Reading
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.
General meetings, Montreal, October 1975 Second reading meeting.
Precious is the blood that heal us. Perfect is the grace that sealed us.
Strong the hand stretched forth the Sheila. All must be well, 334.
Strong Gospel chapter 14.
And verse 7.
If he had known me, he should have known my father also.
And from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.
Phillip says, and him Lord, show us a father and suffice it.
Jesus other name, Have I been so long time with you? And get past Thou not know me, Philip.
He that has seen me, have seen the Father, and thou sayest thou, Then show us the Father.
Believe us or not, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself. But the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the work.
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me.
For the very work sake.
00:10:00
Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believeth on me the works that I do, shall he do also, and greater works than these shall they do, because I go unto my Father.
And whatsoever he shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in his Son.
If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
If you love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive. Because I see them 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.
Get a little while in the world seeth me no more, But ye see me because I live, you shall live also.
That day you shall know that I am in my Father, and ye and me, and I and you.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them he it is a loveth me, neither loveth me shall be loved with my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Judas said unto him, Not his carrier Lauren houses. I will manifest thyself underwater, and not under the world. Jesus answered and said unto him.
The man loved me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our vote with him.
Love with me not keepeth not my sayings, and the word which you hear is not mine. But the fathers were sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you but 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.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.
Not as the world giveth, give I unto you, neither let your let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you.
If you love me, he would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I. And now I've told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass you might believe.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father. And the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do.
Arise, let us go ahead.
Comments were made at the close of the last meeting.
I enjoyed. I think it was like this. I am the way to the Father, I am the truth about the Father, and I am the light that brings us into relationship with the Father. And it seems to me so beautiful and so honoring to him that I have wondered if that's one reason why Satan has so vigorously opposed and attacked this and even presented, it seems to me.
In the last epistle, sort of a counter foot of this well we read in Dude, woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of chorus. It just seems to me that in those three little statements we have sort of a counterfeit, an attack against that beautiful truth we have here.
I am the Way, the truth and the light, and there before the scripture closes, we have they have gone in the way of cave ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perish in the game thing of Korah, as though everything that the Lord sees us here presents is attacked and given a counterfeit by Satan, presented as a warning there in Jews.
There's also.
00:15:00
Something that is spoken abroad quite generally in Christendom, and that is that Jesus is a way of life, as though there might be other ways of life.
And it's taken over in Christendom, so much so that.
They're even conniving with Pagan religions and mixing them up.
The scripture says the Lord himself says I'm the way of I am the way not a way, the way. I'm not some of the truth. I am the truth.
There's not some other way. That's the life. I am the life, not some other religion. There's only life in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the only life that can bring us into relationship with God, so that we know Him as our Father and ourselves as his children. Of course, when I speak of that, we also have to recognize that we must have the power of that life, the Holy Spirit.
That we might come to the consciousness to know consciously that God is our Father. And it's wonderful to see that the Holy Spirit is brought in here in this chapter in that connection too.
Will it be in order? Just to mention with that Brother Anderson a warning today as to the various translations that have come out? And our King James translation is good and we don't need some of these new things that men's minds have brought up who were not able in the 1St place, not knowing the language, the 2nd place not spiritual man to prepare the scriptures and translate them.
And so I believe it's an order. There should be a warning because there's a widespread use of some of these translations that are there should not be used at all by Christians because the young people.
Do not understand sometimes the the meanings that are introduced in some of these translations which undermine the various essential truths of Scripture and in such a subtle way.
That.
The average person, unless they are acquainted with the doctrines of scripture, they'll be tripped up, turned aside. I've had some experience with translating translating scripture into the language of the tribe in the Congo.
And I found that I could not translate word for word. I must seek by the grace of God to get God's thought that was there in the scripture before I could adequately translate it. Well, in a case like that, it means you have to be before the Lord in deep exercise, you have to be in touch with the Lord, and you need to be exercised about being in a state of soul where you can do that. And when these translations come out, we feel and we know.
That some of those who translated were not spiritual men.
In fact, on one committee it was found that there were some communists on the committee for doing this translation work. Well, how can it be suitable? How can it be a spiritual translation? Another thing, the Greek language is such a perfect language, a complete language. And it's not that I know much of anything about it, but I have studied it some.
Some of the words in the Greek that are so full of meaning that it's impossible to translate them by another word in another language. Now, in order to get a translation as close to correct as possible, you must get the mind of the Lord as to what word to use to translate that word. And if the mind is not spiritual, that person might take a shade of meaning in that word.
And use the word in the English or some other language into which is translating. Use a word that translates into the English only that little side meaning that might be in the word, and then you get something that's not exactly correct and it throws the word off. It's not in balance.
I don't mean to get off our subject, but I did feel it was necessary to call attention to this, by the way. Well, I think we have to be on our guard against using these other translation.
00:20:04
And I believe God was in it when this translation that we're holding in our hands was made years and years ago. I believe God was taking care of this and sought to us that we got a translation that would be shooted. And I don't see any reason for forgiving it up.
It's all right to use like JN Darby's translation and refer to it, but I believe we do well just to stick with the King James Version in our reading meetings and in our meetings generally.
In First Corinthians 2 and verse 13 I think it's important to notice this verse, First Corinthians 2 and verse 13, which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teach us, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.
Comparing spiritual things with spiritual Now, that is, the very words of Scripture are inspired, not just the thoughts. And so when a translation is made, it needs to be in the very words of scripture to be accurate if we try to substitute our own thoughts. And many of the so-called translations are not really translations, They are called paraphrase, which means that an attempt has been made to put them into words that they thought were more understandable.
And so they departed from the very words that the spirit of God had used. I think it is so nice in Mr. Darby's translation, when he did have that difficulty of which you speak, of trying to get an English word that corresponded with the Greek word. If he couldn't get the word, he has a little footnote explaining that he tried to get as close a word as he could in the English because he was very much impressed with the fact that it is.
In the original, the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, I believe we must always bear that in mind. Because it's not just the thoughts that are inspired, it's the words that are inspired. And we can be thankful for the translation that we have. But I believe rather than we can be very thankful for such a spiritual man as Mr. Darby, who not only had scholarship but had communion with the Lord.
And another thing, when there is a little difficulty and perhaps the translation is not too accurate, the Spirit of God is seen to it, that another scripture somewhere else will make it clear. And when you find a translation, perhaps even in the King James, that's not thoroughly accurate.
If you refer to some other verse in the scripture, you can see where the discrepancy has come in. I just mentioned this for the sake of some who might have had a problem.
In Revelation chapter five we read about those who are singing in heaven and it says and they shall reign on the earth. Now I'm not a scholar, but I did take the trouble to look it up and see that in many cases the same Greek word is translated on.
In other cases it's translated over to. Therefore either word could be a translation of the original Greek word. How is 1 to know which words should be used? Well, by referring to such a verse as Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse one, we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. We see that the believers eternal portion is in the heavens therefore.
If we're raining, it's not going to be on the earth. Now, the Greek word would allow either one on or over to be used. But a spiritual mind, as it says here, comparing spiritual things with spiritual or communicating spiritual things by spiritual means, A spiritual mind then discerns and that the correct word was the word over, well, it isn't just making a random choice of two words.
But we must remember that God's word is 1 harmonious, complete, whole, and it all stands together. When the enemy quoted scripture to the Lord, the Lord answered it by quoting another scripture, and we'll find the answer within the pages of this blessed book. Well, we can be thankful for a good translation, but I only mentioned this, I would say, to be aware of anyone that is called paraphrase, and then I agree that.
We should be concerned about who it was that did the translating. Did they walk in the fear of God? And you often find in the preface of the Bible something that will set you on guard. I've noticed in reading the introduction to some of these new translations that the men didn't They were not men that trembled at God's word. They were not men who really accepted it as.
00:25:24
The very words of God.
Well, as soon as you find that in the introduction, beware of the translation, because the man hasn't handled it as the living, precious word of God.
Very few quoted this morning from the first chapter of John and the 18th verse. No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father He hath declared him so the Lord is making that clear here that.
Him was to have seen the Father, and I take from that that we will only see the Father revealed in the Son, even when we're in glory.
Some have objected to that thought. Well, surely we'd see God our Father. But no, I think it's only as we see Him in the sun that we'll see him in glory. I suppose the scripture in.
Revelation chapter 22 might be one that.
They used to.
To come to that kind of a conclusion.
But I think if that if that scripture is looked at closely, we'll find that it's Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Revelation 22.
Verse four. And they shall see his face.
But whose face is it? Well, it says in verse 3. And there should be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. Well, it's the Lamb that's on the throne, like we see.
And more places than this in the Book of Revelation, but he's seen as God as well. So it's the Lord Jesus Christ and it's his face that we will see.
Two and nine help.
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily Speaking of Christ.
And he never left that bosom, did he?
Who is in the bosom of the father? Even money was here. And so as he walked through this world, he gave expression to that new that life that was never known here before.
Which to us, of course, is new.
Not new to him.
It's that life that he always had, but now as a man giving expression to that life and even the very feelings now.
In a human body of that new life that would be found with each one who has that new life, the very same feelings, the very same understanding and appreciation of things, that new life and that life is that eternal life. And the sun came down to reveal that life which was in the Father and in the Son. Of course now we have the communion and fellowship with them in that life.
And unless there is holiness, we can't enjoy it.
That though.
We will not see the Father as such. Don't you think that his presence will be very real to us and enjoyed by it? Indeed it will. It should be enjoyed before we get to glory down here. Father's presence. A Father himself loving you.
Because you have loved me and been with me, so we can enjoy our Father's presence of Father's companionship all the journey from beginning to end.
In chapter six I think there's something there. First Timothy chapter 6 and verse 13. I give the charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things.
And before Jesus Christ to before Pontius, Pilate witnessed a good confession, that they'll keep this commandment without spot unremuchable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate.
00:30:16
The king of kings and Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality.
Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen, nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. We need to remember, brethren, that the glory there is a glory in connection with the Godhead that cannot be seen by mortal eyes. And the Lord Jesus became a man, but he never left his place in the Godhead, and there is a glory about his person.
That even.
He, that one who became a man, there is a glory about his person.
That is beyond us. And that he will always be infinite and we will always be finite.
Even when we're in the glory, and I believe it's good for us to remember this because as the little hymn says about how wondrous the glories that made in Jesus and from his face shine. And then it says.
His glory. Not only God's Son in manhood, He had his full part, the glory of his person and how he was perfect. God and man we'll never be able to fully comprehend even for all eternity.
But all that can be revealed and all that can be made known of God has been an is revealed in the sun. And beyond this we must be careful not to go, because even the Lord Himself, I say reverently, has a glory and that is beyond our minds and that we'll never be able to see because he never left his place in the godhead.
Would Matthew 11 give us that subject to?
Matthew 11.
And.
The 27th verse All things are delivered unto me of my Father, And no man knoweth the Son, but the Father, neither nor any man the Father say the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.
That is, the sun does reveal the father, but when it's the subject of the sun.
It simply leaves the subject by saying, and no man knows the Son but the Father, so we mustn't try to go beyond.
What is revealed? The higher mysteries of Thy fame, the creatures grass transcends. He only that thy blessed name of Son can comprehend That was beautifully put in in that hymn.
And expresses it so in such a wonderful way.
One also brings up before us that what God intended was that the sun should display this because in the first chapter in the 1St 2 verses.
God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time fast, and the fathers by the prophets after these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who may have appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world, for being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and so on. Well speak, Sarah, God speaking unto unto us, and the person of his Son not as one sent simply like the prophets.
But in himself coming down here to reveal God himself to us.
Lord always has his distinct place in the Godhead. There are narrower confused, so that bursts in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
And it says there that which was from the beginning.
Oh, I'd have to read it.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. You see there, the Word was with God, shows he had a distinct personality in the Godhead.
00:35:06
So it's the in the beginning was the word.
And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Chapter 14 The sixth verse where the Lord says I am the way.
I was thinking of the testimony of the early Christians.
In Acts, when Saul went after them, he went after them as those that are known of this way or the way. The fact was that they were such a good testimony that the same thing is said about them. As the Lord says about himself, I am the way, and they were known as those of the way as well. Well, that's that's purely a lesson to us, but.
I was thinking also that the answer here goes beyond the question Thomas had asked. Where are you going and how do you get there? What's the way? Well, the Lord says I am the way, the truth and the light. And he said, no man cometh to the Father, but by me that's where he was going and that's where we are going.
There was always perfect communion between the Father and the Son. So you get in the 10th verse. Believeth thou not that I'm in the Father, and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you? I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me. He doeth the works. That's really Divinity. You couldn't speak a word of God's children.
In the same way that the Lord speaks of himself there when he speaks of believers. Farther on in the chapter he says.
At that day he shall know that I'm in the Father, and ye in me. That's the 20th verse of the chapter. That day he shall know that I'm in the Father, and he, and me, and I and you.
Well, that's our position in the sun, but the position the Lord takes of being in the Father.
Is giving us the truth of divinity that was only true of Him.
Wonderful thought when we think that God has been fully made known and the little hymn says there are no stranger, God shall meet thee. Now that is every attribute of God has been fully displayed in the sun. Do we wish to know what God is like? Trace the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
And we see in every step of his pathway.
His his words, his works, everything, revealing what the Father is. And so he could say here he that has seen me has seen the Father, and in the end of the next chapter he could tell them that if they rejected him, they rejected the Father also, because he was such a perfect display of the Father that they were rejecting the Father so fully and perfectly revealed.
Now that's why the unpardonable sin could be committed in the life of the Lord Jesus, because he so fully revealed the Father, that when they rejected him, they rejected one whose every action, whose every shall I say word, And the very tone of his voice, was all a display of the Father's heart, and was by the power of the Spirit of God. Rejecting that, they rejected a perfect testimony.
When they reject us, they don't reject the perfect testimony, a very imperfect testimony. And so the unpardonable sin was it says neither have forgiveness in this age. That is when the Lord was here or in the age to come in the millennial age when he reigns in righteousness.
Well, I mentioned this because the Lord Jesus was that perfect revelation of the Father and for us a blessed thought that when we get to glory, we'll feel perfectly at home. When we go to live with someone, we don't know all about them before, but all that can be known of God.
Has been fully displayed in the sun, and as we learn about him down here, heaven becomes more and more.
00:40:03
Our home, the place where we feel fully understood and fully known. What a blessed thing for us to think of.
It seems rather strange that Philip should ask this question after the Lord had said in verse 7. If he had known me, he should have known my father also, and from henceforth you know him and have seen him, Philip sat under him. Lord, show us the Father and it suffices us all now is a sad mistake. I believe there's a challenge there to each of our hearts.
The knowledge of God is our Father. Suffice us.
Or doing crave for something different, something more?
I believe, President, a challenge there for my own heart.
So no God is my father. That should suffice me. It should be everything to me.
But is it so?
Something very beautiful about these three chapters isn't there the disciples in the upper room, and they seem to have liberty in the presence of the Lord to commune with him. And perhaps something like we have this morning here that we're.
For in his presence and the Spirit of God opening to us the precious truth, there it was the person himself. And so we find at least three of the disciples here who who ask questions. Now, they weren't perfect in their questions, as has been suggested, but at least we see a heart for Christ in it. And I believe that we're not perfect in our questions here this morning, perhaps in this site altogether. But he does see the heart. He reads the heart.
And we're still learning, each one of us the truth. And so he he graciously answers these questions, even though we might say, well, Philip, you should have understood this, but but he didn't understand. We must remember the Spirit hadn't come at this time. And later on we find that when the Lord was risen, then understood the His words. And here we find a different apostles Thomas.
And fill up. And then in verse 22, I believe Judas. And in a way, they're real intelligent questions too.
They show a desire. Now this with Philip notice granted, what's been said about it for ourselves, we should.
Lay hold of the truth that's given us, but Philip says, Lord, show us the Father and suffice with us. It seems to me it's just a little bit of the spirit of the Queen of Sheba.
She she wanted to know. She came all the way to know. And you know, brethren, if there isn't a real burning desire for the truth in our souls, why there's not much evidence of reality with us. There should be always a burning desire for the truth of God. Otherwise, we're asleep.
I was thinking in connection with where the Lord says in the 11Th verse, Believe me that I am.
In the Father and Father and me, or else believe me for the very work's sake.
For before that he said that the Father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works. The an illustration of what is said there is the resurrection of Lazarus, which was just one of the many works, the Father in which the Father is seen.
The Lord loved Mary and Lazarus and Martha.
Well, the father loved.
That family too there were sisters and that brother. And when the Lord reached the grave of Lazarus.
How he He speaks to the Father. He waited for the Father's time, you remember, because when they sent the message, Lord, he who thou lovest is sick. The Lord remained for two days where he was. He didn't go until he had a word from the Father. And then Lazarus was dead. And when the Lord stands there at the grave, that's where they drove the stone back.
He said, Father, I know that thou hearest me always, but for the sake of those that are here, I said it well, how perfect communion between the Father and the Son, about this greatest of all the miracles. Doubtless that the Lord performed here, raising a man who had lain in the grave for four days, so that Martha says, by this time you stink it, and there in perfect communion, he didn't have to address the Father.
00:45:12
Like Peter had to get down and pray for darkest to be raised. He didn't have to pray the Father for that, but for the sake of those that are here, so that they might realize and there have the proof that he was in full communion with the heart of God the Father.
About the sorrow of those sisters being bereaved of their much loved brother in full communion with a father. So we can see the Father which is in me, he doeth the works. There was that full communion between the Father and the Son. About this marvelous miracle of raising Lazarus. So it is with all the works of Jesus they were all a display of.
The Father, the Father's love, and the Father's concern for his children down here. For God is a father and He has children. He loves them. And the Lord displayed that love of a Father's heart for his children in this scene.
Of our hearts to unbelief. So He gave them not only His word, but He also gave them the works. And I think this is so lovely. Through the scripture how the Lord would seek to remove those doubts which are so natural to our hearts. In Speaking of the assurance to a believer that says these things, Have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that she may know that she have eternal life when He's assuring us we know that all things work together for good?
He doesn't stop there. He goes on and shows us how that we were chosen before and that God had a purpose and is working out that purpose that we might be conformed to the image of His Son. And then I was thinking of the 6th chapter of Hebrews, and the 17th verse says, we're in God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.
We might have a strong Consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus.
High priest, forever after the order of Melchizedek, that is God could have just given us His word. How could we doubt when it's the word of God? But he said in order that in order that he might willing more abundantly to show under the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, he gives his word, and then he gives his own, And then he says, And the one who has accomplished all these purposes is up there at the right hand of God.
How lovely it is to see a God knowing, as I say, the tendency to unbelief in our hearts would give us everything that his love could give, to give assurance to our souls. For he doesn't want us to be in doubt. He doesn't want the Sinner to doubt that his welcome. He doesn't want us when we receive Christ to doubt, not eternal salvation. He doesn't want us to doubt about why the trials and difficulties come. He doesn't want us to have any doubt about the glorious future.
And he's done everything I say that could possibly be done to give us the assurances that our souls need.
To go on in a world full of unbelief.
That seems perhaps to be the significance of the expression. Verily, verily, I say unto you, every word of God can be perfectly relied upon. But when I read those words, verily, verily, it just seems so, so touching, so marvelous, I must admit. I think I needed them, and they meant so much to me. I may have mentioned that one time, as we were driving along, there had been a very violent rainstorm.
And very shortly after the sun came out and I said, I think we're going to see a rainbow. And presently the rainbow formed in the sky. And it became so colorful and brilliant. And I said, I think we're going to see the second rainbow, which I know most folks here have noticed. And sure enough, presently the second rainbow formed that there were two rainbows in the sky. And I thought of the promise in Genesis, I do set my bow in the cloud.
00:50:04
Never promised to give us two of them, He did promise to give one as a sign of his.
Promise. But to look up and see two rainbows in the sky, it made me think of my favorite first John 524. Verily, verily, as though God would say I know what your doubting heart is like. So I'm going to give confirmation of my word and I'm going to double it. Verily, verily, I don't know how we could doubt that. Well, the verily, verily of the verse that you're quoting from the 12Th verse.
I say unto you, He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, Because I go unto my Father, Seems to me the important plot in that verse is because I go into my Father. The Lord's presence in glory with the Father has the result of the same works that we see in his life.
Now.
Those works in the in the ministry of his disciples. An even greater works because I go to my father. That is, I take it that it's more wonderful that those works should have been performed after the Son of God had gone back and left poor, failing, weak disciples to carry on the work. It must have been an immense encouragement to their hearts to think well now the Lord's going and all the works that we've seen.
There will be no one to carry on these works. So no, the Lord says you're going to do those works on even greater works because I'm up there with my father.
In a complete.
Supervision of everything going on below.
Of course, we know that much of this was literally fulfilled because Peter walking down the street to even his shadow cured all that came within the reach of his shadow. We don't read of a miracle like that in the Lords Ministry, do we?
3000 saved in one day.
Greater America.
During the Lord's life we do not find that, but only individuals came for 3000 in one day.
Never been equal then?
Was it not greater because it was his name and not him?
I say was it not greater work because it was done in his name and not it? Wasn't it the Lord doing it himself?
Spirit of God at the Pentecost, wasn't it?
I suppose we have the two things here asking in His name, and then we get the promise of the Holy Spirit coming, and these are the things that would make for these great works being greater.
How do you understand that, Brother Anderson whatsoever?
Whatsoever he shall ask in my name, that will I do.
Well I understand that something like this that.
When you're Speaking of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, or asking anything in his name or doing anything in his name, it's that which is according to himself, that which is pleasing to him.
For instance, if like it says there, if you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. Well, that's not a blanket statement. There's a guard in there. It's what's asked in his name, that which is According to him what he is in himself, according to his nature, what pleases him. I just can't ask for anything that I want and expect to get it. But if it's according to his pleasure and will I I'll get it, for instance.
I think his brother Brown that gave an illustration like this.
00:55:02
And I'll I'll use his his name in connection with it.
Someone might go to the store.
And he might say to the storekeeper, I want to get a box of cigars in the name of Chapter Brown and carrying a note along with it, Well, it's a forged note, of course, but the storekeeper says no, I can't. I can't give you that box of cigars because I know Chapter Brown and he would never send a note wanting to buy.
A box of cigars. So even though he came in that name and said said it in so many words, it was sort of a formality. Yet he didn't get it because it wasn't according to the life of Brother Brown, that he didn't smoke cigars. He didn't want those things.
Well, perhaps it's something like that in connection with the Lord. We ask in His name. But we better be careful that we're in tune with the Lord so we know what his mind is and we may make a mistake and say it formally in his name. And then the Lord says, no, I can't give it to you because it's not according to that name. It's not pleasing to the Lord, it's not according to his nature. Would that be? That's very good, brother. You remember what Brother Brown also said that?
Sometimes the Lord says when we ask for certain things, yes. Sometimes he says no. Sometimes he says wait a while.
Big Brother Barry to connect the 15th chapter, the seventh verse of that.
He abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Yeah, that's very helpful, Brother Felton.
I think the remainder of that 13th verse two gives the answer, doesn't it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son? The answer must be such it would be for his glory. And if it's not for his glory, then we ask to miss as it says in James He asked and he asked amiss. And so there are times that we don't just know exactly what is according to the mind of God, says in the 8th chapter of Romans, we know not what we should pray for as we ought.
But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. So even though it may not be intentionally that we are wanting it for our own lusts, nevertheless the one who searches our hearts knows exactly what is right and best, and that's why we should always in prayer say.
If it be thy will, because to be absolutely sure that we have his mind, we would to be, we would have to be absolutely sure that we were in communion and sometimes.
We don't realize that we're not in communion, Paul said. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified? Job looked over his own life, and said that his heart wouldn't reproach him as long as he lived. But Elihu said to him, surely it is meat to be said unto God, that which I see not teach thou made, and brethren were often not aware of things in our hearts.
That are not according to the mind and will of God, but the one who searches our hearts is well aware of those things, and he makes intercession for us, and he makes intercession according to the will of God. So the answer will always be such as will be glorified, glorifying to the sun. That the Father may be glorified in the sun. I might also add too, for I think it might be important that confidence in prayer is the result of obedience and communion.
But the answers to prayer are according to God's own heart tells us in John's epistle. If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things. We know that they were gathered together in the 12Th of John and praying for the release of Peter. They certainly weren't expecting the answer, because when Peter stood before the gate, they were surprised and wouldn't believe it. Yet God answered the prayer. Why?
Well, because the answers according to his own heart. And he knew that it was good that Peter should be released and be of service to his people. And so he answered according to his own heart. But they didn't have the confidence. And I believe often when we're not near enough to the Lord, he still answers our prayer because He's greater than our heart and knows all things. But sometimes he allows us to be so in communion with himself now that he gives us to know that he is going to answer the prayer.
01:00:27
And that is a secret between ourselves and the Lord. It isn't something that we boast about. It says hast thou faith have it to thyself before God? Well, I just mentioned this. I also mentioned a little comment that has always been helpful to me in connection with prayer.
By Mr. Darby, he said prayer is based on the privilege of having common interests with God. I think this is lovely Now that is God. Your Father knows what things you have need of before he asked him. But he brings our souls into communion with him, lays upon our hearts those requests that are pleasing to him, and gives us the joy of knowing that we are in fellowship with him. Perhaps a little illustration will just bring this out.
Supposing that.
I think of some gift that I would like to give to a friend. And then one day the friend says, you know what I would really like? And he mentions the very thing that I wanted to give him. Oh, isn't that nice? The very thing that I wanted to give him is the thing that he really is requesting. Our hearts are now in fellowship. We find the mutual joy and our father knows what things we have need of and he delights to bring our hearts. So in the fellowship with him that we ask for the things that are his delight to give.
And then the Father is glorified in the Son.
Think about partying.
We have another warning, I believe in Psalm 66 in connection with David.
Psalm 66 and verse 18 He says, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
It appears that David then was at a communion in Psalm 32, he says in verse 3, when I kept silence.
You haven't apparently had not judged himself, or judged the sin. My bones waxed all through my roaring, all the day long, for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me. My moisture is turned into drought of summer. Now he says, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity. Of I not his, I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgave us the iniquity of my sin.
Lenin Jones, Epistle Chapter 5.
Verse 14.
And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hear thus? And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired off Him.
Well, the fiery God iniquity in my heart. How can I expect the Lord to answer my prayer until I've exercised self judgment?
Could we have a word or tell on the 16th chapter of John, the 23rd and 24th verses?
In this connection.
Well, I believe myself that it has to be taken in connection with the other verses that have been pointed out, the 15th chapter of John and the seventh verse that was mentioned or the one that our brother just mentioned in the Psalms.
The thought that is being brought before us in the 16th chapter is the privilege.
That we now have to go right into the presence of God as our Father, and that our Father delights to grant those things that are pleasing to him according to his will.
They hadn't yet gone to the Father. When they were in difficulty, they came and spoke right to the Lord Jesus. When John the Baptist was slain, it tells us that they came and told Jesus when they served him. They went to him and told him what they had done and what they had taught. They talked directly to the Lord Jesus. Now he was going away and he is telling them that they can talk to the one whom he had revealed the Father directly.
01:05:08
Make their requests known to him. And I believe, as I say, though, it needs to be qualified by these other verses that chill now that it supposes that we ask those things that are pleasing, that are in communion with His thoughts, and if so, he will grant them, because it's that the Father might be glorified in the Son.
In the 100 and the 6th song we have something that might be a good warning in connection with insisting on something that we may wish to have, that may not be the Lords mind for us to have it some 106 and 15 and he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls would not bear on this subject.
Rachel said. Give me children, or else I die.
Well, she did die. The Lord gave her children, and she did die.
So she asked for something which was not according to the mind of the Lord. Well, to go on with our capture in the 15th verse, if he loved me, keep my commandments.
Now the Lord demanded that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength. But it only proved that men was powerless. Carry out what God required of him. But here we see, the Lord says, And I will pray the Father instead of some some warning of judgment if they fail, like the law.
Condemn those who for every act of disobedience, it says, And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another.
May abide with you forever, That is we. The Lord requests and tells how.
The the way that we can.
Can please him, if he loved me, keep my commandments and then He gives the Holy Spirit to dwell in the believers so that we can.
Keep what he has requested of us and what a test that is beloved to our hearts. If he loved me. Ah, we're sure of this, that one couldn't be a child of God without loving the Savior. But there is a love of the love of complacency that the Lord delights in to do His will. That's what is especially in view here, isn't it?
And that is the fruit of keeping his commandments.
Of course, as we all know, does not refer to the 10 commandments of those commandments were given to man, God's requirements for man in the flesh. But now, where love is active, everything that he desires us to do has the power of a command. What is characteristic of the new life is that we are children.
That is, we're not, as our brother brought before us in the young people's not to do our own will. We have been brought now and to knowing the blessedness of the will of another.
And so, how lovely. Everything that He wants us to do now is to have the power of a command, for that's what has happened when we own him as Lord. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, we own His authority over us. But it's the law of liberty, because one is often remarked that God our Father, will never ask us to do anything that the new life He has given us does not delight in doing.
And saw the new life that we have is one of delights in doing what his word reveals as the mind of God to us. Someone said that if it had been possible to take away the Lords liberty, it would have been to take away his ability to do his father's will, because that was liberty to him. And so he spoke of what his father gave him to do is he kept up my I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love, but it was liberty.
But the 10 commandments to man in the flesh are spoken of as a yoke of ******* which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. I mentioned this because there are those who think that after we are saved that we are placed under the law. But that isn't the thought at all. After we are saved, we have a life that is characterized by obedience and all it is the revealed mind of God, for us then becomes the delight of our hearts, the proof of our love.
01:10:11
The wonderful thing to have the Spirit of God indwelling, but in these three chapters he's spoken of as the Spirit of truth.
So that we must be conscious continually that the Spirit of God not only shows us things to come as in the 16th chapter, but He's the spirit of truth that reminds us of that which is in keeping with that new life.
Because the tendency of our hearts is to is to be taken up with what's around us, and we need the spirit of truth.
The truth itself is presenting to us Christ and is this way that we see how inconsistent we are at times because that perfect life was down here, manifested to us, and the Spirit of Truth keeps us reminded of that life as we read the Scriptures.
Particularly the Gospels.
Is it correct to say that the word comforter is the same word?
You get in in first. John 230, Man sin. We have an advocate with the Father. Is that correct? It's the same word. I believe it is. And of course, the thought of an advocate is one that takes up our cause. Well, when the Lord was here, He took up the cause of His disciples, and what a comfort and encouragement He was to them. Well, now He's not here. But the Holy Spirit has come, and He takes up our cause.
And He encourages us. He comforts us because he occupies us with the Lord Jesus Christ. And he brings us the truth before us that can feed our souls and and give us a real ground for standing.
For the one who was the Comforter to them while he is here, was here upon earth, has gone up there, and he's the Comforter or the Advocate or the patron for us up there at the Father's right hand now. But he's given us another Comforter down here. Now that is the Holy Spirit of God. And so it says the Spirit of Truth. Because whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. That is, the world doesn't really want the truth.
Because they live in a lie. They don't know themselves and they don't know the heart of God. And Satans. Great attempt is to keep man from the true knowledge of God and from the real knowledge of himself. If he gets into the presence of God, he finds out what he is in himself. He finds out what God is. That's why repentance toward God is a change of mind toward God. Repentance means the simple meaning of the word is a change of mind.
And the natural man has wrong thoughts about himself, and he has wrong thoughts about God. He thinks he's pretty good and he condemns God for anything that he can't understand. But all how different. When we get into his presence, it's ourselves we condemn. It's altogether change. We get new thoughts, we get repentance, we get a change of mind. And we say, like Job, I repent and abhor myself in dust and ashes, but we justify God.
We see on his love and His wisdom. We see all that He has done for us What a marvelous thing. Repentance is a change of mind. And so the world doesn't receive the spirit of truth. It testifies of it that the works are ever evil. It reveals God and man and his sin likes to hide from God.
About how wonderful that we delight to know the truth about ourselves, because knowing all about ourselves, we find out that God has made full provision through the work of Calvary.
That he's made full provision even when we fail as believers. He hides nothing of what we are and loves us in spite of it. How marvelous.
Then he says, and he shall abide with you forever. The Lord was going away, but the Holy Spirit would never leave them there will he leave them until the Lord comes and gives a shout in the air. And then the Spirit goes with the bride. The Spirit and the bride say, Come. So the Spirit and the bride are caught up together.
And this present time in which we're living is specially characterized and distinguished by the presence of God the Holy Spirit down here. It's a very wonderful time. We couldn't have lived in a more wonderful time than the present time when the Spirit of God, for the Spirit is just as truly divine and one of the Godheads as the Sun or the Father.
01:15:14
And God the Holy Spirit is here.
In this scene and he is dwelling in believers, and as the Lord says here, he.
For he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. That is, he dwells in the each believer, and he dwells in the assembly collectively.
Because when he said this, was he not, I'm sure he was brother. And isn't this one of the one of the sure sureties that we have of eternal security that the Spirit of God who now dwells in US will abide with us forever? And once you have received Christ as your Savior in the in the the first chapter of Ephesians, I think the 13 first.
Having believed your seal with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Here we have the truth that he abides with us forever. We're secure forever.
There are some of those who believe in the insecurity of the believer. That what David said in the 51St Psalm, Take not thy Holy Spirit from me, indicates that the Holy Spirit could be taken away, But I believe the right translation is there. Take not thy Spirit of holiness from me. No, when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in his heart, he comes to stay.
Forever.
Course, in David's time the Spirit of God was not indwelling believers. So as you remark, it was the Spirit of His Holiness. Because after failure there is always a tendency with us to look lightly upon sin, and I think that's a very lovely expression and very heart searching. That is when we are restored. It's not to look lightly upon the sin, but to have still a spirit of God's holiness. That is the sense of what the sin is before God.
So that we abhor it. I was thinking too some something that's very lovely. I think in this expression he shall abide with you forever. We sing in a little hymn sometimes about heaven by the Spirit, all pervading hosts, unnumbered round the Lamb. Because down here much of the energy of the Spirit of God is to help two things that will not bother us when we get to glory. The Spirit helps our infirmity, and then it tells us in Galatians.
The Spirit lusted against the flesh. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. So the energy of the Spirit of God Now much of it is to help our infirmities. Much of it is to help us to keep the flesh in check, Keep it in the place where God has put it. When we get home to glory, we won't have any infirmities, we won't have any old nature. So the Spirit of God will be unhindered forever.
To take of the precious things of Christ and show them to us. To reveal to us all those things that we only know in part here. For it says we know in part, and we prophecy in part. But when that which is perfect is common, and that which is in part shall be done away, is it a blessed thing? To think the same blessed Spirit who is seeking now to occupy us with Christ is going to carry on that work forever only about without hindrance? What a, what a blessing thing to know.
Now he often finds these hindrances in us, but he's waiting for the time he's groaning because he's waiting for the time when he'll do like the servant who brought the bride back and presented her to Isaac. And he will be presented to and what joy there will be where the Spirit can occupy us forever with Christ.
172.
45.