Lawrenceville Conference: 2000
Table of Contents
True Greatness
Address—D. Bilisoly
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Please turn to Luke's Gospel, Luke chapter 14.
In verse 11.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. After 18, verse 14.
I tell you.
This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.
For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Chapter 22. Verse 24.
And there was also a strife among them. Which of them should be accounted the greatest?
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercised lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
But ye shall not be sold.
But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger.
And he that is chief as he that does serve.
For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat?
But I am among you as he that serveth.
Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me, that she may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. That's rather a difficult beginning, is it not, brethren? You know, beloved brethren.
I had on my heart, perhaps to speak a little bit.
About.
True greatness. God's principle of true greatness.
Now, I believe that this line of thought runs strong in Scripture.
But we get into the New Testament, especially considering that Blessed One who came all the way down into this scene, humbling himself becoming a man.
And he spoke very plainly about this principle.
You know, when I even think of a subject like this, it makes me inwardly tremble.
I really have nothing profound to bring before you this afternoon, but brother and I think we need to think about these things. Our hearts are so deceitful and subtle.
You know the the apostles were unfeigned, shall I say, in the way that they discussed these things.
Who should be accounted the greatest verse 24 of.
Of Luke 22.
And the Lord is so extremely patient with his disciples.
Oh, how patient and gracious he is.
He had been talking, he had been just speaking about his, his forsaking his, um.
Crucifixion and all of these things and it didn't register with them. And sometimes I have to ask myself, am I really getting insensible?
To what is due to him as I think of what he has gone through for me. Oh beloved brethren, I feel totally insufficient to even talk about these things. But I didn't know what else to talk about this afternoon. Is there a message for it, for our hearts and all of this?
The way the Lord dealt with His disciples is marvelous.
But do we find sometimes that we are irritated at others because.
Of what we consider to be perhaps forwardness or whatever the case may be.
Just consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the meekness and gentleness of Christ Himself.
00:05:02
And here the disciples make these discussions and the Lord gently.
Brings all of these things before them, he says in verse 26. But she shall not be so. For he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is cheap as he that doth serve, I have sometimes enjoyed.
Connecting this scripture with.
Second, Samuel 23, you know where those chief men rallied around David, and there were three of them, as you remember, that fell out unto David and came to The Cave of Adelaide, and they were chief men, and they want to listen to what David had to say, and that they heard David.
Expressing the longings of his heart.
Oh, that one would get me water from the well of Bethlehem and so forth.
Well, you know, I've thought of it in this way that.
David's desire was a command to their hearts. And we see that those three men broke through the ranks of the Philistine, went off to Bethlehem, got that water, and brought it back to David. And what did David do with it? David was so touched by the sacrifice that they were willing to make.
In order to fulfill his request, he pours it out. He can't drink that water.
It was as though it was the blood of those men that went in jeopardy of their lives.
Always see marvelous quality with David in that respect.
But here the Lord after they talk about who should be the greatest. And by the way.
This wasn't the first time.
I believe as soon as they received that power and were able to perform miracles and to heal and cast out demons, we see when they came back they were jubilant over that ability.
And.
They discussed at that time who should be greatest, but here the Lord is gentle with them in regard to those things and.
He says for Withers greater. Verse 27 He that sitteth at me or he that serveth, is not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as he that serveth. Then he gives them credit for continuing with Him in His temptations, and He also assures them that each one of them, shall I say, will be great.
That is, they would sit on 12 Thrones judging.
The 12 tribes of Israel.
Well, beloved brethren, how it should touch our hearts when we think of with whom we have to do back up over here to the Old Testament.
And.
Notice that 113 Psalm.
You know, by the time we get into the 5th book of Psalms, we're getting into the millennial picture.
And in this 113th Psalm.
Beautiful Psalm.
We'll read a few of some of the words of this Psalm 113.
Praise ye the Lord, praise ye.
Servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God.
Who dwelleth on high?
Who humbleth himself?
To behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.
He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifted the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with Princess, even with the Princess of his people.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord. Lots of praises when it comes into a millennial picture, but that sixth verse drew my attention.
00:10:08
It says who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth. Well, you know, he really proved, he really proved his interest in man, as we've already quoted. You know, his delights were with the sons of men.
He was rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, even from a past eternity.
Because our blessing is indeed, and we're blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places before the foundation of this earth.
So that was all part of God's counsels, no doubt. And we well know that the Lord Jesus indeed was wisdom personified.
And what a statement of Scripture who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.
The Lord really did humble himself, did he not? For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.
That she, through his poverty, might be rich. Oh brother, and I don't know that we can take in these things as we should. I say that for my own heart. How much do I take in the thought of what our blessed Lord has done? That He would leave those?
That court above and come down into this world and take upon himself humanity. And the marvelous thing of it is that the Lord Jesus, you know, went through this scene as a man and he grew up. You know, it speaks, it expresses that thought that he grew up.
And here he was, right up until the time of his formal ministry.
And he went through this scene doing good. So that man was so responsible.
And finally it led to the cross and I've thought of it in this way that.
That he went to the cross as a man, he went into the grave as a man, but he rose from among the dead as a man, and he is now seated at the right hand of God as a man. So there's one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
From Hebrews chapter 2, I get the thought that we will be eternally thrilled and occupied with the fact that our Creator became a man. What a marvelous thing to consider. And you know where scripture speaks of seeing Him face to face? We have that couple of times.
How could it be possible except for the fact?
That he came into this world with a body prepared, that is.
That he remains a man for all eternity and when he appeared to the disciples, you know, they were troubled. They thought they'd seen a ghost. And so he says handle me and see, he says, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as I have. And they handled him. We're really going to see the Lord and.
Will be able to.
Handle him and see he is true, honest, marvelous to think of this, but in contrast to what we have here, back up to Philippians chapter 2. We know this very well.
But I feel for my own heart, beloved brethren, that we perhaps need to.
Allow the Word of God simply to speak to our hearts. You know, I might say this, that the problem as far as we know in Philippi was a very minor problem.
I suppose compared to some of the problems we experienced today, we might we might not think much of it, but the apostle thought a good deal about it.
Because we see that there were.
Two persons that were at odds.
Were they the kind of people that were trouble making? I don't think so.
00:15:02
I don't think so. They were those that had helped the Apostle Paul in his laborers. They ministered unto him in a certain way, I suppose.
We don't know what the problem was, but I do believe we get this thought.
That there was a jealousy that rose up.
In connection with the work.
As simple as that. All these things have a way of festering until they become a major issue among the Saints.
Should we not be ignorant of Satan's devices? He'll try to get the brethren at odds and at variance with one another in any way that he can. That's one of the works of the flesh that was mentioned in Galatians 5 variants.
Being different and veering off in a wrong way and raising a needless issue perhaps?
And so it was a great concern to the apostle, how this thing.
Could ultimately affect the assembly. Maybe that's why we lack so much vitality among us. Maybe that's why we're being troubled with many other things. You know, when the Saints are at variance like that, it they have not the power to deal with things.
There's a great hindrance and respect when serious and vital issues arise. They're not pulling together. We're not pulling together. I say this.
As a matter of personal heart and exercise, it's the way that the apostle leads into this matter that seems to indicate.
That it is the problem of chapter 4 and verse 2.
You know what I'm talking about.
But here in chapter 2 of Philippians, he says, If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any vowels and mercies fulfill ye, my joy, let ye be like minded, having the same love being of 1 Chord.
Of one mind.
Oh, we're constantly exhorted that way in Scripture. But you know, it does take some effort, does it not? With each one of us, we're not exempt, each one of us personally to be exercised over this matter of oneness of mine. Like one writer says, it is not similarity of sentiment, but the oneness of the members.
You know, we may have different likes and dislikes about things, but.
There ought to be a great exercise in our hearts to pull together in connection.
With the assembly and above all, the Lord's glory.
Fulfill ye my joy, he says in verse 2. You know the apostle labored so much.
With these Saints of different places, and he keenly felt it when he saw.
The enemy at work in any way. So he says in verse three, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory.
But in lowliness, a mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Find an exhortation, eh? What does that mean? Well, I believe it means that if we really consider, we'll see that they lack or that we lack qualities that they possess. Is it possible?
Something to think about, is it not?
You know another thing too to consider, and that is, He's placed the members in the body as it hath pleased him, not us.
And so we need grace, do we not, beloved brethren, to function in the body of Christ as we ought to and to go on with the Lord and seek to serve Him faithfully. I think we're going to be surprised anyway when we get to glory, to see and to have the Lord's thoughts about all of these things, things that we may have put a great deal of importance upon. We may be rather.
Surprised. It's always impressed me to see how under the mighty works of Peter and then later those works of Paul, we see in the midst of this, we see a sister that is making garments for people that are poor, that are needy, right in the midst of all these majestic works of the Spirit of God.
00:20:11
And I it seems to me that God is saying I know the values.
You know, over in Haggai, too, it says the silver is mine and the gold is mine. I've often wondered about that remark, but I think the point of it is that God knows what the values are. We don't have to tell him anything about values. And so he recognized the need of that sister, and so she died.
And it's grievous, you know, to lose our dear brethren that we love, and especially someone that has been so, so helpful. You can't help but really feel it when someone that has been so useful and helpful departs the scene. You realize that no one can ever quite replace them. Did you hear me? No one can ever quite replace them. But we should be.
Exercised to go on.
And to follow the example, we're exhorted in Scripture to follow their example.
And so there she was. She passed on, you know, ill health and old age caught up with her and she expired. But God sent Peter, and he was used to raise her up and present her back to those widows. Then he went on with other work that was before him.
Oh, brethren, there's something.
That I need to search my heart in this matter.
Verse 5.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Who being in the form of God.
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God. That's an interesting expression. I've never been totally satisfied about that expression.
That is, that he subsisted in the form of God.
He was indeed God. He never ceased to be God. He was God manifest in the flesh as a man here in this world.
Just as we had in the little hymn, the union of both joined in one forms, the fountain of love in our hearts, because here our God actually came down and became a man.
But made himself of no reputation.
It seemed like the Apostle Paul.
In regard to this little matter of variance and jealousy.
Sets before them the supreme example. What can we say about this?
Who made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.
And was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
Of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
I understand that if you considered carefully, perhaps you could determine maybe from J&B's translation 7 steps downward and seven steps upward.
But here's the pattern. Here's the divine pattern of true greatness.
The humility and then the exultation.
You know, and Peter is very strong in that language. Peter knew what it was to become a based and God made do that with us at times, necessarily so.
He that exalteth himself shall be abased, but it says he that humbleth himself.
Shall be exalted. Here it is. The Lord willingly, voluntarily took that place of humility, and God has given him that exalted place that certainly thrills our heart. Does it not, beloved brethren, to consider that one who loved us and gave himself force to consider him as exalted at the right hand of God?
00:25:16
God has given him the highest place in heaven, the place of exultation.
If I ask you what Old Testament Scripture was referred to or quoted more than any other, what scripture would that be? Well, I think I'm correct in saying that it would be Psalm 110 in some way or another. Psalm 110 is referred to or quoted.
In the New Testament, perhaps more than any other Scripture, the Lord said unto my Lord, and you know that boggled the minds of the Pharisees, and all they couldn't put that one together. How could he be David's son and David's Lord too?
You see, it stopped their mouths, but the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. I think in the New Testament, I'm not sure, but I believe maybe at least 12 to 14 times, maybe more, we have that presented to us. That is the Lord Jesus on the right hand.
Of God. Lovely to see that he's in that most exalted position now.
And we're glad for it to be so, and we'll even be more so glad for his exultation in that day. Well, now there the apostle sets before them, you might say, the supreme example in the Lord. But we do have examples in Paul, in Timothy, and in Epaphroditus right here.
In chapter 2, I'm glad that they were included because we do have.
Lovely examples like that which are a great encouragement to our heart and many things in sports and in.
All areas turn back to Isaiah. We had Isaiah before us this morning.
And I think that we need to look a little closer at Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 2, for example, Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 10. Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust, for the fear of the Lord and for the glory of His Majesty.
You know, if we didn't go any further than that statement.
That's a wonderful thought, isn't it, To enter into the rock.
We think of our blessed Lord Jesus as really the only place of security. You know the Cones are a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rock. They know where the place of safety is.
We need to hide in the rock. You know what a place of security for us. That's different, I believe, than verse 19 where it says they shall go into the holes in the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of His Majesty when he arises to shake terribly the earth. Oh, there's no security in this world apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Everything that we look at the building we're in now has to melt.
Reserved unto fire. How awful to think of trusting in anything but the Lord. Look at verse 11. The language is very strong. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, for the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon.
Everyone that is proud and lofty and upon everyone that is lifted up.
And he shall be brought low upon all Cedars of Lebanon. That's usually a figure of man in his stature here in this world.
Recognized as ability and.
And all the oaks of Beijing, perhaps that would suggest to us.
Man in his boasted strength and resourcefulness.
And upon all high mountains, verse 14, that would speak of the highest powers. What a shaking up this world is in for. And we see these things described to us in the Book of Revelation, for example.
And you know, Mr. Wilson in Denver was very strong on prophecy and.
00:30:06
I hate to tell you what his thoughts were in connection with the great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea.
But I really believe the Western world is in for a great shake up. And of course the whole theater, theater of operation so to speak, is over in the Middle East and the Spirit of God prophetically focuses on that area.
What a solemn thing is in store for the powers that be and for the Western world especially, that has had the light of the gospel all these years, and what are they doing with it now? There's a very definite attitude of rejection.
But these are very solemn words to consider. And upon the all the hills that are lifted up, maybe those are subordinate powers. And upon every high tower, Verse 15 A place of security, And upon every fenced wall, perhaps military fortification. And upon all the ships of Tarshish we got commerce there.
And upon all pleasant pictures. I'm not sure exactly what that might suggest to us, but.
You know, there is a lot of thought given to ecology, environment.
And some make a big, big point of that, but.
God will fold it up as a vesture and they'll all be consumed in that day.
Very solemn to think about it and everything that man would venerate. And it mentions silver and gold. Verse 20 mentions the silver first, which perhaps tells us that it's they're losing value and it will become that way. You know, people do everything they can for security now.
They'll invest in gold and things of that sort and because they don't trust currency.
And what a solemn thing to consider, that the time will come when it will do absolutely no good. They'll cast their gold, their silver, to the bats and to the mold. In other words, it's no, it will no longer be any security for them when he shakes terribly the earth, verse 21, to go into the clefts of the rock, into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty.
When he arises to shake terribly, the earth cease from man.
Whose breath is in his nostrils? For wherein is he to be accounted of? Over in chapter 57 of Isaiah, verse 15. For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy.
I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also.
That is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones well.
There has to be humility or we never could have come into blessing to begin with. God indeed will abase pride. We have to recognize our need and to take that place of humility. Now let's go over to the book of Jeremiah.
And let's consider chapter 45 this.
This man in the Old Testament by the name of Baruch is very interesting personality. He was a a person raised up. He just seems to come into the picture.
He was raised up of God number doubt.
To be of help and assistance to Jeremiah, and Jeremiah himself was a most remarkable prophet. When you read the account of his experiences, your heart goes out for him, you say. Why? Well, because he began in the days of Josiah when things were nice outwardly. He had the the opportunity, you might say.
To enjoy the.
State of the Kingdom under Josiah, which was excellent.
Outwardly, but as soon as Josiah went off the scene, things deteriorated very fast and we see that Jeremiah goes from one problem situation to another, receives hard treatment himself. But anyway, God sends him Baruch. At least he had a kindred spirit there, but.
00:35:21
I believe chapter 45 may occur before.
The other accounts of Baroque. Let's read a little of it and I think you'll see what I'm driving at.
What we're talking about this afternoon is God's principle of true greatness.
Let's read chapter 45, it's not very long.
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Narayana, when he had written these words in the book at the mouth of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel unto thee, O Baruch.
Thou did say, Woe is me now, for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith Thus, behold, that which I have built I will break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land.
And seekest thou great things for thyself?
Seek them not, for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord. But thy life will I give unto thee, for a prey in all places. Whither thou goest now I'll just suggest this.
That this is quite an admonition for Baruch. Seekest thou great things for thyself? A loving brethren, let me ask you a question.
Are you and I, are we, seeking great things for ourselves in a scene that is ruined by sin, ready and ripe for judgment?
Are we seeking great things for ourselves? I don't think.
I don't think that Baruch was looking for advantages in this scene. I don't think so. Maybe, perhaps he desired to have a better place as a recognized prophet. I don't know. But I will say this, I do believe that he received this admonition.
Now that's so important for my heart and for your heart.
Do we receive admonition? OK. Or do we get irritated when we're given an admonition? And it might be a very personal thing. Scripture says despise, not prophesying. And a good deal of prophesying may be in the form of admonitions, but do we despise it? And if someone approaches us personally and admonishes us, how do we receive it?
Sometimes it's very hard.
But it's a good thing. I had a brother say to me one time, Don, you've got a lot to learn about the grace of God. That was one of the hardest things I ever heard. But it was true, and I'm sure it's still true. But how do we receive admonition?
I'm confident to say I believe that Baruch received this admonition well, he took it to heart. And I believe that God used him. He he did use him. Oh, dear young people, you know they're.
There are so many opportunities out in the world.
Here in the US especially, there are many opportunities. The economy is on the upswing and oh, there's so many dangers.
How we need to be exercised and to consider what is our whole bent and Modi in life. Certainly we have responsibilities in all in the Lord well understands that. But is it that we first and foremost want to please him? That's a good searching question for our hearts is is that #1 even the assembly ought to be.
Considered in all that we do, it shouldn't be left as an option, but our lives should be centered around it. Like Moses said to the children of Israel, he said for this is your life there in Deuteronomy 32 is it is the assembly our lives, O beloved brother and I, I feel we need exercise about that. It's disheartening sometimes to see how few.
00:40:06
Come out, for instance, tonight meetings.
Well, just a little word for the conscience, but anyway, Baruch, I really believe that he was faithful. I mean, that is that he responded to this admonition and God used him. He, he may have been a young person, I don't know, but God did use him and he'll be honored and rewarded in the glory.
And the Lord's approval is what really counts. I've enjoyed that thought in connection with the pounds.
And with the talents, you know, where it was a case of greater faithfulness with the pounds because everyone received 1A minor, just a small responsibility. But if there was greater faithfulness in its use, then we see that there was a greater reward. However, with the talents, they weren't all given the same. And so if there was faithfulness, they.
Both received the same commendation. The Lord values faithfulness.
But anyway, backing up to chapter 32 of Jeremiah.
Let's see what happens here.
I think that.
Baruch had a very.
A very privileged opportunity to serve the Lord. We'll read a little bit of this to get the connection here in chapter 32 and verse.
Six And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Behold, Hannah meal, the son of Shalom, thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, By thee My field that is in antithe for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
So Hannah Meal, my uncle's son, came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me by my field, I pray thee, that is in antithe, which is in the country of Benjamin. For the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine by it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord, and I bought the field of Hannah Meal, my uncle's son that was in antith, and weighed him the money, even 17 shekels of silver.
And I subscribed the evidence and sealed it, and took the witnesses and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open. And I gave the evidence of the purchase under Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Manasia, in the sight of Hannah Meal, my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that.
Subscribed.
The book of the purchases before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison, and I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is is sealed, and this evidence which is open and put them.
In an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel. Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. Now when I had delivered the evidences of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Naraya, I prayed unto the Lord, saying, Oh Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and stretched out thine arm, and there is nothing.
Too hard for thee?
Oh, that's a nice statement of scripture here. He was instructed to buy this field and to carry and to put the the evidences of it in an earthen vessel for many days.
And Jeremiah says, oh Lord God, there's nothing too hard for thee. They were going into captivity. The whole land was was going into captivity. And what was this all about? Well, it was for many days and, you know.
There was a time to make and to open up and to unseal and to make known these evidences of this purchase. What does that remind us of? What does that remind us of? The Lord Jesus is the only one that has right and title to this earth, and He's the one that will unseal, unloose the seals and open up the book, the evidence.
00:45:03
Of what must be done, and of all that is his by right.
And I believe we have a little suggestion of that here in what is before Baruch. But Baruch had the privilege to carry out this responsibility. He had other responsibilities too, that were not so pleasant, you know, when he brought the word of God to the king and the king didn't want it, or I should say the Princess brought it to the king through him.
And the king didn't want it to remember. And he takes a pen knife and he cuts it up.
And tosses it into the fire.
Any way to get rid of the word of God by such a means? Absolutely not. And we see that that Baruch went back and and the Spirit of God through Jeremiah gave the same words again, and even more so words.
Well, dear brethren, God's purposes are not going to be frustrated. Jeremiah says. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? That really was a question upon his heart, but he confirms it over here by saying.
Verse 26.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.
Is there anything too hard for me? We know that there isn't. I'm sure that the Saints of God have gotten much comfort from passages like that. God will carry out all His purposes. The Lord Jesus indeed will open and execute the title deed to this earth and lay claim and establish His Kingdom in that coming day. Well, those should be thrilling thoughts for us because we will be associated with Him in that day. What a privilege we have now.
But talking about true greatness once again, before we close, you know, let's face it now, could there have been a greater, as far as men are concerned than the Apostle Paul when you consider what was entrusted to him, when you consider all of his laborers?
And yet we see in that dear man of God, we see increased humility. Astounding, isn't it? In closing, just notice a few instances of that thought.
Over in One Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians chapter 15, verse 7, verse 8.
Talking about the resurrection and the sight of the Lord. And last of all, he was seen of me as one born out of due season, for I am the least of the apostles. The truth of the matter is, was He not the first?
I am the least of the apostles that I am not meet to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God. You don't see pride, you see just the opposite over in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8.
Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 8.
Unto me.
Who am less than the least of All Saints? Is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles unsearchable riches of Christ?
The less than the least of All Saints. What a statement. Amazing.
And notice too in Philippians where we were considering.
The remarks Paul makes in connection with his pedigree. You know this well enough. Over in Philippians 3, he says in verse 4, Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcised the 8th day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of Hebrews.
As touching the law of Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless.
But what things were gained to me? Those I counted loss for Christ, Yeah, doubtless. And I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Well, you know when he gets over into the subject of the revelations that he received there in 2nd Corinthians 12.
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There we see a great caution with the apostle to avoid drawing attention to himself. You say, why did he even talk about it?
It's because the Corinthians forced him into it with all their boasting and with the pride that existed among them, they forced him into bringing those things out. And hopefully it humbled them to consider what that dear man of God went through and how he was used of God. But it was a subject that he didn't want to bring out. So you see the humility.
And the greatness in that extent.
Galatians 5:1
Reading
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Galatians, chapter 5.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty were with Christ have made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of *******. Behold, I fall say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I justify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.
You are fallen from grace, for we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avail of anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by law. Ye did run well, Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?
This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
A little leaven, loving of the whole lung. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded. But he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I brethren, if I be, yet if I yet be circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then is the offense of the cross seas. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Poor brethren, you've been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another for all the laws fulfilled. In one word, even in this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Or if you buy it and devour one another, take heed that you do not consume to one of another. This I say, then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, For the flesh lusted against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.
And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. What if you led the Spirit? Ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest. Which are these? Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry.
Witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation.
Wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such life of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time half the day which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is love.
Joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness.
Faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.
Neither Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and loss. We live in the Spirit. Let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
My dad used to say to us, when God speaks, it's time to listen.
It is.
Speaking to us through this work.
This blessed person.
We're reading of in the verse one.
Christ has made us free.
But a place of liberty.
We have to be in as those who belong to Christ.
We're not in Christ, we're in our sins.
Under the terrible reality.
The judgment of God.
Is hanging over us.
Letting Christ.
Any man be in Christ is a new creature. He belongs to new creation.
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And because of resurrection.
Blessing lies ahead for us, for those of us in Christ.
Christ has made us free from the law, which we could not keep.
Which never could deliver us, but Christ has made us free person.
Glorious person who lives, who died in the cross of Calgary for us, but who lives in the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is freedom to a Sinner? You know, I was the Sinner, you were a Sinner, and then we're made free. What is freedom? It's the freedom to do His will. We never had that as a Sinner. We couldn't. Not one thing we did could be according to His will or pleasing to Him.
Now, by the grace of God, we have freedom to do that.
Not freedom to do our will, but for the first time when you're saved, you can please the Lord. That's the reason you were born. That's first. That's Revelation 411. You were born to give pleasure to the Lord. Wonderful, isn't it? There's purpose in our being here, but you can never achieve that purpose or give one ounce of pleasure to the Lord until you're made free by Christ.
Free from Satan's old and from sin can't do one thing. And I was just thinking if you turn to Romans 8, Romans 8 verse 2.
8/2.
For the law of the Spirit, capitalist of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death.
They're really not laws like the commandments. Isn't that thought? It's really a natural principle. It's something that can't change. It's something that's absolute. Like the law of Newton. When you throw it up, it'll come down. That's a law and and it can't be changed. God, of course, can change his natural laws, but this is the law of the Spirit. It's always the same.
If the Spirit has liberty.
He will occupy us with Christ. One way or another. It'll be occupied with Christ to the glory of Him. And if we're not in the Spirit, then it's going to be the law of sin. It can't be anything else. You're going to be controlled by the sin that's in you. Not you in the sin, but the sin that's in you if you're not controlled by the Spirit that's in you.
That's freedom.
That second verse of Romans 8, it's helpful to read the word law there as constant tendency or a fixed principle, a fixed principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that made me free from the fixed principle of sin and of death. It's not referring to the law of Moses there at all. It's referring to the the constant tendency, the principle.
Of the Spirit working, I was thinking that in Christianity we have two things that are essential for this liberty that we've been talking about. The one is a new nature which we have in Christ been born again, and the other is the Spirit of God is the power of that nature operating upon it to set us free from sin and death.
Romans 7 is a struggle between the the two natures that man has.
If he's been born of God and he fails. But in Galatians 5, the struggle is between the flesh and the spirit, and then there's victory because the Spirit is the power for holiness.
Tell us, Brother Chuck, what occasion the writing of the Epistle to the Galatians, just to set this whole chapter in perspective, what was the real problem there that the Apostle Paul was having to try and correct?
Here was the.
The Jews. The Judaizing.
Tendency in the early church to put the Gentiles under law.
And this, this epistle is written to, to show that we're not under law, we're under grace. Romans 2 also shows that. But this addresses that issue particularly, doesn't it? And the Gentiles were never under law, and the Jews were, and they always thought that they were superior to the Gentiles because they had the law. And.
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They certainly had.
A revelation from God, and so far as he had given it in the Old Testament, which was very superior to anything that the Gentiles had.
But the principle of law, it's not law that's bad. The law is holy and just and good. It's the principle of law that I have to keep it in order to have God's blessing, but I have to keep it to be in in good favor with God. On that principle we're all lost because we have a nature that will not keep it. But now He's given us a new nature and the Spirit as the power operating.
Nature to enable us to do what the law said.
Everyone of the the 9 commandments that the the one commandment which was ceremonial, which is keep the Sabbath day, but the other 9, they're all found embodied in the New Testament. But we're not under law as a principle, but we're under grace and the Spirit of God is the power operating on that new life so that what the law required is now produced by the Christian.
But not because he's under it. But he's under grace.
That's exactly what tells us that in order we might fulfill the righteous requirement of the Law, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The law could not produce life. The life Law had been given by which life could be received in Christ died in vain. But what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending His own white Son and the likeness of the flesh of sin.
In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in US, walking not after the principle of the flesh, but according to the Spirit of God. So what we had in our chapter, if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill flashes lust.
Well, Paul had a habit in writing epistles of always commending all he could before he got into the rebuking or the teaching or exhorting. And you take the Corinthians where so much was wrong. I couldn't begin to list it here. It was terrible, let's face it, but it was moral.
Moral.
You call it.
Well, not evil it was.
Doctrinal air, air and moral air. Now we've got doctrinal air.
Foundation Truth. And Paul didn't commend the Galatians at all. What he did say is I'm afraid of you. That's what he said to them. I'm afraid of you. And what did they do? They said we have to have more than Christ. We have to have something from ourselves.
Rather, Paul said, I know that in me, that is my flesh is no good thing. You can't add anything to our standing in Christ, nothing. And that's the problem here. And the basis of this epistle was that Paul was so taken back to what they were listening to from these false teachers. They were, they crept in among them just for that thing, Satan's emissaries.
And you know, that's what's going rampant today in this world, Prisoner. It's that very thing. They like to have the flesh fed. They like to feel they're doing something. And once they leave, you take Demas when he left. False.
Paul loving the present world, and I believe it was the religious world. I don't think Demas went into this evil world. We don't hear of demons again, ever. We'll see him in glory, but he lost his life for Christ and brethren, that's everything.
We have this life yet here and he lost it for Christ. Nothing could be said for demons once he left false doctrine.
Bill, you had a comment.
Well, only just to have this point, and perhaps I could make it, I trust with humility because I have encountered it so often, particularly in places where I have visited. But I know it's rampant in North America here too. And that is that it doesn't seem that the Galatians had any question as to the salvation purely on the grounds of grace.
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They had begun in the spirit. They had recognized clearly that they could do nothing.
In terms of their eternal salvation. But then the enemy took that occasion to introduce the principle of law as the rule of life for the Christian. And how easily I say we can all fall into that. How easily the devil introduces that and perhaps allows, well, all right, you had to be saved by grace. You had to come into the good and blessing of the work of Christ purely on that.
But now, in order to live the Christian life well, we need some rules and regulations, and we need more, as our brother Bauman has expressed, than Christ. We need more than the Spirit of God and the energy of that new life and.
So I would suggest that that is the particular error that's being dealt with here by the Apostle Paul. Is that correct?
Yes, it's it's the old error of having confidence in the flesh. And I was just reading last night and it's very important to get this distinction.
A lot of people practice self denial in the time of Lent. They'll deny themselves eating certain foods or drinking certain beverages or.
Doing certain things that they've been used to doing that are.
Not commendable. A lot of self denial, but that's not the same as denying self.
It might be helpful just to go back to the first chapter. I'm sorry Chuck, Denying self is a very vast difference from self denial. Self denial is a practice of what the Galatians were doing.
They were denying this and that in their life, but not denying self, which is a complete deliverance from self having no confidence in the flesh.
And that's that's true Christianity, isn't it? And.
The The common thought of man is to have confidence in something my mother used to say to me. Chucky, you mean there's no goodness?
I said no, that's not what I mean. That's what God means. That's what God says, that's what's the word of God. I'm giving to you that there's no good in US, and that's the hardest thing for man to get ahold of. That man is bad. That he's a Sinner. Yes, everyone will admit that he's a Sinner, but that he is incorrigibly evil and there's no good in him whatsoever. From the crown of the head of the sole of the foot, there's nothing but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores.
That he will not admit.
I said to my secretary once, if you can't come to the point where you say you are vile, as Joe did, you'll never get there. You'll never, you'll never get saved, She said. I'm not vile. I'll never admit that because man has such a high opinion of himself. He thinks there's something good in him. He admits he's got bad in him, but there's something good in him. And this is the only book that teaches us that truth, that there's nothing good in man.
I'm finished that's.
Important to see, very important to see because the law was a schoolmaster up until Christ and showed man that he committed sins. And most men will admit that they sinned, they've lied, they've taken the Lord's name in vain. But when the Lord Jesus Christ came, he showed that man was completely lost and helpless, that he was a Sinner. And that's why he says if he had not come, they had not had sin because it showed that not only had man contravened.
The law of God, but that he was a helpless Sinner, because here was the perfect perfection.
Of in man and they said away with this man, we will not have this man to reign over us. And so this law was a schoolmaster up until up until Christ had showed man, but it could only condemn and when man takes up the laws of moral code, it is it it does give man somewhat to glory because a brother Chuck can say, well, I've kept seven of the commandments and I can only say I've kept 6. And so he can glory.
For me he doesn't, but that's the principle of law, that man is better. But it's that wasn't what the law was given for. It was to show. It was to come to condemn. It could never deliver man and it could only show me that I had a nature that was in opposition to God. Because that's what Paul concerning the commandments, outwardly he was blameless, but there was one commandment that said thou shalt not covet, but that couldn't deliver Paul because he saw things that he wanted them, he covered it.
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And so the law condemned. And so the whole principle of law was something that could not deliver man, but Christ delivered us because this has been pointed out, were brought into new creation, a new life and a new power of life that desires to please God and that again. And if there's the desire to please God, then against such there's no commandment, there's no law.
Seems to me that the book of James answers this first verse pretty well if we read into James.
1.
Verse 25.
We're talking about liberty here.
What is?
James 125 whoso looketh into the perfect.
Law of Liberty, and continue at therein.
He being not a forgetful hearer, notice that.
But a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. That is that when we get saved, born again, we have a new nature, the very life and nature of Christ. And that's the only place where we're going to find this liberty. And that new nature does do what Christ wants. It doesn't. That's the only way we'll ever get liberty.
Any law that I put on myself is condemned. The flesh can't do it.
I thought the idea of the Promise Keepers was so ridiculous.
Because God tested man the first time with one law.
They couldn't keep one promise, he couldn't keep it, and it's still that way.
So there's a little danger of saying they trusted in Christ, but then they want to do something and so they're saved there. Paul says they're not. There's a real problem here. Look at verse 2. Behold, I Paul, say unto you that if you be circumcised, if you put yourself back in place under the law.
Doing good Christ prophecy do nothing, nothing, nothing. Listen, there's a lot of professing Christians out there, and we have to take them on that ground. But by their fruit, you know, And if they're not walking in Christ and realizing they can't do anything themselves, there's a question mark, you know, when they set aside Christ.
They set aside salvation.
When they added to Christ, they say he wasn't enough. Let's don't sugarcoat it with saying they stopped saying what? They're doing something now under the law. I know many are deceived that way. That's true. But there's the warning Paul makes, like he said to the Corinthians, examine yourself if you're even in the faith. I mean, there's a real problem, brethren, and let's watch it ourselves if we.
To move about in the flesh, glory in the flesh, we have to wonder, you know.
The next chapter here puts it very strongly Galatians 6 and simply to understand.
Verse 4.
Verse 3.
But if poor if a man think think himself to be something when he is nuts EDC with himself.
How clear that is, Christianity. We have a new nature and it's a nature that cannot sin. So there was there is no real need for any.
Legal system of laws to control it because it cannot sit. But at the moment we take up the law as a principle of life. We are recognizing the existence of something that needs to be controlled and that is the flesh. And immediately when we recognize that, we bring ourselves into *******. That's not Christian position.
Christian position is recognizing what God has done now and giving us a new life, and it does not recognize any longer what we are as men in the flesh. We are gone before God, we're dead, we're buried, and that's gone completely gone before the eye of God. What God recognizes is what's new, and I think it's important for young people to.
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Otherwise, when we speak about liberty that we're talking about the new nature. It's liberty for the new nature to express itself. Look at down the chapter to verse 13.
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. In other words, liberty is not to give occasion to the flesh. That's the way it's interpreted.
Many times remember in South America and brother Eric Smith was down there.
He talked about the question that was raised. Well, if you don't have to keep the law, then you can do just anything you like. And the answer was given, if you're a real believer, you wouldn't want to do just anything you like. You would want to do what pleases God, and that's real liberty. That's what we're talking about.
There's a new motive in Christianity as well, and that's brought out here, and that motive is love, because in the Old Testament they kept the law not generally out of the motive of love. That's not to say there weren't those whose hearts truly responded to Jehovah. That's true, David said on one occasion, I love the Lord. But it summed up perhaps in the verse that says who through fear of death.
Were their whole lifetime subject to *******? Why did a man not go out and pick up sticks on the Sabbath day?
Why did he carry out certain rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law? It was generally because of fear. There were stiff penalties if a man broke the law and didn't, did or didn't do certain things on certain days. But brethren, is that the motive in Christianity? No. The Lord Jesus said if a man loved me, he will keep my commandments. He said my commandments are not grievous because when the heart is engaged, it's not that there's a need for.
Restraint, but love. Love reaches out. It's just that you get it again in John 10 where you have in the Old Testament there was a fold because when you think of a fool, you think of restraint. You see sheep and a sheep fall and there's a restraint around them. There's a wall or a hedge, and that hedge keeps those sheep together in their proper order in place. But the Lord Jesus said there shall be 1 shepherd and notice.
Darby's translation in that verse not one fold. There shall be one flock, because now there's a person and our hearts go out to that person. And what constrains us to follow him? The love of Christ constraineth us, not because we're under certain creeds or laws or whatever, but because our hearts go out to that one. And when our hearts go out to a person, then it's not hard to please that person. I'd like to just say this too, not to go back, but I think it's.
To realize that the law in the Old Testament was never given as a passport to heaven. If man could keep the law, which of course he never did, but if he could have kept it. He was promised endless life on this earth, not as a ticket to get to heaven. And how misconstrued that has become people putting people under trying to put people under the law to get to heaven. And if you just allow me to go back to the first chapter for.
I think it kind of ties up what Bill said and what Chuck has said and others in connection with the context of the this writing.
Chapter 1 and verse 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another. Once you notice that expression because the Gospels good news. Isn't it good news to be able to tell lost sinners that while it's true they can't or don't have to keep the law, yet they can come by simple faith in the Lord Jesus owning their need?
Receive full and abundant burden, receive the gift of God, which is eternal life. They're indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That's the good news of the gospel. But Paul said you've gone back to something that isn't another gospel because it's not good news to tell people that now they're saved by the grace of God. They have to keep the law, shall I say it, to maintain their salvation. And that's really, I believe the thought here, brother, it's not.
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Not the law to get our salvation. They understood the grace of Christ that had reached out to them in their need, but it's it's the law to maintain their salvation. And the reason I bring that up is because our young people today as they go to school and operate in this world, they are bombarded with this kind of doctrine that yes, we're saved by the grace of God, but now we have to maintain some certain level of moral level in our lives to.
Our salvation Now, perhaps in our grandfather's day they preach the gospel of works to obtain salvation, but I don't think that's so much the case anymore because most people just don't care. My grandfather's generation, they had some concept about and concern about getting to heaven, albeit maybe a misconstrued idea about being how to get their work through the law or whatever. People don't care today. They're so indifferent they're just going on to a lost eternity without any thought.
So the enemy comes along and he says, well, you don't need the law to get your salvation, but you need it to keep it. Now both are wrong and there's no liberty in this where that's not that's not liberty to think that we have to be under some kind of.
Set of code of rules like that to maintain our salvation know by grace are you saved through faith and not not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. And not only that, it's grace wherein we stand.
Are we going to be preserved to the end? Yes. Everyone of us who know Christ as our Savior are going to be in glory. Why? Because we maintain some rule of life or moral standard in our lives. No, it's all going to be based on the work of Calgary. And so the redeemed gathered around the land, they sing only of the blood of Christ, and they're occupied with the Lamb freshly slain.
No, let's remember in verse four of our chapter, Christ has become of no effect under you.
This is really positive. Look at mark 713. Mark 713. I'm sorry. Yeah, that's it.
Verse 7 I'll be it. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines that commandment of men, For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, and now look at versa 13.
Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition.
Which you have delivered. You know it's much worse in God's sight for those preaching and teaching this out in Christendom because they're leading them astray and they're not bringing salvation to them. Even the ones that come in for the first time in some edifice out there, they don't get this. What we have foundation, truth. This is our standing brethren.
That can't change. They don't preach that they they really give this and they're more responsible.
They make it a lie, make the truth a lie and notice the verse seven. He did run well. That's right. They started with a good perfection. We hope it was real. Paul knew some were real, but they're being tempted to to let the flesh work. He did run well. Who did hinder you that he should not obey the truth?
And brethren, that's the the key, the truth.
All of them out there are preaching the Word of God, one translation or another man's thought of what God meant when he wrote it. Truth is the Spirit of God teaching the church what the word of God is according to God. And that's what we want. And they didn't obey the truth. And I'll tell you, they have itching ears. And there's many that let us pray like that. And Satan's a deceiver. Just about 10 years.
Ago, you know what happened, and I never heard such words as those that left. We've never been so free. We've never had such liberty.
Can you imagine Satan's trickery? What freedom did they have now? Flesh to do what they like? Brethren, this is serious. And let's remember, this is our standing Christ and the truth.
And that's it.
So grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. That's right down to the root of it.
00:35:08
Are we not guilty, though, brethren, of putting ourselves under law? Oftentimes we have this law. Don't do this, don't do that. And it's the law of brethren or the law of this group. And when those get out of that.
And say now we're free.
We're free from that ******* that we were in. Are we not doing what we're not doing because it would, it would go against the group I'm with. It's it's not according to their doctrine or because it would displease him. And are we following him? Are we following the Lord whether we're whether we're in this ecclesiastical group or this one?
If we're following the Lord in our life, that's going to settle every question.
It's not what group we're in and I think that's behind some of that that you were talking about.
A you know, we always like to point the finger at the other person. They're the one that's at fault. But what about me? How much legalism has been in me? And as I look back over my early days, a lot of zeal and a lot of legalism and I'm guilty of.
Of that very thing. And that drives people away, doesn't it? So we have to search our own hearts, consciences.
Is, is the principle of the assembly there where you are locally? Is it 1 where you kind of you kind of as you walk in, you kind of get shivered up because you're afraid you're going to do something wrong that doesn't meet with the approval of the group or are you there in in a happy liberty?
Where you're enjoying Christ and it's quite different and I know as I visit different places I can feel the atmosphere is different.
Here than it is over here and so we have to search our own conscience. I wanted to ask Jim. Jim, you said no ones ever kept the law. How do you know that?
Well, they would have lived endless endlessly on this earth, is the answer. They've all died.
Well, I don't want to get the impression, especially the young people, that if you let the flesh act, if the flesh acts in you, you're not saved. That isn't what we're getting at at all. What rules your life? What? What is your practice? What is customary with you?
That's your walk now. We all let the flesh act. Don't advocate ourselves about that. You know, I pride myself. I don't send Christmas cards, but I can't wait to get a hold of the leaven sheet in the morning. And never I I love to read the paper. That's just flesh. I may break myself someday, or the Lord will do it for me. But we all let flesh act. Let's face it. But that isn't what we're talking about.
What's the paramount thing in your life? That's it. And that isn't the paramount thing in my life.
It's Christ, and you know, we shouldn't allow flesh to act. I'm not saying that either. But don't let any of you who are saved think that you're not saved because you got their warfare, which we're going to read about. The flesh works against the Spirit, and the Spirit warth against the flesh. And many times I get to the dessert table and Satan wins. That's the flesh.
Yeah, I can't. I can't do it anymore.
I saw a doctor two days before getting here. He says you're fat. I'm under a raw rule now. I can't take that now. So Christ won there. But we have flesh in us. Let's don't deny it. But it doesn't mean you're not saved. We're not talking that way. Well, nature does have a place though, doesn't it? Scripture doesn't say that we're dead to nature.
We should reckon ourselves as dead unto sin.
But nature does have a place, but it needs to be guarded, or it can become an occasion for the flesh, right?
Let's go back to the third verse to take up what Brother Chuck was saying about legality. He said in the Philippians, beware of the concision. And perhaps that's a more precise term than legal because it describes really what is happening. And I think if we understand the truth of the third verse, we'll understand what the concision is with the law. It's all or nothing. It's not 99.9%, it's all or nothing. And if we take up with the principle of law, we destroy the.
00:40:07
Authority because that's what he's saying and if we put ourselves under law, we are debtor to the whole law. So he's standing in the gas Bay there they were to keep within their own gate for themselves and the stranger and then there was the ties for the Levites. He said don't tell my pastor that that's 30% not ten but but I'm just saying that to show if you get taken up with to illustrate the point if you get taken up with the law, you're.
Do the whole thing. And the reason that we see in these Christian lands that it's disintegrated into lasciviousness is because man has destroyed the authority of God's word by taking up with it as a principle. And so the fourth verse says Christ has become of no effect because as a lost Sinner the law condemned me because I wanted to steal. And the law said, thou shalt not steal. It said to me, thou shalt not covet. And I had a nature.
To covet. But Christ died for sinners and he gave us a new life that doesn't want to steal and doesn't want to speak about the things of God in a vain way that doesn't want other people's things. It wants to give. That's the nature we've received. So why would God give us Christ if this law was going to help us? So he gave us the nature. And so that's why it's saying Christ has become of no effect. Why would God give us the very life of Christ?
When Christ, who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory. A life that say, I do always those things that please my Father. Why would he give us a life like that? If we're to go back to a set of rules, we like rules because usually we pick the rules we can keep. You know, we usually pick the rules we can keep and we glory in those. And as our brother was saying, perhaps we mark out certain things, and if you do certain things like that, you're going to be kept in good standing with the brethren.
There's a danger of that, but we need to live to please Christ, and there needs to be that atmosphere in the assembly and the fear of God and the assembly that when we come there that it's the authority of God's Word and that there's a life to please Christ. And that's what we did. Why he gave, why Christ died is because there was no other remedy other than the death and resurrection of Christ for sinners, because we had a nature that was opposed to God here and unsuited for heaven.
According to Nature, I look at two things that we've been talking about here.
And our brother has mentioned one thing about that which sets us free, which is the truth.
Could we just go back? Because we all want to be free, we all want to be liberated. And I'd like to read from John's Gospel, chapter 8.
The Gospel of John, chapter 8.
And verse 32.
I have in my hand something.
It's the word of God.
And I'm told in verse 32 The.
John 8 And ye shall know the truth.
And the truth shall make you free.
Many years ago.
As in Toronto and a brother there that lived past the 100 bar.
And I quoted this first to him. He was in the nursing home. He shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. He came back with this verse, which is verse 36.
If the Son if, if, if the Son therefore shall make you free, he shall be free indeed. What comes between those two verses?
Reverse the end of verse 34.
I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin, So every one of us in this room.
We want to come under *******. We allow our own nature, we allow that which is to be dead to direct us, whether it's in lust or whatever. He that committed sin becomes a servant of sin.
It happens and it can happen in the child of God. I believe it'd be better, practices said.
00:45:04
I don't think commit is right because I commit sin and I'm not a servant of Satan. Is that right? I do believe it'd be better to get that thought across to the young people special practices, but what I'm speaking about is what delivers us from self.
You know, I like to live for self. I'm selfish, naturally. I have that nature.
But I can get deliverance from that.
By doing that which is right in the eyes of God.
And God is light.
And God, because he's like, he reveals what I am.
That God is love.
And love delivers me from selfishness.
So the truth delivers me from the darkness and the darkness and ideas of men.
And Christ makes me free. What a blessed thing to walk in communion with a person who never changes. He lives, He delivers.
We've experienced that.
Christ will set us free.
If we allow the flesh to act, brethren, the law will condemn the acting of our flesh. And I think we need to recognize that, just not that we are free to make a few mistakes here and there. And because we're not under law, but the moment I allow flesh to act, the law condemns that. And I think that is what we have in First Timothy chapter 1.
Is helpful to see it there is a lawful use of the law.
We know that the law is good if a man used it lawfully.
How is it to be used lawfully, Not for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murders of mothers, for manslaughters, for ************ for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men Steelers, for liars, for perjured persons.
There be anything, any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God just committed to my trust. So there is a lawful use, and I think it acts on flesh and it flesh is allowed to act. What is going to bring that simple act to an end?
It's the law that condemns it. And what does it condemn it to?
Death and when death comes in it ceases to act and that's where we start in Christianity and recognizing that we're completely guilty and we come to God now on a completely new basis, on the basis of a new birth in God's family, a new life completely. So it's there is a lawful use of it and we must recognize that the.
The Word of God, it's not something we're under, but it's to bring to an end that activity of what is the flesh, so that death can put an end to it. And it has in the work of Christ, brethren, but we have to recall and remember each one of us, if we're saved, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.
And the Holy Spirit of God, his first office with one who's saved, is to bring Christ to him.
We're already brought to Christ, but to bring Christ to him for the Sinner, his office is to bring him to Christ. But the Spirit of God will never be inactive. And if we let the flesh act, we're out of communion with God. We're out of communion with the Lord. Even the Spirit of God then is not inactive. He'll wrap on your conscience until you allow him again to bring Christ to your hearts and you're back in fellowship or.
But let's remember the Spirit of God now, unless your conscience becomes seared, that's the real thing that brings you back, the Spirit of God. You can have a seared conscience. The law won't bring me back. You know, I know it'll condemn me. I mean, you shall not steal. I know that. And but that isn't the thing that brings me back to Christ. It's the Spirit of God in me that'll bring me back.
Always.
00:50:00
I'd like to comment on what you said, Brother John from John 10, because it's really the secret of liberty and it really shows us what is the use of the word of God, the whole word of God. Brother Bob referred to the law. She shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Is that we now have a nature that delights to please God. We have a power for that nature.
The Spirit of God. But now we need intelligence for that nature, and we get it from the word of God.
And it's in becoming acquainted with the truth of God that we find this liberty as a Christian.
So we face many situations in life and we don't know what to do. There's a desire to please the Lord. We have the power to please the Lord, but we don't know what to do. And so you open the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation, and you find principles that are going to help you and that are going to leave you free to serve the Lord and to please the Lord. So under the law, there was an unintelligent service. They knew that if they had a vessel in a place where there was leprosy, and it was.
That the vessel was defiled and so they were to put a tight covering on it and it wasn't to file. But now we have a reasonable or an intelligent service and so we can get help from that. And we say the children, we send the children, maybe some of us off to public schools and there's leprous things there. We put a tight covering on the word of God and they hear these things at school and they recognize them from the time.
To be nonsense. And so we get help. It set them free. They come, they go to school and they see they're trying to get them to go along with this and with that and the other thing. And we open the pages of God's word and they see what God thinks about some of these gross and awful things. People said the book of the Old Testament wasn't suitable to read the children because it mentioned such vile things, but they read about these things.
In the word of God, and they're protected from them. The world protects them by putting warnings up everywhere. Warnings in the bathroom, warnings on the highway, warnings everywhere.
The kids, we open up the Word of God and they find out about these things and they're protected. And so it sets them free because now they can live to please the Lord. We wonder what to do in a situation and we get down before the Lord about it and we open up the pages of God's Word. We find the truth of God and it tells us what we should do when we're free. We're not in ******* to a set of rules. Well, I'm not going to do that because brethren don't like it.
As Brother Chuck was saying, but we see a principle in the Word of God.
That would guide us according to God, and if we're all LED of the Spirit, He's not going to lead us in a way that's contrary to each other. We're going to be able to go on in communion with each other. So that's the activity of the truth. And his brother Bob said there may be a time when the law has to come and it has to condemn what I'm doing. But in a larger sense, going back to what brother John, in quoting John 10, is that by acquainting ourselves with the truth of God, we're set free to.
Lord, you have the nature, we have the power, and now we have the intelligence by the Word of God to know what we should do and how we should do it to the finest details. And that's why we have the Old Testament and the fine little pictures of every little detail. We won't face a situation in life that that the Word of God does not meet.
Verse 8 In our portion This persuasion cometh not of him.
That calleth you who called you? Of course it was God through the Holy Spirit. But what's he talking about? Persuasion. He's talking about those Jewish ones who crept in among them and are giving them this false doctrine. And he did say in that first chapter, we didn't go far enough, but no use going any further if any man or even an Angel.
Preach another gospel to you. Let him be accursed. Pretty strong, isn't it?
Let him be accursed. But but here it says this persuasion. They were being persuaded that it isn't Christ alone cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Now we're into assembly.
Truth, aren't we? Because Paul is reading to an assembly, he's writing to an assembly. And brethren, we're all lungs. Each assembly can be leavened. Let's don't ever forget it. We have a responsibility, both moral responsibility and doctrinal, and I think the doctrinal is the more important. Believe it or not, we can't neglect either.
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But the doctrinal is this chapter is this book And didn't he say?
In verse 10.
No. Verse 11 of chapter 6. You see how large a letter I've written unto you with my own hand? That was not the practice of Paul. Paul put the last bit of it in his hand, so he sealed it that it's his letter. But he didn't write them, He dictated them. But here in his own hands, there's only two epistles.
That were written in his own hand. Philemon and Galatians and Philemon because.
It was so important that he wanted that personal touch with the slave owner when he sent a believer back who once was his slave. But here it's so important because it's doctrinal air and brethren, it can leaven the whole lump. That's the whole assembly. And let's don't neglect these precious truths that are coming out here.
Galatians 5:8
Reading
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Galatians chapter 5 and verse 8.
This persuasion cometh nod of him that calleth you a little leaven 11 of the whole lung. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded. But he had trouble with you shall bear his judgment for revealed. And I'd rather if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then is the offense of the cross sees I would there even cut off which trouble you.
For brethren, you have been called unto liberty only use not liberty, for no kids you do the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the laws fulfilled in one word, even in this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
What if he buoyed and evolved or one another? Take heed that you may not consume one another. This I say then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, for the flesh, the lusted against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would.
What if you be LED of the Spirit?
You're not under the law now. The works of the flesh are manifest. Which are these? Which all trees? Fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft.
Variance emulation.
Wrath, stripes, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, troubling, and such life, of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past that they would do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy.
Peace, long-suffering.
Gentleman, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law, and they there are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and loss. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain Lord provoking one another.
Envying one another.
DC Willis and his book on this.
Group of Dilation speaks out of this book as beautiful Break.
All right into the young man to be strong in the gracious right peace.
They don't ever find that we're totally strong in the law because the law doesn't work. There's nothing wrong with the law. What's wrong with that?
Well, so the.
First year faith worketh by love in the end of verse 6 and.
And the end of verse 13 it says by love serve one another.
What you say is so important, and I had it on my heart this morning because it's grace that teaches us in Titus to live soberly to denying ungodly lusts. We should live soberly, righteously godly in this present age when you see a believer who has that those characteristics in their life, that godly, that practical godliness.
There's a Christian who's not putting himself under the law.
But one who really understands the grace of God because it's grace that teaches us those things in Titus chapter 2. And this is very important to get ahold of in our souls. Brethren, grace does not give us liberty to live as we please. We do read of those who were rebuked for turning the grace of God into lasciviousness or taking license from the fact that God is gracious, but they really didn't understand what grace was.
And so we were singing that hymn that it was grace that taught our feet to tread the narrow way. And I suppose that's why Peter in his epistle could exhort the Saints to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's a deeper appreciation and understanding of grace that we need. And it's interesting, the contrast in the two, or not the contrast, perhaps, but the development in the two verses that were before us in John's Gospel.
00:05:06
This morning, because there we read, first of all, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. But there's a further development when it comes to the sun. A few verses later on he says, if you know this, you shall know this. If you know the sun, you shall be free. Indeed. That's a development because it is possible to know the truth and to hold the truth, if I could put it this way, to be clear as ice and just as cold.
And we may be able to enumerate the truth, We may be able to put forth doctrinal accuracies, and that's good. We need to have the truth clear before our souls. And we're thankful for those who can set the truth before us in the assembly clearly and concisely in a way that we can understand and grasp it.
But if that's all it is, brethren, that's not enough. But why is does he develop it further with the Son, and say He shall be free indeed? Because, brethren, we can't know the Son and not have the heart engaged. We might know the truth and not necessarily have the heart engaged. But if the truth brings before us the sun, and if Christ is ministered to our hearts, and he is real and precious to us, that's true liberty, brother, because if our hearts go out to this one, then our.
Going to follow in the path of faith, not because we feel constrained by some outward moral conformity, but because our hearts go out to him. And Brother Chuck mentioned that word legality this morning, which I think sometimes we toss around and perhaps sometimes use it out of context. Let me suggest that legality is really outward moral conformity without the heart engaged. And rather than that, that's going to lead us to problems.
Difficulties. But if the heart is really engaged, then those things on the outside will take will take shape without being being legal. It's not that what is on the outside doesn't matter because sometimes people say, well, the Lord knows what's in my heart. Well, that's true, but that's only part of it. But out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh what I say and what I do on the outside.
Ought to come from a heart that's responsive to himself. Oh, I just say, let's get a deeper sense of grace in our souls. It will teach us to deny ungodly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.
In this present age, Anika, brother down in Bolivia, brother beloved.
Said in a meeting like this one day said.
Brethren, there are two ways of being together.
One is to be frozen together and the others be melted together.
You can understand the statement like that. The Lt. might work a little while, but we don't like to be frozen up.
The warmth of love, how wonderful it is.
Well, we read here that we are to walk.
In the Spirit.
Whether word for our.
Conscience and for our hearts to realize that.
We're in this world and we're traveling.
Every day.
In the record of every day and every moment is being kept.
And God has brought for us here in this chapter.
At least twice, if not three times.
If we're to walk in the spirit.
Well, we know that the love of God is spread in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
And when it comes to worship?
And that is to be in the spirit.
So in the departure of the Lord Jesus.
As he talked to his disciples.
The Latin, which would be so important.
And the Lord went away from this world, of course, by the cross.
What? As he spoke to them, he talked to them about this comforter.
A person. We realized that.
The Spirit of God is a person in the Godhead, equal with the Father and with the Son. We realize that this person is dwelling in our bodies. You.
Control our life. He would bring us into the knowledge of the truth that sets us free. He would occupy our hearts.
00:10:07
With the beloved Son of God.
Now the sacrifice he made, the glory that belongs to him.
And this blessed One, who is to be the king.
I believe it's five times.
In the 24th Psalm.
Look it up five times. He is the king of glory.
The King of Glory.
This is the person.
That we're concerned.
As to how important he is in our lives?
And no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.
Now they come to know who is Lord in my life?
There's power in my life.
Directs me in every step.
And that is, I am to walk into spirit.
Will not fulfill the loss of the flesh only by walking in the Spirit.
Will I rise above that flesh which would control me is walking in the Spirit.
When we start verse 16, that seems to be where we are already, but verse 16 it begins practical sanctification. And you know there is absolute sanctification. Thank God when we're saved, we've been set apart from this world for God forever. That's absolute sanctification. And that's the first part we had in this chapter, but now we're starting.
Practical sanctification.
You know, sanctification is merely to be set apart by God for himself as a fight of Christ and every one of us are sanctified. What does it mean? Well, that's what the Saint did, a set apart one for all the Saints we find in the well, I couldn't say the paper but that's why I read it. They make us say after 2-3 hundred years and many things they got to do the attitude and miracles.
But I was a straight pop million. I was faith and you're all states just means we're set apart, sanctified for God for his glory, given us as part of the bride to his Son. That's what Romans 17, I mean John 17th part part the Lord merely given thanks to his Father for us.
It humbles us to think that's the theme of the prayer of our Lord.
But what I want to bring out we're starting practical sanctification walk in the spirit will fulfill the lust of the flesh. The next verse tells us that there's a warfare going on and if you're saying that you're in dwelt with the Spirit of God, there's a warfare going on.
The flesh lusts us against the Spirit, the spirit against the flesh, and that's going on all the time, every minute of your life it's going on perhaps even when you're sleeping and dreaming, but that's going on. Satan can encourage the lust of the flame. He can encourage and direct the flesh. And it's only the Spirit of God in you that can help. But you know, you got to recognize we have this warfare as.
Thieves and Six tells us.
It's a, it's a warfare with heavenly places. It's not down here. It's spiritual wickedness in a heavenly places. Now, if you look at Jeremiah on this, it's very important. Jeremiah, I think 42 or three Jeremiah, I'm Jeremiah. Jeremiah.
40, Probably 242.
You know they wanted to know from God.
To Jeremiah, where they should be and what they should do. Isn't that the most important thing for us? Where is the Lord's table? Where will the Lord be and each of them? And what should we do as servants of Him? Well, when they told him, the Lord told him. When I would find that verse 10 of 42 applied in this place.
Abide right where you are, in Judea, Jerusalem.
The place that God has chosen, the place His name there and and all the blessings that will come. What did they say in 4214? I won't read it all. We're going to go to Egypt. What's Egypt? It's this world. It's this world of sin and all the wickedness in it. That's Egypt. We're going to go there. Why? We'll see no one.
00:15:25
We'll see no war, and I'll tell you, it's really soft.
If you want to leave where the Lord would have you be, you will have less warfare. That's true. You'll see no more war because there's nothing there to fight about. You blend in with them. In Christendom, there's no warfare. Everybody agrees to the same thing, whatever you like to. There's no warfare. The warfare is when you're gathered right here, it's the greatest warfare there is with your.
Papers and relatives, we don't fight them, but there's that warfare always because of what we stand for and how we talk next. And so it says here in our chapter.
Let's see, the flesh losses against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and these things are contrary one to the other. So you cannot do the things that you would, you know, if we let the flesh have.
Any response in us, we're not going to be able to do what that new nature, the inner man, wants to do. We can't. Satan takes over even on your mind, if you start reasoning your own thoughts instead of the word of God. Satan loves to take over. He makes the mind a plaything. There's a warfare to stay in that. I think this is the important part of walking.
You know, we have to face that. That there is.
Always an opposition to the spirit, always an opposition to the spirit. That's the devil, and he's clever and he can bring in any kind of temptations to get you to leave the path that you should be on.
Like people to know that we have a guide in this world that we live in very sure guide the Holy Spirit of God, one of the persons of the Godhead that dwells in us. This is a reality. I don't know if we could just get a hold of it in a more real way and he's there to guide us. We live in a world that.
Teaches us to be controlled by our desires, especially in our country.
Our culture is is geared that way, advertising appeals to the desires, our own desires, and maybe not necessarily bad desires, but if we're going to be guided by our desires, brethren, that is not what we have here. It's being guided by the Spirit of God and he specifically with us with that in view. And I'd like to read that verse in John 16.
Brother John Curry mentioned, but it's so clear there in the 13th verse of John 16, albeit when he the spirit of truth is come.
He will guide you into all truth. Isn't that wonderful? He will guide you and we need to train ourselves young people.
And us who are older as well, to be guided by the Spirit of God to walk in the Spirit. It's exercising ourselves to walk in the Spirit. When I act, am I doing this because of some desire of my own, or is it the Spirit of God that is guiding me in this?
And something that is a check for us all.
Is that the Spirit of God will always guide according to the word of God. If you think, you say you feel. Some nice people go so much on their feelings. I feel this is the Lord's mind for me.
But sometimes you can show a verse that distinctly contradicts that and people will say, well, I just feel this is the Lord's will for me. Don't go by your feelings. Go by the Word of God. It will never let you down and the Spirit of God will never guide you contrary to the word of God.
00:20:03
It's so wonderful to realize it in a world that is so contrary. We have a sure guide to get through this place, but word for that we would have real trouble. But we have a sure guide. Another verse I'd like to leave for the young people because it's been such a blessing and my own soul is Psalms 32.
The Lord can guide you in every aspect of life.
As to a job, as to who you're going to marry, the Lord is there for us, and His Spirit dwells in US to guide us.
According to True.
Psalm 32 and verse 8. I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye. Be not as the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bitten bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Of times were guided by the Benton Brighton bride. Thank God in his mercy.
He doesn't let us go the way we might think to go. He puts the bed in and He guides us. That's guidance without understanding. But God wants to guide us with understanding, and that's what it means to be guided by the Spirit of God. He guides us in the light of Scripture with understanding. And that's what is true Christian liberty to be.
By the Spirit of God in our lives, but it's something we need to be exercised about forever.
Something that will just fall into place without any exercise on our part. It's walking. I'm going to walk down the road. I've got to exercise myself, and walking in the spirit means that I have to be exercised about things. This is a practical exhortation.
Robin that also what the meaning of Ephesians 433 years and a ring.
Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. No brother used to say this verse means.
Is shown out by a child.
Walking according to the truth of God as guided by the Spirit of God. And there are two exhortations that are so concise.
For us on that.
And they are, you might say, negative. Grieve not the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, or by your seal. And the other is quench not the Spirit. What grieves the Spirit is the allowance of the flesh.
We're not to do that. We're not to grieve that spirit, and quenching the spirit is hindering his action in myself or in another.
Spirit to teach us and guide us.
Well, we certainly should keep, you should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Another exhortation of Ephesians is.
Be filled with the Spirit. That's a responsibility that comes home to our own souls. Be filled with the spirit sometimes. Say, if you have a glass half full of dirt, how are you going to fill that glass with water?
You've got to do some emptying before you can fill it with water.
And sometimes, brethren, there's things in our lives that hinders the Spirit from filliness.
It's our responsibility, that exhortation. Well, it's not just individual, but I know this subject in our chapter is individual, but it's collective. The Spirit of God teaches and guides collectively, and I think that's so important. If you go back to John's Gospel 14 and verse 26.
John 1426, where we have been quoted in John it was individual, but I believe here.
It's so important, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things. Now that can be individual, but let's remember he's the teacher of the Church collectively, the assembly. And that's where we really learn truth. Individually we learn truth, but you never learn truth like you do go into the.
00:25:10
Meeting or the assembly meeting, that's where you learn truth that's needed for you in that assembly individually. Thank God it's true, but you're missing a lot if you don't go to the assembly meetings. That's where the Spirit of God has liberty to really teach. The church never teaches, but out in Christendom all the churches so-called are teaching. But of course we know.
The Spirit of God is the teacher now and he teaches in the assembly, and I think that's precious. Each one of us can enjoy that truth that comes out in our assembly. You can't do it can enjoy it if you're not there. I've always said there's something for everybody in every reading meeting, and if they don't come, they just don't get what's for them, that's all.
That's sad, isn't it? But there's something, and if you really pay attention, you're going to find what it is for yourself may be different than for others, but there's something for you at every reading meeting. What we have here in Galatians is an error so serious that it takes one off of the ground of Christianity altogether. Amen. And that's the principle of law.
The circumcision, all all that Paul had to do.
To escape his persecution and the opposition of the established community of Judaism was to circumcise the Gentiles. That's all he had to do. Verse 2 Behold, I Paul's hand to you, if he be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. You you've abandoned Christian ground for Jewish ground. That's what you've done.
When you're circumcised, I testify again to every man that is circumcised.
He's a debtor to do the whole law. He's taken himself off of Christian ground, which is grace, put himself under law. He may not realize that. And then he goes on and in verse 11. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution then? Is the offense of the cross ceased? The Jews thought themselves superior to the Gentiles because they had the law.
They had the promises, they were the circumcised, the Gentiles, the unclean dogs were uncircumcised. They were trying to elevate the Gentiles in in the church up to their level. Their thought was absolutely wrong because there aren't 2 levels in the church where all members one of another and there is none that is superior to the other. Whether you're a Jew or a Gentile makes no.
We're all rotten to the core. That's how we began. And then he saves us and gives us a new life in Christ. And all those distinctions that existed in the Old Testament are obliterated by the cross. He's taken it out of the way, and now we stand in an altogether new relationship to God, and that's in grace.
And by virtue of the finished work of Christ and circumcision is something if I submit to that on the Gentile and I submit to that.
Then I'm on a higher level, a higher level of Christianity. Now we can promote that kind of thing amongst ourselves, not insisting on circumcision, but but we can have an idea that this group amongst us is is a more spiritual group than another. And we can promote that kind of thing that is absolutely unscriptural.
And it administers to the flesh.
If we're circumcised, he says in the 6th chapter verse 12, as many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Paul refused circumcision for Gentiles because that would that would deny the ground upon which they stand before God.
Which is great, he says.
And she working if I can find the verse.
I.
Verse Verse 12 of chapter 4. Brethren, I beseech only back up a minute.
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Of verse 9, but now after that she have known God, he's talking to the Gentiles, or rather are known of God. How turn me again to the weekend beggarly elements where until you again desire to be in *******. They were in ******* to a system of their religion. They had a religious system worshipping false gods. They were never worshipping the true God as the Jew was.
They were never under the Law of Moses, but they had their laws, their regulations, what they could do, what they couldn't do, how to offer their sacrifices to the gods they worshipped, and all that they were in bonding. Now the Jew wants to put them in principle under the same kind of religious ******* by putting them under law. Same kind of thing. In principle. Of course, it's not the same thing because the one was the worship of the true God, Judaism, and the other was the worship of false gods, but in principle.
Me doing something after a ritualistic fashion to gain favor with the deity that I'm worshiping. That's Judea. That's the principle of law, he said. He says verse 10. You observe days and months and times and years. I'm afraid of you. Now Christendom has got that today. They have days and months, times and years. They've got Christmas, they've got Easter. The Roman church has a lot more than that. They've got 7 official holidays through.
Year, all of which is supposed to make those that submit to those things that are Christians give them a higher standing before God. That's a total falsification of the truth of Christian position, which is solid grace, pure grace, and it's God bringing us into favor based upon the finished work of Christ. Not based upon anything that I could do. I always used to wonder in Leviticus 13 and 14 where you have the the leper.
There was one case of the leper.
He was totally covered with leprosy. He considers many cases where a sore brings out, comes out in an arm or in the forehead or someplace in the body, and they have to look at it and see how deep it is and whether it grows or so on. But there's the one case where the whole man is full of leprosy and it says he's clean. Now what is that a type of?
That's the type of a man who couldn't say, couldn't roll his sleeve back and say there is some good flesh. I'm not completely covered. I'm not completely bad. I've got some good in me. There's a piece of good flesh. But the man that was completely covered with leprosy had to see himself as vile, as totally leprous. Then he was clean. That's a picture of one who has judged himself before God.
As being totally sinful and when we come to that, that's the denial of self. It's not not self denial, not putting off this or that thing to make me better in the flesh, but it's the denial of self denial of all that we are in the flesh. We're no longer in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwells in US.
Circumcision is something that we could do, that we might glory in the flesh.
And if there's anything that we can glory of Indiana the flesh, we're off Christian ground.
And totally. And that's what we've got to get a hold of. They just wanted Paul, just Paul, we're asking is that you circumcise the Gentiles, that's all. And Paul says if you do that, you're you, you, you have, you're guilty of the whole law. You have to keep it all. If you offended one point, you're condemned by it. You're off the ground of grace and you're on the ground of law. It's the principle of law that is deadly. It's not the law.
The law is holy and just and good, but it's the principle of law.
And we're not under law, we're under grace. And to get a hold of that, Mister Harvey says the hardest thing for us to get ahold of is grace. Grace.
Even those seven beasts, they call them sanctifying graces. And so our eighth verse.
They mix it up. And so on our eighth verse, it says that this persuasion of the plausibility of this cometh not from him that calleth you. And so there's a certain plausibility to that. And so you say you belong to a certain organization and every organization has rules connected with it. And if you keep those rules, you're in good standing. And there are exterior things. Circumcision was an exterior thing. You could see if somebody was circumcised or not.
And so there's a certain sense in which we can follow along even in the current rate of those gathered to the Lord's name. And we don't do certain things, and we do certain things and we're in good standing with the brethren. But that's not what grace is, is grace is living to please the Lord, and that's what he's bringing out down here. It's characterized by submission and obedience to the Word of God. And it soon becomes manifest because a person may go on along a very long time.
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Avoiding gross outward things and there's a great plausibility to this argument that we were just have certain rules that you follow and if you follow them, you're in good standing. But that's a completely different thing than grace because we've been brought now we've been given a new nature, a power of that nature and the word of God to guide us. And so then things come up and they manifest itself that am I really walking in submission and obedience to God? Am I really walking.
Communion with the Lord. It's a pathway that it's impossible for the flesh to to walk in. In Judaism, there were a great number of rituals, and if a person followed those rituals, they were in good standing, but they could follow them without having an ounce of life. But in Christianity, it's a pathway that's that's marked out by the Spirit of God, and it's in a pathway that's impossible for the flesh to walk in.
Compared to Judaism, really, the outward rules of the Brethren are pretty simple.
But it's apparently that's impossible for the flesh to walk in because it's LED of the Spirit of God, and God will manifest whether we're walking according to the Spirit of God or whether we're just walking in order to please men. What do you mean by the rules of the brethren? Well.
If I may say that people, if you ask your neighbor and you said, well, Clem Buchanan, he doesn't do this and he doesn't do that and he doesn't do the other thing.
And he can and, and they may look at it in terms of simply exterior things, but you know, I, it came home to my own soul at, at teachers college. They tried to clarify situations and they brought people up to explain why. I've told this before, but it really struck me. They brought people up to 10 people, They called them out of a class of 350. I wasn't there. The professor described it to describe why they did what they did. And there was a moral.
Question and two took a very moral stand, and the first one, he said. I don't do that because I'm in the Salvation Army and it's forbidden by my marching orders.
There was a girl there and the professor said, you know, we need to respect people's religions and the tenets of their religions. And then this girl, she didn't lift her head. She just said, she said, I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. To do such a thing now you've got the standard would dishonor the Lord. Now you got the standard, you got Christ. That's the standard. Well, we don't talk about rules among us.
Never. It's the word of God and it's a commandment sometimes.
And if you love the Lord Jesus Christ and his word, it isn't a rule to do it or to follow it, that we don't ever want to get it under that thought when they left from Toledo, the last thing they said. And I don't mind telling you, write your rules on the board and we'll do them.
But we have none. I couldn't write 1. I said I can't put the whole Bible up there. And so when they went together as a group to open brethren, they individually had to sign 21 rules.
God is not mocked, be not deceived, but we have no rules. This is hard work. And you know when he gives us a request this do in remembrance of me. If you love him, it becomes a commandment.
He didn't make it that way. We do. It's not a law.
Take a team of horses to keep a believer who loves him from that table. That's not a law. Isn't it wonderful, the patience of God to teach us that the flesh probably nothing?
He says in the 6th of Genesis the end of all flesh is come before me and God is still testing. He's got one more 1000 years to test back to proof that the flesh thought there's nothing. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh prompt with nothing. The first brain that God put forth in the Bible I believe.
In Exodus 17 and briefly it says.
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That God would have war with Amalek from generation to generation, that is. And I say the young people, sometimes the only people, you young people is you're just like your parents.
And Adam be going to send in his own likeness and image, and every person that's been born in this world has been born with that sinful nature.
Born in sin, says David. And we have to learn that. And the only way that God has is to put us on the standard of a new man. And that's the liberty that we're talking about, the liberty of grace, that perfect law of liberty to let that new nature of innocent. But we got to watch out for the old one because he's still there.
The.
Of the Spirit, just the opposite. The Spirit always brings fruit for the Lord and for God, but flesh is always worth not fruit ever.
So there we have it laid out nicely. Like to point out something that has been a help to me too in verse 17.
Reading it as you see it in Mr. Garveys translation, the the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. These things, these are contrary, the one to the other. And he puts it so that he should not do the things that he would. It's not that he cannot do it.
Yes, we can do it if we're led by the Spirit, but it is that there are contrary principles, and if you give place to the flesh, you will not.
Allow the Spirit. If you allow the Spirit place, you do not allow the flesh. There are two contrary principles, and I think all of us have felt the battle that goes on so often in our human breast because of these two principles.
The flesh and the spirit. Remember in South America, one of the Indian brothers said English to brother Eric Smith one time. There's two dogs in my breast and they're always fighting. One is white and one is black. I think brother Smith asked him who's winning the battle. And the Indian says the one I feed the most.
But if you turn to Romans 7, you'll see the.
Full blown example of this. It's one who's quickened, has life, but is not living in the spirit. He hasn't saved yet. Even there's a difference between being quickened or having life and 9 being saved. But verse 18 For I know that in me that is in my place dwelleth no good thing. Well, that's one who's quickened. He couldn't know that without the Spirit having quickened him.
For the will is present with me. But how to perform that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would do, for the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more that I do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
He's not saved yet. I find that a law that which I would do good.
Evil is present with me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. No one could delight after this precious Word unless the Spirit of God has saved him and brought him into this blessing. But he's not there yet. He's still letting the flesh rule in his life, yet he's quickened. He wants to please God.
You can't do it when you let the flesh have his way. That's the full, I think the full example of this.
Seems to me that Peter gives us a standard and an example.
Power. How to do this in first Peter?
4 verses 1 and 2.
First, Peter.
4 verses 1 and 2 for as much then as praise.
Has suffered for us in the flesh. Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.
For he that has suffered in the flesh has.
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Feast from sin.
That he made no longer. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh.
To the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Very practical and simple.
When we.
Deny the flesh that must rise up and do something, and we don't let it have its way. It suffers and we don't sin practical that way. The divine life has no power of itself. And I think it's important to realize that the power for the divine life, the new nature, is the Spirit of God. You might have a vehicle in the parking lot and you might have the very best engine.
In that vehicle, you say, I've got the best engine that technology can provide. But if you don't put gasoline in that engine, you'll go out and turn the key and it's not going to fire up. There's going to be no power. You say, why? I've got the best engine that GM or Chrysler or whatever can provide for me. Well, there needs to be something put in that engine to give it power, to make it fire up. There needs to be gasoline. And so the power for our lives as Christians is the Spirit of God.
And that's already been brought before us. And I don't want to belabor the point, but just in connection with walking in the spirit, perhaps what we've been saying is summed up in a little illustration back in the book of Deuteronomy, which brings these principles perhaps together by type and illustration. And it's important to see these illustrations. They help us to grasp the truth perhaps more clearly in our souls. And I was thinking in Deuteronomy chapter 33.
Of the blessing of Asher.
Deuteronomy chapter 33 and verse 24 And of Asher he said, let Asher be blessed with children, let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days so shall thy strength be. Well, we notice here that there's power because.
Asher was to dip his foot in oil. The feet speak of our walk. The oil is often used in scripture as a type of the Holy Spirit.
I think we can see that it corresponds with what we have in Galatians in connection with walking in the Spirit. But there are several things that are brought out here in connection with this. First of all, it says let Asher be blessed with children. That's what we might say is bearing fruit. We often hear about bearing fruit for God's glory. Do you want to bear fruit for God's glory? It's only going to be as you walk in the power of the Spirit, as you dip your foot in oil.
Later on in our chapter, he speaks of the fruit of the Spirit and the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit, but it only comes from dipping our foot in oil. So let him be blessed with children. Then there's an interesting statement. You know, brethren, the Bible is perhaps the only balanced book there really is in the world. Every other book you read, you're going to find that it's slanted some way or another. But the Scripture is so balanced, perhaps before we comment on that, that expression, let them be.
To his brethren, we'll just go to an expression in thought in Corinthians where Paul said, which has been brought out. He said, We labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. That was Pauls desire. That was the first motive of his life, that in his service for Christ he would have the Lord's acceptance and approval. He was misunderstood by the Corinthian brethren who questioned his authority as an apostle questioned his.
Treated him miserably weren't perhaps supporting him the way they should have. He said that's OK I'm laboring for the acceptance of the Lord That's my first motive. But brethren when we're when we walk in the spirit and I don't want to tear down or take away from anything that's been said because I heartily agree with what's been said about in connection with not just looking for acceptance with our brethren and trying to live a certain mode of life that's.
To the brethren, I understand the context in which those comments have been made, but here's something interesting. When one dips his foot in oil, let them be acceptable to his brethren. Young people, there is a path of service and faith where you can walk, where you will have if you are in the path Misunderstanding. Yes, Paul had that criticism. Yes, Paul had that. But in a sense too, you will have the acceptance of your brethren. And I say that as.
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Careful balance. We don't want to do things that rub our brethren the wrong way and purposely do something that we know is going to grate the teeth of our brethren. If meat offend my brother, I'll eat no more of it so long as the world shall stand. Yes, our first motive is Christ laboring for His acceptance.
But I also suggest that when the Lord has something for you to do and you're walking in the path in the power of the Spirit, then he's not going to let your brethren stand in the way. He'll even work in their hearts so that they will have fellowship with you in what you're doing. Just a safeguard. Don't step out, feel you need to step out of the assembly to serve in a broader path. No, it's true. It's good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth, but.
Of Asher, let him be acceptable to his brother, let him dip his foot in oil, and then what's the result?
His shoes shall be as iron. That's power. You want power for your pathway. It must be your pathway walked in the power of the Spirit. You've got to dip your foot in oil. Let his feet be as iron. And then something else, brass, that would perhaps speak of endurance. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. It says in Hebrews chapter 12, the Christian pathway is not the Sprint. It's not the 100 yard dash. It's the marathon.
It takes endurance to go on day after day. The enemy's busy, as we've been saying. The flesh is active. If we let it be so, and these things are against us in that way, are we going to have endurance for our pathway? Let him dip his foot in oil. Then he goes on. We won't read it, but he speaks about the happy man and the man who has corn and wine, and the one who experiences the everlasting arms about him. But I believe the hinge is that it's a man who.
Foot in oil, he walks in the power of the Spirit. There's two conflicts that are mentioned in Scripture, and we've had our attention called for the one in Romans 7, Romans 7. The things that I would, I do not the things that I would not, that I do, or wretched men that I am who shall deliver me. That's the conflict between the two natures, the old and the new nature.
In the in Romans 82 it says the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.
Which is what brought me into ******* in Romans 7. Romans 7 more describes the state of the Old Testament Saints before the Spirit was given. In Galatians, that portion we're looking at the conflict is between flesh and spirit and there's victory. The Spirit of God is power. It's the it's the gasoline in the engine. In Roman 7:00 you got the engine, but in in Galatians, you got the engine filled with full of gas and that gives the power. But the new nature is.
Does not have power over the flesh the flesh is going to win there but he's given us more than just the new nature he's given us the Spirit of God Christ interceding for us on high the spirit here below we have everything that we need to to walk pleasing to God we draw the analogy between the Spirit of God and gasoline and.
It's helpful, but to bring the comments back to what Brother Bob said. Is that the Spirit of God?
Is, is a person of the Godhead and intelligent and leads us intelligently into the truth of God. And so that's what the Spirit of God is doing. And that's the means by which we're led by the Spirit of God is by reading the Word of God and getting hold of the truth of God. And the Spirit of God will never lead us contrary to the word of God. It's very important because people often talk about displays of power and there's evidence displays of power like burning.
If I may say that, but it's not the Spirit of God at all, because it's contrary to the Word of God. And there's a very simple test to that and just reiterate that.
It won't support application of the verse that was read in John 16 to the Spirit of God guiding us into all truth. I believe has a direct reference to the truth of God revealed in the epistles.
There we get the intelligence of the Spirit of God to walk in the Christian pathway.
In Ephesians chapter 4 where we get to walk not as other Gentiles walk, and it just delineates the behavior of those Gentiles. Then it goes on to say, but you have not so learned Christ. There is where we learn the truth. I am the truth. But then it goes on to say in that same context.
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If not so learned the truth as it is in Jesus. We have the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospels as a model for our behavior and our pattern of life. We have Him in the glory as the object of our faith, empowering us and leading us on in the pathway of faith so that we become like Him in the pathway, the light, the the truth as it is in Jesus.
We see everything that man should be to God.
And we see everything that God is to man. And so we have the epistles to bring us into Christian teaching and understanding of what a Christian is. And we have the pathway of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels as a pattern for our behavior down here. So we have every resource in order, as we had before us in our chapter, that we should not do the things that we would we.
Allow these things that dishonor God and that are not acceptable according to the standard of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Spirit of God enables us to not do those things. And so we have it all summed up as Christ, the new standard, and the Holy Spirit to empower us to follow Him.
What was characteristic of the Gentiles was that they followed dumb idols as there was number intelligence to what they did. But what is characteristic, as you pointed out, the truth into which the Spirit leads us is what is our reasonable or intelligent service. And so to bring it back to what Brother Jim said, we may not always understand why the brethren do what they do, but don't criticize it and abandon it, but get into the Word of God and find out, because God has preserved.
To the truth. Let's just read a verse in connection with that, because I'm glad he pointed that out.
And it was my experience, if I'm allowed to say that coming into the assembly, I disagreed with what the assembly there taught the first time I came into the assembly.
But it says that if one that is unlearned. Help me find this in First Corinthians.
14 First Corinthians 4 First First Corinthians 14 and verse 24 verse 23. If therefore the whole church become together in one place and all speak with tongues, and they're come in one that is unlearned or unbelievers.
Well, they not all say that you're mad, but if all prophesied and they're come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, so that falling down in his face, he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth.
And so when the Word of God is opened and it touches the conscience, that's what prophecy is. There's the acknowledgement that the Lord is there and that the Lord has maintained a testimony. And if we don't have intelligences to why things are done the way they are done, where the Lord has preserved a testimony, we need to get into the Word of God and we need to find out why not just throw things out.
So the order of the book of.
Romans.
You don't get instructions as to exhortation and behavior till you get through all the doctrine of the 1St 12 Chapters.
And 1St 11 Chapters and then the first verse of the 12, He says, I beseech you therefore, President, by the mercies of God, that he present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable intelligence service. He teaches us how.
And then he asked us to do it.
He has abounded unto us in all wisdom and intelligence. It tells us in Ephesians 1, and it's in contrast to the service in the Old Testament. If you had come along to one of those priests or Levites and ask them why they did things in certain ways, they wouldn't be able to really tell you intelligently. We look back and we see why the crop and the feathers had to be taken out and why the sacrifice was killed in a certain way and certain things were done. We take it up intelligently.
In the light of what is revealed in the New Testament and we know that it all speaks of Christ. But they carried on that service because it was required when they'd have an Bayou didn't go by the what they the regulations why and offered strange fire why they were slain. And so as we said this morning, it was a service of fear, not a service of intelligence. But we have now an intelligent service to render to him. And if you'll just allow me to say this too, I.
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What this all shows, brethren, that is the things we have been Speaking of this afternoon in this reading meeting. It shows that we can go on and live for God's glory even in in the year 2000. I just want to say that on a practical note because maybe there's young people here and you're saying, well, these are difficult days. You brothers don't know how difficult it is out there at school and at work sometimes. Well, perhaps we don't, but I like that verse in first in second, Peter 1.
Says, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and some of those things have been enumerated here this afternoon. We have the very life of Christ. We have the Spirit of God for that life. We have the word of God as light and instruction for our pathway. We have the word of God as food for the new life, because the new life not only does it not have power.
Its dependent life and so it needs food and refreshment. Here in this world we have all things that pertain unto life and godliness. And when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ, are we going to be able to offer some excuse for failure in our lives?
Some excuse for compromise or giving up of the of the truth or some aspect of the truth. He's going to say I gave you everything. Everything was at your disposal, all the resources and not only that, but myself living at the right hand of God as your high priest and advocate to preserve you and to restore you in the path of faith and service. And it's nice what it says later on in that chapter in second Peter, it says, wherefore I will not be negligent.
Put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established. Now notice this little expression in the present truth. This book we hold in our hands, brethren, is sufficient guidance and direction even for the year 2000. It's sufficient to guide us in our personal walk. It's sufficient to answer every problem and difficulty and question in the family circle. It's sufficient guidance and direction for.
Go on collectively as the people of God gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. It's the present proof. Was it relevant in in Peters day? Indeed it was. That's why he was bringing it before them again and again and stirring them up. We've had things before us in these meetings that aren't new to any of us. Perhaps we've heard these things over and over. Some of us by the grace of God from the very days of our childhood. Do we need them again? Yes, because it's the.
Truth. This the truth of this book, brethren, is as relevant as when it was penned by inspiration. And so this is a very, very, the very, very practical side of things. We can go on with the resources that we have in Christ provided by God himself and in the truth that is the present up-to-date word of God. Tell us about the picture of the way the Lord appeared to Joshua.
When they were going to go in and possess the promised land.
And the difference between that and the way he appeared to Moses.
When he was going to send him to bring them out of Egypt.
You give us a thought, brother.
Well, Moses comes first.
Both of them are on holy ground because they were in the presence of Jehovah.
And Jehovah was showing to Moses.
There's a Bush over here.
And it's burning.
And it doesn't burn up.
Telling Moses and telling the children of Israel.
That that one was going to be able to carry them through the afflictions of the wilderness. And when they left Egypt, they got in the wilderness and they had the affliction and they were consumed, but they were not burned up. They were burned, but they weren't consumed. You count the number of them. It's almost the same going into the wilderness as coming out of it. Now they were going to get into battle.
When they got into the promised land.
And when, brethren, Christians get into the possession of the heavenly places and walk in them, the battle gets fiercer and fiercer. How did Jehovah appear to Joshua?
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Captain of the Lord's Host.
With a drawn sword in his hand. If the battle is the Lord's, it's not ours, it's the Lord.
That's important, isn't it, because the real conflict didn't start with Israel until they went to possess the land, which speaks to us in type of all that is ours in Christ. It's true, as you say, they had a skirmish with Amalek in the wilderness and so on, and there were difficulties of the way. But in the measure in which a believer seeks to practically enjoy and walk in the good of all that is his in Christ, the enemy is going to be right there to seek.
Us up and rob us of that enjoyment and it's remarkable with Israel when they went in to possess the land as long as they remembered that the captain of the Lords host was going before them to fight the battle they were they had victory over the enemies. Why they went up to Jericho and there was a great victory won. They didn't have to raise a sword, but the the walls came tumbling down and there was a great victory because they went up in the strength of the captain of the Lord's host.
But then they said, oh, we'll just go up and we won't even send all our men up to AI because it's just a little city and we won't have a problem. Why look at the great victory we've had here at Jericho. Why they were soundly defeated. God teaching his people that they couldn't possess their inheritance apart from they do it in the realization that they were it was there was one going before to fight for them and brethren, we're no more. We're no match for any situation. We're no match for the enemy, whether it's.
City or a big city, but we can go up in the strength of the Lord. We can walk in the practical enjoyment of the precious truth of God. We can walk in the power of the Spirit, not in our own might, but because we have one who's going before, who fights for us. We're no match for the enemy, but the Lord Jesus said that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Why did the Lord say to Moses at the burning Bush?
Remove thy shoes from off thy feet. We know it was holy ground. But why did he say to Joshua?
Loose thy shoe from off thy foot.
Why feet?
With Moses and foot with Joshua. I heard Brother Chuck give a good answer to that. Could I ask him to give it again? I was just going to thank you.
Exodus is the book of redemption feat because it gives us our standing before God and Christ. Joshua is every foot that you, every piece of land that you put your foot on should be yours. That's the land of inheritance. So it's foot in Joshua, it's feet in Exodus.
I have sort of thought with the Exodus it was the I am.
It's holy ground because of who he is in Joshua. It's because of what he's going to do.
A little difference there than the I am, isn't it? But it may be. I like your idea too.
I'd like to ask us to have a little bit of teaching from 2nd Corinthians 6.
About the.
Contest the trial.
That we have, and our young people pointed out, as to walking with God.
And where the power is.
And who it is that gives the help? Would somebody read from?
Verse 14 to the end of 2nd Corinthians 6.
I want to read that to John.
2nd Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14.
Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part has he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God.
And as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean things, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.
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That the Lord Almighty.
Next Verse. Next Verse.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness and fear of God.
That wonderful statement.
Saith the Lord Almighty. It is unusual.
And the contest?
The Battle of the Saints of God today.
Is probably the hardest battle that God's people have ever had to fight, but who do they have to do it?
Like to suggest in the chapter we have here in Galatians 5, perhaps it relates more to the battle in the wilderness that was mentioned between Amalek and Israel where Israel was.
Or Joshua was down in the planes fighting Amalek, which is a picture of Satan's efforts on the flesh, and Moses was up on the mountain and he had his hands extended.
And as long as his hands were up, Joshua won the battle. And that seems to be what relates to our chapter here is the blesh and the Spirit. Whereas what has been mentioned, the conflict in the land, it's a very real conflict as well. It seems to what relates more to Ephesians, where we have what relates to Canaan. And the conflict is not so much with the flesh there as it is.
Spiritual wickedness and high places. It's the devil.
That is the source of problem there. And just like to going back to our chapter Galatians 5 there. It's been mentioned already and I think it is perhaps if we could touch on the works of the flesh verse 19 in contrast.
With verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit.
There's a definite difference. Works is something that involves activity.
It's the activity of the flesh and if the flesh is active, this is what is going to be produced. And it's a pretty awful list that is mentioned here, but I think it's important to understand what this list involves and it's sexual immorality to begin with and then it goes on to.
Spiritual wickedness in idolatry, In witchcraft.
That's that's a very real thing in our society today. I'm shocked. In the stores you see games that are sold right along with good games perhaps, but that lead directly into witchcraft. The Ouija board is on sale there, and parents need to be aware that these things are there.
There, and our kids are exposed to it and if they don't realize it.
They're going to get sucked into those things, their works of the flesh. And then there's things that have been mentioned. Brother Don mentioned variance. And that's something that is very common in our world today. Just to be different and the spirit of wanting to be different and always saying something different is, is not good.
It doesn't mean that we're always exactly think the same thing, but to have that spirit of variance, it's the work of the flesh.
But just wanted to draw attention to the verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit. And if you look at the list of nine things that are mentioned, none of them in themselves are actions. They're all passive. They are fruit. They are what is produced. And you might ask, how does a Grapevine produce fruit?
Does it have to wave its branches around so that fruit will come on it?
No, all that has to do is that the branch has to remain well connected to the main trunk of the vine, and the SAP flowing up through that main trunk down the branch will automatically produce fruit. And sometimes you see people that are laid on beds of sickness absolutely can't get off that bed.
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But they produce beautiful fruit, love, joy.
Peace. What a beautiful thing. It's the life of Christ in the believer. And as we live in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, those fruits automatically will be produced in the believer.
Galatians 5:8
Galations 5
Reading
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Expediency.
I think we are at verse 8 unless others think differently.
Malaysians chapter 5 and verse 8.
This persuasion cometh not of him that calls you a little 1111 up the whole lung. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded. But he had trouble with you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I, Brethren, if I yet treat circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then is the offense of the cross sees.
I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by law serve one another for all the laws fulfilled in one word. Even in this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. What if he bite in devour one another? Take heed that you do not consume one another.
This I say, then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, for the flesh lusted against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would.
What if he be LED of the Spirit? You are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest. Which are these? Which all tree fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft.
Variance emulation.
Drafts, stripes, additions, heresies, envies, murders, drunkenness, revelings, such life of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past that they would do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy.
Peace, long-suffering gentlemen, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law, and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and loss. We live in the Spirit. Let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain Lord provoking one another.
Envying one another.
DC Willis and his book on this book of Galatians speaks of this book as beautiful break. Beautiful break.
Going right into the young man that is strong and the grace of Christ Jesus, you don't ever find this. We're told to be strong in the law because the law doesn't work. There's nothing wrong with the law. What's wrong with that?
Well, so the.
First year faith worketh by love and the end of verse 6 and the end of verse 13 it says by love serve one another.
What you say is so important, and I had it on my heart this morning because it's grace that teaches us in Titus to live soberly to denying ungodly lusts. We should live soberly, righteously godly in this present age when you see a believer who has that those characteristics in their life, that godly, that practical godliness.
There's a Christian who's not putting himself under the law.
But one who really understands the grace of God because it's grace that teaches us those things in Titus chapter 2. And this is very important to get ahold of in our souls. Brethren, grace does not give us liberty to live as we please. We do read of those who were rebuked for turning the grace of God into lasciviousness or taking license from the fact that God is gracious, but they really didn't understand what grace was.
And so we were singing that hymn that it was grace that taught our feet to tread the narrow way. And I suppose that's why Peter in his epistle could exhort the Saints to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's a deeper appreciation and understanding of grace that we need. And it's interesting, the contrast in the two, or not the contrast, perhaps, but the development in the two verses that were before us in John's Gospel.
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This morning, because there we read, first of all, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. But there's a further development when it comes to the sun. A few verses later on. He says, if you know this, you shall know this. If you know the sun, you shall be free. Indeed. That's a development because it is possible to know the truth and to hold the truth. If I could put it this way, to be clear as ice and just as cold and we.
To enumerate the truth, we may be able to put forth doctrinal accuracies, and that's good. We need to have the truth clear before our souls, and we're thankful for those who can set the truth before us in the assembly clearly and concisely in a way that we can understand and grasp it. But if that's all it is rather, and that's not enough. But why is does he develop it further with the sun and say he shall be free indeed? Because, brethren, we can't know the Son and.
Heart engaged. We might know the truth and not necessarily have the heart engaged, but if the truth brings before us the sun, and if Christ is ministered to our hearts, and he is real and precious to us, that's true liberty, brethren, because if our hearts go out to this one, then our feet are going to follow in the path of faith, not because we feel constrained by some outward moral conformity, but because our hearts go out to Him.
And Brother Chuck mentioned that word legality this morning, which I think sometimes we toss around and perhaps sometimes use it out of context. Let me suggest that legality is really outward moral conformity without the heart engaged. And brethren, that that's going to lead us to problems and difficulties. But if the heart is really engaged, then those things on the outside will take will take shape without being being legal. It's.
What is on the outside doesn't matter, because sometimes people say, well, the Lord knows what's in my heart. Well, that's true, but that's only part of it. But out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaking, what I say and what I do on the outside ought to come from a heart that's responsive to himself.
I just say let's get a deeper sense of grace in our souls. It will teach us to deny ungodly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, Anika, brother down in Bolivia, Brother beloved said in a meeting like this one day, said.
Brethren, there are two ways of being together. 1 is to be frozen together and the other is to be melted together.
You can understand a statement like that. Legality might work a little while, but we don't like to be frozen up.
The warmth of love, how wonderful it is.
Well, we read here that we are to walk.
In the Spirit.
What a word for our.
Conscience and for our hearts to realize that we're in this world and we're traveling.
Every day.
Then the record of every day and every moment is being kept.
And God has brought before us here in this chapter.
At least twice, if not three times.
If we're to walk in the spirit.
We know that the love of God is spread in our hearts of the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
And when it comes to worship?
And that is to be in the spirit.
So in the departure of the Lord Jesus.
Does he talk to his disciples?
The Latin, which would be so important.
And the Lord went away from this world for us by the cross.
Well, as he spoke to them, he talked to them about this comforter.
A person. We realize that the Spirit of God is a person in the Godhead, equal with the Father and with the Son. We realize that this person is building in our bodies.
You would control our life. He would bring us into the knowledge of the truth that sets us free.
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You would occupy our hearts.
With the beloved Son of God.
Of the sacrifice he made, the glory that belongs to him.
And this blessed One, who is to be the king.
I believe it's five times.
In the 24th Psalm.
You look it up five times. He is the king of glory.
The King of Glory.
This is the person.
That we're concerned.
As to how important he is in our lives?
And no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.
Well, I come to know who is Lord in my life.
There is power in my life.
Who directs me in every step, and that is I am to walk in the Spirit.
Will not fulfill the loss of the flesh. Only by walking in the Spirit will I rise above that flesh which would control me.
And walking in the Spirit.
When we start verse 16, that seems to be where we are already, but in verse 16 it begins practical sanctification. And you know there is absolute sanctification. Thank God when we're saved, we've been set apart from this world for God forever. That's absolute sanctification and that's the first part we had in this.
Chapter But now we're starting practical scientific occasion. You know, sanctification is merely to be set apart by God.
For himself as the fight of Christ and everyone of us are sanctified. What is it me? Well, that's what the Saint is. A set apart one for all the states we find in the well. It hit the state of paper, but that's why I read it. They make us say after 2-3 hundred years and many things they got to do the attitudes and miracles.
But I was a St. Bob Men and I was safe. You're All Saints. Just means we're set apart.
Sanctified for God, for His glory, given us as part of the bride to his Son. That's what Romans 17, I mean John 17th part, part the Lord Mary giveth thanks to his Father for us. It humbles us to think that's the theme of the prayer of our Lord. But what I want to bring out, we're starting practical sanctification, walk in the Spirit.
Won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
An experts tells us that there's a warfare going on, and if you're saying that you're in trouble, the Spirit of God, there's a warfare going on. The flesh lusts us against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and that's going on all the time. Every minute of your life it's going on.
Perhaps people when you're sleeping and dreaming, but that's going on. Satan can encourage the lust of the flame. He can encourage and direct the flesh and it's only the spirit of God in you that can help. But you know, you got to recognize we have this warfare as.
Ephesians 6 tells us it's a it's a warfare with heavenly places. It's not down here. It's spiritual wickedness in a heavenly places. Now, if you look at Jeremiah on this, it's very important. Jeremiah, I think 42 or three, Jeremiah. I'm Jonah, Jeremiah, Jeremiah.
40, probably 242, you know, they wanted to know from God.
To Jeremiah, where they should be and what they should do, Isn't that the most important thing for us? Where is the Lords table? Where will the Lord be and He should be? And what should we do as servants of Him? Well, when they told him, the Lord told him. When I would define that verse 10 of 42 applied in this place.
Applied right where you are, in Judea, Jerusalem.
The place that God has chosen, the place His name there and and all the blessings that will come. What did they say in 4214? I won't read it all. We're going to go to Egypt. What's Egypt? It's this world. It's this world of sin. All the wickedness in it. That's Egypt. We're going to go there.
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Why, we'll see no war. We'll see no war. And I'll tell you, it's really soft if you want to leave where the Lord would have you be.
You will have less warfare, that's true. You'll see no more wars because there's nothing there to fight about. You're blend in with them. In Christendom, there's no warfare. Everybody agrees is the same thing, whatever you like to.
There's no warfare. The warfare is when you're gathered right here, it's the greatest warfare there is with your friends, neighbors and relatives. We don't fight them, but there's that warfare always because of what we stand for and how we talk that So it says here in our chapter.
Let's see, the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these things are contrary.
One to the other. So you cannot do the things that you would, you know, if we let the flesh have any.
Any response in us, we're not going to be able to do what that new nature the inner man wants to do We can't Satan takes over even on your mind if you start reasoning your own thoughts instead of the word of God. Satan loves to take over. He makes the mind to play thing. There's a warfare to stay in and I think this is the important part of walking. You know we have to face that that.
Is always an opposition to the spirit, always an opposition to the spirit? That's the devil, and he's clever and he can bring in any kind of temptations to get you to leave the path that you should be on.
I'd like to know that we have a guide in this world that we live in. Very sure guide. The Holy Spirit of God, one of the persons of the Godhead that dwells in us. This is a reality. I don't know if we could just get a hold of it in a more real way. And He's there to guide us. We live in a world that teaches us to be controlled by our desires.
Especially in our country.
Our culture is geared that way, advertising appeals to the desires, our own desires, and maybe not necessarily bad desires, but if we're going to be guided by our desires, brethren, that is not what we have here. It's being guided by the Spirit of God and He specifically with us with that in view. And I'd like to read that verse in John 16.
And my brother John Curry.
Mentioned, but it's so clear there in the 13th verse of John 16. I'll be it when he the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth not wonderful, He will guide you.
And we need to train ourselves, young people and us who are older as well to.
Be guided by the Spirit of God to walk in the Spirit. It's exercising ourselves to walk in the Spirit. When I act, am I doing this because of some desire of my own? Or is it the Spirit of God that is guiding me in this and something that is a check for us all?
Is that the Spirit of God will always guide according to the word of God.
If you think, you say you feel. Sometimes people go so much on their feelings. I feel this is the Lord's mind for me.
But sometimes you can show a verse that distinctly contradicts that and people will say, well I just feel this is the Lords will for me.
Don't go by your feelings, go by the Word of God. It will never let you down and the Spirit of God will never guide you contrary to the Word of God. You're so wonderful to realize it in a world that is so contrary.
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We have a sure guide to get through this place.
The word for that we would have real trouble, but we have a sure guide. Another verse I'd like to leave for the young people because it's been such a blessing in my own soul. It's Proverb or Psalms 32. The Lord can guide you in every aspect of life, as to a job, as to who you're going to marry.
The Lord is there for us and His Spirit.
Dwells in us to guide us.
According to Truth.
Psalm 32 and verse 8. I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine. I be not as the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Of times were guided by the bitten bride. Thank God in his mercy.
He doesn't let us go the way we might think to go. He puts the bit in and he guides us. That's guidance without understanding that God wants to guide us with understanding. And that's what it means to be guided by the Spirit of God. He guides us in the light of Scripture with understanding. And that's what is true Christian liberty.
To be guided by the Spirit of God in our lives. But it's something we need to be exercised about breadth.
It's not something that will just fall into place without any exercise on our part. It's walking. I'm going to walk down the road. I've got to exercise myself, and walking in the spirit means that I have to be exercised about things. This is a practical exhortation.
Robin said all for what the meaning of efficient 433 years endeavoring.
The key unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. No brother used to say this verse means.
Is shown out by a child.
Walking according to the truth of God as guided by the Spirit of God. And there are two exhortations that are so concise for us on that.
And they are, you might say, negative. Grieve not the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, for by your seal. And the other is quench, not the Spirit. What grieves the Spirit is the allowance of the flesh. We're not to do that. We're not to grieve that spirit.
And quenching the Spirit is hindering his action In myself or in another.
The liberty and spirit to teach us and guide us.
Well, we certainly should keep, you should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Another exhortation of Ephesians is.
Be filled with the Spirit. That's a responsibility that comes home to our own souls. Be filled with the spirit sometimes. Say, if you have a glass half full of dirt, how are you going to fill that glass with water? You've got to do some emptying before you can fill it with wire.
And sometimes, brethren, there's things in our lives that hinders the Spirit from filling us.
It's our responsibility, that exhortation. Well, it's not just individual, but I know this subject in our chapter is individual, but it's collective. The Spirit of God teaches and guides collectively, and I think that's so important. If you go back to John's Gospel 14 and verse 26.
John 1426, where we have been quoted in John it was individual, but I believe here.
It's so important, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things. Now that can be individual, but let's remember He's the teacher of the Church collectively, the assembly.
And that's where we really learn truth individually. We learn truth, but you never learn truth like you do go into the reading meeting or the assembly meeting. That's where you learn truth that's needed for you in that assembly individually. Thank God it's true.
00:25:13
But you're missing a lot if you don't go to the assembly meetings. That's where the Spirit of God has liberty to really teach. The church never teaches, but I'll increase them. All the churches, so-called, are teaching. But of course, we know only the Spirit of God is the teacher now, and he teaches in the assembly. And I think that's precious each one of us can enjoy.
Truth that comes out in our assembly, You can't do it. You can enjoy it if you're not there. I've always said there's something for everybody in every reading meeting, and if they don't come, they just don't get what's for them. That's all. That's sad, isn't it? But there's something, and if you really pay attention, you're going to find what it is for yourself.
May be different than for others, but there's something for you at every reading meeting.
What we have here in Galatians is an error so serious that it takes one off of the ground of Christianity altogether. Amen. That's the principle of law, the circumcision. All all that Paul had to do to escape his persecution and the opposition of the established community of Judaism was to circumcise the Gentiles. That's all he had to do.
Verse 2.
Behold, I Paul sent you, if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. You you've abandoned Christian ground for Jewish ground. That's what you've done when you're circumcised. I testify again to every man that is circumcised. He's a debtor to do the whole law. He's taken himself off of Christian ground, which is grace, put himself under law. He may not realize that.
And then he goes on and in verse 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. The Jews thought themselves superior to the Gentiles because they had the law, they had the promises, they were the circumcised. The Gentiles, the unclean dogs, were uncircumcised. They were trying to.
Elevate the Gentiles in in the church up to their level. Their thought was absolutely wrong because there aren't 2 levels in the church where all members one of another and there is none that is superior to the other. Whether you're a Jew or a Gentile makes no difference. We're all rotten to the core. That's how we began. And then he saves us and gives us a new life in Christ and all those.
Distinctions.
That existed in the Old Testament are obliterated by the cross. He's taken it out of the way and now we stand in an altogether new relationship to God. And that's in grace and by virtue of the finished work of Christ. And circumcision is something. If I submit to that on the Gentile and I submit to that, then I'm on a higher level.
A higher level of Christianity.
Now we can promote that kind of thing amongst ourselves, not insisting on circumcision, but but we can have an idea that this group amongst us is is a more spiritual group than another, and we can promote that kind of thing.
That is absolutely unscriptural and it ministers to the flesh.
If we're circumcised, he says in the 6th chapter verse 12, as many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Paul refused circumcision for Gentiles because that would that would deny the ground upon which they stand before God.
Which is grace.
He says.
See where can if I can find the verse?
Verse verse 12 of chapter 4 brethren, I beseech only back up a minute of verse 9. But now after that she have known God. He's talking to Gentiles, or rather are known of God. How turn ye again to the weekend beggarly elements where until you again desire to be in *******.
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They were in ******* to a system of their religion. They had a religious system worshipping false gods.
They were never worshiping the true God as the Jew was. They were never under the law of Moses, but they had their laws, their regulations, what they could do, what they couldn't do, how to offer their sacrifices to the gods they worshipped, and all that. They were in *******. Now the Jew wants to put them in principle under the same kind of religious ******* by putting them under law, same kind of thing in principle.
Of course, it's not the same thing because the one was the worship of the true God, Judaism, and the other was the worship of false gods.
But in principle, it's me doing something after a ritualistic fashion to gain favor with the deity that I'm worshipping. That's Julia. That's the principle of law, he said. He says verse 10. He observed days and months and times and years. I'm afraid of you. Now. Christendom has got that today. They have days and months, times and years. They've got Christmas, they've got Easter. The Roman church has a lot more than that. They've got 7.
Official holidays through the year, all of which is supposed to make those that submit to those things that are Christians give them a higher standing before God. That's a total falsification of the truth of Christian position, which is solid grace, pure grace, and it's God bringing us into favor based upon the finished work of Christ. Not based upon anything that I could do. I always used to wonder in Leviticus 13 and 14 where you have.
The the leper, there was one case of the leper where he was totally covered with leprosy. He he considers many cases where a sore brings out, comes out in an arm or in the forehead or someplace in the body and they have to look at it and see how deep it is and whether it grows or so on. But there's the one case where the whole man is full of leprosy and it says he's clean.
What is that a type of?
That's the type of a man who couldn't say, couldn't roll his sleeve back and say there is some good flesh. I'm not completely covered. I'm not completely bad. I've got some good in me. There's a piece of good flesh. But the man that was completely covered with leprosy had to see himself as vile, as totally leprous. Then he was clean. That's a picture of one who has judged himself before God.
As being totally sinful and when we come to that, that's the denial of self. It's not not self denial, not putting off this or that thing to make me better in the flesh, but it's the denial of self denial of all that we are in the flesh. We're no longer in the flesh, but in the spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwells in US. Circumcision is something that we could do.
That we might glory in the flesh. And if there's anything that we can glory of Indiana, the flesh.
Were off Christian ground totally, and that's what we've got to get a hold of. They just wanted Paul, just Paul. What we're asking is that you circumcise the Gentiles, that's all. And Paul says if you do that.
You have, you're guilty of a whole law. You have to keep it all. If you offended one point, you're condemned by it. You're off the ground of grace and you're on the ground of law. It's the principle of law that is deadly. It's not the law. The law is holy and just and good, but it's the principle of law. And we're not under law, we're under grace.
And to get ahold of that, Mister Darby says the hardest thing for us to get ahold of is grace. Grace.
Even those seven beasts, they call them sanctifying graces, and so are 8 verse.
They mix it up. And so in our eighth verse it says that this persuasion of the plausibility of this cometh not from him that calleth you. And so there's a certain plausibility to that. And so you say you belong to a certain organization and every organization has rules connected with it. And if you keep those rules, you're in good standing. And there are exterior things. Circumcision was an exterior thing. You could see if somebody was circumcised or not.
And so there's a certain sense in which we can follow along even in the current rate of those gathered to the Lord's name. And we don't do certain things, and we do certain things and we're in good standing with the brethren. But that's not what grace is, is grace is living to please the Lord, and that's what he's bringing out down here. It's characterized by submission and obedience to the Word of God. And it soon becomes manifest because a person may go on along a very long time.
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Avoiding gross outward things and there's a great plausibility to this argument that we were just have certain rules that you follow and if you follow them, you're in good standing. But that's a completely different thing than grace because we've been brought now we've been given a new nature, a power of that nature and the word of God to guide us. And so then things come up and they manifest itself that am I really walking in submission and obedience to God? Am I really walking.
With the Lord, it's a pathway that it's impossible for the flesh to to walk in. And Judaism, there were a great number of rituals and if a person followed those rituals, they were in good standing, but they could follow them without having an ounce of life. But in Christianity, it's a pathway that's that's marked out by the Spirit of God and it's in a path with it's impossible for the flesh to walk in.
Compared to Judaism, really, the outward rules of the Brethren are pretty simple.
But it's a pathway that's impossible for the flesh to walk in because it's LED of the Spirit of God and God will manifest whether we're walking according to the Spirit of God or whether we're just walking in order to please man. What do you mean by the rules of the brethren? Well, if I may say that people, if you ask your neighbor and you said well.
Clem Buchanan, he doesn't do this and he doesn't do that and he doesn't do the other thing.
And he can and they may look at it in terms of simply exterior things, but you know, I, it came home to my own soul at, at teachers College. They tried to clarify situations and they brought people up to explain why. I've told this before, but it really struck me. They brought people up to 10 people, They called them out of a class of 350. I wasn't there. The professor described it to describe why they did what they did. And there was a moral.
And two took a very moral stand. And the first one, he said, I don't do that because I'm in the Salvation Army and it's forbidden by my marching orders. And there was a girl there and the professor said, you know, we need to respect people's religions and the tenets of their religions. And then this girl, she didn't lift her head. She just said, she said, I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ to do such a thing.
Now you've got the standard would dishonor the Lord. Now you got the standard, you got Christ.
Yes, that's the standard. Well, we don't talk about rules among us. No, never. It's the word of God and it's a commandment sometimes. And if you love the Lord Jesus Christ and his word, it isn't a rule to do it or to follow it. And we don't ever want to get it under that thought when they left from Toledo, the last thing they said, and I don't mind telling you.
Write your rules on the board and we'll do them.
But we have none. I couldn't write 1. I said I can't put the whole Bible up there. And so when they went together as a group to open brethren, they individually had to sign 21 rules.
God is not mocked, we're not deceived, but we have no rules. This is hard work. And you know when he gives us a request this due in remembrance of me, if you love him, it becomes a commandment.
He didn't make it that way. We do. It's not a law.
Take a team of horses to keep a believer who loves him from that table. That's not a law. Isn't it wonderful, the patience of God to teach us that the flesh probably nothing?
He says in the 6th of Genesis, the end of all flesh is come before me and God is still tested. He's got one more 1000 years to test that to prove that that flesh dropped with nothing. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh prompted nothing. The first rating that God put forth in the Bible I believe.
In Exodus 17.
And briefly, it says that God would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. That is. And I'd say the young people, sometimes the only people, you young people is you're just like your parents.
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And Adam, they go to send in his own likeness and image, and every person that's been born in this world has been born with that sinful nature.
Born in sin, says David. And we have to learn that. And the only way that God has is to put us on the standard of a new man. And that's the liberty that we're talking about, the liberty of grace, that perfect law of liberty to let that new nature of innisfach. But we got to watch out for the old one because he's still there.
Rule then is what we have in chapter 6. I think it's good to see that there is a rule. What is the rule? Chapter 6 and verse 15 and 16 says For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything. In the 19th verse when he's talking about flesh, he says.
Works of the Flesh. There's 17 listed and many more.
Paul didn't want to go into all it's a just a list of example works of the flesh were noticed in 22 fruit of the Spirit. Just the opposite. The Spirit always brings fruit for the Lord and for God, but flesh is always works, not fruit ever.
So there we have it laid out nicely. Like to point out something that has been a help to me too in verse 17.
Reading it as you see it in Mr. Darby's translation, the the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh.
These things, these are contrary the one to the other. He puts it so that he should not do the things that he would. It's not that he cannot do it.
Yes, we can do it if we're led by the Spirit, but it is that there are contrary principles, and if you give place to the flesh, you will not.
Allow the Spirit. If you allow the Spirit place, you do not allow the flesh. There are two contrary principles and I think all of us have felt the battle that goes on so often.
In our human breast, because of these two principles, the flesh and the spirit member in South America, one of the Indian brothers said English to Brother Eric Smith one time. There's two dogs in my breast and they're always fighting. One is white and one is black. I think Brother Smith asked him who's winning the battle.
And the Indian says the one I feed the most.
But if you turn to Romans 7, you'll see the full blown example of this. It's one who's quickened, has life, but is not living in the spirit. He hasn't saved yet even. There's a difference between being quickened or having life and 9 being saved. But verse 18.
For I know that in me that is, in my place dwelleth no good thing.
One who is quickened, he couldn't know that without the Spirit having quickened him. For the will is present with me. But how to perform that which is good, I find not for the good that I would do, for the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do now if I do that I would not, it is no more that I do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
He's not saved yet. I find that a law, that which I would do good, evil, is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. No one could delight after this precious word unless the Spirit of God has saved him and brought him into this blessing. But he's not there yet. He's still letting the flesh rule in his life.
Yet he's quickened, He wants to please God. You can't do it when you let the flesh have his way. That's the full, I think the full example of this seems to me that Peter gives us a standard and an example of the power how to do this in first Peter 4.
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Verses 1 and 2.
First Peter 4.
Verses 1 and 2 For as much then as praise has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh has.
Ceased from sin, that he may no longer, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh.
To the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Very practical and simple, when we.
Deny the flesh that must rise up and do something, and we don't let it have its way. It suffers and we don't sin practical that way. The divine life has no power of itself. I think it's important to realize that the power for the divine life, the new nature, is the Spirit of God.
You might have a vehicle in the parking lot and you might have the very best engine in that vehicle. You say I've got the best engine that technology can provide, but if you don't put gasoline in that engine, you'll go out and turn the key and it's not going to fire up. There's going to be no power. You say why? I've got the best engine that GM or Chrysler or whatever can provide for me. Well, there needs to be something put in that engine to give it power, to make it fire up. There needs to be.
Clean. And so the power for our lives as Christians is the Spirit of God, and that's already been brought before us. And I don't want to belabor the point, but just in connection with walking in the Spirit. Perhaps what we've been saying is summed up in a little illustration back in the book of Deuteronomy.
Which brings these principles perhaps together by type and illustration. And it's important to see these illustrations. They help us to grasp the truth perhaps more clearly in our souls. And I was thinking in Deuteronomy chapter 33 of the Blessing of Asher, Deuteronomy chapter 33 and verse 24.
And of Asher, he said, let Asher be blessed with children.
Let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy day so shall thy strength be. Well, we notice here that there's power, because Asher was to dip his foot in oil. The feet speak of our walk. The oil is often used in Scripture as a type of the Holy Spirit. I think we can see that it corresponds with what we have in Galatians in connection with walking.
In the Spirit, but there are several things that are brought out here in connection with this. First of all, it says let Asher be blessed with children. That's what we might say is bearing fruit. We often hear about bearing fruit for God's glory. Do you want to bear fruit for God's glory? It's only going to be as you walk in the power of the Spirit, as you dip your foot in oil. That's why later on in our chapter he speaks of the fruit of the Spirit and the characteristics of.
Fruit of the Spirit, but it only comes from dipping our foot in oil. So let him be blessed with children. Then there's an interesting statement. You know, brethren, the Bible is perhaps the only balanced book there really is in the world. Every other book you read, you're going to find that it's slanted some way or another.
But the Scripture is so balanced, perhaps before we comment on that, that expression, let him be acceptable to his brethren. We'll just go to an expression in thought in Corinthians where Paul said, which has been brought out. He said we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. That was Paul's desire. That was the first motive of his life, that in his service for Christ he would have the Lord's acceptance and approval. He was.
Understood by the Corinthian brethren who questioned his authority as an apostle, questioned his ministry, treated him miserably, weren't perhaps supporting him the way they should have. He said that's okay. I'm laboring for the acceptance of the Lord. That's my first motive. But brethren, when we're when we walk in the Spirit and I don't want to tear down or take away from anything that's been said because I heartily agree with what's been said about.
In connection with not just looking for acceptance with our brethren and trying to live a certain mode of life that's acceptable to the brethren, I I understand the context in which those comments have been made.
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But here's something interesting. When one dips his foot in oil, let him be acceptable to his brethren. Young people, there is a path of service and faith where you can walk, where you will have, if you are in the path, Misunderstandings. Yes, Paul had that criticism. Yes, Paul had that. But in a sense too, you will have the acceptance of your brethren. And I say that as a careful balance. We don't want to do things that rub our brethren.
Way and purposely do something that we know is going to grate the teeth of our brethren. If meat offend my brother, I'll eat no more of it so long as the world shall stand. Yes, our first motive is Christ laboring for His acceptance. But I also suggest that when the Lord has something for you to do and you're walking in the path in the power of the Spirit, then He's not going to let your brethren stand in the way. He'll even work in their hearts so that they will have fellowship with you.
In what you're doing, just to safeguard, don't step out, Feel you need to step out of the assembly to serve in a broader path. No, it's true. It's good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. But I'll ask you, let him be acceptable to his brother. Let him dip his foot in oil, and then what's the result?
His shoes shall be as iron. That's power. You want power for your pathway. It must be your pathway walked in the power of the Spirit. You've got to dip your foot in oil. Let his feet be as iron. And then something else, brass, that would perhaps speak of endurance. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. It says in Hebrews chapter 12, the Christian pathway is not the Sprint. It's not the 100 yard dash. It's the marathon.
It takes endurance to go on day after day. The enemy's busy, as we've been saying. The flesh is active. If we let it be so, and these things are against us in that way, are we going to have endurance for our pathway? Let him dip his foot in oil. Then he goes on. We won't read it, but he speaks about the happy man and the man who has corn and wine, and the one who experiences the everlasting arms about him. But I believe the hinge is that it's a man who.
His foot in oil, he walks in the power of the Spirit.
There's two conflicts that are mentioned in Scripture and we've had our attention called to the one in Romans 7, Romans 7, the things that I would, I do not the things that I would not that I do, or wretched men that I am who shall deliver me. That's the conflict between the two natures, the old and the new nature in the in Romans 82, it says the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.
Which is what brought me into ******* in Romans 7. Romans 7 more describes the state of the Old Testament Saints before the Spirit was given.
In Galatians, that portion we're looking at, the conflict is between flesh and spirit and there's victory. The Spirit of God is power. It's the, it's the gasoline and the engine. In Romans 7:00 you got the engine, but in, in Galatians, you've got the engine full of, full of gas and that gives the power. But the new nature is not, does not have power over the flesh.
Flesh is going to win there, but He's given us more than just the new nature. He's given us the Spirit of God.
Christ interceding for us on high. The Spirit. Here below we have everything that we need to to walk pleasing to God. We draw the analogy between the Spirit of God and gasoline, and it's helpful.
But to bring the comments back to what Brother Bob said is that the Spirit of God is, is a person of the Godhead and intelligent and leads us intelligently into the truth of God. And so that's what the Spirit of God is doing. And that's the means by which we're led by the Spirit of God is by reading the Word of God and getting hold of the truth of God. And the Spirit of God will never lead us contrary to the word of God. It's very important because.
People often talk about displays of power, and there's evident displays of power like burning gasoline, if I may say that. But it's not the Spirit of God at all, because it's contrary to the Word of God. And there's a very simple test to that. I just reiterate that.
It won't support application of the verse that was read in John 16 to the Spirit of God guiding us into all truth. I believe has a direct reference to the truth of God revealed in the epistles.
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There we get the intelligence of the Spirit of God to walk in the Christian pathway in Ephesians chapter 4, where we get to walk not as other Gentiles walk, and it delineates the behavior of those Gentiles. Then it goes on to say, but you have not so learned Christ.
There is where we learn the truth. I am the truth.
But then it goes on to say in that same context, if not so learned, the truth as it is in Jesus, we have the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospels as a model for our behavior and our pattern of life. We have Him in the glory as the object of our faith, empowering us and leading us on in the pathway of faith so that we become like Him.
In the pathway, the life, the the truth as it is in Jesus.
We see everything that man should be to God.
And we see everything that God is to man. And so we have the epistles to bring us into Christian teaching and understanding of what a Christian is. And we have the pathway of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels as a pattern for our behavior down here.
So we have every resource in order, as we had before us in our chapter, that we should not do the things that we would. We would allow these things that dishonor God and that are not acceptable according to the standard of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Spirit of God enables us to not do those things until we have it all summed up as Christ, the new standard, and the Holy Spirit.
To empower us to follow him.
What was characteristic of the Gentiles was that they followed dumb idols as there was number intelligence to what they did. But what is characteristic, as you pointed out, the truth into which the Spirit leads us is what is our reasonable or intelligent service. And so to bring it back to what Brother Jim said, we may not always understand why the brethren do what they do, but don't criticize it and abandoned it, but get into the Word of God and find out because God has preserved.
Testimony to the truth. Let's just read a verse in connection with that because I'm glad he pointed that out. And it was my experience, if I'm allowed to say that coming into the assembly, I disagreed with what the assembly there taught the first time I came into the assembly. But it says that if one that is unlearned. Help me find this in First Corinthians.
14 First Corinthians First Corinthians 14.
And verse 24. Verse 23 If therefore the whole church become together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in one that is unlearned or unbelievers, will they not all say that you are mad? But if all prophecy and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, so that falling down in his face he will worship.
God and report that God is in you of a truth.
And so when the Word of God is opened and it touches the conscience, that's what prophecy is.
There's the acknowledgment that the Lord is there and that the Lord has maintained a testimony. And if we don't have intelligences to why things are done the way they are done, where the Lord has preserved a testimony, we need to get into the word of God and we need to find out why not just throw things out. So the order of the book of Romans.
If you don't get instructions as to exhortations and behavior till you get through all the doctrine of the 1St 12 Chapters.
And 1St 11 Chapter, and then the first verse of the 12, he says, I beseech you therefore, President, by the mercies of God, that He present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable intelligence service. He teaches us how, and then he asked us to do it.
He has abounded unto us in all wisdom and intelligence.
It tells us in Ephesians 1, and it's in contrast to the service in the Old Testament. If you had come along to one of those priests or Levites and asked them why they did things in certain ways, they wouldn't be able to really tell you intelligently. We look back and we see why the crop and the feathers had to be taken out and why the sacrifice was killed in a certain way and certain things were done. We take it up and intelligently in the light of what is revealed in the New Testament.
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And we know that it all speaks of Christ. But they carried on that service because it was required.
When they dabbed by you didn't go by the what they the regulations why and offered strange fire, why they were slain. And so, as we said this morning, it was a service of fear, not a service of intelligence. But we have now an intelligent service to render to him.
And if you'll just allow me to say this too, I believe that what this all shows, brethren, that is the things we have been Speaking of this afternoon in this reading meeting. It shows that we can go on and live for God's glory even in, in the year 2000. I, I just want to say that on a practical note, because maybe there's young people here and you're saying, well, these are difficult days. You brothers don't know how difficult it is out there at school. And it works sometimes. Well, perhaps we don't, but.
I like that verse in first in second Peter one. It says according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and some of those things have been enumerated here the afternoon. We have the very life of Christ. We have the Spirit of God for that life. We have the word of God as light and instruction for our pathway. We have the word of God as food for the new life.
Because the new life, not only does it not have power of itself, it's a dependent life, and so it needs food and refreshment. Here in this world, we have all things that pertain unto life and godliness. And when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ, are we going to be able to offer some excuse for failure in our lives?
Some excuse for compromise or giving up of the of the truth or some aspect of the truth. He's going to say I gave you everything, everything was at your disposal, all the resources and not only that, but myself living at the right hand of God as my as your high priest and advocate to preserve you and to restore you in the path of faith and service. And it's nice what it says later on in that chapter in second Peter, it says, wherefore I will not be.
To put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established. Now notice this little expression in the present truth. This book we hold in our hands, brethren, is sufficient guidance and direction even for the year 2000. It's sufficient to guide us in our personal walk. It's sufficient to answer every problem and difficulty and question in the family circle. It's sufficient guidance.
For us to go on collectively as the people of God gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. It's the present truth. Was it relevant in in Peters day? Indeed it was. That's why he was bringing it before them again and again and stirring them up. We've had things before us in these meetings that aren't new to any of us. Perhaps we've heard these things over and over. Some of us by the grace of God from the very days of our childhood. Do we need them again? Yes, because it's.
Present truth this the truth of this book, brethren, is as relevant as when it was penned by inspiration. And so this is a very, very the very, very practical side of things. We can go on with the resources that we have in Christ provided by God himself and in the truth that is the present up to date word of God. Tell us about the picture of the way the Lord.
Appeared to Joshua.
When they were going to go in and possess the promised land, and the difference between that and the way he appeared to Moses when he was going to send him to bring them out of Egypt.
You give us a thought, brother.
Well, Moses comes first.
Both of them are on holy ground because they were in the presence of Jehovah.
And Jehovah was showing to Moses.
There's a Bush over here.
And it's burning.
And it doesn't burn up.
Telling Moses and telling the children of Israel.
That that one was going to be able to carry them through the afflictions of the wilderness. When they left Egypt, they got in the wilderness and they had the afflictions and they were consumed, but they were not burned up. They were burned, but they weren't consumed. You count the number of them. It's almost the same going into the wilderness as coming out of it. Now they were going to get into battle.
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When they got into the promised land and when, brethren.
Christians get into the possession of heavenly places and walk in them. The battle gets fiercer and fiercer. How did Jehovah appear to Joshua, captain of the Lord's hopes, with a drawn sword in his hand? If the battle is the Lord's, none of ours, it's the Lord's. That's important, isn't it? Because.
The real conflict didn't start with Israel until they went to possess the land.
Which speaks to us in type of all that is ours in Christ. It's true, as you say, they had a skirmish with Amalek in the wilderness and so on, and there were difficulties of the way. But in the measure in which a believer seeks to practically enjoy and walk in the good of all that is his in Christ, the enemy is going to be right there to seek to trip us up and rob us of that enjoyment. And it's remarkable with Israel when they went in to possess the land as long as they.
That the captain of the Lord's host was going before them to fight the battle. They were they had victory over the enemies. Why? They went up to Jericho and there was a great V1. They didn't have to raise a sword, but the the walls came tumbling down and there was a great victory because they went up in the strength of the captain of the Lord's host. But then they said, oh, we'll just go up and we won't even send all our men up to AI because it's just a little city and we won't have a problem. Why look at the.
Victory we've had here at Jericho why they were soundly defeated God teaching his people that they couldn't possess their inheritance apart from they do it in the realization that they were it was there was one going before to fight for them and brethren, we're no more we're no match for any situation we're no match for the enemy whether it's a little city or a big city, but we can go up in the strength of the Lord we can walk in the practical enjoyment of the.
Truth of God, we can walk in the power of the Spirit, not in our own might, but because we have one who's going before, who fights for us. We're no match for the enemy, but the Lord Jesus said that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Why did the Lord say to Moses at the burning Bush, remove thy shoes from off thy feet? We know it was holy ground, but why did he say to Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, my feet?
With Moses and foot with Joshua, Exodus is the book of redemption feet because it gives us our standing before God and Christ. Joshua is every foot that you, every piece of land that you put your foot on should be yours. That's the land of inheritance. So its foot in Joshua, its feet in Exodus.
I have sort of thought with the Exodus.
It was the I am.
It's holy ground because of who he is in Joshua. It's because of what he's going to do. Little difference there than the I am, isn't it? But maybe I like your idea too. I'd like to ask us to have a little bit of teaching from 2nd Corinthians 6 about the.
Contest the trial that we have and our young people pointed out.
As to walking with your.
And where the power is and who it is that gives the help. Could somebody read from?
Verse 14 to the end of 2nd Corinthians 6. I want to read that to John.
2nd Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14.
Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion have light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part has he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God.
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And as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord.
And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Next verse. Next verse.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness and fear of God.
That's wonderful statement.
Saith the Lord Almighty. It is unusual.
And the contest, the battle of the Saints of God today.
Is probably the hardest battle that God's people have ever had to fight, but who do they have to do it?
Like to suggest in the chapter we have here in Galatians 5, perhaps it relates more to the battle in the wilderness that was mentioned between Amalek and Israel where Israel was.
Or Joshua was down in the plains fighting Amalek, which is a picture of Satan's efforts on the flesh, and Moses was up on the mountain.
And he had his hands extended and as long as his hands were up, Joshua won the battle. And that seems to be what relates to our chapter here is the flesh and the spirit. Whereas what has been mentioned, the conflict in the land, it's a very real conflict as well. It seems to what relates more to Ephesians, where we have what relates to Canaan and the conflict is not so much.
There as it is spiritual wickedness in high places, it's the devil that is the source of problem there and just like to going back to our chapter Galatians 5 there it's been mentioned already and I think it is perhaps if we could touch on.
The Works of the Flesh, verse 19 in contrast.
With verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit, there's a definite difference. Works is something that involves activity. It's the activity of the flesh, and if the flesh is active, this is what is going to be produced. And it's a pretty awful list that is mentioned here, but I think it's important to understand what this list involves.
And it's sexual immorality to begin with.
And then it goes on to spiritual wickedness in idolatry and witchcraft. That's, that's a very real thing in our society today. I'm I'm shocked. In the stores you see games that are sold right along with good games perhaps, but that lead directly into witchcraft. The Ouija board is on sale there.
And parents need to be aware that these things are.
There, and our kids are exposed to it, and if they don't realize it, they're going to get sucked into those things, their works of the flesh. And then there's things that have been mentioned. Brother Don mentioned variance. And that's something that is very common in our world today. Just to be different and the spirit of wanting to be different and always saying something different.
Is is not good?
Yeah, it doesn't mean that we're always exactly think the same thing, but to have that spirit of variance, it's the work of the flesh. But just wanted to draw attention to the verse 22, the fruit of the spirit. And if you look at the list of nine things that are mentioned, none of them in themselves are actions.
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They are all passive.
They are fruit. They are what is produced. And you might ask, how does a Grapevine produce fruit? Does it have to wave its branches around so that fruit will come on it? No. All that has to do is that the branch has to remain well connected to the main trunk of the vine and the SAP flowing up through that main trunk down the branch.
Will automatically produce fruit and sometimes you see people that are laid on beds of sickness.
Absolutely can't get off that bed, but they produce beautiful fruit. Lovejoy, peace. What a beautiful thing. It's the light of Christ and the believer. And as we live in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, those fruits automatically will be produced in the believer.
Its works in contrast with.
Fruit. It's the works of the flesh works, plural. It's not the fruits of the spirit. It's often quoted that way. That's not what it says. It's a nine flavored fruit.
Galatians 6
Reading
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John, chapter 1. John chapter 3.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.
That we should be called.
Children of God.
Verse 2.
All of us now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be.
We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.
For we shall see him as he is.
Our God, our Father, we be happy with. Chapter 6. Galatians.
Perhaps we have a reader in the house.
The Nations, Chapter 6.
Brethren, if a Matthew were taken in the fall, he would charge spiritual in the spirit of meekness considering.
Myself.
There ye one anothers burdens and soul fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, and he stay with himself, but that every man drew his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden, let him that is taught in the word.
Communicate into him. That teaches him all good things.
Be not deceived, God is not marked. For whatsoever a man saw that shall he also reap, for he does so to his flesh. Shall of the flesh reproduction. But he does know up to the Spirit. Shall of the Spirit reap white everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing or in due season. We shall reap if we think not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
You see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised only. Thus they should suffer persecution for the cause of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they make glory in your flesh.
But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By whom the world has crucified him to me, and I into the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision to pay left anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, and as many as walk according to this rule, these be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me.
For I buried my body, the marks of the Lord Jesus, rather than the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with your spirit. Amen.
Like to make a few comments about this first verse and there's been a lot of confusion among brethren and among Saints about this first verse. I believe the Lord Jesus explained this first verse.
He said if thou see and thy brother have a Moat in his eye, first remove the beam that is in thine own eye, and then thou shalt have wisdom to remove the Moat that is in my brother's eye. That's the answer to this first verse. This first verse should be read. We should read it this way.
If some man be overtaken in the fault, he which have judged yourselves, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, rest out also be tempted. It's very interesting and I believe very important as brethren, as Saints, that we understand how important it is.
Self judgment, self judgment, and that's the meaning of this first person.
That would be one who is spiritual, isn't that right?
Yeah, that's true. However, you know, a lot of people have taken this question. I've heard more than once, many times explained well, those that understand the scriptures, those that walk according to truth and all this and that. The other thing, that's not what it means. It doesn't say he who knows scripture or he who walks in the truth. It says he that is spiritual. And I really believe that's the meaning that you brought it out. One who is spiritual judges himself.
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He keeps a short account with God. I believe that's a spiritual man. Job was a spiritual man. He just didn't know what the Lord knew about himself. But he kept a short account. And you know, there was a group in our county that.
Were not gathered to the name of the Lord. We had that so nicely last hour. But they were meeting alone, without any denomination and without a leader.
And they felt they were, you know, and I remember a brother in that group telling me that they had this experience They had, there was a, a leader, there was a in that group, there was a Bishop not ordained. You know, we had a Bishop in our group and we have one now. I don't know, but but the last one to tell you he's a Bishop is the Bishop. At any rate, they had a.
Father's heart leader, you know, and they all look to him, but he was well taught, not as well taught as he should be, but anyway, and and they had a brother who was overtaken in a fall or a fault. This isn't something assembly disciplines. This isn't that kind of a thing, but you know, you can he obviously going getting away from the Lord. It can be obvious one way or another.
So after a while, they all love this brother.
A lot. His name was John, who was getting cold in his soul and it was showing. And so this leader called a prayer meeting and he said to the brothers, we have to do something. We have to go visit dear brother John and he said and see if we can help some way. And he he said.
Brother Jim may be called one of them and said, what would you have done if you were tempted as John is being tempted right now?
Well, he said I wouldn't be tempted like that. I, I looked to the Lord all the time. I start out with prayer and I end with prayer and every day and so on. And he asked another brother, what would you do? And he said, I take it right to the assembly. I have a prayer meeting just like this. I wouldn't have that problem of a fall that way.
And he went around and they all had reasons that they wouldn't be like that. And he asked the last one and he was. He had his chin in his hands and his knees, his elbows on his knees. He had tears. And he said, well, brother Bill, what would you have done? He said, pray for me that I never be tempted like that.
He said well let you and I go visit the brother.
I think that's pretty well the answer.
Although it says it should be the margins good, although a man be overtaken in a fault. Ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Unless we can say, but for the grace of God, there we are. We're in no shape to visit.
That's what I feel. I think the I think the apostle here is using irony when he says she which are spiritual.
You who fancy yourselves to be spiritual, show it by restoring the Arian brother. Legality cannot restore anyone. Put them out, get rid of them, they can't restore them. So, and then considering thyself list, I'll also be tempted. While the Pharisee wouldn't do that, he thinks himself superior.
And I think it's a dig at.
The very element of legality that was trying to turn these Gentile believers put them under law.
Ye which are spiritual, the apostle mean, who would who would dare to come forward and say, I'm one of the spiritual? I'll restore him.
It's irony.
I think we have to learn from scripture and.
We have various examples of something restored as Jacobs.
And.
Joe and David and Peter. But in the world, 23rd John, I think David has the answer for restoration. He restored myself. We can't do it.
00:10:12
You can't seek to bring that person into the presence of the Lord.
And that's what restores us all, because the flesh pack glory in his brethren.
I think that's probably what that means. A spiritual person, too, brings them into the presence of the Lord, because when there's departure, it's first on an individual level, departure from the Lord. And a spiritual person doesn't consider his own interests, doesn't consider how he may have been offended by the person. He considers that person's relationship with the Lord.
And you mentioned Joe, I think that's a good example because he, like you did just that he didn't as the others had criticized Joe as to the way they had looked at jobs problems in relation to other people, but.
He brought Job right into the presence of the Lord, and to me that's being spiritual really, isn't it? It's not that it's a rank for anybody to tote, that's not the point. But it is simply laying aside our own interests and thinking of God's interests.
And that person that is departed.
That's really important because we're to add to brotherly love, divine love. Brotherly love has my brother as its objects and divine love has God's object in my brothers soul. And you see that with Nathan is that he brought Nathan, brought David right into the presence of the Lord in connection with his sin has been pointed out. The Lord is the only one who can restore the soul.
It's the work that God has to do in the soul, but we can seek to bring the the conscience into the presence of God in connection with the sin. There is something helpful, I believe that in Deuteronomy 22 in connection with this.
Because we're not often wise as to how we do things. I speak in the plural, but perhaps you speak in the singular. But there is some little help here. I think it's worth reading it.
Because we're not to be indifferent to our brother's plight.
Put in Deuteronomy 22. I'll just read these verses. I think they're worthwhile. Thou shalt not see thy brothers, ox, or his sheep, or his *** go astray and hide thyself from them. Thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh to thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it on to thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it. And.
Shall restore it to him again. In like manner shalt thou do with his *** and so shalt thou do with his raiment, and with all things all lost thing of thy brothers which he hath lost and thou hast found. Shalt thou do likewise, that thou mayest not hide thyself. Thou shalt not see thy brothers asked for his ox.
Fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them. Thou shalt surely help them.
Help him to lift them up again.
Well, there are three here that you may see have lost something, One that's close to you, one that's not close to you, and one you don't know. And there are brethren that are close to us and they can come right up to us and say, Brother Neil, I'd like to tell you something. And they feel free to do that. And we don't need to put barbed wire around ourselves. So our brother can't do that. Some people do that.
There are some that are far from us. We don't know them. Maybe they're newly in fellowship or they're somebody we don't know. They're not far from us, or it may be somebody at work and you know, they're a real believer. But you see something there that's going to get this one into trouble. We're not to hide ourselves in any of these three cases, not just talking about those in the assembly and.
There are different things that a person may lose. Perhaps an ox speaks of patience in service, the the *** of burden bearing the raiment of the testimony or the sheep of communion with the Lord. There's different aspects of things that you may see. You may see a a real believer at work and he's getting taken up with things and he's really losing his testimony well.
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Perhaps if he's close to you, you can return it to him. If he's not close to you, you take it up and tie it up at home, you pray about it.
Get into the Word of God about it. You know, sometimes people go away and they leave their animals for somebody else to care at its work. And sometimes we want to rush right into a thing and help in a situation when it would be better a case to take it home and tie it up, to feed it and to pray about it and so on, so that the Lord might give a word to help in this situation.
And sometimes you just have to wait. Paul prayed that a door of utterance would be opened up.
That I don't think we need to pray that so much for the gospel because it's in season and out of season to warn people. But with the truth, there has to be a waiting on the Lord, a feeding of the thing. And so I just mentioned that because it's helpful that there is a time to return that thing. Nathan waited quite a little while, I think before he returned. That went to David and said thou art the man I think we all know.
Even the young ones know what we're referring to about the sheep. The story that he told God gave real grace and wisdom as to how to.
Really bring it before his soul, so he's brought right into the presence of God, and then God can work to restore the soul.
I'd like to just remind ourselves that Paul is writing to assemblies. I know this can be individual and as much of assembly work or principles or individuals in the assembly. What is with the assembly at mind? Chapter one, verse 2 Says he's writing to the assembly.
In Galatia, and so it's really to the assemblies he's writing. And if you look on this point, we don't want to spend too much time on verse one, but if you look at First Corinthians chapter 12, I think we got the thought of this verse one really.
Verse 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
And then if you look at the last half of 25, the members should have the same care one for another. I believe the word is confirmed better than care, but both are good. So this is really the point for us to get out of this. We're not just individuals running around pulling a person's *** off the ditch or joining groups to do it. We're in assembly.
And this truth is brought out to assemblies and I think we got to remember that they were telling that if one of the brothers.
Who are in the assembly as a problem?
Then ye, which are spiritual, a spiritual one, I still say, who? Who realizes? But for the grace of God, there I am. That's the spiritual man. Maybe I'm wrong, I'll leave it.
You know, it seems like so often these things may come up and yet we're in a low state. We lack the spiritual exercise and energy to consider a thing like this. And then it becomes an assembly problem is that often the way it happens, it develops into something that could have been.
Taken care of Maybe in earlier stages.
But it becomes a real test if it becomes a personal trespass like in Matthew 18. And then what is the object of that? Well, as to gain the brother, you know it the the offense manifests the state of soul and the procedure becomes very complicated. But I believe that it's very important when it says in the spirit of meekness.
If you don't approach the matter right, you can just spoil it from the outset. So the way in which we consider these things, and like we've already heard, if we have the right spirit of meekness, it's because we recognize the tendency of our own hearts to depart and to get into the same fault.
In connection with your earlier comment, there's a little story I heard.
About seeing a tendency. A man was a drunkard was saved years ago and and was brought into a particular church and later he fell back into drunkenness and he had to be put away by the church. They sought to act faithfully in connection with it. And one man in the church said to another, he said, you know, I saw this coming because when he came to town he hitched his horse the same place as he always used to.
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Well, in his drunken days he used to hit you by the saloon. He still, he still hitched it there. And so the Lord gives us little warnings that things are coming. And as you pointed out, that if we had more real care to keep an eye on those things and to see.
Things and we could help before it became an issue that required that kind of extreme action, which really when the assembly acts, it's really saying that all of our care has failed. We have to put them outside into the.
Outside of the care of the assembly into the devil's world, really, to be.
To be taken care of. Well, I believe it's important to realize too that's this is beyond what is before us here. But I believe it is important to realize that the assembly has authority and there are things perhaps that could be done more than or or I should say less than actual outright excommunication. You know, there are cases, of course, that.
That that is the only way in in faithfulness.
To deal, but we were just talking to someone.
Not so long ago, and they mentioned about a public rebuke in an assembly given to a person who was in a very disorderly way.
And so an older brother was had the responsibility and they publicly, they rebuked this person and we were told that it caused a solemnity and a fear on the whole assembly.
And yet the person wasn't excommunicated. They weren't. But there are degrees in which the pressure can be applied for the Lord's glory. We need more exercise, do we not, about these things?
Whatsoever of Matthew 18 as his inclusiveness in actions and range of actions is as inclusive as the whosoever of John 316. I believe there's a wide range of options open to the assembly never to allow evil in the midst, but as you say.
I just say that because it says whatsoever ye bind in heaven on earth is bound in heaven. So the assembly has a wide range of remedies in a situation to help beyond excommunication is really an acknowledgement that all discipline has failed. But we call this a minor offense here.
If a man be overtaken in a full and who others have been overtaken before and we've got plenty of spiritual threats.
That would like to bring it back to the president of the Lord in our life and.
I think we have to do this again, realizing we can't do it. David didn't say Nathan restored my soul.
The Lord restored himself.
And Jacob had to wrestle with that man. He didn't know the man, didn't know the man. He asked for his name. He said, how is it? Don't you know me, Jacob? Who is wrestling with Jacob?
It was the Lord Himself.
He wanted to bring him back in the courtship, so these things ought to be easy and simple to take care of a small degree and never have to get into the affairs of administration in the Assembly.
I think Unreal fault is getting filled with herself.
And is pointed out to hear more.
Bury one another's burden so fulfill the law of preparation.
He was after us, he bears our burdens, but then he says to us, if that think himself to be something.
When he is nothing.
The Deceiver himself.
All right, straight forward, I would think that was.
Often we think there's something, but actually we're nothing. They were picked up dust and they were brought to Christ.
It was all grace. So if it was grace with me, I think to bear someone else's burden, to show a little grace as well.
I would I would like you keep continuing on. But before we leave verse one, I just want to mention one thing. It's important. We brought in assembly discipline, which isn't in this verse, but since we brought it in the same spirit has to be involved in assembly discipline. It's no different and we learned it the hard way, but by a good teacher.
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You know, we had Ralph rule among us, and I think most of what I know of assembly is from that brother.
But we had a discipline problem that came up very quickly because the brother confessed what he did and it means to us out. I mean, they want any question. And so they call a quick emergency Saturday night meeting before breaking a bread so we could clear the table quick and be done with it. That was the real spirit, you know, And we're all eager to go and we were there around.
And telling how awful it is and what he did.
How terrible. I mean, it was terrible. But Ralph finally said, brothers, we're not ready to do anything tonight, He said. We're ready and needing to pray tonight and then bring bread tomorrow. Don't fear that this brother is going to break bread. He made a clear confession and he's broken down. He'll never be at the table tomorrow.
Let's pray for him tonight. I learned a lot with that. We prayed for him and we had another meeting on Tuesday night and we were more concerned about that brother.
Then throwing him out, although we had to throw him out, but we were concerned about him, and there was follow-up work right away. It was beautiful, but we couldn't wait to get at him. The same kind of a thing, brethren, the grace of our goal, Jesus Christ.
Be with your fear.
That's so important.
A very spirit in which things are taken out and it ought to be the spirit of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The spirit of something is as important as the thing itself. You find when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, there was much that needed correction and much that was wanting. But I think it's in First Corinthians 4 he says, should he come to them with the with the rod? No, he wanted to come in the spirit of love and meekness and so.
This I've been struck with how many times in the Old Testament.
Spirit is brought out, the spirit in which they did something. Because, brethren, we can do the right thing in the wrong spirit and sometimes only add to the situation, not help it. Sometimes the motive might be good, the thing we do might be good. I've been impressed with Caleb. It's interesting that when he came back from spying the land with the other 11 spies, he and Joshua stood faithful. They presented, if I can put it this way, the truth.
As they knew it in their day, they were brought up a faithful report. And it's interesting that the Lord commended Caleb not only for a faithful report. Well, perhaps we should turn back to it in the book of Numbers, Numbers 14, I believe.
Numbers, Chapter 14.
We know that we won't read these verses here, but we know that Joshua and Caleb were promised that they would eventually set foot on their inheritance because of their faithfulness, and they're the only two that we read up from Scripture that eventually did. But there was something particularly particular noted in connection with Caleb. Notice verse 24 of Numbers 14.
But my German Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully.
Isn't that remarkable? Caleb had fully followed the Lord. He brought up a faithful report, but he done it in the proper spirit. And God said because of the spirit in which Caleb was faithful for the truth, he would eventually set foot on his inheritance. Interesting too that the only one who received a personal inheritance in the land, but that's another subject. It's interesting too with Daniel. It says that of Daniel that he had an.
Spirit in him was he a faithful man in a day of weakness and ruin? Indeed, he was a faithful man. He humbled himself and identified with the failure that had come in amongst the people of God. But God particularly noted that excellent spirit. I think it's the 32nd Psalm that says blessed is the man in whose spirit.
There is no guile. So I think it's helpful for us to see that the thing, the spirit of something is as important as the thing itself. And can I just say this to you, brethren, in connection with what's been said. If we had in the proper spirit, in the, in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, if we had that watchful care and that shepherd's heart. And I'm not speaking just to a select few of Brett, a few rather now, but I'm speaking.
00:30:28
Each one of us, if each one of us, brothers and sisters alike, had a shepherd's heart and a care for the people of God bearing 1 anothers burdens and a watchful discernment to shepherding and encourage, perhaps even admonish the people of God when we see a brother or a sister getting into something or on a path that we feel is detrimental to their soul if we had that love.
To that brother and seek to encourage that brother or that sister and draw them back perhaps, rather than we would spare ourselves from many things. We've often thought of it in connection with Utica. You know, when he sat down in that window, a dangerous position, when he tried to keep one eye on what was going on in the assembly and one eye on what was going on out in the world outside. One ear tuned to the ministry of the Apostle Paul and one ear tuned to the world the street below.
And as he started to drift off to sleep and lean toward the open, open window, if there had been somebody in that third loft who would have gone over and encouraged Utica, woke him up and encouraged him out of that dangerous position, encouraged him to come over and sit by them, or whatever it might have been. Maybe they wouldn't have been appreciated, but perhaps it would have spared Eudicus the fall that he eventually had. Brethren, wouldn't we spare one another many things?
If we would seek to have that care and discernment now, a shepherd isn't always appreciated. There's no glory in shepherding the people of God. The shepherd wanders off. He doesn't want the shepherd to come after it with his crook and pull him back into the flock. He wants to go off on his own. But brethren, it's a necessary work. If I just say that for each one of our hearts don't just think there's a select group of shepherds, there may be those that God raises up in that position, as you have in first Peter 5.
Everyone of us are responsible to encourage and shepherd the people of God. Would that be right? Restoration is what is desirable and I think that's the important to keep before us any measure of discipline that is applied. What is the purpose restoration? I notice that Mister Darby's has a little note that the word is the same as used in mending the Nets in chapter 4 of Matthew where they were amending.
Men needed and often think of the two expressions that are mentioned about Moses in Acts Chapter 7. He was refused when he went out to seek to be a help to the people of God. They said, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? It's relatively easy, brethren, to be a judge.
Of things to see what's wrong in a person and to judge it.
That's relatively easy. But the one who they refused as a ruler and a judge after God had trained him for 40 years in the backside of the desert, God sent him back to be a ruler and to deliver. And that's what's necessary. And so when we see a fault in some person, instead of merely looking at them to judge that that's wrong, what they're doing.
Let's ask the Lord in His presence, what can I do to be a help in the right direction?
For that person, that's a ruler and a deliverer, and that's another matter entirely. Lord help us think about that.
I think the training of the Lord.
For his disciples.
In Luke, I helped us to look at this case and the instruction will help us. Or they were going to decide and it seemed that they had a deal for the Lord, but there were others around.
And.
Begin trading in the 40th or 49th verse of Route 9.
John Masterton Smith Master, we saw one casting out death.
00:35:02
In thy name, and we provide him, because he goes up with us.
What does Jesus say?
Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is on our part. You're going on reading at a Cape Bash when the time must come if he should be received up. He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered into the village of the Samaritans.
To make ready for him.
Then what happened and they did not receive him.
Because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Now look at what James and John says.
James and John said unto him, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume him, even as Elias is the natural heart? Somebody just said they'd like to take up the case of a judge. Well, here it is.
And.
He.
Turned and rebuked them and said, ye know not what manner of spirit you're on, what manner of spirit you're on, what the spirit of Christ at all, because he says.
The next person is not come to destroy men's life, but to save them. They went to another village. What wonderful teaching for us to try to walk and take toward our brother of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of grace, to bear their versions and to help them.
That's so important, I feel, to see the connection here between the bearing of burdens and restoration.
I guess I had a personal experience several years ago in writing to a brother, and it wasn't as if he'd been overtaken in a fault, but he had appealed to me having some difficulty with a certain line of truth.
And no matter how often I wrote to him, he just. I guess the only word that comes to mind is that he blasted me with letters in return. And it finally became clear to me that somehow I was not able to bear the burden now on his part. There was a responsibility.
On his part, the Lord had allowed something which he should have been able to take from the Lord.
But before I could be of any help to him, I had to be prepared to sit and listen. I had to be prepared to take part of that burden from him. And I'm no Greek scholar, but anybody can verify this, that the two words for burden here one in.
Verse two and one in verse 5 are different, and the word for burden in verse 2 has the connotation of that which is extremely heavy.
And intolerable. It's the same word I understand that is used where it talks about those who were bearing the burden and heat of the day. Why does God allow this in the lives of His people? May I suggest, without wanting to second guess or bless the Lord, that sometimes He allows it in order that you and I might have the opportunity to bear part of it.
But then on the other hand, there are things that we have to bear ourselves, and so the word in verse 5.
More has to do with ones own responsibilities, things that we all are required to properly look after ourselves. And so God's word balances this out beautifully. But what's in view and what we're particularly discussing I believe is the thought that if I'm going to restore someone who perhaps is overtaken in a fault.
He may not be able to listen to me until I have perhaps taken upon myself the bearing of some of that burden that the Lord in His ways has allowed, which may have contributed to the difficulties He's in. And I can say in the case that I alluded to, when I understood where the brother was coming from, it gave me just what we were mentioning, what Jim was mentioning a few minutes ago.
A totally different spirit.
It wasn't that what I said to him from the Word of God was any different, but there was a totally different attitude, a totally different way of saying it. And I'm thankful to say that the brother was able to listen. But that's bringing him into the presence of the Lord, isn't it?
00:40:14
Could handle and she said I don't know what to do brother. I know I'm sinning with these thoughts but I can't bear my mother's burden. Mother anymore. That burden she called it. So I took her 2 numbers. It might be good to look at it.
Numbers.
Four and verse 49.
According to the commandment of the Lord, they were numbered by the hand of Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden, Plus they were numbered as the Lord commanded Moses. Now I said, we all have a service. We know that we have things to do for the Lord, but we have burdens too. And I said that word is not the way we take it in the second verse.
Of our chapter here. If you look at Psalms, no, yeah, Psalms 55. Psalms 55, I'm sure that's where it is. Psalm 55.
And verse. I'll find it here in a minute.
Verse 22.
Psalm 5522 cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Now if you look at the margin, it says ask thy gift upon the Lord, not burden and JND has cast by assigned portion under the Lord. I love that you know.
My mother.
Was my assigned portion in her old age and I just let the Lord I said Lord you got to help me in this. I'm traveling there's done relative around when I'm gone. I said don't let anything happen to her and I just trusted him and lo and behold.
When she passed away, I had been with her just 10 minutes before. The Lord's wonderful, isn't He? That was my concern, and that's a burden to me. But it was an assigned portion. And let's never take this as the fifth verse as something dreadful.
It's something the Lord has given you to do for Him. That's beautiful, isn't it? I think so. Well, she felt that would be a comfort and I did talk to her later.
And she did help her sister and she got together. They were opposed in what to do for their mother. And they did finally get together. She made it a matter of prayer. No longer was a burden herself, not Knights. Well, we must remember that.
It's interesting that the burden mentioned in verse 5 is the same word as used in Matthew 11, verse 30 where the Lord Jesus says my yoke is easy and my burden is light. So that burden where we bear our own burdens, the Lord is right there to help us to bear it. And verse 2, it's the one where we bear one another's burdens. And brethren, that is something that you really.
Need to think about it seems like to travel around and see problems. We can always look another direction to see somebody whose burdens are a lot heavier than our own. We can be self-centered and think of our own problems and think of them in such a detailed way that we can all unraveled in our own problems.
It really helps to step back and get the perspective there's others that have far greater burdens.
I think of one like Timothy who was not thinking about his own interests. His interests were and how the people of God got on. Isn't that beautiful? That lack of self centeredness. We we really are living. I think it's a plague really, to tell you the truth in the United States of America, selfishness, thinking of ourselves.
Or deliver us from that down there in Lima, Peru the other day at visiting the home.
The sisters in fellowship just a few weeks ago, son, 18 year old son, only son in the family was murdered brutally by a gang of of people, a gang of young men on the street. I mean, it's a it's a terrible burden. She has other daughters, no more sons and and you can see it written the grief on her face.
00:45:14
Am I going to be so occupied with my own problems?
I can't reach out to help bear the burden of some of those others that have far heavier burdens than myself.
Sometimes too, we can look within and feel sorry for ourselves, thinking that perhaps we're the only people that have ever had problems and difficulties in following the Lord. Perhaps we feel well we're the only ones that have ever had to face these situations. Well, I don't want to underestimate the darkness of the day. And no doubt there are situations and problems facing the people of God today that maybe we have to say in the language of the Old Testament, we've not passed this way.
Deport. I'll just pass this along to the young people. Something that's been a help to my own soul is when you're facing some real problem or difficulty, maybe in your personal life, maybe in the family or even in the assembly, instead of feeling sorry for ourselves and being overwhelmed by the difficulty.
Go to the Word of God and notice the examples of men and women and young people who lived for the Lord in their day. And notice it's never been easy to live for the Lord. Was it easy for Caleb to stand in his day? No. All his brethren spoke of stoning him. The whole congregation of Israel turned against he and Joshua. That was a real trial. Was it easy for Daniel to live in his day? No. Think of him at the end of his life.
To be thrown into the den of lions. Was it easy for the three Hebrew children to be faithful to their God and not bow down to the image? No, they've had to face the fiery furnace. Was it easy for Timothy in his day? No. There was persecution. There was a turning away. But he says, continue in the things that thou hast learned and been assured of knowing of whom thou has learned them. And let's never fall into the habit of looking around and saying, well, we can't go on.
Is too difficult and everybody's giving up and so this ones doing this and this ones because I believe what's brought out here in this portion is that while it's true we bear one anothers burdens, we ought to have a care one for another. In the final analysis, when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, who am I going to be responsible for how well my brother or sister followed in the path of faith and service? No, I'm going to have to answer for myself.
And he's going to say, what excuse am I going to give him? He's going to say, I gave him everything that you needed. And so Timothy, in the darkness of the day in which he found himself, he was encouraged to continue despite what he saw around him. And so we will be responsible. Just another little illustration in that regard. You find in the end of John's Gospel, the Lord was telling Peter something of the path that Peter was going to have in following.
The Lord and something of the burden that he was going to have. Was it easy? No, indeed it wasn't. But Peter listens to this and he sees John standing there, and he turns and he points to John and he says, but Lord, what will this man do? He was concerned about John and the path for John. And what did the Lord say? If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.
In other words, he said, Peter, I've got a path for John, and I'll take care of John.
But Peter, you're responsible to follow in the path that I am setting before you and to bear your own burden. Little illustration that I know is not new, but sometimes when we were children at home, particularly my sister who was next to me and myself.
We would be given a task, perhaps it was to clean off the supper table after the evening meal and do up the dishes. And mother would leave us to the task. And then after a while, she would come back in the room and she would say, Jim, you're not doing what I asked you to do. And I would usually point to my sister and say, well, Jennifer's not doing her part.
And my mother would always say, you do what I asked you to do, and I'll take care of your sister.
Now that really in effect is what is brought out there in the end of John and what is brought out here. Yes, we ought to have that care and concern one for another, but we need to realize that he's given to every man his work. Every man is burdened. Just as with the Levites, every man had a service, Every man had a burden, and it wasn't coveting another's burden or service. It wasn't looking at another and saying, well, I wish I was doing that or looking at another and say, well, they're not doing their part, so I'm not going to do.
00:50:03
No, they were. They were to be faithful in what was given to them. And that's where the reward came in John 21 That you brought out. The Lord said to Peter, Follow thou me what?
Peter looked at the disciple whom Jesus loved following Jesus. He didn't have to say to John, ever followed all me, did he? That was the beautiful difference. But he had to say to Peter, follow me, and therefore his heart wasn't really right. It wasn't said on Jesus like John's, it was said on his brethren.
And I think that speaks so high to us, the disciple whom Jesus loves, said John.
He didn't say I, the disciple whom Jesus loved following I. I don't know how it's worded. Pardon me, but I think it's John 21.
20 Then Peter turning about seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following. He was already following Jesus a beautiful.
That's our key in connection with the service of the Levites, that there were the three classes and they each were provided with what they needed in order according to their service. They just say this because perhaps we think, well, if I had this then I could do that. But the Lord provided each class, some with four ox and four cards and some with eight and some with none, according to the work that the Lord had given them to do.
And so we ought to know what the work of the Lord is that He has for us and He will provide for that. I'd like to just point something out in connection with burden bearing in Romans chapter 15, because there is a, there has to be a spiritual understanding in connection with these things. And I think there was something that was helpful to me here, first verses of Romans 15.
We then, that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, not to please ourselves.
Let everyone of us please his neighbor to his good edification, or even Christ please not himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of them, that reproach thee fell upon me.
Now if you turn back to the 69th Psalm to where that is quoted from, it's the ninth verse, I believe 69th Psalm and read the whole verse. You'll see that the other half of the verse is is mentioned in the New Testament.
69 and 9.
For the deal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them, that reproach thee are falling upon me. Now I think most of us recognize with the first half of this first was quoted. It was quoted in connection with an action that the Lord took at the beginning of his public service. And he took the same action at the end of his public service was he turned them, overturned the money changers, tables in the temples, and drove them out with a quart of whips.
Of God's house caused him to act in faithfulness to the House of God. The very same verse is used to in Romans 15 that we should bear the infirmities of the week. There's a difference. Some of us remember Leonard Pirapado and you couldn't always understand what he said, but once in a meeting he said it's wickedness, it's wickedness.
And a brother not trying to rebuke him, but to edify said brother, Pure Pato. Was that weakness or wickedness? There's a difference.
And the brothers general comment made it was very helpful because there's a difference between weakness and wickedness, and we have to discern what the difference is. And that's why I believe this is connected with what we have in Romans 7 and 8 where infirmities are taken up, because until a man really sees his place in Christ, he can't distinguish between what really is infirmity and we have infirmities.
Lord had none, but we have infirmities and we can help one another in our infirmities. We can't go along with wickedness. And then there are then there are faults that are person are overtaken by. I just point that out because different actions may be called according to the thing and we need to be discerning so that we might know how to bear. Sometimes there's an infirmity and it has to be born.
Sometimes it's wickedness and it needs to be turned out.
00:55:03
Getting on, I think verse 6 is Speaking of laborers are those that take the lead in an assembly, but maybe I'm wrong. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. So those that are taught.
Communicate under the teacher or the one that teaches in the good things. I think he's bringing that in much the same as I think he brings it in many times. Not for himself, but if you bring it, look at First Corinthians.
Judgment. First Corinthians.
Nine, right, Of course. Corinthians nine. Well, you're thinking of verse nine. Yeah.
Yeah, for it is written in the law post. Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that turneth out to corn. Does God take care of the oxen? I was thinking of a different verse. It's in the same place, but it doesn't matter. There's a lot of verses that tell us that. I think that verse speaks of that for the assembly 14 Yeah. Would you read it? I flipped already.
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live up the gospel.
Right, he brings it out so many times and never takes it for himself.
Right now, put it in plain words so everyone understands. What does it mean to communicate? You tell us.
I mean, I had a young man asked me that he was a mile off his understanding of the 1St and I think there might be something. I don't understand what it's communicating. Talk to him.
Have fellowship with him. Have fellowship with him in a, in a, in a, in a practical way.
Make it clear. Well, we sure don't have to be vacant with the brethren. We can't do it.
Talking about getting the word clear, but it's a little bit the word communicate is is sort of fake. It's.
Minister to.
The verse in Corinthians helps do not shredding corn and he should be allowed to eat some of it.
I mean, that's very simple. And so the man administers the word is going to buy groceries and gas the same one as the one who listens to the ministry? Is that plain enough? Getting close?
The way I like to read this sick verse from my own understanding is this.
Let him that is being taught in the Word communicate under him that teacheth in all good things.
The principles the same as students going to college, they have to pay tuition.
In order to get those professors to work, to teach them so that in God's work.
Those that preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Around and rather than take care of those.
And we're to know them which labor among us and over us and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and Canada privilege to help.
Help.
In Hebrews 13 the word itself, I think, even though the same word communicating is used, clarifies for us what God intends for us to understand Hebrews 13.
And verse 16 but doing good and communicating. I'm reading Mr. Darby's translation as a matter of fact of your substance. Be not forgetful or with these sacrifices God's Well, please. That's plain enough is my brother. Did you read verse 15 with that you see why there's an offering box on the table. Let's read 15 and 16 with that by him. Therefore, let us offer the.
Of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name and connected with that worship is but to do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God as well, please Verse 15 is our royal is our holy priesthood verse 16 is our royal priesthood. Yes, when an assembly had put.
The basket at the door. So when it's all over.
01:00:03
And they went and dropped it in. Very convenient thing, save time. There was a lot of protests. Well, that disconnects it from worship. It should be part of it. It was wrong be part of it. We see something illustrated again in the Old Testament with the Levites, because when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem the second time, he found that the portion of the Levites was not set aside in the way that it was supposed to be.
You remember that there were storehouses where they were to bring in those ties that were set aside for those who were carrying on, shall I say, the full time work of the Lord. And it was a great concern to Nehemiah when he returned and found that those who ought to have been devoting their full time to the service of the House of God had had to return to their fields to cultivate and plant and provide a living for themselves and for their families. And he immediately.
Rebuked them and took care of the situation. So I only point that out as an Old Testament illustration that I believe goes along with what we're saying. Would you say, Brother Don?
I think so.
Because he had to make tents.
Yeah, he had a lot of energy, didn't he? Like he says in that night of First Corinthians. But I have used none of these things. What energy? All work, day and night, did he not? But you know, our standards are very high in this land, aren't they? And in Canada? And we, we really need wisdom, do we not, in connection with assisting and helping in the work elsewhere.
Brother John and and Brother Walt, you could tell us something about this, right?
We can cause some damage if we're not careful because our standards are so high over here. Like for example, are you saying you can't buy the work of the Lord with money?
No, but, well, I don't think you can. No, that's very true. But I'm just saying that we really need wisdom that we don't hurt. I I agree with you. Yeah, of course you can do more damage. Money sometimes, and you can do good.
That's the point. Good example is in one area where in India they could build a house which they needed for their meeting room for about $200 US.
But no one gave anything till they started building.
And they were doing it with their own hands, just like Israel. And they built that beautiful hall. They used it, but no one did anything. When he said, I've given that ground for a meeting room, no one said anything over till they started making their own blocks and building the building themselves. Then the help started to come in. There's a principle there.
Really, that's what we have before here.
What, John?
Verse four, he said. There's four.
Well, I believe that what we've had before sitting the burdens for my own soul has in some measure at least answered the question as to the Ministry of Funds, not to spend a lot of time on it, but there are situations, are there not, where there is a burden that is almost intolerable.
We know of cases where crops have been wiped out by a typhoon.
Where serious illness with no other means of help has threatened the life of an individual and sometimes the livelihood of the family. We've known conditions like that to arise and how fitting and needful it is, and we have Scripture for it. When the brethren in Judea were in real need, the Apostle Paul made it clear to others that they had a moral and spiritual.
Responsibility to be of help, but equally true, verse 5 says every man shall bear his own burden.
And to take a man's responsibility away, as we all know, is to make him irresponsible. And so the apostles spoke very clearly to those who expected to eat and weren't willing to work, to those who were lazy, to those who were not willing to do a good day's work. And sometimes, sad to say, these things can arise not only in other lands, but in North America as well.
And in that case that verse applies. Every man shall bear his own burden.
And so God never intended that a wealthy part of the world should support 100% that which would happen to be poor, rather the fact that each man should feel his own responsibility. And yet if there were cases where there were an intolerable burden, oh then what a blessed privilege is members of the body of Christ to bear one another's burdens.
01:05:23
It's helped. I was just going to ask Brother John, you and I have talked about that. Would you agree with that?
John Kemp.
Be careful about taking it, our third world brethren, out of the circumstances of which God has placed them, sliding and bringing them to the level of comparable to what we are used to here. I think we need wisdom.
That we should be sensitive to to leads like that.
To be wise and cast on the ward.
That you should monies among the third world country. Can I just make one more comment before your we start? Sorry John, you weren't finished.
Well, the third, the fourth verse here, I think it's.
See that everyone has it. They're appointed sphere of ceramic and all that ****. Aaron appointed the children of Israel. The sons of Aaron performed a certain.
Service of the Tabernacle.
Each one I disappointed the task to do, they were different.
But they could be happy.
And accomplishing that which.
Assigned to that, they weren't looking for someone else's fear, and they could have rejoicing in that service that the Lord had appointed for them. And I think it's the same with us today.
Every sister here and every brother has a a work to do for the Savior, the Lord, and that you can be happy in the world performing that it's up to him may not be a prominent place. It might not be.
Open forefront, shall we say. But if you perform that little service, we.
The Lord has given you faithfulness, devotedness to him. There will be a reward.
And you will have the sense in your soul that you're pleasing the Lord, which after all is the all important thing and.
You'll be happy in that sphere. You can rejoice in that little work which.
Or has given you to do bring this real peace and joy in the fact.
I think it's helpful to see, in connection with what Brother Clem said, to not being able to buy the work of the Lord when the poor Saints of Judea are brought in, that really the help is going in two opposite directions. And I think the caution that he's giving is very good because the brethren in Judea, so to speak, it treaded out the corn. They have suffered for the truth. It's where the truth originated.
And very because of their faithfulness to the truth, they suffered and were brought into poverty.
And then there was a certain natural obligation, spiritual obligation and natural obligation that was owed by those that were the beneficiaries of the sufferings of the Saints in Judea to help those Saints. That's a different thing than going into a poor area and trying to raise them to the standards of living. And it's not to praise preach of prosperity gospel, but the reasons for poverty are often connected with.
Truth that there's a disorder and you see as the order is restored to the life that the circumstances change. We can't help those, as was said, that are under onerous circumstances. But it really is the truth that will help ones that are in difficult circumstances to order their lives and to to get on, so to speak, because God has not put them in a place where they and and put us in a circumstance without the ability.
To provide, and so I just say that in connection with the Saints in Judea, because it was a particular case where they had suffered for the truth, the truth originated there and their poverty was a direct result of their having stood for the truth amidst fierce opposition.
Bill, you had more to say. Well, it was much along what the lines are that Neil has just said, and that is I'm indebted to Gordon Hayhoe for this remark, but I pass it on. It was a big help to me. And it's humbling too, because he pointed out the same thing, that in the early days of the Church the apostles had nothing and those in Judea who went out and.
01:10:20
Gave out the gospel and the truth were poor.
And they were going, in most cases, to those who were relatively better off. And there was number difficulty. And I can remember once being in India quite a few years ago with a brother. And in the midst of some discussions about this very subject, he turned to me. I guess it doesn't hurt to tell. It was Don Rule. He said to me, Bill, don't you wish you were like the Lord Jesus or like the apostle Peter?
And you had to say I don't have any money.
Silver and gold have I none? He said. Wouldn't it make life so much easier over here? But he said it isn't that way, and the Lord's allowed it, and he'll give us the wisdom that doesn't make you long for the.
Not that I say I would choose to be poor. I don't mean that. No one, I don't suppose, would voluntarily choose to be poor except our blessed Master. But we covet, I trust that spirit that would be able to go and say, I don't have anything except the precious truth of God's Word. I'll seek to bear your burden as best I can, but what I have to bring is the spiritual side of things rather than the material side. But the.
Has allowed a condition of things where sometimes those who bear the gospel and the truth also happen to have more wealth and so it requires much more wisdom, doesn't it, in order to be able to act intelligently and with the Lords mind. Perhaps in that vein of things though, I could just add a very practical word and a precaution to all of our hearts and that is that when we do see a need in some one of these countries and there are tremendous.
Needs, as you know only too well that I think it's the path of wisdom that when we seek to help in those situations, we channel funds or help through those who know the situation. Though I believe God raises up those who have been to these countries know the situation. They know what the value of a dollar is in connection with the rupee or an IRA or whatever it may be, and just as a precaution.
A $50.00 bill doesn't go very far in the United States, as we know. Just pull up to the gas pump on your way home and you'll find it doesn't go very far. But in some of these countries, that goes a long way. And that may be all that's needed to meet what we might think is a very dire situation. And so I think it's just the path of wisdom that we, when we do see or hear of these needs, contact a brother that we know has been there or knows the situation, knows the value of.
Of money and commodities. But I'd like to just say this too, in connection with what has been said, and that is to exercise my own soul. There are tremendous needs out there. And brethren, the Gospels going forth in wonderful ways. But as Brother Walt will tell us, there is a tremendous need for Bibles around the world. There is an unbelievable need for the printed page, both in the Gospel and good written min.
Not just in English, but in many languages, there's needs for the people of God to be together. Do we realize, and I'm going to speak very plainly for a moment and you'll forgive me, a conference like this. There's there's tremendous needs connected with a conference like this. Do we just come and we're glad to partake of three good meals and some nice accommodation and we're glad to sit in this climate controlled gymnasium for two days and enjoy the word of God or do we consider.
Brethren, that there is a need in connection. There was a bill, there's a bill that needs to be taken care of in connection. Now the Lord meets the need. I know, I realize that whether it's the gospel or the Saints or whatever it might be, but I do believe, brethren, we need to be exercised as to these needs.
The Lord has entrusted much to us in North America. He's given us abundantly of the mercies and comforts of life. Are we exercised to use that? Now? I know that giving on Lords Day morning is only one way that we make sacrifice in a temporal way.
But here's the first exercise our souls let every man give. Notice this.
As God has prospered him, isn't that an exercising statement? It is to my own soul. Because, brethren, and let me speak very plainly again, my putting a $10.00 bill in the collection on Lords Day morning is not giving as God has prospered me. And if every one of us were exercised to give as God has prospered us, then I believe the needs of the Saints, the poor Saints, and the needs of the gospel and the needs for good Christian literature would be abundantly supplied. Well, forgive me.
01:15:23
Speaking so plain, but just to exercise our souls. The needs are there, the time is short. Are we seeking to? In wisdom? Yes, in wisdom, of course, and with discernment meet those needs.
On verse.
Verses 15 and 16.
I've kind of forgotten, but I'd sure like to hear some ministry on these verses before the hour runs out. But you, John, that said something almost.
Thing was, Chuck.
No, it wasn't I.
OK, fess up somebody else. My name was Bob.
What we were talking about rules.
And the rules we have his brother.
And here's one rule that it very specifically speaks about. Let's see that what God recognizes is that new life in Christ. It's not outward marks of religiousness in the flesh circles or uncircumcision, but it's a new creature in Christ Jesus. It's new creation that God recognizes. Now that's the rule.
And as many as walk according to this rule.
Peace upon them, and mercy and upon the Israel of God.
That's the rule is new creation. What a tremendous subject to think of.
And I remember when I first.
Read Ministry that said that Mary Magdalene.
Was the first person that saw new creation.
Just go back to John 20 and see that she saw a man standing.
And.
John 20.
Verse 13 they say, and their woman, why we best staff, she said unto them, because they have taken away my Lord, I know where they've laid him. And when she had said this, she turned herself back and saw Jesus.
Stand.
Not that it was Jesus. That's the first time anybody ever saw new creation.
Tremendous. And he didn't know age.
Marvelous if any man be in Christ.
If any man be in Christ, any soul of English is part of new creation of which the Lord Jesus Christ the head as a glorified man.
And the person in Christ.
Has been born to this place of being Christ in that new creation received.
One day.
Head of new career.
We're part of them.
I think if you well to read 9 and 10 before we're done, and let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Well, brethren, this is important.
We put, and I'm not saying this in a jealous way or anything, the assembly of God's people first doesn't mean we don't help others, especially the household of faith. And let's remember, let's watch out for our own, the ones who are willing to go on with the reproach of Christ.
At the place that he is, and I think it's wonderful, but it does say all men.
So we would do good to all, but let's remember where the Lord is and those gathered to his name.
01:20:08
The Lord said the multitudes that were hungry, even though He knew that many of them would be crying for His blood when He stood before Pilate. Brethren, what a tremendous example. We live in a world of awful need, hunger and and need in so many ways. Really, truly, we need to ask the Lord what?
He would have us do with them 20 we have in this country.
To be exercised, doing good is mentioned tremendous amount in the New Testament. It's part of Christianity doing good. I remember being down in Pensacola at the big warehouses for the ships between the railroads and the ships and bags after bag ceilings higher than this.
Going over, showing the hands coming together.
Stamped with the Catholic stamp and it was for those that are starving. Well, you know, I thought to myself, they may help them for six months, maybe 12, and then they go into hell.
Especially the household of faith, you know, when we really remember our brethren in those countries, then they give out the Word of God and that does them eternal good. Not that we shouldn't send that, you know, but but it's so much and nothing about God, nothing about Christ in that giving.
Well, there's no shortage of needs and opportunities. And when we get up in the morning, I don't believe it's a question so much of praying and asking for opportunities, but it's praying that we would be in a proper state of soul and watchfulness, that we would avail ourselves of the opportunities that arise. And that's what it means when he takes it up in Ephesians. He says redeeming the time because the days are evil, or literally buying up every opportunity. Or do we see a need? Do we see an opportunity?
Are we in a state of soul that we might be used by the Lord to meet that need and opportunity? No shortage, brethren. Maybe a shortage of diligence and energy on my part, but no shortage of needs and opportunities.
Could we sing #18 in the back of the book #18 in the appendix?
Galatians 6
Reading
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Nations, Chapter 6.
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in the fall, you which are spiritual, in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself.
There ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, and he stay with himself, but that every man drew his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.
Let him that is part of the Word communicate into him that teaches in all good things. Be not deceived. God is not marked. For whatsoever a man saw that shall he also read, for he does so to his flesh. Shall of the flesh reach corruption, but he does go up to the Spirit. Shall of the Spirit read life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing for him due season. We shall reap if we think not, as we have therefore opportunity.
Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with my known hand. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised only. Thus they should suffer persecution for the cause of Christ.
For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they make glory in your flesh.
But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I into the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, these be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit. Amen.
I'd like to make a few comments about this first verse, and there's been a lot of confusion among brethren and among Saints about this first verse.
I believe the Lord Jesus explained this first verse.
When he said.
If thou see and thy brother have a Moat in his eye.
First remove the beam that is in thy own eye, and then thou shalt have wisdom to remove the Moat that is in my brothers eye. That's the answer to this first verse. This first verse should be read. We should read it this way.
If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which have judged yourself, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. It's very interesting and I believe, very important.
As brethren, as Saints, that we understand how important it is.
Self judgment, self judgment, and that's the meaning of this first person.
That would be one who is spiritual, isn't that right?
Yeah, that's true. However, you know, a lot of people have taken this question. I've heard more than once, many times in fact explained well, those that understand the scriptures, those that walk according to truth and all this and that. The other thing, that's not what it means. It doesn't say he who knows scripture or he who walks in the truth. It says he that is spiritual. And I really believe that's the meaning that you brought it out, one who is spiritual.
Judges himself, he keeps a short account with God. I believe that's a spiritual man. Job was a spiritual man. He just didn't know what the Lord knew about himself, but he kept a short account and you know there was a group in our county that.
Were not gathered to the name of the Lord. We had that so nicely last hour. But they were meeting alone, without any denomination and without a leader.
And they felt they were, you know, and I remember a brother in that group telling me that they had this experience they had. There was a leader, there was a in that group, there was a Bishop not ordained. You know, we had a Bishop in our group and we have one now. I don't know, but but the last one to tell you he's a Bishop is the Bishop. At any rate, they had a.
00:05:27
Father's heart leader, you know, and they all look to him that he was well taught, not as well taught as he should be, but anyway, and and they had a brother who was overtaken in a fall or a fault. This isn't something assembly disciplines. This isn't that kind of a thing. But you know, you can be obviously going getting away from the Lord. It can be obvious one way or another.
So after a while, they all love this brother.
A lot. His name was John, who was getting cold in his soul and it was showing. And so this leader called a prayer meeting and he said to the brothers, we have to do something. We have to go visit dear brother John and he said and see if we can help some way. And he he said.
Brother Jim and he called one of them and said what would you have done if you were tempted as John is being tempted right now?
Well, he said, I wouldn't be tempted like that. I, I look to the Lord all the time. I start out with prayer and I end with prayer and every day and so on. And he asked another brother, what would you do? And he said, I take it right to the assembly. I have a prayer meeting just like this. I wouldn't have that problem of a fall that way. And he went around and they all had reasons that they wouldn't be like that.
And he asked the last one, and he was. He had his chin in his hands and his knees.
His elbows on his knees, he had tears and he said, well brother Bill, what would you have done? He said pray for me.
That I never be tempted like that.
He said well let you and I go visit the brother.
I think that's pretty well the answer, although it says it should be the margins good, although a man be overtaken in a fault. Ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted, unless we can say but for the grace of God, there we are.
We're in no shape to visit, that's what I feel.
I think the I think the apostle here is using irony when he says ye which are spiritual, you who fancy yourselves to be spiritual, show it by restoring the Aaron brothers. Legality cannot restore anyone. Put them out.
Get rid of them, they can't restore them. So and then considering thyself must also be tempted. While the Pharisee wouldn't do that, he thinks himself superior. And I think it's a dig at the very element of legality that was trying to turn these Gentile believers, put them under law.
You which are spiritual, the apostle mean, who would who would dare to come forward and say, I'm one of the spiritual? I'll restore him.
That's irony.
I think we have to learn from scripture and.
We have various examples of something to restore as Jacobs.
And.
Joe and David and Peter. But in the World War 23rd song, I think David has the answer for restoration. He restored myself. We can't do it. We can seek to bring that person into the presence of the Lord.
Joke.
And that's what restores us all, because the place packed glory in His presence.
I think that's probably what that means. A spiritual person to brings them into the presence of the Lord, because when there's departure, it's first on an individual level departure from the Lord. And a spiritual person doesn't consider his own interests, doesn't consider how he may have been offended by the person, He considers that person's relationship with the Lord.
00:10:05
And you mentioned Joe, I think that's a good example because.
He, like you, did just that. He didn't as the others had criticized Joe as to the way they had looked at jobs problems in relation to other people, that he brought Job right into the presence of the Lord. And to me that's being spiritual really, isn't it? It's not that it's a rank for anybody to toe. That's not the point, but it is.
Laying aside our own interests and thinking of God's interests and that person that is departed.
That's really important because we're to add to brotherly love, divine love, brotherly love as my brother is its object and divine love as God's object in my brothers soul. And you see that with Nathan is that he brought Nathan brought David right into the presence of the Lord in connection with his sin has been pointed out. The Lord is the only one who can restore the soul. It's a work that God has to do in the soul, but we can seek to bring.
The conscience into the presence of God in connection with the sin. There is something helpful. I believe that in Deuteronomy 22 in connection with this, because we're not often wise as to how we do things. I speak in the plural, but perhaps you speak in the singular. But there is some little help here.
And I think it's worth reading it.
Because we're not to be indifferent to our brother's plight.
But in Deuteronomy 22 I'll just read these first, as I think they're worthwhile. Thou shalt not see thy brothers ox, or his sheep, or his *** go astray and hide thyself from them. Thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh to thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it.
Restore it to him again. In like manner shalt thou do with his *** and so shall thou do with his raiment, and with all things all lost thing of thy brothers which he hath lost and thou hast found. Shalt thou do likewise, that thou mayst not hide thyself. Thou shalt not see thy brother's *** for his ox.
Fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them. Thou shalt surely help them. Help him to lift them up again.
Well.
There are three here that you may see have lost something, one that's close to you, one that's not close to you, and one you don't know. And there are brethren that are close to us and they can come right up to us and say, Brother Neil, I'd like to tell you something. And they feel free to do that. And we don't need to put barbed wire around ourselves so our brother can't do that. Some people do that.
There are some that are far from us. We don't know them. Maybe they're newly in fellowship or there's somebody we don't know.
They're not far from us, or it may be somebody at work and, you know, they're a real believer, but you see something there that's going to get this one into trouble. We're not to hide ourselves in any of these three cases, not just talking about those in the assembly and.
There are different things that a person may lose. Perhaps an ox speaks of patience in service. The the *** of burden bearing the raiment of the testimony are the sheep of communion with the Lord. There's different aspects of things that you may see. You may see a real believer at work and he's getting taken up with things and he's really losing his testimony well.
Perhaps if he's close to you, you can return it to him. If he's not close to you, you take it up and tie it up at home. You pray about it, get into the word of God about it. You know, sometimes people go away and they leave their animals for somebody else to care and it's worth. And sometimes we want to rush right into a thing.
And help in a situation when it would be better a case to take it home and tie it up, to feed it and to pray about it and so on, so that the Lord might give a word to help in the situation. And sometimes you just have to wait all pray that adorable utterance would be opened up that I don't think we need to pray that so much for the gospel because it's in season and out of season to warn people. But with the truth there has to be.
00:15:06
Waiting on the Lord, a feeding of the thing. And so I just mentioned that because it's helpful that there is a time to return that thing. Nathan waited quite a little while, I think, before he returned. That went to David and said thou art the man. I think we all know, even the young ones know what we're referring to about the sheep. The story that he told God gave him real grace and wisdom as to how to really bring it before his soul. So he's brought right into the presence of God.
And then God can work to restore the soul.
I'd like to just remind ourselves that Paul is writing to assemblies. I know this can be individual and as much of assembly work or principles or individuals in the assembly. What is with the assembly of mind? Chapter one, verse 2 Says he's writing to the assemblies in Galatia. And so it's really to the assemblies he's writing. And if you look on this point, we don't want to spend too much time.
Verse one, if you look at First Corinthians chapter 12, I think we got the thought of this verse one. Really.
A verse.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular, And then if you look at the last half of 25 the members should have the same chair, one for another. I believe the word is confirmed.
Better than care, but both are good. So this is really the point for us to get out of this. We're not just individuals running around pulling up their person's *** off the ditch or joining groups to do it. We're in assembly and this truth is brought out to assembly. And I think we got to remember that they were telling that if one of the brothers who are in the assembly has a problem.
Then ye which are spiritual, a spiritual one, I still think.
Who realizes but for the grace of God, there I am. That's the spiritual man.
Maybe I'm wrong, I'll leave it.
You know, it seems like so often these things may come up and yet we're in a low state. We lack the spiritual exercise and energy.
To consider a thing like this and then it becomes an assembly problem, isn't that often the way it happens? It develops into something that could have been taken care of, maybe in earlier stages.
But it becomes a real test if it becomes a personal trespass like in Matthew 18. And then what is the object of that? Well, it's to gain the brother, you know it. The, the offense manifests the state of soul and the procedure becomes very complicated. But I believe that it's very important when it says in the spirit of meekness.
If you don't approach the matter right, you can just spoil it from the outset. So the way in which we consider these things, and like we've already heard, if we have the right spirit of meekness, it's because we recognize the tendency of our own hearts to depart and to get into the same fault.
In connection with your earlier comment, there's a little story I heard.
About seeing a tendency.
A man was a drunkard was saved years ago and and was brought into a particular church.
And later he fell back into drunkenness and he had to be put away by the church. They sought to act faithfully in connection with it. And one man in the church said to another, he said, you know, I saw this coming because when he came to town, he hitched his horse the same place as he always used to. Well, in his drunken days he used to hit you by the saloon. He still he still hitched it there. And so the Lord gives us little warnings that things are coming. And as you pointed out, that if we had more real.
Care to keep an eye on those things and to see?
Things and we could help before it became an issue that required that kind of extreme action, which really when the assembly acts, it's really saying that all of our care has failed. We have to put them outside into the.
00:20:00
Outside of the care of the assembly into the devil's world, really, to be.
Be taken care of.
Well, I believe it's important to realize too, that this is beyond what is before us here, but I believe it is important to realize that the assembly has authority and there are things perhaps that could be done more than or or I should say less than actual outright excommunication. You know, there are cases, of course, that that that is the only way in, in faithfulness to deal. But we were just talking.
Someone not so long ago and they mentioned about a public rebuke in an assembly given to a person who was in a very disorderly way. And so an older brother was had the responsibility and they publicly they rebuked this person and we were told that it caused a solemnity and a fear on the whole assembly.
And yet the person wasn't excommunicated. They weren't. But there are degrees in which the pressure can be applied for the Lords glory. We need more exercise do we not, about these things?
Whatsoever of Matthew 18 is as inclusive as in actions, and range of actions is as inclusive as the whosoever of John 316. I believe there's a group wide range of options open to the assembly.
Never to allow evil in the midst, but as you say, I just say that because it says whatsoever ye bind in heaven, on earth is bound in heaven. And so the assembly has a wide range of remedies in a situation to help beyond excommunication is really an acknowledgement that all discipline has failed. But we call this a minor offense here.
All it said is president, if a man be overtaken in a full and who of us hasn't been overtaken in a fault?
And we've got plenty of spiritual presence that would like to bring us back from the presence of the Lord in our life and I.
Think we have to do this again, realizing we can't do it? David didn't say. Nathan restored my soul.
The Lord.
And Jacob had to wrestle with that man. He didn't know the man. Did he know the man? He asked for his name. He said, how is it? Don't you know me, Jacob? Who is wrestling with Jacob? It was the Lord himself.
In order to bring it back into fellowship, so these things going to be easy and simple to take care of in a small degree and never have to get into the affairs of administration in the assembly. I think if unreal fault is getting filled with herself.
And it's pointed up here for us.
Bury one another's burden so fulfill the law of the birth.
He was after us. He bears our burdens.
But then he says to us if then?
Think himself to be something.
When he is nothing.
He deceiver himself.
All right, straight forward, I would think that.
So often we think there's something.
But actually were nothing. They were picked up a dust when they were.
Brought to Christ, it was all grace. So it was grace with me, I think to bear someone elses Burtons. It's a show of little grace as well.
I would I would like you to keep continuing on. But before we leave verse one, I just want to mention one thing. It's important we brought in assembly discipline, which isn't in this verse, but since we brought it in the same spirit has to be involved in assembly discipline.
It's no different and we learned it the hard way, but by a good teacher. You know, we had Ralph rule among us and I think most of what I know of assembly is from that brother. But we had a discipline problem that came up very quickly because the brother confessed what he did and it means to us out, I mean there was any question. And so they call a quick emergency Saturday night meeting.
Breaking of bread so we could clear the table quick and be done with it.
00:25:03
That's the real spirit, you know, And we were all eager to go, and we were there around and telling how awful it is and what he did, how terrible. I mean, it was terrible. But Ralph finally said, brothers, we're not ready to do anything tonight. He said, we're ready and needing to pray tonight and then break bread tomorrow. Don't fear that this brother is going to break bread.
He made a clear confession and he's broken down. He'll never be at the table tomorrow. Let's pray for him tonight. I learned a lot with that. We prayed for him and we had another meeting on Tuesday night and we were more concerned about that brother than throwing him out, although we had to throw him out, but we were concerned about him.
And there was follow up work right away. It was beautiful, but we couldn't wait to get at him.
Notice the way the epistle closed at the very last first in this.
Kind of a thing, brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Being with your fear, that's so important.
The very spirit in which things are taken out, and it ought to be the spirit of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The spirit of something is as important as the thing itself. You find when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, there was much that needed correction and much that was wanting. But I think it's in First Corinthians 4, he says, should he come to them with the with the rod? No, he wanted to come in the spirit of love and meekness. And so this I've been struck with how many times in the Old Testament someone's spirit is brought out, the spirit in which they did something because brethren, we can do the right.
In the wrong spirit and sometimes only add to the situation, not help it. Sometimes the motive might be good, The thing we do might be good. I've been impressed with Caleb. It's interesting that when he came back from spying the land with the other 11 spies, he and Joshua stood faithful. They presented, if I can put it this way, the truth as they knew it in their day. They were brought up a faithful report, and it's interesting that the Lord.
Commended Caleb, not only for a faithful report. Well, perhaps we should turn back to it in the book of numbers, Numbers 14, I believe.
Numbers, Chapter 14.
We know that we won't read these verses here, but we know that Joshua and Caleb were promised that they would eventually set foot on their inheritance because of their faithfulness, and they're the only two that we read of from Scripture that eventually did. But there was something particularly particular noted in connection with Caleb. Notice verse 24 of Numbers 14.
But my German Caleb, because he had another spirit with him.
And hath full hath followed me fully. Isn't that remarkable? Caleb had fully followed the Lord. He brought up a faithful report, but he done it in the proper spirit. And God said because of the spirit in which Caleb was faithful for the truth, he would eventually set foot on his inheritance. Interesting too, that he's the only one who received a personal inheritance in the land. But that's another subject. It's interesting too, with Daniel.
That of Daniel, that he had an excellent spirit in him. Was he a faithful man in a day of weakness and ruin? Indeed, he was a faithful man. He humbled himself and identified with the failure that had come in amongst the people of God. But God particularly noted that excellent spirit. Think it's the 32nd Psalm that says blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile.
So I think it's helpful for us to see that the thing, the spirit of something, is as important as the thing itself.
And can I just say this to brethren in connection with what's been said, if we had in the proper spirit, in the, in the spirit of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, if we had that watchful care and that shepherd's heart. And I'm not speaking just to a select few of a few brother now, but I'm speaking to each one of us, if each one of us, brothers and sisters alike, had a shepherd's heart and a cure for the people of God.
Bearing one another's burdens and a watchful discernment to shepherding and encourage, perhaps even admonish the people of God when we see a brother or a sister getting into a something or on a path that it we feel is detrimental to their soul.
00:30:10
We had that love to go to that brother and seek to encourage that brother or that sister and draw them back. Perhaps, brethren, we would spare ourselves from many things. Often thought of it in connection with Eudicus. You know, when he sat down in that window, a dangerous position, when he tried to keep one eye on what was going on in the assembly and one eye on what was going on out in the world outside.
One ear tuned to the ministry of the Apostle Paul, and one ear tuned to the world, the street below.
And as he started to drift off to sleep and lean toward the open, open window, if there had been somebody in that third loft who would have gone over and encouraged Eudicus, woke him up and encouraged him out of that dangerous position, encouraged him to come over and sit by them, or whatever it might have been. Maybe they wouldn't have been appreciated, but perhaps it would have spared Uticus the fall that he eventually had.
Brethren, wouldn't we spare one another many things if we would seek to have that care and discernment?
Now, a shepherd isn't always appreciated. There's no glory in shepherding the people of God. The shepherd wanders off. He doesn't want the shepherd to come after it with his crook and pull him back into the flock. He wants to go off on his own. But brethren, it's a necessary work. I just say that for each one of our hearts, don't just think there's a select group of shepherds. There may be those that God raises up in that position, as you have in first Peter 5. But every one of us are responsible to encourage and shepherd the people.
God, would that be right? Restoration is what is desirable and I think that's the important to keep before us any measure of discipline that is applied. What is the purpose restoration? I notice that Mister Darby's has a little note that the word is the same as used in mending the Nets in chapter 4 of Matthew where they were mending the Nets. Mending.
And I can think of the two expressions that are mentioned about Moses in Acts Chapter 7. He.
Was refused when he went out to seek to be a help to the people of God. They said, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? It's relatively easy, brethren, to be a judge of things, to see what's wrong in a person and to judge it. That's relatively easy. But the one who they refuse as a ruler and a judge after God had trained him for 40.
In the backside of the desert, God sent him back to be a ruler and a deliverer, and that's what's necessary. And so when we see a fault in some person, instead of merely looking at them to judge that that's wrong what they're doing, let's ask the Lord in his presence, what can I do to be a help in the right direction for that person that's a ruler and a deliverer, and that's another matter entirely.
Lord help us to think about that.
I think the training of the Lord.
For His disciples in Luke 9 to help us to look at this case and the instructions will help us. For they were and it seems that they had a deal for the Lord, but there were others around.
And they get ready in the 40th or 29th verse of Route 9.
John Asterisk, master, we saw one casting out death.
In thy name.
And we prepared him because he brought up with us.
What does Jesus say? Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is on our part. You're going on reading. And it came fast. When the time was coming, He should be received up. He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered into the village of the Samaritans to make ready for him.
Then what happened?
And they did not receive him.
Because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
00:35:00
Now look at what James and John said.
James and John said unto him, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume him, even as Elias did the natural heart? Somebody just said they'd like to take up the case of a judge. Well, here it is.
And.
He turned and rebuked them and said, ye know not what manner of spirit you're on, what manner of spirit you're on, what the spirit of Christ at all, because he says.
The next person is not come to destroy men fly, but to save them. They went to another village. What wonderful teaching for us to try to walk and take toward our brother of the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of grace, to bear their versions and to help them.
That's so important, I feel, to see the connection here between the bearing of burdens and restoration.
I guess I had a personal experience several years ago in writing to a brother, and it wasn't as if he'd been overtaken in a fault, but he had appealed to me, having some difficulty with a certain line of truth. And no matter how often I wrote to him, he just. I guess the only word that comes to mind is that he blasted me with letters.
In return and it finally became clear to me that.
Somehow I was not able to bear the burden now on his part. There was a responsibility.
On his part, the Lord had allowed something which he should have been able to take from the Lord. But before I could be of any help to him, I had to be prepared to sit and listen. I had to be prepared to take part of that burden from him. And I'm no Greek scholar, but anybody can verify this, that the two words for burden here one in.
Verse two and one in verse 5 are different and the word for burden in verse 2 has the connotation of that which is extremely heavy and intolerable. It's the same word I understand that is used where it talks about those who were bearing the burden and heat of the day. Why does God allow this in the lives of His people?
May I suggest, without wanting to second guess or bless the Lord, that sometimes He allows it?
In order that you and I might have the opportunity to bear part of it. But then on the other hand, there are things that we have to bear ourselves. And so the word in verse five more has to do with one's own responsibilities, things that we all are required to properly look after ourselves. And so God's word balances this out beautifully. But what's in you and what we're particularly discussing, I believe is the thought that.
If I'm going to restore someone who perhaps is overtaken in a fault.
May not be able to listen to me until I have perhaps taken upon myself the bearing of some of that burden that the Lord in His ways has allowed, which may have contributed to the difficulties He's in. And I can say in the case that I alluded to, when I understood where the brother was coming from, it gave me just what we were mentioning, what Jim was mentioning a few minutes ago.
A totally different spirit. It wasn't that what I said to him from the Word of God was any different.
But there was a totally different attitude, a totally different way of saying it, and I'm thankful to say that the brother was able to listen.
But that's bringing him into the presence of the Lord, isn't it? And so these things are beautiful in their place. There are things that are our own responsibilities, and we have to recognize that. And I can't blame my failure on someone else and say, well, I failed because they didn't help me bear my burden. But on the other hand, what a precious privilege the Lord has allowed what would be perhaps an extremely heavy burden in the.
Was bringing out her burden personal? It was her mother, her concern for her mother. And she told me it was more than I can bear. She's gone through enough years of it. We all know that mothers when they get old can be a burden. And we when we were young were a burden in that sense. But her mother was beyond what she could handle. And she said, I don't know what to do, brother. I know I'm spinning with these.
00:40:20
But I can't bear my mother's burden mother anymore. That burden she called it. So I took her 2 numbers. Might be good to look at it.
Numbers.
Four and verse 49.
According to the commandment of the Lord, they were numbered by the hand of Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden, Plus they were numbered as the Lord commanded Moses. Now I said, we all have a service. We know that we have things to do for the Lord, but we have burdens too. And I said that word is not the way we take it in the second verse.
Of our chapter here. If you look at Psalms, no, yeah, Psalms 55. Psalms 55, I'm sure that's where it is. Psalm 55.
And verse. I'll find it here in a minute.
Verse 22.
Psalm 5522 cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Now if you look at the margin, it says ask thy gift upon the Lord, not burden and JND has cast thy assigned portion under the Lord. I love that you know.
My mother was my assigned portion in her old age and I just let the Lord. I said, Lord, you got to help me in this. I'm traveling, there's done relative around when I'm gone. I said don't let anything happen to her and I just trusted him and lo and behold.
When she passed away, I had been with her just 10 minutes before. The Lord's wonderful, isn't he? That was my concern, and that's a burden to me. But it was an assigned portion. And let's never take this as the the fifth verse as something dreadful.
It's something the Lord has given you to do for Him. That's beautiful, isn't it? I think so. Well, she felt that would be a comfort.
And I did talk to her later and she did help her sister and she got together. They were opposed in what to do for their mother. And they did finally get together. She made it a matter of prayer. No longer was a burden in her sense. Isn't that nice? Well, we must remember that.
It's interesting that the burden mentioned in verse 5 is the same word as used in Matthew 11, verse 30 where the Lord Jesus says my yoke is easy and my burden is light. So that burden where we bear our own burdens, the Lord is right there to help us to bear it. And verse 2, it's the one where we.
Bear one another's burdens and rather than that is something we really need to think about, it seems like.
They travel around and see problems. We can always look another direction and see somebody whose burdens are a lot heavier than our own. We can be self-centered and think of our own problems and think of them in such a detailed way that we can all unraveled in our own problems. It really helps to step back and get the perspective there's others that have far greater burdens.
I think of one like Timothy who was not thinking about his own interests. His interests were and how the people of God got on. Isn't that beautiful? That lack of self centeredness. We we really are living. I think it's a plague really, to tell you the truth in the United States of America, selfishness, thinking of ourselves.
Lord, deliver us from that down there in the Lima, Peru, the other day at visiting the home.
Her sisters and fellowship Just a few weeks ago, her son, 18 year old son, only son in the family, was murdered brutally by a gang of of people, a gang of young men on the street.
I mean, it's a, it's a terrible burden. She has other daughters, no more sons. And, and you can see it written, the grief on her face. Am I going to be so occupied with my own problems I can't reach out to help bear the burden of some of those others that have far heavier burdens than myself?
00:45:22
Sometimes too, we can look within and feel sorry for ourselves, thinking that perhaps we're the only people that have ever had problems and difficulties in following the Lord.
Perhaps we feel, well, we're the only ones that have ever had to face these situations. Well, I don't want to underestimate the darkness of the day. And no doubt there are situations and problems facing the people of God today that maybe we have to say in the language of the Old Testament, we've not passed this way here before.
I'll just pass this along to the young people. Something that's been a help to my own soul is when you're facing some real problem or difficulty, maybe in your personal life, maybe in the family or even in the assembly, Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves and being overwhelmed by the difficulty, go to the Word of God and notice the examples of men and women and young people who live for the Lord in their day. And notice it's never been easy to live for the Lord.
Easy for Caleb to stand in his day? No. All his brethren spoke of stoning him. The whole congregation of Israel turned against he and Joshua. That was a real trial. Was it easy for Daniel to live in his day? No. Think of him at the end of his life having to be thrown into the den of lions. Was it easy for the three Hebrew children to be faithful to their God and not bow down to the image? No. They've had to face the fiery furnace. Was it easy?
Timothy, in his day, no, there was persecution, there was a turning away. But he says, continue in the things that thou hast learned and been assured of knowing of whom thou has learned them. And let's never fall into the habit of looking around and saying, well, we can't go on. The day is too difficult and everybody's giving up. And so this one's doing this and this one's because I believe what's brought out here in this portion is that while it's true we bear one another's burdens, we ought to have.
One for another. In the final analysis, when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, who am I going to be responsible for how well my brother or sister followed in the path of faith and service? No, I'm going to have to answer for myself and he's going to say what excuse am I going to give him?
It's gonna say I gave you everything that you needed. And so Timothy, in the darkness of the day in which he found himself, he was encouraged to continue despite what he saw around him. And so we will be responsible. Just another little illustration in that regard. You find in the end of John's Gospel, the Lord was telling Peter something of the path that Peter was going to have.
In following the Lord and something of the burden that he was going to have, Was it easy? No, indeed it wasn't.
But Peter listens to this and he sees John standing there, and he turns and he points to John, and he says, but Lord, what will this man do? He was concerned about John and the path for John. And what did the Lord say? If I will that he tarry till I come, What is that to thee? Follow thou me. In other words, he said, Peter, I've got a path for John, and I'll take care of John. But Peter.
You're responsible to follow in the path that I am setting before you and to bear your own burden.
Little illustration that I know is not new, but sometimes when we were children at home, particularly my sister who was next to me and myself, we would be given a task. Perhaps it was to clean off the supper table after the evening meal and do up the dishes. And mother would leave us to the task. And then after a while, she would come back in the room and she would say, Jim, you're not doing what I asked you to do. And I would usually point to my sister and say, well, Jennifer's not doing her part.
And my mother would always say, you do what I asked you to do and I'll take care of your sister. Now that really in effect is what is is brought out there in the end of John and what is brought out here. Yes, we ought to have that care and concern one for another. But we need to realize that he's given to every man his work. Every man is burdened. Just as with the Levites, every man had a service. Every man had a burden. And it wasn't coveting another's burden or service. It wasn't looking at another and saying, well, I wish.
Doing that or looking at another and say, well, they're not doing their part so I'm not going to do mine. No, they what they were to be faithful in what was given to them and that's where the reward came in John 21 That you brought out the Lord said to Peter, follow thou me.
00:50:07
Peter looked at the disciple whom Jesus loved, following Jesus.
He didn't have to say to John ever followed all me, did he? That was the beautiful difference. But he had to say to Peter, follow me. And therefore his heart wasn't really right. It wasn't said on Jesus like John's, It was said on his brethren. And I think that speaks so high to us. The disciple whom Jesus loves, said John. He didn't say I, the disciple whom Jesus loved following.
I don't know how it's worded, pardon me, but I think it's John 21.
20 Then Peter turning about, seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved following. He was already following Jesus. A beautiful, isn't it?
That's our key in connection with the service of the Levites, that there were the three classes.
And they each were provided with what they needed in order according to their service. They just say this because perhaps we think, well, if I had this, then I could do that. But the Lord provided each class, some with four ox and four cards, and some with eight and some with none, according to the work that the Lord had given them to do. And so we ought to know what the work of the Lord is that He has for us, and He will provide for that.
I'd like to just point something out in connection with burden bearing in Romans chapter 15, because there is a there has to be a spiritual understanding in connection with these things.
And I think there was something that was helpful to me here. First verses of Romans 15.
We then, that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor to his good edification. For even Christ please not himself. But as it is written, the reproaches of them, that reproach thee fell upon me.
Now if you turn back to the 69th song to where that is quoted from, it's the ninth verse, I believe 69th Psalm, and read the whole verse. You'll see that the other half of the verse is is mentioned in the New Testament.
69 and 9.
For the deal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me, and I think most of us recognize. For the first half of this verse was quoted. It was quoted in connection with an action that the Lord took at the beginning of his public service. And he took the same action at the end of his public service was he turned the overturned the money changers tables in the temples, and drove them out with a quart of whips. The zeal.
I was caused him to act in faithfulness to the House of God. The very same verse is used.
To in Romans 15 that we should bear the infirmities of the weak. There's a difference. Some of us remember Leonard Pirapado and you couldn't always understand what he said but once in a meeting he said it's wickedness, it's wickedness and a brother not trying to rebuke him, but to edify said brother pure powder was that weakness or wickedness? There's a difference and the brothers general comment made it was very helpful.
Because there's a difference between weakness and wickedness.
And we have to discern what the difference is. And that's why I believe this is connected with what we have in Romans 7 and 8, where infirmities are taken up, because until a man really sees his place in Christ, he can't distinguish between what really is infirmity. And we have infirmities, the Lord had none. But we have infirmities, and we can help one another in our infirmities. We can't go along with wickedness.
And then there are then there are faults that our person are overtaken by. I just point that out because different actions may be called according to the thing and we need to be discerning so that we might know how to bear. Sometimes there's an infirmity and it has to be born.
Sometimes it's wickedness. It needs to be turned out.
Getting on, I think verse 6 is Speaking of laborers are those that take the lead in an assembly, but maybe I'm wrong. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teaches in all good things. So those that are taught.
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Should communicate under the teacher or the one that teaches in the good things. I think he's bringing that in much the same as I think he brings it in many times. Not for himself, but if you bring it, look at First Corinthians.
Minute First Corinthians 9, right? First Corinthians night.
Well, you think in a verse nine. Yeah. For it is written in the law of hope. Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that turneth out to corn, Just God take care of the oxen. I was thinking of a different verse. It's in the same place, but it doesn't matter. There's a lot of verses that tell us that. I think that verse speaks of that for the assembly. 14 Yeah. Would you read it? I flipped already.
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preached the Gospel.
Should live of the gospel. That's right. He brings it out so many times and never takes it for himself.
Right now, put it in plain words so everyone understands. What does it mean to communicate? You tell us. Listen.
Had a young man asked me that he was a mile off his understanding of the 1St and I think there might be something. I don't understand what it's communicating. Talk to him, have fellowship with him, have fellowship with him in a, in a, in a, in a practical way. That's right.
Make it clear.
Well, we sure don't have to be vacant with the brethren. We can't do it.
I'm not talking about getting the word clear, but it's a little bit the word communicate is is sort of fake. It's.
Yeah, Minister to.
The verse in Corinthians helps the arts is treading corn and he should be allowed to eat some of it.
I mean, that's very simple. And so the man administers the word is going to buy groceries and gas the same one as the one who listens to the ministry? Is that plain enough?
Getting close.
The way I like to read this second verse from my own beginning is this.
Let him that is being taught in the word communicate under him that teacheth in all good things. The principle is the same as students going to college.
They have to pay tuition in order to get those professors to work to teach them so that in God's work.
There's a preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Go around and rather than take care of those.
And we're to know them which labor among us in a over us, and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and counted a privilege to help them.
Help.
In Hebrews 13 the word itself, I think, even though the same word communicated is used, clarifies for us what God intends for us to understand Hebrews 13.
And verse 16 but doing good and communicating. I'm reading Mr. Darby's translation as a matter of fact of your substance. Be not forgetful or with these sacrifices thought as well, please. That's plain enough history, brother.
Did you read verse 15 with that? You see why there's an offering box on the table? Exactly. Let's read 15 and 16 with that by Him. Therefore, let us off of the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
And connected with that worship is but to do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God as well. Please. Verse 15 is our royal is our holy priesthood. Verse 16 is our royal priesthood. When an assembly had put the basket at the door. So when it's all over and they went and dropped it in very convenient thing save time.
There was a lot of protests. Well, that disconnects it from worship. It should be part of it. It was wrong. Be part of it. We see something illustrated again in the Old Testament with the Levites, because when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem the second time, he found that the portion of the Levites was not set aside in the way that it was supposed to be. You remember that there were storehouses where they were to bring in those ties that were set aside for those.
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Who were carrying on, shall I say, the full time work of the Lord. And it was a great concern to Nehemiah when he returned and found that those who ought to have been devoting their full time to the service of the House of God had had to return to their fields to cultivate and plant and provide a living for themselves and for their families. And he immediately rebuked them and took care of the situation. So I only point that out as an Old Testament illustration that I believe goes along with what?
Saying would you say, brother Don? Yes. Oh, yes, I think so. You know, the New Testament.
Illustration of it because he had to make tents. Yeah, he had a lot of energy, didn't he? Like he says in that night, the First Corinthians. But I have used none of these things. What energy? All work day and night, did he not? But you know, our standards are very high in this land, aren't they? And in Canada and we, we really need wisdom, do we not, in connection with assisting and helping in the work elsewhere.
Brother John and and Brother Walt, you could tell us something about this, right?
We can cause some damage if we're not careful because our standards are so high over here. Like for example, are you saying you can't buy the work of the Lord with money?
No, but, well, I don't think you can. And no, that's very true. But I'm just saying that we really need wisdom that we don't hurt. I I agree with you. Yeah, of course you can do more damage, money sometimes, and you can do good.
That's the point. Good example is in one area where.
Where in India?
They could build a house, which they needed for their meeting room for about $200 US.
But no one gave anything until they started building.
And they were doing it with their own hands, just like Israel. And they built that beautiful hall. They used it, but no one did anything. When he said, I've given that ground for a meeting room, no one said anything over till they started making their own blocks and building the building themselves. Then the help started to come in. There's a principle there.
Really.
Yeah, what John?
1St floor, he said. There's four.
Well, I believe that what we've had before us in the burdens for my own soul has in some measure at least answered the question as to the Ministry of Funds, not to spend a lot of time on it. But there are situations, are there not, where there is a burden that is almost intolerable. We know of cases where crops have been wiped out by a typhoon, where?
Serious illness with no other means of health, has threatened the life of an individual and sometimes the livelihood of the family.
We've known conditions like that to arise and how fitting and needful it is, and we have scripture for it. When the brethren in Judea were in real need, the apostle Paul made it clear to others that they had a moral and spiritual responsibility to be of health. But equally true, verse 5 says every man shall bear his own burden and to take a man's responsibility away, as we all know.
Is to make him irresponsible and so the apostles spoke very clearly to those who.
Expected to eat and weren't willing to work to those who were lazy, To those who were not willing to do a good day's work. And sometimes, sad to say, these things can arise not only in other lands, but in North America as well. And in that case, that verse applies. Every man shall bear his own burden. And so God never intended that a wealthy part of the world should support.
100% that which would happen to be poor.
Rather the fact that each man should feel his own responsibility and yet if there were cases where there were an intolerable burden, oh then what a blessed privilege is members of the body of Christ to bear one anothers burdens. It's helped. I was just going to ask Brother John, you and I have talked about that. Would you agree with that? John Kemp?
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Be careful about taking that Third World brethren out of the circumstances in which.
God has placed them.
Bringing to the level comparable to what we are used to here, I think we need wisdom.
That should be sensitive to.
Convenience funded.
The wise and cast on the Lord as to the.
Monies among the third world country.
Can I just make one more comment before your we start? Sorry John, you weren't finished.
Well, the third, the fourth verse here, I think it's the.
See that? Everyone has it. They're appointed Sphere of service. You know that, Aaron?
The sons of Aaron performed a certain.
Service of the Tabernacle.
Each one had disappointed the task to do. They were different.
But they could be happy.
I've been assigned to that.
Looking for someone else's sphere.
They could have rejoicing in that service that the Lord had been appointed for them, and I think it's the same with us today.
Every sister here and every brother has a a work to do for the Savior of the Lord, and if you could be happy in performing that as unto him may not be that a prominent place, it might not be.
Out in the forefront, shall we say.
But if you perform that little service which.
The Lord has given you faithfulness, devotedness to Him. There will be a reward, and you will have the sense in your soul that you're pleasing the Lord, which after all, is the.
All important thing.
You'll be happy in that spirit. You can rejoice in that little work which.
I think it's helpful to see, in connection with what Brother Clem said for not being able to buy the work of the Lord when the poor Saints of Judea are brought in, that really the help is going in two opposite directions. And I think the caution that he's giving is very good because the brethren in Judea, so to speak, had treaded out the corn. They had suffered for the truth. It's where the truth originated. And very because of their faithfulness to the truth, they suffered and were brought into poverty.
And then there was a certain natural obligation, spiritual obligation and natural obligation that was owed by those that were the beneficiaries of the sufferings of the Saints in Judea to help those Saints. That's a different thing than going into a poor area and trying to raise them to the standards of living. And it's not to praise preach a prosperity gospel, but the reasons for poverty are often connected with the truth that.
Disorder and you see as the order is restored to the life that the circumstances change. We can't help those, as was said, that are under onerous circumstances. But it really is the truth that will help ones that are in difficult circumstances to order their lives and to to get on, so to speak, because God has not put them in a place where they and and put us in a circumstance without the ability to to provide.
So I just say that in connection with the Saints in Judea, because it was a particular case where they had suffered for the truth, the truth originated there and their poverty was a direct result of their having stood for the truth amidst fierce opposition.
You had for a state. Well, it was much along what the lines are that Neil has just said, and that is I'm indebted to Gordon Hayhoe for this remark, but I pass it on. It was a big help to me. And it's humbling too, because he pointed out the same thing, that in the early days of the church the apostles had nothing and those in Judea who went out and.
Gave out the gospel and the truth were poor, and they were going in most cases to those who were relatively better off.
And there was number difficulty. And I can remember once being in India quite a few years ago with a brother. And in the midst of some discussions about this very subject, he turned to me. I guess it doesn't hurt to tell. It was Don Rule. He said to me, Bill, don't you wish you were like the Lord Jesus or like the apostle Peter? And you had to say, I don't have any money, silver and gold, have I none? He said, wouldn't it make life so much easier over here?
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But he said it isn't that way, and the Lord's allowed it, and he'll give us the wisdom that doesn't make you long for the.
Not that I say I would choose to be poor. I don't mean that. No one, I don't suppose, would voluntarily choose to be poor except our blessed Master. But we covet, I trust that spirit that would be able to go and say, I don't have anything except the precious truth of God's Word. I'll seek to bear your burden as best I can, but what I have to bring is the spiritual side of things rather than the material side. But the Lord has.
Condition of things where sometimes those who bear the gospel and the truth also happen to have more wealth. And so it requires much more wisdom, doesn't it, in order to be able to act intelligently and with the Lord's mind. Perhaps in that vein of things, though, I could just add a very practical word and a precaution to all of our hearts, and that is that when we do see a need in some one of these countries and there are tremendous needs, as you know.
Only too well that I think it's the path of wisdom that when we seek to help in those situations, we channel funds or help through those who know the situation. Though I believe God raises up those who have been to these countries know the situation. They know what the value of a dollar is in connection with a rupee or an IRA or whatever it may be, and just as a precaution.
A $50.00 bill doesn't go very far in the United States, as we know. Just pull up to the gas pump on your way home and you'll find.
It doesn't go very far, but in some of these countries that goes a long way and that may be all that's needed to meet what we might think is a very dire situation. And so I think it's just the path of wisdom that we, when we do see or hear of these needs, contact a brother that we know has been there or knows the situation, knows the value of of money and commodities. But I'd like to just say this too, in connection with what has been said.
And that is to exercise my own soul. There are tremendous needs out there.
And brethren, the Gospels going forth in wonderful ways, but as Brother Walt will tell us, there is the tremendous need for Bibles around the world. There is an unbelievable need for the printed page, both in the Gospel and good written ministry, not just in English but in many languages. There's needs for the people of God to be together. Do we realize, and I'm going to speak very plainly for a moment, and you'll forgive me, a conference like this.
There's tremendous needs connected with a conference like this. Do we just come and we're glad to partake of three good meals and some nice accommodation and we're glad to sit in this climate controlled gymnasium for two days and enjoy the word of God Or do we consider, brethren, that there is a need in connection? There was a bill. There's a bill that needs to be taken care of in connection. Now the Lord meets the need. I know, I realize that whether it's the gospel or the Saints or whatever it.
Be but I do believe, brethren, we need to be exercised as to these needs. The Lord has entrusted much to us in North America. He's given us abundantly of the mercies and comforts of life. Are we exercise to use that? Now I know that giving on Wednesday morning is only one way that we make sacrifice in a temporal way. But here's the verse to exercise our souls. Let every man give.
This as God has prospered him. Isn't that an exercising statement? It is to my own soul. Because, brethren, and let me speak very plainly again, my putting a $10.00 bill in the collection on Lords Day morning is not giving as God has prospered me. And if every one of us were exercised to give as God has prospered us, then I believe the needs of the Saints, the poor Saints, and the needs of the gospel and the needs for good Christian literature would be abundantly supplied. Well, forgive me.
For speaking so plain, but just to exercise our souls. The needs are there, the time is short. Are we seeking to? In wisdom? Yes, in wisdom of course, and with discernment meet those needs. Yesterday we some brother here made a few comments on verse.
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Verses 15 and 16, I've kind of forgotten them, but I'd sure like to hear some ministry on these verses before the hour runs out.
But you, John, that said something.
Chuck.
No, it wasn't I.
Okay, fess up somebody else. I think it was Bob.
I'm telling what we were talking about rules.
And the rules we have his brother.
And here's one rule that it very specifically speaks about, that what God recognizes is that new life in Christ. It's not outward marks of religiousness in the flesh, circumcision or uncircumcision, but it's a new creature in Christ Jesus. It's new creation that God recognizes. Now that's the rule.
And as many as walk, according to this rule, peace upon them.
And mercy and upon the Israel of God.
That's the rule is new creation. What a tremendous subject to thinking.
And I remember when I first.
Read ministry that said that.
Mary Magdalene.
Was the first person that saw new creation.
Just go back to John 20 and see that she saw a man standing.
And.
John 20.
Verse 13 They say unto her, Woman, Why weep us down? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, I know where they've laid him. And when she had said this.
She turned herself back and saw Jesus standing.
And they know that it was Jesus. That's the first time anybody ever saw new creation.
Tremendous. And he didn't know any.
Marvelous if any man be in Christ.
If any man be in Christ.
It's part of new creation.
I wish the Lord Jesus Christ in the head as a glorified man and.
Person in Christ.
Has been born into this place.
Christ and that new creation of seed.
One day that.
Head of new career.
We're part of them.
I think it'd be well to read 9 and 10 before we're done.
And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Well, brethren, this is important. We put.
And I'm not saying this in a jealous way or anything.
The assembly of God's people first doesn't mean we don't help others, especially the household of faith. And let's remember, let's watch out for our own, the ones who are willing to go on with the reproach of Christ at the place that he is. And I think it's wonderful, but it does say all men.
So we would do good to all. But let's remember.
Where the Lord is and those gathered to his name.
Lord said the multitudes that were hungry, even though He knew that many of them would be crying for His blood when He stood before Pilate. Brethren, what a tremendous example. We live in a world of awful need, hunger and and need in so many ways. Really, truly we need to ask the Lord what He would have us do with the 20 we have.
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In this country.
To be exercised, doing good is mentioned tremendous amount in the New Testament. It's part of Christianity doing good. I remember being down in Pensacola at the big warehouses for the ships between the railroads and the ships and bags after bag ceilings higher than this going over.
Showing the hands coming together stamped with the Catholic stamp.
And it was for those that are starving. Well, you know, I thought to myself, they may help them for six months, maybe 12, and then they go into hell.
Especially the household of faith, you know, when we really remember our brethren in those countries, then they give out the word of God and that doesn't eternal good. Not that we shouldn't send that, you know, but but it's so much and nothing about God, nothing about Christ in that giving.
Well, there's no shortage of needs and opportunities. And when we get up in the morning, I don't believe it's a question so much of praying and asking for opportunities, but it's praying that we would be in a proper state of soul and watchfulness, that we would avail ourselves of the opportunities that arise. And that's what it means when he takes it up in Ephesians. He says redeeming the time because the days are evil, or literally buying up every opportunity. Or do we see a need? Do we see an opportunity?
Are we in a state of soul that we might be used by the Lord to meet that need and opportunity? No shortage, brethren. Maybe a shortage of diligence and energy on my part, but no shortage of needs and opportunities.
Gospel
John 3:16
True Greatnes
Lost and Found
Y.P. Sing