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General meetings, Ottawa, April 1973, Third reading meeting.
I would think about the 11Th verse. The kids speak of us at least.
John, John spoke. That facility.
Under you that by joy might remain in you, but your joy might be full.
Love one another and I have like you.
You know, my friend, whatever, I commend you.
Of course I call you not service.
Well, the truth of Noah is not what it looks.
I have called your friends for all the things that I've heard of my father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that Jesus, go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
00:05:08
These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hated you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept mind saying they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my namesake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I am not common spoken unto them, they have not had them but now.
They have no cloaks for their sins. He that hateth me hateth my father also.
If I had not done among them to work with none other man, then they had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
But this cometh the past, that the word might be fulfilled, that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
So when the Comforter it comes, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and he also shall bear witness, because he has been with me from the beginning.
There's a statement I'd like to clear up.
I was questioned about it.
I made the statement, I believe. I don't just recall exactly that in speaking about the believer abiding in Christ, but that is not vital. But then the question is when the Lord said every branch in me that beareth not pretty take us away.
Well, that would be a vital matter.
And I trust we have it clear that the immediate subject here in the 15th of John, where the Lord says I am the vine, ye are the branches that He has Himself divine, and His 12 as the branches. We're looking at it that way. It is a vital subject because this didn't abide in the vine.
And was cut off and came under judgment.
When we take up the subjects that the Lord is teaching here about abiding in the vine.
But then we have the backs, which has to do with bearing fruit, and that the subject that has to do with those who are really saved, not just professors like Judas, who was a mere professors.
And doesn't continue in the vine where there was number real life there never was a believer and so in that case it would be vital. But when it's the subject that the Lord teaches from.
There's being the vine and his own the branches. It's it goes for a line of things that I believe we have had before us.
Of the importance of every believer abiding in Christ apart from the subject of.
That concerning service and His association with the Lord here on earth for the vine and.
That in that way has to do with the large association with His disciples here on earth. But now from that He developed this very important line of things.
As to our abiding in Christ.
The only possible way that we can produce fruit for, as he said, without need.
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He can do nothing. I just wanted to get that clear and I thought, that's right. Is it So the hail, Yeah, yeah. The whole something is fruit bearing and saw the abiding in Christ is looked at in the two different ways, isn't it? I believe we did remark that.
That is a professor who is in the place of privilege and who doesn't bear any fruit, and so it's cut off like a shoot in the vine, from which there is no fruit at all, and then the one that does bear fruit, the only way it can continue to bear fruit is by abiding in the vine.
And so there needs to be that practical side of it with us of abiding in place, walking in the enjoyment of His love, and in obedience to His word. Now that is really abiding in Christ in the practical sense in our lives, and only as this is so as their fruit bearing. But I believe it is important to see that abiding in Christ is looked at in the two different ways, and that the subject as your remark is fruit bearing.
Not really the subject of having divine life.
I didn't intend to get away from where we started and to review what we have been over.
That certainly is the most helpful verse. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you. The Lord wants that joy, that deep experience down here, to being in the hearts of his own, and it's been a practical way. It's that joy the Lord found.
In all His pathway through the scene of doing the Father's will, in the midst of all their trials and persecutions and rejections that the Lord experienced.
Till he was in the constant.
And John had joy filling his heart. It's something, as you might say, a paradox, that the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief was yet the happiest man that ever lived in this world, who brought that out very nicely yesterday, Brother Hill. And as long as the thing killed me, that the Lord amidst all those falls broken in heart because of his rejection.
And because of the dishonor to the Father, yet his heart was lifted up in the peaceful and joy of heaven, and in communion with the Father. All the pathway through Well, now that is the joy that he would have remained with us. And then there should be no limitations of it, but the children may be full.
Wonderful in the Gospel of John, that he has given us his home and his love, and his peace and his joy. And then I was thinking, how in this 12Th verse this is my commandment, that she loved one another as I have loved you. If we connect this with the ninth verse, as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. Well, we were Speaking of the measurelessness of that law.
Well, what does that love you then? Well, if more than fills the cup, it brings it fills it to overflowing. And so there's it's impossible for us to be in the enjoyment of his love and of his joy that there will not be an overflow that will reach out to others.
And so this is my commandment. This is exactly what happens when one is really enjoying the Lord in His own soul walking in the sunshine of His love, while that heart then flows out in blessing to others. And that we see so beautifully in the life of the Lord Jesus. And that in the midst of His whole pathway there was always that overflow that was reaching out to sinners all around him.
Never did one come to him, and his or her need, but that there was an overflow that reached out to them. Had the disciples failed? Were they striving? Who should be the greatest? Still his heart must overflow to them. And he said he are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint on the US Kingdom as my father hath appointed me. And so this should indeed exercise each one of us. Why is it that our hearts are so cold toward one another?
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Well, it's because we're not enjoying His love. That's the only way that there can be an overflow of divine love reaching out to others. And if we only love others because of what we see in them, that's not divine love. Natural love must see something in the object alone, and love because of what it sees and what it admires. But divine love? That's because of what it is in its source. And so the water that I shall give Him shall be in Him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
And so there needs to be nothing in the object to draw out the loud. It's the heart of God telling himself out.
And through His Grace we can be the instruments of that.
Let us turn for a moment to Ephesians chapter.
Chapter 3.
And the 17th verse, that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith, that he, being looted and grounded in laws, may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breadth and length of depth and height. And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that he might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly about all that we ask for things.
According to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without ends.
Well, he reveals to us the measures of the blessing, the lengths and breadths and depths and heights, and then that love that passes knowledge. And it says that he might be filled with all the fullness of God. We can't contain that fullness, but we can be filled with it.
And it'll always make the overflow. And so it goes on to say unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Would we have ever asked our thoughts, who have been a black blessed so abundantly as we have? Such things as God has purposed, would never have entered our minds. But that's how he brought this bragging. And so the heart returned first to the giver, unto him be glory, and then reaching out to to others, as we have in the 4th chapter in blessing to them. So a little hymn says that law that gives not as the world but shares.
All it possesses.
With its lost coheirs, notice that in the 19th first he speaks of another love. Very remarkable that the two ways that he speaks of love and and these verses we're considering. He says if you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because he'll know the world that I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
So there is love in the world.
Well, I said. Do not Republicans love them?
Love their friends and so on. So there is a natural love, a love that found everywhere.
Apart from Christ. But it shows that the love that He's Speaking of here is the Divine love. Love the Lord has spoken in His wonderful mercy to you and me.
Then they came in the law that demanded love, the law that said also love, the Lord thy God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and thy neighbor thyself. Well that was addressed to man in the place. And the law couldn't, and the law couldn't produce it. Now you notice the Lord speaks of his command, that this is my commandment, that he loved one another.
Oh, isn't that question as I have loved you. There's no limit to that, is there? As I have loved you.
Well, the commandments of Moses were a death to man in the flesh, and only set the flesh in motion.
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But the commandments of Christ are addressed to the new nature, and only one with a new nature really loves your blessed Lord as I have loved you. And that's the power, and that's the motive of that love that is awakened in the heart. So that command coming from Christ gives the true desire.
For loving one another and it's always with a thought and to the purpose of working and leading on.
Those who are the objects of that love, they certainly wouldn't so want to encourage one in the wrong course by showing the rest of them that would be disobedient. So sometimes when faithfulness, we have to even avoid those who are walking in a wrong path, that it should never be with harshness or unkindness in our hearts toward them. But we're the deepest love and concern.
For their blessings.
It's lovely to see that displayed in those who are men of like patterns with ourselves. I think of Moses in the old fasteners who had such a real love for the people of God, and how at the end of his journey, after all that he had endured from the very people whom he had tried to help and leave, the Lord finally told Moses that he was going to have to take him away. Without seeing the desire of his heart fulfilled, he wasn't going to be able to lead them into the lab. And Moses response to that news seems to me to be so very, very touching.
You would expect him to feel terribly upset about it, but he said, Lord, if you're going to have to take me away before these people are brought into the land, please see to it that someone is raised up that will care for them and faithfully lead them in. I think that's so lovely.
To think that Moses real care and love was for the people of God. And even if he was going to miss that great privilege, his first thought seems to have been for the people, that he was going to leave the eyes that they might not be left without stopwatch to lead them into the land.
And so Paul and the New Testament.
After having endured much from the very people whom he thought to serve, he says, I am willing to love you, though The more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. I don't think that was the natural fall of harshness that was seeking there. I really feel sure it was the fulfillment of that which we see here in these versions.
In the assistant of John, Chapter 5.
And verse 3IN connection with keeping his commandments, I believe we have something very blessed to encourage our hearts by the same beloved apostle John is seeking a gang of a commander and say and so in chapter 5 over your face, epistle of John and verse 3 is what the word of God has to say. And this is the Lord of God that we keep His commandments. And these commandments have not grievous because they're not based on along the line of illegals.
Deepen the law, but at the response of the heart and love, of the love of God that gives us the way to keep.
Command them. And these are as I have already, we have already mentioned, not the 10 commandments, but as the word of Christ, whatever your commander to do it. But it's very blessed to see that it says here that his commandments are not grievous because he's not speaking to the natural man, is it?
You're twice in the Lords Ministry in the upper room.
He has that. He left one another as I have loved you, I think in the 14th chapter and by this.
You you shall be my disciples. I believe that's the way it reads business.
I.
And.
34th verse of the 13th chapter a new commandment. I give to you that she loved one another as I have loved you, that she also loved one another. By this shall all men know that he are my disciples if you have love one to another.
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Well, the testimony is that in the world.
Something we should cover. Something we should rejoice in when we see it, when there's really that bully loves going out for the dear people of God. And you'll find, well than I believe that you divide this chapter into the three subjects contained in it. You'll find first abiding in Christ, and then you'll find.
A lot for the brother.
And then you'll find the enmity of the world.
And I believe that those 3 truths follow one upon another. Where there is the true abiding in Christ, it leads to love for our brethren. And the more there is seen in our lives of love for one another, the more we are separated from the whole course.
Of this godless world, and therefore they will be the same hatred towards Christ.
That feel kind among ourselves.
That verse that our brother read first John 3/5 first John 5. Rather the verse before says by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. I believe that is also important because very often when we seek to walk in the truth.
If we're accused of not showing love, that's a very common thing that we hear. Well, we should just show love.
But there are times when faithfulness to God is required and it says by this we know that we love the children of God. How do we know when we love God and keep His commandments? Now it's not showing the divine love to encourage a child of God in a path of disobedience to the word of God. If one of my children has been disobedient and I've had to discipline my child and you go and put your arm around it and show love to it.
You may do a great deal of harm to the child, and it will not be true love. But to still love the child, to encourage the child to walk in obedience to the parents of that showing real love to the child. And it's also showing love to the parent who is seeking the good of the child. And for there are times when love to the Lord enables us and teaches us to be faithful. But it isn't.
That the love is ever till I say.
Taken out of the heart, it's there. God loves the Sinner, the vault sinners. But if he rejects that love, then he must come under the hand of God and judgment. But it's important that we keep divine love in its true place because.
We find a great deal of natural love and natural love out of it. So out of its God ordained order is sin. So we find that God is the one who has implanted natural love in the heart of man. But to use that natural love in a way that is disobedient to the word of God is is what's filling the world with violence and corruption today.
Natural love must have its proper directions, and we have it in the word of God.
It has been given of God, but it has its proper directions. And so divine love has the direction of the word of God to show us. So I quote the verse again. By this we know that we love the children of God. Now it has its direction when we love God and keep it to His commandments.
Second Peter, one where the apostle was going over add to your Facebook and so on that he says that among other things to add to brotherly love his charity was really love.
That's what you were saying further in love and then is followed by divine love.
It's very easy.
We're such a.
Unstable things in ourselves who allowed us the personal friendship and those who like whose ways are available to us to sway our judgment so that divine love isn't manifested. And we all need to exercise about that because there are those that we love dearly and our families and.
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Those who are especially kind and have been our friends for many years.
We cannot.
Satisfied so the claims of Christ and that divine love because of this human friendship. But I believe there should be this, and we see it illustrated in the case of Joseph and his brother.
Girl spoke, heart like him. So why were fallen? He went off and leftover Well, if there was more of that, going off and weeping over the very facts, we had to be faithful. Perhaps there would be a a clearing up and coming in the greatest hand of God and restoring and setting things right.
That the reason for that little word in first Peter, one see that he loved one another with a pure heart, verbally. The introduction of those words with a pure heart, with control, the display of that perfect love.
With Ephesians 4 connects with that in some way keeping.
The truth in love, that is the truth not separated from love.
Maintaining, keeping the truth, walking in the truth and keeping it in love until we left the thought there too is it. And this is that which would build up the body of the fight, not tear it down. I believe sometimes natural love coming in is tends to to separate and tear down because the truth isn't maintained, perhaps because of our affection for a loved one going on, perhaps sadly.
Keeping the truth in love. Then we find the bodybuilding itself up in love, you know?
Goes together doesn't We can't separate truth from love. That is its divine operation. But sometimes we can. We can minister the truth as cold facts. Without love I might illustrate it like this. My neighbor might be in need. And so I asked someone to take in some food to the neighbor and he takes it in. And then a brisk cold way, he says here I have to give you this.
Well.
The food was all right. There was nothing wrong, and the food tasted the same, perhaps, but still it was spoiled, because that wasn't the way I wanted it given. And now, brethren, when we minister the truth, whether it's in the gospel or to the Saints of God, we're not doing it in the right way unless we do it according to the heart of the giver. And what is the heart of the giver? Oh, how he loves the dinner, Because our brother remarked, the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
Announced its judgment, and so are the Saints of God. If we seek to minister the truth to let us do it according to the heart of the giver, What did it cost God to secure this blessing to us? And what kind of people were we when He picked us up in His grace and since He picked us up in His grace?
Well, that's ministering the truth according to the heart of the giver, and so how much better it would be received by the neighbors if it's given something with their love? Said, Well, your neighbor next door fell for you in your trial, and he just like to express his thoughtfulness and love to you in this way.
Well, that's the way you wanted to serve a sons. That's the way God wants the guns. And this should exercise each one of us in giving out the gospel or and serving the things that we do it according to the heart of the giver.
A pale first of our capture. This is my commandment, early 13th place. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Now we find that when it comes to Christ being all planning, there's no condition in that at all. He has laid down his life for us. He couldn't have given more. He gave himself. He was a Good Shepherd that gave his life for the sheep.
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But when it comes to the our being his friends, and there is a condition, and that condition is this. You are my friends. If you do whatsoever I command you so that be in that space as a friend of Christ, there must be The Walking in the past of obedience to His word subject to Christ.
Have a lovely example in the case of Abraham, didn't we? Don't we, brother?
Abraham Watts in Separation from the World in Communion. But God, and we have in the Epistle of John to say that he was called the friend of God. And when we're going to be into the 18 shops that are a child, a Janice chapter with Genesis, he said, Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I will do it?
And so our blessed is that God doesn't call a servant that we are his friends. In that sense we not servant like the people in the Old Testament. Isn't that what we friend? And all the wonderful tickets that we have has been revealed to us, not only the Old Testament, but no in the whole council of God in the New Testament. And I believe that this is the thought of the Lord Jesus that all the counselors of God know are revealed to us in the word of God.
What is the night about? Thinking of that very thought brother, in connection with Abraham in the 18th of Genesis, where the Lord says, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do? And then the 19th verse. I've enjoyed it so much.
Is the Lord says I know him. I know him. Is that he will command his children in his household absence. God knew him well. I wonder how much God knows of us. Does He see us in this desire to follow him?
To keep the commandments as it were, we've been seeking our good thinking about how lovely that was to hear. To have this recorded of this dear man where I know him. What does God know us? Does our Father know us in this way as obedient children?
There's a group of Christians that call themselves friends. Well, I don't think that we could consistently ever call ourselves friends because here is something for Wisconsin to be exercised about. Am I really walking in obedience to his command? If not, well then it raises the question.
And the Lord really considering me among his friends. So it is a word for the constant to exercise us as to how far we're walking in that way, whereby he can call a friend and then he can communicate to us his mind and thought. And the last says we are. I'm sure we all realize how often we have missed the mind of the Lord.
And not follow the path that was when obedience to His word. And so it should leave us very humble and wrong, that it might be true that we could be threatened by Abraham along the friends of God. No higher honor in this whole life is there than that.
I remember Father saying quite often, you can never preach the gospel well unless you love lost souls. You can't serve your brethren well unless you love your brethren. What we do for that? A life and nature that is really characterized by that very well, and it needs to be.
Served within us and it's a very, very tender and wonderful thing to experience that I think of Saul, who surely was a heavenly minded man and encouraged all the rest of us to rejoice in the Lord no matter what the circumstances.
But when he was on his way to Rome, and certain brethren came to meet him, the Scripture records that he thanked God and took courage. I like that Paul thanks God and took courage when he saw the faces of those dear brethren from Rome that have heard about it and have confidently here, and know how encouraging, if we have felt it, have we ever.
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Contributed a little in that direction.
Others we have not. The encouragement of the sweetness of it we read in The farther Better is a dinner of her where love Is and a stall off that interest therewith. And to sit down to a dinner of herbs for a lot of kids have sealed after of it is something very, very practiced. I hope it's not a myth to make this comment, but I've had the privilege.
The privilege, once in a while, of eating Mexican tortillas. They have three ingredients.
Ground forms and water and love, and that's what makes them taste so good.
In connection with this 15th verse, I was just thinking of the 12Th chapter of Romans.
Romans chapter 12 and verse one.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, whorely acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or the new translation. The other word is your intelligence, service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good and acceptable.
And perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according, as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Well, I was thinking of it in connection with what we have here in this 15th verse. We're not called servants, but friends for all things that I have heard of. My father I have made known unto you in the Old Testament their service as our brother. And Mark was not an intelligent service. If you asked an Israelite, well, why do you cut that animal in such a way and sacrifice? All he could answer was, well, that's what Jehovah said.
That's the way it's to be done, but I can't explain why they were not given an intelligence service. The whole Tabernacle and temple was a picture and a figure of the heavenly things and of good things to come. But they didn't understand it. And what they did was not an intelligence service. But now in Christianity we have been called to serve, but it's an intelligence service.
The Spirit of God dwells in us. The whole counts of the thoughts and counsels of God has been have been revealed. There is nothing in the heart of God yet to be revealed as to His counsels and purposes. They've been made known, and so that we serve intelligently when we gather to remember the Lord. We know what the one Lord speaks of. We know what the cup speaks of. We know what baptism figures we enter into these things.
Entitled at least to enter into them intelligently, so that our service is an intelligent service. But no, it says that she may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Well, here we have about doing His commandments. And what do we find in this path? Why we find it a good and acceptable and perfect will. Oh brother, and there's never any one who walks in the path of obedience that won't testify to this.
If you have never traveled over a certain Rd. I might tell you. Well, I've been over it, and I can tell you it's a good Rd. Yes, I can speak of it as something that I have traveled will speak to any Christian who has sought to walk in the will of God. Has he found it grievous? Will he tell you all that? That's a bad rule. Don't try that. No, he'll tell you it's a good. It's an acceptable. It's perfect. It doesn't mean that there are enough trials, but the company that we have in that path is what makes it a blessed path.
And now just one more thing. What does it mean to be conformed to the world?
Well, brother, and I believe there's something very heart searching for us in this, and that is that the principle of being conformed to the world is having a good opinion of self. The whole world operates on this principle. Have a good opinion of yourself. Make everybody think that you're someone important. Attract as much attention as you can be yourself, because you're the big person, you're the big shot. And if you don't look after yourself, nobody else will.
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The world operates on this principle, and we as Christians can get this principle operating in our hearts too. And we're surprised when we really look into them and see how much itself there is. But since we have been saved, and now there's a new principle that has been brought into our lives and what is it? To attract attention to self? No, to attract attention to our wonderful Savior. To cause people to see beauty in Him, even although we have failed.
And so we need that continual renewing of the mind. You pick up the magazines of the world, and what do they do? They'll always set self before you in some way or other. Even the kind acts they tell you to do. What are they for? Total. It's for yourself. It's for the good that you'll receive from it. But only Christianity gives us a principle and a power outside of self.
And that is to find our joy and our happiness in living first for the glory of God, and 2nd for the blessing of others and all brethren. We need this continual renewing of the mind. We need to be constantly and always reminded that there is no other way for us.
But to walk in obedience to His will, and in that will to find happiness. And so I I believe it's something that we need to have continually before us and that is that we should prove this, this good and acceptable and perfect will. Now that's why the Lord says I've called you friends. He said I've brought you into the good of this. And now he said, as you walk with me, you'll find.
A bad enjoyment in company with me.
Oh, may the Lord grant that we'll know more of this. It's true peace, it's true happiness and all. How many hurt feelings would be avoided if we thought, well, how does this affect Christ? That's the important thing. How does it affect the good of his Saints? How does it affect the testimony before the world? Not self, But his glory then is to be the motor spring. And as we walk in that, then we find the friendship of one.
Ever the same.
In the Gospel of John chapter one and verse 35, I'd like to read one or two verses there. The Gospel of John chapter one, verse 35.
That says again the next day after John stood, after John stood and two of his disciples. And looking up on Jesus as he walked, he said, behold the Lamb of God. And two of his disciples heard him speak, and they followed the Lord Jesus beloved bear. And this is true ministry is to make the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Flashes to the heart of the other is not to attract people to myself, but to attract others to the person of the Lord Jesus, as the true ministry is.
Then as two of the Sinner, 2 is to find the Sinner through the blessed person of the Lord Jesus, as the true gospel is.
That's the last part of that fifteenth verse. For all things that I've heard of, my father, I have made known unto you. Isn't that a wonderful statement? God, son, a man down here in this world, entering into our feelings and our thoughts, men and women in this world.
That sub one has communicated to us all at the Forest Park would have.
Enjoying and understand as they go on to the scene where he was an outcast stranger and I already know appeal that he has sent the Holy Spirit to make all this good in our souls so that.
What we have in the Epistles is really coming from Christ himself.
That He refused, not him that speaketh from heaven. That's in the 12Th chapter of Hebrews. So that we not only have the Lords instruction when he was here, but now that he has gone back to the glory, He has sent the Holy Spirit down, and He is revealing to us all that was in the Father's heart.
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Towards his people, and not only that he has revealed again the words, but now when we are in the public state of soul, he makes those things reveals good and practical to our souls, so that we belong in the good of it and the blessing of it and the enjoyment of it.
I think that's very important. Brother Barry, if you notice the 16th chapter, the 16th chapter and the 12Th verse.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but he cannot bear them now. How be it? When he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truths. For he shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, And he will show you things to come, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Could we connect that now, brethren with a verse in Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12?
And verse 25 see.
That she refused, not him the speaker. For if they escaped, not who refused him, that spake on her Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.
Great deal of emphasis being laid in Christendom upon the words that the Lord Jesus spoke here upon earth, And the Bibles are put out showing the words of Christ that He spoke here upon earth in red, as though those were the only words that He spoke. But we notice here from John 16 and from Hebrews 12, that the Lord had many things more to say that He did not say in His pathway here.
And that he is now speaking from heaven. And So what we have in the Epistles, brethren, is the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven.
And we are never LED into the full fruits of the finished work of Christ until we come to the Epistles, because in the Epistles we have the voice of a glorified Christ speaking through the apostle by the Spirit, which lead us into the enjoyment of Christian positions. And the Lord didn't lead his own outside of the fold of Judaism while he was here, he said, the Pharisees sit in Moses feet, all left with a significant observes. I'd observe and do.
That is He. He left them, so to speak, in the sheepfold of Judaism. He spoke about how he was going to lead them out, but that awaited the accomplishment of redemption. And a glorified man at God's right hand and the Spirit of God come down to reveal these things to us.
And to neglect the truth of the Epistles, particularly those epistles of Paul, which gives to us what he received from Christ in glory, is to miss true Christianity that completed the full revealed mind of God.
Believe it's very important for us because there's much of Christendom that is not in the enjoyment of the blessedness of this today, because they don't go any further than the life of Christ. I guess some have heard our brothers Ch. Brown perhaps make a remark like this, he said when I was brought up in one of the systems of men. He said we traced the birth of Christ, the life of Christ.
The death of Christ. The resurrection of Christ. We saw him till the moment that the cloud received him out of their sights. But he said Christianity begins the other side of the cloud. Well, I believe that's a good remark. That is, it's a glorified Christ in heaven that brings us into the full blessedness of the works that has been accomplished and that has been revealed to us through the epistles, as we have very clearly in the end of Romans.
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Now that this is now made known to all men for the obedience of faith among all nations, and in these days I believe that the Spirit of God would have us to be in the enjoyment of these precious things, and that's what the Lord is Speaking of here.
He has now revealed these things to us by the Spirit.
Now when you go on to the 16th floor, she have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask for the Father in My name.
He may give it you now that falls really upon.
You are my friend, if you do whatsoever I command you. Now, to whom can the Lords?
Then can the Lord use to reveal His mind and truth and thought why? It's the one who is in obedience to His words, keeping His commandments.
Now here's the one that is set apart will be used of him as a hero of the of the thought that shows all that God would have revealed to man. So the communication of the truth of God is very determined on a walk of obedience. That isn't to say that God doesn't end his faith overrule in many cases.
Where there are those who are not in the Buddhist of the.
Full gospel or even preaching like those and Paul see all of.
Consentions not sincerely. God overrules and uses the even one table that's not saved to accomplish these persons and to save a poor Sinner. But still God's way of communicating his mind is left Before here was that that he has true and ordained.
To go forth and bring forth further, well, it seems built here is the.
Is the evidence that the work is clearly of God and then you find?
For all the the the 1St to every he shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. Now that seems to be a sparsely in connection.
Where the testimony of those that the Lord has chosen and sent out as tales of His of His thoughts, we long to see blessings. Where are we walking? First in obedience, and then we're looking to the Lord.
The way and the means on the how he would bear the communication of his mind to others.
I believe we can say morally that that's why we have the 13th chapter coming in before this. Because as I believe you remarked before, the Lord first watched the disciples feet before he communicated these things. And I've often thought of what Peter said. Lord thou self never wash my feet. And sometimes there is something in our walking ways is that is a hindrance to the reception of the truth of God.
And I wonder if we're not sometimes like Peter and say, oh Lord, I can't give that up. I want to learn the truth, but I don't want to give that up. Well, I'm afraid we're like Peter sometimes. And the Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. He didn't say I can't use you. And as you said, sometimes God might use a person even out of communion, but he can't be his true servant in the sense of one walking in communion.
As one of his friends, one who is able to represent him not only in what he says.
But as the Apostle says in Philippians, let's turn to it in Philippians.
Chapter 2.
Philippians 2 and verse 15. That he may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. That is the testimony that we live now. The next verse is the spoken testimony holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain.
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Neither labored in vain saw the tour to go together, the spoken, the testimony that we live and the testimony that we speak now that's God's desire. And when Gideons men went out against the Midianites, they had a trumpet in one hand and a lamp and an empty pitcher in the other, because the trumpet was the spoken testimony and the lamp was the testimony that was lived.
And they were both necessary. And I might say that the word consecration really comes from a word that means both hands fall. And if you and I are truly consecrated to the Lord, why, they'll be that knows two sides to our life, the testimony that we live and the testimony that we speak. That is, that is true consecration to the Lord. And the Lord delates in that it truly proved for him it's not just to speak.
Although he may and his sovereignty use it, but to live it so that others will see it.
I remember just tell us little incident for the sake of those that are younger.
There was a story in the Masses of Love some time ago about a child and she went to school in one of the hidden lands to learn to read. But she was rather a dull scholar and she couldn't seem to get hold of it. And it was really the Lords and she wanted to be able to read to her people from the word of God. And she seemed to be making very poor progress and she was very sad because she felt she couldn't.
Do this little service but the one who was teaching her said, Well, you can't perhaps learn to read the Bible, but you can live the Bible before them. You can be one that lives the testimony even though you can't speak the testimony. Well, that's a lovely thing for young and olders living the testimony, and they're seeking the testimony, isn't there?
Get the same stops in the 12Th loop where the large skirted and like burning The Dirty lawns received the burning light, that is.
The lawn service, as I take it, is our whole lives regulated by the word of God instead of being just loose and going on in a terrorist and indifference dates.
We check everything up is that construction with God's holy word and then the light burned. Then we can be a testimony to Him.
Isn't that lovely too? He says. You have not chosen me.
No, we didn't choose the Lord Wonderful grace that he should have picked us up.
I have chosen you.
That they should go and bring forth truth, and that your fruit should remain.
Your thoughts on that fruit remaining?
Well, I like the there might be the sample before others. The scripture says by their fruits he shall know them. So there is the fruit that the eye of man beholds. But we might be deceived when Simon the sorcerer professed to be saved. Why? I believe Phillip thought the work was real, but that wasn't proof that remained, and we might do a great deal, and perhaps get the approval of our brethren.
But if it's done before the eye of God, out of love for the Lord in obedience to Him, it's fruit that will remain and will be manifested in that day. So there is the fruit that man sees, and there's the fruit that God sees. And much that appears great in the eyes of men may not be for praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. It says in Second Timothy 2 if a man.
Strives for the mastery, yet is he not crowned except he strives lawfully.
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There might be a race and someone comes in first in the race and everyone applauds that person and gives them a greater claim. But then the the judge said, well no, he's disqualified. He broke one of the rules.
Well, he got all the acclaim, but he didn't get the reward. And that's exactly what is being told us, that we're not to live for man's acclaim. There may be that which appears grace before man, but God is the true judge, isn't he? Thing you get in the third chapter of First Corinthians if any man's worth abide with the ability to come, that he shall receive a reward.
And again there the Lord is the dead, and many things will not be seen their proper lights until that day come. The Lord has been speaking into the Father, he says.
I just turned to up to the 17th of John.
So.
They can't work all miners on and miners on and I am glorified in them.
Well, it might be that a bed ridden screen is glorifying scarred more in being subject and submissive, humbling, humble to the Lords will and one who is actively out in gates in the Lords work because there's more or less for prominence, more or less.
Is before the eye of man that the whole thing is, the Lord says.
I am glorified in them. Let's go in the exercise about that. Are we really?
Is Christ being really glorified in our lives? Whatever position, whatever we're passing through, may his glory be with first concern that we have. And you know, the Lord doesn't say this to his disciples. He doesn't tell the disciples, well, I'm glorified in you. Oh no, He tells the Father about that.
We were not a nice example.
Late gospel look, I was thinking particularly at where, he says behind the things and his name is rarely mentioned. But I'm not a Christian. There's a lot of physicians.
He was headed behind the other.
I'm thinking of that also in the 17th of Jeremiah.
I think there's a very at least I've enjoyed it.
The 17th of Jeremiah verse 7.
Blessed is the man that prompt us in the wars and who the Lord is. I thought of it in this way. Here's Blessed is the man that trusted in the Lord, every believer.
Unless he trusts what he is, a believer, he's just not the warriors.
But then it says, And who thought the Lord is to go on in it now right on to the end? Who votes? The lawyer. This goes beyond just being trusting the Lord. But then it goes on and it says, For he shall be as a tree, planted by the waters that spread about the roots by the river, and shall not see when he comes, But her leaves shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of the drop. Neither shall see from yielding fruit.
But it first begins by trusting the Lord and going on in the hope of the Lord.
So it's a continual thing, isn't it? Until that day when the Lord Jesus comes. But how nice to see that it's a as a tree planted by the water.
Go very far, but it surely has a great blessing to those that are rounded.
And leave this loud and enlightening to others. And so it says, Hurry, shall be green or I think this is very precious to know that they're trusting the Lord and going on in the hope of the Lord. There is truth, it says, neither shall.
From yearly proof, the proof remains.
Right to notice here that in the in the transport, he says this is my commandment, that he loved one another as I have loved you. And then he goes over the subject that we have been considering and then we repeat that these things I command you.
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That beloved one another. So there must be the constant exercise of love 1 towards another. So easy to allow to go cold and to get legal and to get.
There that we're not sympathetic with one another in their various tribes and troubles and little birds. You said to me one time, he said These conferences are good for, he said. When we were away from each other, we get legal towards each other.
When we come together, he said, our hearts get warmed up. And he said a lot of those feelings, you know, disappear. Well. It is where the truth that is for wonderful spring that God does permit his Saints to come together.
Here together this afternoon, This morning.
A disaster. Another side. I suppose that the remaining when Jonathan, we know he was laid on a bottle field, but when you start to Philip Stein prior to that, that was lost What?
But truthful name, even though he failed in the end and.
Move through. The Lord is notice of we must fail whatever. We don't have any fruit for him in the name.
Just the same, of course, on the First Corinthians spring that.
Well, the design that described by SPY was the hill pointed out one time.
He said there wouldn't be a click and not have all burned up and there wouldn't be a question that I have all gone and versus stones.
Because the the combination of votes and all.
I'm just going to say because there's a great deal said about fruit and thinking of it in connection with blessing in the gospel and so on.
It's very important that we realize that the proof that remains is that which is according to the mind of God.
Sometimes illustrators that like this, supposing there's a person and he's fishing, the Lord said I will make you fishes of men.
And he seems to have a wonderful catch of fish in his bone is pretty well filled with good fish, and everyone thinks he's a wonderful fisherman. But then the game warden comes along and he begins to check up and he says, well, now we have certain rules here about fishing in this lake. Have you observed these rules? Oh, immediately deflated. Now it looks like he got a great deal of fish, but.
She didn't go by the rules of the fishing and brethren, let us not forget, God has a way that he wants His work to be done.
And we may catch a lot of fish, but it may not be according to the way that God has told us. And thank God He's sovereign and souls are going to be saved. But our responsibility is obedience. Let us be content to walk in obedience. The game warden is coming along someday.
There is going to be that time when everything will be made manifest, and So what does the Scripture say?
He that doeth the will of God abide us forever, that is again the Lord speaking to the disciples, He that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same as my brother and sister and mother. How much emphasis is laid in the word of God on the importance of doing the will of God?
I say this because there might be someone who has thought to walk in obedience to the word of God, and the enemy might say, but you've lost many opportunities and you could reach the great many souls. But remember, God has a way. He wants his work done.
And it's much better to have his approval. And it says it shall be brought unto praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I remember Brown saying to me one time years ago that there will be no more souls in heaven because of my faithfulness, and there will be no more souls in hell because of my unfaithfulness.
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He says all I can do, he says, is to sit to to to walk according to the word of God.
Well, very often even in the game laws of the world, how they don't allow people to fish with Nets and why? Well, they want everyone to have a share in it. And when somebody comes along with Nets and empties out the lake of all the fish that are there, while everyone didn't have a share and God intended that everyone of his own should have a share, he tells us that we each have a a place and a part in his work and.
He wants us to do that little fearless for him. It says unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Sora is just 60. Go on in obedience and leave the results with the Lord. As our brother remarked, not one soul will be lost through our unfaithfulness. And God has the work to be done, and it's going to be done happy for us if we do the part that he wants us to do in US.
Brown often made the remark that the word of God doesn't say well done, thou, good and successful servants. It says well done, now good and faithful servants, and I just like to read 2 verses in Second Timothy 2 In that connection. There was a young man I met, and he told me that he had a path of service before him that was going to take him into places where he was troubled as to what they actually taught.
But he said, I feel that I can help stem the tide. I feel that I can save souls there. So he said I'm going to seek to do that. So I read them verse the latter part of verse 19 of Second Timothy 2 and let everyone that name of the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in the Great House there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wooden earth and thumbs, water, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters youth, and prepared unto every good work. As the young brother, you're telling me that if you go in the path that you're, you feel the word of God is not honored and obeyed.
You're going to see fruit, the word of God says. If you purge yourself from that which is dishonouring to the Lord, then you'll be a vessel.
Meet and for the master use and prepared unto every good, good, good work. So when our capture we had proof that you were mentioning butter, Barry yesterday more fruit. Much fruit. And then in verse 14, as you emphasize, ye are my friends. If you do whatever I command you, and the result is your fruit shall remain, there'll be proof that will abide to his eternal praise and glory.
The 13th verse in John's festival. In that connection I was thinking of the second chapter of first John.
6.
He that spent the abiders in him.
Asked himself, also thought to walk he.
That is, I understand it to be either abides in God.
Arkansas so also to walk even the right wall.
Well, it's true, isn't it, that we can't be like Christ one who was holy perfectly.
In this world. But the Scriptures now appear as a child of God, if by saying that I abide in him, I ought to walk like Christ. That is, there's a testimony connected with this.
We certainly are not like Christ he was.
Perfect. We're not perfect, but we have a perfect example, don't we? How lovely to know that he says he ought himself also to walk, even as he walks.
In his walk in his pathway with the fact of obedience, righteousness, and love.
Perfect pass, but was it a successful pass as far as the world was concerned? I think some of it was mentioned yesterday.
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No, Outwardly, it looks as though it wasn't for the president.
But it was leading to God that was the thing, wasn't It was obedient.
And that's what we're we're enjoying to do here.
He said he abideth in him or himself, so also to watch evil fight.
And leave the results with him.
It looks very thin, Romans, that says everyone of us shall give an account of himself to God. What we're saying in this time is not to find fault with others, We have to leave others with the Lord. Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached, whether it was in pretense or in truth. But we are responsible ourselves to walk in obedience to the word of God.
There were some that came and told the Lord about the ones who they met who were casting out devils in.
Name and the Lord said have forbidden not. There is no man that can do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. It's world. And notice that the Lord didn't say to stop that man, nor did he tell the disciples to go and join and work with that man. And so with us. We're thankful that the gospel goes forth, but we are responsible to test things by the word of God.
And we're responsible for our own path, and it will give us peace and quietness in our own souls. It will deliver us from the spirit of attacking others and leave their work until the judgment seat of Christ. But for ourselves there is a path of obedience set before us in the word of God, and we're going to have to give an account of ourselves to God, that which he has made known to us. We are responsible to walk in.
And it's in the word of God that we find God's revealed mind. There may be others who are walking up to the light they have, and we have to leave them. I heard it's sad that the church was in its happiest state when it knew the least. That was on the day of Pentecost. They didn't know very much, but their hearts were full of Christ. The Spirit had come. They were one heart and one soul. Oh, what a happy group they were, but they didn't know very much.
But they went on, and they learned more. And as they learned, it says, they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.
So we don't know how far along others are in the past. Set before them the truth, walk in it ourselves, and let the Lord lead them himself by His Word and by His Spirit.
Singing, brother Hale, when you sing what you did about Bob, the Lord said he's gone when he would have forbidden the man well there is walking as he walked. And if you were not acquainted with that scripture, you wouldn't have guidance as you do. And so, brother, let's marvelous blink reading the lights, the wall of the blessed Lord good acquainted with it. And when you have quiet moments along I think over the Lord's life, first God blessed pathway.
From the mainly to the cross and to the glory, and while our blessings obey the soul.