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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971. Second reading meeting.
174.
John 17 verse 7.
John's Gospel.
Chapter 17 verse 7.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee.
I have given unto them the words which thou gave us me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from the and they have believed without it. Send me I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine.
And all mine are thine and thine are mine, and I'm glorified in them.
Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father keeps of thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that there may be one as we are.
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While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gave us me, I have kept that none of them is lost. But the Son of perdition, the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come out of thee, and these things I speak in the world.
That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them my word, and the world had hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou should have taken out of the world, but that thou should have keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, Even so have I also sent them into the world, And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also it shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I and thee, that they also may be one enough that the world may believe that thou has sent me, and the glory which thou gavest me I've given them, that there may be one, even as we are one, I and them, and thou and me, as they may be made perfect in one.
That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they alter whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me without lovest me before the foundation of the world.
All righteous, Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me, and I have declared unto them thy name.
And well declared that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
How wonderful and precious to to see how it's perfect.
Harmony, Perfect communion.
We find a man in this world and God the Father in heaven.
Here was the Father who had sent the Son of the world. Find the sun down here.
Engaged in his father's business.
And we find all through the pathway of this blessed one, how he was ever and always in perfect communion with his Father, had his Father's mind, and came here as he said. I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
How it acquaints our poor hearts with God the Father Himself, and then with his beloved Son.
Give us an acquaintance with that one who in his lowly life here below.
That accomplished the whole will of God.
And such a sad and sinful world as we're passing through.
It's nice to connect the 40th verse of the one you just quoted, brothers and.
38th verse you just quoted. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And in verse 40 he tells us what the will of the Father is. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the sun and believe upon him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
That's nice to know that the father's will has been revealed to us, hasn't it, what his desire is for us?
Through which will we are sanctified? Yes.
No, that's the happy part for us now as we consider these scriptures that were found in Christ.
And there's nothing left of the old order at all, as we noticed yesterday. Then was fully manifested, the Prince of this world cast out and all that belonged to it. Now we belong to a new order, past death and resurrection, and we're found in Christ. And this is a wonderful truth to lay hold of. Otherwise we're always looking at ourselves. But our little hymn suggested this morning that we we look off unto Jesus.
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And I believe that's what we should be doing now.
That thought there, and I will raise him up at the last day, I believe, has the thought that it carries the one of those of whom the Lord is speaking completely through the journey down here.
When the journey is complete.
Then I will lift him up. He takes us out of the scene where he himself manifested the Father's love here below. He takes us to the end of the journey, and then he takes us into the scene where he himself has gone before, teaching us lessons along the way.
That He would teach us in connection with His blessed pathway through this scene.
Nice to know that that he sees us already in that place of perfect acceptance. But in connection with what you were saying at the beginning I was thinking of the 21St of Revelation and the third verse. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
In the first chapter of John it says and the Word was made flesh and dwelt. I believe it could be translated.
Tabernacled amongst us, and we beheld his glory, the glorious of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Saw that there was one who was God himself dwelling among men.
But there's going to be a glorious scene in the future when the whole redeemed family will be brought into blessing and then the Tabernacle of God is will be with men. There will be a family who enters into and enjoys and displays all that's in the heart of God. It will be a wonderful time.
I was thinking too of three verses. It says now in Romans 3 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Now that was our condition by nature. And then it tells us in Romans 5.
Rejoice in hope of the glory of God, because we are already fitted for that glory and we're longing for the time when we'll be there.
But when the heavenly city is displayed, it says, having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious, clearest crystal. That is nothing in us that will hinder the display of that glory. Now although we possess this new life, there is much in us that hinders the display of the glory of the Lord in our lives. But when that coming day is brought in, how marvelous to think, they'll not be a thing.
And any of us that will hinder the display of that glory through us and through the light of the heavenly city, was seen like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal.
And it's very comforting, brethren, to remember now that the standing of the believer is in Christ.
There's not a stain there as he is. So are we in the world, This world.
The standing of the believer is in Christ.
The object of the believer is Christ.
And the hope of the believer then, we shall we say, is to be light right.
Well, we do get that brought out in Philippians, of course, but I remember when that came to my soul that.
The standing. There's nothing, not a stain concerning our standing in Christ. We possess the life of Christ.
So it's wonderful to keep that before, especially the young Christians we stand before God.
If we are, if we belong to Christ, you know all the perfection of Christians. That's a wonderful truth, but it's so. Then the object of the believer is Christ.
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And the hope of the believer is to be like Christ. It could be the day.
We waiting and watching and listening.
In there hard to think about. There are two ways in which.
The Lord Jesus has set before us for the needs of our souls down here.
In one way he is a pattern for our pathway. We get a verse like this in Ephesians, the imitators of God as dear children and walk in love even as Christ also loves us and gave himself for us.
There is the pattern for our whole pathway. You get that also in Philippians 2.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, and in another way he is the object.
Now before us take our verse like this in the third chapter of Hebrews it says consider him who endures that. No, consider him the apostle and high priest of our profession. Well, that's entirely different thought is.
To be occupied with the one on high who is there in service for us there, especially as the Apostles. That's the one through whom God has revealed Himself, given us His Holy Word, and then as the High Priest, the one who is in service for us. So when we see those two ways in which the Spirit of God has presented the Blessed Lord.
For the care and guidance instruction and help for our souls, we get a very full instruction that.
Is most needful in these days, for when we trace the pathway of that blessed one through His journey here below, we seem marked up so they pathway for ourselves.
The humble Jesus always subject to his Father's will, making nothing of himself ever in service for others. Then we look about and we find one there that is serving us on high. That's why the Spirit of God says in that third chapter of Hebrews, considered the apostle and High Priest of our profession.
He served Jesus Christ. I believe the correct translation is just Jesus. One up there is the one that was down here. The one that took that name, Jesus and lowly grace to be with us in this scene is now the one who is on high serving us up there. And in Hebrews of course, it's the high priesthood of Christ to keep us.
In On the Journey, John gives us another subject and that is his advocacy to restore us when out of communion and to bring us back restored and happy in our souls again.
This is.
I believe it is Brother London.
More on the other line of things.
And well, I hadn't thought I'd over Brother Lundeen. I I'm sure that's the 13th of John is the Advocacy of Christ. And of course this chapter is interstation for the Lords own.
Leaving us this instruction for his departure, showing how he was in perfect communion with the Father about the needs and the keeping grace.
For those he was about to leave in this very world that would crucify him.
In Hebrews would keep us in communion with heaven. I was thinking of of the 22nd verse, 23rd of the 14th chapter. That would be really applicable to us here as we read this chapter this morning.
To to give us to realize what our present position is, and then connecting it, of course, with the subject of His word and the.
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Subject of the Holy Father that we have mentioned already in our chapter, but leading the 14th chapter in verse 22, Judas. Now this was not Judas Iscariot.
Said unto him, Lord.
How is it that thou will manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Well, that's what we want to know, isn't it? Jesus answered and said unto him.
If a man loved me, he will keep my words and my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Now my brother was just speaking about the Tabernacle. Well, I believe it's something like that here, the one who walks in communion and keeps his word.
Finds that special place of communion.
And fellowship of the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And I believe it's always the case down here that we need our consciences exercised as to these things. And so he brings the commandments before us here. And in our chapter that we're considering, he simply says Holy Father, but it's after he's spoken of the words, the words keeping the words.
We we need grace to sustain us, beloved, and we need mercy to restore us to communion. And that seems to bring us to this question of keeping the word of God.
In the second chapter of the Epistle of John we have there certain truths.
Whether we are walking in communion with him or not.
Now in verse three of second of first John 2.
Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. Well, some teach that that's those the commandments of Moses, but that's not so because the context proves the opposite.
In verse five we do read, but who shall keep it His word?
In him vitally is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in Him. Well, here is the first proof.
Whether we are walking in communion or not.
If we are walking in communion with the Lord Jesus, we keep His word.
There are other proofs in this same chapter which might be mentioned very briefly.
In verse 6.
He that saith, he abideth in him.
Art himself also, so to walk.
Even as he walked.
Well, surely this is a challenge to us, beloved, concerning our war.
How are we walking?
Do we keep his word?
What about my walk? What about our walk?
Just now.
Then there are others.
If you pardon me just mentioning them.
The next in verse 10 we have another proof, there he that loveth his brother.
Abideth in the light.
Verse nine he that saith, he's in the light and hate of his brother.
Is in darkness even until now.
Verse 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness.
And walketh in darkness.
Knoweth not with egoeth, because their darkness have blinded his eyes.
This is something that's very solemn, beloved.
We love our brethren.
We certainly do. Sometimes we don't love the way they walk.
But we love them.
And we are to love one another.
Hearts fervently or at white heat. Well, these are proof that are very practical, you know. Now the last one, may I just mention love not the world. This has come into this reading yesterday. The world.
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I suppose, brethren, that when you read of the world here in this epistle, it's not God's created world at all.
We can. What can we say to the marvelous creation?
We just look around what little we can see and we are left worshippers.
No, this is this diabolical spirit that very pervades everything.
Oh yes, this diabolical spirit that pervades everything.
We are not to love it.
We are in this world, but we're not of it.
So that the claims and even the passions of this world should not have any imprint upon our souls, whatever, because we do not belong here, we belong to heaven.
And we read here that the world passes away.
With its must thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
So I just mentioned the allowance is something practical.
Just now we keep his word. Are we keeping his word?
I ask my own soul that this morning. Do I keep his word? Am I keeping his word?
All that I do can I say I am glorifying the Lord Jesus.
We walk even as he walked.
What a challenge. How did he walk that precious saved?
What a challenge and we love our brethren.
And we love not this world.
To love a world, sentenced to the judgment of God, beloved.
What an awful thing to love a world like that.
I was thinking how there are three things given to us in this chapter. It says, I have given to them eternal life. And then in this eighth verse and again in the 14th verse I have given them my word. And then the 22nd verse and the glory which thou gave us me. I have given them that God has given us new life, but now this new life needs direction.
Everyone, the moment he receives that new life has a life that delights in pleasing God. A life, as we have remarked, that can hold fellowship with God, but that life needs direction, it needs food. And where do we find that? Well, that's the importance of meeting like meetings like this. Also the importance of reading the word at home, because it's the food of the new man and it gives us direction.
My father used to use a rather nice illustration. I thought he said, Supposing I wanted to give a gift to the Queen of England. He said I might have a good desire, but I wouldn't know what would please her. But if she wrote me a letter and told me what would please her, then I could give her something with the absolute assurance that was pleasing to her. Well, isn't it lovely that God has given to every believer, from the youngest to the oldest?
A life that delights in pleasing God, The good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight.
Now where are we going to get direction how to please him? We find those who really love the Lord.
And they think they're pleasing him by doing certain things. How can we tell whether they are or not?
I have given them my word. We have the word of the Lord Jesus.
To direct us, to enlighten us as to what is pleasing to him. And as we read this word, our thoughts are corrected, we get the renewing of the mind. Otherwise we follow the thoughts and ideas of the world. Because that's why it says in Romans 12, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We say, I think this, I think the other thing how are we going to get right thoughts, God.
God's thoughts.
Well, as we read His word, our mind is renewed. We get his thoughts. So it's very noticeable that I have given them. My word is mentioned twice in the chapter showing the great importance of the word of God. And then the glory which Thou gave us me, I have given them now. We speak of it as something that is future, but it's ours now. By possession we belong to that scene. We have a life that's suited to it. We're traveling there.
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And it's a blessed thing to not only think of it as something that's in the future.
But something that we already possess, that is the glory, is ours. It ought to be manifested in our lives, but it's ours. It's given to us. The full display of it is future. Well, these things are brought before us, and the Lords desires for us have often remarked, if we could have the privilege of listening to the Lord.
That is actually hearing his voice and he was praying for us.
Wouldn't we be all ears to hear What is he asking for me? What does he want for me? We have just this privilege in John 17, all that it might touch our hearts, and that we might say, well, this is what he desires for me. Hold that my heart would respond to it.
I've often thought what a remarkable thing that we have the Lord in prayer and we're permitted.
To hear the very words that the Lord spoke to His Father when He was here in this world, and that too when the cross was so near, when the awful burden of our sins would soon be laid upon him. And yet we have Him addressing the Father. And that's really what gives us the subject of communion, isn't it? They're the Father and the Son are in perfect communion and fellowship about all that the Son has to say to the Father.
And that is really what is communion for us when we're engaged with the things.
That the Son is enjoying and the Father is enjoying. We have one mind. We're in communion where the Father and the Son of the Lord Jesus. And then what is still more amazing, when we're permitted to hear the Son of God down here, a man in prayer to his Father in heaven? That the subject that he had before us was poor, unworthy creatures like you and me?
That the father had given to his son to lead home to that place where the sun was going, to give us a home there with himself. It's so amazing that we almost feel like.
Moses, when he was then told to take thy shoes off from thy feet, For the place where on thou standest is fully grounded. We surely are on holy ground when we read and consider this marvelous prayer of the Blessed Lord to the Father.
Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Oh, I was thinking through as their brother Gordon was speaking. What will it be, beloved, when we are presented to the Father? Behold, I and the children which thou hast given me. Oh, what a wonderful this makes you rejoice alone in the in spite of the problems here makes us rejoice with joy and unspeakable and full of loneliness.
Behold, I and the children which thou hast given.
That Hebrews 2 I like to think that in that same connection it says in the midst of the congregation, will I sing praise unto thee.
This is very, very lovely, and I'm sure many of us take it as a liberty to sing praises to the Lord. But I suppose really it's the Lord Himself. It is not so filled with delight at having his own roundabout him that he sings praises to his God and Father. This to me is so wonderful in the midst of the congregational.
Eye the Lord Jesus, sing, praise, sing praise unto thee.
Praise unto God his Father for the joy that he is experiencing in having his redeemed about him.
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In that second of Hebrews and one of them has not been mentioned in the middle of there. Between those two that have been mentioned, it says I will trust in him. Maybe I better read it.
And I've thought about that verse 13. I will put my trust in him. I was wondering if we might.
Say that we have this from the 17th of John, where the Lord.
Praise the Father that he keep us, he trusts the Father concerning us. And then?
It's already been mentioned. The first one in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee? Surely that's the President, and then the coming one, when he will introduce us into the Father's house.
Now a question as to our ninth verse of our chapter. I pray for them.
This too is intercession as we have heard, but I was wondering if we might go on and thought and.
Think of the time when the Lord will have us. Is that what we have in this word? For? Could it go on beyond intersection today and the time when He will have us, as sometimes we hear in the wedding ceremony, to have and to hold? Is that taking this little word for too far?
No, I don't think so. In fact, I think it's very nice to contrast it with the second Psalm, where the Father says to the Son, ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance in the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Time coming when the Father will say to the Son the time has come, ask for the kingdoms of the world and when the Lord Jesus takes them, then he puts down all evil and everything is brought in according to the mind and character of God. But now he's not asking for the kingdoms of the world. People say why doesn't God set things right in this unrighteous world? Well, he's not asking for the kingdoms of the world, he's asking for his own.
And of course, as you remark, the thought is not only that he has us and is preserving us now and our pathway. Here a body longs for the time when he'll have us, because he will not take possession of the kingdoms of the world until he has his own with him.
That's the force of the expression in Ephesians chapter One, his inheritance in his Saints. Now that is, he doesn't take possession of that which is rightfully his until he has his own with him. Perhaps he could illustrate it something like this. A young man buys a home which he intends to occupy with his bride, but maybe the wedding's not going to take place for six months.
It's still rounded out for six months. There are other tenants in it. It's his, and he bought it with a purpose. Why doesn't he take possession right away? He's going to take possession with his wife, and when that time comes that he takes his wife and he takes possession of the house to share it with her, well, the Lord has bought the field. It's all his, but he hasn't taken possession yet. And I love to contrast this. What is?
Called here the Lord's Prayer.
With what has been mentioned as the disciples prayer, they prayed thy Kingdom come, but the world rejected him as the king. So he said to his father, well, I don't ask now for the kingdoms of the world, but I ask for my own. And then when he has it on, then he'll take the kingdoms of the world, he'll take them in his Saints. So I think that's a very nice thought that you brought before us, Brother Clem. It's very lovely to have this.
Hope before us and to know that.
The Lord Jesus is interested now not in all the progress of man and what's going on, the kingdoms of the world always behind the scenes, but it's his own that are so dear to his heart. He's thinking of them.
Well, if we have the mind of the Lord, we all will feel just as He does about the world. So here the world has viewed. Here is beyond redemption. It can't be recovered. It can't be changed. It's going on, it's it's terrible course till it meets the judgment of God and we may be indeed shocked by the awful.
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Things that we hear about.
The drugs and the uprising, rebellion and everything on the whole world and confusion and making deadly instruments to destroy each other. All these things may shock us, but it's just the course that this scene is taken.
And the Lord has way back in when He was here told us he didn't pray for it and so anyone that tries to help out with.
Political state of things in this world saying, well, we ought to vote for the best men because we want to make things better down here. Well, they're just going definitely right in the face of what the Lord has said. I pray not for the world. And if he didn't pray for it, why should we try to think that we can in any way improve it or help its condition?
We're just passing through it like he passed through it, strangers and pilgrims on our way to our father's house.
And our time here is short. We're soon to be there, above where he has gone before.
Oh, as brother each rule used to say, we should slip through this world as quietly as we possibly can.
There is, however, the thought of praying for the powers that be and although we have nothing to do with trying to change the world system to reform under make it a better place.
We do have the privilege of doing something more than any vote whatever do, and that is praying for the one who controls the hearts of men. And so we're told to pray for kings and for all them that are in authority. And we thank God for His goodness in restraining the passions of men and using those in authority to grant liberty to us. And we believe too, that he is doing this because his church is here because.
When the church is taken away, then peace is taken from the earth and the bottomless pit. A figure in Scripture of the place where evil is restrained is opened, and it says the sun in the air was darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. It's a principle in God's ways that he doesn't judge till evil comes to its full. But he'll restrain as long as the church is here because the Spirit of God restrains. But there's going to be an awful display of the wickedness of man's heart.
Worse than has ever been before, and we see the beginnings of it now, but still in check.
And let us as Christians remember to pray for those who in authority, that God in his mercy.
I continue to grant liberty to meet together and for the proclamation of the gospel. There's a verse in the end of the 14th of John that I think we could read in this connection.
Speaking of the world, the 31St verse of the 14th chapter.
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do now. This, I think, is connected with our chapter where the words is spoken of because and I like those remarks of our brother Smith in connection with the first pistol of John.
As.
Is Speaking of our walk, and I think it's important that we notice this this morning, because that's connected with this 11Th first of our chapters, especially Holy Father. Now the Lord sets the example before us in the verse that we just read in the 14th chapter.
The world is given a testimony of what Well that he loves the Father.
That's the testimony that we're to render here.
Brother And how can we render this testimony?
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Even as he.
Gave me commandment.
And as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do now, we're told in the Epistle of John.
That we're like him as he is. So are we in this world. I don't know. The scripture tells us that we should try to be like him. I think we're told we are like him.
But I think Scripture does say, as our brother has told us this morning, that we should walk as he walked. That's in the first epistle job. And so that's what's before us here. Then we're kept, we're preserved by the Father in the sense of holiness, and it's the word of God that brings this to our attention. Now, if we're going to manifest to the world our true testimony.
We will keep His commandments. That's the way we manifest to the world that we love the Father.
We're to walk as he walked. What are his commandments, Brother Lundy? Well, we know they're not grievous. We know for sure that they're not grievous. But we. I believe that it starts at the first chapter of Genesis and ends with the end of Revelation, because I believe it's the whole word and the one who has a new nature loves to do the things that are found.
In the word of God because they express God's mind and heart and will, and we love to do his will. That's the new natures. It talks. I remember asking that question to Brother Potter one time and I never forgot his answer, he said.
Lord's commandments are doing those things which we know are pleasing in His sight, as learned from His word independence and obedience.
That agrees, of course, exactly what you say, that it's because we have that new nature, and when that new nature is an action, it's always in subject to the will of the Lord to do what is pleasing to Him but still is. As we read the Word, we get acquainted with the mind of the Lord, We neglect the Word where we are.
Thoughts become dull and we're out of touch with him, as it were, so we are not acquainted with his mind and thoughts.
Last verse of the 12Th of John says and I know that his commandment is life everlasting.
Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. The Lord Jesus came into this world, and took the place of the obedient one. He I believe that's why it says, Mine ears hast thou opened? The Lord Jesus came, and his ear was ever opened to hear his Father's voice. Now he possessed his life, and it isn't exactly the thought of.
His.
We're doing something and we can do it or not do it as we please.
The whole character of the new life he has given to us is obedience. And so the unsaved are spoken of as children, are sons of disobedience in the family of God, were spoken of as children of obedience. And to make a sort of a thought, well, we can choose whether we wish to please him or not. Is not the character of the new life at all that the character of the new life is that it's characterized by obedience?
And so, as it tells us in Peter's epistle were sanctified unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The law set before man certain things that he was to obey, but didn't give him a life that could do those things or delighted in them. But God has given us a new life. And so as our remark, where children of obedience and I believe it's important, where the where the heart is really in communion with God.
It's not saying whether I like to do this or not, but as a father gave me commandment, Even so I do. And that's what characterizes the child of God walking in the power of that new life, don't you think, that we often need?
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To utter that prayer in the end of the 3000 and 39 songs. Search me and know me and see if there be any wicked way in me and leave me in the way everlasting.
It's so easy to think that we're doing the will of the Lord when there's some other motive than pleasing to the Lord that is really crept into our hearts, may be unaware, and is really.
The what is really?
Taking over and guiding us in the wrong way. Now I know that some have made that prayer.
Public search Men know me, but I'm sure it isn't a prayer for the public. It's a prayer for the closet. And it's a prayer we should often pray.
Knowing that 139 Psalm he He begins the Psalm by saying, Thou hast searched me and known me, Thou knowest my down sittings and my uprising. I know it. My thoughts are far off.
Well, he goes through a lot of exercise and he can't get away from from the Lord.
But after he's gone through that experience, why He has proven that it's so blessed to have God searching him and not allowing him just to go his own way. Now he says just keep on searching me and leading me in the way everlasting.
I say that for myself because I know my poor heart is so settled that I could even deceive myself in thinking that I was going on in a way pleasing to the Lord, whereas in reality there's some other motive that has crept in.
That verse, I think it'd be well for us to look at it, Brother Barry, that you've just referred to. I noticed in another translation that it refers.
That word wicked.
Could be as grievous and in the margin you'll know it says way of pain or grief. The reason I mentioned that is someone may say, well, I'm not walking in a wicked way, but are we grieving him in any way?
That's the point. It's the little things, Brandon, that break communion. It isn't some big sin that we speak of.
That breaks communion, merely it's the it's the little things that, well, you know that if there's someone very dear to you and you do some little thing that grieves them.
It's pain to them.
Well.
Any little thing now, one who's been through the experience of this 139 psalms. Our brothers said he was apprehensive at the 1St and now he's willing that he be searched. Now how about the little things in our lives? And I believe that that's what we've come to in this 17th of John. It isn't simply that now that we are saved, but we've been brought into this most intimate place.
In communion with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, let's not let any little thing.
That comes into our lives, cause greed and grieve.
The Lord take us a little boxes.
The foxes that spoil the vine for the vines have tender grapes.
I suppose the thought is that those little tendrils that hold the vine up from the ground, when the fox comes in, he breaks the vine down and the fruit falls in the ground.
Well, we take the foxes. We won't let this happen until the fruit is kept up where it belongs so that the owner can enjoy the fruit. Because we do have fruit bearing in John, don't we?
I'm glad you called my attention to that brother Ron Dean. That's very helpful. I really hadn't noticed that. I believe what you were saying was very important because.
I was thinking of what it says in First Corinthians 4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified? But he that judges me as the Lord, I do believe that there are many things in our hearts that were not aware of, and we need to ask the Lord to show them to us.
I've been thinking quite a bit about Job and how when Job went through the trial that he did, he he searched himself, but he came up with this. He said that he when he has tried me, I'll come forth as pure gold. And I believe there's a great danger with us that when we go through some trial, the exercise is to try and justify ourselves and so we search ourselves and we think we're in the Lord's presence.
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And we sort of come up with the same result as Job did. And we say, the Lord will find out there's nothing in me, I'm pure gold. But it wasn't so. There was something that God saw in Jobs heart that he didn't see. And so Elihu said to him, Surely it is me to be said unto God that which I see not teach thou me. And so the Lord brought Job to this point point finally.
In fact, he said.
Job the Lord spoke to Job and asked him. He that reproveth the Almighty, let him answer. But finally Job comes to the point where he said to behold I am vile.
And I do believe that we're often not aware of things in ourselves that we have to get into the Lord's presence to discover secret motives that we're not aware of until we get into His presence. And to me, this is the more important because.
In Job's case, there was nothing outward God could say about Job that he was a perfect in an upright man won the feared God and astute evil. Wasn't that a wonderful commendation? And that was from God himself. But the trouble was that Job didn't know his own heart. And brethren we don't. We don't know our own hearts. And when we get into the presence of the Lord, he often discovers to us motives.
That we're not aware of The beloved Apostle Paul, most devoted of every of all the servants of the Lord, had a motive in his heart that he wasn't aware of when he went up to Jerusalem. He allowed love for his brethren to hinder him from seeing what was really the mind of the Lord. That he had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles. And it can be a good thing, Divine love, love for our brethren that can cloud an issue and not cause us to see what is the mind of the Lord.
Well, there's no remedy but to get into his presence. And as her brother Barry remarked, not make a public prayer about it, but in his presence ask him to show us what we don't see.
I've enjoyed the references to the 14th of John in connection with the world.
The Lord said here, I pray not for the world, and this has been explained, but I noticed that in the 14th he speaks again of the world.
Firstly, of the Prince of this world, I will not talk much with you, he says in the 30th verse of the 14th.
For the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father. And then again in the 15th chapter, the character of the world is brought before us in the 17th verse. 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 are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Therefore, the world hateth you. This is important, isn't it? In connection with the character of the world that we're in?
We can't expect the world to love us or to be accepted amongst them, because there are those things that immediately we have to frown upon and.
And that have sent ourselves from, but the Lord has pointed out the character of the world.
But he cannot pray for us.
In the 10th verse he says and all thine are mine.
And and all minor thine and thinner mine and I am glorified in them. The Lord doesn't say that to his disciples, He says that to the Father.
A bedridden safe might be glorifying the Lord more than one who is out preaching the gospel, because when I preaching the gospel has something of prominence, fear known and recognized, they're respected. But a bedridden St. who is bowing to the will of God in the trial of that one is passing through.
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Is glorifying the Lord.
In a very precious way.
That delights his heart.
So the Lord says that I am glorified in them, and it should be the supreme desire of our hearts that this might be true of us. And if it is true, the Lord will see it. You won't publish it, but he delights in it.
Nice to think of that verse in Second Thessalonians. One when it says when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe. Sometimes he isn't always Christ isn't admired. In US self is seen instead of Christ, but there's a day coming when he'll be glorified and admired.
In all them that believe that the glorious prospect for us.
I suppose that's what Mr. Darby was thinking when he wrote like Jesus in that place of light and love supreme.
Once man of sorrows full of grace, heavens blessed and endless theme, It would seem to me that Mister Darby was by faith walking through those courts of light and right like that. What a wonderful verse that is. It was given out by our brother Bundy like Jesus in that place of light and love supreme.
Once man of horror, full of grapes, heaven blessed and endless theme, well, it will go on forever.
I suppose that in every heart here this morning, there is a desire to be happy. And so we have this prayer. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. Now this prayer is that his people might be happy, infinitely happy.
He wants us to have joy. Now that joy comes, brethren.
Not through the deceits around us that would attract our hearts. Our brother referred to the world in the second Epistle of John.
But the Lord is up there praying so that these present attractions around us may not take our hearts.
Our brother Smith referred to.
To the third, the 15th chapter, and I'd like to read a verse or two the 10th verse.
If you keep my commandments.
That is the word that he's speaking out. You shall abide in, my love.
Even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. Now we don't find any joy. The believer connected with what this world offers. This world has nothing to offer that will satisfy our hearts.
Now, it's true that oftentimes we have to prove this practically. But isn't it lovely to think of our blessed Savior up there, praying for us, interceding? That we might be preserved? That we might escape both the pollutions and the corruptions of this world? That we might be in the enjoyment of these things so that we will not have to practically go through the experience?
Of feeling the bitterness.
What it means to turn aside in the ways of the world.
Because the way of the transgressor is hard. That's another side.
No way. Isn't it the large parting what was his own? So he speaks of my joy, and in the 14th chapter he says, peace. I leave with you my peace. I give unto you the very peace.
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Zest his heart and going through this world of trial and what he longs to impart through his own, so that we might go on tread our way in peace through this world of trouble and sorrows and heartaches and disappointments. And also his love, he says. My love, as the Father hath loved you, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
The very love that.
Was his in doing the father's will now he was in part to his own.
So reminds us again that him the same writer that love that gives not as the world, but shares all it possesses with his love. Coherent.
This joy, I think, is a very, very important thing, because I feel that the unbelievers often look at what they call Christianity as being sort of a negative viewpoint to everything that might minister to earthly happiness, with the thought in mind that the more we deny ourselves these earthly pleasures, the more sure the prospect is of happiness.
In the world that is to come, and I'm pretty sure that the unbeliever looks upon the Christian as having this kind of experience, that we say no to everything because we feel that if we do, we can have much more happiness in the future.
I really believe that it is gloriously true that the child of God can have very, very real joy along the way home. And it's rather a pity that the unbeliever doesn't see this. I'm afraid it's to our shame that it is so. It's rather a rebuke to me every time someone says no, I I want to have a good time when they refuse the gospel. In other words, you folks are not having much joy and happiness.
And I want all I can get out of life, if only our testimony gave a little more evidence to the real joy that is proper to the Christian. I don't mean that we should be insensitive to the difficulties around us, but I believe there can be a very, very real present joy. I think we find in 2nd Corinthians 6 and seven and eight that joy associated with those very things that would naturally bring distress.
In the one chapter he says there's sorrowful yet always rejoicing. In the next chapter he says I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. And in the next chapter he says how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded under the riches of their liberality. Well, there we have sorrow, affliction, tribulation.
Deep poverty, the very circumstances that would make the unbeliever pretty miserable. And we find the believer experiencing joy, exceeding joy and abundance of joy. So we not only have a joy that yet lies ahead, but I'm sure the believer has or is entitled to a real joy as we go on our way homeward.
There's a river called River Be sore. I believe it means glad tidings.
It's the river where they found that bunch of grapes.
Of that good land of the spies brought back.
It's the very river that.
Abraham.
Traveled all the way up to Hebrew and the plains of Mammary.
Claims of fatness and communion. And that's where Abraham lived.
But it was an experience as he went up that river and he passes these marvelous places where these wonderful grape screw and all that which speaks of the joy of the believer on his way home. And we find that Isaac pursued the same river.
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It had its snares, it turned off to the Philistines land and they had to make their choices which way they would go.
There was only one course that would lead them to the planes of mammary, place of vastness, and that way.
Carries the joys with it and it's lovely to think that when.
Isaac died.
His sons, Jacob and Esau went to find him and they found him at the head of that river up in Hebron, the plains of Mammary. Well, I believe it's, it's a lovely picture to us of this very thing that we have here.
Their brother says it isn't that we're hoping someday to have joy. The spirit of God is telling us this morning how we can have that joy now as we go on our way home. It's a practical, everyday experience, but it's the path of faith, obedience to the word of God. And it's the word that's set before us here in this chapter. Is that the same Brooklyn River mentioned in the 30th chapter? First Samuel?
When David crossed the brook beast or and found the Egyptian in the field and brought wonderful blessing to him, that's exactly the same place. And he fed him a cluster of brazen pigs and raisins. And then he was revived and he made a meat friend. That's chemistry and the spirit brother and it's.
It's the fruit that has been seasoned in the sunshine of God's love, ministry and the Spirit.
Well, it's the joy of the Lord, brother, that is our strength, not.
Joy at all? Is it joy of the Lord how we can enjoy?
That which is especially ours, Well, communion comes in there again, doesn't it, Communion.
Yeah, I may have told this before about the joy of the Lord is your strength finding the 8th chapter of Nehemiah the.
Our brother Power is visiting us from time. He was sitting in quiet meditation. Lord good morning and he suddenly asked me the question what is the joy of the Lord?
Well, I tried to explain that. I thought it was a joy we had in our hearts, Floyd says. That isn't it at all.
And then he asked me a question, another question, he said.
How long were the children of Israel away from the divine center? I said for 70 years. Yes, that's right. And then he asked me another question. He says. How long was the Church of God?
Away from the divine center, I had no answer.
He said about 1800 years.
Now he says the joy of the Lord and Nehemiah's day was seeing a remnant come back to the divine center where the temple was built. And that was the Lord's joy in seeing his own back in that place again.
There to enjoy his presence as worshippers, but now?
In these days in which we live through wondrous grace, I believe it is possibly true that the divine center, which was lost shortly after the apostles were off at the scene, have been restored to the Church. That is what the Lord means when he says Where two or three are gathered together under my name, there am I in the in the midst of them, that is, Christendom had given up the divine center and.
Made all kinds of organizations for themselves, but now the Spirit of God is bringing back the remnants in these closing days to that divine center and the that which he speaks of there the joy of the Lord.
And that is our strength, not to be occupied with how much blessing we get when we're together to remember the Lord. And we can go ahead and say, well, that was a nice, happy meeting.
But when we think of the fact that by being there.
Where the Lord says there am I, that we have actually been privileged to give joy to the blessed heart of our Lord. Now when we get that clearly before us, that will give us strength to go on even through many difficulties and efforts of the enemy to turn us away. But if we just keep before us, there is a one very special opportunity of giving joy to the heart of Christ.
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Do we find the same thought brother, expressed in that verse by meditation of whom shall be sweet? While it's often being thought that is sweet to us, but I believe it's sweet to him by meditation of him shall be sweet, sweet to him. And I'm sure it is. It's sweet to us too, but it's sweet to him.
That's Zachariah 3 and 17 that's expressed what you were making, Brother Barry.
Levin, I3 and 17793 and 17.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy or they will singing.
Surely is very much in keeping brother through Saint Louis that verse in Myanmar.
Course, it looks on to Israel's day of restoration.
The Lord Jesus was spoken of as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and there's only one occasion in his life in which it's particularly recorded about his rejoicing. And that was when he was rejected by the nation. And it says at that time, I believe it's the 10th of Luke. At that hour Jesus rejoined in spirit, and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent.
And has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father foresaw it seemed good in thy sight as the Lord Jesus went through this world and saw the awful results of sin. He felt it felt it much more keenly and fully than we do, because sin was far more horrible to him than it is to us. And so he was the man of sorrows about the joy that he found was the joy of doing his Father's will.
And I particularly enjoyed that instance, because the nation, so to speak, had rejected him. But he rejoiced in that perfect submission of saying Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. And I believe that that's where there is that true joy, that true triumph over circumstances in our own lives. As believers, we think of some time when things went adversely to what we had.
Wanted them to go.
And we think, could we rejoice at such a time when there is perfect submission to the Lords will, there can be joy in accepting the thing as from him. And the Lord does. And the 49th of Isaiah, I believe, speaks prophetically of that time. And so he said, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God. And then the answer of Jehovah was.
All the blessing was going to be enlarged.
I have set thee for a light to the to the Gentiles. The thalamides be my salvation to the ends of the earth. Now that is, any adverse circumstance in our lives is not a hindrance to blessing, nor is it a hindrance to joy if received from the Lord.
Because there will be more fruit to his glory and praise by taking something adverse as from him. And I'm just going along with things when they're a little more easy to fare well. This ought to be an encouragement to us, the times of.
Greatest joy in our lives can be in a time of disappointment and sorrow, when we see the Lords hand, when we feel His presence near, and when we're drawn closer to him through the trial.
I've wondered if we see that in the occasion of the Lord appearing in the midst of his own after his resurrection, they were very, very much disappointed and distressed, And the scripture says, came Jesus and stood in the midst, then were the disciples glad when they saw?
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Jesus. That's the way we would expect it to read, came Jesus and stood in the midst. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord? Well, I think, as you say, that in times that would naturally be distressing or discouraging. If we see the Lord, it will bring real joy.
Believe that's when some of these most beautiful hymns were written.
That we have in our book the crimes of real trial for those who wrote them and returned them to the Lord in a very special way.
So that they were led to write deeply.
We don't see much of that today.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name. Those that thou gavest me I kept. None of them is lost, but the son of physicians, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
We know the son of perdition was Judas Iscariot and immediately it says that the scripture might be fulfilled.
How the Lord?
How old, Divine?
Always respected and gave the scriptures their place. Now it must have been a great trial to the Lord to have chosen Judas when he knew what he was.
Says, Have not I chosen you? 12 But one of you is a devil. My father thought the reason the Lord spent the whole night in prayer before he chose his 12 apostles was because it was such a grief to him. To think of choosing Judas to be one of those 12 That was to be associated with him, I can't say that that's correct or not, but we do see how the Lord.
Fought the concern there was.
And about that matter of his 12 apostles.
I thought of the Lord choosing Judas as having a very special lesson for us though. But often when one gets into bad company, the bad company is blamed by. Here we find with Judas that he was chosen and accompanied with the Lord for 3 1/2 years and saw nothing but perfection in everything that the Lord did, in everything that the Lord said and His attitude toward every situation.
Witnessed all those works of divine power and even had part in them, for he was sent forth like the rest with power to heal.
And it shows that all these external testimonies and influence and even the use of power.
From the Lord did not change his heart. I don't think there's anything that brings out the utter ruin of the heart of man like that. And the case of Judith seems to me to show that if there hadn't been such a one, we would think, well, if people were in the company of the Lord, they couldn't help but be one. But it showed with Judas that it wasn't so except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
And after all this, Judas turned around and betrayed the Lord. And as you have remarked, it wasn't that he was saved and lost again, as some people have thought. The Lord said, in choosing him, have not I chosen you? 12 And one of you not will be a devil, but is a devil.
And when he finally was came to the end of his life history, it says that he might go to his own place. Judas was never a believer, but he was one who was chosen to show that there was no fruit from the first man. Even in the best of company, if a Sinner got into heaven and enjoyed all the blessedness of heaven, it wouldn't change his nature one bit. He'd be just like those at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ. When Satan is loose, they follow him again.
There's nothing that changes the natural heart of man. He must have a new life.
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Don't you think perhaps the Lord chose Judas for this reason too, That we've often?
Known, or perhaps even hurt men that were very gifted. That completes the gospel as real power.
And souls were even converted to their preaching. And yet they turned out to be.
Just a prostate. There is no evidence in the end that they were ever saved at all. Well, we're not to be swept off of our feet when we find gifted men that have been used and who have ministered very acceptably. You know, there was at the beginning of the work Mr. Darby's day. They were Frances Newman and they read that he ministered most acceptably in the assembly.
Then he wrote the phases of faith and pro to be an absolute apostate, sought to overthrow the Bible in the minds of many, thought to be one of the leading infidels of his day.
So it shows that because one can minister well and and say helpful things.
Doesn't prove that he is really, truly a child of God, because one can get all this in their head. One who has a good memory can listen to others and get hold of it and then give it out in a forceful way without being exercised, without the conscience being reached.
Do we have a verse in Jeremiah 9 in collection that thought brother?
Very solemn verse.
Jeremiah 9 and verse 4.
Taking heed everyone of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother.
Every brother will athletes a plant and every neighbor will walk with slanders and they will deceive everyone his neighbour. I will not speak the truth.
Very solemn statement, isn't it?
I remember our brother Brown making a statement about Judas. That really surprised me, but it seemed to be quite a warning, he said. There had to be a Judas, but Judas didn't have to be Judas.
That I know, sounds rather strange, but he went on to say Judas made himself a candidate for that terrible position by being falsely a disciple of the Lord Jesus. For the 12 were chosen from among the Lords disciples, and he spoke of it as an exceedingly solemn thing to be a false disciple of the Lord Jesus. I thought it was a very faithful word of warning.
What is that number #9?
#9