've often mentioned to our Latin brethren left the standing of the believer is in Christ.
That is to say, we actually are in the presence of God, in all the perfection of his beloved Son. Now, whether we believe that or not, that doesn't alter God's order.
Now that's the standing of the believer. Of course, the state of the believer varies accordingly, and it can be corrected by sovereign grace.
With one word communion communion perhaps you could add there and keeping short accounts with him.
Now that's the standing of the believer I remember as a lad that came home to my heart. Listen, listening to some of our old English brethren minestrone. The object of the believer is Christ. The object of the believer, beloved, is Christ.
And in Philippians 3, of course, you get the hope of the believer. There is to be light crime.
These are important matters, of course.
But merely keep on a moment if you don't mind concerning the Wiles of the devil.
It was asked me by someone today.
Difference between Ephesians 6 and 12 and Ephesians.
3 and 10.
What is the difference? This brother said. What is the difference?
Well, in Ephesians 6 and 10.
We they are demons.
And I speak quite frankly concerning that, having begun a work in the midst of the Indians where demon possession was so prevalent.
It is wonderful to see a Pagan Indian listening to the word of God and gets delivered.
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And falls to the ground, foaming at the mouth, and gets up.
Right mind.
The power of the Spirit of God brings the Indian to the Savior's feet.
Now these are demons.
And.
I don't remember having very much peace during those early days of testimony.
Because of the power of demons.
The power of demons.
Many nights I couldn't sleep until it came to my soul the need of saying over and over again, the precious blood of Christ and I went to sleep. The precious blood of Christ and I went to sleep.
Now this is 1 aspect of it. Of course there are many, but over here beloved in chapter 3 and 10.
Just to answer this question that was put for me.
These are good angels.
These are good angels.
And they read in the church.
The manifold wisdom of God.
They read in you and me.
And we've translated that word manifold in the ink, a tongue, the many colored wisdom of God.
Now, Angel, we read, we hear these days.
An instrument blaring down the street talking about the angels singing. I heard that yesterday.
Someone had a machine in there and was blaring out the angels singing. Will beloved angels don't sing, they only say.
And this is the point that I want to make by the grace of God just now.
What do they say?
When they see a St. disobedient to God's word.
What do they say? I don't know.
They understand one word, obedience, one word.
Mr. Scott, I used to hear him say, the author of the Book of Revelation, that.
Well worth reading.
He used to say.
Of course, I don't think he had scripture for it, but it was very pungent what he said, that if God had told the angels to evangelize the world, they'd have done it in 10 minutes.
Well, I remember him saying that.
But angels don't sing beloved, they say.
And when they see a dear sister violating the scriptures.
With her dress. Now you'll pardon this old missionary. I'm speaking from a heart.
And we do talk plainly to our brethren out there.
When they see a sister transgressing.
What God says in his precious word as regards your dress and your hair.
Do the angels say?
I don't know.
What do they say?
When a Sinner turns to Christ.
They rejoice. There's joy in heaven over one Sinner that repenteth.
What do they say when a St. is restored?
To the joy of his or her first love.
What do they say?
What do they say?
They read in you.
Dear young Christian.
And I talked to my own self. They read enough.
The many colored wisdom of God get a word in here.
Before we get away from it too far in that we've been noticing that that verse in chapter 3 of Ephesians verse 10.
Shows how that God's wisdom is now being displayed before, as our brother said, the good angels in the heavenlies.
It makes me think of another verse of Brother Paul Wilson. I think has given us a good tract on this First Corinthians 11 and verse 10.
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One would wish always that we might be LED of the Holy Spirit.
But I must say that a brother said he wished that something could be said on this verse. He didn't say this verse, but on this subject.
I'll read it for this cause. Ought the woman.
To have power or authority.
On her head.
Because of the angels. That's our subject.
Now, this brother said, and when we all love and you do too, if you knew him or who I mean, he says he's been distressed at what he sees in the ignoring of this truth of this portion here about the woman having her head covered.
When we see such.
Pretensions to what you might call a covering.
According to the styles of the world.
And instead, instead of covering that which is the woman's glory.
To the word of God is disregarded, and the glory of the woman's hair is much in display.
I try to speak plainly, otherwise I'd better not say anything. But these are things that ought to exercise us rather than to dismiss them and disregard them and dishonor the Lord. And the angels see God's word unheeded.
Oh, we don't want to make rules and be like, you know, certain religious parties, but the word of God is a thing we need to get back to.
The first the 4th chapter of First Peter. I'd like to read a few verses in connection with our verse in our chapter.
4th chapter first Peter.
Or as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excessive wine, revelings, banquetings and abominable idolatry.
Wherein they think it's strange that you run not with them to the same excessive riot speaking evil of you. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. Now not only will the quick and the dead be judged, but God is going to bring every work into judgment.
But the point in reading this passage is this.
That unless we have an object before us, we are not going to rightly.
Carry out these things.
And so the Spirit of God always brings before us.
An object.
And a pattern.
Now it says here, for as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourself.
And that's our subject, Armor. He has suffered in the flesh. Now it's true, He did suffer in atonement, but he also suffered with the people of God. He took the place down here of rejection. He took the place that would honor His Father.
And I believe if we appeal to one another on this ground, I believe then there would be results that would be to the glory of God. Now, it might be, of course, that we're not acquainted with Scripture.
So may I just suggest perhaps we have said enough on this subject that when you go home.
That our dear brothers, all of us may read that verse in the 11 Chapter First Corinthians, the 14th verse, you don't need to read it now, but and that our sisters will read the 1St 3 verses of the 47th chapter of Isaiah and that will give us something in which our consciences can be exercised as to that which is.
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Off limits for the Christians?
I just suggested I was just about to suggest the same verse brother on brother Brown brought before us the 10th 1St.
But I believe the 14th is very important too at the present time.
In the 11Th and 1St Corinthians.
Doth not even nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
Now we are speaking about the Gospel this morning.
And isn't necessary to accompany the gospel with long hair and.
Banjos and that kind of thing. I do not believe it is. Brethren, we need to take both these verses to heart, especially the young people who are indulging in the customs of the people. And we read in Jeremiah 10 for the customs of the people of vain.
Are we going to indulge in vain things when we belong to Christ glorified head in heaven? I do believe we should be deeply exercised about these two verses. A late beloved brother.
Made a statement and he lived it out.
His statement was this.
What praises the Lord?
Blazes may well it pleases thee, Lord pleases me. And he lived it out. Some of us here knew him very well. What a simple formula.
What covers all these things? What places they Lord places me?
Can we honestly say that each one of us?
I do believe very much in my own soul, brethren, that we need a balance to these things. I wish I had a better balance myself. I know I lack it, but I see in my exercises before the Lord and in the Word of God.
That.
One of the things we need the most is what we're stressing, and that is heartwarming ministry.
We always value that.
I will run the ways of thy commandments. When thou hast enlarged my heart, it does begin to the heart.
But, beloved brethren, I feel certain.
If we're only going to minister to the heart and leave the conscience untouched when the Word of God is full of exhortation.
And things that we need for our conscience to affect our walk and our feet.
We must have the prophetic truth or else.
The nice heartwarming word which?
Prophet by but many unfazed by it in no time.
The shallowness of it in the soul wears off, and there is no not anything accomplished. On the other hand, we do not expect much to be accomplished in these days of ours. All that God might use any of this precious truth to help us to want to go in His way.
I don't want to be funny now, but it's so good. So much to the point I just feel as though I must quote from the letter I have in my pocket.
On this subject that our brother Smith touched on there, which we don't want to extend anymore time, if we had consciences, we'd profit by it. But on that subject he writes to me. I have the letter on me if any of you want to see it.
He says.
It looks hopeless.
The problem before us, the abominations right in the midst where the Lord is, and our brother Clarence gave a good reference, if you'll just jot it down and look it up in Isaiah 47 verses one and two, it's connected to with the subject of Babylon. This morning we had the 7th of Joshua mentioned there and nothing was said though about that Babylonian garment.
Nor anything as to where Wedge of gold.
But it does show.
There one is so much concerned about that Babylonish garment, the other may be to get rich wedge of gold.
00:30:02
But this letter now be through, he says this way.
It's just like a Bantam rooster trying to fight with an ostrich.
I know it's funny.
These are difficulties. Why? Because the Philistines are getting the upper hand amongst us, so that instead of speaking out faithfully, our mouths feel like we're muzzled.
We don't want to offend our dear kindred and our dear friends. We don't want to offend any of the young people. We do not want to. We want the young people's hearts drawn back to the Lord Jesus, for we wrestle, it says.
That's that's what we should be exercised about individually or.
We wrestle.
Now that indicates life. We have that in the Colossians 3 don't we? It's only those who have life that can mortify the flesh.
And we're told in Luke where the gospel presents these things very clear as to who has life and who hasn't, it says those who are with the seed falls into good ground are those who hear the word and keep it and.
So I think we should be exercised about keeping the word that we hear, and here it says we wrestle now we're wrestling against those who are far superior to ourselves.
But in so doing, we have something that's superior to them. It's like the young man, you know, in Kings, he told the prophet Elijah, he said. Why?
Look at the hosts that are surrounding us. The prophet says Christ to the Lord to open the young man's eyes that he might see, and he sees the hosts that are far superior to those of the enemy. And so, brethren, let's not get discouraged. The Lord is able.
He's able to meet the problems of the day and he's able, but the exercise for us is to wrestle each one to wrestle, and if we're going to lay hold of heavenly things, we'll have to wrestle.
Quite a lift here have any of the the enemy is attacked the planet. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, of this age, against spiritual wickedness in higher heavenly places.
Just think, brethren, what a real of.
Enemies, we have lined up the tribal robbers of our spiritual blessings, the most important blessings that we'll ever prevent. That's why we're told to take unto you the whole armor of God.
Say the the Spirit of God gives us to realize what a dangerous position we're in.
Shows us how many enemies.
Are lined up against us, the devil and these principalities are wicked spirits. We know very little about them, that they must be a tremendous.
Powers and enemies to hinder us in every way. And here we are going through the enemy's land, surrounded with all these enemies to cheat us and to deceive us.
And to approve us at every step that we take in our Christian pathway.
And that is the introduction to putting on the whole armor of God. We can't omit or leave out one part without leaving ourselves vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.
Well then, with that, he proceeds to give us.
What he means by this whole armor of God?
And before that, though, he said.
Therefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that He may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Now, in the lives of all God's children, there comes an evil day.
Whenever it were, all the powers of darkness are released against us, and we're just as it were overwhelmed by the attack upon us. And we need to be prepared for that evil day for no matter who it is, brothers or sisters, young people or older people.
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There will come a time in your life when the enemy will try to rob you of the present truth, the federal blessings that are.
Faith to you, and these closing days He will try to get you off of the ground and to turn you away from Christ in some way or other into the world and its ways now in order to be prepared for this great attack of the enemy.
We need to put on the whole armor of God. What would you think of a soldier that when he heard the fire of the artillery while then he puts on his uniform and gets his gun and gets his equipment and starts out. Why you'd say the man's defeated before he meets the enemy?
And that's just the lesson before us, the love of what we and I trust will consider.
As we go on with this chapter is the importance of being prepared.
For the attacks of the enemy.
And then the apostle having done all to stand the fear, we may one win the very real victory, so that the enemy is is crushed seemingly, and we come out with colors flying. Well, now that's the very time when we stand in peculiar danger.
One of the greatest victories that Napoleon Bonaparte ever.
One was in a place called Afterlife.
And on medication, the.
The Austrian general had defeated Napoleon, given him a real beating, and his army had retired in confusion. And the Austrian general, if I remember the history correctly, sat down and he said oh so satisfied and was writing back the headquarters about this great victory over Napoleon.
Well, Napoleon said. We've lost this battle, but it isn't too late to win another.
So he quickly regrouped his army and suddenly made a vicious attack on on the Austrians and won one of his greatest victory. You see the lesson I'm speaking to bring before you is having done all the stands instead of standing and and realizing that.
There was still danger that the enemy would make another attack. He thought it he'd won the victory and it was all over.
And brethren, no matter how many times the enemy has been defeated through faithfulness and obedience to the Word of God.
We're not done with his wild or his attacks. He'll come back in another way and make another attack upon it. And then I trust we might go on as the Lord may guide to develop the crops in the whole armor of God, beginning with the 14th verse.
Which starts out stand therefore having your loins girded about with truth. That's the very first piece of armor mentioned, isn't it? It is indeed that we should be applied to my own heart and conscience.
That everything might be removed which is not of God, before I can use the last piece of the armor, which is the sword of the Spirit, to repel the enemy.
How important it is that the Word of God should first of all search my own heart before I can use it on anybody else. I was thinking about the word stand. We get it mentioned three times, do we not? And the apostle Paul is not urging the Saints there to advance, but to stand to remain where grace has put them, and not let anybody take their crown.
How important it is to stand today. So much giving up in these days.
But we are exhorted to stand and to stand firm and to withstand. So my brother says in the evil day.
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And calling attention to the word stand isn't the thought there also that I believe three times we have the word stand and once withstand that in the view of the believer which we have here as in the heavenly in Christ.
There's no thought of getting up higher, that's impossible. But the enemy would like to drive us out of that position and the only thing that is necessary is just to stay right where you are.
The verse in Second Corinthians chapter 16 verse 13 I think fits right into our thoughts at this moment. 2nd 2nd Corinthians 1613 Watch ye. In other words, be diligent.
Stand fast in the faith.
Quit you or yourselves like men here it be Christian men and be strong.
Brother, would you mind repeating I please? Which scripture? How's that? Second Corinthians 6. That's right, First Corinthian 613 I'm sorry. Watch east and fast and they faith quit you like men and be strong.
Early chapters of the Thistle of Ephesians. It's in the heavenlies where the believer is seated.
Not a believer is seen as going from there and sent into this world, but his position is in the heavenly. The Lord could say in the 17th of John, as my father has sent me, so have I have I sent you, and so the believers seen down here.
But he, he belongs up there and he's seated in the heavenly, and so the expectations are based on that.
Now in the Gospel of Luke there are several widows, and they give us a picture, a pattern of a state of soul.
In the case of the one whose son was taken, the son was restored to life by the Lord.
Well, the one that follows immediately is the one who has an adversary. That's the 18th chapter.
And so progressively then we see the pattern that we have to 1St see ourselves in resurrection life. We have to see ourselves in that new position as seated in the heavenly. And there we discover we have an adversary and the character of the adversary. Now it's true that the adversary will use carnal things to deceive us as we have the wild mansion.
But they may be spiritual things as well.
In fact, oftentimes that's the character of attack for the believer. And we find today that the enemy is seeking to to bring all various precious truths that we have and jumble them up, jumble the doctrines up until many are confused as to the real issues. And so I think we should see.
To weigh the truth of God simply as it's stated in the Word and not get confused with all of these things the enemy is introducing.
In the various means that are at hand today, that so many take advantage of, and especially the literature that goes around because it only goes back to the old subject of Colossians where the reasonings of men's minds are involved. We have to guard herself against that. That's what the enemy would like to do. He'd like to rob us of our joy.
Of our position in the heavenly.
It ends so much the circumstances of this life. The goals will follow. If we are really in communion, the Lord will take care of those. But we see it, do we not, in the prayers of the Saints, and we find ourselves praying.
For our circumstances, our loved ones. And we don't what we really show in our prayers where we're where we're thinking, we're not thinking of heavenly things. We're not thinking of the same things that Epifras did in philosophy.
Praying that the Saints might stand and all the will of God. That was the full revelation that God had given through the Apostle Paul and heavenly things. And that was what was the burden of Epifras prayer. Well, I believe we should remember that we're in the heavenly.
00:45:08
The instructive pressure to the young people who explain a little what it means by.
And therefore having your loins gird about the truth.
You see, we're looking at a picture of a soldier ready for battle.
Well, in those days the the soldiers wore long flowing roles and when they sat down to relax for the ungirded themselves and and rested and relaxed.
Well, they would have no strength or would be unprepared should the enemy suddenly arrive.
So they saw his loose garments being tucked up.
Girded around, Oh, they're not flowing and away. That would impede our movement and our efforts.
To defeat the enemy.
All that, if we are believed. Consider what that means.
Loins girt about with truth. Of course it's the word of God, for the blessed Lord says to the Father in the 17th of John. He says, Sanctify them through thy word. Thy word is true.
Now the grated loins with the truth is having our whole life and department and our ways regulated by the Word of God, that everything that we do is according and in subjection and obedience to God's precious Holy Word.
Well, that is the first part of the Christian armor that prepares the the Christian soldier.
For his warfare. And then the other things follow in line.
Well, the next thing is.
And having on the breastplate of righteousness.
Well, a breastplate was right over the the heart itself.
And I believe that having on the breastplate of righteousness.
Is what the apostle speaking speaks of is exercising himself always to have a constant void of offense toward God and toward man. Now if if our business dealings are shady, we live a good confidence and the enemy can make.
A very clever attack upon us. We want to have everything clear with God.
And everything that would in any way compromise our Christian testimony.
Judged and not allowed. That is being over the heart. It speaks of the heart being in a healthy, normal condition, or really a happiness, enjoying the Lord because there's nothing between the soul and the Lord. Well, that's another part of the armor.
That is very important for us, so we can go through each one of these different parts of the armor.
With profit to our souls. But it's a practical righteousness, is it not? Here, brother. That's what I just said. Brother, I didn't hear that word. I'm sorry. Practical, right? Oh, I'm sorry. All right. Now the truth first.
According to God's Word and then a righteous manner of living.
And now allow me to tell a little incident I'm just waiting to tell you this on the having her feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace now gets down to the feet related to to our walk and the experience was this I was doing some landscape work and had a dump truck and had a fine load of choice soil to.
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Fill up the gardens of.
A lady and that Lady lived on the street where.
Way down, step, step, step, steps, many of them to the road below. But on the higher level there was a vacant lot right back of her place. So I drove in my dump truck and backed it up to the fence and I was shoveling off this fine quality top soil. It was good. And a man next door come over and told me that I had no right to drive that truck in there on that vacant lot.
He wanted me to carry it up the steps in buckets, you know, But he had a dump truck.
And a regular business at that. And it looked like an infringement on his business by running a dump truck in there. Well, I kept on shoveling it until I got it all off while he was thundering away at me. Oh, I got down home at noon time and I was, I was tired and hot and I sat down. I wanted to eat my lunch in peace. But here comes the man up the driveway at my back door.
He wanted to, oh, he wanted to have it out with me. I said, would you be so small?
As to expect me to cart that up there in buckets up that hill when I could go in that lot there. I knew the Christian lady, Miss Anderson at the dime store downtown that owned that lot.
And I couldn't believe that she would ever refuse me what I was doing. But the way I spoke to Mr. Cliff, he, he's a dead man now, but I am so ashamed.
I surely cut off his ear. How could I give him a gospel tract? Look at here, having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. I could no more ever reach him with the gospel after that tilt with him. Oh, I was ashamed of that. To this day, neither half no sword. Let him sell his garments and buy one. And I wondered sometimes if the steps leading up to the use of a sword.
Might be the selling of the garment along the way.
It's not an easy thing to possess a sword that can be used effectively. In our brother's illustration shows it. We might know the word of God, we might be able to quote the word of God, but it will fall on deaf ears unless we've sold our garments to possess that sword. And so I suggest that the steps leading up to this sword would remind us of some of those things which perhaps are extremely searching and practical.
In order that we might have the effectual use of that sword when it's needed. Well, perhaps the very situation our brother describes, where we feel we have a perfect right to stand up for this or that, but selling the garment perhaps would be taking the low place and submitting to an injustice. In order that we might be able to speak a word for the Lord without having cut off the brother's ears.
I have thought of it in connection with a similar situation that reflects on our dear brother Herbie Galbraith, now with the Lord of Lawrenceville, New Brunswick.
Quite a few here know him pretty well.
He was a fisherman for many years by livelihood, and it was sort of an unwritten law in the Bay of Fundy that if you had let out your Nets, no one was allowed to go upside from you and put out their Nets. Well, brother Herbie Galbraith was a very expert fisherman and he would let his Nets out one mile of them by hand, and some of his unsafe neighbors would watch where he let them out and go upside from him to put theirs out knowing.
Probably get a good catch. He had every right to reduce them and demand that they withdraw these Nets. But he never did it. He'd always quietly haul in that whole mile of death by hand and move off somewhere else and let them out again without one word of rebuke and in his old age.
They loved Brother Galbraith could go to anybody's door in Lawrenceville, New Brunswick, with his Bible and prevent Christ to them, and not one of them could say, You remember what you hollered at me that night in the Bay. He sold his garment, he took the low plate. He allowed himself to be dealt with unrighteously.
Quietly took it, The Lord blessed him and gave him a sufficient catch every night. And in his old age he had a sword that he could use effectively. I've often heard quote of that verse. If the axe be blunt and he do not wet the edge, then must he put two more strength?
As I sometimes think when a great deal of stress and thundering needs to be laid upon what we're trying to say, it's because perhaps we haven't practiced this in our life.
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And when we present the word of God, if it has been effectual in our own lives, if we have been gird about with truth, if we have had on the breastplate of righteousness, and we pick up the sword of the word of God, we don't need to put too much strength. The edge of it will be felt because it will be evident that the other edge of it has touched our own life and ways. I don't know whether that explains selling the garment. I'm afraid I.
Any personal illustration, because I don't know anything about it, but I've seen it in the lives of others, that we connect this 14th verse of our chapter to a little illustration in the 11Th chapter of Acts where we have Barnabas going down to the assembly of Antioch, Antioch in Syria.
11Th chapter of action, verse 22, or for the Sake of Time, verse 23. Barnabas flew when he came.
And I'd seen the grace of God, was glad that he doesn't stop there.
Exhorts them, He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave or abide unto the Lord. It doesn't matter. Explain just in a few words that verse which we have in Ephesians, abiding or cleaving to the Lord. Grace had come in save these precious souls, and hearing the gospel.
Now we see the grace of God manifested in the assembly.
Barn of the sons want them to stop, go on, that's fine. He would exhorted them all that with purpose of heart. They might cleave or abide under the Lord, not distracted with things round about them, or holding to or trusting that which they have received.
The Christian soldier here is not presented as a man in the barracks, with only his daily drills to worry about.
He is presented as a man on active service, isn't he, to be on the alert to the dangers around him, and to stand firm against them in dependence upon the Lord?
To stop the beach shop with the preparation of the gospel of peace is not a subject just confined to those who go about preaching the gospel. In fact, I believe it isn't really the stop.
Have the peak of the gospel creatures and their message going out to the world of unsaved. Here is something that is intended to exercise every one of God's children, sisters of young people, children one and all.
See, it has to do with our walk and if we're walking.
In a way that.
Tells the man of the world that we have something infinitely better.
Than all his wealth or all his worldly places. And we have quiet peace in our souls, that everything is right between our souls and God. It speaks louder than words. I remember dear old sister, Mrs. Foreman.
Within the London ON meeting for years 34 the woman of faith, he said at one time that her father allowed her to occupy rooms connected with his house very grudgingly, and she had so little and she was left a widow and was struggling along to care for her little children. Her father came in and she was instructing her children in the word of God.
And then had prayer with him.
He said that he stopped at the door and the poor old man said, I see that you have something that I haven't got.
And they said, I wish I had it. Well, now that dear sister, in her quiet simplicity in seeking to bring up her family for the Lord without getting out of her place and going out on the streets and shouting to sinners, was this carrying on a godly walking wave there in her little family?
That was really her feet were shoved with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
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And so, beloved, we can all be shot in that way, in our walking ways that we show and the world sees that we possess something of infinite more value than all that this world possesses. Well, doubtless Waters brought outside your old brother Herbert Christensen. I mean her Herbert Galbraith.
Was just like we've been speaking about. He proved to all fishermen that he had something better, that he could take losses.
For he had peace in his soul, and I knew that dear man well, and he certainly was well charged with the gospel of peace.
Earlier in respect to the.
The continual battle, continual front of the enemy.
And so it's often been remarked that in the armor that is given here, we find the child of God putting it on, but we never find him taking it off.
And the armor might look very nice hanging on the stable wall, polished and bright.
But it's of no avail if we do not make it practical in our lives, is it?
Ephesians 6:13-
Reading
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Ephesians chapter 6. We'll start with the 13th verse. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore having your loins dirt about with truth.
Having on the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel. Peace.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints and for me. That utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in bonds.
That therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
First parts of the armor.
Where we have.
And therefore having your loins guarded.
About the truth about the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shoved with the preparation of the gospel of peace. The thing is our brother.
Brown was not with us as he could give us. I'm sure he could give us some added thoughts.
On those parts of the armor that we went over, starting with your loins girt about with truth.
Well, if we.
Are not walking.
In the truth, if our loins are not gird about the truth.
We can't expect the Lord's blessing if it isn't true.
It's error.
And the word of God is that that.
If we're willing to submit to it.
We're not going to be LED astray.
Now in connection.
With having our loins gird about with truth, there's the necessity.
Of practical righteousness accompanying it.
Having on the breastplate of righteousness, that's practical righteousness.
If I'm not walking in a righteous, upright way.
I can't expect to make progress in my soul.
So that it's most important.
That not only we should have our loins gird about with truth, but then there should be accompanying it the righteousness that matches the truth that we profess.
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
That is in our walk. The feet speak of the walk.
With the preparation of the Gospel of peace.
We're in a position through faith in Christ.
To enjoy a sense of peace in our souls, and that peace can only be a peace that's in keeping with the mind and character of Christ.
So the next verse starts out beside, beside, not above, but beside all.
Taking the shield of faith.
The shield of faith.
Whereby you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Now, having on all this armor doesn't mean that we're not going to have to meet the enemy.
It's just the opposite the enemy is going to make.
More fierce attempts to trip us up if he sees that we are wholly trying to.
Please our Lord Jesus Christ, he's going to attack us. So beside all this thinking, the shield of faith whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Where the objects of his hatred.
And the devil himself.
Detest anything that honors Christ.
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Anything that honors Christ, the devil is opposed to.
So there's that shield of faith whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil.
But how does faith express itself? By laying hold upon the truth of the Word of God?
Taking the shield of faith, laying hold upon the truth of God.
And then in connection with the helmet.
Of salvation.
I have a little note here that I think is worth reading to us all.
Mr. William Kelly, the helmet of salvation is the consciousness.
Of the full deliverance God has wrought for us in Christ.
I'll read that again.
The helmet of salvation is the consciousness of the full deliverance God has wrought for us in Christ. So taking the helmet of salvation is that complete confidence in what God has wrought for us. And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, that is the sword that the Spirit of God uses.
In meeting our foes, the Word of God.
For the shield of faith is.
Full confidence in God in connection with His Word. Trusting His Word and believing.
That what God has promised, as it were, He is able also to perform. That is, we can fully trust Him to go on in the scene of conflict where we're continually faced by the enemy and meet the enemy under.
Any trial or any circumstance, if we're trusting fully and the Lord for his help, for his.
Being with us and meeting the enemy. So it's the word of God, isn't it? Again? But it's full confidence in the Word, in the one whose Word.
We believe and are trusting in.
What a Savior, what a Father we have and think of all the deep, boundless love in the heart of God our Father and in his beloved Son for you and me and our pathway down here.
Well, a verse such as we get in the 8th chapter of Romans. He that spared not his own son, but freely delivered him up for, but delivered him up for us all.
Shall he not also with Him also freely give us all things?
Rather than we should have unbounded confidence.
In the Lord's love, the love of the Father towards us as His children. And when the enemy comes in like a flood, by then we can lift up a standard against Him. And what a striking and beautiful illustration.
Of the.
This.
We have brought before us the breastplate, no.
The shield of faith. Well, you know, in battle, when the enemy was throwing his darts, the soldier held up his helmet.
And those, those fiery darts never touched him at all, never harmed him. Isn't that wonderful? And I was thinking of these dear young people.
The dog can so fortify them amid all the attacks in their school life and and wherever they are facing these.
Difficult is that all these attacks can fall.
Useless and powerless to in any way harm their souls. But we must take God's provision. In other words, we must use not our own shield, our own thoughts, our own wisdom, but the shield of faith.
And brethren, these fiery darts are very.
Very real dangers, aren't they?
Penetrating into our thinking, suggesting thoughts that would lead us.
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Into the ways of the world, making us believe that the world is having a better time than we're having.
And suggesting, maybe after all, that we can't always trust in every part of the Word of God.
With all that, it weakens the believe resistance that God has provided to these many attacks of the enemy.
We're told in Leviticus 11.
Now I suppose that we understand that it means the word of God, the water, and.
If we are and our children are fortified by the word of God.
Will be preserved if there's faith. Now we have this word faith, which is sort of a general used in a general way oftentimes, and we sometimes don't understand exactly the connections, but we can always say that faith is dependent upon the word of God. There's no such thing as faith.
Except through the Word of God Faith.
Comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Now here we have the shield and the helmet. I believe these two things are very important for us to notice because in a day like this we find the darts coming from every direction and the soldier must hold up his shield. Well, what is his shield?
Well, it's the shield of faith. In other words, it's the Word of God.
We, we really should be practical about this, you know, and in our homes the father and mother are responsible to keep the word of God before the children. This was even true among Israel. They were to teach these things to their children.
That is the precept that were laid before them, the law and all that had to do with the Word of God.
So that they might be preserved.
Well, this is very important for us, and I believe we're living in a day when the Word of God is being neglected. We have it on every hand. We have it in all these marvelous writings of the Spirit of God is preserved for us to this day, and we have all the help we need. But is there a real interest in our part to bring these things before our children?
And we see the sad results where it is not.
Because we can always trade where there is failure.
Generally, the Word of God has been neglected, at least in measure. It might have been enjoyed by the parents, but it wasn't transferred to the children. And I believe it's important that the parent not only read with their children, but pray with their children.
Because unless these things are brought home in reality to these little hearts, these children will not be preserved. And that's what the main issue is right now. It's our children.
And what will the next generation be like if we neglect the Word of God? But what about the hell now?
Well, we have the same thing unless we have the word of God.
Firmly entrenched in the soul, unless there is this helmet of salvation, the consciousness of the full, full, revealed mind of God that we can rest upon. Not only knowing it as a doctrine, but enjoying it because that's what the Word was given to us for, to enjoy. Now, unless this is true of us. Unless this is true of our children.
The helmet won't be on and the enemy will get in connection with what you're telling us.
From the 6th of Deuteronomy. The 6th of Deuteronomy.
Reading from the sixth verse, Deuteronomy 6/6.
And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart.
Not in your head, but in thine heart.
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.
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And shall talk of them.
When thou sittest in thine house.
That's quite a thing, isn't it? Shall talk of them. And now, Citizen thine house.
Well, sometimes Saints of God can be occupied with other things in their house.
Then sitting and talking about the mind of Christ.
When our citizen thine house, when thou walk us by the way.
When thou liest down, when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand.
And they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Don't forget that. Frontlets between thine eyes. What are we going to look at?
We're going to spend our time with our eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house.
And on thy gates.
I think that's a good word, brother.
Concerning Deuteronomy.
Those words shall be in thine heart.
The shield of faith, then, would be full and entire trust in God. But there's another thought that's there.
I believe it's the present assurance in the heart. That's what faith is. Begins there, not in the head.
For it's with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So we have not only that full confidence in God, but there's also the heart.
Heart that president. Assurance in the heart.
In by way of illustration, do we not see it very prominently in King Hezekiah in his outstanding trusting the Lord under when he's faced for the enemy, how he laid it before the Lord and.
Jehoshaphat did the same thing when faced to the enemy.
Owning that we have no might now, there was the shield of faith in looking to the Lord, putting the Word of God into face activity for the Lord. We see it in Daniel and his three friends over and over again, where their confidence was in the Lord according to His Word.
We have no might against.
Enemy that cometh up against us, neither know we what to do.
But their eyes are upon thee. So we have, as our brothers mentioned, the heart.
And the eyes, Oh brethren.
Where What are we reading and where are our eyes in these days?
One wonders.
If we read much of the word of God as we should.
The word to Timothy was be strong my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Well, what does he mean there to young Timothy?
How can we be strong if we don't read?
If we don't meditate upon the word of God.
I suppose God's dear people because of the.
Work that they engage in and they have to hurry to work and hurry back again, and we feel for the dear Saints.
With their many, many obligations that leave them with little time to meditate.
We feel for them.
But that should not cause us to eliminate Beloved.
The reading in the morning and getting down on our knees in prayer.
Very important birth in Lamentations 351 in connection with the eyes and the heart.
Says there.
Mine, I affected my heart.
Well, if my eyes are fixed to fix upon the trash of this scene, my heart will be affected likewise, and my heart will be occupied with these things. But on the other hand, if my eye is fixed upon Christ in the glory, my heart will be filled with Christ and filled with joy and peace and be a witness for Him. So it's a very, very important word. Mine I affecteth mine heart.
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Now another word to go with it, brother in.
The Song of Solomon. Just a couple of thoughts there.
Song of Solomon.
Chapter.
In chapter 5.
And verse 12.
His eyes.
Are as the eyes of doves.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves. You know how the dove, when released from the Ark, had no eye for the corruption?
It found drift floating around the waters.
He returned to the Ark. There was nothing of the new creation for it to feed upon.
Its eye found nothing.
Until it was released again when it brings back a little sample of the new creation in that olive leaf.
Now here, this speaks of his eyes.
Now let's look back at chapter.
Four verse nine. Well yes, I want a first brother. Allow me to 1St read verse one.
In Speaking of his beloved.
He says, Behold, thou art fair.
Thou.
Past doves eyes, we that are born of God have a new holy nature.
Exactly like that holy divine nature.
That the Lord Jesus walked in.
And that new nature cannot feed on the corruption of this miserable, miserable world. So we have doves eyes. Are we using them now? The other verse our brother mentioned was verse 9.
The Lord says.
As it were, I put it, as it were, Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes he loves to see.
Are I single and as it were, with one object, his own glory?
And carrying out your thought, I believe it's generally understood that.
Doves have this characteristic that when one of the when either mate should leave the other, that the dove would turn in the direction that the companion has departed and remain in that direction and looking in that direction until the return of the mate.
Has been keeping with the verses that were read to us this morning.
In regard to the Lord's coming, and I believe we should keep this in mind, brethren.
And these meetings that the return of the Lord is very, very near, and we should have doves eye. There's another thought, brethren, in verse 13 of Psalm 68, though you have lined among the parts.
Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Now high wings.
In the Bursar, brother read, Thou hast doves eyes.
The eye of the dove is always turned homeward. Home, brethren, have we eyes for whom? Let me tell you, I was in the Bolivian army, and, as you know, preaching Christ.
To the troops and the the officers had.
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These doves or these pigeons carry a pigeons, and they use them largely for carrying messages.
One day there was a dove found there.
And resting for a considerable time, in fact for some hours.
And the officer thought he would climb up on the roof and see what was the matter.
And the little bird allowed him to pick it up.
And suddenly he noticed on its little red leg a piece of paper.
That dove had flown 3000 miles.
Brethren, have we eyes for whom?
Thou hast Dobbs eyes, eyes for home.
Healed as having a special need with our young people.
One was thinking of the.
Attack the subtlety of our enemy has been before us as through his wild, and our young people find that subtlety perhaps more.
Poignant in any than in any other way in the teachings of evolution.
And I fear that oftentimes our dearer young brethren and sisters seek to cope with this in an intellectual discourse.
And to reply to the challenges of evolutionists.
But the Spirit of God was not remiss, was He in giving us?
As the very first example of faith in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews.
We believe that the world were framed by the word of God through faith, and this is our shield, dear young brother, young sister.
Or all that they confront us that goes beyond our ability to fully comprehend.
Now if one were to challenge me on evolution.
I would be hopelessly.
Out thought in regard to intellect, because we know that those who are the enemies of creation by the power of God have a great arsenal of statistics.
And reasonings that sound very plausible.
But through the grace of God, I would not speak to meet them on those terms at all.
But to turn to the first verse of the Bible, and to turn again to the 11Th chapter, Perhaps it's the second verse of Hebrews, and they might face.
Know that God created these things and I enjoy the simplicity and the utmost Peace of Mind and heart and knowing.
Through faith that this is so and your attacks won't affect my beliefs. One I own. Mother Gill. May I call our attention. Pardon my interruption, will you? There's a verse that.
I believe it's my champion verse in answering evolution because it's from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
And it's the 10th chapter Mark, Mark 10, verse 6.
But from the beginning of the creation, the beginning, the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.
Now that just completely sets aside.
All pretense and evolution from the beginning of the creation. God made them male and female. That's it. Very nice, brother. I think that's a wonderful verse in the beginning. God, if there's a biology student here, I hope you don't believe in transmutation.
We can let mutation go along because there is a variety, brethren, but not transmutation.
There's no such thing. I was taught in biology that man evolved from great depth, from a bed of slime, and from that bed of slime he came forth as an electron, and from an electron into a protoplasm, and from a protoplasm into a codfish, and from a codfish into a monkey, and a monkey into a man. There never was a great ally. One day I had the pleasure of having dinner with.
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Howard Kelly, the Dean of the University of John Hopkins.
He asked me to have dinner with me, not because there was anything in me, but he knew I was from Bolivia and one of his best students happened to be there.
A great surgeon and he want to know about him, but he said to me in wonderful Spanish, Unmono Vestida, they say there's mono Tolavia, a monkey dressed up in silk is still a monkey.
That's what he said to me the first time he saw me. Yes, there may be mutations, dear student of biology, but not transmutation. There's no such thing from slime into a man. That's all wrong.
We met a Christian family, father and mother and four children. The two older ones came home one day and said father.
The professor is bringing before us that.
We came up from monkeys, how about that?
Hello, Father was just a simple believer who made his living as a tailor. Well, he said, Children, it's this way.
Men to get men.
And monkeys. Forget monkeys.
There was a test made without hammering too much on this. There was a test made concerning by the Russians.
They had perfected blood and they said that it was exactly like human blood.
They injected that into a sick soldier and he died. There was number life in it.
Then there was another occasion when they tried monkey blood with a man and the man died immediately. Didn't work.
Well, we trust that if there's a student here in biology. I went through this, beloved, until my head swam around.
We trust that you will believe those words in Genesis. In the beginning, God, In the beginning God.
I hold the fiery darts too are not always in the realm of logic and reasoning. I'm sure the shield of faith is the only shield effectual in the realm of reasoning and logic. And with all my heart, I thank God for having seen that shield of faith used in those who went before me. I thank God with all my heart so that when I too was confronted in some little measure with these.
Brilliant men.
Whose logic and reasoning I could find most law in. I could see in my minds eye that dear Saints of God, who are now with the Lord, holding aloft the Word of God and proclaiming the wonder and beauty of it. And all that reasoning and lodging sounded completely empty. It was God-given, and I thank Him for it. That that shield of faith simply stopped those darks. I could never meet them alone. But I wonder too if in the realm of.
Fiery dart. There might not also be that which doesn't quite challenge the logic or the intellect.
But I think of the writer of this epistle, who himself was faced with many adversities.
And as a prisoner on the way to Rome in the midst of a great storm, when they had abstained even from eating for many days and neither sun nor stars appeared, he stood forth and said, I believe God. I think Paul had the shield of faith well in use that day, and there may be someone here who is faced with steep trial.
Great grief and sorrow, and I wonder at such a time, does the enemy not come along with fiery darts, and perhaps suggest that God could have treated us a little more kindly?
God has perhaps given us a greater grief than we're able to bear rather than I've not had to face this kind of thing, but others have. And I feel that even in such circumstances, the shield of faith that would look up and say with the writer of this book, I believe God, what has God said? He has told us of his love. He has told us of that love so fully.
Has been brought before us this morning.
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? It's a fine verse to read when things are going well, but it's a shield of faith when trouble or adversity or bereavement comes upon us. So perhaps the shield of faith can be used both in the realm.
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Of reasoning and logic and can be used in that realm where Satan would attack us in times of adversity.
I believe that students largely are permeated with this. I've talked with many of them and they seem to be on the wrong track.
Well, there is a book published by a man called Meldau. He's with the Lord.
I have read that through carefully and I could commend that.
To you students here who are inoculated.
We trust not with this lie of evolution.
And I have enjoyed it too, brother.
But I believe we can have full get full credence to what he reports there and the marvels of God's creation. However, Mr. Millville did rely oftentimes on outside sources.
For his information, and some of our brethren have been to serve that they have found some things that were not accurate, and thus they have discarded the whole book as long as their brother Smith mentioned that I I nearly enlarged on this, that I believe that book commended by Brother Smith is a commendable book for us.
And if there have crept into it one or two facts not substantiated, it doesn't necessarily mean we should throw out the rest.
Because he brings the marbles of God creation in a very striking and forceful way. But you, you may find in it one or two things that do not entirely measure up to the known fact. Thank you, brother GAIL. I think it's really a wonderful book.
I enjoyed it very much.
And I keep it on hand and have passed it on to different young people that may be facing problems.
But in regard to what their brother Gill has just been telling us, we can't expect perfection in anything that anybody produces, whether it's William Kelly or John Nelson Darby or Mr. Meldow, we we can't expect perfection. But I believe that the reading of that book.
Will help to clear the minds of young people to get troubled along this line.
As clearly as anything outside, of course, the Word of God.
It's it's a remarkable book and I can hardly recommend it. May I add this?
Being an editor myself as I read, I'm always looking for errors.
And.
I'm not able to criticize the book at all from the standpoint of the.
Statements themselves.
I felt, as I encountered errors, that it would be a kindness to the publishers to let them know. So when I finished it, I sent them two or three typewritten pages of typographical errors. Now, if there are brothers among us who are competent enough to point out.
Statements that are not true, would they not be constructive and do the Victory Publishing company of Service in advising them of these misstatements or imperfections?
So that when the next editions come out, the blemishes may be removed. It's nice to be constructively critical and not destructively critical, is it not? I'll let somebody give it that, can give it correctly.
And not in evolution. I had the pleasure of calling on that brother two years ago. He went to be with the Lord last year, brother John Milldale and.
I mentioned to him that the dear friend of mine claims that there's a one or two things there in your book that don't don't really tally with the facts of science. He says here he handed me a book. He says, give that to your friend and have him write back to me. So I said to our beloved one we all love, I said, did you?
Write back to him. No, I said. Why didn't you? Oh, I didn't get much on my says. Won't you show me?
There's one or two things. I appreciate it. Well, he didn't have time.
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But I might mention this, I run across a brother we love.
And when I mentioned this book, he said, oh, I don't care for that stuff. I.
I'm living in the heavenlies.
And I don't need that.
So I told him, I said, well, you remind me of brother Mr. Darby and Mr. Grant in writing in the train.
Mr. Darby noticed some beautiful scenery. God's creation. So Mr. Grant says, Oh, I'm dead to all that. Well, as they went on, Mr. Darby had not said a word until it got on Mr. Grant and he finally wanted to know if Mr. Darby was not feeling well and.
You know, I'm feeling all right. Well, then why don't you say anything? Well, there's no use talking to a dead man.
Now let me read one verse to add to what you said, brother.
In Jeremiah chapter 8 and verse 9.
The wise men are ashamed.
They are dismayed.
And taken.
The statesman of our day, the highest range scientists of our day, are baffled.
Everything is getting out of control. They cannot produce the solution for the state of things the way the world is going. But the rest of the verse.
They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them true of the education of.
So far as we are speaking about it in connection like evolution and philosophy going to call attention to a verse in the 82nd Psalm.
In connection with what her brother was saying about.
The dreadful condition of things in the world today.
The fifth verse of Psalm 82.
They know not.
Neither will they understand.
They walk on in darkness.
Now the rest of this verse is what I have in mind.
All the foundations of the Earth are out, of course.
Now, I believe that's referring to moral foundations.
And all the various relationships of life in the world today are out of course, the.
The family relationship is being broken up, and the civic relationship, the moral relationship, all the foundations.
Of the earth are out, of course. That's the condition to which things have dropped according to what we have in this.
82nd Psalm. All the foundations of the earth are out, of course.
But I don't. Excuse me for half profounding.
Different from some of the comments that have been made about that book.
The title of it rather frightens me. I'm not at all prepared to say anything about the content of the book. Anything I've read in it I have enjoyed very much. But I hardly approve of what our brother Gill has said. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed as God has described them. And the title of the book is.
Why I believe in creation and not in evolution?
Brethren, is there not just a little setting aside of the Shield of Faith, but a very title of that book? Why do I believe in creation and not in evolution? Because I have seen in creation the marvelous handiwork of God as compared to the nonsense of men. No, I believe in creation and not in evolution because God's Word proclaims creation and on that basis.
Alone I accept it if I see.
Furthermore, in the evidence that is given, that which thrills and delights myself. Thank God. But I hope this is not an awkward note to suggest, but I don't like the title Why? I believe in creation because the shield of faith accepts belief in the testimony that God has given in His word and not because someone has written the book of evidence. I believe we all say Amen and have the same point of view as you do, brother, and we've heard that before.
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Too. But we do see in the advanced discoveries through the electronic what do you call it?
Microsoft.
Yeah, microscope that the depths and the increase of entering into things that are now known through that means he does bring out much and by reading these things to you and me that understand this other. And you're correct brother, it does magnify the creator.
It does magnify the Creator for you and me. It isn't going to be used of God as it were to give faith because faith cometh for hearing and hearing by the word of God.
I want to give a balanced view to it.
I wonder if we could turn to a scripture in Genesis 35. It's just a little different from what we've been discussing, but it's in connection.
With our brother Albert Hales. Previous remarks on the shield of faith.
I wanted to make this connection. You know, there may be some of us here who have felt that.
We have failed in our responsibilities here, and the enemy would attack us and cause us to become, shall we say, discouraged after that which has been put in our trust.
Either our children or anything, any responsibility, and we need the shield of faith in this regard as well.
Now in this case of Jacob, we know Jacob had rather a checkered life.
We know that there are many things in Jacob's life that.
We can see.
Duplicated sometimes in our own there wasn't always the living up to the full privilege that Jacob had.
But we do remember that in the 28th chapter of Genesis, God had said to Jacob that he would be with him and he would see that he got back to Bethel.
Well now in this chapter we find it says, And God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go up to Bethel, and dwell there.
And make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee, when thou fled us from the face of Esau thy brother.
Then Jacob said unto his household.
And to all that were with him, put away the strange gods that are among you.
Be clean, change your garments, and let us rise and go up to Bethel.
And I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress.
And was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed, And the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, And they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
Now the point that I would like to bring out here in connection with the Shield of Faith.
Is that when you and I have discovered our failure, there's only one right course for us?
And that's to humble ourselves before God. That's a part of the shield of faith.
Because we find that God came in to Jacob's life and did what Jacob could not do.
Could not cleanse his house.
Jacob could not put away the strange gods that were in his house.
He could not remove the uncleanness.
But.
In faith Jacob was a man of faith. He waited upon God, and the time came when God came into his house, being a man of faith, and God did for him what he could not do for himself. Now I believe, dear brethren, that this is an important point in the shield of faith, because many.
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Become discouraged when they find out that their efforts have failed.
But we know that God is going to get the glory in the end, and we'll have to give it to Him.
Now just let me read a little further here and we'll see what effect this had upon Jacob. And that's what we want to see in our own hearts and in the hearts of our brethren. The effect.
We read on to the.
3rd we read on the 13th verse.
And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink, offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel, the House of God.
Hear Jacob is pouring out a drink offering. It's the only time in his life that we have recorded, I believe.
That he poured out a drink offering. Now, as I understand it, a drink offering.
Accompanied other offerings like the peace offering, but it had to do with the subject of joy. Joy.
Now where does Jacob find his joy? Does he find it in the fact that he had led such a wonderful life, and he was such a wonderful parent, and that he kept his house in order? No, indeed, brethren.
Here we find Jacob. The subject of joy is that God had come into his circumstances.
And God had ordered his household for him, and God had completed everything he had promised in connection with Jacob. He had taken him all the way, and he brought him back.
And so I suppose the only thing that's recorded of Jacob's faith is that when he was old that he blessed the sons, wasn't it when he was old? Well, it's a wonderful thing, dear brethren, that if the path ends well.
There may be many mistakes along the way, but where there's the shield of faith, where there's counting upon God?
The path will end well.
Now let's be sure of that, brethren, because God will never disappoint faith.
Let's have the shield of faith on whom I was going to remark, brethren, was a comforting verse concerning Jacob, which means supplanter. And that's what we are. But we're just poor old Jacobs. I'm so glad that we read this verse. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. And so we come back below to God in the beginning, God.
The Lord of Hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Remember, Mark, Mr. Potter made I think it was publicly too, he said. We're glad that we have a Peter in the New Testament and and a Jacob in the old, for we find there men that were like ourselves, says of armor mentioned are not given to the Christian soldier as instruments for attack, but for.
Protection.
And we are not told to fight the enemy, are we? We are told in James 4 to resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
And again in first Peter Five, we are told again resist him.
The armor is given for protection, not as weapons of warfare to fight the enemy. How about the sword of the spirit? Didn't the Lord use it in the fourth of Matthew fighting attitude though? But he used it with the enemy, the sword of the spirit and it surely it it, it surely paralyzed the enemy.
Quite true, but I mean our attitude should not be a fighting attitude.
Find that when Israel was in Egypt, they didn't find the Egyptians, they were delivered from them.
And we are delivered to from the enemy by the power of the Holy Spirit and through obedience to the Word, are we not?
Doesn't stop there, it goes on and is connected with praying.
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Now we have a lovely example of that. Pardon me for referring to the Old Testament again, but we have the time when King Jehoshaphat.
Went to war and I believe he had the sword of the spirit because they left their weapons at home.
And they took musical instruments, and they went to war against the enemy.
The battle was won at the Watchtower.
It's at the Watchtower that the battle ended. If you'll notice the passage, we won't turn to it, but.
That's prayer, prayer and watching unto prayer. I believe it's important that.
We watch unto prayer that shows the reality of our prayers. When we watch unto prayer that is we believe God and this is connected with the sword of the Spirit. Is there something that we feel the Lord wants us to do? Well, we can't do it in our strength and so if there if there is the direct attack as the sword would indicate.
There must be the prayer. Go with it. It's in the same verse here, praying.
Always.
With all prayer that's general and supplication is specific in the Spirit. Well, God has given us, has He not all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, they've all been given to us. If they're not so, are we not looked at here in Ephesians 6 as in possession?
About the enemy comes along to attack us, to take away from us, or to try to.
Of what we already possess. And is that not the reason why, as you were saying, brother gliding?
Our attitude is a defensive one. We have the sword of the Spirit, but our attitude is a defensive 1 to hold fast to what God has already given us. And he couldn't have given us more, could he?
Say then, brother Smith, that all the armor is defensive until you come to the Sword of the Spirit. That's offensive. That is, the Christian is only given one weapon to use against the enemy. All the rest is to protect ourselves, to be prepared. And then when the enemy does come.
If we are fully equipped with the armor of God, well then we have one weapon.
That will absolutely defeat him.
And that's the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
I've heard some people tell you get that forward out, that is, they have a bottle in their pocket, get it out and use it. Well, that might not be what we're reading up here at all because it's only the word of God yielded in the power of the Holy Spirit and that necessitates everything judged that would.
Communion with the Lord so that we might be filled with the Spirit and able in this way.
To to meet his attacks.
Now we have a perfect example of what we're taught here in connection with the victory of the Blessed Lord over Satan. When he was tempted in the wilderness, Peyton came and said to command these stones to be made bread.
Well, the Lord was hungry. They were fasting for 40 days, and all that time he was subjected to the awful influence of Satan. We can scarcely imagine what had transpired. And now the Lord a hungry man.
Is an approach that a vital point? Well, there was just one way that he met him. And it's a wonderful thing, beloved, that in meeting the attacks of Satan, the Lord met him in the way that the feeblest believer can meet him and defeat him too.
The Babe in Christ can defeat the Satans attack just as thoroughly and.
And with all the results that we see in the blessed Lord, a dependent man.
Only relying on the Word of God for his victory. So when he came, the enemy showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
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You met him again.
It is written and then when the Satan took him up to the pinnacle of the temple.
And even quoted scripture to him. Then he replied it is written again.
And the enemy was so shrewd that he will even quote scripture to try to confuse us. And that's why we need to be acquainted with the whole volume of GOB work that elsewhere to have the word of God in its entirety and the living in the power and enjoyment of it. So that when the enemy comes to confuse us.
We're ready to reply. As the Lord replied. It is written again.
And we should also notice just one more point, and that is that before you have the sword of the Spirit.
You have the helmet of salvation. You know the soldier in battle couldn't lift up his head if he didn't have on his helmet because he'd be afraid to that he would, he would have something landed on his head. So there is these wonderful cops that had lifted up when the certainty of our salvation, we know our souls were saved.
Divinely and eternally. And we know that salvation will never fail until we're in our glorified bodies like Christ. Then we can fully face the enemy. Excuse me, brother, excuse me. We are told to resist the devil.
I resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We're not, we're not told to rebuke the devil.
We're not told to rebuke him, but we're told to resist him. Now another verse that I think we will all admit that we might have been using during yesterday and today is I don't remember that we've been using it and that is that we should have no confidence in the flesh is related to Gilgal truth before going out.
To meet the enemy, there should be the often returning to Gilgal.
To be in the presence of the Lord.
Measuring ourselves as having no strength whatsoever. Without Him we can do nothing. And so at the beginning of our truth, like in verse ten of our chapter where it says be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
That is the secret to being the presence of the Lord, having no confidence in ourselves.
Even to Philadelphia, where it says thou hast a little power. Now that's the exact translation there, I believe, at least the most faithful one as you understand it. But thou hast a little power if you and I have.
A little of the leading of the Holy Spirit in our life and our ways. It'll be to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is here to glorify Him so.
To have a little strength, to have it in the Spirit of God and not of self or self-confidence, I'm sure is the most important thing of what have been said. Can we say that in verse 13?
There is to walk in the truth of the world. The result will be in righteousness.
On verse 15.
Walk in the meekness in meekness.
And in verse 16 walk in confidence of the Word. And in verse 17.
And the power speaks of the power of the word.
Yes, Brother Barry, I did not mean when I spoke about defensive warfare. I didn't mean that we were not to use the sword of the Spirit offensively. Far from it. But what I was thinking of was that some beloved Christians have the idea that we should go out and attack.
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Other Christians or people?
To heal them down with a sword. I got a letter the other day from a well meaning brother in Latin America and he said we have a radio program called.
La aura de la ray forma the hour of reform.
And he said we are launching out an attack by radio.
Over so and so and living that, that was what I had in mind.
So I wrote back to the brother and I said, dear brother.
Uh, we're not called upon to try to reform Christianity.
And much less the world and.
The Word of God has pronounced the.
The trend and the culmination and the judgment of Christendom.
And we are not going to change it, but wouldn't it be nice if you called your program?
Laura de la Aurora.
The hour of the dawning and announced the people the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Mark's Gospel it says that he was driven of the Spirit into the wilderness.
It was not any delight to the Lord to spend that 40 days in the wilderness and that attack of the enemy. There should never be any pleasure taking if we're having to meet the attacks of the enemy at the most problem thing when we have to face the attack of the enemy. And it should indeed.
Colonize us.
And draw us closer to the blessed Lord, so that we might be.
In communion with his mind.
Even though it was from scripture, it wasn't.
True. Was it because he left out four words? And that's the way the enemy does?
There's a special judgment upon those who would either add or take away from the Word of God, and Satan is the one who who introduces this sort of thing. In all thy ways. You left that out. You will keep thee in all thy way. I believe a practical truth that was just suggested by our brother Barry.
When he used the word as to our judging ourselves.
Is there no room for that truth in our subject we have before us?
Oh indeed, we should have that.
We already mentioned that we should have no confidence in the flesh. But what if we have had confidence in the flesh? What if we have not used the been covered with the whole armor and used the sword of the spirit? What if we have not done that and we failed? Then I'm sure that self judgment.
Is very, very much in season now. I'd like to read.
242 different portions on this point.
I believe it's worthwhile.
Lamentations, chapter 3.
The book of Jeremiah has 52 Chapters, the last one perhaps not written by Jeremiah, but after Jeremiah will say he wrote 51 Chapters. Why this book of lamentation originally was a part of that long book?
Lamentations, the five chapters, but it is by that profit that 41 years.
41 years was raised up of God.
In an 18 years of that time was.
When that wonderful Last King of Judah, Josiah was reigning. We love to read of Josiah.
We often hear ministry on Josiah.
But do we like to hear God's report by his prophet Jeremiah as to the internal corruptions that were going on during those 18 years when when Jehoshaphat himself had such a lovely, lovely reign?
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Well, the truth in Jeremiah's ministry I do not think we are liable to relish, nor did the people. Was he very popular with them? For he was really.
In On the Spot.
With the most privileged tribe of the 12 Judah, he was also addressing the most privileged spot in Judith, Jerusalem, Gods appointed center.
Now, I'm sure the people of Judah and Jerusalem did not relish the things he was addressing.
Was it with the purpose of warming their hearts? It was for the purpose of reaching their conscience. It was prophetic ministry and we should not leave it out of our thoughts, the prophetic ministry. So when we come to the end.
Of all that wonderful ministry of Jeremiah we read here in Lamentations 3.
He shows in verse 18.
A very, very.
Discouraged, a hopeless spirit.
He says my strength and my hope is perished.
Verse 19.
Remembering mine affliction.
And my misery or wandering.
The Wormwood and the gold, oh, the bitterness of our failure. My soul hath them still in remembrance.
And is now notice this word humbled in me. Is that not a profitable?
Exercise in the soul for it to be humbled. Is that not one of them?
One of the most needful things for the moment.
That we if we are humbled and recognizing the Lord's ways with us right now.
What will be more blessed in the end? And so he says, my soul is still in remembrance and is humbled in me.
This I recall to my mind, or the other translation to heart.
Therefore have I hoped. Therefore have I hoped. Now this is the word of God.
Now.
In verse 23.
Great is thy faithfulness in the face of our unfaithfulness. The Lord is my portion.
Saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him.
If self is owned and renounced as having failed, we do have our everlasting resource in the Lord. He is faithful. The Lord is my portion, therefore I hope.
Now in verse I want to touch on verse 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
I take it that if we are going along with the Lord.
Happy in his will, the yoke teaches us to bow and to go along with him in his will. Then in verse 29, he putteth his mouth in the dust. Ezra 10/1. Ezra cast himself down.
Put us his mouth, and us if so be there may be hope all the secret.
Of deliverance when we have so signally failed is humbling ourselves. If we just get self out of the way and only want His will. How perfect. Now I understand the time is up, yes. Just a thought if any of you care to look into it in that wonderful chapter of Exodus 32.
Where Moses had gone on high, you know the Lord Jesus gone on high during his absence they lose heart, they become weary and impatient as to that Moses so the resort to their own ways. The result is we have a golden calf.
When When Moses comes back.
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Oh, what a sad thing there.
The stone is crushed.
And Moses doesn't eat or drink for 40 days. He is so humbled about this. Shameful.
Condition state of things he finds he might say during his absence that has gripped in.
Then when you get to the second time or no, I shouldn't say that, I'm sorry.
We find that while he's down there with them, he turns to.
A newsstand that is at the gate of the camp who is on the Lord's side is raised. There is the challenge and the test for our hearts. Now we find as a result of faithfulness in judging according to God's mind and rewarded for it, we do find.
This word.
Moses said.
Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord that He.
May bestow upon you a blessing this day. Blessing will come from self judgment, humbling ourselves, owning all before the Lord. And don't let us try to evade it.
Hebrews 13-
Reading
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The Officials of the Hebrews, chapter 13.
Commencing reverse.
Well, Hebrews, 1312.
Wherefore Jesus also.
That He might sanctify the people with His own blood suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lives, giving thanks to His name.
Trust with your God and to communicate or get knock.
For such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that has the rule over you.
And submit yourselves.
Will they watch for your soul as they that must give account?
But they may do it with joy and not with grief.
For that is unprofitable for you.
Pray for us.
Where we trust, we have a good conscience.
In all things willing to live honestly.
But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now the God appears.
They brought a game from the dead, our Lord Jesus.
That great shepherd of the sheep.
Through the blood of the everlasting Covenant.
Make you perfect and every good work to do is well.
Working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ.
To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
And I beseech you, brethren.
Suffer the word of extortion.
I have written a letter unto you.
In few words.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty?
With whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
Salo, all them would have a little over you.
And all the same.
They have Italy. Great be with you all.
I just mentioned as we begin this.
Part of the scripture that.
We have the personal name of the Lord Jesus before us in this 12Th verse. I believe we find this true all the way through Hebrews.
It's the blood of Jesus and so on. It's Jesus. It's his person that's before us in Hebrew.
His person and his work and his officers now in the first chapter we find that the spirit of God sets him before us as the as concerning his personal glory because.
He wanted to establish the Hebrew Saints on a solid foundation, and the foundation must be the person of Christ. There is no other foundation.
And then he goes to work.
One by one to take away from them, shall we say.
Moses, Aaron. The Sanctuary.
The offerings because Christ replaces the mall.
And so now at the end, as though he had taken away everything we might say, the apostle says we have an altar, we have an altar, we have something, it's Jesus. And so he sets before us again at the end the very same person that he sets before us at the beginning. In fact, there is no apostle in Hebrews except Jesus.
And we're told to consider that apostle.
But then may I just say this too, that the character of Hebrews is a wilderness character?
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Where the Lord Jesus is not exactly gathering out the church, although that's true.
But he is gathering companions to himself, like Moses.
And Aaron had companions going across the wilderness.
As we were singing in these two hymns, and that's what we are, brethren, We are pilgrims in a wilderness, but it becomes more of a wilderness as we obey the instructions of this chapter.
To go outside to him and we couldn't go outside unless we went to him.
I'm reminded of what we have in the 14th chapter of Matthew.
Where?
Peter says, bid me come to thee on the water. There was no use of Peter stepping out of the ship unless he was going to Jesus. There was no place, no reason to leave the ship. It's a little picture of the same thing. I believe he's leaving the ship to go to Jesus.
And so let's remember that in this passage that we are going on to the rest.
And we're in good company. The only difference is, beloved, that Moses was on the earth leading the people. But our leader is in the heavens. He's at God's right hand. He's there as our great high priest. And now he's setting before us heavenly things.
And as though in spirit, all the way through the wilderness and we.
Are in the heavens in spirit. I would like to use an illustration.
Supposing when Rebecca left her native land to go down to Isaac.
She had said. Well, I don't see any use of listening to this, Eleazar. I'll just, I'll get interested in the desert. You think she would have been happy?
Why? No. He occupies her with Isaac, and that's what we have here. The Spirit of God is occupying us with the Lord Jesus, but he's bringing before the Hebrew people and ourselves.
The Old Testament types and pictures concerning the Tabernacle and things related that now in the light of the New Testament and in connection with the person of Jesus, well having occupied our hearts or their hearts with the person of Jesus.
Now he says, Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp, it seems to me that the apostle is just leading these Hebrew believers up to this point. What you were saying Brother Londeen about?
The person of Christ substituting the great ones of the Old Testament economy, and the sacrifices and the Tabernacle, and everything connected with.
With their their service.
Now He are so beautifully, so wonderfully presented, the blessed Lord before the heart.
Showing that he is the one that takes the place of everything.
He just prepared them for this word. Let us go forth therefore unto Him. Let us leave everything behind and go out with this glorious, wonderful, blessed person.
Before us.
I believe, if I'm correct, that you get 13 times in the book of Hebrews. Let us.
And here is, so to speak, the climax. Let us go forth, therefore unto Him without the camp. Now the camp, I doubt not, is Judaism in this place, but Judaism at the present time has been substituted.
For my religious.
Profession taking the name of Christ. And so I trust I have the Lord's mind in saying that we are facing a similar situation where there is that which corresponds to the camp of old.
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That is our religious.
Institutions.
That has been corrupted by.
Man's.
Traditions and bringing in what is of man.
And we are just as much called upon to go out of that which man has set up in a religious way, as they did in the days of the that the apostle here, or the Spirit of God, is ringing this truth before.
And may I say this is one thing to go outside the camp?
Some go outside of all religious organizations and institutions because they see the air and see that things are not right there. But have they in any special way benefited their condition? They're still not satisfied. Something like someone Brother Brown told about.
The man and his wife came to the meeting and said We're religious tramps.
Just tramping around, trying to find some place where the soul will find blessing.
So unless the person of Christ is leading outside, it isn't the way of the Spirit of God at all. But if we get our eyes on Christ, something like the idols of the Thessalonians, they turn to God, and then from idols with God and his, the person of his Son before him.
They found the idols behind them. So it is here. And beloved Saints of God, if we want to be LED in the truth that God has for His own in these closing days, it means that we must have definitely the person of Christ before our souls and if we have that blessed one before us.
We'll find ourselves outside of what man is set up.
What would you say would be the way to have the person of Christ before us? Well, I'd like to hear you tell us. Well, would Matthew and Mark and Luke and John help in the reading of it? To be occupied with the Gospels? Would they not warm our hearts? And then to be established as to the person and our association with him, to be occupied with the particular epistles that the apostle Paul was given by Revelation?
That would establish us in the present grace.
Is that right? Yes, that is.
I like to connect these words. Let us go forth therefore unto Him with the language found in the 19th chapter of John, where the Lord Jesus, having been on trial, is crowned with thorns, the cross is laid on His back, and then the Spirit of God uses these same words. He bearing His cross, went forth.
I remember reading that one day He bearing his cross went forth, and I sat there and bowed my head, and thought of this verse. Let us go forth therefore unto him. And I thought, What a sad one, an incomprehensible thing it would be if I would read that account in John Gospel, and say to myself, I'm so glad he went forth for me.
I'm so glad that he bore that cross and knowing what would befall him.
He went forth for me, and having done so, He now turns and says, Let us go forth therefore unto him. Brethren, could we understand the heart that would say, I'm glad He went forth for me, but I'm not interested in going forth to be where He is. When we connect those two little verses together, it seems to be such a tender appeal to the affection to the heart, and we wonder how we should ever turn anywhere else.
We had our attention called to the parallel of.
This 13th, this portion of the 13th chapter and what we had in John.
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And we surely enjoyed the comments on the 13th verse. But just a few thoughts on the 12Th verse also.
In John we read how the Lord led his people out of Judaism.
And here we have him at the time of his great agony.
And the offering of himself again, being the exemplar, the one to lead out from that religious system.
Those who crucified Jesus, I suppose, felt they were responsible for him sending that hill of Calvary and going to the place called Golgotha where they crucified him.
But we read in this verse that it was really God's order that this was the purpose of the Lord Jesus Himself, that he never the sacrifice of himself would never be appropriate within the confines.
Of that city of Jerusalem, there was lots of religion there, lots of profession.
But the very beautiful thoughts we've had expressed in the 13th verse are focused upon the one who set the example in the 12Th verse. He went out and there he was, the perfect sacrifice, the burnt offering to God outside that camp. And then the call is to us as our brother Hail has brought before us. He went out. Now we are called to go out to him. It would not be appropriate for us.
As those redeemed by His grace to be in the place that He left, how inappropriate for those who profess His name to say, well, the Lord Jesus left that place, but it's good enough for me. No, we go out from it too. But you'll bear His reproach when you go out, if it's a sincere and real thing with you.
And it's his reproach.
It's because the world has rejected our Lord and Savior and has no place for Him.
But there's nothing higher, more glorious than to bear his reproach in this world.
And we'll never be unhappy in our souls if we are bearing His reproach. Haven't we all had experiences where we were cowards on? I haven't had that experience too many times where I was ashamed to speak up and testify for my Lord, and I went away with a sad and heavy heart that I missed an opportunity.
But whatever grace has been given to bear testimony for Christ.
Even though I saw the curl lip down there, laughter and the more crail those who despise him, I went away happy in my soul. Oh what a joy there was.
Remember one time saying to Brother Potter he was talking about along this, this line of thought are being a testimony in witnessing for Christ. I said brother Carter, but suppose we miss an opportunity? He quickly replied, well don't miss the next opportunity.
The the camp is divided if we speak of it in just a.
Characteristic way without mentioning specific names. It's divided into three classes of professing Christians, and whatever one you name will bring you no reproach.
Some will say, well, I belong to one of the national churches.
Others will say.
Our church group is named after a great servant of God.
And others will say.
The name that we take is the name of a certain Christian doctrine.
You can classify yourself when people ask you the question.
By anyone of those three and be specific and you'll not be repro.
But if you say I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's gathering center.
I'm gathered to his alone, worthy and precious name. You know, brother, what happened?
That this kind of reproach seems to be exclusive to Christianity. In visiting in lands where they are given over to Mohammed, Nism or Buddhism or something like this, they were very, very proudly, gladly tell you I am a devotee of Buddha, I am a follower of Muhammad. They will identify themselves by these names without any hesitation and without any reproach, and every one of them will take that name, every one of them.
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But to come to this place that is supposed to be a Christian land, supposed to have had its origin in the one whom we know as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And how strangely true are the remarks we've just heard, that if you identify yourself by that name which is above every name in this land, this so-called Christian land, you find.
A surprising reproach. Did you identify yourself by any other name? That's fine. But if you say I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and I'm gathered to his precious name, there is astonishment. Reproach. Probably both. But I say in those other lands they proudly tell you I'm a Buddhist, I am a Mohammed, and I am a Hindu, if you come here in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Is the name of reproach.
May I call your attention to the difference in Revelation chapter two and three?
To a truth related to just what we have before us in Revelation Chapter 2.
To verse 8.
To the church.
In Smyrna.
Myrna has the word myrrh, the term the word murder, Smyrna.
Mer was that which was fragrant when crushed.
And here is the second stage of the church.
After they had left their first love, God allowed them to be persecuted severely, some of them imprisoned.
Some of them put to death.
But I want to call your attention to the term here used in the next verse, verse 9.
I know thy works and tribulation and poverty.
But thou art rich.
And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews.
Now Jew meaning.
Praise Judah does.
And are not they were not at heart that answered to God as to being Jews?
What are the synagogue of Satan?
Religious institution.
Was now that God had allowed to be set up?
In the Old 8 dispensation is now set aside by the crucifixion, their crucifixion of the Messiah.
Jews hated this new testimony.
That regarded not their temple and their priesthood and their traditions.
Their established traditions. They hated this new testimony that had nothing. Met in little rooms or upper rooms, and they had nothing. But they had everything in Christ.
So I believe in chapter 2 The synagogue of Satan was really the religious Jew. But in chapter 3 verse, I want to read verse eight as her brother has been emphasizing the name. The name. I read verse 8:00 and 9:00. I know thy work, behold.
I have set before thee an open door.
And no one can shut it, for thou hast.
A little. Oh, I love the other translation strength.
A little power.
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Yeah, power, I should say. I'm sorry. Thou hast a little power now. That must be the power of the Holy Spirit that is here in our lives to glorify Christ.
To have a little of that which is real, which is of the Holy Spirit.
Is worth everything, so thou hast a little power.
And has kept my word, not disregarded it.
Not defying it by disobeying it according to my will.
But thou hast kept my word.
And hast not.
Denied my name.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, the very same term used in the earlier history of the church in connection with Smyrna, now used in the end.
And through of our daily we are living in the synagogue of Satan, which I have no doubt.
Are the established?
Religions that are so highly looked up to.
They're all around us, so many many have their names on their books, filled with a massive profession and no doubt, no doubt some real Christians among them. But here I believe it's differently used. The synagogue of Satan and surely.
It is from thence that we do get.
Persecution.
Our brother Eric Smith has described how some of these establishments.
And modernism and so on down in Bolivia and so on have have been enemies to the testimony of the gospel. And our brother Alarcon knows the same truth. Well, I just want to call attention to the establishments which are the camp.
Wherein there is something of scriptures and singing, of songs and prayer and all that, but it is an establishment of men.
And we are to be delivered out of that unto the name of our Lord Jesus Christ brother. By the way, our brother Eric Smith.
So many years in Bolivia.
God has honored His giving emphasis to Exodus 33, verse 7.
To go outside the camp.
Afar off.
No compromising, no borderline dabbling around with a camp. But outside the camp, verse 7, Exodus 33 are far off. Let us walk with the Lord in His way.
We have the expression here, do we not? Wherefore, introducing this exhortation, I believe it's connected, is it not, with two things?
The bodies of those beasts was mentioned in the 11Th verse, and now in this verse the blood.
Is mentioned of the Lord Jesus.
As the basis of blessing now in the 9th chapter of Hebrews, I think we have the blood connected with a purged conscience.
In the 10th chapter of Hebrews we have.
His body mentioned in connection with the believer being set apart, sanctified, and so on.
Now I mentioned this because one might say, well, I'm sheltered under the blood. It's a wonderful thing to be sheltered under the blood.
But a marvelous thing it is.
But we have mentioned here also the body and it it makes me think of Romans 12.
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Where we're to present our bodies.
A sacrifice. I believe the body is brought in here and it reminds us of the position that we take in this world as Christians. Not simply to say, yes, I know I'm covered by the blood, but there is that side in which we exhibit in our bodies down here, that we're a separate people.
We belong to Christ. We're outside of all that that man has set up in a religious way. And I believe that everything that man is set up in a religious way would correspond, Brother Brown, to what you've been bringing before us of of the camp. What man is set up corresponds to what was the the camp.
In in Israel at that time and where to go outside of everything.
And we're going to be gathered just to the person of Christ. But I believe also that we must remember that it's, it's not simply taking something as a doctrine, but it's the practice that's brought before us here.
I would wonder if we might look at it in this way. At least it's going to help to me.
The thought of separation is very often.
Were taken up in a Courier than their attitude perhaps and becomes very unsavory, but I I connect here in verse 12 and 13 the place outside the camp. It's his blood that puts us there. The sacrifice of the cross we find in the 10th chapter of Hebrews that it's the blood that gives us a place inside the veil.
Through the blood of Jesus that we have that boldness to enter within the veil and the same blood as it were and puts us outside the camp. I was thinking this is this is just the contrast with Judaism and Judaism. The people were kept outside the veil and inside the camp and now Christianity puts us inside the veil by his.
Sacrifice and outside the camp by his sacrifice.
Now Christendom has come along and has taken up.
Jewish Judaism. And again, we find in a great segment of of Christendom, there are those who are kept, as it were, outside the veil through false teaching and others have to go in and perform for them and they're kept inside the camp. And then there are those in Christendom who have the light of the gospel. They see the.
Blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin. And so they they have enough light to bring us inside the veil, as it were through the blood, but they seek to connect that with being inside the camp. And I believe this is the the the erroneous position of fundamentalism, evangelical fundamentalism. That is they have the gospel, the truth of the blood of Christ that giveth 1A place inside the veil.
They do not, they do not deny that aspect, but they they do not see that that same sacrifice.
That gives the believer a place inside the veil, also gives him the place outside the council, the 2GO together inside the veil and outside the camp. We don't want to be inside the veil and inside the camp, and we certainly wouldn't want to be outside the veil and in the camp. But the combination is inside the veil through his precious blood and outside the counter by the same sacrifice.
Or I should say the camp. The camp is characterized by sectarianism having their own.
Name government and ways and publications and programs.
So that they have their own bag of doctrine.
And the ways sectarianism, that's one of the outstanding characteristic of the camp.
Contrary to 1St Corinthians 1 and the general truth as to there is one body, then again.
Clericalism.
It is also definitely characteristic of the Camp One Man ministry.
Educated in the seminaries if you please. so-called Bible seminaries and some of them I thank God.
Have a heart.
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Love the Word and so forth, and thankful that there are some real, but clericalism certainly is contrary to God's mind and Word. And yet Saints.
In our generation and before our generation have been taught that that is it Secretarianism and clericalism. Now one other thing, traditions.
Oh how they value and cling to and practice their traditions.
They have their holidays that they wouldn't give up for anything. You cannot.
Hardly help them or show them that it's contrary to the word. But if our hearts are simple, we'll see that these traditions.
Are a hindrance instead of a help.
I think it's very important to make sure that the point, very important point is put across here this afternoon.
That we're not trying to persuade men to join us as a group who profess to be gathered on the ground of the one body.
The position we hold and take and are brought into is only because of the Spirit of God.
We've had some very precious truths brought up to us in the last couple of days about the Shepherd, the way he died and the way he keeps us and the way he guides us along. And the way to happy communion is to dwell close by the shepherds side and He will lead us out of the system. That's around the product, but it's definitely by the Spirit of God.
It says here, let us go forth therefore unto him, without the campaign, his reproach, But that doesn't mean that we just go forth on our own strength.
We can't do this because there's nothing outside the camp to attract us except the Lord Jesus Christ. And when He reveals this truth to us by His Spirit, no one can keep us from it.
But if we don't see it, brethren, we won't stay there after we get there, because there's nothing there to please our place or the desires of our flesh. And the way to find the place is through His precious word. We've often heard the verse that's quoted from John Chapter 7 that says that every man will do his will. He shall know the doctrine. But we don't listen to one another.
We look to the Word of God and and seek guidance by his Spirit and he'll bring us outside the camp and then we'll be happy. There won't be.
May not have three things mentioned in this 13th verse. Let us go forth first.
Unto him.
Christ and without the camp. But the verse doesn't stop there.
And I believe that's this is where the test comes in.
Bearing his enclosure. Christ reproach. Not man's reproach, but Christ reproach. I was thinking of that verse in the 10th chapter of Hebrew and the 33rd verse for the connection, or 32nd verse.
5th Chapter of Hebrews, verse 32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated or enlightened, ye endured a great fight of affliction. Now they have those things are enumerated partly while she were made of gazing stock or a spectacle, both by reproaches and afflictions.
Immediately were introduced to reproaches.
And affliction.
Not have an example of that in all last letter to her, second letter to Timothy.
As he writes in the first chapter, this thou knowest that all they that are in Asia returned away from me. Why did they turn from the apostles while they were turning from the truth? They would not be. They did not want to be identified with the apostle, as he found himself in prison in jails.
And persecuted on every hand.
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The reproaches.
Being connected with the apostle was too great, but the reproach goes deeper than that, for the apostle knew what it was to go on taking our, including the reproach of Christ as we have in our chapter. And isn't that where a good many stop short today? They may make an attempt to go forth under the camp.
Thinking they're in the right place, but they don't go all the way. The Spirit of God is not free.
Is hindered, quenched to bring the truth before them, or are grieved and they only go Parkway. But then some go further. But when the reproach comes that the the test or they give up. But in that 10th chapter of Hebrews that we read, the end of the pathway is in view.
And that's for our joy, for our comfort and courage and strength. For he says later on, yet a little while, for yet a very little while, he that shall come will come and will not tarry. So you have to keep all these things before us. And it's awfully, it's very easy for us to sit here this afternoon and go over these verses.
A weird taste of the good thing, but then the Spirit of God must work in the heart of the believer.
And Devon would gather them to this place outside the camp under Christ.
I suppose therefore.
Let us offer a note of praise to God once in a while.
When would the extraction a table of demons of?
I'm thinking about what we've had here about the Synagogue of Satan and its application.
Would not be wise to be very careful to advise to any group.
Who names the name of Christ? One way or another, I sing theirs in the table of demons.
Paul was Speaking of what was current at the time, I believe, idolatry and all that went with it. And so there were tables, as it were, to demons, and they were not to associate themselves with idolatry in any way. But you can't apply that to a Christian company who simply are ignorant or even possibly willful.
But still loving the Lord, we couldn't describe such a term, could we? To this?
No, indeed, that would be very wrong.
I believe Brother Smith, you were trying to carry a song to the 15th, 1St Richard by him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice and praise and pray to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
If the Lord has drawn us to Himself in the outside place.
The Spirit of God makes us feel in the midst of reproach.
That we're in fellowship with our Lord and that leads to pray.
And I paraphrase it by saying.
By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God once in a while. That is what it says. It says continually.
Many years ago.
Our late brother Wallace told me.
Of a man who rode to work on his bicycle. This would be 50 years ago, and every morning as he went by and heard him singing and a loud, clear voice.
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all day long, and all the neighbors along the street every morning heard him praising the Lord continually.
And it doesn't cost US1 red cent.
All that's required is that there's a good conscience before God.
I believe that's the point. It really is confessing his name. And that's what he was doing on his bicycle, wasn't it? He was confessing the name of Jesus by his song. I was just going to say there are two. There are two sacrifices brought before us here. The 1St we get in the 15th verse by Him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise.
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And then in the 16th verse. But to do good and to communicate, forget not.
And then noted for with such sacrifices in the plural, God is well pleased. Now I found meetings that disagreed about having the collection box on the table on Sunday morning with the bread and the cup.
But I believe that Scripture would teach us that having the box there is very consistent. It should be there because they're giving on Lords Day. Morning is a part of our worship. It's a part of our sacrifice to the Lord, and it's definitely connected with the sacrifice of praise.
How? That may be helpful to some meetings. There's been quite a little disagreement in some places.
More or less unhappy contention about this matter. Someone was telling me that.
At one meeting they put the box under the table. Brother Potter just took the box from under the table and put it on the table has to show the brother and that's where the box belongs. I believe Brother Johnson, you could confirm it that the word sacrifice in verse 16 is identically the same as the word in verse 15, is it not?
So that gives a wonderful character to the portal offering that we bring to the Lord in a material way with such sacrifices. God is well pleased. Well, if he's well pleased with it, we need to be ashamed to have it on the table alongside of the loaf in the car and this door versus 15 and 16.
We have the exercise of the holy priesthood.
And their royal priesthood, Donwyn.
We got a little picture of it in Second Samuel 618.
Second Samuel 618.
Well, we start with this with 17.
17 verse.
And they brought in the ark of the Lord.
And set it in his place in the midst of the Tabernacle that David had featured for it.
And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And as soon as David had made an end of the offering, burned offering and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of the host. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well as the woman, as men to everyone a cake, a bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flag on a wine.
So all the people departed, everyone to his house. We see him practicing.
So to speak, the holy priesthood and the royal Priesthood priesthood.
I thought two perhaps in the 12Th of Deuteronomy. No need to turn to it, but they seem to be so blended together there. I'll just read a couple of verses. Unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose.
Thither shall he seek, and thither thou shalt come, and thither ye shall bring.
Your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes and heave offerings of your hands and your vows.
And your free will offerings, and the first things of your herds and of your flocks. And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice.
And your household, to me it's a very beautiful picture. There's the place where Jehovah said his name. It was to be sought out. The invitation was to come there, but not to come empty handed, to come bringing burnt offering, first of all. But there are seven things in that verse.
And brethren, I do believe that if we remember something of that which has now been brought before us by easier brethren, that they're coming into the presence of the Lord Jesus would be such a happy experience to us. He shall rejoice, ye and your household. Why, if it were simply coming to a specific place in Israel, it might become very boring.
But they were privileged to rejoice, and not alone either with their households.
But I suppose if they came empty handed, they might not have that joy they came bringing. They brought the burnt offering, but they also brought their ties and free will offerings. And there they ate before the Lord, and there they rejoiced together with their household. Oh, what a wonderful privilege it is. It's not simply a specific.
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I must be careful. It's not simply a specific place or the fulfillment of a certain doctrine.
But the wonder of being in the presence of the Lord Jesus and to come into His presence bringing, oh, what rejoicing it is. There is a bit of rejoicing with us. Think of what rejoicing must be in his heart to see a few of his own respond to this provision that he has made.
To come and his invitation to be where he has invited us, but to come bring it.
Brethren, pardon me again. I've seen that we're getting near the end of our reading, and we haven't yet touched the.
The subject.
Of the.
How that we especially had before us, that is the great shepherd of the sheep.
And right, I just say this that.
The way this subject is brought before us is very precious to our hearts. That is, the apostle is pointing out that they were to go outside of all that that they had gone on with, and which was so, so attractive.
That's a beautiful system, the temple and all its service to leave that and to go out now to a rejected Christ. Why it was just like being cast out without any protection or any any provision for them, but also the apostle when you have acted on the call and gone outside.
Why you have the care?
Of the great shepherd of the sheep in resurrection. And I've known cases where the truth was first preached in the place that something like this was said to those who were listening to the truth. Why, if you go on with those people, well where will you be? Well, you won't have anybody to preach the funerals of your loved ones. It will be just outcast. Well they need.
Exercise in that way about abandoning.
Our religious system that maybe their parents and their grandparents have been connected with and which has been a great.
Place in their history, and to leave it all well, they not only have a blessed assurance of finding Christ Himself outside for their own joy.
And these blessings we have been considering, but they also have the precious care of that great shepherd of the sheep.
I like to read a very precious word, Hebrew the same chapter.
13 verse eight. I have enjoyed some of the thought that I want to pass on to you in connection with his words here.
Jesus Christ.
The same yesterday.
Today and forever and others they have connected these this wonderful verse and I myself, I have enjoyed the three sound of the shepherd, the threefold character as a shepherd of the Lord Jesus, our precious Savior yesterday. You have Psalms 22.
As the sin of him.
Gave himself for us Psalm 22. I believe that in Psalm 22, above everything else, we have the Lord Jesus as a Sinner, that one of the ones that he died in our room and said are substitute and who beloved how we need to feed under rusted land.
And then think of a John chapter 6 and somewhere around verse 57, He that He did my pledge and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. That's not salvation. Salvation I believe you'll find on the verse before that. He that drinketh my flesh and drinketh my blood had eternal life.
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But I'm the next word. I believe that communion and all how we need to feed on the.
Russet land. But then today I believe that Psalm 23 the shepherd, the shepherd sounds as the great shepherd of the sheep. And what a wonderful rich provision we have in that song 23 in connection with the present. That's the great shepherd of the sheep. And then I connected Tom 24 forever.
Oh, what a wonderful future we have before all 24 Six of the glory.
You and I as soon as common, we're going to be together with him forever. And so our blessed is to notice Jesus Christ yesterday, Psalm 22, he gave his wife the present, the great shepherd of the sheep sound 23 and then glory, the future sounds 24 all united together, and it's all wrapped together in the threefold aspect of the Lord Jesus the Good Shepherd.
The great shepherd of the sheep.
And the Chief Chapel regards the future. And then also efficient Chapter 5. You have the three things together. She returned to that very briefly, and I'll stop.
Character of the Shepherd Brethren and saw in efficient chapter 25.
And.
I'll find the bird.
Verse 25. In verse 25 he gave himself for the church.
In Psalm 26, again I believe you have him as a great shepherd of the King Karen for us verse 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with a watching of the water by the word. I believe this is what we have in Hebrew verse 20 over chapter 13.
And then the future you have an adverse 27 of efficient chapter 5, the future glory.
Before we close, brother and I'd like to ask a very practical question.
We were all happy to hear that there may be some here today who are honestly seeking the place, and if they were to come to us now and say no, how do I know? Are there any definite marks that characterize or mark out the place for the Lord to love saves His presence in the midst of the Saints. Now what would your answer be?
What are the definite marks that we have in scripture for the place?
Where? Where? In Deuteronomy?
We referred to Chapter 12 as to the place of Brother Hajo mentioned the place.
How important it is, but 21 * 3 * 7 is 21 Times. In the book of Deuteronomy. It refers to the place the Lord thy God shall choose his choice to place His name there.
Then it's important, as our brother called our attention to it, that we have our praise, our burnt offerings, and that we rejoice. In other words, we come with our heart. You mentioned our having our baskets full, so that's important. So it's the where.
Two or three the minimum. It might be in a day of small things of weakness, like even now, but where two or three are.
Gathered.
Now that would be by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As our dear brother Fleck wrote me years ago, if I am gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.
I am gathered outside of all divisions.
For First Corinthians, one shows how they were to have one mind and one heart is taught in various places and not to be a divided.
Confused, ruined testimony as we see so much nowadays. But where they're gathered by the Holy Spirit unto My name exclusively, and only to My name, There, THERE, there.
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And as our dear Doctor Groff used to say.
Not.
A little Group A few blocks away in competition with them.
He said that over and over again. He used to say that not a few blocks away, but there am I in the midst of them. Now those two last words are definite, specific, and if you please, exclusive because He means what He says. There am I in the midst of such of them.
At the beginning, when the apostles doctrine.
And fellowship.
Breaking of bread and prayers, well, we're the Lord sanctions the testimony. There will be sound doctrine taught and practice.
Finding a personal reference when I was converted all I had known.
Previously as a as a boy and a young man.
One system in two or three aspects.
When I was converted and had a new nature that loved the Bible.
I went and got a Bible.
And I started to read it.
And then I was brought by my friends who were both here today.
To a little tiny place of worship where there was absolutely nothing to attract the natural light. But I discovered that folks had a Bible and that they read out of it. So I started reading out of my Bible and I had many questions to ask, and I think they were honest questions and I got answers from the scripture.
So I became convinced and satisfied in my soul.
That, as far as I could see, I was where Christians were teaching and practicing sound doctrine and.
That satisfied me. I still had a great deal to learn. But if a stranger comes among us?
We must expect of that.
We're obligated before God to set forth sound doctrine from the book, and the Spirit of God will bear witness to him that it is so as he read his own Bible. Like the Thessalonians, they search the Scriptures daily. And what are the things spoken by the apostles themselves? Or so everything was referred to the test of the written Word of God which they had in their possession.
And and therefore the stranger who comes inquiring honestly.
Will judge by whether there is sound doctrine.
And whether the practice goes along with it.
I think our brother Hamilton could probably answer the question himself. I'm sure he had something on his heart when he asked the question.
Well, no. I really wanted a an answer for the sake of these folks. I thought maybe we did have part of it right here in our chapter, but very good.
Well, I'll tell you, Brother Hamilton. Oh, you're our own family. We're gathered out.
About 100 years ago, a man with the name of Wilson Smith preached in Chatham, and then he went out in the country this Chatham ON to the neighborhood where the Moyer family lived.
Or our brother's mother was a lawyer and he preached in the schoolhouse with great power.
Preached the sound gospel they never heard before, and then they began to quarrel about this line of things. He walked nine miles out there one day and planted his Bible on the table, and it must have been in his grandfather's home. And he said these words. If any man will to do his will, he shall know the doctrine.
Well, Mr. Moore, Mr. Robert Moyer was a wild man that wanted to do the will of God and was an inquiring soul, and wasn't long after that before he was gathered to the Lord's name. And that testimony has continued through the years, and here's the fruit of it right here in this meeting inquiring today.
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That is, if the will is right, if there is an honest desire to do the will of God.
Where will you find the will of God? You will not find that in the sex of men. You will find that. You will find it in the Word. And if one in humble dependence turns to the Word, and when they discover what is not according to the Word, why then that isn't? That isn't the place.
I'm sure those here have either read Brother Brown, Brother Tiffard Brown.
Tracked on this subject, taking up the in the second chapter of Acts.
Where we read at the beginning of the church's history this it said they all the the 41St verse or the 42nd and they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer.
Well, the first thing is the apostles doctrine. Some people are guarded by fellowship.
Brother Man came a nice Christian and his wife to our meeting. I met him on the train later on and he said oh we found such lovely Christians at a certain place.
But I said, don't they deny the eternal security of the believer? He dropped his head. What was that? According to the apostle doctrine, to be in a place where they deny the eternal security? The believer, well, the apostle doctrine would have kept him from going there, even though there were such nice Christians and he had such lovely fellowship.
Well, in this tractor, Mr. Browns, or this address.
He just supposes that he starts out from his home in Des Moines, IA and right across the street there's a very nice building and a preacher. He says as a Christian, but he inquired Father about baptism. Oh, we don't baptize here. Don't take the Lord Supper. Oh, I can't go there. That's not the apostles doctrine. Go down to the street to another place and here they have one man ministry too. Well, I don't find that.
Apostles doctrine. I couldn't go there where one man is in charge absolutely of the congregation. Well, I don't remember all. He tests out every one of these places until finally he comes to a little meeting where he finds, he tests out everything and tests it out by the word and he finds there the apostles doctrine. But he says here's another meeting down the street very much.
This one and their meeting, perhaps they could take all their group in along with them. Well, what's the difference? Well, he said this, that every meeting has a history and that meeting has a history. Why are they there meeting not gathered as the place where he has been guided by the truth of God?
Why are they meeting in separation?
Well, you will always find that these groups who meet in that way are very hesitant and usually very much opposed to. You're looking into their history as to why they're in a place of disobedience.
2 Peter 3:11
Reading
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And we reach 1St 11 doctors 3 second Peter seeing then that all these things.
Be dissolved. What manner of person ought to be?
All holy conversation and godliness.
We had before us yesterday in Ephesians 6.
Ephesians chapter 6. Let's start with the 13th verse. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shoved with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints.
And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds, that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak parts of the armor.
Where we have.
And therefore having your loins girded.
About the truth about the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet charged with a preparation of the gospel of peace.
The thing is, our brother Brown was not with us. Perhaps he could give us. I'm sure he could give us some added thoughts.
On those parts of the armor that we went over, starting with your.
Loins dirt about with truth.
Well, if we are not walking.
In the truth, If our loins are not good about the truth, we can't expect the Lord's blessing.
If it isn't truth.
Its error and the word of God is that that.
If they're willing to submit to it.
We're not going to be LED astray now in connection with having our loins gird about with truth. There's the necessity of practical righteousness accompanying it.
Having on the breastplate of righteousness, that's practical righteousness.
If I'm not walking in a righteous, upright way.
I can't expect to make progress in my soul.
So that it's most most important.
That not only we should have our loins gird about with truth, but then there should be accompanying it.
Righteousness that matches the truth that we profess. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace that is in our walk. The feet speak of the walk shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
We're we're in a position through faith in Christ.
To enjoy a sense of peace in our souls and that peace.
Can only be a piece that's in keeping with the mind and character of Christ.
So the next verse starts out beside, beside, not above, but beside all.
Taking the shield of faith.
The shield of faith.
Whereby you shall be able to quench all the fiery darks of the wicked.
Now, having on all this armor doesn't mean that we're not going to have to meet the enemy.
It's just the opposite the enemy is going to make.
More fierce attempts to trip us up if he sees that we're wholly trying to.
Please our Lord Jesus Christ, he's going to attack us. So beside all this, taking the shield of faith whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
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Where the objects of his hatred.
And the devil himself.
Detests anything that honors Christ.
Anything that honors Christ, the devil is opposed to.
So there's that shield of faith whereby we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil.
But how does faith express itself? By laying hold upon the truth of the Word of God?
Taking the shield of faith, laying hold upon the truth of God, and then in connection with the helmet of salvation, I. I have a little note here that I think is worth reading to us all.
Mr. William Kelly, the helmet of salvation is the consciousness.
Of the full deliverance God has wrought for us in Christ.
I'll read that again.
The helmet of salvation is the consciousness of the full deliverance God has wrought for us in Christ. So taking the helmet of salvation is that complete confidence in what God has wrought for us. And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, that is the the sword that the Spirit of God uses.
In meeting our foes.
The word of God for the seal of faith is.
Whole confidence.
In God, in connection with His Word, trusting His Word and believing that what God has promised, as it were, He is able also to perform. That is, we can fully trust Him to go on in the scene of conflict where we're continually faced by the enemy and meet the enemy under any trial or any circumstance.
If we're trusting fully.
And the Lord for his help, for his.
Being with us and leading the enemy. So it's the word of God, isn't it? Again? But it's full confidence in the Word, in the one whose word.
We we believe and are trusting in.
What a Savior, what a Father we have, and think of all the deep, boundless love in the heart of God our Father and in His beloved Son.
We own me and our pathway down here. Well, a verse such as we get in the 8th chapter of Romans. He that spared not his own son.
But freely delivered him up for delivered him up for us all. Shall he not also with him also freely give us?
All things rather than we should have unbounded confidence.
And the Lord's love, the love of the Father towards us as his children.
And when the enemy comes in like a flood, by then we can lift up a standard against him. And what a striking and beautiful illustration.
The.
The this we have brought before us the breastplate, No.
The shield of faith.
Well, you know, in battle, when the enemy was throwing his darts, the soldier held up his helmet.
And those those fiery darts never touched him at all, never harmed him. Doesn't that wonderful? Am I Speaking of these dear young people?
The dog can so fortify them amid all the attacks in their school life and and wherever they are facing these.
Difficult is that all these attacks can fall.
Useless and powerless to in any way harm their souls. But we must take God's provision. In other words, we must use not our own shield, our own thoughts, our own wisdom, but the shield of faith. And brethren, these fiery darts are very.
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Very real dangers, aren't they?
Penetrating into our thinking, suggesting thoughts that would lead us.
Into the ways of the world, making us believe that the world is having a better time than we're having.
And suggesting, maybe after all, that we can't always trust in every part of the Word of God.
If all that, it weakens the.
Resistance.
That God has provided to these many attacks of the enemy.
Probably. We're in plenty of water. It's clean, we're told in Leviticus 11.
Now I suppose that we understand that the mean the word of God, the water, and.
If we are and our children are fortified by the word of God.
Will be preserved if there's faith. Now we have this word faith, which is sort of a general used in a general way oftentimes, and we sometimes perhaps don't understand exactly the connections, but we can always say that faith.
Is dependent upon the Word of God. There's no such thing as faith except through the Word of God.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Now here we have the shield and the helmet. I believe these two things are very.
Important for us to notice because in a day like this we find the darts coming from every direction.
And the soldier must hold up his shield. Well, what is his shield? Well, it's the shield of faith. In other words, it's the word of God.
We, we really should be practical about this, you know, and in our homes, the father and mother are responsible to keep the word of God before the children. This was even true among Israel.
They were to teach these things to their children, that is, the precepts that were laid before them, the law and all that had to do with the Word of God, so that they might be preserved.
Well, this is very important for us, and I believe we're living in a day when the Word of God is being neglected.
We have it on every hand, we have it in all these marvelous writings that the Spirit of God is preserved for us to this day, and we have all the helps we need. But is there a real interest in our part to bring these things before our children? And we see the sad results where it is not, because we can always trace.
Where there is failure, that generally the word of God has been neglected.
At least in measure, it might have been enjoyed by the parents, but it wasn't transferred to the children.
And I believe it's important that the parent not only read with their children, but pray with their children.
Because unless these things are brought home in reality through these little hearts, these children will not be preserved. And that's what the main issue is right now. It's our children.
And what will the next generation be like if we neglect the Word of God?
But what about the hell metal?
Well, we have the same thing unless we have the word of God.
Firmly entrenched in the soul, unless there is this helmet of salvation, the consciousness of the full, full, revealed mind of God that we can rest upon not only knowing it as a doctrine, but enjoying it because that's what the Word was given to us for, to enjoy now.
Unless this is true of us, unless this is true of our children, the helmet won't be on and the enemy will get in.
Landing in connection with what you're telling us.
From the 6th of Deuteronomy. The 6th of Deuteronomy reading from the sixth verse.
Deuteronomy 6/6.
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And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart.
Not in your head, but in thine heart.
And thou shalt teach them diligently under thy children.
And shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house.
That's quite a thing, isn't it? Shall talk of them. And now, Citizen thine house.
Well, sometimes Saints of God can be occupied with other things in their house.
Then sitting and talking about the mind of Christ.
When our citizen thine house, when thou walkest by the way.
But now lies down when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Don't forget that. Frontlets between thine eyes. What are we going to look at? How are we going to spend our time with our eyes?
And I shall write them upon the posts of thy house.
And on thy gates. I think that's a good word, brother.
Concerning Deuteronomy, those words shall be in thine heart.
Shield of faith then would be full and entire trust in God. But there's another thought that's there. I believe it's the present, present assurance in the heart. That's what faith is, begins there, not in the head.
For it's with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. So we have not only that full confidence in God, but there's also the heart.
Heart. That President assured in the heart.
In by way of illustration, do we not see it?
Very prominently in King Hezekiah.
In his outstanding, trusting the Lord under when he's faced for the enemy.
How he laid it before the Lord. And Jehoshaphat did the same thing when faced to the enemy, owning that we have no might. Now there was a shield of faith.
In looking to the Lord, putting the Word of God into face activity for the Lord, we see it in Daniel and his three friends over and over again, where their confidence was in the Lord according to His Word.
We have no might against this enemy that cometh up against us. Neither know we what to do.
But our eyes are upon thee.
So we have, as our brothers mentioned, the heart.
And the eyes, Oh brethren.
Where What are we reading and where are our eyes in these days?
One wonders.
If we read much of the word of God as we should, the word to Timothy was Be strong my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Well, what does he mean there to young Timothy? How can we be strong if we don't read?
If we don't meditate upon the word of God.
I suppose God's dear people because of the.
Work that they engage in, and they have to hurry to work and hurry back again. And we feel for the dear Saints with their many, many obligations that leave them with little time to meditate. We feel for them.
But that should not cause us to eliminate Beloved.
The reading in the morning and getting down on our knees.
In prayer.
Yes.
Very important birth in Lamentations 351 in connection with the eyes and the heart.
Says there.
Mine I affecteth my heart.
Well, if my eyes are fished, fixed upon the trash of this scene, my heart will be affected likewise, and my heart will be occupied with these things. But on the other hand, if my eye is fixed upon Christ in the glory, my heart will be filled with Christ and filled with joy and peace and be a witness for him. So it's a very, very important word. Mine. I affected mine heart.
00:20:22
Now another word to go with it, brother.
In the Song of Solomon. Just a couple of thoughts there.
Of Solomon.
Chapter.
In chapter 5.
And verse 12.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves. You know how the dove, when released from the Ark, had no eye for the corruption it found drift floating around the waters. He returned to the Ark. There was nothing of the new creation for it to feed upon.
It's I found nothing.
Until it was released again when it brings back a little sample of the new creation in that olive leaf.
Now here, this speaks of his eyes.
Now let's look back at chapter 4 verse.
Nine Well, yes, I want a first brother. Allow me first read verse.
One, in Speaking of his beloved.
He says, Behold, thou art fair.
Thou hast doves eyes.
We that are born of God have a new holy nature, exactly like that holy divine nature.
The Lord Jesus walked in, and that new nature cannot feed on the corruption of this miserable, miserable world.
So we have doves eyes. Are we using them now? The other verse our brother mentioned was verse 9 the Lord says.
As it were, I'll put it as it were. Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes he loves to see.
Are I single and, as it were, with one object, his own glory? Brother Brown, in carrying out your thoughts.
I believe it's generally understood that.
Doves have this characteristic that when one of the when either mate should leave the other, that the dove would turn in the direction that the companion has departed and remain in that direction and looking in that direction until the return of the mate.
Is in keeping with the verses that were read to us this morning.
In regard to the Lord's coming, and I believe we should keep this in mind, brethren.
In these meetings that the return of the Lord is very and we should have doves eyes. There's another thought, brethren, in verse 13 of Psalm 68, though ye have lined among the parts.
Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Now why wings?
In the verse our brother read, Thou hast doves eyes.
The eye of the dove is always turned homeward. Home, brethren, have we eyes for home?
Let me tell you, I was in the Bolivian army and, as you know, preaching Christ.
To the troops and the the officers had.
These doves, these pigeons carry a pigeons, and they use them largely for carrying messages.
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One day there was a dove found there.
Resting for a considerable time, in fact for some hours.
And the officer thought he would climb up on the roof and see what was the matter.
And the little bird allowed him to pick it up.
And suddenly he noticed on its little red leg a piece of paper that Dove had flown 3000 miles.
Home.
Brethren, have we eyes for home?
Thou hast doves eyes. Eyes for whom may I call our attention? Pardon my interruption, will you? There's a verse that.
I believe it's my champion verse in answering evolution because it's from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ himself and it's the 10th chapter Mark Mark 10 verse 6.
But from the beginning of the creation, the beginning, the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.
Now that just completely sets aside all pretense and evolution from the beginning of the creation. God made them male and female. I think that's a wonderful verse in the beginning. God, if there's a biology student here, I hope you don't believe in transmutation.
We can let mutation go along because there is a variety, brethren, but not transmutation.
There's no such thing. I was taught in biology that man evolved from great depth from a bed of slime, and from that bed of slime he came forth as an electron, and from an electron into a protoplasm, and from a protoplasm into a codfish, and from a codfish into a monkey.
And the monkey into a man. There never was a greater lie. One day I had the pleasure of having dinner with.
Howard Kelly, the Dean of the University of John Hopkins, he asked me to have dinner with me, not because there was anything in me, but he knew I was from Bolivia in one of his best students happened to be there, a great surgeon, and he want to know about him. But he said to me in wonderful Spanish, UN mono vesti, that they say there's mono tolivia. A monkey dressed up in silk is still a monkey.
That's what he said to me the first time he saw me.
Yes, there may be mutations, dear student of biology, but not transmutation. There's no such thing from slime into a man. That's all wrong.
We met a Christian family, father and mother and four children.
The two older ones came home one day and said father.
The professor is bringing before us that.
We came up from monkeys, how about that?
Of a father was just a simple believer who made his living as a tailor.
Well, he said, children, it's this way.
Men bigot men.
And monkeys. Bigot monkeys.
There was a test made without hammering too much on this. There was a test made concerning by the Russians.
They had perfected blood and they said that it was exactly like human blood.
They injected that into a sick soldier and he died. There was number life in it.
Then there was another occasion when they tried monkey blood with a man and the man died immediately. Didn't work.
Well, we trust that if there's a student here in biology. I went through this, beloved, until my head swam around.
We trust that you will believe those words in Genesis. In the beginning, God, In the beginning God.
Always in the realm of logic and reasoning. I'm sure the shield of faith is the only shield effectual in the realm of reasoning and logic. And with all my heart, I thank God for having seen that shield of faith used in those who went before me. I thank God with all my heart.
So that when I too was confronted in some little measure with these brilliant men whose logic and reasoning I could find no flaw in, I could see in my minds eye the dear Saints of God who are now with the Lord, holding aloft the Word of God and proclaiming the wonder and beauty of it. And all that reasoning and lodging sounded completely empty. It was God-given, and I thank Him for it.
00:30:27
That that shield of faith simply stopped those dark. I could never meet them alone.
But I wonder, too, if in the realm of those fiery darts there might not also be that which doesn't quite challenge the logic or the intellect. But I think of the writer of this epistle, who himself was faced with many adversities and as a prisoner on the way to Rome in the midst of a great storm, when they had abstained even from eating for many days, and neither sun nor stars appeared.
He stood forth and said, I.
Believe God. I think Paul had the shield of faith well in use that day, and there may be someone here who is faced with deep trial, great grief and sorrow. And I wonder, at such a time, does the enemy not come along with fiery darts and perhaps suggest that God could have treated us a little more kindly? God has, perhaps.
Given us a greater grief than we're able to bear.
Brethren, I've not had to face this kind of thing, but others have and I feel that even in such circumstances, the shield of faith that would look up and say with the writer of this book, I believe God, what has God said? He has told us of his love. He has told us of that love so fully as it has been brought before us this morning.
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? It's a fine verse to read when things are going well, but it's a shield of faith when trouble or adversity or bereavement comes upon us. So perhaps the shield of faith can be used both in the realm of reasoning and logic, and can be used in that realm where Satan would attack us in times of.
I believe that students largely are permeated with this. I've talked with many of them and they seem to be on the wrong track.
There is a book published by a man called Meldau. He's with the Lord.
I have read that through carefully, and I could commend that to you students here who are inoculated. We trust not with this lie of evolution. I think it's really a wonderful book.
I enjoyed it very much and I keep it on hand and have passed it on to different young people that may be facing problems.
About in regard to what the brother Gill has just been telling us.
We can't expect perfection and anything that anybody produces.
Whether it's William Kelly or John Nelson Darby or Mr. Meldow, we can't expect perfection, but I believe that the reading of that book.
Will help to clear the minds of young people to get troubled along this line.
As clearly as anything outside, of course, the Word of God.
It's it's a remarkable book and I can hardly recommend it. May I add this?
Being an editor myself.
As I read, I'm always looking for errors.
And.
I'm not able to criticize the book at all from the standpoint of the.
Statements themselves, but I felt, as I encountered errors, that it would be a kindness to the publishers to let them know. So when I finished it, I sent them two or three typewritten pages of typographical errors. Now, if there are brothers among us who are competent enough.
To point out statements that are not true, would they not be constructive and do the Victory Publishing Company a service in advising them of these misstatements or imperfections so that when the next editions come out, the blemishes may be removed? It's nice to be constructively.
00:35:11
Critical and not destructively critical, is it not? I'll let somebody give it that can give it correctly.
In creation and not in evolution. I had the pleasure of calling on that brother two years ago. He went to be with the Lord last year, Brother John Milldale and.
I mentioned to him that the dear friend of mine claims that there's one or two things there in your book that don't don't really tally with the facts of science, he says here.
He handed me a book. He says, give that to your friend and have him write back to me. So I said to our beloved one we all love, I said, did you write?
Write back then. No, I said, why didn't you? Oh, I didn't get much time. I said, won't you show me these one or two things? I appreciate it. Well, he didn't have time, but I might mention this. I run across a brother we love.
And when I mentioned this book.
He said, oh, I don't care for that stuff. I.
I'm living in the heavenlies and I don't need that.
So I told him. I said, well, you remind me of brother Mr. Darby and Mr. Grant in writing on the train.
Mr. Darby noticed some beautiful scenery.
God's creation. So Mr. Grant says, Oh, I'm dead to all that. Well, as they went on, Mr. Darby had not said a word until it got on Mr. Grant and he finally wanted to know if Mr. Darby was not feeling well. And.
You know, I'm feeling all right. Well, then why don't you say anything? Well, there's no use talking to a dead man.
Now let me read one first.
To add what you said brother, in Jeremiah chapter 8 and verse 9.
The wise men are ashamed.
They are dismayed.
And taken.
The statesman of our day, the highest brain scientists of our day, are baffled.
Everything is getting out of control. They cannot produce the solution for the state of things the way the world is going, but the rest of the verse, they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them.
True of the educational system.
So far as we are speaking about it in connection like evolution and philosophy, I was going to call attention to a verse in the 82nd Psalm.
In connection with what her brother was saying about.
The dreadful condition of things in the world today.
The fifth verse of Psalm 82.
They know not.
Neither will they understand.
They walk on in darkness.
Now this, the rest of this verse is what I have in mind.
All the foundations of the Earth are out, of course.
Now, I believe that's referring to moral foundations.
And all the various relationships of life in the world today are out of course, the.
The family relationship is being broken up, and the civic relationship, the moral relationship, all the foundations.
Of the earth are out, of course. That's the condition to which to which things have dropped according to what we have in this.
82nd Psalm. All the foundations of the earth are out, of course.
A little bit different from some of the comments that have been made about that book.
The title of it rather frightens me. I'm not at all prepared to say anything about the content of the book. Anything I've read in it I have enjoyed very much.
00:40:09
But I hardly approve of what our brother Gil has said. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed as God has described them. And the title of the book is.
Why I believe in creation and not in evolution? Brethren, is there not just a little setting aside of the Shield of Faith by the very title of that book? Why do I believe in creation and not in evolution?
Because I have seen in creation the marvelous handiwork of God as compared to the nonsense of men, no.
I believe in creation and not in evolution because God's Word proclaims creation, and on that basis alone I accept it. If I see furthermore in the evidence that is given that which thrills and delights myself, thank God. But I hope this is not an awkward note to suggest. But I don't like the title.
Why I believe in creation because the shield of faith accepts belief in the testimony that God has given in His Word, and not because someone has written the book of evidence.
We all say Amen and have the same point of view as you do, brethren. We have heard that before too, but we do see.
In the advanced discoveries through the electronic.
What do you call it? The microscope that the depths and the increase of entering into things that are now known through that means he does bring out much.
And by reading these things to you and me that understand this other. And you're correct brother, it does magnify the creator.
It does magnify the Creator for you and me. It isn't going to be used of God as it were to give faith because faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
I want to give a balanced view to it just as you.
I wonder if we could turn to a scripture in Genesis 35. It's just a little different from what we've been discussing, but it's in connection.
With our brother Albert Hales. Previous remarks on the shield of faith.
I wanted to make this connection. You know, there may be some of us here who have felt that.
We have failed in our responsibilities.
Here and the enemy would attack us and cause us to become, shall we say, discouraged.
After that which has been put in our trust.
Either our children or anything, any responsibility, and we need the shield of faith in this regard as well.
Now in this case of Jacob, we know Jacob had rather a checkered life. We know that there are many things in Jacob's life that.
We can see duplicated sometimes in our own. There wasn't always the living up to the full privilege that Jacob had.
But we do remember that in the 28th chapter of Genesis, God had said to Jacob.
That he would be with him and he would see that he got back to Bethel.
Well now in this chapter we find it says, And God said unto Jacob, Arise and go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee when thou fled us from the face of Esau thy brother.
Then Jacob said unto his household.
And to all that were with him, put away the strange gods that are among you. Be clean, change your garments, and let us rise and go up to Bethel.
And I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak, which was by Shechem. And they journeyed in the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them.
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And they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
The other point that I would like to bring out here in connection with the Shield of Faith.
Is that when you and I have discovered our failure, there's only one right course for us, and that's to humble ourselves before God. That's a part of the shield of faith because we find that God came in to Jacob's life and did what Jacob could not do. Jacob could not cleanse his house.
Jacob could not put away the strange gods that were in his house.
He could not remove the uncleanness, but.
In faith Jacob was a man of faith. He waited upon God, and the time came when God came into his house, being a man of faith, and God did for him what he could not do for himself. Now I believe, dear brethren, that this is an important point in the shield of faith, because many.
Become discouraged when they find out that their efforts have failed.
But we know that God is going to get the glory in the end, and we'll have to give it to Him.
Now just let me read a little further here and we'll see what effect this had upon Jacob. And that's what we want to see in our own hearts and in the hearts of our brethren. The effect.
We read on to the.
3rd we read on in the 13th verse.
And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place. We talked with him, even a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering thereon.
And he poured oil there on.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel, the House of God.
Here Jacob is pouring out a drink offering. It's the only time in his life that we have recorded, I believe.
That he poured out a drink offering. Now, as I understand it, a drink offering.
Accompanied other offerings like the peace offering, but it had to do with the subject of joy. Joy.
Now where does Jacob find his joy? Does he find it in the fact that he had led such a wonderful life, and he was such a wonderful parent, and that he kept his house in order? No, indeed, brethren.
Here we find Jacob.
The subject of joy is that God had come into his circumstances.
And God had ordered his household for him, and God had completed everything he had promised in connection with Jacob. He had taken him all the way, and he brought him back.
And so I suppose the only thing that's recorded of Jacob's faith is that when he was old that he blessed the sons, wasn't it when he was old? Well, it's a wonderful thing, dear brethren, that if the path ends well.
There may be many mistakes along the way, but where there's the shield of faith, where there's counting upon God?
The path will end well.
Now let's be sure of that, brethren, because God will never disappoint faith.
Let's have the shield of faith on.
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
I remember Mark, Mr. Potter made the, I think it was publicly too, he said. Very glad that we have a Peter in the New Testament and a Jacob in the Old, for we find there men that were like ourselves.
Various pieces of armor mentioned are not given to the Christian soldier as instruments for attack.
But for protection and we are not told to fight the enemy, are we?
We told in James 4 to resist the devil and he will flee from you. And again in First Peter 5 we're told again resist him.
The armor is given for protection, not as weapons of warfare to fight the enemy. How about the Sword of the Spirit? And didn't the Lord use it in the fourth of Matthew? Yes. You're not in the fighting attitude though. But he used it with the enemy, the sword of the spirit and it surely it it, it surely paralyzed the enemy.
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Quite true, but I mean our attitude should not be a fighting attitude.
Find that when Israel was in Egypt, they didn't find the Egyptians, they were delivered from them.
And we are delivered to from the enemy by the power of the Holy Spirit and through obedience to the Word, are we not?
It doesn't stop there, it goes on and is connected with praying. Now we have a lovely example of that. Pardon me for referring to the Old Testament again, but we have the time when King Jehoshaphat.
Went to war and I believe he had the sword of the spirit, because they left their weapons at home and they took musical instruments and they went to war against the enemy.
The battle was won at the Watchtower.
It's at the Watchtower that the battle ended. If you'll notice the passage, we won't turn to it, but.
That's prayer, prayer and watching unto prayer. I believe it's important that we watch unto prayer. That shows the reality of our prayers. When we watch unto prayer, that is we believe God and this is connected with the sword of the Spirit. Is there something that we feel the Lord wants us to do? Well, we can't do it in our strength.
And so if there if there is the direct attack.
As the sword would indicate, there must be the prayer. Go with it. It's in the same verse here, praying.
Always.
With all prayer, that's general.
And suffocation is specific in the spirit.
Well, God has given us, has he not all spiritual blessings?
In the heavenly places, in Christ, they've all been given to us. Have enough?
So are we not looked at here in Ephesians 6 as in possession, but the enemy comes along to attack us, to take away from us, or to try to of what we already possess. And is that not the reason why, as you were saying brother gliding, our attitude is a defensive one. We have the sword of the Spirit, but our attitude is a defensive 1 to hold fast to what God has already given us.
And he couldn't have given us more, could he?
Say then, Brother Smith, all the armor is defensive until you come to the sword of the Spirit. That's offensive. That is, the Christian is only given one weapon to use against the enemy. All the rest is to protect ourselves, to be prepared. And then when the enemy does come.
If we are fully equipped with the armor of God.
Then we have one weapon.
That will absolutely defeat him, and that's the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
I've heard some people tell you get that sort out. That is, they have a bottle in their pocket, get it out and use it.
Well, that might not be what we're reading up here at all, because it's only the Word of God yielded in the power of the Holy Spirit, and that necessitates everything judged that would hinder communion with the Lord so that we might be filled with the Spirit.
And able in this way.
To meet his attacks.
We have a perfect example of what we're taught here in connection with the victory of the blessed Lord over Satan. When he was tempted in the wilderness, Satan came and said to command these stones to be made bread. Well, the Lord was hungry.
They got fasting for 40 days and all that time he was subjected to the awful influence of Satan.
We can scarcely imagine what had transpired. And now the Lord a hungry man.
He has an approach that a vital point. Well, there was just one way that he met him.
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And it's a wonderful thing, beloved, that in meeting the attacks of Satan, the Lord met him in the way that the feeblest believer can meet him and defeat him too. The babe in Christ can defeat the Satans attack just as thoroughly and.
And with all the results that we see in the blessed Lord, a dependent man.
Only relying.
On the word of God for his victory. So when he came, the enemy showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
You met him again.
It is written and then when the Satan took him up to the pinnacle of the temple.
And even quoted scripture to him. Then he replied it is written again.
And the enemy was so shrewd that he will even quote Scripture to try to confuse us. And that's why we need to be acquainted with the whole volume of God's Word.
That is where to have the Word of God in its entirety and be living in the power and enjoyment of it, so that when the enemy comes to confuse us.
We're ready to reply as the Lord replied. It is written again, and we should also notice just one more point, and that is that before you have the sword of the Spirit.
You have the helmet of salvation. You know the soldier in battle couldn't lift up his head if he didn't have on his helmet because he'd be afraid to lift he'd he would have something landed on his head. So hilariously wonderful clubs the head lifted up when the certainty of our salvation, we know our souls were saved.
Divinely and eternally, and we know that salvation will never fail until we're.
In our glorified bodies like Christ, then we can fully face the enemy. Excuse me, brother.
We are told to resist the devil.
I resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We're not, we're not told to rebuke the devil.
We're not told to rebuke him, but we're told to resist him.
Isn't that right?
That isn't, yeah, only the blessed Savior himself. They have the power to do that. But I don't think it's been given to us that power to rebuke the devil, but rather to see ourselves there, do anything that has to do in connection with the old nature and whatever. And it's Satan himself, because the Lord Jesus himself has won the battle for us at the cross. So we need not to rebuke him, but to resist him. Is that correct, Brother Brown?
That's my understanding. Now another verse that I think we will all admit that the we might have been using during yesterday and today is.
I don't remember that we've been using it, and that is that we should have no confidence in the flesh.
Is related to Gilgal truth. Before going out to meet the enemy, there should be the often returning to Gilgal.
To be in the presence of the Lord.
Measuring ourselves as having no strength whatsoever. Without Him we can do nothing. And so at the beginning of our truth, like in verse ten of our chapter where it says be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
That is the secret to being the presence of Lord, having no confidence in ourselves, even to Philadelphia, where it says thou hast a little power. Now that's the exact translation there, I believe, at least the most faithful one as you understand it, but thou hast a little power.
If you and I have.
A little of the leading of the Holy Spirit in our life and our ways, it'll be to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is here to glorify him. So to have a little strength to have it in the Spirit of God and not.
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Of self or self-confidence I'm sure is the most important thing.
Brother Barry, I did not mean.
When I spoke about defensive warfare, I didn't mean that we were not to use the sword of the Spirit offensively. Far from it. But what I was thinking of was that some beloved Christians have the idea that we should go out and attack.
Other Christians or people to heal them down with a sword. I got a letter the other day from a well meaning brother in Latin America.
And he said we have a radio program called.
La aura de la Reforma the hour of reform. And he said we are launching out an attack by radio over so and so and living that that was what I had in mind. So I wrote back to the brother and I said, dear brother.
We're not called upon to try to reform Christianity and much less the world and.
The Word of God has pronounced the.
The trend and the culmination and the judgment of Christendom.
And we are not going to change it, but wouldn't it be nice if you called your program Laura de la Aurora?
The hour of the dawning and announced the people the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Marks Gospel it says that he was driven of the Spirit into the wilderness.
It was not any delight to the Lord to spend that 40 days in the wilderness and that attack of the enemy. There should never be any pleasure taking if we're having to beat the attacks of the enemy at the most problem thing when we have to face the attack of the enemy. And it should indeed.
Felonies us and draw us closer to the.
Blessed Lord, oh that we might be in communion with his mind.
Quoted to the Lord, even though it was from Scripture, it wasn't true. Was it because he left out four words?
And that's the way the enemy does.
There's a special judgment upon those who would either.
Add or take away from the word of God, and Satan is the one who introduces this sort of thing. In all thy ways. He left that out. He will keep thee in all thy ways.
Now there is another, I believe a practical truth that was just suggested by our brother Barry.
When he used the word as to our judging ourselves.
Is there no room for that truth in our subject we have before us?
Oh indeed, we should have that.
We already mentioned that we should have no confidence in the flesh. But what if we have had confidence in the flesh? What if we have not used the been covered with a whole armor and used the sword of the spirit? What if we have not done that and we failed?
Then I'm sure that self judgment.
Is is very very much in season now? I'd like to read.
242 different portions on this point.
I believe it's worthwhile.
Lamentations, chapter 3.
The book of Jeremiah has 52 Chapters, the last one perhaps not written by Jeremiah, but after Jeremiah will say he wrote 51 Chapters. Why this book of lamentation originally was a part of that long book?
Lamentations, the five chapters, but it is by that profit that 41 years.
41 years was raised up of God.
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In an 18 years of that time was.
When that wonderful Last King of Judah, Josiah was reigning, we love to read of Josiah. We often hear ministry on Josiah.
But do we like to hear God?
Report by his prophet Jeremiah as to the internal corruptions that were going on during those 18 years.
When when Jehoshaphat himself had such a lovely, lovely reign?
Well, the truth in Jeremiah ministry I do not think we're liable to relish. Nor did the people. Was he very popular with them, for he was really.
In On the Spot.
With the most privileged tribe of the 12 Judah.
He was also addressing the most privileged spot in Judith, Jerusalem, Gods appointed center.
Now, I'm sure the people of Judah and Jerusalem did not relish the things he was addressing. Was it with the purpose of warming their hearts? It was for the purpose of reaching their conscience. It was prophetic ministry, and we should not leave it out of our thoughts, the prophetic ministry. So when we come to the end.
Of all that wonderful ministry of Jeremiah.
We read here in Lamentations 3.
He shows in verse 18.
A very, very.
Discouraged, a hopeless spirit.
He says my strength and my hope is perished.
Verse 19.
Remembering mine affliction.
And my misery or wandering.
The Wormwood and the gall, or the bitterness of our failure?
My soul hath them still in remembrance.
And is now notice this word humbled in me. Is that not a profitable?
Exercise in a soul for it to be humbled? Is that not one of them?
One of the most needful things for the moment.
That we if we are humbled and recognizing the Lord's ways with us right now.
What will be more blessed in the end? And so he says, my soul is still in remembrance and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, or the other translation to heart.
Therefore have I hoped.
Therefore have I hoped now this is the word of God.
Now.
In verse 23.
Great is thy faithfulness in the face of our unfaithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. Therefore will I hope in Him.
If self is owned and renounced as having failed, we do have our everlasting resource in the Lord. He is faithful. The Lord is my portion, therefore I hope.
Now in verse I want to touch on verse 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. I take it that if we're going along with the Lord.
Happy in His will, the yoke teaches us to bow and to go along with Him in His will. Then in verse 29, he putteth his mouth in the dust.
Ezra 10/1 Ezra cast himself down.
Put us his mouth and us if so be there may be hope. All the secret of deliverance.
When we have so signally failed is humbling ourselves if we just get self out of the way and only want his will. How perfect. Now I understand the time is up, yes. Just a thought if any of you care to look into it in that wonderful chapter of Exodus 32.
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Where Moses gone on high, you know the Lord Jesus gone on high. During his absence they lose heart.
They become weary and impatient as to that Moses, so the resort to their own ways. The result is we have a golden calf.
When When Moses comes back.
Oh, what a sad thing there.
The stone is crushed.
And Moses doesn't eat or drink for 40 days. He is so humbled about this. Shameful.
Condition state of things he finds he might say during his absence that has gripped in.
Then when you get to the second time or no, I shouldn't say that, I'm sorry, we find that while he's down there with them.
He turns to.
A new stand that is at the gate of the camp.
Is on the Lord's side is raised there is the challenge and the test for our hearts. Now we find as a result of faithfulness in judging according to God's mind and rewarded for it, we do find this word.
Moses said, consecrate yourselves today to the Lord.
That He may bestow upon you a blessing this day. Blessing will come from self judgment, humbling ourselves, owning all before the Lord. And don't let us try to evade it.
Work of Christ
Address—C.E. Lunden
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.
I'll read a verse in the 11Th Psalm first.
Psalm 11.
In the Lord put on my trust.
Say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain.
Below the wicked Bender bow they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Now, I suppose you're aware from the little hymn we sang of the character that this meeting might take this afternoon.
That is, we'd like to speak a little of the work of Christ.
And other things, connection with it. But first of all, I would like to call your attention to the importance of this verse.
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
You know, most of us here are living under tremendous privilege.
And I wonder if these dear young people this afternoon are aware of the privilege that they have.
Where the word of God literally folly. But there's a day coming, dear friends.
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When it will not be so.
That men will search everywhere to get a hold of the word of God.
Oh, wonderful. Supposing this afternoon that you were in a land?
That was not so privileged.
Where you didn't have an open Bible.
And where the foundations were all destroyed outwardly, what would you do?
I wonder if you, dear young people this afternoon, as well as some of the older, are established in the present truth.
Do you know where you stand this afternoon? Where do you stand? What are you resting on? Where do you find your peace?
I'm sure the many may.
Be indifferent about these things, although they may outwardly at least profess the name of Christ.
Where do you rest this afternoon?
And so I'd like to speak a little about.
First of all, the blood of Christ.
And the death of Christ.
The cross of Christ.
My death with Christ.
And then the believer in the new land.
We have some of that this morning in Joshua, but let's turn for a moment now to Exodus.
The 12Th chapter.
And here we have the blood of Christ.
Now this account is so well known I'm not going to read but a few verses.
Just to bring back to our thoughts.
The subject.
And I'd like to say, as I speak of it, that although we have the Passover here, we don't have the full truth and regard.
But to all that which concerns the blood, which we learn later.
The various phases of redemption.
But we do have the Passover here.
And so I'm going to read from the 21St verse.
Of the 12Th chapter of Exodus.
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb.
According to your families, and kill the Passover, and ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lentil and the two side pulse with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you should go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians. And when he seeth the blood upon the lentil and on the two side posts, the Lord will Passover the door and will not.
Suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to spite you.
Now the point that we have here is that.
God has prescribed a remedy at the time when the destroying Angel will Passover the door.
And dear young people, this afternoon there's a day coming when that which?
Corresponds to the destroying Angel will Passover your door.
That's true. We'll Passover your door.
Now as that destroying Angel passes over your door, will you have the blood applied?
To that door.
So that he won't touch anyone in the house.
I know you say, well, this is a young people's meeting. This isn't a gospel meeting.
But all dear ones, this afternoon, I believe there may be those in this room who are unsaved this afternoon.
Who have not learned to trust in that precious blood? Who are not sheltered from that coming judgment?
Now it would seem rather hard to take.
5010 thousand, 15,020 thousand, maybe 50,000 Lambs. I don't know how many there were.
That there were a tremendous amount of Lamb slain that day.
Oh, you say, why was this necessary? Because God said so.
That's why.
Isn't that putting it simple? God said so.
Do you have a prescription of your own for salvation?
In Hebrews we are told without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
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No remission.
And the redemption's work comes through.
That is, the work of redemption is a result.
Of what the Lord Jesus did on the cross of Calvary.
Which we'll speak of at a moment, Lord willing.
That the blood.
Now, it isn't a question in this instance of what you think of the blood.
But it's what God thinks of the blood.
Dear what is God who has been offended?
And there is one remedy, and only one.
And that's what God himself has prescribed.
Precious blood of Christ. Peter speaks of it. Paul speaks of it.
And we have it all the way through Scripture, from the beginning to the end, The precious.
The blood of Christ.
Now this was poured out in a basin, but remember, the victim first was slain. Slain.
And so from that dead victim the blood was poured out. Oh, how beautiful these pipes are, pictures of that work of the Lord Jesus Christ, when the soldier pierced his side, and forthwith kinder out blood and water.
Now we just have a picture here of course.
To gather others from the New Testament.
The actual doctrine.
But oh, how important this is. Dear one, may I press it upon you this afternoon?
Some of you may be going into a certain schools where they where they make little of the blood. In fact deny it, but remember.
Is the day coming when the Angel will be over your door?
And unless the blood is applied, unless you have taken that hyssop.
The Hirsch was the smallest of all trees. Man is likened to a tree.
And.
Each one, each head of the family, had to take that history an indication of the position he was in before God and humiliation.
Confession of sin.
Apply that blood in the bosom to his own doorposts, and to the lentil over the door.
Now when the destroying Angel came by, he passed by that house.
That's the Passover.
And I ask your dear friend this afternoon.
Dear young friend, has the has the Angel passed over your house? Or is it your house in such a position that the Angel will pass over your house?
You know, Speaking of the foundations.
In about 150 years ago or more.
There were 4 cardinal truths recovered for the Saints of God.
We can't speak of all of them in detail this afternoon, but I will mention them.
The first one is what we're Speaking of, redemption.
Now, I don't say we have all of redemption mentioned in this Passover, but it's through the blood that I'm Speaking of redemption through the blood.
The second one is that the Spirit of God came down to indwell the believer.
Now, dear young people, these are important truths for you and me.
And they're summed up in these. First, the precious blood redemptions work, which has really 2 aspects.
And that is bought back and set free forgiveness of sin.
But then the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
Once this is done.
The next is.
The presence of the Spirit of God in the assembly here below.
And the last is the Lord's coming, the believers hope.
Are you in the enjoyment of these four basic truths?
The precious blood of Christ. Redemptions work. The Spirit of God indwelling the believer.
The presence of the Spirit of God in the assembly, making his habitation on earth.
And then the Lord's coming.
Well, we're speaking now of the blood, the blood of Christ.
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And you know.
The blood of Christ puts away all sin.
All sins.
We find that.
This work of the Lord Jesus was a completed work.
When we get on to the subject of Jordan, we'll see that the priests stood in the in the river until it was all finished. Finished.
The work was finished.
Well, we find that in John's Gospel, the Lord could say his last words, as it were. It is finished, the work is finished, so there's nothing left to do as far as our standing before God.
And that's what we're Speaking of now, our standing.
23rd Verse For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians, and when he seeth the blood upon the lentil, and on the two side both, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in onto your houses to spite you.
Now we go on to the 14th chapter.
And here we have the Red Sea.
We'll start reading at the 13th Birds.
Because this speaks to us, beloved, of the death of Christ.
The death of Christ.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not, fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today.
With Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more forever, and the Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
19 First and the Angel of the Lord.
An Angel of God which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them, and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them, and it came to pass. It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these. So if the one came not near the other.
All the night.
In the 28th verse.
After the judgment, the waters returned and covered the Chariots and the horsemen, and all the hosts of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them.
There remain not so much as one of them.
Not one of them.
But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on the right hand and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.
And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses.
Now in the case of the blood, we find that the people who believed took the blood and they put it on the door, the side post in the level.
But here again, we read that the people believed they believed.
And so faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God.
Now what do we learn from the Red Sea?
And the deliverance here, well just this that it was delivered.
Many dear believers do not know that they are completely delivered.
Now how can you go out and serve the Lord Jesus? How can you be happy in your souls?
If there is a constant dread of something in your life.
That possibly you're not going to be able to keep yourself.
We find here that what is called to our attention is that all the enemies are dead on the seashore, and in that 28th verse there remain not so much as one of them, not one of them.
Is this a foundation beloved for our soul?
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Surely is.
Oh, how good to rest on that precious blood and to have peace.
With God.
And if we went into the subject, we'd find it brings reconciliation.
But reconcile to God.
And now we find not looking godward. Now we're looking manward at the Red Sea, and we see our deliverance.
Who did this?
Is it something that you did in your life in which you excelled above others?
That you got deliverance for your soul. Is there some great experience that you.
Went through that you yourself provided by which you get deliverance.
No, the children of Israel got deliverance by simply believing this great work.
That's where we get deliverance.
You believe this this afternoon?
This is what establishes the soul.
A sense of the work of the Lord Jesus.
Now what was it that gave Deliverance?
Ah, there was a time when the Lord Jesus could say in the language of Psalm 42.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water, spouse.
All thy ways and thy billows have gone over me.
That's how you got Deliverance, beloved.
By believing.
The death of Christ.
The death of Christ.
God says when I see the blood, I'll Passover you.
We've been passed over.
Now I see myself completely delivered. I am set free.
And sin has No title or dominion over me.
Now, because I'm not under any laws or anything else that I'm under grace.
The work of Christ has completed.
My deliverance.
When he.
When he died on Calvary's cross, he laid down his life and death.
And so now the children of Israel are rejoicing in redemption's work in the next chapter. You can read it when you have time and all. How beautiful it is.
The Lord has triumphed gloriously, not the children of Israel.
Now it's a sense of this in our souls that keeps us to our young people.
How anxious we are to do something, and it's nice too to be used of God.
But it's a sense of this that keeps us.
Oh, how fresh.
The joy with the children of Israel on this occasion.
They were right up against the wall, a wall on either side of them, and a great sea before them. What were they to do? The Lord opens the sea before them.
And they March over on dry land. You know the story well.
But what happened to the enemy? They follow after them to the midst of the sea, and then the waters close in over them.
That's the judgment that takes place in all the enemies of those who refuse.
To identify themselves with the Lord Jesus in his death.
But now if we go a little further.
In the 15th chapter.
The 22nd verse.
Notice in the 21St verse they're singing about the Lord, how He triumphed gloriously.
So now in the 22nd verse. So Moses brought Esther from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of sure, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
And when they came to Merrill, they could not drink of the waters of Mara, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Mara or Bitter. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord. And the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them.
Who said, if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and we'll do that which is right in his sight, and will give heir to his commandments?
And keep all his statutes. I will put none of these diseases upon me, which I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee. And they came to Elam, where were 12 wells of water, 3 score, and 10 palm trees, and they encamped there by the waters.
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You know, it's a wonderful thing to know that you sheltered under the blood your young friends here this afternoon.
And to know that in the death of Christ.
You have full deliverance. You've been set free.
But how about the wilderness?
Well, that's quite a problem, you know, with all of us, the wilderness and the refreshment, because that's what water speaks of.
How quickly they change from singing to murmuring.
Did you ever do that?
Singing to murmuring.
Now is there any remedy for this?
Oh, the world says well.
I remember a young man went to a minister once. He was exercised about his soul.
And the minister said, well, he said, if you go out on a good fishing trip, you'll be all right.
That's what this minister told this man is that, is that the formula for being?
At rest in your soul.
Oh dear ones, I'm not speaking against catching fish now, don't misunderstand me. But I'm talking now about what is the refreshment for your soul here.
Is that the things that you see about you?
Oh dear ones, we're surrounding ourselves with luxuries.
Ease and pleasure, and we are betraying the fact.
We don't realize Our Calling.
The Levitt were pilgrims and were strangers.
What are we setting before our children?
Did many of you dear young people are starting families?
What kind of a picture are you giving these children?
Setting before their eyes in your own conduct.
Dear young people.
Is it that you are to have everything that this world offers and everything that the next one to you can't do it?
You can't do it.
The Lord Jesus could say when here you cannot serve 2 masters, you can.
You love the one and despise the other. That's what happens.
And now let us test our hearts.
Oh, let's test our hearts. Do I love luxury?
Oh, let's be clear this afternoon.
Do I like the glamour of this world?
Am I seeking the pleasures of this world?
Is it so?
And so the subject before us then solemnizes our hearts.
We have the cross of Christ here.
And the children of Israel wanted refreshment.
They were murmuring. And what was it that gave them refreshment? Why a tree?
A tree was cast into the water.
The cross of Christ.
You believe that?
Have you proved it?
Or you may get some temporary relief and refreshment from this world, but you'll never get anything that satisfies your soul.
Oh dear young people, is there anything that can refresh your.
Heart.
Like a sense of the love of Christ who went to that cross of Calvary.
To take your place because scripture says he bore our sins.
In his own body on the tree.
He was made a curse for us, Galatians tells us.
Let me read you a verse in the end of Galatians.
The last chapter of Galatians.
Verse 14.
But God forbid.
That I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me.
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And I unto the world.
Now this is a statement that Paul makes.
Of the possession of the Christiane.
The world is crucified to him, and he to the world.
Now turn with me to the second chapter of Galatians.
Verse 20.
I am crucified with Christ.
Nevertheless, I live.
Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith.
Of the Son of God who loved me.
Gave himself for me.
You know when the Lord Jesus, our blessed Savior, was on the cross of Calvary.
There are two thieves, one on each side, and they were both mocking him.
And we hear him saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
And one of the thieves turns in all his agony, and he says, Lord.
Lord.
And then he turns to the other thief, and he says, Dost not thou fear God?
Oh, what a picture.
Read it carefully and you'll see what it means when Paul says I'm crucified with Christ.
Oh, he was a thief. He was a robber, That man on the cross beside Jesus.
Found the Savior.
Yes, he found the Savior and look it up and you will find 7 things that man learned that most people don't learn in their lifetime and he learned it in three hours.
He learned to call Jesus Lord.
On that cross.
I am crucified with Christ. What does it mean to you, dear fellow young people?
What does it mean to you this afternoon? Are you willing to say this?
For me to live is Christ.
Is that an object before you?
Crucified.
There that one solitary witness at the crucifixion, when all had forsaken him and fled.
And are you going to stand up in this sad, Dark World as the foundations are breaking away?
And are you going to stand there as a living witness, as identified with the Lord Jesus?
In separation from it all.
Oh how beautiful this the sweetness.
The cross of Christ in our circumstances, to apply it now.
With all its sweetness.
And if this were so, dear young people, your mouth would be open in praise on Lord's Day morning.
Yes, they would. There wouldn't be long silences.
No, there'd be him.
Or there be a word of praise? Yes there would.
Well, we have then the cross of Christ, and that's what sweetens the pathway. That's what brings refreshment in this Dark World.
And if you really want to live for Christ, that's the subject to be occupied with.
You know, the disciples in the 9th chapter of Luke made seven mistakes.
You can look them up if you like 7 mistakes.
The first one was they didn't recognize that they were following a rejected Christ.
And the Lord is praying twice in that chapter.
And either two or three times he brings before them his death and his suffering.
Until finally, in the 11Th chapter they say to him, Lord, teach us to pray.
Ah, it was the death of Christ that brought them to their senses and their need. The death of Christ.
The cross of Christ.
And what is the believer going to lose?
By following Christ and taking this position is identified with Him.
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As crucified with him as in separation, what is he going to lose?
You know what Peter said in the 18th chapter of Luke?
We have left all.
What should we have there for?
Oh, the Lord, says Peter. You're going to have manifold more in this present time.
And in the world to come, life everlasting.
Now, Peter, how much do you really want?
And you, dear young people, how much do you want?
Now, how do we respond to this?
Does the Cross have any application, dear young people, to our manner of life?
To our deportment. To our dress, Does it?
It should have.
If you and I are occupied and are refreshed by the sweetness of the cross of Christ.
I'm sure a great many of our habits would change.
Think of Abraham. He was a Pilgrim.
He lived in a tent.
The character of his manner of life.
His appetites were all very simple, weren't they?
And what about his nephew Lot, And how did he end up?
He departed from all of these things that were in keeping.
With the calling of the Pilgrim.
He left his family in Sodom.
And he just barely escaped with his life.
That I turn with me to Joshua.
The 4th chapter.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying.
Take you 12 men out of out of the people, out of every tribe of man.
We'll command you them saying, take events out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priest feet stood firm, 12 Stones.
And you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place where you shall lodge this night.
Ninth verse.
And Joshua set up 12 Stones in the midst of Jordan, and the place where the feet of the priests which bear the ark of the covenant stood, and they are there under this day. For the priests which bear the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished. That the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua.
And the people hasted.
And passed over.
The 18 first, and it came to pass, when the priest had bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, came were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the souls of the priests feet were lifted up under the dry land, which that the waters of Jordan returned under their place.
And flown over all his banks as they did before.
Well, this picture closes with eternal judgment, doesn't it?
The water is flowing back over all its banks again.
Because this was.
The picture at the time of harvest, when the water slowed over all the banks.
But God came in and he stopped that.
That water from coming down from above.
And it depleted at the bottom. And here they passed over in dry land again.
But now what is the picture here?
Is that the death of Christ? Yes, it is. In Ascent, it's the death of Christ.
But it's a picture, really of my death with Christ.
My death was Christ.
The two, the Red Sea and the Jordan here collapsed. They come together.
Now I apply this truth to myself. What does this mean?
Well.
I have to come to this before I can come into the new land, because in the end of this chapter we come into the new land.
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My death was crossed.
And so we read in Colossians, dear young people, that ye are dead. Are you a Christian? Well then, you're dead. In the sight of God, you're dead. And you're dead to everything that belonged to the 1St order of things, you're dead.
That we read in Galatians that Paul spoke of a life which he now lived. He lived by the faith of the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him.
So as to the old order, it's gone.
And you and I have a right entitled to reckon the whole thing is gone now. 12 Stones representing every tribe.
Are taken out of this Jordan into the new land, representing the new position of the believer.
But what about the other 12 Stones? Well, Joshua takes care of that.
It's a picture to us of the Lord Jesus, isn't it?
And so in Colossians, we learned there that.
The position we're in is the result, again, of the death of Christ.
But there is this added in Colossians, that you and I are to mortify our members which are upon the earth.
And that goes along with the new position that we're in that Joshua brings before us.
We have members on the earth, and if we leave these members to themselves, they're going to dishonor God.
Yes they will.
Unless we get instruction in everything that we do from the Word of God, we're going to dishonor God in these members which are upon the earth.
Oh how we need to depend upon God for every step that we take.
And so we see then the 12 Stones in the bottom of Jordan, and there they remain to this day. That's the old order of things, the old man.
It's either Adam or Christ, one of the two, and Adam all die, and Christ shall all be made alive.
Get that in Corinthians.
Now let's read on in this chapter.
10th 1St and the Children of Israel and Captain Gilgal.
Self judgment.
And kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month and even in the plains of Jericho.
And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the Morrow after the Passover.
Unleavened cakes and parched corn in the self same day, and the man has ceased on the Morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land. Neither had the children of Israel man anymore, but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Now I wonder, dear young people, are you eating of the fruit of the land of Canaan?
Are you eating of the old corn of the land?
You know, it's a wonderful thing for you and me to know that our sins are forgiven, to be trusting in the precious blood of Christ, and to know that Christ died for our sins, to know that we're crucified with Christ. All of this precious foundation truth, Oh, how important it is.
But you know, we're entitled now to feed on a risen.
Glorified Christ.
That's what we are to feed upon.
That's the old corn of the land.
Arisen.
Glorified Christ, that's what we are entitled to feed upon. And what are you feeding on?
Are you feeding on the husks? Prodigal did that, you know, And I'm sure when the Prodigal got to the father's house, he wasn't eating husks.
How about you?
About me. Oh, I think to this much, to this, to myself this afternoon.
Am I feeding on husks and all the tendency is to feed on husks?
And we have it all around us, and we have it put up in religious packages too. Are we feeding on husks?
Oh, how good it is to sit down with the Word of God and have the Spirit of God open the precious things of Christ to us.
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You know, it's one thing like Ruth to be gleaning and gleaning away and to get these precious things that were left on purpose for her, but it's quite another thing when she's in the presence of boats, have him fill her apron full.
And she got twice as much that day than she ever did in gleaning. Have you ever had that experience?
When he filled the apron full.
Oh, our precious beloved, to have this experience down here.
To feed on the old corn of the land.
And now what else in closing?
It was brought before us so beautifully this morning, but I'm just going to read it for you because the passage wasn't read.
13 first and it came to pass.
When Joshua was by Jericho, that's the city of the Kurds.
That he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand.
Joshua went under him, and said unto him, Art thou for us before our adversaries?
And he said Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord, and my now come.
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place where thou standest is holy.
And Joshua did so.
Now here we have the captain of the Lord's host, and we have here.
That which the Spirit of God would always occupy us with.
If he is the one who ministers to our hearts, and that's the person of Christ.
Always it's a wonderful thing, you know, dear ones, this afternoon, to know truth. It's a wonderful thing to be established in the present truth.
That, you know, our hearts could be quite cold and know these things, but you can't be in communion with this captain of the hosts.
Walking in holiness.
And be cold.
In your soul, no, you can. And so I ask you, dear young people, are you allowing the business of this world?
We all have a responsibility.
Are you allowing the pleasures of this world? The glamour?
The.
The character of it, whatever it is that's affecting you at this moment, the position.
Are you allowing any of these things to rob you of these precious things?
That we have in Christ.
Is the capital of the host and as we were told this morning.
In disobedience we don't find ourselves in His presence. We don't find His protection.
Nor do we find our ways ordered rightly.
And so remember then the blood of Christ.
The death of Christ. The cross of Christ.
The work of Christ.
Our death with Christ and our position now in the heavenlies.
As this sets before us eating the old corn of the land, that's our proper portion. That's what we should be occupied with now, eating the old corn of the land.