Open—E. Pilkington, H. Brinkmann, D. Martin
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First Epistle to John, chapter 2.
And we might begin from verse 12.
I write unto you, little children.
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him, that is from the beginning.
I reigned unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.
I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him.
That is from the beginning I have written unto you young men.
Because ye are strong, and the word of God applied us in you.
And ye have overcome the wicked man. One love, not the world.
Neither the things are in the world if any man love the world.
The love of the Father is not in Him, for all that is in the world. The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passes away, and the lusts thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
I'm sure there is.
A little letter for each one of us here this afternoon.
There's a little letter for children.
There's a letter for young people.
There's a letter for for parents and for older people. It isn't wonderful that the Word of God contains all that which God knows you and I will need while we await for our Savior to come.
And sometimes we get a little troubled perhaps.
By our lowest state, perhaps we feel that the Spirit of God is grieved.
In our meetings, I'm sure we have all felt that at sometimes or other.
Here the verse says Is there not A cause?
And I believe that what we have here in this chapter would bring before us A cause.
And as we think of what it says here.
In verse 15.
Love not the world, neither things are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him when we speak of the world.
We don't speak of the beautiful scenery around us in the countryside or the lakes.
The world and the Word of God is that system of things.
In this world that is opposed to God and His grace.
That is the world and that is the enemy that we face too.
Because Satan is the God of this world.
And so.
It says love not the world and neither the things that are in the world.
This is searching for one's heart and as Satan is a God of this world.
How does he tempt you and I?
It speaks about.
The lust of the flesh, and each one of us here have the flesh in US.
And Romans 8:00 and 8:00, as it says later in the flesh, cannot please God.
And if you and I want to please God, then we must walk in the Spirit.
Is that Galatians 5 that tells us if we walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh?
And so I do believe today that the God of this world is working in a special way.
Present before each one of us, and we have.
I believe the eyes how he uses our eyes.
It speaks about the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes.
All how important it is that we pray as we had brought before this afternoon. So lovely.
You know what we looked at will affect our hearts.
And I say, brethren.
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I feel as Satan has those devices.
Today, everywhere, no matter where you go.
You'll see those inventions, I believe, inspired by Satan.
To attract our eyes.
And you know, Psalmist says, my eye effecteth my heart.
And if your heart and mind is affected by what we see?
Then there's something wrong.
We need to get before the Lord and pray of us all. I would seek to warn each one of us.
Be careful what we look at. Be careful what we listen to.
Because.
What you see and what you hear.
What you read is all stored up there in your mind.
And the God of this world can bring those things before our minds in such a way that will rob us of.
Of enjoying the Lord in reading His Word, and so how important it is.
If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
That is very searching. And then we have not only the lusts of the eyes, but the pride of life.
You know the middle word. The middle letter of that word is I.
Yes, pride.
I and the Word of God says only by pride contention. Do we have contentions among us sometimes. Well, how we need to search our own hearts and not look at our brethren.
Right, the middle letter is I, oh, we need to search our eye, search our hearts.
And if we feel that somebody else, then we ought to pray for them.
And so here the world passes away, and the lesser of but he that doeth, the will of God abideth.
Or ever. Well, these thoughts have been in my heart.
And I'd like to turn back for justice a few moments to the 12Th chapter of Romans.
Romans, chapter 12.
Verse one.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.
As you present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy.
Acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That you may prove what is that good and acceptable.
And perfect will of God. And so it says here.
Be not conformed to this world. Well, let's remember again.
The Satan is the God of this world.
He not conformed to this world.
How easy it is to get conformed to something down here.
But I want to warn us all if we get conformed to any one thing.
You're going to find it a lot harder to get straightened out on that thing.
Years ago, as a woodworker, if we wanted to bend the piece of wood to conform it to a pattern, we used to take that wood and we would put it in hot water. We would wrap it up in sacks and let it soak.
And then the next day we could take that piece of wood and we could bend it.
To the form, we could conform it to a pattern that we had in mind.
Once that piece of wood is conformed to the pattern.
And it dries out after a day or two. You cannot straighten that.
Piece of wood. It's conformed to a pattern. You cannot straighten it. If you try, you would only break it and ruin the piece of wood. And so how important it is, beloved.
To have this warning be not conformed to this world.
Let's remember, we don't realize it, but Satan is the God of this world. And I say he knows my weak points. He knows your weak points. He knows what will track your eyes and your ears as well as mine. And Satan will always, as the end of our souls, attack us at our weak points. And we all have weak points and that's why we need to get into the presence of the Lord.
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And to have our strength renewed, Yes, the Lord is our strength.
Unlike the 46th Psalm where David says God is our refuge and strength, a very present health and time of need. Do you feel need you need, need help? Oh, there's one above is looking down. He knows you need, but he would like you to ask for his help. Oh, how often he comes in and helps us even when we don't ask them. He's a God of love. But I say this, He has given us this word and we have instructions, his words.
And I want to emphasize there is one word do.
And there's another little phrase. Do not.
Now I believe what we have in some of these verses, we have some do not.
Do not.
That is the lust of the flesh. We're not to fulfill them and.
We need to pray, turn our eyes away from beholden vanity, because it affects.
Our heart. And so in Romans it says, be transformed by the reign in of your mind.
As you may prove, what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God?
But I had especially for me was 2 words do.
And do not.
And this morning, many of us had the privilege.
Of doing what the Lord asked us to do.
We were reminded this morning in a special way of the sufferings of our precious Savior.
What it cost him to redeem us to God, that we might be with Him in glory.
That we might be a part of his bride, He caused him to go into Calvary's cross.
And I say in the language of the one who wrote Lamentation.
Is that nothing unto you all yet have passed by? Behold, see if there be any sorrow.
Like under my sorrow, where the Lord afflict me in the day of his anger.
No sorrow in this world like the sorrow Lord Blessed Savior went through.
In order to redeem you and I out of this present evil world, to be with himself.
Is he asked in two months of you and I to remember him?
Oh no, he's not.
And I say this if you and I get a fresh glimpse of Calvary and what it costs our precious Savior to redeem us to Himself, I'm sure.
We wouldn't be negative in remembering him.
I often repeat and if you have heard me tell this story.
Pardon me, but I love to think of somebody that was very dear to me.
He saved my life when I was drowning.
And the Lord hadn't sent him. I wouldn't be here today. He saved my life from drowning.
You think for one moment that I've ever forgot his name. Oh no, I know his name.
I still remember his name.
His name was Bernard Runsteader. I'll never forget that name.
He's in eternity now, and I hope he's with the Lord.
But I have no assurance, only by confession, of his lips.
That yes, he was stressing the Lord.
And there are many today say that, but it doesn't come from the heart.
And I want to emphasize this to everyone here.
Oh, how good it is to know whom we belong to. And I want to emphasize.
Romans 10:00 and 9:00 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And believe in thine heart that God has raised from the death. Thou shalt be saved. And once we believe that and are saved, then oh, His Spirit comes to dwell within us. And I say to those of us who are saved, how careful we need to be not to grieve the Spirit that dwells within us. We can aggrieve Him so easily.
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And may the Lord help us then to remember Him. Oh, I don't think there's any substitute.
To preserve us than remembering who we belong to.
The one who died for us, He purchased us with his precious blood.
And so that is what we are to do. If we love him, we're to remember him.
And do those things that pleased him. And if you and I want to know what will please him?
His word tells us what to do.
And how to live to please him?
And so there are those things that we have in epistles that are.
As a warning, those things were not to do.
May you and I be before the Lord.
To seek His help that we may not do those things that the God of this world wants us to do.
That we may not allow our bodies to be conformed to anything that the God of this world.
Is use them to attract. May the Lord ever keep us dependent on Him. May the prayer of our left be preserve thee, O Lord, for Thee do I put my trust in.
I have a few verses on my heart. First Corinthians.
Chapter 6.
And also First Corinthians chapter 3.
First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 18.
Flee fornication.
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he had committed fornication sinneth against his own body. What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price.
Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit. Which are Gods? Chapter 3.
Verse 16.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?
And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defiled a temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy. Which temple ye are. We heard already yesterday about this wonderful truth of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. This is Christianity.
We have more than new birth. Many speak of themselves as born again Christians, not recognizing that even the Old Testament Saints were born again if they were Saints, but you could never refer to them as Christians. We do have indeed new birth, but we have much more. Beloved, what makes you and me a Christian is the fact that the Holy Spirit himself.
Indwells these bodies of ours. That is what constitutes you and me a Christian, and what a tremendous, wonderful truth that is.
He that has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his.
By this spirit we are linked.
To a living head in heaven, and to every member of the body of Christ.
On Earth. And that person is not just given to us as a resident.
But to be president, to control and direct everything connected with our life in this scene, whether that is in connection with our individual everyday life, whether it is in connection with our family life or whether it is in connection with our assembly life. And isn't it true, beloved?
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This is one of the main causes, if not the cause for any trouble.
That we get ourselves into because we don't allow this divine guest to take control.
And that this divine guest is going to use these members of ours, with which we once served thin, to now serve God.
It's a tremendous truth, a man in the glory, but the Spirit of God indwelling these bodies of ours now.
And to put within us the assurance and the realization that we are the children of God, His Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God. And He has sent forth the Spirit of His Son. Since we are sons, He has given us by this indwelling Spirit the feelings of sons, so that we can draw nigh and can call.
ABBA Father.
What a tremendous truth.
And this spirit is given to you and to me as the spirit of truth.
We have them as such in John 1415 and 16.
And he is the one, and He is the power that you and I have to open up.
This book, which is a mystery to us unless that Spirit of God dwells within and gives us spiritual understanding, spiritual insight, appreciation for all of these things, make them good to our hearts. Not to only enter into these things intellectually, but let their truth form us, our very being, and direct our life through this scene.
What a truth that is, beloved. The Spirit of God dwelt in us, but He does not just dwell in me and in you individually. That's what we had in the 6th chapter. Yes, if you are a Christian, you are endowed by that Spirit of God, but He also indwells the church collectively.
He resides there and just like he should be in control in your individual life, in my individual life, so he should be in control in the assembly.
He should be there to be free to bring Christ before us and glorify Christ in our collective, going on together for His glory. And just a mansion. Beloved, the angels of God looked down, and they learned in the Church of God the manifold wisdom of God.
These angelic beings must stand in amazement.
And see the transformation that has taken place in your and in my life.
That once we served sin, these very ones now are enabled by the grace of God to live pleasing to God.
How serious fornication is is brought out in the sixth chapter because it is committed with a body in which God the Holy Spirit dwells.
Remember that. And that's not only a warning for the younger ones, It's a warning for me. It's a warning for the eldest brother in this room. You know, I said to brother Jimmy Smith one time when he was visiting, when he was visiting in our house. I suppose when brethren get to be older, some of the dangers that are more dangerous for us younger ones are not so prominent anymore. Oh, he said, brother, don't say that.
There is no fool like an old fool.
We are all in danger.
Of falling into that sin.
And if you do not allow the Spirit of God to control our lives.
We're in danger. Grieve not. The Holy Spirit, our brother referred already to that scripture in Thessalonians. Because if we do allow evil thoughts, evil desires, meditate on it in our minds, he's grieved. If he lied, he's grieved. He's hindered in that which he loves to do in you, in my heart. And that is to bring the things of Christ before us.
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He has to labor with us and to restore us and to bring us into a suitable state so that we can again enjoy the things of God and the things that the Spirit of God is here. He's here to reveal to us. You know, we need him for any part of the word of God, whether it be the Old Testament or the New Testament. He is the spirit of truth. And it's wonderful in that passage that our brother.
Has read in second John.
You know, much is said there to the young men, very little is said to the fathers, those who are spiritually mature and advanced in the things of God, and more is said to the young men, but much is said to the babes, to the little ones. And it is such a wonderful fact that even in that passage he says that they have the unction of the Holy One that know all things.
They have the capacity to appreciate any truth that the Spirit of God brings before them.
Because they have the Spirit of God. What a wonderful truth that is.
So we have to be exercised that there be nothing in our lives.
That would hinder our usefulness, and that hinders the Spirit of God to direct and guide us for the blessing of man and for the glory of the Lord Jesus. Remember, in the fourth of John, the Spirit is given as the power for worship, springing up into eternal life. That's how eternal life manifests itself in you and in me, that we're entering as worshippers into the presence of God.
And by the Spirit worship the Father in spirit and in truth, In spirit, according to the nature of God, because God is a spirit. And in truth according to the revelation that God has given of Himself. And then in the 7th chapter, that out of our bellies would flow rivers of living water in service to men.
Don't you want to be?
Directed by the Spirit of God in these two most wonderful activities as a worshipper to enter into the holiest of all as we did this morning. And there to pour out your heart in worship and adoration and to rejoice in the Lord Jesus and in rejoice in the position into which you have been brought by grace, and feel that nearness and closeness.
The position into which you have been brought and then to be a source of blessing, you can't fear in your own strength. You can only be it as directed by the Holy Spirit. And now some of us might be directed into one area of service and another into another area of service.
And how wonderful if it is the Spirit of God that directs each one into their sphere of service. There is not going to be competition, there is not going to be belittling someone entered the service, but there is going to be harmony. Because if it is the Spirit that guides and directs in all of these activities of everyone, he will seek to glorify the Lord Jesus.
As a matter of fact, I believe.
We would make more out of the line of ministry and service committed to somebody else than the one that is committed to us.
If the Spirit of Christ directs us.
Well, a brother also read these verses in Romans chapter 12. You know we have the wonderful truth of the body of Christ brought out.
In Romans 12.
But these two verses that our brother has read, I like to speak of them as.
A necessary condition and state in you and me in order to be functioning.
As a member in that place which God has given us.
And I don't believe it is at all possible to really be a source of blessing and encouragement, edification and comfort to the Saints of God, if there is not that state of soul in the individual as described in the 1St 2 verses.
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And he emphasizes the point.
The point in Romans 12.
The main point is serve the Lord in whatever sphere of servant entrusted to you.
Don't go beyond it. Don't think higher up yourself than you ought to say.
And in Philippians 2, he says we should not only think on our own things, we should also think and to think of others. But in First Corinthians chapter 12, we have the local assembly. The local assembly is functioning there as directed by the Spirit of God.
And some of the gifts or manifestations mentioned there.
Are not permanent gifts bestowed but at one time the Lord might use this brother to give a word of wisdom the next time another brother to give a word of wisdom and it might even at times be a young brother brethren you know I enjoyed so much recently when in Cairo we looked at.
2nd.
Kings Four and here is Gehezi.
And the Prophet, he's a servant to the prophet and the woman who had prepared a room for the prophet.
The prophet culture to himself and he says.
Is there anything that can be done for you? Do you want me to talk to the king? Or she says I dwell in the midst of my people? She was content and happy, but the hazard discerned something that the prophet had not discerned, and he made it known to the prophet. She had no child to me. It's beautiful, isn't it, that this old prophet listens to his servant, and the Lord uses that servant to reveal to the prophet.
What was the real longing of the woman's heart? And the need is met then the next time.
When that woman comes after the child dies.
And falls at his feet.
The Hazi wants to push her away. He does not deserve the condition of the woman, but the prophet does. It's beautiful to see how we can work together. And isn't it wonderful that in the assembly we can function as a body?
That we don't have to be chief cook and bottle washer. That we have to do everything.
That there are those that the Lord has raised up who can do things much better than you and I can do.
In some other areas of service, you know sometimes read enough force.
To do something for which they're really not that well qualified because there's nobody else there to do it. And, you know, we might even have to speak and try to encourage and edify and instruct the Saints of God. And we realize we're really not gifted as a teacher, but we can take comfort in the word of God. Speaking of those who were apartment to teach, who had a measure of ability to pass on what they had personally come to enjoy.
Let's not expect brethren of a brother to do something that he is not capable of doing, and let us be humble enough to admit.
That we cannot do everything, that there are some aspects of the Lord's work that He has entrusted to others, and that you we should rejoice even in the local assembly. Rejoice when there are those who can do things better than we can. I've mentioned before, and I believe it's worth repeating, that we can learn such a wonderful lesson from Barnabas.
You know, we always think of Barnabas as a man that argued with Paul. He had no discernment when it came to his nephew who had forsaken them. John Mark.
But we don't hear very often mentioned a very commendable character trade and that is when they go on their missionary journey.
That was Barnabas.
And solve.
Barnabas was in the lead.
But then they meet this man who opposes the truth, the magician.
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Called smites him with blindness and his name becomes Paul.
And he takes over the lead. There is a change of leadership in Acts Chapter 13 and we do not see that Barnabas puts up any fuss. He wasn't hurt in his pride that there was now a change.
That was obviously of the Lord.
And he accepted.
And it's wonderful. It's a commendable character trait that we might well be exercised about.
Imitating.
You know, isn't that wonderful if somebody is brought into?
The assembly are brought to the Lord Jesus and brought into the assembly, and he grows and perhaps grows in his usefulness for the Lord Jesus. Beyond our own usefulness, we should rejoice. If we're really concerned about the glory of the Lord Jesus and the blessing of the Saints, we should rejoice and be thankful for anyone that the Lord raises up. And I was certainly happy this morning to see that two young brothers took liberty to read some of the Scripture verses.
And they fit in. Did we not all feel it? You know, it was certainly an encouragement to my heart. Apparently they had listened to what our brother had said about the meetings. Sometimes long pauses, painful pauses, Well, I trust.
The young brothers won't get big headed by what I say, but I'm thankful that the Spirit.
Was able to use them to read scriptures to us which fit in and contributed to the praise and worship of God's people this morning.
Well, beloved, this is so important in our lives that the Spirit of God indwells our bodies, that He is there to not only, as I have said, to be resident, but to be president.
You know, we had yesterday also.
Some things as to the oversight.
And assembly authority and so on.
Let us be very careful, beloved, whether it's a family.
Or whether it is the Assembly that we do not undermine.
That we do not overthrow or weaken God.
Given authority.
Beware.
Because.
We will do great harm and another warning that might fit in is let us remember that family responsibility is in the family.
The head of the house.
Is responsible to set the standard for his house.
For his family, you and I have no right to interfere with that. I would even go so far as to say dear simply has no right to interfere with that. Don't allow the assembly to interfere with it.
Let us not try to set up the assembly against the family.
Or the family against the assembly. These are dangers, beloved, that exist.
You know whether it is an individual that presumptuously takes it upon himself to direct.
A child or a daughter contrary to the will of her parents or whether it is the assembly.
God has invested authority in the assembly.
And our parents disciplined us as it seemed good to them.
They have to answer to God. We have to answer to God how we.
Conduct ourselves in our God-given responsibility and God has his own way to deal with the abuse of authority. I certainly feel if there is one area in which perhaps I have failed more than any other in my own family is that I have overemphasized authority. But.
Let's not set aside authority, You know, we look at the Old Testament.
And we see in the life of Abraham's family an example.
Of the abuse of authority.
You know this Egyptian maid had no power to decide matters.
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Her mistress gives her to her husband.
She reaps the abuse of authority.
And she wants to get rid of that woman and she's So I'll treat her that she runs away and God finds her there at the well with that child. What does he say?
He says go back to your mistress.
She had not yet.
Read enough.
Of the fruit of what she herself had sown.
She had to put up with this conflict within the family for some more time, until the time came that Isaac was to be established as the heir and she had the mind of the Lord that he should be sent away.
And Isaac be established, you see it even in the history in the Middle East. What's this trouble going on there? The result of the abuse?
Of the Authority.
Of Sarah.
And Abraham went along with it. Abraham.
Went along with it again, this woman in Second Kings Four. What a wonderful example she is for any sister in this room that is married to day. She was evidently the spiritual leader in that household.
She was spiritually exercised. She invited the prophet in and she had this wonderful thought. God-given thought to make a room for the prophet, but she did not act without her husbands approval. She did not act without the husbands approval. She brings it up to him.
And many a Christian home had the woman to be the spiritual leader of that home. And it certainly is better if the woman is a spiritual leader. If the husband isn't, it's better to have a woman as a spiritual leader. No spiritual leader. But remember, sisters.
If you have a husband that is not taking his responsibility, remember he is still your husband. He is still your husband. Learn from that godly, great wealthy woman there in Second Kings 4. But there came a time when she did not even inform her husband. Remember when the child died.
The child was dead.
The chart was six and realized I can't do much for this child.
Send it to the mother, and the mother had him on his on her lap until he died, and then she put him on the prophet's bed, and she.
Goes to the prophet and her husband interferes or wants to find out what she was doing. She doesn't even tell him the child is dead. She says all is well. All is well and she goes to the prophet and brings this sad news to the prophet and the prophet.
Doesn't know until the woman is close to him. What state of mind.
And what her soul was passing through until she was close to him. What a lesson, he said. The Lord has not revealed it to me.
I believe there's a reason why God had not revealed it to the prophet, because we should have learned a lesson from it. And I believe the lesson is if we really want to come to know the state of an individual spiritual state and the state of their heart, we have to get close to that person. We have to get close to him. There are too many cases where people try to diagnose by the telephone.
And form a judgment and form an opinion. Remember a doctor when he wants to get to know the state of his patient, he has to get close to the patient so that he can feel the patient's pulse.
We have to realize that if we really want to come to know.
What a person is passing through their state of soul? We have to get close to them.
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And then hopefully we will be able to help another wonderful lesson.
That we can learn from this and that lesson can be applied. I'm meaning the story in Second Kings four can be applied to the family and can be applied to the assembly when the prophet hears that.
The boy is dead. He sends Gaza ahead and he has put the stand.
Has put he has to put the staff over the head of this boy.
But Geheza comes back and he says he's not awakened. He's not awakened. Why is that?
Authority will not restore. Let me repeat that. Authority will not restore. I believe the staff speaks of authority. We know that from Moses with his death, you know what? When he was before Pharaoh, and we know when he opened up the say and.
Authority is necessary in our individual lives, in our family lives, in our assembly lives, but it takes more than authority to revive and to restore and would be to God that there are those who are able to restore. Maybe I can't serve very well in that capacity. Maybe you cannot serve in that capacity very well either.
But let's pray to God that there might be those who can, like the prophet, get close to that person.
As it were laid on top of him and warm him up, and then to revive him.
Oh, how important that his beloved authority does not restore.
And we see that even in the wilderness. Journey of the people of God through the wilderness.
What was necessary for their survival in the wilderness was not Moses authority.
That was the intercession of Aaron, and Moses himself feels that when he sends Aaron into the camp so that they would be spared.
Oh, it's so much easier to see these things in the Scriptures, beloved, and it's so much more difficult to carry them out. But it's a wonderful fact, beloved, that we don't have to do it all by ourselves.
And that we be in such a state that we recognize our.
Limitations and that we joyfully accept whatever somebody else can contribute to the blessing of God's people and to the glory and honor of the Lord Jesus. But another joyful fact as to the Spirit of God is that the Lord Jesus says he will abide with you forever. He will abide with you forever. The Lord Jesus was going away, but the Spirit would never.
Go away, you know in the Old Testament the Spirit of God would come upon.
An individual and sometimes even upon an unbeliever and forcing an unbeliever to reveal most wonderful truth, even as to the condition of the people of God and how God sees them. I'm thinking of Balaam. I see no iniquity in Jacob.
How could he make such a statement? And then in the book of Numbers where you see them all fail, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, they all fail and Balaam is by the Spirit of God told. I see no iniquity in Jacob. Why is that? Because he is made to see these people the way God sees him in value of that perfect sacrifice. I see no iniquity in Jacob. The Spirit could come upon someone and could leave and even.
David, when he had sinned all, and entered his awful sin of fornication.
And murder to try to cover it up. Praise. Take not thy Holy Spirit from me, but beloved.
The Spirit of God will never leave us. Once He has taken His abode in us, He will remain there forever and He will not rest. If you and I sin until we're brought back into the enjoyment of the Lord Jesus, into the enjoyment of our salvation and that which we have in Christ, we will never leave us. He shall be with you. He shall be in you. I like to think of the with you collectively.
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And in US individually, beloved, I trust we have seen from these scriptures.
Read and referred to the importance of walking in communion and fellowship with the Lord Jesus in the power of an unreal spirit. And let not, let not, let us not quench the Spirit. What is it to quench the Spirit? If these two young men this morning would not have heard these scriptures that I trust the Spirit of God was putting on their heart, they would have quenched the Holy Spirit.
If the Lord Jesus would want you to do something for him, be it in gospel work, be it among the people of God, and you don't do it, you're quenching the Holy Spirit. You know my one of my children related this story that.
She knew of a man who was very well taught.
And he would hardly ever open his mouth.
In the assembly and he was asked why he didn't do it since he had so much to offer. He understood so much of the truth of God, he said. My mother has told me if you want to stay out of trouble, keep your mouth shut.
The mother was very responsible for giving that advice because she contributed to this man.
To be unuseful and to quench the Spirit of God.
Well, I trust what we have had at these meetings was indeed of the Spirit of God.
And that it wasn't just for our passing enjoyment.
Let it be something that will go with us.
And that we will meditate on it and prayerfully meditate upon it.
And ask the Lord to help us to live in the good of it.
You know, dear young people.
You might attend many conferences like this.
And maybe even in your own assembly, be exposed to much wonderful truth and excellent ministry. But if you do not individually become exercised about the truth of God, if you're not becoming exercised at the Spirit of God leads you into all truth, how can you ever be a channel of blessing for others, led by the Spirit of God to bring the truth of God before souls?
And if you do not individually have an exercise to enter into these things.
You will make very little progress, although you have the privilege of sitting under the best ministry.
Let's ask the Lord to help us to give us an appetite for these things and if there's anything in our lives that.
Is a hindrance to the Spirit of God to present to us the glorious things of the Lord Jesus and the things that we have in Him.
Let's get rid of them. Let's get rid of them so that we ourselves come into the enjoyment.
And that we can be a joy to the heart of God as worshippers drawing nigh. And what can we really bring to Him?
Other than that which the Spirit of God has made good to our hearts and souls about the Lord Jesus and His work. And then we also can be a source of blessing to the unsaved, a source of blessing amongst God's people.
They help us.
Luke, chapter 21.
And verse 28.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up.
Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.
It's not my intention to speak on this verse in particular.
But.
We've heard those two words.
So often, perhaps, there are brothers that come to mind.
Whose signature is something along the lines of lookup. I can think of one in particular in my own life.
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And this expression.
Is particular in the sense that every time we say it.
It's newer. It renews itself to our hearts every time we receive.
From the Lord, or from another brother, that exhortation to look up.
It's perhaps like driving to Chicago. We look at the mileage signs and it's 300 miles and it's 275 miles, and we think we'll never get there. And then our minds are distracted and the next time we look, it's only 100 miles and we say we're almost there. But when we consider that sometimes our head does hang down, sometimes we do get discouraged and somebody comes to us and says look up. And we look up. And not only we do we give mental assent as though we just raised our eyes, but we lift up our heads.
We let it adjust our thinking, renew our thinking in such a way that we.
Say it's real, it's true, our redemption is drawing nigh, then our hearts are refreshed and we realize how near the Lorde coming is. But I would like to look at Ephesians.
To bring out a principle that we're very familiar with in Ephesians chapter 2.
And verse four it says God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us.
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
And now over to Revelation.
Chapter 5.
The principle that we consider in Ephesians chapter 2.
Is that we're already there physically. We're not physically. We sit here this afternoon, but as God sees us and he paid the price of his Son in order to bring us there, we sit there already in Christ. And as we sit there, I would like to add another expression. I would like to encourage us to look around. We sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Let's look around.
In Revelation chapter 5.
And verse six it says, And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain. As we sit there in the very presence of God, we look around, and who do we see? We see the lamb that was slain. And in verse 11 and I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels.
Round about the throne and the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000 * 10,000 and thousands of thousands. As we sit there, we also see each other.
I don't think it diminishes the principle at all to close my eyes and I can easily, very easily picture myself.
Seated there with him, and I can also picture each one of us seated around him. And don't we need to look at each other in that light? Don't we need to consider that spiritually that's where we are, the physical that we experience and the limitations?
That limit us so much, our only temporary and only secondary in nature. It's the spiritual principle that refreshes our hearts and lifts us above all its physical and temporal. And so we can have our vision filled with Him and we can see each other in that light tube. Now let's turn back to Ephesians.
Chapter 3.
And verse 8 Paul says unto me, Who am less than the least of All Saints.
Is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery? From the beginning of the world has been hidden God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.
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According to the eternal purpose.
Which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, and now.
We can look down, we look up when we're up there, we look around, and then we can look down and see things as God sees them, see things from an eternal heavenly perspective. And as was already mentioned, God instructs the principalities and powers of his wisdom using the Church as a model, as an example, and it applies primarily to the assembly.
To the whole group of believers that form that one body, but I believe we can apply it to the recognition of the desire that a group of those believers might have to put that principle into practice. Paul could say that it was his responsibility to make all seat and we realized that that has failed and our responsibility is a similar one, but that has failed too on a on a horizontal basis as we consider it looking out and see so much division.
But if we see it as God sees it, if we can take that heavenly seat and look down.
We can see, and I again don't believe I can. I'm diminishing it to say that the Lord is able to save from heaven. That is what I want. That gives me joy, that satisfies my heart. And if I'm seated there beside Him, if I take that position beside Him, it gives me that same satisfaction, that same joy. So it applies to the large circle. It applies of all believers. It applies to the circle that would desire to put that principle into practice.
It applies to my relationship with my brothers and sisters, and it applies to things in my personal life as well.
Time doesn't allow to develop that, but we can look at it in those four ways, I believe.
But ultimately, the 21St verse is what it's all about.
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen. So let's look up, let's look around, and let's look down. And unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen. Shall we just close the meeting by prayer?