Open—M. Payette, J. Bisono, R. Thonney
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256.
Praise the Savior.
Of what we owe him.
For the Lord of bless you.
Oh yeah.
I saw.
Jesus.
From the dog and our father, we thank thee that worketh by thy power.
Through faith setting those objects proper.
To faith before our souls that our eyes might be fixed on those things.
That are heavenly, that our mind might be set on those things that are above where the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is at Thy right hand hidden. Thee shall that day it is revealing to this world.
And we pray that this little hour before us might be a profitable time, and thy word and we know the Scripture is profitable as we've read. We pray that we might receive.
Receive that ministry of the Spirit of God.
From the precious word of God into our hearts through the conscience that it might have its effect its formative effect in our lives and we know the hard working the spirit of Christ and each believer who conformeth to the image of thy beloved son. Let us know our needs will great so many and yet in one portion of Scripture in the mouth of two or three as always uh.
Purpose to speak to us from the word. Thou canst meet those needs.
So we look to thee that thou come in for us, Lord Jesus.
Thou art the one in the midst two or three gather to thy precious name. Thou art sufficient, Lord Jesus.
And no sufficiency of ourselves. And so we look to thee. All we think of how thou speed the multitudes. And thou art able to spread the table in the wilderness. Feed thy people. So we look to thee. I got our Father. We ask this in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
I have a question before I speak. Is there a Mr. Smith here?
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Mrs. Smith.
I'm looking for a Mr. Smith and a Mrs. Smith.
Let's turn to First Samuel, chapter 13.
First Samuel chapter.
13 verse 19.
Now there was number Smith found throughout all the land of Israel.
For the Philistines said, lest the Hebrews.
Make them swords or Spears.
We need Mr. Smith and Missus Smith.
We don't have a Mr. Smith or Mrs. Smith. We're in trouble.
We don't have spheres.
This was the work of the Philistines. You know, the Philistines in Scripture speaks of the energy of man and the things of God.
When man is active in the things of God, he robs us of the things of God.
We re read these verses in Second Timothy chapter 3. Let's go back there for a moment.
Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 15.
And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.
Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God and His profitable.
For many of us here, many of you, children, young people.
Can be said of you from a child that has known the Holy Scriptures.
If I say what's, what's this book? It's the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Bible. What else can you call it? The word of God. You know, this is the word of God. This is Holy Scripture. This is the Bible.
But do you know it?
You read it, you grow in the knowledge, grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through its pages.
We know that this is the source.
And we need to go to the source and drink of it and make it our own.
So Timothy, he knew that from a child, and not only did he know that these were the scriptures and holy letters from God.
He knew what was in them so he could preach the word. He had a sword.
He was a Smith.
Timothy Smith.
You knew it was the word of God and He.
Studied it, he read it, he believed it, he applied it in his life, and he could preach it.
Earlier on in the book of Genesis, the Philistine had been busy in the days of Isaac. Genesis chapter 26.
Verse 18.
That was the landfill in the land of the Philistines in Gere, the valley of Gerr, verse 18, Genesis 2618. And Isaac digged again the wells of water which they had digged in the days of Abraham's father.
Why did you have to dig the wheels? The wheels again? Because for the Philistines had stopped them after the death.
They were busy filling up those wells.
So Isaac couldn't dwell in the land and be refreshed.
No, it's not enough to have Christian parents or Christian ancestors or to have either 5th generation in the assembly. We have to get these things for ourselves.
And so Isaac digged again the wells of water which they had digged in the days of Abraham.
And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
That someone a century ago picked up this book and read through his pages and found the truth of God by the teaching the Spirit of God.
Well, 100 years later, if you and I dig in the same, well, we're going to find the same thing. The word hasn't changed. We're going to call the things by the same names. That's what they are from the Word of God. That's where we need to get the truth that we hold and that we believe and apply in our lives and preach from the Word of God.
So the Philistine has been busy to plug up those welds.
And the enemy is busy just getting us not to read the word of God or to have someone read it for us.
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And tell us what it means.
You know, I was in the Catholic Church with a young man, and in the Catholic Church you were not allowed to read this book.
We'll read it for you and tell you what it means.
Do you want me to read this book for you and tell you what it means? Don't do that. You'll be a Smith. You read it for yourself and put it to the test.
And keep at it. And then you'll have a shining sword, a sharp sword you can use on yourself, first of all, and you can use for the glory of the Lord.
Well, they dug some other wells there, verse 19 And Isaac's servant digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
And the herdsmen of Gerard did drive with Isaac's herdman saying the water is ours, and he called the name of the well Essex, because they strove with him means contention there in the margin.
You don't Protestantism.
They received the truth through the Word of God.
God brought out the truth from His Word and gave it to certain men and then developed into people seceding from the Catholic Church who refused to have people look into the scriptures, who persecuted those even put to death those that were living out those things that they received from God Himself through His Word.
But there was contention there.
You know, today you might meet up with believers.
People who really believe in the Lord Jesus. And when you talk, you start talking about the wonderful truth of Scripture.
There's contention.
That was in those days, not anymore, yes, but that was written in those days, You know, it's just, it was tradition and they just undo the word of God. They will contend, they will have contention with the truth of God.
So what did Isaac do is he didn't strive?
They dig another well, and strove for that also. And he called the name of it Sitna or Hatred.
My brother was speaking before of the rejection of the cross of Christ, and you know.
If we want to be faithful to the word of God.
And apply it in our lives and speak truthfully to others as we either our questions or we feel responsibility to witness to them.
We can't compromise what God has given us. We need to be faithful and it might provoke hatred.
But I've enjoyed the thought that he removed himself from Lance verse 22 and he digged another will. Wouldn't give up on that water.
I want that water that comes from down there. That's what I need. They dug another well and for that they strove nut They said you can have that one.
And he called the name of it Rehoboth, which means space or room. And he said, for now the Lord had made room for us.
And we shall be fruitful in the land.
You know, dear brothers and sisters.
We've come together this weekend. What was on the agenda? What did the brethren have for the topic of the reading meeting?
What we're gonna talk. What were the hymns that we're gonna be giving out this morning? Who is going to speak in the open meeting? None of that had been ordered.
But if we leave room for the application of what we have in this book.
The leading of the Spirit of God is going to happen.
We're gonna have room to be together and to behave together in our personal lives and collectively in accordance with this word, with this book. We don't have to disobey the Word of God to go on in the truth. That's what man would have you do. Say. If you want to be faithful today, you have to have things the way we teach it in our seminaries.
And our universities in our school.
You know some believers in the Lord Jesus? They believe in evolution.
And this book doesn't teach evolution.
This book, which is the Word of God, teaches creation, a powerful God who produces a universe. Nobody can measure just his Word.
That do you believe that?
So God is so powerful, he could create a measureless universe that we cannot explore. It's beyond our the numbers we can take in in our minds. The God of the Bible, he created this.
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Well, this is the God of my book, of my Bible. This is the God of the universe, the same God who hung on that cross.
Which fit in his face, back scourge, crown of thorns, objects of mockery and derision.
That's who's in this book, you know, that's the one that's presented in this book from cover to cover. The Almighty God, creative, the universe Moffins fit upon and crucified. So you could have us with him forever.
May we value dear ones?
The liberty God has given us. Lord Jesus says that.
The truth shall make you free.
What freedom we've enjoyed this weekend.
And I trust we continue to enjoy.
Freedom to be here, not out in the world. Freedom to be here to enjoy the things of God and simplicity and liberty room for one another.
You know when we read this book.
We need to leave room for each other too.
In any measure, we're all ignorant. There are things we do not know. Perhaps there are things that we understand differently from our brethren.
But if we get our thoughts and our understanding from what we read in this book, we have to leave room for them, leave room for one another that we can continue on together and not want to coerce brethren or others to believe like me or like you or like brethren. Even I trust we'd be disobeying the Word of God if we force people to adopt what we believe to be the truth of God. We can preach it and apply it. We can't force it upon people. You have to see it for yourself.
And it's a wonderful thing, you know, when a young man, a young woman grows up.
In the things of the Lord and these things that perhaps that they've heard from mom and dad in the assembly, they make it their own. They become Smith. It becomes the word of God in their soul, in their hearts and their lives, the things that they believe, their convictions.
And when someone comes up with a question with something that's disturbing, they probably might not go back right to mom and dad or an older brother. They say the word of God says this and this is what's true. They can answer for themselves. What a wonderful thing, you know?
Well, you SI don't know if you are a Smith or not. Nobody's called Mr. Smith, but may the Lord be able to call us each one, Smith. And that we know that these scriptures that we have in our hands can make us wise, and that they will make us wise if we read them and spend time with them. Just a few more thoughts before I leave room for someone else. Song of Solomon.
Verse chapter 3. Song of Solomon chapter 3. Verse one.
Song of Solomon 3 verse one by night on my bed.
I sought him whom my soul loveth. I sought him.
But I found him not.
You love the Lord Jesus.
Oh I I know the Lord is my savior. I love the Lord Jesus but I I don't feel him close. Seems that.
My relationship with him isn't as as warm or dynamic or realize I'd like it to be.
Well, she was on her bed, you know.
Resting.
Spoke yesterday. I'm not going out putting our light under the bed or the bushel. She was in her bed.
Resting. But then it says, I will rise now and go about the city in the streets and in the broadways. I will seek him whom I so love it I sought him, but I found him not. The Watchmen that go about the city found me to whom I said saw ye, Him whom my soul love it. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth.
You know, it says that in my French Bible. It says she went a little further after she had that interview with the guard, she went a little further.
And she found.
I said, have you found him?
You find him in the morning or you stay in bed till you got to rush to school or to work. Or do you get up and you go through the streets and listen to the guards?
And go a little further till you find them.
If you seek him with all your heart, he's gonna let you find him.
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If you stay in bed, you might not find them.
You know, we're saved by grace and kept by grace, and the Lord is going to come and take us all home. It's wonderful. Yet we cannot say that we are. We have no responsibility. We have responsibilities as believers. And the tone of your life and mind depends not only on the grace of God, but how you apply those things that you know.
Somebody could be a Smith and have pieces of steel lying all around. It's shot there by not one sort.
Why is that? He didn't heat up the stove, he didn't put the wind in there. He didn't pick up the steel, didn't heat it up, didn't spend energy.
Of making that into what it's supposed to be.
So God has given us his word. Not only that we would know it's the word of God. So it would be a reality in our lives, be applied in our lives to seek him early and then find him. And you know, it's interesting, you just go on in that third chapter.
There's another bed there. It's Solomon's bed, verse 7.
Behold his bed, which is Solomon's. Three score valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war. Every man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night, you know.
If it was a treasure chest.
With diamonds and gold and all sorts of things you say.
All these mighty men of Israel, with their sword, they're guarding that treasure chest.
Oh, they're all around Solomon's bit.
You know the Lord Jesus, he can rest now. I know he's still working, but in that aspect of his work, he's resting now.
I have finished the work that thou gave us me to do.
Is that work finished? The work of salvation?
The religious man in You and Me and the Philistine would say you've got to do this, you've got to do that.
It says here, you gotta do this, you gotta do that. They'll find verses in here. There are other verses too, you know, in here. And these men around David, about Solomon's bed, they watched over.
Where Solomon rested.
Are you equipped to watch over the rest of the Lord Jesus in His finished work?
It's all around us, you know, attacks on this person, attacks on his work.
The Word of God answers to all of these attacks plainly to give you confidence and say no, there is nothing to add to the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross for the salvation of anyone who's going to be in heaven forever. Nothing to be added.
We're talking about that at lunchtime. And sometimes, you know, we say we're saved by faith and it's wonderful. That's what it says.
Save by grace through faith, not the gift of God.
Sometimes we can make faith the object and preach that faith. You have to be strong and fit and you know, and powerful and faithful. And if you realize that, you can look in the mirror in the morning and say I'm a mighty man of God. And that's pride, you know?
May God give you and I to be like these men who can.
Exercise at war around a bit.
Because there's a spiritual war going on.
It's against you and it's against the Lord Jesus and His finished work, and it's in having this word before us and knowing about it that we can answer these things. So dear ones, just a few thoughts I had on my heart concerning that verse in Second Timothy chapter 3. Knowing the Scriptures that can meet the wise unto salvation, how the enemy of our souls through the energy of man would block up these wells of refreshment, yet God and His grace has put it in our hands.
You have it in your hands this very moment. I have three of them right here. I have one French, one English, 1 Spanish, and if you went across the world, it's an Italian, German, it's available.
To be read and understood and applied.
Are you a Smith? You have a sword.
And I have a little question for you, dear ones, if you have a sword or if you had a sword in your hand.
What else did the enemy present to you that you put that aside and pick something else up instead?
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The times that we live in, the enemy is bombarding the minds of men with lies and false teaching and all sorts of things and seducing them with violence and corruption. And you and I are not immune to that. It's all around us.
May God give us dear ones to hold to that sword till the Lord Jesus comes.
I mean no, I mean with the black window hermanos. I don't exactly like to speak with translation because maybe I put you all to sleep.
La Familia, but I want to read some verses of consolation to the family.
Who lost one of their loved ones these days?
Psalm 116, verse 15.
Estimates and Los ojos de jua la muerte de susantos, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.
Los Angeles.
How blessed it is that the death of his Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord. No, I see la Muerta de Los Incredulo. That's not the way it is for the unconverted.
It is not.
Pleasant to the eyes of God.
Sabemos comodice unbarcicolo en Romano catorce there's a very close yet yocho nueva.
In Romans 14, verse 789.
Focusing gun on nosotros vive paraci in inguno muere paraci pue civil vimos para senor vivimos de si morimo para senorimos a tipu ES southeast a que vigamos O que muramo de senion somo.
Fernando himself, and no man dieth himself. Or whether we live, we live unto the Lord, Or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lords.
Verse 9. To this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and living.
As soon as young Quebecois, it is a blessing. If we live for the Lord, we live isimo limo paracinomorimos and if we die for the Lord, we die the Cristo. After we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a relation with the Lord Jesus Christ inquiry that is not broken.
Roman prima sewanda corinthos cinco, 2nd Corinthians 5.
Versicolor Uno verse one poques avemos que SI.
Muentra morality rate ETA vernacular SE de siciera tenemos de dios unity physio una Casa nuecha de manos eterna en Los cielos. For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God in the house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. It's a lot of de la position que de nemos encrito. Jesus speaks of the position we have in Jesus Christ.
Well, Mohamed dijo anteriormente que sibei vimo para senor vivimo estimo rimo paraceno morimos. As we said before, if we live for the Lord we live and if we die, we for the Lord we die. Given this young quemontanido mucha bondance de la palaro de yo SE mistodia, what a blessing it is. Did and have abundance of the word of God in these days.
Sometimes we are not paying much attention and sometimes we are discouraged. Basically, as he said, in Capitol Cuatro, there's verse 16 of chapter 4.
Portanto no des miamos antes an quetin metron Westeros de vada de gassando El interior hemperos de renueva de ria India. Or which 'cause we think not. For but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Each day that passes in this world.
Our bodies are wasting away.
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Physically.
For that reason, the word says we faint not.
The Spirit of God knows that we might get discouraged for some reason.
But we have this advert, this exhortation from the Word of God una vez and Bolivia nosoto visitamo le manolino bueno. One time in Bolivia we were visiting Brother Lena Bueno para consolale con la palabra de dios.
To comfort him with the word of God. He was 99 years old.
You know what happened.
Instead of here we can comforting him, he comforted us with the word of God. Damien Quirole Romano ocho de Sioto. Also I want to read in Romans 8/18.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in US. And rozier que tamo viendo mucha dolencia SUV de cuo que manera in the days that we're living there as much sickness, and we in one way or another suffer solo pemitido pores in your all permitted by the Lord.
Vero no de comparison la Gloria venida que nosotros de maniceta, but it's nothing to compare with the glory that will be manifested in US esuna consolacion barano Soto de versico. That is a consolation for us.
And verse 28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Doesn't say that all things are good.
But in some way or another, they help us.
Yesterday we were talking about the Apostle Paul. Do you want a monolith?
A brother said that he was a prisoner twice.
In your the first time he was a prisoner, he was.
In the things of the Lord. Walking in the things of the Lord. Yeah, maybe I'm not you. Hey, Sila Cantavan Tinos Adios.
And he's, uh, sang, uh, hymns to God, and I segunda vesque califreso fuendo soviencia de pirito san. The second time he, uh, was prisoner, it was because he disobeyed the direction of the Holy Spirit. No canto. And he didn't, uh, sing, not any spirit. He didn't have the spirit to sing.
Sometimes things happen in our lives that the Lord permits.
And we don't get discouraged.
And we are encouraged.
Something that is not the will of the Lord, then we suffer.
Is San Mateo Catorce Matthew 14?
Mersico Lorentices, verse 26.
Y lo disciple of Biendo le andar zor El mar SE tovaro de siendo UN fantasma idieron bosse de miedo peron en seguira esules hablo de siendo tenet animal yo soy notes Pedro Y di Jose tueri Sierra tu manda queo bayatissa de la saguas Y El dijo vein Y de Sendiendo, Pedro de la Varca, and Abbas O la Zagua para era Jesus pero.
And the very end of Puerto Rico.
Verse 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, did me, come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to think he.
Cried saying Lord, save me faith and the deposition list of Para la Costa de Senor Pieteres was a man who was disposed to do what the Lord wanted him to do.
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He said if all the rest deny you, I won't deny you.
And then he got into a position where he's afraid.
And he cut off the ear of a servant.
Pedro.
He didn't cut off his neck, he cut off his ear and he said the Lord directed the.
That wasn't the will of the Lord.
That he would fight like that, Something we can see in this scripture.
He was a man that was disposed to do.
He was ready for the Lord's use.
But he had a little failure senor situation.
He said, Lord, if it is, you may go to you on the water.
And there was, uh, big waves defeated Caminara. It would be hard for us to walk on the water even if it was calm, Mucho menos sietan Braves, much less when it was stormy on the sea.
And he said, If it is you, Lord, did me come to thee on the water?
29 And he said, come this in the endo Pedro de la Barca and Jesus. When Peter was coming down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus solo Camino, but there was a failure.
Puerto viento to me Eddie comin Santos de on Y comments on this de yo bosse de siendo senor salva me. But in verse 30 it says when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink.
He cried saying, Lord save me, what happened?
He was going good. You know what happened.
Viento he began to look at the strong wind.
And took this his eyes off the Lord Jesus.
I don't know if it's happened to you, but it's happened to me the same as to Peter Heyl Caminando Yang. I was walking well.
Pero me Puerto Salvador, Puerto viento la pruebas de la tribolaciona que Nos yelling. Then I started to look around at the strong winds that were blowing yego menzel ondemand and I started to sink. You know, Soto estimo metropais cuando tie della cue cuisine and we won that one. We have a saying in our country. When you get up to your neck in water in san SE que clamos, then we uh, then we cry to the Lord.
No con vie Eno miral.
Los Puerto viento di quita la Vita senor. It's not good to take away the the vision from the Lord and start looking at the problems around.
Because we might start to sing.
And then we will have to cry to the Lord. Lord Silva, me, save me nowhere. I like you to have no de Nemo tiempo pero vemo una mujer que ETA inferma confronto de sangre.
Via Vieira salo Toluca De Niro, there's another story of a woman who had a, uh, flow of blood and she had, uh, spent all she had and she didn't have any more money. Boy fin Diehl And at at the last she Jose que solo contocade voor de vestido de senor Teresana. If I can only touch the border of this garment, I will be well. And ** *** tried to Escondido, but I finally and behind she touched his guy.
Yeah, with them and was healed. Que Pena que nosoto de JAMA para Ultimo. Uh, what a sorrow it is that we live sometimes the Lord to the last.
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Especially when we have some money in the in our confiamo mas in their own recognition, we are trust more in men than we do in the Lord.
I don't know if that's happened to you, but it's happened to me.
Some brethren in my my country. Do you think Jonathan Jesus, I don't wanna a doctor. My doctor's allergies. I'll see that. The emerald. Yeah. Intra mucho de Sione. One of the brothers said that in my country, you know, Eli medical and didn't go to the to the doctor. You know how many years he lasted? Knowing Denmark, Daniel, 99 years.
There's a noise in the Hemphill that's not exactly a good example.
It's not a sin to go to the doctor. If it's some of you, it's not. It's to have more faith in the doctor than it is in the Lord Jesus.
In our In our weaknesses.
May the Lord have mercy on us.
And give us to trust more in him. Jealous.
We're going to take the opportunity, brethren, just to say a few more words that are my heart and go to 1St Thessalonians Chapter 5.
We are getting down to the very end, brethren. I think we are all aware of the fact that at any moment.
The Lord may come the beginning of this meeting. Brother Robert read those verses at the end of chapter four of First Thessalonians that speak of what could take place at any moment.
The Rapture And for the Rapture, there is absolutely no sign to indicate its closeness. It could take place at any moment.
But if you go to chapter 5, you'll notice it speaks of the second part.
Of the Lord's second Coming, what we call the Revelation or the Manifestation.
Sometimes the appearing.
But those 3 words speak of that time when the Lord will come at the end of the great Tribulation. And we've had that focus quite strongly in these meetings that that too is our hope. We look for the Lord to come to set things straight in this world. There is really no other answer to this world's woes. And for that part of His second coming.
There are multitudes of signs, some of them.
We're starting to see today wars, rumors of wars, pestilences, diseases, those that rise up saying I am Christ. Those are all signs that we are getting down to the end.
And it's there for us to awaken us, and we have some pretty strong.
Exhortations in this chapter. Let's just read a few verses here. It says of the times and the seasons. Brethren, ye have no need.
That I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
The day of the Lord is when the Lord Jesus comes out of heaven to establish his Kingdom.
And he comes into this world, and he establishes his lordship in this world.
It's a day that lasts 1000 years through what we call the Millennium.
And ends up with the passing away of this world. This world is going to melt.
With fervent heat and the heavens are going to be disappear as well.
But that day is going to come as a thief in the night.
We who are believers in the Lord Jesus do not wait for the Lord as a thief.
This always refers to his coming at the end of the Great Tribulation, not the Rapture.
For those who do not want him to come, for those that do not wait for him, he will come as a thief when they least expect him.
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Oh how solemn the days we are living in.
How does this reflect on us then? Verse four shows clearly that he's not coming for us as a thief. Yeah, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others but us, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for in helmet the hope of salvation.
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. That verse nine is one of the best verses in scripture. There are others to show that the believer in the Lord Jesus, the true believer, will not go through the tribulation. God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Very clear.
But, brethren, the reflection of Scripture here, in view of the fact that that day is coming.
Rapidly on this world, Two things. Let us not sleep, let us watch and be sober. Two things, sleepiness and drunkenness, not talking.
In the physical matter of sleep.
Or drunkenness. We know those drunkenness is wrong for a believer.
Physically, too, but we're talking about it in a spiritual way. What is sleepiness? Somebody who is asleep is not alert. There's somebody sleeping on the floor. I say, hey, you.
You going to answer me? No. What's wrong?
He's asleep and it's evident sometimes, brethren, that for our own interests, our own business, our own home, our own family, we're very alert. But for the things of the Lord, his interests were not very alert. What does that mean? I really think we need to realize that that.
Means we are asleep.
You know sleep has a way of creeping up on you.
It's happened to me.
Especially when I'm going on long trips.
Especially when I'm alone in the car, don't have anybody to talk to.
And maybe I've eaten a meal.
And get back on the road in the hum of the road.
Just little by little that sleeps creeps over you until I've had my head drop like that at time. That's dangerous business be driving when you're that way.
Brethren, sleep has overtaken many of us, and I'm not pointing the finger at any particular person here. The Spirit of God indicates to us.
If we are asleep, we are living in a world where there are opportunities that abound to use for the Lord. Use our means.
You know the money of the United States is going down the tubes as to value. You're going to wait.
For a while until it loses more value before you use it for him. May the Lord exercise this as to the needs there are in this world.
And to use not only our money, but our time, our energies and things that will be forever for that coming day of glory.
Stocking to a Brother and the Lord in Lawrenceville, IL.
Where we live, he used to be the president of the bank where I did some business.
Nice believer not gather the Lord's name but he says I lost 40% of all my investments.
In one week.
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Not too bad.
But if we're invested in this world, what can we expect the Lord exercise. I think the Lord has allowed these things to happen so that we will wake up young people, use your energies. I marvel at the the potential you have gonna use it for the benefit of some earthly company. I'm not saying it's wrong to work. Do your work hardly as to the Lord.
But do it in view of that coming day of glory. Jesus is coming back to this world.
He's going to reign supreme from sea to sea, the whole system.
Of this world's order is going to be completely changed.
And are we living in view of that day, or are we living of some time of earthly comfort we want to have down here?
I suggest, brethren, that we need to wake up.
And I trust you understand I'm not saying that to you only I'm saying it to my own heart comes as a tremendous challenge. And I hear in other parts of the world of the opportunities there are.
In China, where there are believers crying for teaching of the Word of God, I suggest that some of these young brothers.
Here would be able to teach.
Then the word of God, I say sometimes myself, I don't know that awful much.
But I know more than they have had the privilege of being taught, and that what I've been taught I'm responsible to pass on to others. The Lord help us.
To be awake. But there's another matter here. It's soberness. And soberness is in contrast with drunkenness.
What do we mean when we talk about drunkenness? In a spiritual sense? It's being under the influence.
Of present things, it could be a business.
Brother Bill was talking about sports.
You under the influence.
Nothing wrong with playing a ball game, but if you get under the influence where that commands your life and it's a question of your sports or a meeting where you know the Lord Jesus is going to be present.
Is sports more important to you?
Are you under the influence? It could be business, it could be any number of things.
Let's stop and take inventory of our lives. Let's think what is it that controls my life so that I cannot really give to the Lord those things that He clearly indicates in His word that we should get Him?
So those are things, brethren, we need to be.
Awakened as to them, he says, let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch.
And be sober.
Like to go down.
In this chapter, a little bit further to.
The exhortations we have towards the end, to me they are so beautiful and important in our Christian lives.
Let's just speak of.
The exhortations. We have quite a few exhortations here. From verse 14 on. We exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble minded or the faint hearted, support the weak. Be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all.
The Lord help us to do good. That's a big part of the Christian life.
Now that we are believers in the Lord Jesus, we're not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works.
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It's interesting how often in Scripture good works are mentioned.
Verse 16. Rejoice evermore.
Somebody has noticed in scripture that there are two verses in the Bible with only two words in them.
The other ones in the English translation anyhow, it's.
In John Chapter 11, Jesus wept. It's nice to put those two verses together.
Jesus wept. Rejoice evermore.
Oh brethren, Scripture doesn't give us an option on this, doesn't say rejoice if you can.
Now it says, Rejoice in the Lord, Alway.
Again I say rejoice.
Just as if the first time he said it. I don't know if it got through to you.
Did you listen?
The joy Scripture speaks about is not just a superficial.
Joy.
It's that deep joy in the soul.
That Bill was speaking about the Lord Jesus had in his life way here. He is the man, even though He is the man of sorrows. He rejoiced in spirit even when he was rejected.
That's the joy that should be yours and mine in the Christian pathway.
Pray without ceasing.
Oh, prayer, brethren. It's such an tremendously important part of the Christian life. Pray.
Unceasingly.
You know, in our hurried lives it seems like we tend to be careless as to having time alone with God.
Pray and the Lord prayed often, went out early in the day, and was alone with God his Father before he started the day.
I really have found in my own life that there have been times when I haven't taken time to pray like I ought.
And you know, it's like you're spinning your wheels all day long. You can't seem to get anywhere.
Wouldn't it be far better to take a little time of quiet in the presence of the Lord so that our efforts would amount to something? Still remember Martin Luther?
Said I have so much work to do every day, I dare not take any less than three hours to pray.
The Lord help us, brethren, encourage us. There's prayer in the individual circle.
Knowing what it means to have a closet, a place where you can be alone with God, to shut out the other influences.
It's a tremendous privilege.
There is prayer in the family. You know what it means to pray as a family.
I found that a real blessing.
And then there's prayer in the assembly.
Oh, what a privilege to get together to pray too. Pray without ceasing verse 18 in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Give thanks. When things go wrong, give thanks.
Maybe I've told this story before, but it was an impression. It left its impression on me. One time in Bolivia, we were in the city of El Rudo, and I was saying goodbye to that old brother Lino Bueno at the train station.
And came back to my Jeep with another Bolivian brother that was with me.
We got back to the Jeep. We found that somebody had gotten into my Jeep and had stolen my briefcase.
All my personal documents are gone.
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Kind of standing there in a little bit of shock.
The Bolivian brothers says let's thank the Lord.
You don't exactly think about thanking the Lord right then. Let me tell you, brethren, it was a real lesson to me. We thank the Lord even then.
Through a series of circumstances, I can't tell you right now, the end of the day, I had my briefcase back in my hands. I can't believe it that it happened.
Alert put it right back with all the documents in. It was missing the money and missing some other items that weren't too important to me. But brethren, let's give thanks in everything.
Not only in everything, but it says in Ephesians 5.
Giving thanks for all things, not only in all things, but for all things.
Why? Because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Verse 19 Quench not the Spirit. The Spirit of God dwells in you if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus.
And why is he there? He's there to guide you.
Don't quench the spirit.
May the Lord help us in these exhortations.
Despise, not prophesying.
You know, sometimes we don't like like to listen to a particular brother.
Remember when I was younger, I traveled quite a bit with brother Clem Buchanan.
At one time I said to him after a particular meeting and that brother speaks. I just can't listen very well.
He looked at me and he said.
Despise, not prophesying.
You listen to him anyway, even though you don't like that particular brother that much. God may be saying something to you and what he says. That was a very helpful word for me in my life as a believer.
But it doesn't say that we are to accept everything that is prophesied, no.
We're to be Smiths, like Brother Michelle said, Prove all things.
Check it out. That's why you got your Bible open. Is that what it says?
Hold fast that which is good.
Abstain from all appearance of evil and justice before we close, Brethren, the very God of peace sanctify you.
Holy and I pray God, your whole spirit.
And soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And evidently as the rapture, it speaks of there faithful, as he that calleth you, who also will do it.
There's no wonderful brethren to depend on his faithfulness. Can I trust in my own faithfulness? Not for a minute. That's what Peter did and got him into trouble.
Can't trust in our own faithfulness. There is one faithful and he will do it. That's what Scripture says. Wonderful. But the desire of the apostle is that we may be preserved, blameless.
Spirit, soul and body. We are made in the image and likeness of God. God is triune and we are triune spirit, soul and body. The spirit is the God conscious part of our being.
The soul is the self-conscious part of our being and the body is the world conscious part of our being. So we are in all aspects. His desire was that we would be preserved, blameless. There are things in this world that contaminate on the spiritual level. Be careful what you get into. Young people, older ones too.
There's contaminations for the soul. If you turn on the TV and watch it without any control. Let me tell you, there's lots of contamination, not only the TV.
The Internet. Be careful what you're watching there. The Lord might come at any moment, and he catches you watching that stuff. Be careful.
The apostles desire is that you would be preserved, blameless spirit, soul and body. There are things that contaminate even the body.
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And the apostles desire was that we would be preserved, blameless.
Spirit, soul and body to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord help us, dear brethren, Let's pray, Father.
Bless thy precious word.
How little?
We say to enhance it.
No Lord, it's Thy word that is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. Bless it, we pray in our hearts and souls today.
Commend the rest of the day in thy hands, in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.