Address—G. Hayhoe
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General Meeting Detroit, 1958. Young People's Meeting, Gordon Hayhoe.
M #76 in the appendix.
Blind Jesus thine no more. This heart of mine shall seek its joy apart from Thee. The world is crucified to me, and I am Thine.
We'll have to sing this little hymn as a prayer, I'm sure, where we feel how often our hearts don't respond to the truth expressed here as we should.
But let us sing it in that way, #76 in the appendix.
Find days on.
The Lord.
Oh my God.
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Place to turn this afternoon to 2nd Kings Chapter 13.
Second Kings chapter 13 and verse 14.
Now Elisha was fallen, sick of his sickness, whereof he died.
And Joash the king of Israel, came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, Oh my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And Alicia said unto him, Take bowls, bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows, And he said to the king of Israel, put thine hand upon the bowl, and he put his hand upon it.
And Elisha put his hands upon the King's.
And he said, open the window eastward. And he opened it, and he opened it. Then Elisha said, shoot, And he shot. And he said the arrow of the Lords deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria. For thou shalt smite the Syrians and Aphac till thou have consumed them. And he said, take the arrows. And he took them, And he said under the king of Israel.
Smite upon the ground, and he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wrath with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten 5 or 6 times, And then hast thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it, or as now thou shalt smite Syria of a thrice. And Elisha died, and they buried him in the bands of the Moabites, invaded the land at the coming end of the year.
And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men.
And they cast the man to the sepulchre of Elijah, and when the man was let down.
And touched the bones of Elijah. He revived and stood up on his feet.
I just like to also read in Philippians chapter 3.
Verse 7.
But what things were gained to me? Those I counted Loss for Christ.
Yeah, Douglas and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Her whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and to count them but down.
That I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, that is of the law, which is of the law.
But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection.
And the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not, as though I had already attained either, were already perfect. But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ. Jesus brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth under those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling, or the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.
The 20th verse, all our conversation is in heaven.
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From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.
Well, there's quite a contrast, dear young people, between these two passages that we have read. We find one who had a great opportunity presented to him, and he didn't fully avail himself of it. And then in Philippians we find one who had the version of the coming glory before his soul and its own filled and raptured, his heart that he was willing to give up.
Everything that he had here.
In view of it and I was thinking what really brought this portion before me.
All the fact that we have come together here all these three days meetings.
Many of you dear young people have come, and I was just thinking how lovely it would be if this event should be a turning point in your life. Many of us can say that such times as this have been very important times in our lives have been a turning point when we have realized, and perhaps the way we had not before.
The importance of living for the Lord Jesus Christ and all dear young people.
Surely that is our desire for you, and it's the desire of the heart of Christ for you that your heart might be taken up for him.
Or where we began in Second Kings 13 and verse 14 it says Elisha was born sick of his sickness or have he died? We know that Elisha was the prophet specially raised up of God.
And grace to Israel, the 10 tribes and He his testimony was one.
Of grace to the nation. And one was thinking of it in connection where the state of things that we have today we're living right at the end of the day of grace.
Our opportunities to live, for the Lord Jesus, to be faithful to him, to be in the path that he would have us, are just about at an end. Of course, it's not death that we look for, it's the coming of the Lord Jesus.
We're waiting for him to come and call us to be with himself.
Not here. Elijah was fallen sick, and perhaps it had never dawned upon Joash before how important that testimony of God was in the midst of that nation in its state, as it was. And perhaps it has never dawned upon your soul before.
And the importance of the testimony.
Which through grace you and I are connected, has gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh you dear young people. I feel how little we, when we're young, appreciate what it is to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, to be brought up in the truth, to be able to sit in meetings like we have been sitting in this morning.
Or the truth and all its freshness and power has been brought before us.
And my desire is that you should value this privilege and that you should not leave it.
Until, as it were, there's no time left for the coming of the Lord. As we have had before. Us in these meetings must be very near, and we were reminded how in glory there are certain things that we can never experience. We must experience them here. And it's in this scene here that we have the privilege of sharing.
Of sharing his reproach and his rejection, and being a testimony for him here.
And so I would say to you, don't leave it until you think.
Well, I've had my slang. I've had my good time. I think I'll settle down now and try and live a little more for the Lord That seemed to be the way with Joash. Or we read in the early part of the chapter that he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. How has your pathway been? Have you been living for the Lord Jesus? Dear young people? Has it been your desire to live for him?
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Or as you look back, have you been living for yourself? Have there been idols in your life?
That have been taking the place of Christ in your heart, God has brought you here to these meetings. It may be a turning point in your life. Indeed, I hope it will be, and all that joy it would give to the heart of God and to the heart of your brethren here, if they knew that there were those who returned to their homes, whether renewed in a fresh desire to live more devotedly for the Lord Jesus.
There is great joy in heaven when a Sinner is saved.
But there's greater joy still when one of God's children walks in. The truth has a desire to go on for him. While it tells us here that Joash wept over Elijah, all went to God, and that our hearts would be moved more. As we think of the salinity and the of the days in which we live, we look upon things too lightly. We look upon things.
All too easily.
In a day like this, but Joash here was stirred, and he wept. Tears came to his eyes, and he looked upon Elisha, and he said the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. He realized, I say, in a way he never had before, out of the importance of that testimony that God had raised up in the midst of Israel, And have you realized the importance of the testimony?
Maybe only two or three, maybe only 10 or 15 or 20. And the little assembly where you are for surely Alicia's testimony was one as far as as far as attracting attention it was. It was one that was in rejection and feebleness. But all how important this man was in the midst of Israel, and that little testimony gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
In the city or town where you live is important, and God has brought you here today.
He's brought you here, and perhaps he's pressing that home upon your soul. I hope he has. I hope he will, if it has not been so up to this moment.
Elijah said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. Why was it bow and arrows? Well, to me it's something of the thought of reaching out beyond.
We find here that he was told to open the window eastward. He was to take bow and arrows and open the window eastward.
Are your ambitions and desires all connected with this life? Are you not thinking of anything more than what you can see?
Perhaps nice clothes, perhaps success, Perhaps a friend or friendship. Is that what you are thinking about? Often when we come to such meetings as this, we look around, we see other young people. We're occupied with their clothes, with their friends, what they have and what we don't have. Or have you taken bow and arrows? Have you thought about something beyond what is seen here?
And beyond the present things order, young person, take ball and arrows, lift it up. There's something more than this life to live for. Open your window eastward. Where? Why is it eastward? Well, the glory of the Lord appears from the east in the coming day, the Tabernacle face to face the east. And it tells us of the same thought as we have in Philippians 3.
Where Paul could say, I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He looked beyond all present things, and he had his bow and his arrow, as it were. He saw something beyond all of this life had to offer. Have you taken bow and arrows? Has the effect of these meetings been that you have?
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Reached out for something beyond this present world. Oh, dear young people, may it be so.
May Christ and his love and his goodness and his glory so fill your heart that you will take bow and arrows today, and that you will open your window eastward, and the two will see that there is something for you, a portion for you up there, and all. How precious it will be, if in any measure in that day to hear his well done, to hear Him approve of our feeble little efforts.
To live for him.
And then it tells us in the 16th verse. And he said to the king of Israel, But thine hand upon the bowl, not only to take the bow and the arrows, but put thy hand upon the ball, reminds one of those four Hebrew children in captivity in Babylon, it says. But Daniel purposed in his heart.
That he would not defile himself with the King's meat, nor with the wine that he drank, not only to lift the bowl but to put the hand upon the bowl. And anyone who's held a bowl knows that it takes a real energy to draw it back to shoot. It takes a real energy to shoot the ball. And so, dear young people, it's not just lightly and glibly saying, well, I should follow Christ more devotedly.
There is an energy of purpose of heart required in connection with this. Is there that purpose of heart? Oh, I'm sure if you're going to school you have purpose of heart. When examination time comes all you say, I'm low on that subject. I must study it a little harder so that I'll get a pass and if you wish to get some position later on.
Go to night school. Perhaps you'll throw all your energies into getting along and just say when I get that degree I'll be able to have such and such a position and I'll be able to earn a good living.
Oh, how much energy we put into natural things, How often we can put so much energy into the things of this life. Joash could put plenty of energy.
In material things. But he's never been exercised to have the hands of that dear old prophet on his and drawing the bowl and shooting with his window eastward. Oh, how precious it is to see that energy devoted to the things of God and all. I can't say I can't pass on to your young people in these days when education is taking such a prominent place.
And young people are bending all energies to getting along in this world. Oh, May God give you to realize the importance of living for Christ, of getting the knowledge of His Word while you're young. You know as you get older, you won't be able to take these things in. As you get older, you'll find the best part of your life has been spent in seeking after things here.
And you haven't laid hold of those things that are up there where our portion really is with Christ in glory. And so I say to you again, while you're working so hard to get an education and to get along, will you stop now? Will you pause? Will you weep, as it were, like Josh did when he looked at that old prophet passing away?
And as you come to these meetings and you see those who are ministering the truth, and if the Lord leaves us here a few years, we're the ones going to be who will minister the truth. If you and I, dear young people, don't devote ourselves to the things of God, where will they be? It's now, oh, May God that give us grace, not only to take the bow and the owl, but to put our hands on the bowl. And then I think there's so something so sweet.
About the hand of the old prophet being placed on the hand of Joyash. It's not something new to your young people. We're living in a day when people say all the old ways are passing out. We've got to change. No, that which is from the beginning. That which is from the beginning. And in the meetings today, how wonderfully the Lord was calling us back, as it were, and giving us to see that modern, present day Christianity.
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Getting away from the Old powers. Dear young people coming in amongst us. It's coming in amongst us as gathered to the Lord's name. We don't like the hands of the old man on ours. We don't like the restraint that would be placed to pass by those who are older, and it would seek to draw us back to the old powers. But remember, this was the arrow of God's deliverance for his people.
And there was number deliverance for them apart from this. True, they didn't lay hold of it as they should. Joyce didn't, But nevertheless, what a picture here of this king of the hands of old Elijah upon him as he drew it back and opened his window toward the east. And again I say the heavenly calling our heavenly position and maintaining the truth as it's been committed to us.
Through those whom God has raised up, may we value the privilege.
And he said open the window eastward, and he opened it. And Alicia said shoot, and he shot. I was struck when I read that of those short little sentences. You know, it's not often in the word that we have such short little sentences as we have here.
And he said open the window eastward and again and he opened it and Alicia said shoot.
In a period. And he shot short. Little sentences, aren't they? And that's the way it always is when there's decided definite action. Decided definite action. And that's what's required. Today we're living in wish washy days. We're living in days when there's no real stamina to take a firm stand for the truth of God. But we need it today, Brethren, young people, we need it.
Faithfulness and to be decided, Christians decided for Christ.
And when God's word says open the window eastward, he opened it. There's no quibbling, There's no arguing. And there was action. There was obedience. And he said shoot. And again there was action. And he shot. He shot, Oh, May God give us the grace to quietly receive with meekness the engrafted word and our energy that would seek to act upon.
That which God reveals to us.
Goodness and in his grace.
And he said, the arrow of the Lord's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria, and thou shalt smite the Syrians and AFAC till I'll have consumed them all. Here was an opportunity given the joy such as he had never had before. Then I say again, for this is particularly what pressed upon my soul.
That there comes a time in our lives and an opportunity is given to us. The truth is presented in such a way and there is a decision one way or another. We either go home with renewed purpose of heart to live for Christ in obedience to him, or we go home in 1/2 hearted, careless way. Saying, Well, I learned a few things.
But without that real purpose of heart. And so he tells them, the arrow of the Lords. Deliverance here was an opportunity for Joash, which he could not despise. And how lovely it would be if the afternoon.
There should be a laying hold of this in the hearts of you dear young people.
I think especially of you dear young boys hurts to you. I speak in a special way because education is much more important to you. You feel that you must have an education. You're not like the young sisters who probably think mostly of providing for themselves if needs be. But in your case you think of the time my responsibilities will come upon you and so.
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You're bending your energies to get along all I feel again. I say, Dear young brothers, are you seeking to put the Lord Jesus first? Are you seeking to own his claims over you? And as you sit in the meetings, do you desire to be a help to your brethren?
And to add something to the little meaning that will encourage others.
To go on for Christ is your conversation and your conduct among the other young people, such as would be a help and cheer to them and encourage them in the path of faith. Oh, May God grant it the arrow of the Lord's deliverance, the arrow of deliverance from Syria. Now comes the action. It's all presented to him. Now he's allowed those old hands of Elisha to be put upon his.
He's opened the window. He's shot once, he shot once. And he says, And he said, take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, smite the ground. And he smoked rice and stayed Well, I think of that in this way the ground would speak to us.
Of those earthly things.
That might take up our attention. And so as we speak of laying hold of our heavenly blessings, and of laying hold of the wonderful things that are before us, with Christ there in glory, and living for him in view of that glory of that, immediately there's a question rises in your mind. What about those earthly things you have been seeking after?
What about them? What about them?
Well, he was told to take that same. He was told to take the same arrow and smite the ground. Smite the ground. What is it that's hindering you from living for Christ? What is it that tendering you? Oh, you know what it is. And it may not just be one thing. There may be more than one thing. Are you saying right now? Well, I'd like to live for Christ, but.
When the school year is over, by then I'll live for Christ. When I get my degree, I'll live for Christ when I found a friend, a boyfriend or a girlfriend. And then I'll settle down and look for Christ or some other ambition may be before your mind, and those things are being a hindrance to you. And so after telling them to shoot and he shot now, he says now.
Smite the ground. Smite the ground All What earthly thing is it, dear young believer, that is hindering you and I from living for Christ? Are we willing to take the same owl and smite the ground? Well, it's nice to see here that Josh did it and he smelled it 3 * 3 times. That was very good, wasn't it?
It was good as far as it went, but it wasn't far enough. It was good as far as it went, I say, but it wasn't far enough. And perhaps maybe you're willing to give up one thing and two things and three things. There may be, as you sit in those seats, dear young people, things right now are flashing in your mind. And you know what those things are? Are you going to take the arrow and smite the first one?
And say that thing I'm going on with is hindering my spiritual life.
I am not living for the Lord as I should, because there's some friendship in my life. There's some ambition in my life. There's some secret sin in my life. Will you take the arrow? And will you smile on the ground? Will you? Well, it was nice. I say that he did it three times, but he didn't go all the way. There wasn't.
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The full exercise to be done with anything and everything.
That hindered full devotedness for Christ and all one speaks with humility. I trust and realizing ones own weakness but all there will never be real joy and happiness in your life and mine until there has been an exercise to be through with everything that is a hindrance to us following Christ. And I don't know what the things are in your life.
Nor do you know all the things that there are in my life that are hindrances. But it says in Hebrews 12, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. And here when he only smoked three times, it says, and the man of God was wroth with him.
A man of God was wroth with him. This opportunity was presented to him.
And he had missed it. This opportunity was presented to him, and he had missed it. And dear young people, as you sit in these seats this afternoon, there may be that God is bringing an opportunity in your life to step out loyally and faithfully for Christ. And if you miss it, it may not come again, it may not come again. And one doesn't like to speak of things in a personal way.
But we have seen dear young people come to a point in their life. I remember one dear young person who came up to our little place up in Otter Lake and they stayed a week and at the end of the week said they were going home. And someone said, why don't you stay another week? And I'll tell you what this young lady said, if I stayed another week, it would change my whole life. It would change my whole life.
And she has got away. And she's not following Christ today. She's not following Christ. She smoked the bone three times. There were many admirable things about her, things that one likes to see in young people. But there were things that came.
She had a boyfriend who was not gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, nor was she.
And she knew that if she took the stand then that it might upset her whole life. And she valued those things more than devotedness to Christ. I only speak of that as an instance. And it happens over and over again. It happens over and over again. And it may be that it's happening this very afternoon in the lives of some here. So I surely hope not.
Smite the ground, and he satisfied the arrow of the Lord's deliverance. He did it three times.
But he didn't smite at five or six times. There wasn't the desire to be fully devoted and obedient. He wanted deliverance all right, but he didn't want to be fully delivered from those things that were a hindrance. Oh, May God stir your heart and mind too, that if there is such a thing in our lives, that will be before the Lord about it this very afternoon.
And so it tells us here.
The man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times.
Then hast thou smitten Syria, till thou hast consumed it?
For as now thou shalt smite Syria, but thrice and Elijah die. Yes, the opportunity was gone, The opportunity was gone. And so I say again, the Lord's coming is near. If you and I really expected the Lord Jesus to come tomorrow, how would we want to Live Today if we really expected him to come in a month's time?
How would we want to live next month, Next month? Well, it's a question of how much we realize the nearness of the coming again of our Lord Jesus. And I thought that the reason Satan, the reason Satan is seeking to rob Christians of the hope of the Lord's return by telling them that they go through the tribulation is so that they'll settle down and become worldly.
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For, you know, if the church is going to go through the tribulation, no, there's no use expecting them today.
We can't expect them for quite a while, at least seven years if the church must go through the tribulation. So there's plenty of time when people accept that doctrine. And that's why Satan's bringing it in is to rob us of the present hope of the Lord's return. He doesn't want us.
To be expecting our blessed Lord Jesus, our Savior at any moment, and so May God grant that we may realize the nearness of the Lords return.
He says, And Elijah died. It was his last opportunity, and it may be your special God-given opportunity today, the last time before the Lord comes, the last time before he comes.
To really use your all to him, to shoot your arrow eastward, lay hold of those heavenly things, and relax your grasp upon those earthly things that will hinder.
Well, I just read these following verses here 20 and 21.
Tells us about after Elisha had died and in the 21St verse it came to pass as they were burying a man.
That behold a spy, a band of men, and they cast the man to the sepulchre of Elijah. And when the man was let down and touched the bones of Malaysia, he revived and stood up on his feet. Why don't I just pass on this little thought in connection with it?
I like to connect this with written ministry. It may be that in the little meeting where you and I live, there isn't the ministry of the Word, such as we receive in these meetings here. Perhaps it may be that there are not those who are well instructed and able to give out the truth. Nevertheless, it's a blessed privilege to be there, because the Lord is there and He does reveal and teach us precious things.
As we are gathered around himself. But if such is the case, why we can thank God for the ones who have gone on before. And so when this man touched the bones of Elijah, he revived and stood upon his feet.
And how often it is without any little meetings where there isn't very much.
Ministry.
The precious written ministry has been the means of keeping the Saints standing on their feet, and very often we found in little meetings are either not able to sit under the ministry that we do at such occasions as this.
The precious written ministry has kept those dear Saints going on faithfully, so I just pass on this little word. Value those books. Read them.
Although I would say take heed what you read, There is enough good sound ministry, but it isn't necessary to read all the things that are available in Christendom today. There is a great deal that is only a snare and a hindrance and many dear young people in reading them, because often the style in such books is more entertaining, more pleasant.
Why There's a tendency to read those books, and not the solid ministry of those who have gone before. But remember this, that after the death of Elisha, until this time, the way the way by which this man could stand upon his feet was only by being cast there into the grave of Elijah, that is again we must remember.
There can be no departure from the old path and still stand firmly in the truth. All these books that are being put out today are a departure from the old path. I'm not Speaking of those ones written among the gathered Saints who seek to walk in the old paths. I speak of that which is becoming prevalent in Christendom, which is really a departure from the truth.
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Well, let us just look at this portion and.
Philippians 3 that we read.
Well, here in Philippians 3 we read of another man of the same of the same race. Joash was a king of the nation of Israel. And here is another of the nation of Israel. Here's one many years later. And he had opportunities. He was brought up a zealous Jew following so devotedly.
And original his forefathers, and most devoted in it. But what happened with him?
All he had a glimpse of Christ in glory. He was on the road to Damascus one day, and there was a light above the brightness of the sun that shone down upon him, and those that journeyed with him and that voice that came out of the heavens arrested him.
And when he heard that voice, his whole life was changed. He wasn't like that young lady that I was telling you about who said, well, I don't think I'll stay here and would change my whole life. But here was one and it did change his whole life and he never, never could be thankful enough that his whole life had been changed. And all dear young people, if you seek to follow the Lord Jesus.
You'll never be sorry You did. Never. Never. Never.
As it says in the Psalms, the latest song for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart and true happiness and joy in your life, is from devotedly following the Lord Jesus Christ. What a contrast, For I wanted to bring out the contrast between Joash, who had the opportunity presented and missed it. And here was another of the same nation the opportunity presented to him.
And shall we say he took the opportunity he saw in that blessed one, that one who called him out of heaven, and all absorbing object for his heart. So notice this eighth verse. Yay, 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 done that I may win Christ.
Or shall we say he took the arrows and he smoked the ground once, twice, 3 * 6 times. Why was it 6 times? What's man's number, Man's number? And I believe it shows us that he was through. But all those things that he once sought after he had seen the 7th, as it were. He had seen the perfect one, the blessed Son of God. He had seen Christ in glory. And he said, I count all things but lost.
For the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, someone might say, but Paul, you've given up a lot, he said. It's nothing. It's only done. It's only done. And if you and I give up things because we think we should give them up in a legal way, we'll probably think we have given up a lot. But if we see in that blessed one.
Who died for us, and who lives for us? And who's coming for us and all absorbing object for our hearts? We'll never think that we gave up anything worthwhile because there's nothing worthwhile apart from Him. The little hymn says nothing. That's good. Have we nothing apart from the Thou Lord? Our all must be Jesus.
Our Lord.
Well, it's pressed upon the soul of Paul. Where might this pathway lead? Well, he said whatever way it leads to me, it leads to glory. He said it may lead through suffering, it may lead through death. But he said, I look beyond all those things, he said. I see an object up there at the right hand of God and the whole desire of my heart.
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Is to be up there with him, and like him, with him, and like him, and all dear young people, as that is indeed true happiness is to see him up there. The devil may present the difficulties of the way to you. He may tell you how hard it is, but Paul could say.
He said in the 10th verse.
That I may know him the power of his resurrection.
And the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, Oh, I think that's lovely. He had Christ before him so much that he said every bit of suffering I go through only makes me a little bit more like the one who is the object before my heart and all. There is a joy in suffering for Christ that cannot be known in any other way but by experience.
Only by experience, as I believe Mr. Darby made this comment, There are joys in the path of faith only known to those who walk in it. And who are the happiest people that we have met as Christians are the ones that have all kinds of earthly possessions. And just cast a vote in your mind. Think of some people that you know that have suffered for Christ.
Think of perhaps ones who have been in prison for Christ and those who have suffered the loss of earthly things. When you met them, were they unhappy? Did our better? Worse in process? Is an unhappy man when he returned after his time in the concentration camp over in China.
I know he had the fellowship of his suffering. Oh, dear young people, I say again. We're missing a joy.
It's not merely what we have to go through, but in all these things we are more than conquerors.
And to me, the force of that expression, more than conquerors, is that God not only gives grace to go through the situation, but he makes us actual gainers by going through it. And we say, oh, He'll give me grace for it. Yes, thank God he will. But more than that, more than conquerors, more than conquerors. And I've often said, perhaps you've heard me say.
About Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Cast into the fiery furnace. Sometimes I often think that I'll meet those dear men. I know I'll meet them, but I often think of when I meet them in glory that I'd like to say to them.
Don't you wish that the king had never passed that decree? Or perhaps I could go a step further and say, you know when the king passed that decree, and there was a much easier way out of that situation than the way you took.
You could have just put your hat down like this and the king would have thought you were bowing and you weren't bowing at all. He would have thought so, though, and you would have got out of that situation the novel on easier than you did. What do you think those deer mantels say?
Oh, I believe that through all eternity that they'll say that was the most wonderful experience in our lives. We wouldn't have missed that for anything. Or in the fiery furnace. The Son of God was with them, An old, dear, young person when the devil is pressing upon your soul, but you're going to have to give up to follow Christ.
Think of the smile of his approval, when in that day you share in some little measure the fact that he suffered his man here, and you have the fellowship of his sufferings. I believe that's what it means by the hidden manner and a new name, and in the name a new in the storm, a new name written which no man knows, saving he that receiveth it.
I like to think. I like to think of it in this way. Supposing I've been in prison with some other brother and we hadn't seen each other for 10 years and we met, what do you think we'd talk about?
00:55:09
Well, I'm sure the first thing we'd say, don't you remember that time we were in prison for Christ and we just have wonderful fellowship together about those times that we were together there? And perhaps someone else listening would say.
I wonder what they're talking about. I wonder what they're talking about. But there's a little secret between the two of us that no one else knows anything about. And dear Christian, did you ever think of this, That if you and I suffer for the Lord Jesus, there's going to be a little secret between our souls and him for all eternity. And that was that. We had some fellowship in his sufferings in this world where he was crucified and cast of some fellowship. And so Paul thought of that lovely privilege.
He thought of that joy and he said it's not only, it's not just that I gave up these things because I didn't want them, but I got them to choose a happier path. And you say, what was the happier path? I'd like to know it. Oh, it was to follow a rejected Christ, to suffer with him. Oh, how could he do it?
He had shot. He had opened his window eastward, He'd shot his arrow, as it were, and he had the mark before him, And he said I pressed.
Toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, he was pressing on to that moment when he would be there with Christ. And then as I read those verses in the end of the chapter, it says.
Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior.
The Lord Jesus, we're looking for him, I say again.
Let's open our windows eastward. Dear young people, let's open our windows eastward. And if there's any hindrance to deliverance from those things, it must take a real energy to smite the ground. Remember at once, not twice, not three times, but 6 * 6 times begun by the grace of God with those things.
That would be a hindrance. And then seek to keep your eye upon the gold for that blessed Savior before us. He's coming again. He's coming to receive us to himself. Well, let's just ponder them. Those two men Joash a wonderful opportunity presented to him. Perhaps we could say he partially availed himself of it. He partially did.
But not in full measure. But here's Paul the opportunity presented to him.
His heart responded to that blessed Savior, and he desired to give up everything that he might live for him. Oh, May God touch my heart, and yours in a fuller measure, that we may respond to that Blessed One who has done so much for us, that we might seek grace to live for Him until that blessed moment and the one whom we look for.
Comes and receives us unto himself, and it may be today.
Shall we sing? I think it's 260.
260.
Lord Jesus, come and take thy rightful place, the Son of man of all the theme, Come Lord, to reign, or all supreme.
Lord Jesus, come.