Ottawa Conference: 1973
Table of Contents
John 15:1-3
Reading
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General meetings, Ottawa, April 1973 First reading meeting.
Step #2 in the appendix. Oh Lord, thy love some bounded.
So we so full soul free.
Mind your nose is all transported when I think on the two in the back of the book.
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The Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal, shall not wait.
Neither shall the trees of oil fail until the day that the Lord send us rain upon the earth.
On the land and did according to the saying of Elijah.
He and her house did he.
Monday and the barrel of meal waited. Now neither did the hooves of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which is?
By life.
Hello Lines in the gym. We just thank that.
Suggest that the subject.
I thought that says the Lord and believe it, where they rather hear.
There was line with the skin all keep my soul and Jesus.
Abiding.
Filled with.
How much we need?
A bit of Christ.
In these days.
I'm glad to.
The the wheel that never failed or recruit the wall that didn't survive, that didn't waste for the crews of oil that didn't fail.
Reverend, abiding with Christ to defend the journey will not fail.
And with the bed until then that the 15th of John, my dear studied.
That the Lord has passed the view of the generally.
That we've had before.
My father.
Never threatened to leave in the marriage.
That it may bring forth more fruit.
Now you are clean to the word which I've spoken unto you. Abide in me and I and you as a branch, cannot bear fruit of itself. Accepted, abide in the vine. No more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He he that abideth in me, and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me you can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he has cast forth at the branch, and is withering, and then gathered them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, so shall you be my disciple.
As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
Did you keep my commandments? You shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
These things have I've spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love is no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.
Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servant, for the servant knoweth not what is Lord doing. But I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruits.
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That your should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have told you out of the world.
Therefore, the world haters you.
Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have cut my stains, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had been, but now they have no cloaks for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them to work with none other man, did they have not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law.
They hated me without a call.
But when the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and ye also shall bear witness, because he has been with me from the beginning.
This is a part. Part is often called the Upper room Ministry of the Lord.
That Withers disciples before he went to the cross.
And one of the gospel refined the Lord very little with his disciples.
Moral testimony through the world.
Until we get to the.
13th Chapter Thirty, 17th chapter.
We find a large.
Entirely with his disciples.
Preparing his disciples for his departure.
And there's a medical order in those chapters.
Bothering one upon the other.
And the 12Th chapter we get the cross, where they have a large path to accept the corn of wheat, fall into the ground, and die, and divide us alone. And also I if I be lifted up from the earth, we draw all men unto me.
Well, the class is expensive through everything.
But after we have come to Christ and have received forgiveness and salvation.
Because of his worst care at Calvary.
Then we moved his breakfast along the way. So in the 13th chapter you have restoration to communion.
The working of the food, that is, which we come in contact to this world, and that leads to release to communion, which you find in the 14th chapter, taking us right up to the Father's house.
And then in the 15th chapter, we have a Biden in Christ.
That results in Communion or Pillsbury.
Then in the 15th chapter we have.
Testimony. And lastly, in the 17th chapter we have the Lord's Prayer for those to whom he had revealed his mind and instructed and told them of the coming comfort who had abide with them forever.
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I suppose understand what the Lord is bringing before us here I am the true vine. If we look at Isaiah chapter 5.
Isaiah chapter 5 and the first verse. Now will I sing to my well beloved A song of my beloved touching his vineyards, My well beloved half a vineyard in a very fruitful hill.
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and build a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine press therein. And he looked that it should bring forth grief, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now all inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah judge, I pray you betwixt me and my vineyards. That could have been done more to my vineyard, but I have not done in it. Wherefore when I look, that it should bring forth great.
Brought it forth mild grapes and the seventh verse, for the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel.
And the man of Judah his pleasant plan. And he looked for judgment, But behold, oppression for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Can we see that Israel was set to be the vine and the earth? That we should have produced fruit for God? And so it says, What more could have been done in my vineyard that I have not done in it? That is, God did everything that was possible. If fruit could be produced from man in the flesh, every opportunity was given to the nation of Israel. They were tutored and cultured of God. They were given me temple and all its ritual. The power no doubt refers to that.
They were separated from the nations. They were fenced about. Everything was done. But what was the result? There was nothing but wild grief. There was no fruit for God, and now isn't a blessed deterrent. And see here one has come into this world to produce fruit for God.
He could say I do always those things which please him. Every motive, every action, the tone of his voice, everything was perfect in the Lord Jesus. And now the great secret that is brought before us in this chapter is a countless fruit He produced in the lives of those who are believers.
Because it tells us in John's epistle he that says he abideth in him on himself also, so to walk even as he walked star, has no lower standard than his beloved sons. And so there is a way, set before us, as our brother remark, abiding in Christ, that there can be thy fruit, but there's no fruit from the first man. It's entirely rejected and set aside. And so it's very lovely the way this chapter presents to us Christ as the true vine for Israel failed.
In fact, we learned in Isaiah that the Lord takes the place of Israel.
It says, aren't my servant, O Israel, and whom I will be glorified. But they didn't glorify God. But now the Lord Jesus came and took the place of Israel, and he glorified his Father. He is the true vine. And so it's lovely what is brought before us here in connection with ourselves as believers, that there might be that fruit, that precious fruit of the Spirit.
Produced enough in our walking ways.
When the church has failed as badly as Israel, when you come to the last phase of the church scene and layer the Pierce is there that the Lord says well, it suggests by the Spirit have the.
The first world witness the beginning of the creation of God when the Church has failed as a witness for the Church was put here as a witness for a glorified fight that this world is cast out and rejected.
And the failure of the Church has been a spread of the failure of Israel. And when their history is safe, then comes in this word, that the only social witness.
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Is that blessed one who is the true vine here the the one who takes the place as the perfect president and Israel had failed as dog servant as you get in the 14 nights chapter. I believe this of Isaiah.
Israel is 19 to 3 trees and scriptures and not providing the peace tree and the olives.
Brothers jump straight to my firefighting. I am brought forth while great the fig tree was.
Baron from the olive tree failed. In contrast to what we have here, I am the true vine. There is no failure in this slept person.
And I think we get a nice picture of that, perhaps of bearing fruit in the 25th chapter of Exodus.
The connection of the golden Candlestick.
Getting at birth 31.
Announced to make a Candlestick of pure gold.
Of speech and works on the cattle sickly made his sharp and his branches he sold his mouth and his flowers shall be of the same.
And six Francis don't come out of the sides of it. 3 bronches of the candle stick out of the one side and three bronches of the Candlestick out of the other side. Three bowls made like onto almonds with enough and the flower in one bronze and three bowls made like almonds. In the other branch of the muffin of flour stone the six branches that come out of the Candlestick and in the Candlestick.
Itself shall be 4 bowls.
And they like unto almonds to their mouths and their flowers.
This Candlestick was made in the Microsoft tree, depicted both life and life and fruit, I believe.
So we have here the cattle stick itself for four bowls, but the Bronx is only three. So we can never bear the same amount of fruit that Christ did, but we can bear the same kind of fruit finds grace and health, and I think we find that in the 17th of Jeremiah.
That we are able to bear fruit for the Lord.
Jeremiah 17.
Beginning of verse 7.
Well, we should agree from verse five that set the laws for us to be the man that trusted in man, and make his flank his arm and to his heart departed from the Lord.
He should be like the seas from the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the past places in the wilderness.
Southland are not inhabited now the contrast, blessed or happy, is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose help the Lord is, for he shall be as a free.
By the water and that spread about the roots by the river.
And shall not see when this cometh but her leave shall be green.
And shall not be careful in the year of Drought, neither shall sink from yielding fruit.
By thank you to those who are trusting in the Lord and have received them as their Lord and Savior can bear fruit for Him down here.
So it's not like the Lord is himself.
This chapter is often spoken now primarily as giving us the trust of truth bearing.
And I believe that we should consider it.
And it's most important thought, and that's abiding in Christ.
That stops the spirit of God with teachers in this chapter.
Important of abiding in Christ. And if there is abiding in Christ, there will be that fruit that the Father is looking for.
Which he finds his favor and delight.
Let me say the Lord has two things in mind here.
One thing is your government, the Bible in Him, and that his word might abide in our.
We got in the 70s.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you.
At 3:00 AM, listening to the chapter being read is 3 things.
That you have abiding in you.
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And one keeping his word and abiding in his love.
It all ties together.
So.
The Spirit of God, of course, is Christ, who himself is instructing us.
Will bring this important subject before of abiding in Christ.
I believe we should say that we have abiding in Christ brought before us in two different ways here, that which is real and vital, and there is fruit bearing. But then there is also the thought of those who take their place by profession, For instance, the sixth verse. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered.
Gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Now this was never a real believer at all, and I think they thought of connecting it with what we have in Isaiah helps us to understand what is really being brought before us. That is, there was no fruit whatever from the natural man, nor is it enough, brethren to process faith in Christ. There must be living reality. There must be that vital connection with Christ, by which alone there can be fruit bearing.
And so this is in a natural vine. There are many shoots.
And they partake of the what comes from the vine, but there's no food at all. And there are those who have partaken of the blessings of Christianity, have lived in a Christian land, have us in the 6th chapter of Hebrews in that sense, in partakers of the blessing that has been brought by the coming of the Holy Spirit. But they're not saved. And eventually it's manifested that there's no divine life and the task force is a branch withered and that we have a end in the fire in judgment.
But the word of encouragement to the true believer is, having been brought to know the Lord, a savior, and being associated with him, that now by the power of the Spirit there would be that fruit bearing for him. Son going back again to the vine supporting that there is a branch. It's not one of those Shields that just has leaves, but there's one that's really bearing good fruit. So you cut it off. Oh, now you cut it off from its source of supply.
And instead of bearing fruit any longer, why the fruit bearing stops because it has been separated from the vine. And this can take place in our lives as believers, that if we do not abide in Christ, there will not be that fruit bearing with their fruit which is so pleasing to God which he is looking for, because my father is the husband.
I think in order to really draft the meaning of the subjects that we have here about the bond.
That primarily the Lord is Speaking of himself and his disciples.
Well, one of those disciples was killed. Well, therefore, children not to be real at all. He was not a true believer.
And he was taken away on the end, just as we find that after he had decayed, the Lord.
He cast the money down his punch and smiled himself. And then he went ahead and hanged himself.
Well, now we get that clearly before it will save us from getting confused and a false doctrine that would try to make being a part of the vine a vital thing I was talking on time to.
Zero 70 Adventists and all 70 heads. That's my words mixed up. I was talking to.
Salvation Army Captain Bill Christian used to visit the Sister, but every time he saw me, he taxed me on the panel security. So you believe in once They've always saved. I say I certainly do. And I quoted to him John Kim.
My shape shall never take. Guess what he says. The Lord says in the same gospel in the in the 15th chapter, that ever branch of death, not 30. Take it away. So then he was going to satisfy the security of the believer by using another script here as the thing to teach him. At least that should be saved and lost again. Well, let's get this clearly, because that is not.
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The subject of what is vital here?
It's the subject of bearing fruit and as our brother has brought out that it's the house to deal with profession as well as what is real and genuine.
A true believer in the Lord Jesus will bear fruit.
It may be very limited, it may be hindered, was brought out of the branch, has a nice abundance of strips and cut off like cut off from the store, but an unbeliever, one girl has never born again.
Could never bears any fruit at all. Impossible for him to bear fruit, and that's very important because it has to do with divine life.
And her professor. He may make all the outward profession of being a Christian. You may attend the meeting that might even break bread, and yet not be born again, a true child of God.
And there's no proof whatever. And the time comes when it will be manifest, and it sows to see the sort of judgment being brought in in this way.
Comment about that scripture. You bought it in Philippians. In in Revelation 3 about Philadelphia, it says the beginning of the creation of God. We know there are those that use that verse to teach that the Lord Jesus Christ had a beginning.
Now we should be very clear about these things. The Lord Jesus is from all eternity. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God is going forth with the mold from everlasting, we're told in the Old Testament in Mike, I believe it is.
But when it says the beginning of the creation of God, it simply means that new creation began with a person. Now that is the first creation that was ruined. Adam was the head of that creation. He brought in the sin and as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin.
And then in God's account, there's another man, the 2nd man, the Lord from heaven. And that person is the beginning of the creation of God. Now, that is, He's the beginning of new creation. So we read in 2nd Corinthians 5, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Or the new translation is if any man be in Christ, there is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things will become new.
South blessed to see how that there is this new creation, and because we are part of that new creation, why there is fruit for God.
But as our brother remarked, as far as the first creation is concerned, the scripture is very emphatic. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. And no matter whether it's under the tutoring and culturing of Judaism or under the wonderful privileges of Christianity, the flesh is just the same. There's no fruit for God, and it's only by new creation.
That new creation began when Christ rose from the dead.
That's right. Yeah.
Or where are the first folks of that new creation?
In verse six, if a man of five not in me, he is.
Task force as a branch and is withered. And men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. This is profession. As you were saying, Brother Barry, let us turn now the First Corinthians, the third chapter.
And here we find.
That which is real, but there's also burning here. It's the fruit of the.
1St Corinthians 3.
But we'll read verse 14.
If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he.
Self shall be saved yet those by fire. So do we not have a different fear?
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Between professionals and that which is real.
Brother Glenn has exposed to his *** giving out the view of a real believer before the judgment seat of Christ, and everything will be manifested manifested there. And it's a question not of his soul salvation, but a question of his work. For it says if any man's work survived, doesn't say he'll go to heaven, you might think they have good.
Being a teaching, that is salvation, were a work for them, this man would go to heaven because his works are good.
But it says nothing about he's going to heaven, but if any man's work abide, he himself shall be.
If any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. It's entirely a question of reward in heaven. He's only viewing their true believers. Then in the next case, if any man works or burns, he shall suffer loss. Where you say if it's a question of DC by work or there's a man that goes to hell.
But it doesn't suit that at all. It says, Yet he himself shall be saved. Yet so as my fire, that is the fire in that case burns up the.
Furious work that the man himself has saved.
But if you charge the subject on further, if any man desire the temple of God, him shall God destroy. There's a fatal case, one that is not a true believer, a professor, and not only a professor, but a leader who introduces false doctrine among the people of God and such a one. No question of his getting a reward is getting saved or anything.
Perception one is lost, but in our subject here in the 15th of June, where the subjects there are being burned, is entirely a mere professor like Judith that never was real, although he preached and healed the sick and had the same privileges as the other disciples. And yet the Lord said he was a devil.
And the and the beginning of his ministry never was a true believer.
Now that's in one it's not a question of his work to fall, but it's a question of his soul and such, and one will perish in a lost eternity.
There are fewer, I believe, that we can really say we know are in a lost eternity. But Judas is one. He went. He went to his own place.
As you can just mention too in this passage in First Corinthians 3 that 17th verse, if any man defile a temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy which temple ye are.
This this is not the Spirit of God dwelling in the individual body of the believers. This is the Spirit of God dwelling in the processing House of Christendom.
When the Spirit of God indwells the body of a believer, he'll never leave, it tells us Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed under the day of redemption, but on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came down, he not only took his place in dwelling the believers, but he filled the house where they were sitting. And as a season 2 tells us that we're building together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit, that's the collective thing. And so in the processing House of Christendom, the Spirit of God dwells, and one who brings evil doctrine into the.
Processing House of Christendom is much more responsible than if he brought it into a heathen land.
He's bringing it into the place where the spirit of God dwells. He's bringing him into that which is responsible to be the pillar and ground of the truth.
And so here is a professor bringing in something such as we know the one who will say, founded the Jehovah's Witness, will just think of the evil teaching that he brought into a Christian lamb, into a Christian circle. And so he is satisfied the Deity of Christ. He satisfied that glorious finished work. And all this right into the processing house. Well, it's solemn.
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Such a person will be cut off in judgment.
But the subject in First Corinthians 3 is the judgment of that was professes to be the House of God. And as our brother remarks, true believers who have labored according to the mind and will of God, has revealed in his words, there'll be a reward.
Are those who throw to believers have not been serving according to God's mind and will is revealed in His words. They will still be saved, but their work is lost. And then the person who defiled the temple of God, an unbeliever in the professing house, he's cut off in judgment.
I hope that there's not too much of A digression, but the comments made a while ago about the old creation and the news.
It makes me think of a structure that helped me a great deal in that, and it confirmed what puzzled me for a long time, that is, the continual reference to Isaac as being Abraham only son.
Take now by some thy only from Isaac to thou lover in Hebrew.
11 He even called Abraham's only the doctrine son, and this was a bit of a puzzle because it was evidence that Abraham had another son whose name was it failed.
And I just consented myself with the fact that God by inspiration could do such terms and it was not our right to question it. However, I believe it might be an illustration of this very point, that is, that we do not stand before God both has fallen sons of Adam, and as new creatures in Christ Jesus, one comes to an absolute and completed end than the other stands alone.
And so we see it. Mail so completely banished from the family and household of Abraham. He seems to be left out of the denial of the altogether, and I think stands alone with that wonderful statement.
Only son, so that although there was a tie when he was fallen, sons of Haddon part of that.
A creation from which no truth whatever could be found. We now stand before God as new creatures, and only as new creatures in here.
Even in connection and this may be far better, but I don't think it is.
In connect with Gideon, through whom the Lord was about to deliver his people from the Midianites.
Idiot was all the night before the victory to take.
Now that's not unusual, but this time, and as far as I know, it's the only time he is told quick for us to take take the second bullet of seven years. So that's rather unusual, the second bullet.
Of seven years.
There was 1 preceding bullet which was completely packed by with no use. He was to take the second one, and that second one was seven years old. I believe it points to new creation again a complete setting aside of that which might otherwise have been chosen. And the second full of seven years of perfect number is offered upon the altar, and Israel is delivered.
So we stand by the grace of God in Him who are the first of that new creation.
I wonder if other Barry did mine give us, giving us the definition of.
Where we have the fruit of the Spirit, 9 fruits that are mentioned in the 5th chapter of.
Galatians.
And in the 5th chapter of Galatians you have two subjects. You have first the work on the place.
What is that the 19th 1St? Now the work for the place are manifest. Which are these? So And then you get in the 22nd verse. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleman, goodness, meekness, temperance. Against us there is no law, and they let our Christ have crucified the place where the affections.
And love. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.
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Then said and write this said, that our bedridden Christian can bear all nine of those fruit.
To go over it carefully, you'll see. And it doesn't question carrying on a missionary workforce hey type of activity that would be seen and and faith or and have a lot of respect among God's children. But it's back five.
Learning for Christ. And it may be different truths that are broken up here on the left. Just one way, Brother Smith. We could think about proof and we know it's what the followers.
Are thinking as he looks over the vine and sees the branches.
Producing well? Is it something that is really manifesting?
What is in my beloved Son? For anything that delights the heart of God must be in subtle weight or reproduction.
Of that which we see in our blessed Lord and Savior. And so I think, yes, He went over those proofs of the Spirit, whoever loved His Christ, whoever had the deep joy that He had in His first place.
Whoever went on and kept peace in his.
So if I leave with you my peace, I give unto you, and all long-suffering, How wonderful, how precious to see the Lord long-suffering with his disciples, and indeed with.
He was a beginner and finisher of Faith Meekness Temple.
All those things are seen in Christ and beloved. Again we would say that the state trick and the only possible way to produce those fruits is by abiding in Christ. Then the food is there, and as he brings out that the vine, the branch, cannot bear fruit of itself, that is a branch doesn't go all over the.
Doing, deviling things and showing it and just playing itself. The branch has just engaged in one thing, and that is in keeping its plate in the vine.
And giving it plate in the vine, the fruit is there. You don't have to be occupied with the amount of fruit we're bearing. Indeed, he says that he thinks about much food, but it's all a result of abiding in Christ.
Not thought of as Congress not to read my message.
At what convert?
And that isn't very the true definition of.
Have concluded, of course.
A person doesn't even need to be saved to produce Congress, do they?
I'm thinking of some who have.
Preach the gospel who were never saved. They might have Congress.
Our first thing is saying that fruit is the evidence of divine life in the soullessness.
We cannot see fruit from them, a dead tree or dead person, and by nature we all dead in trespasses and sins.
But after we have life, then there is fruit.
By the grace of God. So there is the evidence of.
Divine life as the evidence of fruit, rather, is the evidence of divine life.
That's the third of the light in the 5th after the season.
Where you lead in the eighth verse. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord walk as children of the light. Now the bear cancellation is the ninth verse, or the third of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. And that's the searching word for our consciences. Are we walking in the.
Holy light.
All right, just and just God. God is light, and in him there's no darkness at all. So that if you're not looking in communion and belonging, any of that evil that belongs to the old nature to have any place in our lives or in our thoughts, well then of course the the defense will not be there.
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So when that piece is in all goodness and righteousness, it produces.
That which is consistent with the light.
Doesn't make any noise in bearing fruit either, does it?
Nothing looks worse than a neglected vineyard.
The violence there but is not friend, not thrown, and soon goes wild. The weak, the colder and all might get a little.
You know the father in the husband, and he looked after the truth. He looked after the time and he knows how to swim it.
You have to know the fact the Deadwood out because it's no use because only the.
And.
Too much worthwhile cut down, it goes ramp and it grows in the leaves and long vine, but it doesn't produce fruit. It's gotta be sparring.
Another season small, I got to be cutting easily.
The cause of producing a more fruit and they can't bear and the fruit gets too small, never forgot to be quite more severely and therefore the wonder best food. You wonder why they Christian got so many trials and the second card is about her.
The father is the husband and he knows how to use the knife and it's not for injuries for the bare more fruit.
Fine. It speaks of the fruit of a spirit, not fruit.
I suppose it looks about as one cluster.
Just one. One cannot do without the other.
We were noticing in the reading back home last evening.
At the first of the fruits listed there is love, and this is the first thing that the Lord brings to the attention of Ephesus in revelations after two thou hast left thy first love. There seems to have been a great deal of activity still going on, but the Lord noticed and was grieved over the fact that they had left their first love, the very first one of.
One of the fruits of the spirit man.
Fruit of the spirit of their brother in mind.
This isn't a matter of maturity.
Grow but any believer.
The youngest as well as the oldest and abiding Christ.
I suppose, to put it as simply as we could put it with seeds, living near the Lord, judging anything that could come between our hearts and Him, and seeking to have our thoughts engaged with Him, and avoiding those things that turn off our minds and affections away from Christ.
And we have to deal with things that are powerful and sad. But there could be immediate return to the secret of all true happiness and blessing and joy. And that's being in the immediate trailer. Blessed Lord, we should covet that. We should speak that.
I was thinking, and like him, we were singing. We know that was J&B Kim and he all has encouraged me that he was the one that wrote. No infant. Changing flavor is like my wandering mind. How often we have to experience that, how our minds wander away from those things that are most places and we desire to be occupied with.
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And there was nothing too. I just looked back at the.
Well that the riders of the hymn and in day and days him I believe the data set.
Since he was born in 1800, well then the King was written in 1845 and that was a time when.
Those gathered to the Lords name were shaken.
Division that caused the unfold sound exercise, however, that he could write again at a time like that, that he was seeking to keep his mind above the trials that were so perfecting and distressing among God's people.
Nice to notice what it says here. Every branch that bears fruit he purges that that it may bring forth more fruit. Thinking of what our brother mentions, my father is the husbandman. If I were to go and try to prune a vine, I'd probably cut off ones that were very useful and perhaps leave ones that were not so useful because I don't know how. But the it's lovely to see that the pruning is carried on by the one who knows perfectly.
My father is the husband and and so whatever difficulties or trials may be allowed in our lives, by surely we know the one who is allowing them. And his ways are perfect. That's what the Psalmist said. As for God, his way is perfect and when a lie he was talking to Job, he couldn't put his finger on why God had allowed that trial to come into the life of Joel, but he said to Job that he ought to ask God.
Which I see not keeps our knees. And then he went on to say, well, I put it in my own words, Job, did you want me to correct you according to the way you thought or did you want it to be according to my mind? And that's very noticeable in the 34th of Job, that the question was whether Job wanted the correction to be as what he thought was necessary in his life or what God thought was necessary in his life.
Well, God saw something in Job that was necessary to be corrected, and Joe didn't at that point see it. But it's lovely to see that it isn't one who's not bearing fruit here who is purged, but one who is bearing fruit. And Job was, God could say of Job, there wasn't a man like him in all the earth, but he wanted more fruit. And so this Job passed through was the means that he was using to produce more fruit.
And the latter end of Job was more than the beginning, but there certainly was a lot of cutting back. You think none of us have gone through trials that would in any way measure to what Job passed through to looms his wealth and to lose his family and to lose his health?
And to be misunderstood by the friends who were nearest to him, all that that God saw necessary is passing through to bring him to the realization of his own nothingness, so that he could bless him according to his own heart. So it's really encouraging. If you don't mind, I'll just read this in the new translation, because in our translation the 34th of Job is not quite as clear, but in this 34th chapter of Job.
And the.
31St verse.
Like to read it as it is in the new translation.
I'll read in the 24th and 25th verses, and then the 31St, For he does not long consider a man to bring him before God in judgment. He breaketh in pieces mighty man without inquiry, and setteth others in their place.
Since he knows their actions, he overthrows them in the night, and they are crushed. Now the 31St verse, perhaps he said unto God, I bear chastisement. I will not offend, but I see not. Teach thou me. If I have done wrong, I will do so. No more shall he recompense according to thy mind. For thou hast refused his judgment, for thou so chooses to not I.
Speak, then, what thou nought.
01:00:01
The Job had asked that he could be put on trial before God and that God was given the hearing and that he might set his case in order before the Lord and allow. You said that's not necessary. God doesn't have to hold a hearings because he knows everything. When he wants to deal with a man, he deals according to his perfect knowledge of all things, of all kind of action. And so he said the job you need to ask the Lord what he sees.
Because he sees something that is for which he is causing this, and then he mentions this the job that her job really didn't want it to be according to God's mind. He refused God's judgment about the case. And now he said to now speak y'all and it's very lovely in the end to hear Job speaking and saying I'll stop speaking, I'll put my hand in my mouth and ask God to speak to him and tell him.
What he had to say to him and then he got the blessing.
Well, it's very lovely to see. This is part of what is spoken of here, I believe as the purging process. And in life it wasn't for some particular sin, because he was a very fine living man, but there was a great deal of religious pride if we could speak in that way. In his heart he he was full of himself, though, a true believer. And the Lord often sees this, and he knows just what is necessary in his ways with each one of us.
I think that's the third verse. Distinctive cleansing there.
Now we are clean.
The word which I've spoken unto you.
I suppose the application of the Word by the Spirit of God is a cleansing effect upon our hearts and souls, like we have in some 119 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed there to according to thy Word? If the Word of God applied to my heart and conscience does not produce self judgment, how can I bear fruit?
Business though? Yeah, and that's still with subtle request in a supervisor the Lord intended the disciples who literally carrying out footworking. The Lord doesn't say now you're swinging through the water or what's your feet with?
But you're clean through the world which I've spoken unto you.
Definitely, the Lord said to Peter's birthplace. What I do around North snob now, but thou shalt know hereafter.
And in fact, as we go on with this chapter, the Lord tells His disciples that He had many things to say to them, that He couldn't favor them, couldn't say it to them at that time that when.
When the commentary comes.
While he was going to reveal all these things clearly so that now we are not only in possession of the Lord.
Construction to his disciples on the very eve of is going to the cross. But we have now the Spirit of God dwelling in us, so that we're brought into the the understanding and the lessons that.
Are intended for God's people of all time.
Where the fruit tree for three years.
The part here they were seen for the praise of the Lord and the 5th year they found people to eat.
The 23rd to the 25th person.
Perhaps you could suggest that the Lord said that he thought, Those can't be yourselves as hard and rest a while, and this is the ordered in the creation, that there should be a time of rest for the land and for the trees and for the people. So a little poem puts it nicely.
Never asked of us that busy labor as leaves no time for sitting at his feet. The waiting attitude of expectation he often counts to service most complete, and so there is that time that's necessary. Martha had neglected that to her own loss, and we might choose. And perhaps the thought in the three so often mentioned in scripture is going back to Calvary as we often speak of it. What the Lord Jesus passed through the ground of all our blessings.
01:05:08
The motive for all proper service is what the Lord Jesus did for us when he died for our sins, was buried and rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures.
Another bad word heard.
We are thinking it is pruning. They are I believe 3 or 4 words in connection with faith thing that begin with the letter P.
Permanent Air and Preventative and the Parrot the territory.
And all have to do with the care in connection with this topic of bearing fruit.
Of course, when it's punitive, it has to do with failure.
Is given in Hebrews in Hebrew 12 has scourging.
As opposed we could say in this spirit verse, Now you are fleeing through the word which I have spoken unto you. In the 13th chapter of John, to which attention was called, we have the Lord saying to the disciples that He is to wash needeth, not say to wash his feet, but it's clean every whip.
And the washing all over was never repeated and.
The working of the seed was something that went on continually. I was thinking of Titus chapter 3 where we have that washing all over brought before us when it says the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ. Now that has been made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Now that is when a Sinner comes, he is lost all over. Not only are his sins.
Ways before God through the blood, but he is lost all over so that he is pronounced clean. He's a new creature in Christ Jesus, seen in the new.
Position. In that position Judith was never seen because of the Lord said in that 13th chapter of God you are clean but not all that Judas had never been washed all over. But then what needs to take place constantly in our lives?
Is the last thing of a feeling, but that has nothing to do with our acceptance as to our position. We're washed all over by the washing of regeneration, once for all the same in the.
Chapter of Hebrews where it says but a strong ear with a true heart, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. There again we have that which takes place once for all but any defilement that takes place in our lives as believers.
Requires the washing of the feet. And that's the application of the Word to our walking ways in order that we might walk in communion with the Lord. And that's why the Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. That's communion, brethren. I mentioned this because what is referred to in this third verse is not the constant necessity of the washing of the feet, but that would take place once for all, which makes us clean.
As before God, in a perfect place of acceptance before him.
123 being born again. Not a flexible season, but.
Corrupted by the word of God, live within the fight of forever, and that's fair the same.
What I have here tonight rather than.
Glad to have that hair being bathed all over once and for all our brother just mentioned in exhibition Connections of.
They were faith or low, and that was never repeated. But before they went to the Tabernacle of a congregation, ever washed their hands and their feet, didn't they?
Here in the John 13 and the feet Only, I think I saw a simple illustration of that truth in the West Indies, and I'd rather help us to know well.
Referring to in Marvel Roads, I looked out of the window one morning and saw an old nurse bathing 2 little children in the pool in the garden.
01:10:01
Alfred's convenience sake with fool and John and Mary one of the little boys, the other girl. So this old nurse picked up a little Johnny, put him in the pool and he stood in the middle of the pool and the nurse got a pail, filled it with, wore and fought it all over his head and body two or three times. And the little boy enjoyed it. She didn't want to come out, but then Mary had to get her turn. So this owner strictly little boy out and said, Now you stand here, don't you run down the gravel park and get your feet dirty.
Watched all over, but that was too much for Johnny. When Mary had put in the pool, Johnny started running down the gravel path and turns on his feet there. So the old nurse ran after Johnny brought him back and put him in the pool again. But this time she didn't use the fail. He'd been bathed all over once. Now she just washed his feet.
I thought it was a symbol. Yeah. There's a little space of the truth we have here.
Being bathed all over once and then our feet need to be washed constantly and people from the filament. We need the word of God. I was thinking of that verse in.
Psalm 17 and four concerning the works of men. By the word of Violet I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in my path, but my footsteps flip. Not all how we need his precious words to keep us clear of the farmers. We're in a scene that is marked by the farmers. But here the word of Violet. I have kept me from the paths of the destroyers.
We know his precious words will cleanse the defilement, but how often through the neglect of reading his precious words and meditating upon.
We've seen our feet flip.
Into the path of the Destroyer, and we've seen somewhere this has been.
So, sadly, evidence.
Discipline I would like to send very briefly to the 12Th chapter of the Book of Evil.
And we have three very important ways that in connection with discipline.
Which is our brother's already mentioned, is punitive because of a failure and sin, and there are three worries that they are very important to notice beloved better.
Verse 5 where there were 12Th chapter of a Hebrew we have these very significant.
And the two boys that the very significant to notice on that word.
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you is unto children, my son, this is a song, despite our discussion of the Lord no St. when thou are rebuked of him. Now we have two boys here that that very important to notice in connection with disciplines.
We can, despite it, and what a fair thing that is when we do this fight the chastening of the war.
And then the next word is that we can become discouraged.
Saying well, these are two things that they're not going to prove. The blessed effect in the life of the believer doesn't.
Leader to despise it when we are chastised or being the color. But then we have another blessed word, and he found on verse 11 over the same chance that a rebuilt well.
And it's Tuesday and on our chastening.
For the president seemed to be joyous, but grievous, and do.
Nevertheless, as the word is yielded the feasible fruit, now here we have proof. And again one must say this is not proof of the gospel, it's the truth of the life.
And to them which are exercise thereby. That's the blessed effect that you have in our lives, isn't it? This is in connection, of course, with discipline, because of a failure and sin. Then our brother mention also preventive, and I believe that that you'll find it in the 12Th chapter of the Second Corinthians. There you have a case. I remember, dear brother, many years ago, the fork and the seed of comportion and the three different kind of disciplines. And here you have the next one in Second Corinthians chapter 12.
In connection with the Apostle Paul, is that Satan verse 7?
Because of the abundance of a revelation that he had received God the Lord, that the Lord allowed the turn of the flash and message it of a Satan to bark at him.
01:15:01
Last, he could be exhausted, exhausted above measure.
And then he says that there is a.
That the apostles holy prayed three eyes and the Lord says no, I'm not going to take it away, I'm going to keep her there.
And this prevents the Italy brother that's prevented. And then in the 15th chapter of John, that's in connection with fruit bearing and I wonderfully to know that it's our father.
That our father and what of why does the man he is he knows just what the God. And you know if I often I have used an illustration I have seen I come from a country where we have lots of violence and if the violent he was able to speak humanly speaking like you and me would say oh that hurt but it was necessary was necessary and in connection discipline in the 15 chapter and then.
How nice is to see that God?
Must need to cut off on our life many things that will not happen to bring truth unless they have to be.
So that's very blessed to see these things in the dealing of God with us. And I notice I'm going through our chapter conference. So every branch that bears nothing, he take it away. This is an unbeliever and this is him.
Particular with easy or something was going to take place with easier as our brothers already mentioned that those who reject the blessing that it was going to be cut out. But then you see the Congress have to believe it and every branch have better put him back he Persia and I believe that this is not one thing that is done once and forever.
The other man needs to purse the right thing. Every year, Every year.
And so this is a process that goes unconfigured. Easily done.
They'll never get to the end until we have the glorified body with the blessed Lord Jesus.
The washing of the water by the word is that.
Thing we have there.
Are we in nature perhaps looking at the proving instrument?
If we always were conscious of the fact that this is the husband and who is true, we.
Right there. A little better, even though we're painful, but sometimes these.
Shall I say, through some circumstance involving my neighbors or perhaps my brethren, I find myself being proved, I'm very, very liable to look at the instruments and get quite upset.
But when the Lord directs me also I use the illustrator. Both lightning struck my holes. I couldn't blame it on my neighbors. I couldn't blame it on my brother. And I could told that I would have to say. I wonder what the Lord is teaching me in this.
And I feel that we are liable to look at the.
Instead of the husband. But he is blind at birthday and there should be that. Through that we are modest. I was thinking of three individuals, instructors who reacted so differently to the hand of the Lord upon them, Naomi said. The Almighty have dealt very bitterly with me. That's a pitiful reaction. The Almighty had felt very bitterly with me. That was all he could see in the hand of the Lord.
Job, on the other hand, said something like this. Shall we receive goods from the hands of the Lord, and shall we not also receive evil? That was a little improvement over Naomi's attitude, but it still was far from what ought to have been. In other words, the Lord has been good for me, and now, if this time he's bringing something that Joe calls evil, Job, in a social sort of way, accepted it. But all, as we have just been reminded, recognize the hand of the Lord in this pruning and.
After having been exercised there by he says most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory.
In line infirmity.
Let us not be like Naomi, or even like Bill, but by the grace of God, rather like Paul, who would benefit from the food.
In the life of the he lies the High priest.
Family. But then at the end the the very gracefully say it is the law to let him do it whatsoever he please. And nice to see that in the state that we live.
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Like your your father said one time, a young sister.
Complained an older sister. And was somebody scared about something very nasty?
The Lord must have lots of pride in your heart. Let you hear that.
That's a few men.
The instrument was resentful, but the history uses that from the Lord.
Play your way more.
John 15:3-11
Reading
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General meetings, Ottawa, April 1973, Second reading meeting.
Why did the person?
And 225.
Oh.
My God.
I.
Still sorry.
What first Brother Barry did we leave off?
I think we were just talking on the third very frankly when we chose the meeting.
Chapter 15.
And verse 3.
Now you're cleaning.
Through the words that I have spoken unto you.
Provided me than I and you.
As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, accepted, abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that invited in me, and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit.
For without me you can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered.
And then gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If he abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciple.
Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love.
Even as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in His love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater loveth no man than this, that a man laid down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever, I commend you.
Henceforth I call you not servants.
For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I've called you friends. For all things that I've heard of my father I have made known unto you.
You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hateth you remember the words that I sent it to you. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sinned, but now they have no cloak for their sin.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this chemistry passed, that the word might be fulfilled. It is written in their law. They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father.
00:10:19
Even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and ye also shall bear witness, because you have seen, because you've been with me from the beginning.
You'll notice the order of in that fourth verse abide in me and I in you.
Are abiding in Christ comes before his abiding in US, and that shows it's conditional.
That is, if we're living near the Lord.
Judging those things that hinder our communion.
By then we have the enjoyment of his presence.
In that way.
Not that the Lord isn't always for his children.
And he is always seeking to bless him and help them on in the pathway. But there are certain blessings that are conditional in connection with.
Our walk and our ways.
Would you say that the posting chapter and verse 20?
Brother Barry, we have the same thought. The 14 chapter of a John verse 23 say. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
And again, that's conditional, isn't it, brother?
So there's the there's a difference in love. There is a love of relationship, and there's the love of complacency. And the first you're reading has to do with the love of complacency. Now the Lord loves all His children in the same way they're dear to Him. They're the purchase of his blood that he shed at Calvary.
And his heart goes out in an infinite love. And even if his children are going on in the path of disobedience, his love hasn't grown cold towards him. And he's ever seeking to exercise them and to bring them to judge, fought his, hindering their, their enjoyment of his presence. But there is a love of complacency, and that's just what you have in that verse.
If a man loved me, he will keep my words.
And my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Well, it's very precious to know something of that love of complacency, where the Lord can look down and just find his satisfaction, and those that are going on in communion of heart with himself.
I say what Theobercola used to say on the 14th chapter of John that we have 3 comforts.
The Holy Spirit that comes into our heart when we believe, and then the comfort of the Father and of the Son when we live in communion with them. That was mystical, you know?
And that is.
The way we bear fruit.
And we're abiding in Him. He abides in us. And as the rest of the verse says.
As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself except to abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. So there's no fruit as set before us here without that nearness to the person of Christ, that communion that's enjoyed.
With himself.
00:15:01
There's a brother that was asking this morning about just what fruit is, and in the meeting that there are those that think that if they're doing a gospel work and seeing sinners confess the Lord, that that is what we should look at as fruit. But I believe that if we get the mind of the Lord that.
The blessing to souls that.
That he can reward and which delights his heart.
As a result of the soul being in communion with himself.
And I call attention to two examples of that in the Gospel of John.
They all have often heard about Mary and Martha, Martha, Martha being covered with much service, and Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His word. And when we come to the 11Th chapter of John, we find Mary again at the feet of Jesus in her sorrow, and at the end of that chapter, the 45th verse.
It says many of the Jewish.
Came to Mary, not many of the Jews which came to Martha, but many of the Jews which came to Mary.
And have seen the things which Jesus did believed on him. So we'd rather expect that Martha being the active one, would be the sole winner. But not so Mary was the sole winner that many that came to Mary believe and then you find in the 12Th chapter.
Where they they made him a supper. He says that Lazarus was one of them that sat at table with him.
Now there is communion. We find Martha serving and the very acceptable to the Lord. He didn't have to reprove her there. Her service was in keeping with his mind.
Mary breaks the box of ointments and anoints his feet. But what I wanted to call attention to that in connection with Lazarus.
We are not told that he said anything to anybody about the Lord who was seeking to serve the Lord as an active worker, but look down in the chapter.
And the ninth verse.
The much of the people of the Jews, therefore knew that he was there, and they came not for Jesus sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he'd raised from the dead.
But the chief priest consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death. Now here's the verse I had in mind, because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed.
Went away and believed on Jesus.
Well, again, there we have a soul winner, although we're not told of anything that he said or did, but just sitting at the table with the Lord, enjoying his company and being in communion with him.
Resulted in many believing in Jesus.
I like to think of that too, in connection with the lame man who was healed at the gate of the temple. It says, as the first thing that happened to him, that he stood up leaping and walking and praising God. But then the last thing said about him is all the people saw him walking and praising God. That seems to have been the last reference to him and the testimony that he left.
Walking and praising God.
No direct testimony, perhaps to the people, although certainly we don't discredit that privilege. But they saw this man who before had been blamed, walking. They heard him praising God, and that was his testimony before others. Would be a happy thing if that were our testimony to that we walked and praised God in a way that would be a testimony to others. You think it might be like this?
The in Zechariah 2 The Angel says one speak to that young man well. I believe if one is in communion, that the Lord gives the opportunity to have a word in season just when it's needed.
00:20:16
It's really.
Humbles me to think that I must not be in communion very much.
For I don't have those opportunities one would long to have in his life, as it were, of being directly.
Told as it were, to go and speak to someone, to be so in communion with the mind of Christ, that we be ready and just have the word and the illness of Him and connection with.
A word to a needy soul.
I was thinking about how the fruit of the Spirit manifested itself perfectly in the Lord Jesus in his whole pathway here.
Been a help to me, a remark that Mister Darby made. Christianity is known by what it brings, not by what it finds. And I think this we see this so lovely in the life of the Lord Jesus, as there were all the difficulties and trials that we meet along the pathway.
As we often sing all the path the Saints were treading trodden by the Son of God. Was it the rejection of the nation? Was it the misunderstanding of the disciples?
Was it the trials of the way he was hungry and thirsty and weary? What did it bring out in every situation? It brought out the blessed fact that he was always in communion with his Father, and saw those things that are spoken out in Galatians 5 as the fruit of the Spirit.
Are all moral. As our brother remarked this morning, they could be produced by one on a sick bed. They could be produced by a person in the most adverse circumstances, whether from physical things or trials of other kinds that he is passing through. Because all this is like a well of water springing up into everlasting life, and this is what really exercises us, brethren in our pathway. We can look at the difficulties and often do get down under them.
But the one who brought the fruit of the Spirit so perfectly he manifested the mind of God his Father in every situation. He always displayed that love and that joy and that peace and that gentleness, and then too that self-control when they came to take him in the garden, when it almost seemed overwhelming that Judas should be the one who came and betrayed him with a kiss.
How? He was perfectly calm. Everything was under perfect control. He had it all out with his father in the Garden of Gethsemane. But in the situations that he met, he always was in perfect calmness and displayed of that blessed perfection, while we possess that life, brethren.
We're indwelled by the same spirit, and it tells us in John Three God giveth not his spirit by measure, in our translation that adds unto him, but it's God giveth not His spirit by measure. Let us not say, well, I don't have that grace. The grace is available, and all the power is within us, and it's just a draw upon that power. But as we have been noticing in the chapter, it's only so.
As we abide in him, the branch separated from the vine can't bring forth fruit. And if you and I, with all the blessed knowledge that the Spirit of God dwells in US, are not walking in communion with the Lord, we'll be just like Samson. When the difficulty arose, he didn't realize that he had got out of communion, he said. I'll shake myself as at other times, but he wished not that the Lord had departed from him.
The power wasn't there because he wasn't walking in communion. We see in his restoration he displayed it again. It's all these things are very instructive. But I I believe it's precious to think of the Lord Jesus as the perfect example of all that precious fruit of the Spirit.
A singer. One case in the Lord's life. The Lord didn't reason with sinners that came to him. You remember on one occasion the man came and say Lord are they many that are there kill that be saved? Well, the Lord didn't enter into an argument as to whether there were many or few. His answer was try to enter in at the straight, keep as straight as the gate and narrows the way that leadeth unto light.
00:25:13
Just as though the Lord said you needn't be concerned about the many or the few. Be very sure that you get in yourself.
There is no age limitations are there to abiding in Him and bearing fruit. Down at the gospel tent, one little girl about 9 asked for always asked for extra copies of messages of love we give them after each children's meeting, we give them each one. She always wanted more so I asked her why and she said, well I like to give them to those.
That don't come to the tent that live nearby and our brother, Mr. Harry Hale, told us of visiting a sister in Los Angeles.
And she said, I wrote down his remarks and calling on this sister, she remarked to our brother Hale that she did not know why God had left her here, for she was now useless, unable to do anything for the Lord or visit.
Or attend meetings, Mr. Hale replied. Dear sister, there are four things you can do.
That will please the Lord much, and you do not need any strength, any money, or any gift. Surprised, she asked what these four things were. First, you can be a great help to all your brethren by simply praying, as a pacifist did in Colossians 4 and 12. He prayed that the Saints might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Second, you can be a large giver and have no money.
You can give the fruit of your lips, even give even thanks to his name, Hebrews 13 and 15. Third, you can wear the finest ornaments and never visit a jewelry store. You can wear the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.
Which in the sight of God.
Which in the sight of God is of great price.
First Peter three and four. Four. The word of God would teach us that we can always live Christ when we cannot preach Christ. Paul wasn't prison when he wrote for me to live his Christ.
That verse was read to us bearing fruit in old age.
Many of these Saints have wondered why the Lord has left them here.
But I like to think of Elijah and Elijah.
Elijah was taken to heaven by a whirlwind, wasn't he? And Elijah left behind.
Why? To represent here on earth the man who had just gone to heaven. And I believe that's why the Lord leaves us here, to represent here on earth a man who's gone to heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.
No one needs to be simply marking time, shall I say, while we're waiting for the Lord to come, because it seems to me, in addition to what has been said, there is also the opportunity for everyone, no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the age.
To learn yet a little more of the loving and comforting and patient part of God before we're taken home.
I remember visiting a dear Sister Smith Balls. Folks will know who I mean. He was in a wheelchair and had been there for quite a good many years that I had just returned from the funeral of Mrs. Anderson, who was 95 years of age, stopped in to see this dear sister.
She said. Have you just come from Mrs. Anderson's funeral? I said yes. And why didn't the Lord stop on the way by and Take Me Home too? Now she's up there and I'm still here.
I said. In other words, she'll be with the Lord longer than you will. Well, of course she's there now, and I'm here. Well, I said. You mean you could add a few weeks on to one end of eternity and make it a little longer? No, no, she said. I'll be with the Lord just as long as Missus Anderson.
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But in the meantime, it was suggested that each and every day were left. Here is an added opportunity, among the other things that have been mentioned, for us to learn something of the patience and encouragement and comfort of the heart of God toward us. Which lessons we really won't learn, will we, after we reach home?
We think of a fruit bearing as something that the Lord none of us, and we ought to do it. But that's the wrong way to look. I'll invest in this.
The Lord wants fruit of the might remain for our eternal glory. Yes, you.
Remain, and for our good and blessing all those things were.
Reported upstairs. And that is for us the Apostle Paul writing through the.
Philippines, when he says that I don't ride the cars of my one with a fruit may have bound to you.
Is coming just and stop with it. Fruit. And that's fruit. And that fruit was going to be recorded in the house. It wasn't.
We read a fruit, and then we read a more fruit, and then we read of much fruit, showing that there's no limit to the fruits that a child of God can produce. And the Lord indeed expects that it should be on the increase instead of on the decrease.
At first, our brother just referred to from the sounds bearing fruit in the old age.
What a wonderful encouragement that is for those who are getting on this light. We saw a solemn example of the opposite of that in ASA disease in his in his feet, in his old age, failed to produce that fruit that might have been produced, which was produced in his early Kingdom.
Well, let us never forget the last words of this fifth verse. Without me, he can do nothing. It's not strength of character. It's not because some might say, well, that brother is a naturally loving brother, that brother is naturally gracious. That's not what it's talking about here, because it's talking about the fruit of the Spirit. And that isn't what we are, naturally.
All it is of nature.
We can be thankful if a person is kind and thoughtful, even if he's unsaved. But brethren, that's not fruit for God, and even a Christian may have certain natural traits that are very pleasant. We're very thankful for them, but unless they spring from the true source, they're not proof for God.
And so instead of saying, well, I just don't have those characteristics, we have them because we possess the life of Christ. And when we get to glory, as it tells us in Ephesians 4, it says that we all come to the perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. You think there will be anyone in heaven who will not be fully, morally and like Christ? Oh, we are sure that this is so when we possess that same life right now.
We possess the same Spirit of God that we will have in heaven, and we possess it right now. So let us not look as to what we are naturally, but rather independence upon the Lord. Remember these words, they'll strengthen us. Without me He can do nothing. And Philippians 4 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. We have that really sparsely illustrated in the.
Talk to the young people.
He said one time winning such a marvelous victory over the.
So were The Ethiopians. And then later while he goes and hires the Syrian king to help him, seemingly to have been a success. But oh what a sad downfall it really was. We follow the history where those became enemies that just.
Troubled him through the years that followed.
Well, it's just this story without me. You can do nothing when in those three cases.
When they relied on the Lord trusted the Lord alone. The Lord gave the victory when they didn't trust him, the Lord.
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Why it in a it ended in defeat, maybe not appearing at the time, but later on the sad truth and consequences of that brought nothing but trouble and sorrow.
We need to remember, of course, that in our Christian life defeat, our victory is not always something that seems to be apparent when the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross of Calvary, rejected by the nation that he had come to blast, forsaken by his disciples. And then in those hours of darkness forsaken of God, it was not defeated was victory because the Lord Jesus was doing His Father's will.
And brethren, let us ever remember this, that victory is doing his will. It may seem at times like defeat. It may seem as if the enemy triumphs for a while, and this is the encouragement given to the godly. 1 during the tribulation, the ungodly will have power to oppress them, and they will have to suffer some even to death. But still they will be the victors, and we find them in revelation on the sea of glass, and they have got the victory over the beast and over his image.
But on earth it looked like defeat. They've been put to death. So how important for us he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Let us not judge of things as they appear in man's day, Paul said with me, It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's day. He I judge not mine own self, that is, he didn't look at things as they appeared in man's day. He waited the manifestation when everything would be brought into its true light.
In the presence of the Lord, and we need to bear this in mind. It's true that God gave a great victory.
To to ASA, and to his father too, but with us victory is to walk in the path of obedience and leave all the results for the Lord.
I love that him the 4th him the appendix to weakness and defeat. What a word. Defeat. He won the median crown, brought all our holes beneath his feet by being trodden down. You could have been there and seen the Lord carrying that cross.
Wearing the crown of thorns, hearing the mob hooting and shouting and insulting him, seeing him let out there on the nails of that cross, even the disciples had fled from him, you might say, what could that poor man do? But all beloved, when we look into the glory in the Revelation, and see that great multitude that no man can number there, and see the lamb that was slain in the midst, then we learned something.
Of a mighty victory.
That he won by being trodden down in that.
Time when he was rejected and and crucified, given the Manufacturer's death.
I wonder if we could just turn to Second Timothy Two. I think that's something that is brought before us here, which is helpful. Second Timothy Chapter 2.
The seventh verse consider what I say, and the new translation adds, The word shall consider what I say, and the Lord shall give the understanding in all things. Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David raised from the dead. According to my gospel forin I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even on the bonds, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.
With eternal glory.
Well, the husbandman laborers. He doesn't see the fruit at once.
He laborers on now and then he partakes of the fruit later. And now he says the only way for us to understand how we should walk here as Christians is to remember Jesus Christ.
Who live so perfectly as him, who was such a perfect servant as him, who always did his father's will like him. And at the end of his life, what did it look like? Why, it looked like complete defeat, as our brother said.
Here where the nation that he had come to bless rejected him, the scribes and Pharisees led, leading them on, the disciples forsaking him, Judas betraying him with a kiss. Where were the results of all that perfect work in the Lord Jesus pathway? Well, as our brother said, it's manifested in resurrection. There we look up and we see that one crown with glory and honor. We see in the 5th of Revelation the fruit of that great work.
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And now he is saying to Timothy. Timothy, you're living in a day of ruin. You're living in a day of breakdown. If you try to be faithful, you'll be misunderstood, you'll be despised. But he said the only way you can have understanding is to remember Jesus Christ. Just think of him, think of his pathway. And so this could be an encouragement too, to the dear young people, because sometimes when you make some request of the Lord and you seek to please Him.
And the Lord doesn't come in and grant you your desire, you might think. Well, I I don't know why he allows it looks like defeat instead of victory. But remember, dear young people, if you did the will of God, it was victory. It was true success, even though the manifestation may have to wait till the judgment seat of Christ. And the encouragement in this portion I think is so beautiful. Remember, remember Jesus Christ. And this will give us understanding how to go on in a day of breakdown and ruins.
They should think of that verse in the epistle of John, and the second chapter he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
That goes right on into eternity. And that's in contrast with being deceived by the world. World with all its attraction.
In view of what's been said, I wonder if we have perhaps made a one side of application of the scripture then that honor me.
I will honor I have often heard that verse quoted, and it always, to my memory, has been in connection with someone who has taken a faithful stand for the Lord and a few weeks later ended up with a situation that was far more wonderful than the one they perhaps suffered under. Someone will stay in a position where for the Lord's glory had to act faithfully, and maybe they were demoted or lost their job.
And a month later they got a better job with a higher salary, and the quotation is always brought forward. Them that honor me, I will honor. I guess we've all heard it applied in that way. But I'm afraid it might be a little discouraging if we thought that's what it must mean, that the Lord promises that if we are true and faithful to Him here, we'll end up with a far more acceptable situation than the one that caused us a trial before.
We can well wait for the honor until that day that's coming. We may find ourselves at the bottom of the ladder as long as we're here, but there will be honor in that day. We're not promised it here, that's all. God doesn't always vindicate His people or His servants in this life.
He arrived at the Uriah. The Hittite was a man of faith, and he went out in faithfulness, and we know how he suffered even from the unkind act of David toward him, and he never lived to see himself vindicated for what he had done.
But the time that it comes before us is that later on David speaks of his mighty men when he came to the throne. And here we find a mention of this man who has never vindicated in his life. And I think, brethren, it should be an encouragement. We always think all if the persons right God will vindicate them in this life. No, there's no proof that he will, but he will vindicate them someday. And that's what we read about the Lord Jesus.
He wasn't vindicated in this life, but there he is now. And the Father demands that every knee will bow. He has honored that one at his own right hand. And so we must go on in faith and leave the results till that day. He will honor faithfulness to him, but there's no promise it will be in this life. I was thinking of the faithful witness to AM and.
Jehoshaphat, when they were going out to fight the Syrians and the false prophets, is all said to go out and the Lord is going to give you a great victory. And so Jehoshaphat asked if there wasn't just one.
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Prophet of the Lord of Jehovah. And so they brought. His name was Ammon, wasn't it? And he witnessed faithfully. Well, it cost him prison term. We don't know how long.
He was taken off to prison. And Ahab said to take this man and put him in prison and feed him on bread and water till I come back in triumph. Their victory, Well, we never heard that he got out of prison. But all the triumph and victory he'll have in that day when everything is manifest in the glory. And Reverend, we too get the benefit of this ourselves. Now God has vindicated.
Such in one in His Word. And we see the importance of being faithful amid unfaithfulness, and to stand for the Lord even though it may cost us.
A term in prison. We're not going to be any losers. And God honors his servant. Even if they're not given a position or anything, his word will honor them even now.
Remark that there are four different kinds of workers.
Christendom, church workers, Christian workers. Well, that's better certainly then the workers for Christ. That's a step further up, isn't it? But there's something better yet than Christ in the worker and that's what that's what the covenant.
And I guess we did speak about this sixth verse as being a professor. And then in the seventh verse it says, if he abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what she will, and it shall be done unto you. How important this if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, there needs to be that using the feeding upon the word of God, and using it as direction for our whole pathway.
It says, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. How often we have seen some child of God who has a real heart for Christ, but he hasn't made the word of God his guide. And the result is instead of growing in his soul, why he falls into something that is not according to the word of God. His desire was right, but we need to have His Word abiding in US.
Just like you might desire to do something for your employer, but if you didn't do something that's pleasing to him, it's he. He doesn't appreciate it. And so when we're seeking to go on for the Lord, let us acquaint ourselves with His precious word, And then it gives us direction and instruction for our pathway, and we ask for those things that are pleasing to Him, and then He can come in and grant them.
It's possible for us to be asking for things that are not according to his word.
In connection with our seventh verse, if you abide in me and my words abide in you.
As we look around the world, we see the great alarm, almost panic, you might say, when man starts to think of his resources, the resources in nature and other resources that are being contaminated, ruined and spoiled. But all that, we have a spring here that's deep and pure, that nothing can ever spoil, that nothing can ever rob us of.
If only this the exhortation that we have in this verse.
Is brought to bear on our heart and conscience. What a wonderful spring, deep and pure, is ours in the seventh verse.
And then the highest memorial possible is brought before us, not to get some importance or some glory for self. But he says here is my Father glorified that he bear much fruit. So it shows that there is a development here. I believe in this subject abiding in Christ.
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And then His word, abiding in US, And now it comes to glorifying the Father, and bearing much fruit.
Well, isn't that a wonderful thing for a poor sinful creature in this world to glorify God where he is so dishonored, His name blasphemed and everything said against him and every effort made.
To turn away from what he has established and a poor thing like you and me.
Can glorify God our Father, and it's possible, and here is the way. He gives us a prescription for it. We just need to follow it.
Some Christians are puzzled in connection with a seventh verse. He shall ask what she will, and it shall be done unto you. But notice here that there are these two things. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, and I believe, rather than this connection, we should remember that verse Hast thou faith have it to thyself before God? And that is, if we are really walking in communion with the Lord, and guided by his word, we will ask for those things that are pleasing to Him.
But if we don't have a definite scripture, it's better for us to be humble. Because to say that, well, I'm sure the Lord is going to grant this request is practically saying that I'm sure I'm so near to him that I couldn't have missed his mind. And even the dear apostle Paul, if you notice in First Corinthians chapter 4.
First Corinthians chapter 4.
And the fourth verse.
He said, For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified. But he that judgeth me is the Lord that is, Paul was saying, I don't know of anything unjudged in my own life.
But that doesn't say that there isn't something there that I don't see, that God sees. And so that ought to keep us humble, brethren, because we don't see certain things in ourselves that the Lord sees, just as we remarked about Job, and we have to confess this.
And I say this then, so that when we ask for something, the Lord may see something in US.
That were really not abiding in him fully and the result is that he cannot grant that request because it wouldn't be for his glory if he did. I remember hearing of a great preacher and he made an announcement before his congregation and said that his little girl was sick, but he said we're going to pray for her tonight and the next time I'm able to make an announcement, I'm going to be able to tell you the Lord has heard our prayer and that she's well.
Well, it didn't turn out that way. The next time he had to make an announcement, the little child had been taken home. The Lord had taken it away, and that was a great test to that man's fate. Well, now, brethren, he could have had a personal faith in the presence of the Lord.
That the Lord would come in the Lord often gives us confidence about matters that we turn to Him about.
But to make an announcement like that was to practically say in front of other people. I'm so sure that I'm near the Lord that I couldn't make a mistake in this request. And the Lord searched his heart, and he searches your heart and mind, brethren. So let us be very humble. If we have the word of God for some decision, well then we can say thus saith the Lord. But if it's something else in our lives, we may have that confidence which the Lord gives by walking near to him.
But it's all spoiled when we start to boast. And Paul himself by Roman again he could say I know nothing by myself, But he said this doesn't justify me. May the Lord give us grace, and to walk humbly before him, and to know that in presenting our request to him we should say if it's thy will, because he knows what is best for us.
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As opposed to we need to be in the right state of soul before we can expect an answer to our prayer. Because David says in Psalm 66, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. So I take it from that I must be in the right state of soul before the Lord, having been before Him in self judgment, before I can expect the answer to my prayers. Wouldn't you think so?
Yes, but I was just saying there, sometimes we don't realize that there are unjudged things, but the Lord sees it.
That's 139th Psalm, isn't it? Certainly oh Lord and know me and see if they be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. He starts out without hassle, searched me and known me. He finds he can't get away from the Lord, and then at the end why he has found such blessing in the fact the Lord has put him through this searching that he wants him to continue in it.
But I remember your father saying, That isn't a prayer for for the public. That's.
Private prayer. I think there was a brother that used to pray that in the meeting, as though he was carrying that out himself. But that wasn't an evidence of his really wanting the Lord to search him. He wanted his brother to think that he was going on that way. It's one to be.
To utter that prayer alone in the closet.
And we should we should be willing that the Lord.
Might searches through and through and not try to defend ourselves in any way.
One would think that some might think that the Apostle Paul could be sure of having the Lord's mind, but didn't he say that he trusted and had the Lorde mind?
Just we have a good conscience. And when he went up to Jerusalem, as we know he felt that he had, but he was warned by the Spirit not to go. And I believe God records that to show us that we shouldn't have our eye upon any man, no matter how wonderful he may be.
Says in the Psalms I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad. We can be sure when we have the word of God.
But when we have our eyes on some godly man, he may disappoint us. No matter who he is. There's only one who's perfect. That's the Lord Jesus.
When we come to the ninth verse of our chapter, as a Father loveth me, so have I loved you. Continue, ye and my love I judge. The word continue there expresses the same thought as abiding, so we have. Abiding in Christ we have.
Keeping his word, biting in His word. And now we have abiding in His love.
And how important that is to be more occupied with the love of Christ to ourselves.
Do we think about his love to us during the day? How much he loves us?
When we close our eyes, before we drop off to sleep, till we think about how much the Lord has loved us, what He's done for us, well, it's it's something we should cultivate to be more and more occupied.
With his precious love to us, we can never measure it. You can go into heights and depths and length and breadth. You can never fathom it. But all how precious to know where the objects all that love, that eternal love. And he's fully shown forth that love is what He has done for us. And then we have in the 13th chapter, he said, having loved his own, which are in the world.
He loved them unto the end. Therefore he washes their feet. And it says thereto that he began to wash the disciples feet. He's never ceased from that day to this to wash our defiled feet as we go through this seed.
One likes to suggest that we have a tree encouragement and this very wonderful 15 chapter of John in connection with pruning and with discipline and the pruning. And I see it here and I'll pass it on to you. Your bread. And one is that it's the father.
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That those two pruning are wonderful to know, that is not one that is stranger to us, is our Father. What a wonderful relationship he has brought us to himself, to the Lord Jesus. And the other encouragement is on verse three, as we had this morning, that we are already cleaned, we belong to them.
Those so that they have been clean, cleansed by His precious voice, we belong to him. And then the Lord Jesus. This gives us this wonderful verse 9 Here in connection with our failure to abide and hear him and then the prune in that God is doing with us. He say, I know all about this thing and in this thing he is unconscious with us. The Lord Jesus, our precious Savior, never needed to be pruned in himself because he was perfect.
And all his way.
Never need no prune in the Lord Jesus, our precious Saber in this life, because he always did that which was pleasant to the Father. But he knew that we would fail. While he gives us this void of encouragement. As the Father had loved me, so have I loved you. And the quality of that love, the love of brethren, oh, the wonderful love of the Lord Jesus, say don't you worry. In spite of your failure not abiding in me, oftentimes I love you.
The same way that my father loves you. What an encouragement that is to abide in him. Drugs. And then you get in the way. We will continue in His love in the next verse. If you keep my commandments, He shall abide in my love even as I've kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. Well, what an example we have. The Lord's whole life was the life.
Of.
Doing what was pleasing to the Father, he says this I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him. That sentence, what a wonderful statement that is. A man came down from heaven for that purpose, that sole purpose, to do the will of the Father here below. And when he took that weary journey to Samaria and found that poor woman there at the well.
And he sent her away, or she went to her way without the pictures.
Help to save man of the city to come see a man which told me all that ever I did by the Lords heart was so overflowing with joy that he couldn't eat. Just think of the Lord so happy in his soul that bird wasn't even thought of or drink. He lost his even thirst as it were And the disciples marvel. He said this, he said my meat.
Is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work and then.
In the 17th of John he could say, I've glorified thee on the earth. I've finished the work which thou gave us me to do.
In connection with fruit bearing, there is a very lovely bird that I like to read in the book of Song of Solomon chapter 2 and verse three. I was very much impressed myself. I enjoy it this word. This morning connection with preparing at Song of Solomon or Solomon Song chapter 2 and verse 3. And we see something that is very precious here in connection with preparing.
It says here as the apple tree among the trees of the world. So is my beloved among the sons, Oh, the precious savior here. But notice what it says. After this I sat down under the Shah, under the shadow with great.
Delight. And his fruit was straight to my death. And I was impressed with the word. There was no activity but sitting down with great delight. Sitting down, that's the way you enjoy the fruit of the things. Well, that's very pleasure, isn't it? And Mary did that.
Sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus, oh what a wonderful praise to be.
Seated at the feet of the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus said, Why she choose that power?
That will never be taken away from home.
I think it's nice, as our brother remarked too to read this 9th and 10th verse, these two verses together, because the ninth verse is always the same. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
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Nothing that we ever have done or ever could do is going to change His love as we have in the 8th chapter of Romans. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But we may not be in the enjoyment of that, and so the tenth verse has the enjoyment of it. That's what's brought before us. If we keep My commandments, she shall abide in My love. It isn't that He loves us any less, but we're not abiding in His love.
We might illustrate it like this.
Here is a child in the family and he's very willful and his father loves him greatly, but nevertheless his father.
Can't display the law as he would wish to and perhaps the boy says, well, I think my father likes the other ones in the family better than me. It's not true, but it's because he has been willful and disobedient that he's not enjoying that love.
And how thankful his father would be to have him come and again enjoy that love. It was always there in his father's heart. But when he comes back, then he discovers it like the boy who returned from the far country. It almost seemed as if his father loved the boy that had gone astray better.
Bring forth the best robe and put it on him. And so if there any of us that have got away from the Lord, it hasn't hasn't changed his heart. But perhaps the enemy has whispered, well, the Lord can't love you because of the way you've gone or the way you've acted. It hasn't changed his heart at all. But we cannot enjoy that love in our souls as long as there is something that is between US and the Lord. It was never so with the precious Savior. So He always locked, locked in the sunshine of His Father's love.
And then when it says here commandments, we get a great deal about commandments in John. I expect we're all aware that commandments in the Gospel of John are not the 10 commandments. If you turn back to the end of the 12Th chapter, I think it helps to understand what is brought before us.
49th verse.
For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me. He gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak. Therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
That is, the Lord Jesus always said his Father's will, everything that his Father desired him to do, they it was a commandment to his blessed heart, because he said not my will but thine be done. Now, brethren, we have the same new life, and it's not the 10 commandments that was God's rule for man in the flesh, but everything that the Lord wants us to do. The new nature that He has given to us delights in doing.
That's why it says his commandment is life everlasting? I can say to every Christian in this room this afternoon, young Mr. Oldest, the most worldly, or the one who's walking most with the Lord, that you have a life that delights in pleasing the Lord. If you don't have that life, you're not a true child of God at all.
And so if you and I allow the spirit of God to speak to that Newman, there will be a response, and there will be again the enjoyment of that law, and it's known and enjoyed in the path in which the Lord Jesus walked. So I say again, it's not keeping a certain number of rules, it's not keeping the 10 commandments. It's just simply making the revealed mind of God the light and wisdom for our pathway and finding through the new life.
Our joy and peace in that path.
I remember asking Brother Potter the question years ago in Montreal after a meeting. This question that we're discussing what are the commandments of Christ? He said to me. In just these few words, he said the commandments of Christ.
Are doing those things we know are pleasing to the Lord, Has learned from His Word independence and obedience.
01:10:07
Does this indicate the matter of the love toward us in the ninth verse? As the Father have loved me, so have I loved you.
That is that really true? Is that what that indicates? Well, say the measure or the immeasurable Ness of it?
That's pretty wonderful when you think that as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. It almost seems to me, when I read it and and think that that could possibly be the meaning of it, that the last comment in the verse is, is almost sad to have to read.
Continually in my love.
To think that someone would love us that much, and then having made known that love to us, to have to suggest to us please continue in this love. If someone that you love very dearly wrote to and fully made no less love in the letter, and then ended the letter by saying please continue in my love, you almost feel a little bit sad to have to hear that comment. And yet I suppose, in fact I know our heart needed to think that this law could be presented to us in such language as this, as a father that loved me.
We can't measure. So have I love you. And then to have to read those little words Continue ye in my love, and those are poor hearts are in danger of.
Failing to enjoy the continual wonder of that love when Brother our brother was speaking to us of the second chapter of the Song of Solomon, sitting down under his shadow with great delight, I must admit I pictured to myself a visit I made to our dear brother Suzuki in Tokyo about 10 years ago. He could speak a little bit of English, not very much, And so Brother Yamanaka insisted that I make this visit alone.
And I found that dear old man sitting on a mat in the middle of the floor, all alone.
And I didn't know what the state to whom I said my name is hateful. From Canada. Sodom only did Canada Sackville, NB.
Well, you can imagine my astonishment and hearing him say that. I said, brother, where did you hear that place? He said 60 years ago, Brother Hammond came to visit me from Sackville. He read to me Don 15, verse nine. Oh, we had a wonderful visit and he was sitting there. I could almost picture that verse being fulfilled. There he was sitting all alone in that room. He was over 90 years of age. He's with the Lord now and he was enjoying.
That which had been brought to him 60 years before.
Now the dear old man, by what he said, was still proving the wonder of that love. As a father that loved me, so have I loved you. If you can take that, if I can take that personally. We've got a treasure to take home from these meetings.
If they have the same thought expressed from the helmet in the 17th chapter, have we not in connection with the Father's Love verse 23?
I might read the whole verse I and them and thou and me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them as thou hast loved me. So we have the perfect extent of the sons love Ross, and the perfect extent of the Father's love to us too.
Nice to notice, then, in the 11Th version these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. You notice everything is.
What the Lord himself possesses.
Speaks of peace. I leave with you my peace I give unto you. So he speaks of my word and my love, and now my joy. So we remember that that him the 18th and the appendix that love that gives not as the world, but shares all it possesses with its love. Coheirs. Doesn't it wonderful the Lord delights to share with his own.
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Party is the enjoyment and delight of his heart, and that's the joy that he would have us in the good of as we go on our way. He doesn't want us depressed and discouraged and and unhappy class of people. We can get in that state if we're not watchful, but what the Lord wants is the people that are full of joy.
And happiness in their soul, in their souls.
And then he doesn't want any stupid measure of that joy either that your joy might be full. And you get that in the epistle of John and the after bringing before us the.
The communion with the Father and the Son which he brings all God's family into. Or then he says these things right eye unto you, that your joy might be full.
Now that's way fullness of joy is realized, as when we're in that communion with the Father and the Son, enjoying what the apostles enjoyed when they were here with the Blessed Lord.
In a certain sense, the Christian is a paradox. So we have in 2nd Corinthians 6 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. And so we read of the Lord Jesus that he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and yet we find him when rejected by the nation. It says that our Jesus rejoiced in spirit. So the Christian is the same today, and so that there is that mixture in our souls.
We can't help but feel in this world the results of sin. We see all the misery that Satan has brought in through sin and through Adam's fall. And then we see too, how little our own hearts respond to the Lorde claims. And this brings us sorrow. And it's right that we should feel it. We should be real as we look on what is going on, whether in the world or in the Church of God. It ought to cause us real sorrow apart.
By the Lord, Jesus looked around upon the people who didn't want his the display of his grace. It broke his heart. He wept over Jerusalem. He was righteously angry when they didn't want him to heal that man. And yet he was also perfect in that display of affection.
He was above every circumstance. So there were the two things together. I say this because in our pathway we need to know how to mingle those two things. I believe we could also say that that's why the Lord Jesus in His perfect man who had spoken of is the fine flowers. Now that is, the fine flower means that there were no lumps. Well, with us there perhaps is something that is outstanding, but also something in which we lack.
So you might speak of a man and say that's a very kind person. That's a very thoughtful person. That's a very generous person. You speak of some outstanding virtue, but with the Lord, every virtue was equally outstanding. There was nothing that excelled the other. Everything was in perfection.
But as this verse brings before us, brethren, in the midst of all these feelings that we have and rightly, there is a quiet peace and joy that the believer is entitled to have. And the Lord Jesus walked in that path. And as we commented, and I think it's very noticeable, the only time that we read of the Lord rejoicing in spirit was at a time when we would perhaps least have expected it. It was when the nation rejected him.
He had to pronounce dwell on certain cities. And then he looked up, and he rejoiced in spirit. And he said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hid these things from the wise and prudent, and asked, revealed them unto babes, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
There was the secret of his peace and of his joy, but he felt it fully may the Lord enable us to mix those things together in our lives, that there might be that entering into the trials and sorrows and difficulties of the people of God, the misery that sin has brought, and yet to be in the enjoyment of the Lord in our soul.
In the latter part of this 11Th verse that your joy.
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Might be full.
There may I know it has been with me, and perhaps it is today. Some have come to these special meetings much discouraged.
What have we received this afternoon and the and this morning from the Word of God? We've received comfort, encouragement, and exercise, and we read in Deuteronomy 114. Fear not. Neither be discouraged.
So discouragement comes from the enemy of our souls, Exercise. And what we have had in the exhortations in this word comes from the ministry of Christ. So if you and I are discouraged, we can turn away and say this is not the one.
Who as we have in the ninth verse, who?
Loves me with this.
Unchangeable.
Wondrous love.
You say #230.
Faithful amidst unfaithfulness amid darkness, only light, Thou didst thy Father's name confessed and in his worldly life.
2:30.
Oh Lord.
John 15:11-17
Reading
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General meetings, Ottawa, April 1973, Third reading meeting.
I would think about the 11Th verse. The kids speak of us at least.
John, John spoke. That facility.
Under you that by joy might remain in you, but your joy might be full.
Love one another and I have like you.
You know, my friend, whatever, I commend you.
Of course I call you not service.
Well, the truth of Noah is not what it looks.
I have called your friends for all the things that I've heard of my father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that Jesus, go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
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These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hated you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept mind saying they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my namesake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I am not common spoken unto them, they have not had them but now.
They have no cloaks for their sins. He that hateth me hateth my father also.
If I had not done among them to work with none other man, then they had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
But this cometh the past, that the word might be fulfilled, that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
So when the Comforter it comes, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and he also shall bear witness, because he has been with me from the beginning.
There's a statement I'd like to clear up.
I was questioned about it.
I made the statement, I believe. I don't just recall exactly that in speaking about the believer abiding in Christ, but that is not vital. But then the question is when the Lord said every branch in me that beareth not pretty take us away.
Well, that would be a vital matter.
And I trust we have it clear that the immediate subject here in the 15th of John, where the Lord says I am the vine, ye are the branches that He has Himself divine, and His 12 as the branches. We're looking at it that way. It is a vital subject because this didn't abide in the vine.
And was cut off and came under judgment.
When we take up the subjects that the Lord is teaching here about abiding in the vine.
But then we have the backs, which has to do with bearing fruit, and that the subject that has to do with those who are really saved, not just professors like Judas, who was a mere professors.
And doesn't continue in the vine where there was number real life there never was a believer and so in that case it would be vital. But when it's the subject that the Lord teaches from.
There's being the vine and his own the branches. It's it goes for a line of things that I believe we have had before us.
Of the importance of every believer abiding in Christ apart from the subject of.
That concerning service and His association with the Lord here on earth for the vine and.
That in that way has to do with the large association with His disciples here on earth. But now from that He developed this very important line of things.
As to our abiding in Christ.
The only possible way that we can produce fruit for, as he said, without need.
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He can do nothing. I just wanted to get that clear and I thought, that's right. Is it So the hail, Yeah, yeah. The whole something is fruit bearing and saw the abiding in Christ is looked at in the two different ways, isn't it? I believe we did remark that.
That is a professor who is in the place of privilege and who doesn't bear any fruit, and so it's cut off like a shoot in the vine, from which there is no fruit at all, and then the one that does bear fruit, the only way it can continue to bear fruit is by abiding in the vine.
And so there needs to be that practical side of it with us of abiding in place, walking in the enjoyment of His love, and in obedience to His word. Now that is really abiding in Christ in the practical sense in our lives, and only as this is so as their fruit bearing. But I believe it is important to see that abiding in Christ is looked at in the two different ways, and that the subject as your remark is fruit bearing.
Not really the subject of having divine life.
I didn't intend to get away from where we started and to review what we have been over.
That certainly is the most helpful verse. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you. The Lord wants that joy, that deep experience down here, to being in the hearts of his own, and it's been a practical way. It's that joy the Lord found.
In all His pathway through the scene of doing the Father's will, in the midst of all their trials and persecutions and rejections that the Lord experienced.
Till he was in the constant.
And John had joy filling his heart. It's something, as you might say, a paradox, that the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief was yet the happiest man that ever lived in this world, who brought that out very nicely yesterday, Brother Hill. And as long as the thing killed me, that the Lord amidst all those falls broken in heart because of his rejection.
And because of the dishonor to the Father, yet his heart was lifted up in the peaceful and joy of heaven, and in communion with the Father. All the pathway through Well, now that is the joy that he would have remained with us. And then there should be no limitations of it, but the children may be full.
Wonderful in the Gospel of John, that he has given us his home and his love, and his peace and his joy. And then I was thinking, how in this 12Th verse this is my commandment, that she loved one another as I have loved you. If we connect this with the ninth verse, as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. Well, we were Speaking of the measurelessness of that law.
Well, what does that love you then? Well, if more than fills the cup, it brings it fills it to overflowing. And so there's it's impossible for us to be in the enjoyment of his love and of his joy that there will not be an overflow that will reach out to others.
And so this is my commandment. This is exactly what happens when one is really enjoying the Lord in His own soul walking in the sunshine of His love, while that heart then flows out in blessing to others. And that we see so beautifully in the life of the Lord Jesus. And that in the midst of His whole pathway there was always that overflow that was reaching out to sinners all around him.
Never did one come to him, and his or her need, but that there was an overflow that reached out to them. Had the disciples failed? Were they striving? Who should be the greatest? Still his heart must overflow to them. And he said he are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint on the US Kingdom as my father hath appointed me. And so this should indeed exercise each one of us. Why is it that our hearts are so cold toward one another?
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Well, it's because we're not enjoying His love. That's the only way that there can be an overflow of divine love reaching out to others. And if we only love others because of what we see in them, that's not divine love. Natural love must see something in the object alone, and love because of what it sees and what it admires. But divine love? That's because of what it is in its source. And so the water that I shall give Him shall be in Him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
And so there needs to be nothing in the object to draw out the loud. It's the heart of God telling himself out.
And through His Grace we can be the instruments of that.
Let us turn for a moment to Ephesians chapter.
Chapter 3.
And the 17th verse, that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith, that he, being looted and grounded in laws, may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breadth and length of depth and height. And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that he might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly about all that we ask for things.
According to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without ends.
Well, he reveals to us the measures of the blessing, the lengths and breadths and depths and heights, and then that love that passes knowledge. And it says that he might be filled with all the fullness of God. We can't contain that fullness, but we can be filled with it.
And it'll always make the overflow. And so it goes on to say unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Would we have ever asked our thoughts, who have been a black blessed so abundantly as we have? Such things as God has purposed, would never have entered our minds. But that's how he brought this bragging. And so the heart returned first to the giver, unto him be glory, and then reaching out to to others, as we have in the 4th chapter in blessing to them. So a little hymn says that law that gives not as the world but shares.
All it possesses.
With its lost coheirs, notice that in the 19th first he speaks of another love. Very remarkable that the two ways that he speaks of love and and these verses we're considering. He says if you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because he'll know the world that I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
So there is love in the world.
Well, I said. Do not Republicans love them?
Love their friends and so on. So there is a natural love, a love that found everywhere.
Apart from Christ. But it shows that the love that He's Speaking of here is the Divine love. Love the Lord has spoken in His wonderful mercy to you and me.
Then they came in the law that demanded love, the law that said also love, the Lord thy God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and thy neighbor thyself. Well that was addressed to man in the place. And the law couldn't, and the law couldn't produce it. Now you notice the Lord speaks of his command, that this is my commandment, that he loved one another.
Oh, isn't that question as I have loved you. There's no limit to that, is there? As I have loved you.
Well, the commandments of Moses were a death to man in the flesh, and only set the flesh in motion.
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But the commandments of Christ are addressed to the new nature, and only one with a new nature really loves your blessed Lord as I have loved you. And that's the power, and that's the motive of that love that is awakened in the heart. So that command coming from Christ gives the true desire.
For loving one another and it's always with a thought and to the purpose of working and leading on.
Those who are the objects of that love, they certainly wouldn't so want to encourage one in the wrong course by showing the rest of them that would be disobedient. So sometimes when faithfulness, we have to even avoid those who are walking in a wrong path, that it should never be with harshness or unkindness in our hearts toward them. But we're the deepest love and concern.
For their blessings.
It's lovely to see that displayed in those who are men of like patterns with ourselves. I think of Moses in the old fasteners who had such a real love for the people of God, and how at the end of his journey, after all that he had endured from the very people whom he had tried to help and leave, the Lord finally told Moses that he was going to have to take him away. Without seeing the desire of his heart fulfilled, he wasn't going to be able to lead them into the lab. And Moses response to that news seems to me to be so very, very touching.
You would expect him to feel terribly upset about it, but he said, Lord, if you're going to have to take me away before these people are brought into the land, please see to it that someone is raised up that will care for them and faithfully lead them in. I think that's so lovely.
To think that Moses real care and love was for the people of God. And even if he was going to miss that great privilege, his first thought seems to have been for the people, that he was going to leave the eyes that they might not be left without stopwatch to lead them into the land.
And so Paul and the New Testament.
After having endured much from the very people whom he thought to serve, he says, I am willing to love you, though The more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. I don't think that was the natural fall of harshness that was seeking there. I really feel sure it was the fulfillment of that which we see here in these versions.
In the assistant of John, Chapter 5.
And verse 3IN connection with keeping his commandments, I believe we have something very blessed to encourage our hearts by the same beloved apostle John is seeking a gang of a commander and say and so in chapter 5 over your face, epistle of John and verse 3 is what the word of God has to say. And this is the Lord of God that we keep His commandments. And these commandments have not grievous because they're not based on along the line of illegals.
Deepen the law, but at the response of the heart and love, of the love of God that gives us the way to keep.
Command them. And these are as I have already, we have already mentioned, not the 10 commandments, but as the word of Christ, whatever your commander to do it. But it's very blessed to see that it says here that his commandments are not grievous because he's not speaking to the natural man, is it?
You're twice in the Lords Ministry in the upper room.
He has that. He left one another as I have loved you, I think in the 14th chapter and by this.
You you shall be my disciples. I believe that's the way it reads business.
I.
And.
34th verse of the 13th chapter a new commandment. I give to you that she loved one another as I have loved you, that she also loved one another. By this shall all men know that he are my disciples if you have love one to another.
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Well, the testimony is that in the world.
Something we should cover. Something we should rejoice in when we see it, when there's really that bully loves going out for the dear people of God. And you'll find, well than I believe that you divide this chapter into the three subjects contained in it. You'll find first abiding in Christ, and then you'll find.
A lot for the brother.
And then you'll find the enmity of the world.
And I believe that those 3 truths follow one upon another. Where there is the true abiding in Christ, it leads to love for our brethren. And the more there is seen in our lives of love for one another, the more we are separated from the whole course.
Of this godless world, and therefore they will be the same hatred towards Christ.
That feel kind among ourselves.
That verse that our brother read first John 3/5 first John 5. Rather the verse before says by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. I believe that is also important because very often when we seek to walk in the truth.
If we're accused of not showing love, that's a very common thing that we hear. Well, we should just show love.
But there are times when faithfulness to God is required and it says by this we know that we love the children of God. How do we know when we love God and keep His commandments? Now it's not showing the divine love to encourage a child of God in a path of disobedience to the word of God. If one of my children has been disobedient and I've had to discipline my child and you go and put your arm around it and show love to it.
You may do a great deal of harm to the child, and it will not be true love. But to still love the child, to encourage the child to walk in obedience to the parents of that showing real love to the child. And it's also showing love to the parent who is seeking the good of the child. And for there are times when love to the Lord enables us and teaches us to be faithful. But it isn't.
That the love is ever till I say.
Taken out of the heart, it's there. God loves the Sinner, the vault sinners. But if he rejects that love, then he must come under the hand of God and judgment. But it's important that we keep divine love in its true place because.
We find a great deal of natural love and natural love out of it. So out of its God ordained order is sin. So we find that God is the one who has implanted natural love in the heart of man. But to use that natural love in a way that is disobedient to the word of God is is what's filling the world with violence and corruption today.
Natural love must have its proper directions, and we have it in the word of God.
It has been given of God, but it has its proper directions. And so divine love has the direction of the word of God to show us. So I quote the verse again. By this we know that we love the children of God. Now it has its direction when we love God and keep it to His commandments.
Second Peter, one where the apostle was going over add to your Facebook and so on that he says that among other things to add to brotherly love his charity was really love.
That's what you were saying further in love and then is followed by divine love.
It's very easy.
We're such a.
Unstable things in ourselves who allowed us the personal friendship and those who like whose ways are available to us to sway our judgment so that divine love isn't manifested. And we all need to exercise about that because there are those that we love dearly and our families and.
00:30:21
Those who are especially kind and have been our friends for many years.
We cannot.
Satisfied so the claims of Christ and that divine love because of this human friendship. But I believe there should be this, and we see it illustrated in the case of Joseph and his brother.
Girl spoke, heart like him. So why were fallen? He went off and leftover Well, if there was more of that, going off and weeping over the very facts, we had to be faithful. Perhaps there would be a a clearing up and coming in the greatest hand of God and restoring and setting things right.
That the reason for that little word in first Peter, one see that he loved one another with a pure heart, verbally. The introduction of those words with a pure heart, with control, the display of that perfect love.
With Ephesians 4 connects with that in some way keeping.
The truth in love, that is the truth not separated from love.
Maintaining, keeping the truth, walking in the truth and keeping it in love until we left the thought there too is it. And this is that which would build up the body of the fight, not tear it down. I believe sometimes natural love coming in is tends to to separate and tear down because the truth isn't maintained, perhaps because of our affection for a loved one going on, perhaps sadly.
Keeping the truth in love. Then we find the bodybuilding itself up in love, you know?
Goes together doesn't We can't separate truth from love. That is its divine operation. But sometimes we can. We can minister the truth as cold facts. Without love I might illustrate it like this. My neighbor might be in need. And so I asked someone to take in some food to the neighbor and he takes it in. And then a brisk cold way, he says here I have to give you this.
Well.
The food was all right. There was nothing wrong, and the food tasted the same, perhaps, but still it was spoiled, because that wasn't the way I wanted it given. And now, brethren, when we minister the truth, whether it's in the gospel or to the Saints of God, we're not doing it in the right way unless we do it according to the heart of the giver. And what is the heart of the giver? Oh, how he loves the dinner, Because our brother remarked, the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
Announced its judgment, and so are the Saints of God. If we seek to minister the truth to let us do it according to the heart of the giver, What did it cost God to secure this blessing to us? And what kind of people were we when He picked us up in His grace and since He picked us up in His grace?
Well, that's ministering the truth according to the heart of the giver, and so how much better it would be received by the neighbors if it's given something with their love? Said, Well, your neighbor next door fell for you in your trial, and he just like to express his thoughtfulness and love to you in this way.
Well, that's the way you wanted to serve a sons. That's the way God wants the guns. And this should exercise each one of us in giving out the gospel or and serving the things that we do it according to the heart of the giver.
A pale first of our capture. This is my commandment, early 13th place. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Now we find that when it comes to Christ being all planning, there's no condition in that at all. He has laid down his life for us. He couldn't have given more. He gave himself. He was a Good Shepherd that gave his life for the sheep.
00:35:01
But when it comes to the our being his friends, and there is a condition, and that condition is this. You are my friends. If you do whatsoever I command you so that be in that space as a friend of Christ, there must be The Walking in the past of obedience to His word subject to Christ.
Have a lovely example in the case of Abraham, didn't we? Don't we, brother?
Abraham Watts in Separation from the World in Communion. But God, and we have in the Epistle of John to say that he was called the friend of God. And when we're going to be into the 18 shops that are a child, a Janice chapter with Genesis, he said, Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I will do it?
And so our blessed is that God doesn't call a servant that we are his friends. In that sense we not servant like the people in the Old Testament. Isn't that what we friend? And all the wonderful tickets that we have has been revealed to us, not only the Old Testament, but no in the whole council of God in the New Testament. And I believe that this is the thought of the Lord Jesus that all the counselors of God know are revealed to us in the word of God.
What is the night about? Thinking of that very thought brother, in connection with Abraham in the 18th of Genesis, where the Lord says, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do? And then the 19th verse. I've enjoyed it so much.
Is the Lord says I know him. I know him. Is that he will command his children in his household absence. God knew him well. I wonder how much God knows of us. Does He see us in this desire to follow him?
To keep the commandments as it were, we've been seeking our good thinking about how lovely that was to hear. To have this recorded of this dear man where I know him. What does God know us? Does our Father know us in this way as obedient children?
There's a group of Christians that call themselves friends. Well, I don't think that we could consistently ever call ourselves friends because here is something for Wisconsin to be exercised about. Am I really walking in obedience to his command? If not, well then it raises the question.
And the Lord really considering me among his friends. So it is a word for the constant to exercise us as to how far we're walking in that way, whereby he can call a friend and then he can communicate to us his mind and thought. And the last says we are. I'm sure we all realize how often we have missed the mind of the Lord.
And not follow the path that was when obedience to His word. And so it should leave us very humble and wrong, that it might be true that we could be threatened by Abraham along the friends of God. No higher honor in this whole life is there than that.
I remember Father saying quite often, you can never preach the gospel well unless you love lost souls. You can't serve your brethren well unless you love your brethren. What we do for that? A life and nature that is really characterized by that very well, and it needs to be.
Served within us and it's a very, very tender and wonderful thing to experience that I think of Saul, who surely was a heavenly minded man and encouraged all the rest of us to rejoice in the Lord no matter what the circumstances.
But when he was on his way to Rome, and certain brethren came to meet him, the Scripture records that he thanked God and took courage. I like that Paul thanks God and took courage when he saw the faces of those dear brethren from Rome that have heard about it and have confidently here, and know how encouraging, if we have felt it, have we ever.
00:40:05
Contributed a little in that direction.
Others we have not. The encouragement of the sweetness of it we read in The farther Better is a dinner of her where love Is and a stall off that interest therewith. And to sit down to a dinner of herbs for a lot of kids have sealed after of it is something very, very practiced. I hope it's not a myth to make this comment, but I've had the privilege.
The privilege, once in a while, of eating Mexican tortillas. They have three ingredients.
Ground forms and water and love, and that's what makes them taste so good.
In connection with this 15th verse, I was just thinking of the 12Th chapter of Romans.
Romans chapter 12 and verse one.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, whorely acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or the new translation. The other word is your intelligence, service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good and acceptable.
And perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according, as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Well, I was thinking of it in connection with what we have here in this 15th verse. We're not called servants, but friends for all things that I have heard of. My father I have made known unto you in the Old Testament their service as our brother. And Mark was not an intelligent service. If you asked an Israelite, well, why do you cut that animal in such a way and sacrifice? All he could answer was, well, that's what Jehovah said.
That's the way it's to be done, but I can't explain why they were not given an intelligence service. The whole Tabernacle and temple was a picture and a figure of the heavenly things and of good things to come. But they didn't understand it. And what they did was not an intelligence service. But now in Christianity we have been called to serve, but it's an intelligence service.
The Spirit of God dwells in us. The whole counts of the thoughts and counsels of God has been have been revealed. There is nothing in the heart of God yet to be revealed as to His counsels and purposes. They've been made known, and so that we serve intelligently when we gather to remember the Lord. We know what the one Lord speaks of. We know what the cup speaks of. We know what baptism figures we enter into these things.
Entitled at least to enter into them intelligently, so that our service is an intelligent service. But no, it says that she may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Well, here we have about doing His commandments. And what do we find in this path? Why we find it a good and acceptable and perfect will. Oh brother, and there's never any one who walks in the path of obedience that won't testify to this.
If you have never traveled over a certain Rd. I might tell you. Well, I've been over it, and I can tell you it's a good Rd. Yes, I can speak of it as something that I have traveled will speak to any Christian who has sought to walk in the will of God. Has he found it grievous? Will he tell you all that? That's a bad rule. Don't try that. No, he'll tell you it's a good. It's an acceptable. It's perfect. It doesn't mean that there are enough trials, but the company that we have in that path is what makes it a blessed path.
And now just one more thing. What does it mean to be conformed to the world?
Well, brother, and I believe there's something very heart searching for us in this, and that is that the principle of being conformed to the world is having a good opinion of self. The whole world operates on this principle. Have a good opinion of yourself. Make everybody think that you're someone important. Attract as much attention as you can be yourself, because you're the big person, you're the big shot. And if you don't look after yourself, nobody else will.
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The world operates on this principle, and we as Christians can get this principle operating in our hearts too. And we're surprised when we really look into them and see how much itself there is. But since we have been saved, and now there's a new principle that has been brought into our lives and what is it? To attract attention to self? No, to attract attention to our wonderful Savior. To cause people to see beauty in Him, even although we have failed.
And so we need that continual renewing of the mind. You pick up the magazines of the world, and what do they do? They'll always set self before you in some way or other. Even the kind acts they tell you to do. What are they for? Total. It's for yourself. It's for the good that you'll receive from it. But only Christianity gives us a principle and a power outside of self.
And that is to find our joy and our happiness in living first for the glory of God, and 2nd for the blessing of others and all brethren. We need this continual renewing of the mind. We need to be constantly and always reminded that there is no other way for us.
But to walk in obedience to His will, and in that will to find happiness. And so I I believe it's something that we need to have continually before us and that is that we should prove this, this good and acceptable and perfect will. Now that's why the Lord says I've called you friends. He said I've brought you into the good of this. And now he said, as you walk with me, you'll find.
A bad enjoyment in company with me.
Oh, may the Lord grant that we'll know more of this. It's true peace, it's true happiness and all. How many hurt feelings would be avoided if we thought, well, how does this affect Christ? That's the important thing. How does it affect the good of his Saints? How does it affect the testimony before the world? Not self, But his glory then is to be the motor spring. And as we walk in that, then we find the friendship of one.
Ever the same.
In the Gospel of John chapter one and verse 35, I'd like to read one or two verses there. The Gospel of John chapter one, verse 35.
That says again the next day after John stood, after John stood and two of his disciples. And looking up on Jesus as he walked, he said, behold the Lamb of God. And two of his disciples heard him speak, and they followed the Lord Jesus beloved bear. And this is true ministry is to make the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Flashes to the heart of the other is not to attract people to myself, but to attract others to the person of the Lord Jesus, as the true ministry is.
Then as two of the Sinner, 2 is to find the Sinner through the blessed person of the Lord Jesus, as the true gospel is.
That's the last part of that fifteenth verse. For all things that I've heard of, my father, I have made known unto you. Isn't that a wonderful statement? God, son, a man down here in this world, entering into our feelings and our thoughts, men and women in this world.
That sub one has communicated to us all at the Forest Park would have.
Enjoying and understand as they go on to the scene where he was an outcast stranger and I already know appeal that he has sent the Holy Spirit to make all this good in our souls so that.
What we have in the Epistles is really coming from Christ himself.
That He refused, not him that speaketh from heaven. That's in the 12Th chapter of Hebrews. So that we not only have the Lords instruction when he was here, but now that he has gone back to the glory, He has sent the Holy Spirit down, and He is revealing to us all that was in the Father's heart.
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Towards his people, and not only that he has revealed again the words, but now when we are in the public state of soul, he makes those things reveals good and practical to our souls, so that we belong in the good of it and the blessing of it and the enjoyment of it.
I think that's very important. Brother Barry, if you notice the 16th chapter, the 16th chapter and the 12Th verse.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but he cannot bear them now. How be it? When he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truths. For he shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, And he will show you things to come, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Could we connect that now, brethren with a verse in Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12?
And verse 25 see.
That she refused, not him the speaker. For if they escaped, not who refused him, that spake on her Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.
Great deal of emphasis being laid in Christendom upon the words that the Lord Jesus spoke here upon earth, And the Bibles are put out showing the words of Christ that He spoke here upon earth in red, as though those were the only words that He spoke. But we notice here from John 16 and from Hebrews 12, that the Lord had many things more to say that He did not say in His pathway here.
And that he is now speaking from heaven. And So what we have in the Epistles, brethren, is the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven.
And we are never LED into the full fruits of the finished work of Christ until we come to the Epistles, because in the Epistles we have the voice of a glorified Christ speaking through the apostle by the Spirit, which lead us into the enjoyment of Christian positions. And the Lord didn't lead his own outside of the fold of Judaism while he was here, he said, the Pharisees sit in Moses feet, all left with a significant observes. I'd observe and do.
That is He. He left them, so to speak, in the sheepfold of Judaism. He spoke about how he was going to lead them out, but that awaited the accomplishment of redemption. And a glorified man at God's right hand and the Spirit of God come down to reveal these things to us.
And to neglect the truth of the Epistles, particularly those epistles of Paul, which gives to us what he received from Christ in glory, is to miss true Christianity that completed the full revealed mind of God.
Believe it's very important for us because there's much of Christendom that is not in the enjoyment of the blessedness of this today, because they don't go any further than the life of Christ. I guess some have heard our brothers Ch. Brown perhaps make a remark like this, he said when I was brought up in one of the systems of men. He said we traced the birth of Christ, the life of Christ.
The death of Christ. The resurrection of Christ. We saw him till the moment that the cloud received him out of their sights. But he said Christianity begins the other side of the cloud. Well, I believe that's a good remark. That is, it's a glorified Christ in heaven that brings us into the full blessedness of the works that has been accomplished and that has been revealed to us through the epistles, as we have very clearly in the end of Romans.
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Now that this is now made known to all men for the obedience of faith among all nations, and in these days I believe that the Spirit of God would have us to be in the enjoyment of these precious things, and that's what the Lord is Speaking of here.
He has now revealed these things to us by the Spirit.
Now when you go on to the 16th floor, she have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask for the Father in My name.
He may give it you now that falls really upon.
You are my friend, if you do whatsoever I command you. Now, to whom can the Lords?
Then can the Lord use to reveal His mind and truth and thought why? It's the one who is in obedience to His words, keeping His commandments.
Now here's the one that is set apart will be used of him as a hero of the of the thought that shows all that God would have revealed to man. So the communication of the truth of God is very determined on a walk of obedience. That isn't to say that God doesn't end his faith overrule in many cases.
Where there are those who are not in the Buddhist of the.
Full gospel or even preaching like those and Paul see all of.
Consentions not sincerely. God overrules and uses the even one table that's not saved to accomplish these persons and to save a poor Sinner. But still God's way of communicating his mind is left Before here was that that he has true and ordained.
To go forth and bring forth further, well, it seems built here is the.
Is the evidence that the work is clearly of God and then you find?
For all the the the 1St to every he shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. Now that seems to be a sparsely in connection.
Where the testimony of those that the Lord has chosen and sent out as tales of His of His thoughts, we long to see blessings. Where are we walking? First in obedience, and then we're looking to the Lord.
The way and the means on the how he would bear the communication of his mind to others.
I believe we can say morally that that's why we have the 13th chapter coming in before this. Because as I believe you remarked before, the Lord first watched the disciples feet before he communicated these things. And I've often thought of what Peter said. Lord thou self never wash my feet. And sometimes there is something in our walking ways is that is a hindrance to the reception of the truth of God.
And I wonder if we're not sometimes like Peter and say, oh Lord, I can't give that up. I want to learn the truth, but I don't want to give that up. Well, I'm afraid we're like Peter sometimes. And the Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. He didn't say I can't use you. And as you said, sometimes God might use a person even out of communion, but he can't be his true servant in the sense of one walking in communion.
As one of his friends, one who is able to represent him not only in what he says.
But as the Apostle says in Philippians, let's turn to it in Philippians.
Chapter 2.
Philippians 2 and verse 15. That he may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. That is the testimony that we live now. The next verse is the spoken testimony holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain.
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Neither labored in vain saw the tour to go together, the spoken, the testimony that we live and the testimony that we speak now that's God's desire. And when Gideons men went out against the Midianites, they had a trumpet in one hand and a lamp and an empty pitcher in the other, because the trumpet was the spoken testimony and the lamp was the testimony that was lived.
And they were both necessary. And I might say that the word consecration really comes from a word that means both hands fall. And if you and I are truly consecrated to the Lord, why, they'll be that knows two sides to our life, the testimony that we live and the testimony that we speak. That is, that is true consecration to the Lord. And the Lord delates in that it truly proved for him it's not just to speak.
Although he may and his sovereignty use it, but to live it so that others will see it.
I remember just tell us little incident for the sake of those that are younger.
There was a story in the Masses of Love some time ago about a child and she went to school in one of the hidden lands to learn to read. But she was rather a dull scholar and she couldn't seem to get hold of it. And it was really the Lords and she wanted to be able to read to her people from the word of God. And she seemed to be making very poor progress and she was very sad because she felt she couldn't.
Do this little service but the one who was teaching her said, Well, you can't perhaps learn to read the Bible, but you can live the Bible before them. You can be one that lives the testimony even though you can't speak the testimony. Well, that's a lovely thing for young and olders living the testimony, and they're seeking the testimony, isn't there?
Get the same stops in the 12Th loop where the large skirted and like burning The Dirty lawns received the burning light, that is.
The lawn service, as I take it, is our whole lives regulated by the word of God instead of being just loose and going on in a terrorist and indifference dates.
We check everything up is that construction with God's holy word and then the light burned. Then we can be a testimony to Him.
Isn't that lovely too? He says. You have not chosen me.
No, we didn't choose the Lord Wonderful grace that he should have picked us up.
I have chosen you.
That they should go and bring forth truth, and that your fruit should remain.
Your thoughts on that fruit remaining?
Well, I like the there might be the sample before others. The scripture says by their fruits he shall know them. So there is the fruit that the eye of man beholds. But we might be deceived when Simon the sorcerer professed to be saved. Why? I believe Phillip thought the work was real, but that wasn't proof that remained, and we might do a great deal, and perhaps get the approval of our brethren.
But if it's done before the eye of God, out of love for the Lord in obedience to Him, it's fruit that will remain and will be manifested in that day. So there is the fruit that man sees, and there's the fruit that God sees. And much that appears great in the eyes of men may not be for praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. It says in Second Timothy 2 if a man.
Strives for the mastery, yet is he not crowned except he strives lawfully.
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There might be a race and someone comes in first in the race and everyone applauds that person and gives them a greater claim. But then the the judge said, well no, he's disqualified. He broke one of the rules.
Well, he got all the acclaim, but he didn't get the reward. And that's exactly what is being told us, that we're not to live for man's acclaim. There may be that which appears grace before man, but God is the true judge, isn't he? Thing you get in the third chapter of First Corinthians if any man's worth abide with the ability to come, that he shall receive a reward.
And again there the Lord is the dead, and many things will not be seen their proper lights until that day come. The Lord has been speaking into the Father, he says.
I just turned to up to the 17th of John.
So.
They can't work all miners on and miners on and I am glorified in them.
Well, it might be that a bed ridden screen is glorifying scarred more in being subject and submissive, humbling, humble to the Lords will and one who is actively out in gates in the Lords work because there's more or less for prominence, more or less.
Is before the eye of man that the whole thing is, the Lord says.
I am glorified in them. Let's go in the exercise about that. Are we really?
Is Christ being really glorified in our lives? Whatever position, whatever we're passing through, may his glory be with first concern that we have. And you know, the Lord doesn't say this to his disciples. He doesn't tell the disciples, well, I'm glorified in you. Oh no, He tells the Father about that.
We were not a nice example.
Late gospel look, I was thinking particularly at where, he says behind the things and his name is rarely mentioned. But I'm not a Christian. There's a lot of physicians.
He was headed behind the other.
I'm thinking of that also in the 17th of Jeremiah.
I think there's a very at least I've enjoyed it.
The 17th of Jeremiah verse 7.
Blessed is the man that prompt us in the wars and who the Lord is. I thought of it in this way. Here's Blessed is the man that trusted in the Lord, every believer.
Unless he trusts what he is, a believer, he's just not the warriors.
But then it says, And who thought the Lord is to go on in it now right on to the end? Who votes? The lawyer. This goes beyond just being trusting the Lord. But then it goes on and it says, For he shall be as a tree, planted by the waters that spread about the roots by the river, and shall not see when he comes, But her leaves shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of the drop. Neither shall see from yielding fruit.
But it first begins by trusting the Lord and going on in the hope of the Lord.
So it's a continual thing, isn't it? Until that day when the Lord Jesus comes. But how nice to see that it's a as a tree planted by the water.
Go very far, but it surely has a great blessing to those that are rounded.
And leave this loud and enlightening to others. And so it says, Hurry, shall be green or I think this is very precious to know that they're trusting the Lord and going on in the hope of the Lord. There is truth, it says, neither shall.
From yearly proof, the proof remains.
Right to notice here that in the in the transport, he says this is my commandment, that he loved one another as I have loved you. And then he goes over the subject that we have been considering and then we repeat that these things I command you.
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That beloved one another. So there must be the constant exercise of love 1 towards another. So easy to allow to go cold and to get legal and to get.
There that we're not sympathetic with one another in their various tribes and troubles and little birds. You said to me one time, he said These conferences are good for, he said. When we were away from each other, we get legal towards each other.
When we come together, he said, our hearts get warmed up. And he said a lot of those feelings, you know, disappear. Well. It is where the truth that is for wonderful spring that God does permit his Saints to come together.
Here together this afternoon, This morning.
A disaster. Another side. I suppose that the remaining when Jonathan, we know he was laid on a bottle field, but when you start to Philip Stein prior to that, that was lost What?
But truthful name, even though he failed in the end and.
Move through. The Lord is notice of we must fail whatever. We don't have any fruit for him in the name.
Just the same, of course, on the First Corinthians spring that.
Well, the design that described by SPY was the hill pointed out one time.
He said there wouldn't be a click and not have all burned up and there wouldn't be a question that I have all gone and versus stones.
Because the the combination of votes and all.
I'm just going to say because there's a great deal said about fruit and thinking of it in connection with blessing in the gospel and so on.
It's very important that we realize that the proof that remains is that which is according to the mind of God.
Sometimes illustrators that like this, supposing there's a person and he's fishing, the Lord said I will make you fishes of men.
And he seems to have a wonderful catch of fish in his bone is pretty well filled with good fish, and everyone thinks he's a wonderful fisherman. But then the game warden comes along and he begins to check up and he says, well, now we have certain rules here about fishing in this lake. Have you observed these rules? Oh, immediately deflated. Now it looks like he got a great deal of fish, but.
She didn't go by the rules of the fishing and brethren, let us not forget, God has a way that he wants His work to be done.
And we may catch a lot of fish, but it may not be according to the way that God has told us. And thank God He's sovereign and souls are going to be saved. But our responsibility is obedience. Let us be content to walk in obedience. The game warden is coming along someday.
There is going to be that time when everything will be made manifest, and So what does the Scripture say?
He that doeth the will of God abide us forever, that is again the Lord speaking to the disciples, He that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same as my brother and sister and mother. How much emphasis is laid in the word of God on the importance of doing the will of God?
I say this because there might be someone who has thought to walk in obedience to the word of God, and the enemy might say, but you've lost many opportunities and you could reach the great many souls. But remember, God has a way. He wants his work done.
And it's much better to have his approval. And it says it shall be brought unto praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I remember Brown saying to me one time years ago that there will be no more souls in heaven because of my faithfulness, and there will be no more souls in hell because of my unfaithfulness.
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He says all I can do, he says, is to sit to to to walk according to the word of God.
Well, very often even in the game laws of the world, how they don't allow people to fish with Nets and why? Well, they want everyone to have a share in it. And when somebody comes along with Nets and empties out the lake of all the fish that are there, while everyone didn't have a share and God intended that everyone of his own should have a share, he tells us that we each have a a place and a part in his work and.
He wants us to do that little fearless for him. It says unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Sora is just 60. Go on in obedience and leave the results with the Lord. As our brother remarked, not one soul will be lost through our unfaithfulness. And God has the work to be done, and it's going to be done happy for us if we do the part that he wants us to do in US.
Brown often made the remark that the word of God doesn't say well done, thou, good and successful servants. It says well done, now good and faithful servants, and I just like to read 2 verses in Second Timothy 2 In that connection. There was a young man I met, and he told me that he had a path of service before him that was going to take him into places where he was troubled as to what they actually taught.
But he said, I feel that I can help stem the tide. I feel that I can save souls there. So he said I'm going to seek to do that. So I read them verse the latter part of verse 19 of Second Timothy 2 and let everyone that name of the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
But in the Great House there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wooden earth and thumbs, water, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters youth, and prepared unto every good work. As the young brother, you're telling me that if you go in the path that you're, you feel the word of God is not honored and obeyed.
You're going to see fruit, the word of God says. If you purge yourself from that which is dishonouring to the Lord, then you'll be a vessel.
Meet and for the master use and prepared unto every good, good, good work. So when our capture we had proof that you were mentioning butter, Barry yesterday more fruit. Much fruit. And then in verse 14, as you emphasize, ye are my friends. If you do whatever I command you, and the result is your fruit shall remain, there'll be proof that will abide to his eternal praise and glory.
The 13th verse in John's festival. In that connection I was thinking of the second chapter of first John.
6.
He that spent the abiders in him.
Asked himself, also thought to walk he.
That is, I understand it to be either abides in God.
Arkansas so also to walk even the right wall.
Well, it's true, isn't it, that we can't be like Christ one who was holy perfectly.
In this world. But the Scriptures now appear as a child of God, if by saying that I abide in him, I ought to walk like Christ. That is, there's a testimony connected with this.
We certainly are not like Christ he was.
Perfect. We're not perfect, but we have a perfect example, don't we? How lovely to know that he says he ought himself also to walk, even as he walks.
In his walk in his pathway with the fact of obedience, righteousness, and love.
Perfect pass, but was it a successful pass as far as the world was concerned? I think some of it was mentioned yesterday.
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No, Outwardly, it looks as though it wasn't for the president.
But it was leading to God that was the thing, wasn't It was obedient.
And that's what we're we're enjoying to do here.
He said he abideth in him or himself, so also to watch evil fight.
And leave the results with him.
It looks very thin, Romans, that says everyone of us shall give an account of himself to God. What we're saying in this time is not to find fault with others, We have to leave others with the Lord. Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached, whether it was in pretense or in truth. But we are responsible ourselves to walk in obedience to the word of God.
There were some that came and told the Lord about the ones who they met who were casting out devils in.
Name and the Lord said have forbidden not. There is no man that can do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. It's world. And notice that the Lord didn't say to stop that man, nor did he tell the disciples to go and join and work with that man. And so with us. We're thankful that the gospel goes forth, but we are responsible to test things by the word of God.
And we're responsible for our own path, and it will give us peace and quietness in our own souls. It will deliver us from the spirit of attacking others and leave their work until the judgment seat of Christ. But for ourselves there is a path of obedience set before us in the word of God, and we're going to have to give an account of ourselves to God, that which he has made known to us. We are responsible to walk in.
And it's in the word of God that we find God's revealed mind. There may be others who are walking up to the light they have, and we have to leave them. I heard it's sad that the church was in its happiest state when it knew the least. That was on the day of Pentecost. They didn't know very much, but their hearts were full of Christ. The Spirit had come. They were one heart and one soul. Oh, what a happy group they were, but they didn't know very much.
But they went on, and they learned more. And as they learned, it says, they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.
So we don't know how far along others are in the past. Set before them the truth, walk in it ourselves, and let the Lord lead them himself by His Word and by His Spirit.
Singing, brother Hale, when you sing what you did about Bob, the Lord said he's gone when he would have forbidden the man well there is walking as he walked. And if you were not acquainted with that scripture, you wouldn't have guidance as you do. And so, brother, let's marvelous blink reading the lights, the wall of the blessed Lord good acquainted with it. And when you have quiet moments along I think over the Lord's life, first God blessed pathway.
From the mainly to the cross and to the glory, and while our blessings obey the soul.
John 15:18-27
Reading
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General Meetings Ottawa, April 1973 Last Reading meeting.
Lead on, Almighty Lord.
Lead on to victory.
Encouraged by Thy blessed word with joy, we fall thee 312.
15th chapter of John.
We have had abiding in Christ.
And love for the brethren.
And in the rest of the chapter we have the entity of the world, which, as our brothers just prayed, if there is The Walking in the truth, we'll know more of the enmity of the world.
And I was wondering if the brethren would be happy to go on with that part of the chapter, and then if time permits, we might also read the 1St 14 verses of the 16th chapter.
Strong Gospel.
Chapter 15.
And verse 18.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hated you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all of these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I am not come and spoken unto them, they have not had sinned, but now they have no cloak for their sins. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
If I had not done among them the worst, which none other man did, they have not had sin, but now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
For this cometh to bounce, that the word might be fulfilled, that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
The one that Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and ye also shall bear witness, because he had been with me from the beginning.
These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended, they should put you out of the synagogue.
Day the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service, and these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
These things have I told you, that when the time shall come, you may remember I told you of them. And these things are said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you, But now I go my way to him that send me, And none of you asketh me. Where there goest thou? But because I've said these things unto you, sorrow has filled your heart.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away, or if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
Of sin because they believe not on me.
00:10:00
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more.
Of judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged. I have many things you're saying to you, but you cannot bear them now. Now probably when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And he will show you things that come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive a mind, and shall show it unto you.
When we consider.
That is the hatred of the world towards our Blessed Lord that we are called upon to bear.
And we do need to be careful in our walking ways that are we are not disliked by the world because of our inconsistent war.
The enmity of the world towards us should be purely because we are following Christ. We're seeking to live for Him. We're seeking to walk in obedience to His word. Then there'll be happiness in the soul, even though they'll be persecutions and trials in our pathways.
Or that the case with Daniel, perhaps, when they sought to find The Cave and against him, but could find no cage, and except it was concerning the law in God. He was, you might say, was too religious for them, but apart from that they could find no fault with him.
And with the Lord Jesus it says, The reproaches of them that reproach thee are falling upon me so that is, he was reproached because he perfectly represented his Father here upon earth.
He that he could say, he that hath seen me, have seen the Father. And what we have in the end of this chapter is just as though the world were to say, well, this is what God is like. We don't want him, because here was one in this world who perfectly revealed the Father. And so it's lovely for us to think of it in this way. That's why we can sing that little hymn. There are no stranger. God shall meet thee.
That is, God has been perfectly revealed in Christ. Do we wish to know what he's like? Trace the pathway of the Lord Jesus here, and we see God manifest in the flesh. We see one whose every action, whose every motive, the very tone of his voice, were always perfect.
So that he could stand before those who accused him, and say, which of you convinced me of sin. And when they asked him who he was, he said altogether that which I said unto you from the beginning. In other words, his life had fully corresponded with what he had said, who he had said he was.
You'll notice here there are two kinds of love in this chapter.
The 17th verse, these things I command you that she loved one another. Then the 19th verse, if he were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hated you. So do we crave, or do we seek the love of our brethren? Or do we crave out to the love of the world?
Well, we're seeking after the love of the world. We surely are not seeking after the love of our brother.
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And just think, beloved, what that means to have the love of our brethren. I don't know of anything.
So to speak that we have.
More experience with an awkward thing than the love of our brethren, what it could be in the most desirable place in this world, the best climate, and just have everything that heart could desire. And you had no fellowship with your brethren.
Would you be happy in those circumstances? I think everyone here responds, No, it isn't circumstances. It isn't the present advantages. Of course the enjoyment of the Lord's love comes first, but we do have and we do.
We are privileged to have the love of our brother, and let's seek in every way to cultivate that.
And to do nothing to hinder that love.
In the first chapter of Hebrew and verse three we have something very important to consider in connection with the Lord Jesus himself. And he is our example. Isn't it Hebrew? Chapter 12 and verse three says, for consider him that in due to such a contradiction of a Senate against himself, last he be weary and fans in your mind, and you have not resisted unto blood this time against Him. So the Blessed Lord Jesus, the word of suffering.
The attorney software that we have on 1St Peter Chapter One where stands.
In which the Spirit of God brings before us that precious food, that search in what? For what manner of time? The Spirit of Christ, which within them did. See, if I, when a testified beforehand, the suffering of Christ and the glory that you follow, but as a mother of suffering for him, That is two of us to Italy, beloved brethren, his suffering, and then blood.
In what is also in this 19th verse. But I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hated you.
The Lord takes the people right out of this world.
Well, we could ask the question then, especially for some of our younger believers. What is the world? Well, the world is used in three ways in Scripture. In one way it's looked at as a sphere, this dog on which we lived. Then another way it's looked at as the people living down here.
That's what we get in John 316. God so loved the world. That is, he loved all the people.
On this globe, then, in another way, we have the world as a system that man has built up down here in his efforts to make himself happy without God.
And during the world in that Way, we find it began with Cain, who murdered his brother and went out until the earth with music and Song built is this his Song Built cities and they tried to make.
A desirable place down here. So we might say that sin began without, but the world began with cave.
And the theme this this system that we're talking about.
Has a more solemn character today than even in the Old Testament times. As this chapter teaches us, the world has not only gone on in its willful disobedience, violation of God's.
Purposes and.
And God's order. But it has murdered his son, so that comes in farther down.
Before it says.
If I had not spoken among them that was under them, they had not sinned, But now they have no cloak for their sin, that is, they have not only gone on independent of God.
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That they had committed the awful sin of having crucified the Lord of glory.
Now that's the character of this world, and we're all living here and having to do with this system. And when you consider how man has improved this system, yeah, truly takes in every phase of life.
If it's politics, the world has its politics. If it's social life or the world has that to meet the social.
Ambitions of man and the world even has its religion. There is many phases of life that the world hasn't some provision made for it, but we're entirely taken out of this world.
And they were asked me to remember that, beloved, what the Lord is here. But I have chosen you out of the world. And the very fact that till we have been taken out of the world is what brings the enmity of the world upon God's people.
When we find a Christian enjoying the friendship or the love of the world, you find them, you hear? Well, here's their unsaved relatives, their unsaved old friends, and they're enjoying their company. Why? We know that they're not going. They're not abiding in him.
So the only way that we can love the brethren and.
And find that the love of the world has no attraction is we find that in first Peter, the first chapter and verse 22.
Seeing you purified your soul in obeying the truth.
Through the Spirit. Now what is the result? Unto unseen love of the brethren. See that she loved one another with a pure heart, fervently. Oh, what a snare this has been where dear Christians keep up their friendships. I'm not talking about that which might be meeting relatives at an occasion when it's necessary or or speaking to friends, but finding company with these ones enjoying their company.
Which is in which is enjoying the friendship.
Or the love of the world. But if we're seeking by His grace, seeing you purify your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unseemed love of the brethren, see that she loved one another with a pure heart, fervently.
The Christian position in this world is something like an ambassador as we have in 2nd Corinthians 5, and an ambassador in another country is there to represent his own, but he's not part of that whole system of things in that country. But he has a responsibility to his own government to represent his government in that, in that particular place and any attitude that is toward his government.
Is taken out on him because he's their representative now. That's the Christian position here in this world.
And we're to be willing to bear that reproach because it's the attitude of this world toward the one whom we represent here. We're his representatives here in this world, the teaching man to be reconciled to God and there at enmity with God. And that's why it tells us here in First John Chapter 5.
First John Chapter 5.
And the fourth verse. For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world. Even our faith, who is he that overcometh the world? But he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, that is, we have a life that is entirely contrary to the whole system of things down here.
Our brothers spoke in the young people's meeting about laying hold on eternal life for what is really life.
Well, our life associates us with an entirely other scene, another world as he brought before us. And so that's where our life really is. We lay hold of those things down here. By faith we walk in the good of them. And that is how it says here, Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world as we have a life that is different from the man of the world. And more than this, who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.
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So it's not that we say, well, this is wrong, or that is wrong necessarily. Perhaps some of the things are not wrong. But if it associates us with our system of things, then we say, well, what did this world do to the one whom I love the most?
Supporting The people on the street where I live murdered my wife. And then they asked me to come over to their home for a social evening. And they say we're not going to do anything that you would disapprove of. Oh, I say, but what did you do to the person I love the most? Well, that's the that's what causes us to overcome. And it's a very simple thing when we look at it in this way. It's not that we go about condemning this or that.
But we see the system as a system of things.
That is associated with those who are still saying in their hearts away with him.
Away with him and our hearts have been drawn to love Him. We've been born of God, and our position in this world is such that we find that we're a contrary to this whole world system. And I was quite struck by what it says in that 20th verse.
The servant is not greater than his Lord. If we expect better treatment in this world and our Savior, are we not putting ourselves as being better than him?
He is the Lord of glory. He's the one that died for us. We know the kind of treatment he received. And if we say, oh, and I don't think the world should treat me like that, what am I really saying? But I think I should get better treatment than my savior. Well, the Lord said, are you thinking you're greater than your Lord? If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my thing now, they will keep yours also. That is in the measure in which we represent Christ and present His word to them.
They will reject the testimony. And I remember a brother gave a a track to someone and spoke to him about the things of God and he said that this person in reply said, oh, I don't believe those things.
He said it's not what I say. You don't believe. It's the word of God that you're telling me you don't believe. Well, that's true. They're rejecting because it's not our word. When we tell a man there's a heaven, when we tell them there's a hell and he says, I don't believe there's a hell, It's not our word they're rejecting. They're rejecting the word of the Savior. And we're just the instrument to present that word to them. And as they rejected him when he spoke those words of his Father.
So we must expect that kind of treatment. But, brethren, the thing that keeps us is the enjoyment of Christ. It would be hard for me to perhaps refuse some invitation to someone who was having a little gathering if if they hadn't treated the one I love that way. But the more I love that person, the less I want to go. And this is the thing that settles it for us. And the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. The victory that overcomes the world is we realize who it was.
That they cast out the Son of God, and the Son of God loved me and gave himself for me.
There's a very subtle effort to find and christen them today is to more or less go along with the world and the hopes that to wield.
Wind souls for Christ.
It's a popular Christianity that's more or less sweeping the country.
That is, well, you can go just so far. Maybe you might go to a good show if you could have an opportunity to talk to one who takes you about his soul.
But does not the way the large sticks of its cure settle the whole thing? He says. But I have chosen you out of the world, And he tells the father the same thing in the 17th chapter.
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In the sixth verse he says, I manifested thy name unto the men which thou gave us me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gave it to me, and they have kept thy word.
There's all kinds of leaning towards popular movements today that.
Are not going on in true separation from the whole course of this evil age, or less imitating it than putting on the styles and the ways and the manners of this ungodly scene that's becoming more and more increasingly ungodly.
Well, do we not have to avoid just that character of things?
That's a real danger for us.
All the truth I'm sure, that we have known and enjoyed through these years that have separated us through the Lord and brought us into the place we believe where He has put His name.
Doesn't have to be improved on. It doesn't have to be brought up to date. The truth that we have is the truth that our forefathers were instructed by.
Beloved, let's not give in, at least in the least to any popular movement in this world that is seeking to get a religious.
Movement.
To get people.
Maybe with a true desire to get people to accept the Lord, we need to walk in that path of separation that God has revealed to us that the Lord instructs us here about.
Perhaps you could turn to the passage that is used because it's First Corinthians 9 that it's used, and I think it might be helpful to read it First Corinthians 9 and verse 19.
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself serve, and unto all that I might gain the more. And under the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the law, as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law.
To them that are without law, as without law being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, Could I read that, as it is in the new translation, hearing not without law to God, but legitimately subject to Christ, that I might gain them that are under the law to the weak, became I as weak, that I might gain the weight I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some, and this I do for the gospel sake.
That I might be partaker thereof with you. There are certain things that we can and should go along. That is when Paul came and was laboring among the Jews why he sought to reach them in that way.
And when he was laboring among the Gentiles, and he sought to reach them, and he didn't place them under law. So the thing that ought to decide many things for us is being not without law to God, but legitimately subject to Christ. If we have to do anything that's disobedient to the word of God, it would be wrong. But I'm sure that there are times when perhaps some who are serving the Lord go into very poor places.
And they were dressed accordingly. They would realize that a certain way of approach was right and proper under those circumstances. And I think the great test or criterion for us in this is, can we do it and still be subject to Christ? Now that is the thing for us to decide. Do I have to disobey the word of God to accomplish his work? Never. But if there are things that.
Supposing that they're supposed to be. Supposing that here was a person who didn't.
Think he should eat meat on Friday? Well, I sit down with him and I have the same kind of meal as him, and I say nothing about that. I'm there to talk to him about Christ, and there are things that we should recognize what the Bible says he that winneth souls is wise. I say this because there is a certain measure of truth as to how we should become all things to all men. But the careful qualification and guard is given here.
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That we're never to do it without having a responsibility to God and being subject to Christ.
I think a little of this when I see the case of Peter being found in the wrong company and eventually betray or not yet denying the Lord Jesus that he had been previously known so much as a faithful follower and disciple of the Lord Jesus that they recognized him as one who really didn't belong in their company.
Now, God forbid that any of us should ever be found in that kind of company. A theater was.
But three times over he was recognized as though you don't belong here among us, you're not one of us at all. You're very speech betrayed you, and we know that you're a follower of the Lord Jesus. Sort of. What are you doing here? Well, May God grant that our testimony may be such that here. And I say again, God forbid if we should be found in the wrong kind of company, they would immediately recognize.
And sort of say, what are you doing here? You don't belong with us at all. I know who you are. You're one of those Christians.
I feel there is that without to exercise us, our testimony should be sent that wherever we are.
We will be known as one who is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Brother is not true of every child of God that we can say they are not of the world.
In the light of the tube here, on a sense, for instance, if he were out of the world, the world would lock his own. Well, every child of God looked at his ways, looked at here is not of the world. Is that not right? I was thinking of a connection with what we get in the beginning of the 13th chapter.
There it says.
His hour was come that he should be passed out of this world unto the Father, having lost his own, which were in the world in love.
Them unto the end. And so it is that we are in the world, but we are not of the world, and the world lost it all while the Lord Jesus ensued love his own though it says having lost his own which were in the world.
He loved them upon the end and when we come to the 17th chapter, the Lord Jesus in his prayer be against us in the 16th verse. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Now sometimes you are saying our walk may not evidence this, but nevertheless this is true. I believe revenue everyone was young and older belong to Christ, and he even goes on to say in the 18th verse of that 17th after.
As thou hast sent me into the world.
Even so have I also sent them into the world. I believe it's been illustrated as often, if we can figure it that way. As if the moment we were saved, the Lord, as it were, took us to glory and sent us back into the world. We belong to heaven now. We belong to places. It's going to be our home. But we're sent into the world. But never, never are we looked at as of the world. Is that right?
Certainly yes, as singing. Some of you brethren like you Brother John, have had more experience than making a living in the world and yet seeking to maintain separation from the world.
The only one that could help our young people on that subject. See, I was a farmer and I never had too much.
Occasion to really rub shoulders with the character of the world.
We know it today.
There's also a verse in First Corinthians 7, First Corinthians 7 and verse 31.
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And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passes away. I believe another translation is not disposing of it as it were our own. We do use up to a certain extent the fashion of the world. Most of us here went to the store and bought our clothes.
And in that sense we do use the fashion of the world, but we're not to do it as though it were our own. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. And so if we find something in connection with the fashions of the world, and that is inconsistent with our Christian testimony for them in faithfulness to the Lord, we say, well, my body is not my own. I seek to glorify God, or should.
In my appearance and everything.
But we can be very thankful that we don't have to wear a particular type of clothes because we're Christians, unless there is something in those things that is contrary to the Christian testimony. I say that because we know there are those who have gone to the extreme of making a certain mode of apparel that everyone must dress this particular way because.
They belong to this group. No. The Christian goes through this world. He's in it, but not of it. He uses the world, but he's he's not to use it as his own. And he sees everything as something that he doesn't live for and strive after, but something that's going to pass away. And his heart is set on things above. And that the whole character of his testimony here in this world is not to attract attention to himself.
To attract attention to the one whose name he bears. So I believe we need to be scripturally balanced in the way that we go on through this world. And I believe that the Lord will give us the wisdom and grace to maintain, according to His word, a proper Christian testimony if we really want to please him.
West Corinthians chapter 10, verse 31. I think that's a good balance that we find here in this very precious portion as the brother brought before us. First Corinthians chapter 10, verse 31 Says whether therefore we eat or drink or whatsoever, you do, do all things to the glory of God and it's very blessed Beloved brethren when I do something and speak to my own conscience.
Jesus for the glory of God.
Basis for the glory of God. I think of that when I picture the Queen of Sheba in her visit to King Solomon. Everything that she saw there seemed to reflect on the glory of King Solomon. And among the things that he saw and that were recorded were these very things, the meat of their table, the apparel of those who attended him. All these things attracted her attention, and they all reflected to the glory of King Saul.
To me, it's very beautiful that she wasn't taken up with the various things that he saw for their own sake, but rather for the manner in which the very immediately table and the apparel of his ministers all reflected to the glory of King Thomas.
Our blessed is the beginning of this verse 20 The Lord Jesus very graciously, and what an encouragement must have been to their hearts and to our heart without this afternoon. Remember, says the Lord Jesus Remember.
If they have made it to me, that will help you too. And then the Apostle Paul uses the same expression in Second Timothy chapter 2 in connection with persecution, doesn't he?
Second Timothy Chapter 2. The Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul reminds us Timothy to We have something, I believe, from that chapter this afternoon and yesterday in birthday. The Apostle Paul reminds Timothy remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble at the neighbour door.
And you know, they're all the reason why.
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Steven was strong to that because he saw that blessed one of the glory, the Lord Jesus and the glory, and they gnashed their feet against them, and they saw him to death.
So it's very blessed for listening, remember?
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sinned, but now they have no cloak for their sins. He that hated me hateth my Father also.
Well, the sin of the rejection of Christ.
Is looked at as a sin, as it were, that swallows up all other sins. It's so terrible. It's so serious. It's so awful. And that was the sin that the Lord is Speaking of in connection with those who had rejected him down here.
And think of how he'd come and spoken unto them.
They model that the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. But as soon as their pride was touched when they said, Is not this the carpenter's son? Well then they were ready to throw him over the brow of the hill to destroy him.
It's noticeable that there doesn't say they have not had sins, but they have not had sins. This is what the Lord or John the Baptist has said I believe. Now also the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Now that is now man's nature was going to come out.
The law discovered that man was helpless. He couldn't measure up to God's claims. But the coming into this world of the Son of God showed what the root of man's nature was. Might illustrate it like this. Supposing you see a poor man with a shabby pair of shoes.
And you tell them while those shoes are worn out and he says, well they're the best I have, I I haven't got any better shoes. So you go and buy them a nice new pair of shoes and give them to him. And he punches you in the face and says I don't want you or your shoes or anything to do with you.
Oh, you said I felt sorry for the man. That was the best he had. But now he's showing what kind of a man he is. And this is the thing about the Lord Jesus. He came into this world not to condemn, but to say a woman was found taken in adultery, and he said neither do I condemn me. It isn't that he didn't that poor sin he abhorred sin far more than any of those who brought him or the woman herself. The Lord abhorred that sin, the costumes.
A great drops, as it were, of blood falling down to the ground as he sweated the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
But he hadn't come to condemn. He had come to save. And so he didn't go about condemning. He he came. He went about showing the heart of God and the purpose for which he had come to save man. And what did the world do? Why? They showed what the root of their nature was. They said we don't want him, even though he has come to give. We don't want him. We don't want what he has come to give.
And that's why it says the root of man's nature has now come out. It hadn't come out before, and now they have no clothes for their sin. They can't cover up what their nature is. They've done this to the Son of God, and the natural heart is still saying the same.
And Pilate said, What shall I then do with Jesus, which is called Christ? The answer was given, and the heart of the unregenerate man is still the same today. We don't want him. Well, how wonderful. God has given us a new life where we wouldn't be any different from the crowd.
But let us just notice this. It's not sin here that we're being spoken of man. It's sin many times before.
But his nature was displayed. Now I think we should.
Remember in connection with a woman of the 8th of John that the Lord didn't let that woman go out of his presence without saying go and sin no more. He didn't in any way excuse that sin, and God doesn't excuse sin in any way. It's a horrible, it's an awful thing and an awful sin.
That led them to bring her there into his presence.
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But there's this to notice too, about that woman. All I had to say is left, and she was in the midst there. She could have fled in their shame and disgrace, but she didn't. He definitely went in her heart, and the Lord could send her away now to go on not in the life of sin that.
Had brought her there, but delivered from it to walk in a path that was that was clean.
From that life that she had lived before, and I think the same way with a woman of the 4th of John. She came from a home of this grace too, and she brought her picture to carry some water back to that house. So what about that picture? She left that picture and let the tale about the one that had met her at the well. And her testimony was come see a man which told me all that ever I did is not just the Christ.
He didn't go back to that home to live that life of sin and shame anymore. Same way with the rehab.
You know, when they kill with the two young five that went to her home, they were the ones that took her out of that home and they took her into the company of Israel. And the Scripture definitely says there she is unto this day.
There was number going on in the company of the Canaanites. As a corruption and ungodly woman, she was separated. She was saved from that life of sin.
Yes, we're tall. She gave up that kind of a life. She got married and she married right into the wrong line.
Yeah, but it's lovely to see in that woman in the 8th chapter of John how the start for her, shall I say, for her Christian life was. Neither do I condemn me. And this is blessed for us, that is, to know that when God pays us, he puts us in a position of no condemnation before him. And this is the power to live a life that pleases him. He never says now, he didn't say to her.
If you don't send anymore, I won't condemn you all. That would have put her to work, to do something for her own righteousness, but instead he imparted righteousness to her. Now she was given a righteousness that she didn't have. Neither do I condemn me. And because she had this position of favor before God, now she had a new life and a new power, and he could say, go and sin no more and still remember dear brother and all Christian life and testimony is founded upon what we possess.
It's founded on the position in which grace has placed us and never attaining that position through our own works.
It's a very God bless you to notice that every time you have a conversion in the gospel, you'll find that the person immediately use that expression.
Law or the Lordship of Christ. And the answer with this woman to the Lord Jesus is no man.
Lord, he found the lordship of Christ. Even the thief on the cross is a Lord. Remember Me?
And that was the expression of the apostle Paul version, who are the Lord. And this is with one of the keywords that the user in connection with the gospel, that thou shall confess with thy mouth Jesus as well, and believe in thine heart of God a raise in front of death thou shall be saved. How many times we find that verse. I enjoy it. Present love. No man love, I suppose he had left to learn this woman.
So do I, but especially to notice that immediately he owned the lordship of Christ and the Lord to say to her, you go send no more.
The same way of a woman whose daughter was possessed for the devil. When she said, Thou son of David have mercy on me, the Lord didn't answer. If he'd acted as son of David, he would have had two of them. He'd have a broad judgments because David was set up to judge the the Canaanites and she belonged to that cursed race. But when she says, Lord, help.
Oh, then what a change that brought in.
Then then the Lord could tell her that which.
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Brought her to all her condition.
Or he says he does not need to take the children's bread in the cast of the dogs. Then she said truth, Lord, she owns him. Lord again that the dog beat of the crumbs that falls from their masters tables. Then he says old woman grilled as thy faith.
When she took that low plate, but she had to own him as Lord before she could be brought to the plate where the Lord could bring the blessing to her.
That Joseph branch going over the wall of Jerusalem, of the Israel listening, yes.
I suppose there is the other side to that too. Not everyone would set under me, Lord, Lord Julinder and the Kingdom now the five foolish virgin said Lord, Lord.
Have to make a mistake shutting this out.
Well that was something. Work with the Spirit of God, convincing them that he was Lord. I just merely addressing him, so to speak as a man you've made a mistake. I'm just miracle virgins just like the others. You let them in the shutters houses. So if we can only call him Lord by the Spirit, isn't that right? Yes. I haven't called me Lord by the Spirit because I'm trying to remark the thief on the cross was definitely letting guided by the Spirit of God.
To recognize who that person was in the middle Cross.
Corinthians 12, isn't it?
Glad even no man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Spirit and have the words before me, I'll read it. Wherefore I give them to you to understand that no man speaketh speaking by the Spirit of God.
Called Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is lost.
But by the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit.
Very important isn't it? They probably noticed the bowl at the instance our brothers spoke of and also the instance I think it's in the 6th of Matthew where the Lord again deals with professors and they say not just Lord but Lord, Lord. And the scripture says use not vain repetitions as the heathen do. People can say things in a parrot like way and think that a certain amount of repetition is going to gain something before God.
But the instances where there was real faith, it wasn't a matter of repetition. That was the expression of the heart. And so he just simply said, Lord, I think there is that difference in the Scriptures. I was just going to say too, in connection with this 24th verse, if I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they have not had them. In the Gospel of Matthew and Mark we have.
The unpardonable sin as it's spoken out, and that was attributing the works of the Lord Jesus Christ to the power of Satan.
That is, when they couldn't deny the work, they saw that there was a power that was above man that was working. And then they said that those works were by the power of Satan. And that was the unpardonable sin, as it tells you very clearly In Mark it says because they said he has an unclean spirit. And that was the that's why, properly, according to the sense in which it presented, the unpardonable sin could only be committed when the Lord Jesus was here.
And again in the millennial age to come, and that's what it means in Matthew when it says hath neither forgiveness neither in this world.
And the proper word is neither in this age nor in the age to come. Now that is when they saw those marvelous works of the Lord Jesus, so perfect in every way, and they couldn't deny them. And they said, well, it's by the power of Satan. And then God had no further testimony for such here was the Son of God among them. Here were those works of grace, and they attributed them to Satan. Now the reason it cannot be committed today. There is apostasy today.
But not what is spoken of is the unpardonable. Sin is because we as Christians are not perfect representatives of Christ or of God. We fail. And people look at me and they see mistakes, they see failure. But when they looked at Christ, they rejected the perfect testimony. And so to attribute that to the power of Satan was unpardonable. This will again be repeated in the millennial age when Christ reigns in power and Satan is bound.
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And so they won't be able to blame Satan. They won't be able to say, well, Satan led me to do this. Man will display what is in his heart apart from Satan and in the presence of goodness that the world hasn't experienced before. Just thank the inhabitant will not stay in that day. I'm sick. The lion will lie down with the lamb. It'll be a marvelous time of blessing and stayed in bound, and then in such a time as that to turn around at the end and follow Satan.
It's unpardonable and it brings down the judgment of God. I say this because sometimes even true Christians who've lost the joy of their salvation begin wondering, have I committed the unpardonable sin? But let us remember the way it's presented in the scripture. The sin of apostasy is giving up Christ, and no true Christian would ever do that. I remember being in a meeting on time where there was a brother that.
Was teaching.
That to reject the gospel was the unpardonable sin. Other different Brown was in the meeting, was in Des Moines, and he asked the brother, he said, did you ever go to a gospel meeting and leave the meeting unsaved? He said yes. Well, he says, how is it that you're saved? Now, if that had been an unpardonable, then why then you'd be doomed. You'd be lost. You couldn't be saved. Well, it cleared the whole thing up. But that is not the unpardonable sin.
Although it's often used by gospel preachers, now, if you reject this gospel while you've committed the unparkable sin, it's more or less saying this gospel I preach. If you don't accept it, why then you committed the unpardonable sin. They had us the worst thing you could ever have done. But that isn't the subject at all, as you brought out so well, I think that's very important, Brother Barry, because I love her brother. Now who is?
Going around telling people that a man is not lost until he rejects the gospel.
Well, that's not the truth. A man is loved as soon as he's born. He's born in sin, shape and iniquity.
John Newton.
Preacher of the faith at once the soul to destroy. And how are we fought against the gospel, That man? I understand John Luther.
John Luther.
But we sailed. The faith at once is so to destroy. But we say that the most terrible or the greatest sin a Sinner can commit is to reject Christ.
Can we say that? I suppose all the better happens To continue and to go on rejecting and to refuse ever to accept Christ would be in the end, I hope this case, wouldn't it do. One would have forfeited everything is salvation that brings in another thing. And I think it's important that some have said it's not the same question. It's the Sun question. But that's not accurate, Brent. It's bull.
It is the same question. And when sinners stand before the great white throne, it says, they are judged according to their works. Every idle word that man shall speak, he shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. And there are many scriptures that speak. In Romans, for instance, it talks about these things, who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but a pleasure in them to do them.
God is going to judge according to works, but the crowning sin is the rejection of Christ.
And when one turned in repentance, then God in his merciless grace, puts away every sin through the precious blood of Christ. And the man is clean, so clean God can't see a spot. But if he dies rejecting Christ, then he's accountable for all his sins, all he's done in his life. And so I just mentioned this because I think it's important to put the truth in a scriptural way.
And there is a judgment of sin. And that's why the Scripture speaks of how much sore punishment supportive He that delivered me unto thee hath a greater sin. There are degrees of sin. I've heard * ****. Even Christians say, well, we have no right to say one sin is worse than another. Yes, we have scripture for saying some things are worse than others. There is a difference. And God judges according to people's works, and we must keep the things of God.
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In their proper place. Now, because God is holy, His grace is manifested in the gospel. Grace that's greater than all our sins. Grace that will pardon everything. But it's a solemn thing to have to do with God according to man's works.
And there is the government of God For the believers, he goes on in painful ways. God is a holy God. God is lightening him. There's no darkness at all. And if we take our own way and say well and save them.
Come indifferent about our wealth and think God, we can be saved and indulgent in sinful things. We'll have to experience the government of God down here, and it's a very solemn thing to consider. Should make us most careful and watchful for God's government. Is there no light thing when we consider we're saved from the eternal judgment? But still there is that side of things they government of God in this life.
Well, two things are brought together in First Peter 1, past the time of your side, during together here in fear for as much as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold, that is the fact that we have redeemed, been redeemed by the precious flood of Christ.
Doesn't in any way lessen the solemnity of the governmental ways of God. And we need to fear that if we go on carelessly and in our lives, judgment begins at the House of God, doesn't it?
I suppose when we say we have been redeemed, not only applies to believers, doesn't it's a difference between the Lord buying the field and redeeming it?
If they can feed the person of those who deny the Lord that bought them well.
Bought them with his own blood. He's paid the price for everyone, but all do not accept the purchase price, they reject it. It does not say in B does they deny the law that redeemed them but the Lord that bought them? So there is a difference between being bought and redeemed, isn't it?
It says here that they have hated both me and my father.
Is very popular in the world today to address God, even the.
The Congress and the States and always open with prayer, but you find that it's always addressed to Almighty God.
Till to deny the son or to justice.
Well, leave your mouth.
Lord false.
John, chapter 2, verse 23. I have the same thought in mind, brother. Oftentimes you find people they say, well, I believe God.
But I don't believe in Christ and not as what the Word of God has to say here. First John Chapter 223. Whosoever denies a song, the fame have not the Father. It's very common listening.
I was thinking in connection with the.
10 virgins in connection with the five Goonies virgins were just being thinking about They said Lord, Lord, open to us. We do not hear the wise virgin saying open to us.
The Lord had already opened the door to them. They went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But the foolish virgin said, Lord, Lord open to us.
Well, he says I'm the way. So that's the proof that they hadn't received him by asking him to open to them.
How many said, I know you're not from. The Lord can never say that to the least of his own.
The selfless believer, the faintest believer, The Lord would never say that. I know you not.
You notice in the 26th verse, when the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me well in the 14th chapter.
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The Lord says there, I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. And then in preceding that, in the 16th verse of the 14th chapter, I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.
And then when you turn to the 16th chapter, you read.
In the eighth verse.
See, when he's a spirit of what is that first 13, Albeit, when he the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. So you see the in the 14th chapter we get the Father sending the Comforter.
In this 15th chapter the Lord sends the Comforter. In the 16th chapter the Comforter comes in his own right, and I doubt not that there is a reason for that. For in the 14th chapter it has more to do with there being left orphans and He would pray the Father he wasn't going to leave them here. As orphans you'd ask the Father and he would send him another Comforter to abide with him forever.
But I believe in the 15th chapter, he said.
Whom I will send as you, it's in connection with that testimony.
So he He sends a comforter for his disciples in connection with their testimony for him in this world.
Then in the 16th chapter, when he the Spirit of truth is come, he comes with all his rights to convince the world of sin of righteousness.
And of judgment. And it's important to consider that because the Holy Spirit is just as truly a divine person as the Father or the Son, sometimes we say the first person of the God hits the 2nd and the 3rd. But if we use those expressions, it never should be used with a thought that one person has the inferior in any way to the other.
Persons of the Godhead, they're all equal in authority and position and.
One is as much God as the other.
I was thinking Brandon of the contrast in the testimony of Peter the beloved apostle. He denied the Lord Jesus. He denied the precious Savior three times. But then when we come with the second chapter of Acts, he speaks football Gunners. What is it that made the difference?
Hi. Good evening. Christianity, descendant of the Spirit of God, of this what we have here, don't we? Well, he shall testify with me for Wizard of difference. Ye shall receive power from the hive with the coming down of the Holy Spirit. Christianity. Isn't he proud? Now that's lovely there in that last verse. And he also shall bear witness, because he had been with me from the beginning. That is the apostles who journeyed with the Lord in his ministry down here.
Would bear witness of his humiliation. But there was also another testimony that's and that was in connection with his exhortation and glorification, and that for that the Holy Spirit has spent to bear witness. Now this one that has lived this light down here, a life of rejection and persecution is now up there in the during.
So see and Steven, one who bore witness by the Spirit of that glory that he saw as he gazed up and said, I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God. There the Spirit was bearing witness to our Blessed One as the Glorified One. Of course, that was more especially Paul's ministry, wasn't it? Because he knew him now in his life down here.
Peter and John and the other.
Apostles could bear witness of seeing him.
Scourged and persecuted and stood upon.
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And all that they could bear witness of. That you know, Peter speaks a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that should be revealed.
Whereas Paul was the witness of the glory and desired to share in the sufferings of Christ.
In connection with what you said about the persons of the Godhead, I think it's very important that I fully agree. I just wanted to add this that there is no recorded prayer in the scripture to the Holy Spirit. And I think it's important because there is a thought that some people have that they should pray to the Holy Spirit.
But we never see such a prayer as this recorded. It speaks about praying in the Spirit. And we see here that the work of the Spirit of God is to glorify Christ. He shall not speak of himself. And so we are really going beyond the Scripture when we pray.
The Spirit of God, because he occupies us with Christ, and he is the one who sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. But we never find such an example of this, and it's very important that we follow the things of Scripture as it says which things. Also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual M 131 verse three puts it very nicely.
Praises for the Holy Ghost sent from heaven at Pentecost. Tis through him alone we live and the precious truth received. It doesn't say praises to the Holy Ghost. It's for the Holy Ghost.
And even our worship in Philippians chapter 3, verse three. The verse from the proper translation is for we are the circumcision which worship God by the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh and rejoicing crisis. But it's very blessed to know it that our worship is by the Spirit and not to the Spirit, but by the Spirit. Well we can discern what is of the Spirit.
In this way.
Christ, I heard that Brother Potter got hurt and tell us having a talk with a man that said he was before the Holy Ghost. He talked and talked and talked on. Finally he stopped him. He said that I don't what you say is not true and he was very indignant. How do you know? He said well you've never mentioned the name of the Lord Jesus. You've been just talking about being filled with the spirits and that proves you're not filled with the spirit because whenever the Holy Spirit is in, is operating in the sink.
Is bringing out something to the glory of Christ.
He shall glory by me, he shall take of the things of mine, and show them unto you.
Yes, I want to sometimes said we can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented by just asking this Does this exalt Christ? Does it glorify him? Or does it exalt man? We find very much that man is introduced that glorifies man.
Say such a thing as the doctrine of being saved and lost. What is that but a subtle way of getting some glory for men? He says. Well, the Lord has saved me, but I have to do my part now to keep saved, and that's a little glory for himself. If I say that water baptism is necessary to the salvation of my soul, what am I saying? But some men have to do some act upon me to fit me for heaven and all. The Scripture is very clear that all it has to do with the salvation of our souls is all in the hands of God.
And the work is all his. These things have their place. Responsibility definitely comes into our lives. But the way of salvation is only through Christ. And the Spirit of God occupies with us with Christ and exalts Christ.
Oh.
Testing & Failure
Address—J. Brereton
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Mike, we open our meeting this afternoon.
By singing hymn #242.
Sing aloud to God our strength.
He has brought us hitherto.
#242 Some brotherhood started for us.
He will bring us all my friends.
This Lord.
Amen.
I would like to turn this afternoon to.
To second Chronicles chapter 13.
Beginning with verse one.
Now in the 18th year of King Jeroboam.
Began A Bija to reign over Judah.
He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Mechaya, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah, and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
And Abed just set the battle in a ray with an army of valiant men of war, even 400,000 chosen men.
Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him, with 800,000 chosen men being mighty men of valor.
And the bee just stood up upon Mount Zemarium which is in Mount Ephraim, and said.
Hear me, Thou Jeroboam, and all Israel.
Art ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt?
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Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon, the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his Lord. And there are gathered unto him, vain man, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them. And now ye think to withstand the Kingdom of the Lord in the hands of the sons of David.
And ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.
Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands, so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young Bullock and seven Rams the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. But As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. And the priests which minister unto the Lord are the sons of Aaron.
And the Levites wait upon their business, and they burn unto the Lord every morning, and every evening burned sacrifices and sweet incense.
The showbread also set they in order upon the pure table, and the Candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but ye have forsaken him, and behold, God himself is with us for our captain and his priests, with sounding trumpets, to cry alarm against you.
All children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your Father's.
For ye shall not prosper.
What? Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them, so they were before Judah.
And the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind.
And they cried unto the Lord, and the priest sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam. And all Israel before Abijah and Judah and the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter. So there fell down, slain of Israel, 500,000 chosen men.
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed.
Because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.
You will recall, dear young people, perhaps, the circumstances in which this chapter.
Comes to pass if we had taken the time to read the previous chapter.
We would find that Obedience Father was reopened.
And Rehoboth was one of the.
2 Kings The the son of Solomon who reigned over Judah, and who was reigning at the time when the Kingdom was divided, and 10 of the tribes followed. Jeroboam in rebellion against the House of Solomon and the House of David.
Well, it struck one in meditating on this chapter.
To find that once Rehoboam had died and Abidja had come into the place of reigning in Rehoboamstad as the king over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
That the test came and the nation of Israel, the 10 tribes under Jeroboam, made war with Abijah and came up against him.
And when he came up, he came up with a great army, as we notice in the end of the third verse, the battle in a ray against him with 800,000 chosen men, being mighty men of valor. And in the first part of the verse we were told that a beaches army consisted of 400,000 men of valor.
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Now, dear young people, in a circumstance like this.
Here was a battle about to be fought.
The lines were drawn as it were.
And here was Abijah with his army.
And he was about to do battle against an army that was twice as strong as he was.
And it was at a time.
When, as far as outward things were concerned, the Kingdom was all split up and divided.
Someone could very well have said to Abidja, at that time Abijah, there are only two tribes left with you.
Why don't you enter into some kind of an agreement with Jeroboam? After all, he's twice as big as you are, his army is twice as strong, and as far as the Kingdom is concerned, it's all divided and broken up anyway.
But we find dear young people.
Our most amazing, at least to one's own soul. A most amazing declaration by King Abijah to the armies of Israel to those who were his enemies at this time 800,000 strong.
Surely at such a time, the thing to speak to your enemies about?
Would be perhaps about all the wonderful arrangements he had made in training his army.
What great machines they had, perhaps how strong they had, how experienced they were. But instead, dear young people, we notice in the 10th verse.
The Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. And the priests which minister unto the Lord are the sons of Aaron.
And the Levites wait upon their business, and they burn unto the Lord every morning, and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense. Can you conceive of such a picture of a king facing an army twice as big as he, twice as large as his?
Outwardly.
The king over a very small portion of the land of Israel, and he stands there dear young people. And what he witnesses to that army of Israel, is that they had sought to keep what God had laid down in his word for all Israel, for all Israel.
To talk to those who were thee.
Soldiers ready to do battle and say to them.
We have burnt unto the Lord every morning, and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense. The showbread also set they in order upon the pure table, and the Candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening, for we keep the charge of the Lord our God.
But ye have forsaken them.
Beloved young people.
You and I, if we are going to go on for the Lord here, we are going to face a great enemy. We are going to find that the forces arrayed against your going on in faithfulness to Christ are gigantic. They are very, very large.
But beloved young people, the first lesson we learn from Abijah.
Is that the pathway of victory?
Lay in obedience to the Word of God, not in the size of the army.
How impressed do you think Jeroboam was by the fact that Abe just said we put the bread, the showbread, on the pure table? How impressed was he with the fact that they offered the burnt sacrifices every morning and every evening?
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All beloved young people. If he had been going on with God, he would have been impressed.
It would have been a voice to his conscience, but instead he finds no source of strength in this.
He finds nothing that should give him any cause for fear.
And the fact that Obja points out to him that what they sought to do.
Judah and Benjamin was to go on in obedience to the word of God.
In spite of the fact that it was a day of weakness and it was a day of ruin, and it was a day when the Kingdom was divided, it was a day when those could, the enemy could say to Abijah, you're just a small company compared to us but beloved young people. There was a pathway. There was that laid down in the word of God.
And what obedience pointed out was that it was their exercise. What they sought to do was follow in that path.
Well, we see how impressed Jeroboam was. Because all he seeks to do is to lay a trap. He sets an ambushment he arranges so that he gets Judah and Benjamin caught between his superior forces numerically.
And we find when we come to the.
14th verse.
Judah looked back. Behold, the battle was before and behind. And they cried unto the Lord, and the priest sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout. And as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass that God smoked Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
You know what? I have been meditating lately, as I'm sure many of my brethren have from time to time.
On the amazing fact.
That Satan so often defeats himself.
And the things that he does.
Surely Satan would never have endeavored to have the Lord Jesus put upon the cross if he had realized that at that cross he was going to meet his eternal defeat.
I thought of it in connection with.
Paul and Silas being in prison.
Surely Satan would never have endeavored.
To have Paul and Silas cast into that prison if he had known that when Paul and Silas walked out of that prison, they were going to take the Philippian jailer with them.
When the Lord Jesus was with his disciples going across the Sea of Galilee, and that great storm came up, I have no doubt that it was an effort by Satan to destroy the Lord Jesus if he could. But two things happened as a result of that storm. The first thing was.
That when the Lord Jesus was awakened, he showed his power over the storm and the disciples learned something about the Lord Jesus that they hadn't known before.
But the second thing was we find that when there was a great time and they were immediately at the shore, where had the storm brought them? It had brought them to the very point, the very point on the shore, where they could meet the demoniac, the man that was possessed with the legion of devils.
And the Lord Jesus could there cast out those demons out of ashore that I understand was 14 miles long.
The storm, as it were, brings the Lord Jesus to the very point.
Where the one that needed him was there to meet him, and so we find it is here.
That Jeroboam with his army sets a trap for the children of Judah and Benjamin. But what is the effect of the trap? What is the effect of this plan of Jeroboam? It gives Judah and Benjamin. It gives Abijah and this company with him.
To cry unto the Lord to give a great shout. And the Lord is the one who comes in and gives them the victory. All beloved young people, you're going to find, if you haven't already in your Christian pathway, that there are going to be obstacles and trials and difficulties that are going to come into your personal life. They're going to come into your assembly life if the Lord tarries, but beloved young people if the result.
00:20:16
Of those trials and difficulties is that we cry to the Lord.
If the result is that we turn to him and count upon him, and shout not the cry, not the whimper of defeat, but the shout, the realization, beloved young people, that God is for us.
God is for you. Then, beloved young people, you're going to enjoy what it is to see God bring victory into your life. This is what happened with Abijah. When they cried, the priest sounded with a they cried to the Lord, and the priest sounded with the trumpets.
And the men of Judah gave a shout. Then it says God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Ibiza.
Then notice the 18th verse. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed.
Because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers. There was the victory. There was where the victory came from. They relied upon the Lord God of their fathers. It wasn't a question of any other source of strength, but and beloved young people. This is the voice to one's own heart, one's own conscience.
What a bee just brought out in his address to the armies of Israel under Jeroboam was that Abijah and Judah and Benjamin sought to go on in obedience to the word of God, to keep what God had laid down in his Word as that which was pleasing to him.
In spite of the fact.
That those who kept it were now just a small part.
Of the nation of Israel, there was just a small company of them left compared to the whole nation of Israel.
But it didn't change for one moment.
The fact that God still sought for His people to go on in obedience to what He has laid down in the word, in spite of the weakness, in spite of the opposition, and where there was the going on beloved young people, and are relying on the Lord.
The Lord gave the victory. Now would you notice the next chapter?
The 14th chapter in the first verse so obedience slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David and ASA. His son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet 10 years, and they said, did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. For he took away the altars of the strange gods in the high places, and breakdown the images, and cut down the Groves, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
Also he took away, out of all the cities of Judah, the high places and the images.
And the Kingdom was quiet before him. And he built fenced cities in Judah, for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls and towers, and gates and bars, while the land is yet before us. Because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he had given us rest on every side. So they built and prosper.
And ASA had an army of men that bear targets and Spears out of Judah 300,000, and out of Benjamin that bear Shields, and drew bowls 204 score 1000. All these were mighty men of valor, and there came out against them Zara the Ethiopian with a host of a thousand 1300 Chariots, and came unto Maresha. Then ASA went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of.
Zefratha at Maresha and ASA cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help.
00:25:02
Whether with many or with them that have no power, help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee.
And in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God.
Let not man prevail against thee. So the Lord smote The Ethiopians before ASA and before Judah, And The Ethiopians fled, and ASA and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerard. And The Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before the Lord and before his host, and they carried away very much spoiled.
Dear young people, we find here that now another generation has arisen, Abijah and those with him faced.
They face the trial, they face the difficulty. They face the attack that came in their generation. But now another generation has arisen. ASA has enjoyed peace and quiet for quite a few years. But the fact was that ASA could not go on indefinitely, could not go on indefinitely without being tested himself as to whether he.
Also.
Relied on the Lord God of His fathers. We notice a number of things about ASA here.
He was a man of God.
He sought to go on to please the Lord.
As Abijah his father had done. Another thing we noticed was that what he did prospered. The Lord gave him peace, and the result was that he occupied himself in the things that were pleasing to the Lord. He built up the land, he built cities. And it noticed In the seventh verse it says, let us build these cities and make them with both them with walls and towers and gates and bars, while the land is yet before us.
ASA made all the preparations that he thought Judah might require.
If there should come a time when the testing time would come, ASA was making preparations in advance. He was preparing the land while it lay before them. The next thing we notice is that his army had grown stronger. If we had noticed in the 13th chapter, the army of Judah and Benjamin was 400,000 men. When we come to the 14th chapter and the eighth verse, we find that now the army of Benjamin and Judah.
Is 580,000 men. So here we find Judah and Benjamin under ace of their king. They have made preparations for a time when the attack would come. We find that their army was larger than it was before.
And as anticipated, the attack did come. And beloved young people, Satan is not going to leave you and I alone. He's not going to leave you and me to go on without seeking.
To come against us, to turn us aside from any pathway of obedience to the Word of God.
Well, we find here that Ethiopians came and they came with an army of a million men.
And 300 Chariots, it tells us in the ninth verse. Now beloved young people, here's the test again for ASA. With all these preparations, he could look at his cities and say, see what I've built. He could look at his army and say, see what we've accomplished and beloved young people, how thankful we can be when the Lord does give us to prosper. How thankful we can be when the Lord does give us to see those who belong to Christ, gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ and seeking to go on for him.
How thankful we are when the Lord does give us to see blessing in the gospel.
To see Saul saved, to see Sunday school work carried on, and the young children coming to know the Lord Jesus as their savior. We can be thankful for this. But beloved young people, our resource is not in the blessing, it is not in the numbers, it is not in the enlargement of the company. All I can remember when we used to come together for conferences like this, when there might be two or three hundred that came together, and we were so thankful for that.
And now we come together, and perhaps there are 7 or 800 that come together, and we are so thankful for that. But beloved young people, if we get our source of strength, if our confidence comes from our numbers, we're on our way toward defeat. We find that when the attack came.
00:30:06
ASA in the 11Th verse cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help.
Whether with many or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God. Let not man prevail against thee. So the Lord smote The Ethiopians before ASA and before Judah, and The Ethiopians fled. So we find that the test has come for the next generation.
And their resource was exactly the same as the beaches. They turned to the same one who had given victory to Abijah. They turned to the same one that had defeated the 800,000 man army of Israel. And now they find that for him to defeat the 1,000,000 Man army of The Ethiopians presented no greater problem.
All beloved young people.
What I covet for you and for myself is that we might lay hold of Indiana, our souls, the resources that God has given to us, the fact that God is for us. We come together. And sometimes, and I don't mean this to criticize anyone, but I fear sometimes we come together at a company like this and we find ourselves talking about the problems and the difficulties that be faced, the people of God.
Instead of talking about the God who is over the problems.
You remember how there was a time when the enemies of God's people said God is a God of the mountaintops?
But he is not a God of the valleys. He can't handle the battle in the valleys. All beloved young people.
He is a God of the mountains, and he's also a God of the valleys, whether it's 800,000 or 1,000,000.
Whether it Ethiopians or whether it's Israelites, whether it's any kind of enemy at all, from within or from without, regardless of where the attack comes from in your personal life or in your assembly life or in your family life or wherever it comes and it will come, it will come, beloved young people. God is going to see to it that you and I are tested, as we'll notice if we have the time in a moment or so in connection with ASA again.
God does indeed allow that to come into your life and mind That tests us.
As to whether our resource is God, or whether we are relying upon numbers or friends or natural resources, well, the test came in aces life after 10 years of his reign and at this point in time beloved young people. How lovely it is to see that ASA turns and cries not to his fence cities, not to his great cities, not to his great army.
But to the God of Judah and the God of Israel, and he finds again.
That God is able.
God is.
Able regardless of what the magnitude of the problem.
Of the attack may be now would you go on to the 16th chapter?
In the 6th and 30th year of the reign of ASA, Basia, King of Israel came up against Judah and built Rama to the intent that he might let none go out or come into ASA king of Judah. Then ASA brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the House of the Lord and of the King's house, and sent to Ben Haddad, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, there is a league between me and thee as there was between my father and thy father.
Behold, I have sent thee silver and gold. Go break thy league with Basha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. And Ben Hayden hearkened unto King ASA, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. And they smote he, John, and Dan, and Abel, Mayam, and all the store cities of Naphtali. And it came to pass, when Basia heard it, that he left off building of Rama, and let his work cease.
Then ace of the king took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Rama and the timber thereof.
Wherewith Basia was building and he built there with Giba and Misbah. And at that time Hanani the seer came to ASA king of Judah.
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And said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God.
Therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
We're not The Ethiopians and the Lubans, a huge host with very many Chariots and horsemen.
Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly. Therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. Then ASA was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house, for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And ASA oppressed some of the people the same time.
And behold, the acts of ASA first and last. Lo, they are written in the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
And ASA in the 30 and 9th year of his reign was diseased in his feet.
Until his disease was exceeding great. Yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians, and ASA slept with his fathers, and died in the one and 40th year of his reign.
They might well think ASA has passed his test.
The time came and Ace's life after he had been reigning for 10 years, and he faced up to the test that was put to him, and he relied on the Lord God of his fathers, but beloved young people.
The test came again. We find approximately 25 years have passed.
And now, into aces life again comes a test this time.
It's the same test as was faced by his father.
Be sure the King of Israel.
Now it's the Israelites again, the 10 tribes that come up against him with an endeavor to shut him in.
To restrict his liberty because we find in the previous chapter in the 15th chapter, if we'd taken the time to read it.
That because there was blessing in Judah, there had been those that were coming from Israel, coming to Judah and identifying themselves with ASA, the king of Judah, because they had seen that the Lord God of Israel was with him. But now the test comes and beloved young people again this has been a voice to ones own heart. But we find the test does come how often I have spoken and heard my brethren, my older president, talk about the troubles and difficulties that have beset the people of God in times past.
Brethren, the fact that a problem arose 25 years ago, and the Saints of God went to the Lord about it, and the Lord in his wonderful mercy and grace delivered the Saints of God and preserved the testimony gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That does not mean that we are going to be exempted until the Lord comes. We find instead that the trial comes again, the time of testing comes again.
And in the case of ASA, it came again, but this time this time beloved young people. Sad to say, ASA turn to the wrong source of help. We find that when he saw that Israel Basia, the king of Israel, had come against him, instead of crying to the Lord God of his fathers, he turns to the king of Syria and goes to the king of Syria for help. And you notice the first thing that he has to do.
To get the help of the king of Syria.
In the second verse, an ASA brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the House of the Lord and of the King's house, and sent to Ben Haydad, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, there is a league between me and thee as there was between my father and thy father. Behold, I have sent thee silver and gold, go break thy league with base of the king.
In order for him to get the alliance, to get the help of the king of Syria, he had to give up beloved young people some of the treasures of the House of the More. It was such a costly thing in order to get the help.
From the king of Syria he had to take that which was precious from the House of the Lord and give it up.
Turn it over to the king of Syria. And so it is dear young people. If you and I are going to seek, if the people of God, the Saints of God, are going to seek to find their help from the world or from the people of the world, or the customs of the world or the practices of the world or the wisdom of the world, there's only one way it can be done, and that is by first giving up.
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Something.
Of the precious things that God has given us to see that we don't belong to this world at all.
So it was with the children of Judah and Benjamin. So it was with ASA. He first of all gave up something of the treasures of the House of the Lord. And then he got his alliance. The king of Syria came to his help, and it seemed to prosper. It seemed to prosper. You notice it says in the sixth verse. Then ace of the king took all Judah and they carried away the stones of Rama, and the timber thereof were with Basia was building. And he built there with Giba and Mispa.
You could very well have said.
To ASA, did it work? Was it successful? And ASA could say, I can prove it to you. There are the results. Look at the city right there. You can see what was accomplished by doing what I did. And so it is beloved young people that there are times when those who are truly the Lords make an alliance with the world and it seems to prosper. It seems to prosper. It seems to outwardly be a success.
But what is the Lord's evaluation? Hanani comes along and in the seventh verse he says.
Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God.
Therefore, is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand all out. That struck me very much in meditating upon it. When you read this chapter, you say to yourself, the enemy is the nation of Israel. The enemy is Basha and the 10 tribes that are associated with him. But the Lord says through Hanani the seer. He says because you relied on the king of Syria, the king of Syria is escaped out of your hands.
Beloved young people, we cannot. And I say it to my own heart more than anyone's.
We cannot overcome the world by making an alliance with it. We can't overcome the world by joining hands with it. Here was the king of Syria allied with Basha and God was ready to deliver not only the nation, not only the King of Israel and his armies into the hands of ASA, but God was all ready to deliver the king of Syria into his hands too. And because he made the alliance, because he joined up with the king of Syria.
Two things. The blessing that God had for ASA was lost.
The king of Syria has escaped out of his hand, he said. And the second thing is?
As we notice at the end of the.
Ninth verse herein thou hast done foolishly, therefore for henceforth thou shalt have wars. But notice, dear young people, the ninth verse, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect. Toward him. Beloved young people, I say to you, and I say to myself.
Perhaps I should change that, say to myself 1St, and then to you The Lord sees all. There is no circumstance that can possibly come into your life that the Lord didn't see and allow. You know, sometimes I I trust I can say it reverently, but sometimes we seem to feel as if somehow or other, something got past the Lord that he didn't see.
Some problem or difficulty in my personal life, or in my assembly life or amongst the Saints of God arises, and the natural heart is the Lord couldn't have seen that. He'd never surely have allowed that beloved young people, the eyes of the Lord, run to and fro throughout the whole earth. There is nothing gets by, there is nothing that his eye doesn't see, and he's ready.
He's ready.
Do you have a trouble right now? A problem in your life? The Lord knows all about it.
He's seen it and he's ready, tells us, ready to show himself strong in the behalf of them.
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Whose heart is perfect toward heaven? All beloved young people. Not the king of Syria. Not the world and its wisdom. Not the world and its successes. Not the world and its deliverances. But God the Lord is the one to whom we can turn and find beloved young people find that he knows all about the problems and the difficulties, and he's ready. He's waiting.
For us to turn to him, To turn to him.
To those whose heart is perfect before him, turn to him beloved young people. It's not a question of boasting or perish the thought. It's not a question of us bragging, as it weren't saying. We're the ones whose hearts are perfect toward him. But the Lord is there, and he's waiting. Waiting for us to turn to him, waiting for us to cry to him, waiting for us to count upon him, waiting for us to call.
And we'll find beloved young people.
We will find that he has the victory ready to give when we turn to him. But the testing time came, and aces life again, and he did foolishly. All beloved young people, may the Lord keep you and I from doing foolishly. May we not, like ASA, turn to the king of Syria.
But instead.
Find ourselves doing as he did the first time, crying to the Lord, and finding in the Lord all the strength, all the power, all the wisdom, all the deliverance that he could need. Even though the enemy was a million strong. I would just point out one thing. Our time is gone, but to me it's a very solemn thing. You notice it says in the.
10th verse.
Then ASA was wroth with the seer and put him in a prison house, for he was in a rage with him because of this thing.
And a so oppressed some of the people at the same time.
And the 12Th verse. And ASA in the 30 and 9th year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great. Yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians beloved young people.
ASA had authority. He was the king.
He had the authority to put this man, Hanani, the seer, the one who spoke for God. He had the authority to put him in the prison house, and he did. It was an abuse of the authority that he had, but the authority was his but beloved young people. ASA also had a master. ASA was the king.
But ASA had one that he had to account for too. ASA had one that he had to account to.
And a time was given to ASA to repent, but then his Lord had to deal with him. I submit to you, beloved young people, and I submit it to myself, and I submit it to.
My beloved brethren that the answer when such a time comes like in the case of ASA.
Instead.
Instead.
Of going to the Lord he acted.
In a rage when he imprisoned one who was seeking to speak faithfully to him.
The answer was not to attack the authority of ASA as the king, but to submit the matter to the Lord.
And leave the matter with him.
The Righteous Acts of God
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
#16 in the appendix versus 135 and six, please.
Oh Jesus friend on failing.
How dear hearts are doing?
Our cameras are fair enough.
All that glory to your God.
Spreads.
Eyes right now, sweetheart.
I found that true word game.
Where are you crying out The way? It's great.
Where you live.
World.
By the way, is not change in the house whenever you cannot lie.
And right, I fall down.
And quiet.
Ground.
All free, bravely I cry on.
I'd like you to turn with me, your young people, to First Samuel.
First Samuel, Chapter 8.
First Samuel, Chapter 8.
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And the fourth verse.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, our old and thy sons, walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us like the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord, how will you turn over also to the?
12Th chapter.
First Samuel, Chapter 12.
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice, and all that she said unto me, And have made a king over you.
And now behold, the king walketh before you, and I am old and grey headed, and my behold, my sons are with you, And I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose *** have I taken, Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith?
And I will restore it to you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us. Neither hast thou taken away.
Out out of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and he's anointed his witness this day that ye have found.
That she have not found out in my hand. And they answered, he is witness. And Samuel said unto the people.
It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your Father's up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord of all the righteous acts of the Lord which he did to you and to your Father's. When Jacob was coming to Egypt, and your father's cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your Father's out of Egypt.
And made them dwell in this place. And when they forget the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Cicero, captain of the host of Hazer, and unto the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Morb. And they fought against them. And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Balaam an Ashtroth, but now delivered us out of the hand of our enemies.
And we will serve thee. And the Lord sent Jerobo and D&B, Dan and Jeptha and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwell safe. And when you saw that Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, came against you, he said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us, when the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen.
And whom he have desired. And behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If he will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God.
But if he will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord.
Then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your Father's.
Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.
Is it not we harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send Thunder and rain.
That she may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel, and all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not, For we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a king.
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not ye have done all this wickedness, Yet turn not aside from following the Lord, But serve the Lord with all your heart, and turn ye not aside. For then shall ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake.
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Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people, moreover, As for me.
God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. And I will teach you the good and the right way only. Fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, For consider how great things he has done for you. But if he shall still do wickedly, he shall be consumed of both ye and your King. And would you also turn with me to one other passage in Matthew chapter 17?
Matthew Chapter 17.
And verse 3 And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us make here 3 tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold the voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were sore, afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, arise and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only.
Elder young people, the reason I have read these verses this afternoon is because I believe they bring before us the importance.
Of having the Lord alone before us, you know we're living in times where.
There is much to discourage. There is much to cause us to feel that isn't really worthwhile, to wholeheartedly follow the Lord Jesus. And we see a similar time in Israel's history. And there came a turning point in God's ways with them, and there came a great sorrow. And it was very necessary that the people should be encouraged to look away from all the instruments and to look to the Lord alone.
And this is the desire of my heart for you this afternoon. There are a great number of us here this afternoon, but we come from small meetings and some come from very small companies. Perhaps there are no other young people in the gathering, and it's very nice to be with a large group like this. But you say, oh, how different it is when I go back home. There's very little fellowship. We don't have good times together.
And perhaps you feel discouraged, and I've read these verses this afternoon.
In order that we might see that the Lord is the one to whom we should look, He is the all sufficient one, He is the one that can sustain us, no matter how dark and difficult the day. The reason I read that in the 8th chapter of First Samuel is to show that it was the occasion of Samuel's failure in his household that caused the people to turn away from the Lord and to desire to choose a king. And how often we who are older can give occasion, perhaps without realizing it, that others should be stumbled by our actions.
And we see here that in this case it was so with Samuel, and the people turned and asked a king. And it doesn't say that Samuel was grieved over what they said to him. He took that from the Lord. But he was grieved that they turned from the Lord to some other person to make the other person their object, instead of having the Lord as their king. And perhaps, dear young person, you have been stumbled by someone to whom you looked. You thought that person would be an example, and he has not been an example to you.
And you have said, Well then I don't see how I should follow the Lord. He's older. Well, dear young person, it grieves our hearts that we fail, but it grieves our hearts more than anyone here should be turned aside from following the Lord, and should choose some other person and have that person as your object instead of Christ. And so we find that there was a reason why.
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The people wanted a king. What was the reason they wanted to be like the nations? And isn't that like us? You know? We like to be accepted, don't we? We like to be accepted. Well, I've often said God has made us accepted. It tells us that we're accepted in the beloved. It tells us about Paul that he labored that whether present or absent, he might be agreeable to the Lord. And I don't blame you young people for wanting, wanting to be accepted.
But I ask you, who do you wish to be accepted by? Are you like the Apostle Paul, who labored that he might be accepted by the Lord, everything in his life? It wasn't just to be accepted by others, but it was by the Lord. And he said in this life. And when I stand at the judgment seat of Christ, I labor that I might be acceptable to him. But all there's a great danger in wanting to be acceptable to others.
Who might turn us away? And that's what happened in Israel. They wanted a king.
To be like the nations. And if you and I are just seeking to be like the world, because we haven't found our satisfaction and joy in the Lord, we have begun to tread the path of danger. And we don't know where that path may lead. Dear young people. It's a slippery path. It may begin by something that doesn't look like very much. But it began with Israel when they eyed the nations around them.
And thought we'd just like to be the same as they are. And we'd like to go out with a visible head before us. We'd like something for sight instead of walking by faith. And this grieved the heart of dear Samuel. But it tells us that the Lord said, well, Samuel that's what they want. And so you can choose them a king. And now, dear young people this is a very serious thing and that if if you and I were to.
Desire to go on in the world. The Lord might allow us to go in the way that we want it. It says in the Psalms, He gave them their desire, He sent leanness into their souls. And if you are desiring to go on in a way like the world, perhaps the Lord will say, well, I'll just have to let you go along and see where that path leads. Oh, I plead with you, dear young person, don't make such a start.
A start in a thing is so important and if you start in the wrong direction.
Why? There is no telling where that path will end. It's all too easy.
To make a bad start, and it's very hard afterwards to apologize and say I'm sorry. It's one of the hardest things for any of us to say, well, I'm sorry I made a mistake. Our natural hearts don't like that and the devil knows that very well.
And I believe that one of his greatest snares for Christians. And I don't only say young people, Perhaps it's worse when we get older. What the devil does is try and get us to make some false step. And then when we realized that it was a foolish step, he says now, don't say you're sorry, don't go back, don't be a fool. And so instead of acknowledging it, we continue. All I ask you if you've taken the first wrong step.
Ask the Lord for grace to say at once, Lord, I have made a mistake.
And seek to come back to him at once, as it's often said, short accounts with God.
Our best Well, now we come over to this 12Th chapter.
And here it tells us that Samuel had grown old. And perhaps you wondered, as you read this first part of the 12Th chapter, if Samuel was boasting. Perhaps you say, Why did he say all those things? It looked as if he was boasting about his own integrity. Well, may I pause here to speak a few words to those of us who are older. And I speak to myself if I speak to you who are older. I believe there's a deep lesson for us in this.
And I believe the lesson is just this, that Samuel sought to walk with a good conscience. But he said something like this. If I have done anything to stumble, my brethren, I want to say I'm sorry. I want to say I'm sorry. And, you know, sometimes we were older, do things that stumble young people. We do things that are inconsistent with our testimony as older ones. Have we got the grace that Samuel had.
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To stand up before his brethren and ask them, is there something that I've done that stumbles you?
Is there something that I have done that's hurt you and wounded you and been the occasion that you should have asked for a king? Oh, may the Lord give those of us who are older this grace. I can tell you that there's an untold amount of good can be done by the humility of those of us who are older. It's so important as we go on in the pathway of following the Lord, that we walk in humility, because surely as we grow older.
What do we find out? Do we find out that we're better as we get older? Oh, no. The older you get, the more you realize what a poor failing thing you are. The older you get, the more you realize the wonderful grace of God. But you certainly don't think more of yourself and your older ones. May I say this?
This to me is very challenging, what Samuel did on this occasion in standing up before these who had asked for a king and seeking to maintain a good conscience before them and to be willing to acknowledge any mistake. And he said, I'll restore it if there's anything that I can do to help out so that you might go on for the Lord, oh, may there be this desire in our hearts. And now he comes in the sixth verse.
And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your Father's up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord of all the righteous acts of the Lord which he did to you and to your Father's. He takes them back to the beginning of their history, and shows that in his goodness and grace he had delivered them from that slavery.
In which they were in the land of Egypt, and all I trust this time has come in the life.
Of each young person here when you have been delivered from the slavery of sin and Satan.
I hope that each one in this room can say, well, the Lord has set me free. I was once a slave to sin. I was once under the ******* of Satan. But I thank God that he raised up an instrument who spoke to me about my soul and He has brought me to himself. Oh what wondrous love it was that picked us up in the 1St place. And so he says.
Now, therefore, stand still that I may reason with you.
You know, sometimes it said, well, we shouldn't reason, but here we find that Samuel wanted to reason with them. It's fine when we reason out of the Scriptures. God has given U.S. intelligence, but our intelligence should be in subjection to the Word of God. Our thoughts should be governed by the Word of God. For it's only from the Word of God that we will get the wisdom that comes from above, the true wisdom that is really worthwhile. And so he said, now just stand still.
And dear young people, will you just stand still, as it were? Will you just pause for a moment now?
And go back in your mind and think of how the Lord saved you, how He brought you to himself, and how He has a claim over you. He are not your own. He are bought with a price. We belong to Him. The price He paid for us is more than we can ever measure. And as we have had in these meetings, the love that He has for us is absolutely beyond our comprehension. The place that He has prepared for us is so wonderful that I'm sure when we get there we'll say the half was not told me. Doesn't he then have a claim?
And I think this is very lovely. What he says, that I may reason with you before the Lord of Allah. Righteous acts of the Lord. Isn't this beautiful? He doesn't say all the gracious acts of the Lord. There weren't many gracious acts of the Lord. Why does he say the righteous acts of the Lord? Oh, isn't this lovely? God has found a righteous basis by which he can bless you abundantly. God has found a righteous basis through the cross of Calvary.
That his heart can flow out without limit to you. There is absolutely no limit to the blessing.
That's in his heart for you, and he can do it righteously, because the whole question of your sins and mine was settled once for all at Calvary.
The barrier has been removed. Jesus said I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened until it be accomplished? He was really saying like this, he said My heart is restricted in the outflow of blessing until that question of sin has been settled. And when that question was settled, now there's no longer any hindrance and I can reason with you how the righteous acts of the Lord.
00:25:25
Of how he can bless you, dear young person, without limit because of that work that Christ has accomplished.
And so he tells them, when he goes back, when Jacob was coming to Egypt, and your Father's cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your Father's out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. Yes, God, God delivered them, as I said, from the *******. And he brought them into that good land, that land flowing with milk and honey.
That land where he wanted to bless them so marvelously, but it says in the ninth verse, and when they forget the Lord their God, they forgot Him. And aren't we forgetful too? Don't we get so involved in enjoying the blessings? And my sunshiny day comes and we get more occupied with the blessings and the blesser. We meet some nice friends, and we get so occupied with the pleasure of meeting one another that we forget the blesser.
How easy it is for us to do that. How easy for us to forget the one who sends all the good things that we have. And so they forgot the blesser. And then God dealt with them. He delivered them into the hand of Cicero and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of King of the King of Maud, and they fought against them. Yes, God, in his governmental ways, allowed these problems to arise in their lives.
They might have said, oh, it's sisera, that terrible, cruel man.
Why doesn't God punish him? Well, they had to first of all be brought to humiliation themselves. They had to look at themselves and say, Why did God allow Cicera to come up against us? They had to be brought to the point where they said, Why did the Lord allow the Philistines to have such power over us? Why did he allow the King of morgue to rise up against us?
And all dear young people, don't look at the the second 'cause. Look at the first 'cause, you say. What do you mean the second cause? The second cause is what appears on the surface. But the first cause of everything is God. He's the one that's behind everything. As it was remarked in the meeting here. There's nothing we can look at the instrument. We can look at the hand of the person that says or does the thing that has hurt, but God has allowed it.
And why did God allow these things? He allowed them to bring his people back to himself.
It didn't justify some of the things that the people did against Israel. And God finally dealt with Cicero, and he dealt with the king of morgue, and he dealt with the Philistines. But he had something to say to his people too, and he has something to say to us. And all that happens. There's absolutely nothing that happens in your life or mine by chance. And if we would only get before the Lord and ask him as to why.
Things have come why the Lord has allowed it, and He has allowed it for some purpose.
And so it tells us here. And they cried unto the Lord, and said.
We have sinned. When they cried to the Lord and justice looked at the at sister or the king of Moab, they didn't get deliverance. But when they pointed the finger itself and said We have sinned, then the Lord came in. Then the Lord graciously raised up deliverers, and it says in the 11Th verse, And the Lord sent Jeroboam and B Dam and Jeptha and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side.
And she dwells safe. How often? Over and over again he graciously came in. And can you look back on your life and see how the Lord has helped you? In many situations, difficulties have arisen, trials have come, and the Lord has come in. What you say. But there's something I'm facing right now, and I just can't see any way out of it at all. And that's just exactly what happened here. They forgot about the past and how the Lord had come in and delivered them.
00:30:06
And they looked at the now situation and they said, well, yes, but what's happening now?
Here's Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon. And so they said, we'll have to have a king to defeat him. We have to have somebody to help us out of this difficult situation. And instead of turning to the Lord, they chose a king. And this is the condition, This was the circumstance that we began to speak about when they chose this king. So we see here, and it may be, as I say, a similar situation in your life, dear young person, perhaps right this afternoon.
There's something come up in your life, something come up in your meeting, something come up. And you say, well, why can't somebody help me out of this? And so you look to man, but have you looked to the Lord? Have you really turned to him in brokenness of heart before him and taken the humble place? That's the place of blessing. And so it sells us here in the 13th verse. Now, therefore, behold the king.
Whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired. And behold, the Lord has set a king over you. Was this king? Was this king able to deliver them from all their enemies? It's true he did, to help them in some of their situations. And perhaps you say, well, I've got some help from people here and there. But there's one who can deliver you in every situation. There's one who's sufficient for every problem. His name is Wonderful Counselor. The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He's sufficiently sufficient for these situations that come in your life.
Have you turned to him? Have you really got down before him for?
The answer that he alone can give.
And says in the 14th verse, if he will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God? Here is something interesting too, you might say. Oh, but I've got myself into a situation now. There's no getting out of it. I just there's no getting out of it. Oh, isn't this wonderful? The Lord said. Well, you've got yourself into that situation.
And I'm not going to let you get out of it. It's part of my government that you're going to have to suffer because of getting yourself into it. But I'll be with you in it, and I'll come and comfort you, and I'll come and sustain you. That's the kind of a God we have, dear young people. That's the kind of a God we have when the children of Israel were going through the wilderness and they sinned and they and they rebuild against the Lord.
Then the Lord said, You're going to have to wander for 40 years in the wilderness.
But he said, I love you so much that if you'll make a tent, then I'll come down and dwell in that tent with you and provide a way of my of approach into my presence. And while you wander those 40 years in the wilderness in your tents, I'll live in a tent with you.
And I'll provide a way that I can go on with you. Oh, dear young person, don't be discouraged. The devil wants you to give up. He wants you to say it's no use. I made a mess of my life and I I don't see any way. No, dear young person, the Lord doesn't give up those who belong to him. He never does. It's true he may not remove His governmental hand. It's true we may have to pass through things and they may remain with us the rest of our lives.
But the Lord came down, and it says in all their affliction He was afflicted.
Never a sorrow that they felt in those forty years that he didn't feel it to never a trial that they had, that he wasn't right there and felt it fully. And after they got into the land and David said that he would like to build a house for the Lord, the Lord said to the Prophet, No, no.
Nathan, don't tell David that I don't want him to build me a house because he said the land doesn't have rest yet.
And he said, I won't dwell in the house until my people have rest. And when they have rest, then I'll rest with them. Oh, isn't that a wonderful thing? The God who has saved you is not going to forsake you. He's always with you. And there's a day coming when then you and I will find as a little hymn says the rest of God our rest to come. Our place of liberty. That's the home that we're going to enter without a go on with this.
00:35:12
It tells us here.
Then in the 16th verse.
Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.
And then it tells us here that it was wheat harvest, and God allowed this Thunder.
And reign to come and hinder the harvest. Well, I believe dear young people and older ones too, that we should realize.
That our failure is often the hindrance to blessing amongst us, and God would have His people realize this.
He would have them realize it. And so Samuel said. We want you to realize.
That your failure has been the 'cause. It was a great harvest, but God sent Thunder and rain. And I believe, brethren, the fields are white to harvest, but we're the hindrance. We're the hindrance because we haven't been going on for the Lord and the blessing that's within our reach. The privilege we could have of having share in God's work here in this world is often denied us because we're not going on with the Lord as we should.
Ourselves, individually and collectively, and then the people when they saw this.
They really feared, They felt sad. They felt cast down. And we might well acknowledge that there is a great work to be done. We hear about it everywhere, of God working in the blessing of souls, and we can we can say that we seek to go on in the path of obedience. But I I believe that we have much that we can challenge our own hearts about. Is there not a great hindrance in our own walking ways?
Is there not often a hindrance to blessing? Because as people look at us, they say, well, I don't see that what you profess has brought you real happiness. You're not rejoicing in the Lord, Mr. Darby said. Our testimony to the world is our joy in the Lord.
But we're not going on in this way. And so here the people had to acknowledge this. But now the 20th verse and Samuel said unto the people, Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet. Turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
In the 19th verse they had said, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not. For we have added unto all our sins, sins, this evil, to ask us a king. And now when they had acknowledged their sin, isn't it beautiful to hear Samuel turn to them and say, fear not, fear not, That is even though they had failed, he said, don't get discouraged.
Don't give up, he said. Yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve him.
And the reason I felt this burden particularly on my heart today is because as I look over the number of young people that are here today.
And I think of what a wonderful privilege we have to be saved and to know the truth that has been committed to us. And yet how often it's true that we're we're not walking in these things. And I believe that many of our young people today are thoroughly and utterly discouraged. And they're discouraged and they're sort of to the point where they're feeling like giving up. And he says here, follow the Lord and serve the Lord.
In spite of it all, dear young people, perhaps we have failed as older ones.
Perhaps, like Israel, we failed collectively, but the Lord has not changed, the Lord has not changed. And all I want to encourage you don't give up. But instead it says, do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart, all put your heart into it. The Lord has won your heart and mind. And if you feel discouraged this afternoon and you say it's no use.
Oh, don't turn aside, Oh, don't give up. And so Samuel repeats this he said, And turn ye not aside, turn ye not aside, that is, continue in the path. But now he said, For them, should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. And isn't it true that if we turn aside, then what will we turn to?
00:40:07
Just like the disciples, they were very, very discouraged. And the Lord said, will ye also go away? And Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? To whom shall we go? And dear young person, do you say, Well, I'm discouraged. I just feel like giving up. Then I say, to whom are you going to go? Where are you going? You're Surely the Lord hasn't disappointed you. He's still the same. He's the same yesterday and today and forever. And if you do?
While you turn aside to but the things that will not deliver the world can't deliver you. It can't satisfy your heart. And many a dear Christian who has perhaps in later life been restored to the Lord, he was turned aside over something that happened and he left. And he comes back and he finds that he spent his life serving the things that don't deliver. The things that don't bring happiness. And so I just want to say this to you this afternoon.
Don't turn aside. I know that we're living in days of failure. We older ones have failed. Brethren collectively gathered to the Lords name have failed. There's much to humble us, there's much to keep our heads down. But all how encouraging This word for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names. Sakes because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Yes.
Isn't this lovely? It has pleased the Lord to make you his people.
And we can say we belong to him. And now he brings before them the resource of faith in an evil day in this 23rd verse. Moreover, As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. Here is the resource, exactly the same resource that Paul brought before them at Ephesus. He told them when he talked to them in the 20th of Acts.
That of their own selves would men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. He told them about what was going to happen from without and from within. And then he said, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. And here at the close of this message from Samuel, he says, there are two resources, and that's prayer, and that's the word of God.
And that's the resource. Dear friends today, dear young people, this is our resource.
It's a sin against God not to pray for the people of God. And may we each ask ourselves, are we praying for others? We had a brother in Ottawa many years ago and he used to so often remind us about Paul, he said. We never read Paul telling us that he was praying for the Saints when they were going on badly, he said we read about him praying for them when they were going on. Well, perhaps that's a striking statement to you. And why did he pray for them when they were going on well?
Well, he knew Satan that make an attack on them and try to turn them aside. And dear young people, we want to we want to pray for you. And those of us who are older. Are we praying that our dear young people might be preserved and that we might walk before them in such a way that they would see that Christ is our all? Are we turning them to the word of God? This is a day of inquiry. This is a day when young people everywhere are asking questions and.
Our one of our brothers has said some time ago, he said.
There are no bad questions. There are only bad answers. And you know that that has struck me. It's it's remained with me. They they asked many strange questions of the Lord. But those strange questions only brought out the wisdom and love of his blessed heart. And he always answered the questions wisely. He answered them wisely. And young people are full of questions. Are you and I, who are older, trying to answer these questions?
This book has the answer. They need answers to their questions. They're in a day far more difficult than we lived in. They're exposed to far more than we ever were exposed to. But this book is still up to date. It's still the answer for every day and for all the situations that arise in 1973. May we then remember this resource. And then it says, only fear the Lord and serve in truth.
00:45:01
With all your heart for consider how great things he has done for you.
And then again I would mention what I read in the In connection with the Transfiguration, there were two great men, Moses and Elias. And on that mount of Transfiguration they saw Moses and Elias talking with Jesus, and they got their eyes on Moses and Elias. And the Lord had to the voice from heaven had to say, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And perhaps when you've come to these meetings you may have got your eye on some person.
But God wants you to see no man anymore, save Jesus only. Every person may disappoint you, but the Lord Jesus never will. He's the same yesterday and today and forever. And may the Lord grant that we will serve him in truth with all our hearts, that we'll consider how great things He has done for us and as time goes on in our lives, and that we'll seek to look away from all those things that would distract and discourage.
And see no man anymore save Jesus, only all dear young people. I want to encourage you to follow the Lord. As I said at one of the other meetings and I I say it again to you here. I was very much struck in reading and I believe it's Deuteronomy and it talks about the value of the different ages of life and it says from the age of from the age of 20. I believe it is until 60.
The value of a man was about two or three times as much.
As after he was 60, indeed, after up to the age of 20, he was worth more than the man.
Who was past 60? And so do young people. You're very valuable.
If the Lord leaves you here, you have health, you have energy, God has given you.
A keen mind, and oh, I do desire to see you go on for the Lord Jesus.
May the Lord grant that you will see no man anymore, save Jesus only.
Open Mtg.
Open—G. Hayhoe, W. Smith
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276.
267.
Rather than I hesitate to speak again, but I trust the Lord has laid this upon my heart. I'd like to turn to Zephaniah.
4th Last book in the Old Testament.
Beginning at the fifth verse.
The just Lord is in the midst thereof. He will do not do iniquity every morning. Doth he bring his judgment to light. He faileth not, But the unjust knoweth no shame. I have coerced the nations. Their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste that none passed by their cities, that this is by their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man that there is.
Non inhabitants.
I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction.
So their dwelling should not be cut off, however howsoever I punish them. But they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. Therefore will wait chi upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I will rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon their mind indignation even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured.
With the fire of my jealousy, and then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord.
To serve him with one consent.
And the 12Th verse I will also leave in the midst of the inflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O Israel, be glad, and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments. He has cast out thine enemy, the king of Israel. Even the Lord is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem. Fear thou not. And to Zion, let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing.
I will gather them that are sorrowful, that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
00:10:06
A brethren in this portion here we have the Lord in the midst. Spoken of three times, a brother said to me just before this meeting, he said. The thing that troubles me is, has the Lord removed the Candlestick?
And this is a very, very solemn and searching question for us in days like this. And I believe that this message that we have in Zechariah has a very solemn word and warning for us in this day in which we live. And I believe that we can say the reason that God spoke so loudly to his people, the reason He played with them, was because he did not want to forsake them because he.
Desired the blessing of his people.
And so how lovely this encouragement that is given, and yet how very solemn the warning that is set before us in these three places where it speaks, how the Lord in the midst, And notice what it says. The just Lord is in the midst thereof. And it tells us that holiness becometh thine house, O God forever, and then to every morning that He bring His judgment to light.
He faileth. Not many dear Saints are cast down and troubled because of many of the problems and difficulties that have arisen amongst us. And brother and I believe that God does have a voice to us. He brings things to light. He brings them, so that we cannot just go on as though there were nothing to be concerned about. We meet in a meeting like this, and we enjoy this happy time of fellowship.
We enjoy the precious ministry of the Word, but is it possible that we, in the midst of all this, should forget those things that ought to exercise us, and those things in our own home, assemblies that ought to bow down our heads in the dust in shame before God?
Because of the weakness, because of those things that have discouraged the Saints of God and have turned the eye from Christ instead of being able to enjoy Him and his love, it has been trouble after trouble that has come in. Was this a proof that the Lord was not in the midst? No, it was a proof that He was. It showed that because of their state He must deal with them. He must allow those things that would show.
That he was bringing things to light, That his very presence, which is light, had manifested, and would continue to manifest all that was unsuitable to his presence, an unbecoming to him. But it says here the unjust N no shame. And is it possible that our consciences should be so dull, and that we're not ashamed that our faces are not in the dust, brethren?
I believe that if we were truly before the Lord, we would hang our heads in shame, as we see the lack of going on with the Lord, the lack of that bright and happy testimony which the Church was called upon to be. And we know that it tells us in the letter to Ephesus in the second chapter of Revelation, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
And then, in that very same Church, he says that if they did not repent, he would come and remove his their Candlestick out of their place. And we know, too, that even in the days of our dear beloved Mr. Darby, he spoke of the solemn and awful fact that the Lord might have to do that if we were unfaithful, if we did not go on for His glory, and we didn't walk before him as those who had such a great responsibility.
Because of the truth that was committed to us, and then it tells us to hear the unjust, no shame. Oh, may the Lord cause us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and to acknowledge that although he delights to bless, and as we see in the end of the chapter, he does come in and will come in to bless, and nevertheless that there was much that did and should humble the deer people of God.
Well, it says in the 6th and 7th verse. Notice the sixth verse. I have cut off the nations. Their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste that none passed by. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man, that there is none. Inhabitant. Yes, God dealt with the nations and brethren. Don't we often look around and Christendom and say, look how these people are giving up here. Look at what's coming in there. Look what's coming in.
00:15:23
Why did God allow these things to happen to the nations around? Notice the seventh verse, I said. Surely thou wilt fear me, Thou wilt receive instruction. It's very easy for us to be like Isaiah. And he said, Woe to that nation, and woe to that, and woe to these people. But when he got into the presence of the Lord, he pointed his finger at himself, and he said, Woe is me, For I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of the people of unclean lips.
Provide eyes have seen the king.
The Lord of hosts, Yes, instead of pronouncing all the wolves upon others.
He got into the presence of God, and he condemned himself and brethren, this is our place.
Individually, this is our place, collectively to point the finger at ourselves.
To be humble before the Lord ourselves, and God intends that his dealings with others.
And the Doctor? Evil doctrines that are coming in all about us, the giving up of the Bible and the departure from the truth. He intends it to be a warning to us. He intends us to realize and not for us to say, oh, it could never happen here, Yes, it could happen.
It could happen. It has happened. And there are those who are once gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Who have far departed from the truth of God? And who can tell what will come to us if we don't walk humbly and softly before the Lord in that path that he has marked out in His word? I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, Thou wilt receive instruction, so their dwelling should not be cut off. Yes, here's his warning. He said that he had cut off the nations around. But he said, I'm warning you through what's happening there.
That it could happen here. And he said so that their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings, that is, they didn't receive the instruction, they didn't take it all. And now it says in the eighth verse, Therefore we chee upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the kingdoms.
To pour out mine indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. There is a day coming when God is going to set things right in this earth, but in the meantime he has a testimony here in this world.
Which is responsible to be a light and a Candlestick in the earth. Judgment is coming upon this world. We speak of it, we know it. We see men corrupting themselves everywhere.
We see that giving up of all moral standards, we see the breakdown of all organized government, everything going to pieces, and we know that judgment is coming. We announce that judgment upon the world, but always there not something for us. In all this. The time has come, brethren, the judgment must begin at the House of God, and if it first begin at us, where shall the ungodly and the Sinner appear?
And now in the 12Th verse I will also leave in the in the midst of thee and afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
I do not mean by what I am saying now that there will not be a collective testimony. I believe that God is faithful, and God assures them even in this passage as He warns them and warns them solemnly.
So that their dwelling place might not be removed, and that he might tell even emphasis, that their Candlestick would be removed if they were unfaithful. Still he says, I will also leave in the midst of thee, and afflicted and poor people. It may not be numbers, but all they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Our confidence, brethren, can be in the Lord but in Him only.
Not in ourselves, not in our leaders, not in any man, But that we might have our eyes upon the Lord. That we might see ourselves as in His presence and take the humble place. But also realize that He's faithful, and that he is going to have a testimony, because he has asked us to remember him until He comes. And I believe that in his faithfulness He will preserve a testimony. But what a solemn warning this is.
00:20:29
They shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies.
Neither shall a deceitful tongue be in their mouth, for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Here we find two things in connection with that which God would preserve, uprightness and peace. And brethren, that's what we need. Uprightness. Are we really walking uprightly before the Lord? Are we really, honestly facing up to our responsibilities and walking before the Lord? And uprightness? It's very easy to cover up.
It's very easy to pretend to be something that we're not. It says no good thing. Will he withhold from them that walk uprightly?
What is an upright person? A person that doesn't sin? No, an upright person is a person who does not pretend to be what he's not. And God wants us to be upright. He wants us to be real before him and all he wants to bless. He'll not withhold one good thing, but he would have us to walk uprightly. And then? Isn't this lovely? For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
I've often said that in the trumpets that we have in the 10th chapter of Numbers there we find those silver trumpets were to be blown for the calling of the assembly and for the journeying of the camps. And it tells us that when they journeyed, they sounded an alarm.
That is, when they had to March through where they might meet enemies, they sounded an alarm. But it says that when the assembly was to be called together, he shall blow, but she shall not sound an alarm. The assembly ought to be a place of peace and rest, where there would be that which encourages and stirs the hearts of to follow Christ, to go on with him in the path of obedience.
But oh, how sad it is when the assembly, instead of becoming a place of peace and rest, becomes a place where we press forward our own thoughts and views and wish to have others conform to them. Instead of ministering Christ and his love and his truth and the power of the Spirit of God, May God grant brethren that we'll be found going on in that which is pleasing to him. And it says.
They shall feed and lie down. And now the 14th verse saying, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments. He hath cast out thine enemy, the king of Israel. Even the Lord is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore. There's a glorious future to look ahead to our brethren amidst all the wreck and ruin. And if we're honest, we own our own part in it.
Isn't it blessed to look on? Isn't it good to see the Lord in the midst? For what?
Oh, isn't this beautiful? He says. He says thou shalt not see evil anymore.
I know that there are many dear Saints of God who are fearing. They fear the next brothers meeting. They fear the next time when they have to discuss the difficulties and trials that come up because the enemy is so busy to seek to spoil and smash the testimony of those gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Busy brethren, and he's doing his best, and it's sad that we should not be exercised and humbled under His mighty hand. But if we must confess this, there is also that in which we can rejoice. The Lord is coming, the end of the trials. Is is in view. A dear brother was attending a meeting where there was a great deal of sorrow and trial among the Saints, and as he came out of the meeting.
One brother said sadly to the other. He said, Brother, where is it all going to end? And he said, at the coming of the Lord, at the coming of the Lord. May the Lord give us though to realize that he does want to bless us here and now. And I believe that he will come in if we take the humble place before him. I believe we can enjoy a foretaste of heaven right down here. But there is a glorious day coming as we have, when we'll be able to rejoice with all our hearts.
00:25:18
And we'll never come together to discuss one trouble. Now it'll be armed. And why.
Well, that's in the glory, brethren. That's in the glory. But he wants to bless us down here. And he wrote this to the people that they might enjoy then a little foretaste of what he had for them in the future. And I've often said there are two places where God intends that we should have the days of heaven upon earth, and that is the Christian home and the Christian assembly. Is it any wonder the devil is at work to smash the Christian home and to smash the assembly?
He doesn't want us to enjoy the days of heaven upon earth, but all I say again, there is a.
Blessed prospect, thou shalt not see evil anymore.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not, and to Zion. Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty all. We have a mighty Savior. We have one who's able. There's one who's going to accomplish all the purposes of God. There's one who's going to carry it out. And he tells us, let not our hands be slack, as it says in the 12Th chapter of Hebrews. Lift up the hands that hang down on the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet. There are many dear Saints of God, and I know I'm talking to many this afternoon.
And you say, what's the use? And your hands hang down. You say I give up. I'm sure there are many that say that, but oh, it says lift up the hands that hang down on the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. What are we doing with the lame? Are we turning them out of the way? How are we discouraging those who are? Perhaps a little bit?
Discouraged, and we're discouraging them a little bit more.
May the Lord grant that we'll know how to be a help among the people of God and to encourage them to go on for Him. But here they're in this 17th verse it says the Lord thy God in the midst of the is mighty. He will save.
He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing. Brethren, do we feel these trials the Lord feels, the more when that little company met together in the book of Nehemiah. Why the prophet was sent to tell them the joy of the Lord is your strength. Doesn't the Lord delight to see a few of his own who gather together?
And desire to be occupied with him and to learn more of him. And who's going to find the greatest joy when all the trials are over?
Who's going to find the greatest joy when the whole redeemed company are gathered together around him? All the one who did that blessed work? And so in the first instance where it speaks of the Lord being in the midst, it's because he's just, it's because he brings things to light. It's because he deals that we might see his hand and correct things, but then he points us on that. He said. There's a day coming when all these things will be ended.
And then he says, and I'm going to find the deepest joy in it. I'm going to find the Lord the Mighty One heal joy over thee with singing. And so I say this to encourage our hearts. Now there is a time coming when all these trials will be ended. We'll gaze into the altogether lovely face of our blessed Savior, and he'll find greater joy in having us there than we will in being there.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied all not one whom he takes to that eternal glory will will be such that he'll say, Well, I'm sorry I brought that person there. He was such a disappointment. Oh no.
He is never disappointed in one of his own. He may be grieved, but he will not be disappointed. Oh, I think it's lovely. When he sees me in that glory, he's going to look and he's going to say I'm glad that I died to bring you there. Oh, isn't it lovely, brethren, That's the future that's ahead of us. But now there's just one other verse here that we notice. And this 18th verse, I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly.
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Who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden?
Yes. Is the reproach of the testimony a burden to you and I? Do we feel this? Do we feel it, brethren? As one person who was outside one of our general meetings like this, he walked by and someone said, Who are the people that are meeting in there? Well, they said they're the people that have the truth but don't walk in it. Well, dear friends, this is a solemn reflection, isn't it?
They're the people that have the truth but don't walk in it. And who it says here I will gather them that are sorrowful.
For of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden, is it a burden to you and I? Do we care?
The Lord cares. He's looking forward to that time when he'll have his own, when he'll present the church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But, brethren, I say again, he wants to bless us now. He wants our little assemblies at home to be happy gatherings where Christ has his rightful place. And as the next verse says, behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out.
And I will get them praised and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. Yes, that day is coming when the Redeem Company will be there. But oh, may the Lord exercise us here and now. May He give us brethren to be humble, to be before him before his hand has to be upon us more heavily than it has been. There's a responsibility that rests upon us.
There is a responsibility as those who seek to go on as a testimony to the truth of the Church, as the body of Christ, with the Lord in the midst. May the Lord give us to be truly exercised before him and humbled by all that He's allowed. And I'm sure that when we take that place, as he says, prove me now here with saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive it, and then?
It will not only be the joy and gladness of those of us who were older, but we'll see our dear young people desiring to come to the meetings and loving to see in us the joy and the peace and the happiness that comes from following Christ and giving him His rightful place.
If you turn with me, please to Genesis 49.
And verse 9.
Judah is a lion's world. From the prey, my son, thou had gone up. He stooped down he crossed as a lion and as an old lion. Who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the peoples be.
And in Isaiah Chapter 9.
And verse 6.
For under us a child is born.
Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful.
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
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Of the increase of it government and fees, there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice. From henceforth forever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.
And in Ezekiel 21.
Verse 27.
I will overturn.
Overturn.
Overturn it, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him.
Our brother has been speaking to us and.
As we have impressed with some of the words which ** *** has gave us.
That God will carry out his purposes.
Well, we know that that God has never thwarted in His purposes.
Or this earth and for blessing through this earth?
The prophecy uttered by Jacob.
In the end of Genesis, which we've just read, brings before us.
The remarkable.
Word.
Concerning the blessing which would come through the tribe of Judah.
And as we know, it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Judah was to be the royal tribe of the nation of Israel.
The scepter should not depart from Judah.
Nor a long river from between his feet until.
Shiloh, come.
Well, we read Isaiah 9 to show that the one who was spoken of is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
But here in Genesis 49.
We have the accuracy of scripture that the law givers should not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from Martina's feet until Shiloh come.
One is often thought how remarkable it is that the end of the kingly family of David is to come to an end in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There will never be an.
As accessory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
When he takes up his reign upon this earth.
It will be.
For the extent of time.
To the end of time, here upon this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will be the one to sit upon the throne.
And a role with equity and with judgment, a wonderful it is that it is to be so.
We look around us now in this day.
And how little we see of equity here.
How little we see.
Of justice.
Amongst any of the nations of the earth in our own localities, how little there is of justice.
But all when the Lord Jesus comes.
Everything is going to be set right.
What a wonderful day it will be for this earth.
When the earth will know what peace is?
When all the armor of the world, the ploughshares, the Spears are to be turned into pruning hooks.
And into plowshares.
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That this world is going to be able to settle down in peace and enjoy the blessings which God has purposed that men should have.
But oh, it must come through the Lord Jesus Christ, it must be through him.
The one who is God's fellow, the one the man whom God has had in mind all the time with regard to this earth, when he comes, and then only shall blessing come.
When it's under him.
That the gathering of the peoples shall be now I believe that is what the reading should be. Not the people, but the peoples are to be gathered.
To the Lord Jesus Christ.
We could turn to the last book in the scripture and we would find there that in the city.
That heavenly Jerusalem where the Lord Jesus Christ is going to be.
Let us there through the instrumentality, I suppose, of the earthly Jerusalem, that all the nations are going to come there to bring their offering to him who is going to sit upon God's throne.
It's under him that the gathering of the peoples is going to be.
And then in Isaiah.
9.
There we find again the accuracy of Scripture.
And the prophet Isaiah is proclaiming the coming of God's man.
Were unto us a child is born.
That is the way the Lord Jesus was to come into the world.
To come in, born of a woman.
Yes, he was to come into this world as an infant, as a child.
Oh, how gracious.
Our God is that the Lord Jesus should be here in this world, a man perfectly human at the same time as he was, and still is perfectly divine.
That holy thing which was to be born of Mary was to be a perfect man here in this world.
All we know the world.
Doesn't agree with that.
But we have the word of God to rest upon that the Lord Jesus was to come into this world, and he came just as he was prophesied that he was to be born of a virgin.
The son was given.
Not only was a child to be born, but a son was to be given.
Son was to be born.
No, the Son was to be given. He was the one who was from all eternity.
The one who had never had a beginning.
Who will never have an end?
The son would be given to the people of Israel.
The government to be upon his shoulder.
He is the one who alone.
Could perfectly govern this world.
Yes, none other could govern like he the government. To be upon his shoulder. The power was to be his.
And here we have the divine record of His divinity.
Is named to be called wonderful.
Counselor the Mighty God.
Lord brings before us, does it not, how great he is?
Who else is wonderful except our Lord Jesus Christ?
One feels the inability to expound on these names of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But to meditate upon them, and to find in them the perfect expression.
00:45:06
Of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderful counselor. You know how many times we find.
There are those who set themselves up as counselors here in this scene.
What council do they give? Or sometimes it's imperfect. It may be a mistake that counsel they give.
But all not with our Lord Jesus Christ.
His wisdom?
Is perfect.
He makes no mistake.
And how free we are to go to him for counsel and to find that, in his word we have the Council which is needed to guide every step of our pathway here through this world.
He is the Mighty God.
Scripture is very distinct in protecting.
The divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming it.
And those who deny A divinity must deny the very scripture which we have in our hands.
The Everlasting Father.
The Prince of Peace.
That name. Shiloh again, Prince of Peace.
This world has cast out the Prince of Peace. He came to this world.
And all of this world had only known.
When he came.
Oh, what peace, what blessing could have been here in this world?
He's coming again. The world cast him out, but he's coming again.
And he's going to take up the reins of government.
Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom to order it to establish it with justice, judgment, and justice from henceforth.
Even forever.
Oh, I bless it to know that God's purposes will be carried out.
Then we read in Ezekiel.
Chapter 21.
I decided just to find here.
That the world has rejected the word of God.
And before God's Kingdom, before the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ can be established.
This poor world is going to have to bear the judgment of God.
Yes.
And God's time has been established when it shall be done.
We read in Daniel 9.
That the time has been appointed when he will bring an everlasting righteousness.
And before that time.
Sinners.
The rejecters of our Lord Jesus Christ will be judged.
Sin will be put down.
And then?
God will give the Kingdom to him whose right it is.
He says I will give it him. God says I will give it to him.
Yes, God is going to see to it that the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is established upon that throne, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the one who is going to come and execute the judgment upon this poor world.
There are the scriptures in mind too, first of all in Philippians 2.
These familiar words which we read so often.
In our meetings for remembrance of the Lord.
00:50:04
Starting with the first verse, we find there the rejection, the humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of how he went down, down, down into death.
And at that the death of the cross.
Oh, he came to this world.
He came to his own and his own wouldn't receive him.
Oh, I stand. He came to this world to bring blessing.
And they wouldn't have him.
He came to his own people and they wouldn't have him.
They sent him out of the world, back to God, says we will not have this man to reign over us.
In other words, as much as to say to God you.
Cannot carry your purposes out here in this world.
The reason? Now from verse 9. The Philippians 2.
Wherefore God also is highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that is the name of Jesus. Every knee should bow.
Of things in heaven.
And things in earth and things under the earth.
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Our blessed Lord humiliated down here in this world.
His name of humiliation? Jesus. Oh, I know it speaks of him as a savior, but also it was his name as a man down here.
And men put him out of the world. They didn't want him.
His very name today has become a byword.
But God has degraded, and his purposes will be carried out.
That he is to be exalted.
He is to have a name which is above every name.
Oh, you know, we have our catalogues of those who were great in this world.
Who's who?
We have that book in the States. I suppose you have something similar to it here in this country.
But.
These names are those many of whom have passed away. Others will pass away.
Sometimes their names are taken out of the book because of certain events in their lives.
But the name of the Lord Jesus?
Is going to be above every name God has decreed it, and His name is above every name now in heaven.
And I trust in the hearts of each one of us here in this room.
But the day is coming.
When those who have despised, who have humiliated our Lord Jesus Christ.
Are going to have to bow the knee to him.
At the name of Jesus.
That name and humiliation is going to be the name which is above every name in the coming day.
Every nation bow things in heaven.
Oh yeah.
Those glorious heavenly creatures.
Which excel in strength. They bow the knee.
Things on Earth.
Oh, we thank God that there are knees here in the earth which have bowed to him today.
We thank God for it.
But those who refuse to bow the knee will yet bow the knee to him.
They're going to have to own as authority.
They will be subjected to him and to his authority.
00:55:00
Oh, solemn it is.
That they are all going to be subjected to that.
An infernal beings.
Those who hate the name of Jesus.
We saw we see a little sample of it in the days when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
Of how the demons were subject to him and to his name.
The day will soon be here, we trust.
When Even the very demons.
With Satan himself.
Will have to own him.
As the one who is above all.
They will bow their knee, they will owe him, Lord.
How blessed it is.
For those who hear the day of His Grace.
Have already bowed the knee.
May we. Thank you.
That we have by His grace.
Bow the knee to him have owned him, Lord.
But you know, with that there comes a responsibility.
That is what I wish to talk about.
That there is a responsibility in owning the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord today.
To own Him as our Savior is one thing.
To own him as Lord.
Is something else.
To own the blessed fact that we are in subjection to him.
To owner's authority here upon earth.
To own him as the one who has authority over us, body, soul, and spirit.
But we started out in Genesis Speaking of that, unto him shall the gathering of the peoples be.
Let us turn to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 18.
Verse 20.
For where?
Two or three?
Are gathered together.
Unto my name.
There am I in the midst of them.
We've been reminded that God would leave in the midst of the people a poor and afflicted people.
And here we have the Lord Jesus himself.
Anticipating the day of weakness.
That there might be little companies of two or three gathered.
Unto his name.
Oh, how gracious is our Lord that even worth two or three are gathered together?
Unto him.
That he condescends to be in the midst.
I know there are many here in this company. Who can say?
I trust.
That we are gathered to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. One has made this remark on more than one occasion. If I thought that this was not the place where the Lord had put his name, I would look for that place.
But for one's own self, he believes that the place where he's found is where the Lord is in the midst of his own.
Ray, We learned that for ourselves, not just as we have it in the scripture here and say, well, this is where the Lord is.
But the way we learn in an experimental way.
That where I am is where the Lord wants me to be.
01:00:04
One may say this will excuse the personal reference that when went through a great deal of exercise many many years ago.
As to where would the Lord have me be?
But in this verse?
Where two or three.
Are gathered.
Doesn't say we're two or three. Gather all. We meet those who say we gather in the name of the Lord Jesus.
That is not what the scriptures tells us here. It tells us where two or three are gathered, which implies, dear fellow believer, that there is a gathering power that directs Saints of God seeking to be subject to the authority of the Lord to be brought together, the Spirit of God bringing together the Saints of God into that place where the Lord Jesus Himself.
Is in the midst.
Is that why I am here? Because I have allowed by the grace of God the Spirit of God that draw me to the place where the Lord is found in the midst of his own?
May it be so with us that that is a place where the Lord has each one of us to be.
Just one more scripture.
In One Corinthians Chapter 11.
Verse 26.
Maybe say before reading this I wouldn't believes that perhaps the primary expression.
Of being where the Lord is in the midst of his own, where we have the emblems which bring before us the body and blood of the Lord.
The the loaf which speaks of that one body.
That this is.
The most blessed expression of the oneness of the body of Christ, and where we are, the expression of it.
We have this here.
And in the 26th verse. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.
We see around us on every hand, little companies growing smaller and smaller.
Are we ashamed of the testimony?
Of the Lord Jesus is the reproach of it a burden to.
Or may it not be?
But this we take upon the authority of this verse that we've read that there is going to be a place here in this world.
Where we may remember the Lord Jesus in his death.
Where the Lord himself is in the midst of his own.
There will be a clean place where you and I.
May be found gathered around the person.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, it's a wonderful privilege, but this will be until the Lord himself comes and calls us out of this scene to be with him.
When no longer shall we be?
Will we have that privilege of remembering the Lord in his death, but we will be with him?
In his very presence.
But again, I say that along with this privilege.
We have a responsibility.
Verse 27 Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily.
Shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation or judgment to himself.
01:05:15
Not discerning the Lord's body.
The remembrance of the Lord is a blessed privilege, the table of the Lord.
Is holy.
We dare not come.
To the table of the Lord, to remember the Lord in his death with unjust sin in our lives.
We have the warning here.
The Lord Jesus Christ suffered on Calvary's cross.
For our sins.
It cost him his life.
Because of the shedding of his blood.
He suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust to bring us to God.
Do we dare come into the presence of the Lord Jesus to think upon his death for us?
With indifference.
To unjust sin in our lives.
It's a responsibility.
To come into his presence, for he is our Lord. We remember the Lord in his death, the one who has authority over us.
Or may we not be found?
Eating unworthily, that is not discerning what it cost the Lord for us to be brought to him.
But may it be dear fellow believer going on.
In the full sense of what it meant to him to go to Calvary's cross, to bear the judgment of God for us, and may we come into His presence.
With clear consciences, conscience is devoid.
Of all offense, may we have it out with him and come then.
All it would be to spare ourselves many, many.
Troubles. There were those at Corinth who came in differently.
And it says in the 29th or the 20th verse for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let a man examine himself.
So let him eat.
Well, dear fellow believer, may it be to be fully persuaded in our minds that God is going to carry out his purposes, that to him should be the gatherings of the people. But even now, here in this world there is that testimony. There is a gathering to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why are we here, and how blessed it is?
That in this, the day of His grace, we have been brought together to be found, gathered around the person of our Lord Jesus.
I.
Together 170.
Oh, somewhere else. And it was for many friends, and they were married to spread.
01:10:03
So how do you get your headlines?
And all this, and let's call it Is there a?
Blah blah blah.
Hey, Cortana.
#22 in the appendix.
Holy.
Water.
Oh my God.
With me I'm fine, I'm configuration and I want to go to all of my love.
I love the crap now creating a lot of love.
Crowns
Address—R. Rule
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
So we turn together to the book of Timothy.
Second Timothy, the 2nd chapter will read one verse there.
Had it before me to speak on the subject of crowns, so we'll read the verse that refers to being crowned. It's the fifth verse.
Of Second Timothy 2.
If a man also strives for the masteries.
Yet is he not crowned, except thee strive lawfully.
I might mention that in another translation.
That the first clause is if a man contend in the games.
This has to do with the athlete, the man contending the games he's not crowned except he strive lawfully or another thought rendering according to the strive according to the rules.
Now let us also turn to 1St Corinthians, the 9th chapter, First Corinthians 9, and verse 24.
Know enough that they which run in a race run all.
But one receive a surprise.
So run that ye may obtain, and every man that striveth for the mastery, or it could be translated, every man's drivers for the prize is tempered in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crowd, but we an incorruptible.
Well, we'll read some other scriptures later that have to do with crowns.
But comment briefly on the those that we've read I might mention for those who've never considered the subject.
But in the Old Testament where you have reference to crown, it usually has to do with royalty. There is a place in Proverbs 12 where it speaks of honor, and that's Proverbs 12 is the verse that says a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.
Conveyed is a virtuous woman is an honor to her husband. But in the New Testament, generally speaking, where you have reference to crowns, it has to do with.
Victory, recognition of a victor, or affirmation or approval.
And so it's primarily in the Old Testament, I mean the New Testament rather that we want to look at a few scriptures that first one that we read.
In in Timothy.
He that contends in the games is not crowned unless he strive lawfully or according to the rules.
That that verse brings before us one thing.
That in order to have, shall we say, the victors crown, we have to be governed by in an athletic contest, one would have to be governed by the rules of the game.
For example, if it happened to be 100 yard dash and the runner.
Left before he was given the go signal. He might the one might be the first one there. He wouldn't get to be crowned, wouldn't get the reward because he didn't follow the rules he went before he was supposed to. Applying that to those of us who are the Lord if we want the Lords approval.
There must be a striving according to the rules. What are the rules?
While we're not under the law as such, but we have this book to guide us. We have the word of God to be our guide and so and connection with receiving the victors crowns. What we have to guide us is this blessed book that we have in our hands this afternoon.
Well, now.
In connection with the 24th verse of First Corinthians 9.
Says, Know ye not that they which run and erase one, all but one receiveth the prize?
So run that ye may obtain.
In this world.
If there is some prize offered, as it says here, there's one receive a surprise, but you know, there's Christian friends.
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We're in a race now.
It says in the last sentence of verse 24. So run that ye may obtain.
The Lord would have each of us, as it were, to win the prize. We're in a we're in a race now, but everyone can be a winner. It reminds me of something I heard many years ago about a dear brother who's been with the Lord for many years. I remember hearing him as a young man and enjoying his ministry.
In his early days he was in the horse racing business and after he got converted he felt that he had to give that up and.
Many years after he quit the horse racing business.
He met one of his old cronies that he had often worked with on various horse races and and he said to his crony, he was asked something about the something was said about the past and so forth. Well, he said, I'll tell you, I'm running a race now.
But everybody can be a winner on it.
If they run according to the rules.
Yes, and I want to turn later on in a minute or two, we might turn to a verse or two in the 12Th of Hebrews in connection with that.
Well.
One's desire is that everyone, every Christian, especially the young believers that are here because this the meeting was speed primarily for the young people all that the Lord might encourage you to be one.
It was so running that you might win an incorruptible crowd.
You see in verse 25, First Corinthians 10 that we've read, we find 2 crowns referred to those that obtain a corruptible crown. Well, any of those that's now, those are the things that are for time, the things that are for time. But the apostle now speaking for believers shows that our responsibility and our privilege now.
Is to be those that are seeking and seeking to gain an incorruptible crowd.
And that would be one that will be endure be forever.
Finally, the story that I heard once about.
A young man over in England that was just finishing his college days and he'd been studying Greek.
I don't think very many we don't. It isn't studied as much today as it was over in England in the last century. But this young man was studying Greek and his teacher noticed that he was just head and shoulders about everybody else in the class.
And the teacher was just amazed at what a fine job he was doing in his Greek.
He spoke to him one afternoon, he said. How is it that you're doing so much better than all of the other young people here in the class?
Always says I have to acknowledge it's because.
My uncle has been helping me.
All the teacher says I'd like to meet your uncle.
Will you or any arrange to have his uncle to come there to see him one day?
And so his uncle came. It was a man that I'm sure half the people in the room have heard his name. His name was William Kelly.
And so this teacher had a little conversation with William Kelly.
And when he finished the conversation, he realized that he was talking to a man that was far more educated in Greek than he was.
There was one head and shoulders above the teacher.
And he said this to the man, he said.
You've been hiding your abilities, he said.
If you had made more use in this world of of of your knowledge of grief, you could have really made a name for yourself in the world.
Mr. Kelly Tomb answered him with two words.
You're asked the question, he said.
Which world?
00:10:04
Which world?
Dear young people. And we can include the older. When we can include ourselves, I'll include myself. Let us ask the question.
Which world?
Where is our goal down here?
Getting a name for ourselves here? Or is it? Is it in the glory? Which world?
That's all he had to answer. Just raise the question.
Well, anything that this world has to give, one might make a name for themselves, one might get a place down here. But that recognition of victory, that crown or whatever you call a reward, it's a corruptible crowd. But the apostle Paul writing the Corinthians says.
We.
And incorruptible crowd all. Let me ask us, Let us each ask ourselves.
Which are we thinking, a recognition approbation, A crown down here or the Lords approval? A crown, An incorruptible crown that is future but is abiding?
Well.
It's our privilege, each one of us.
To buy the grace with the Lord's help, to be seeking to obtain a Cora, an incorruptible crown. That's the apostle Paul. That was that was his desire. That's very obvious from a number of things that we get in the word. Let's turn to Philippians 3 where we find a turnabout with him, Philippians 3, verse 7.
In the verses that preceded, he was.
Bringing out how as he said in verse 4.
He says there, if any other man think of the half Robbie my trust in the flesh. I more he tells how he was the tribe of Benjamin and an outstanding Hebrew and and he was a religious man, a Pharisee and he was zealous and and his life outwardly had been blameless and so forth. He was a man that would have had a real standing did have in this world. But notice what he says in verse 7.
What things were gain to me? Gain in what way? Or it had to do with the standing in this world, that which would have given him a place of of.
Honor and approval in this scene, he says, verse seven, those I counted lost for Christ. He turned his back on all that that would have made something of him in this world in our meeting yesterday afternoon.
We had brought before we as far as the flesh is concerned and self is concerned, we should seek to be done with self. But it might be Christ and not self. Well, you see, the Lord had appeared to him, He seemed.
As we learned at the time of conversion, He seen the glory of that light in the heavens, the Lord speaking to him, Glory of the Lord.
And it made a transformation in his life. And now he and his, so he says, what things were gained to me, I counted lost for Christ. He'd seen Christ the man in the glory. And so he made an entirely new appraisal of things. That which was big game to him always says, I count that loss. And he never changed his mind.
Notice in verse 8.
He says, yeah, doubtless I count. That's the present. He's speaking in the present. This was some years after his conversion. But he says, I count all things lost for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, of those things that were gained to him. Now he says.
I count them but down, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, and so forth.
Well, for lack of time, we just go down a little bit further in the chapter.
He said not as though I had already attained verse 12. By the way, another translation explains what gives a wording that makes it a little clearer what he's referring to. He's referring to a prize not as though I had already attained the prize either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend or lay hold of that for which also.
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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 toward those that are before I press toward the mark or toward the goal for the prize.
Of the high calling of God in Christ, or another translation of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.
All are changed for the Apostle Paul if an incorruptible crown he has before him now.
That which will endure, that which will be forever. An incorruptible crown. And now he turned his back on those things that the natural man would make much of. You know, I was just thinking and thinking on this subject. I was thinking the fact that in a few weeks they're going to be a lot of graduations around the country, not only in Canada, but in the United States.
A lot of graduations, and I'm sure that it needs that dresses that are given at time of graduation. Why the young people that are graduating, they will be encouraged to seek to go out and make a name for themselves in this world.
Be outstanding and make a name for yourself well.
We come right down to this, that question again. Which world, though? Oh, that appeals to the wisdom of the natural man to be somebody down here.
Yes, get into a play, have a place of standing and honor, reputation or whatever it may be. Well, power, yes, But we come right down to this basic question. Is it a name for oneself down here? Is an honor down here?
At very best, one could get down here as a corruptible crown, something that's passing.
All the apostle Paul, he said. We an incorruptible crowd, you know, dear young friends.
Nothing can satisfy you except Christ, the world in its names, even though you, the world, will set some goals out for you to achieve, and if you achieve them, you won't be happy. Oh, it's only as we seek to go on and live for Christ, seek to live a life that's pleasing to Him.
What true happiness is.
When I left home, I didn't even know I had it in my pocket, but I found in an envelope.
A little pamphlet that referred that had the title to It Is Life Worth Living? And I just noticed a couple of comments in it that says after I'd already started meditating on this subject, that occurred to me. Well, this certainly makes the point as to the two different kinds of crowns. And so in this article I'll just read a a sentence or two.
It tells, first of all that in the United States there are about 16,000 people every year that.
Definitely come to the conclusion life isn't worth living, that they commit suicide.
But then the article goes on to mention that life is not worth living if you live it only for and it gives three things for fortune, for fame or for power and against quotations the different ones a thought and connects to those. That's the fortune that tells about Jay Gould who was a multi millionaire.
You know what he said? This is in quote. I am the most miserable man on this earth.
Yes, fortune money won't make you happy.
The next one.
Group and I just read one of them. One or two is under fame.
Now.
It tells about a famous poet composer of plantation songs, one that that.
Brought old Black Joe and another one Swanee River and others says he died at a drunkard's age at the age a drunkard's death at the age of 38 and it tells another one another one of fame. A famous poet Edgar Allan Poe drank himself to death. Couldn't have been too happy, could he? Neither of them that mentions Napoleon, who died a lonely horrible death on the aisle where his exiled and Julius Caesar one who was the head of a great world.
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He was assassinated Mussolini another great leader. He was executed to all happiness isn't found in what one is what this world can give that multi millionaire said he was the most.
That he was the most miserable man on this earth. Very young Christians get this clearly in mind.
Only Christ can satisfy.
You know, of course many of you do enjoy seeing it now. None but Christ can satisfy none other name for me. There's love and life and lasting joy. Lord Jesus found in thee. You want lasting joy, You'll find it in Christ.
Occupation with him, seeking to live for him.
Well, going back.
To our chapter in Second Corinthians or First Corinthians 9 I just.
Just refer to a verse or so. First Corinthians 9.
1St 24.
It says that they which run in a race run off. So run that you may obtain.
I just think you were used to those words. Run.
In verse 26, the apostle uses of this to himself. I therefore so run not as uncertainly, and so forth.
But you have that word run brought in. You know, it takes energy. To run takes energy, so run.
That he may obtain. Now the question might be raised, why is that used in connection with those that are seeking an incorruptible crown?
Those that are where we're just making an application of it is the apostle to his life. Well, I believe it's because at least one reason would be because it does take energy to run. There's a danger for us in our Christian life to get to where we're just drifting along.
Drifting along, or maybe just down to the point where we're asleep, as it were. Which class are you in? Are you running the race?
Are you just drifting along or have you more or less fallen asleep?
You know that verse?
And we don't need to take the time to turn to it, but I think it's Ephesians 514. There's a word at the end of a verse there. It says await thou that sleepest arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light. Now I'm going to give that in a more accurate translation, I believe. Wake up now the sleepest.
Arise from among the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
Wake up. Are you drifting along? Asleep, as it were? Wake up, dear Christian friends, wake up.
Now you might wonder what it means when it says arise from among the dead. You know you might have.
Two courses in a room and if two people are sound asleep beside those courses, corpse living but asleep, you might the person that they're 50 feet away where they can't see the two breathing or hear them breathing.
Why might think they're all dead? They look alike. Look alike? Well, you know, those that are not saved, They're dead in trespasses and sins. You and I, we have life, a new life. We've been born again.
But you know, if we get to going along with the world and its pleasures and and those in the world and that's our company and get occupied with just the things of this poor world.
Why we are like those that we look just like those that are dead in trespasses and sins. And God's exhortation is wake up.
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Are there some here today that are just asleep, as it were, just drifting along? Wake up dear friend, wake up. The Lord encourages us to be as those that are running a race.
Let's turn to Hebrews 12. It gives us a thought or two as to the character of the race.
And something connected with it. Hebrews 12.
Verse one.
Verse one.
Wherefore, seeing, we also.
Our accomplice of thou was so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race of the set before us, looking steadfast, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross.
Despising the shame, and it sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, here in this verse.
We have another 2 verses, a number of things that are very helpful.
First of all, it says let us run with patience. That's one of the things Let us run with patience. The race is set before us. Another translation says let us run with endurance. I believe that conveys the thought more accurately.
Let us run with endurance, the race that is set before us. I mentioned earlier 100 yard dash for the athlete, but you know, we're not on a short race like that. 100 yard dash is over pretty fast. But what it's referring to here is what might call the marathon. It's the whole period of our Christian life down here. That's the race all through the journey down here. He would have us as it were, on this.
This race that's referred to here and.
In the in the clause that precedes that, it says, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, you know.
There are two things here, wait and sin now.
Everyone knows what sin is that's doing the something that's definitely contrary to the Lord's mind and letting our own world have their place.
And if there's something you're going on with in your life or allow that's never been judged, may the Lord give you to lay that aside. And the way you do that is to get into his presence and own your failure. Give it up, first of all, whatever it is, if it's something that dishonors the Lord, give it up and then own to God. For if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Well, that would be laying aside the sin besetting sin. We all have things. Satan knows what the special temptation to us. Oh, let us judge it in the Lords presence. But then even waits, you might say, well what does it mean? Lay aside every weight?
Well, you know a runner.
If somebody just on the day of a race where to fill his pockets, let's say, would put a put 100 silver dollar bills in each pocket and they're worth more than a dollar today. If they're the real thing too. But 100 silver dollar bills in each pocket, that would be worth today. The way silver is, the real silver be worth over $1000.
Well, you know.
Person had that in his pocket, then just before he gets to where the race is to start, if he really wanted to win the race, he.
Toss that aside because 200 dollar $200.00 in silver billed coins, that may be a weight on them. It would be a hemisphere. Now there's some things that maybe will evolve in our lives that awaits as far as our running the race. The important thing is to run the race. And so it says, lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us.
Dear friends, especially the dear young people.
I know their things but.
It's been quite a few years now since I was in the young person category, but I know there are things that command that tend to become weight. Oh, anything that's a hindrance to our running the race. Let us just lay it aside. Let us lay Christ in glory. Our goal. We read those verses in Philippians 3. Let's turn back to the Philippians 3.
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In verse 13.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
Or to another rendering would be too late, too late hold or obtained. But this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth under the things which are before.
I press toward the marker, toward the goal for the prize of the calling of.
Higher for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
He was pressing towards the goal. What is your goal in life? What is your goal?
I crept toward the goal of Christ and glory.
That's the prize that was before him, Christ in glory.
Oh dear young friends, that's what should be first with us. Christ the man in the glory.
And so, he says, I press toward the mark or the goal.
For the prize.
Yes, all those that are truly pressing toward the goal and for Christ and glory is the object before the soul. Well, they're among those that are going to be crowned. Crowned.
And it's Speaking of crowns. I'd like to turn to another scripture now in in the book of James verse 12 lesson is the man that endures temptation, for when he is tried, he received shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.
Here's a crown now, a crown of life.
But this is to a man that endures temptation or dearest trial. When he has tried, he should receive the crown of life. Oh, you know, sometimes we tend to get discouraged. Let's not be discouraged.
Hebrew for Hebrews 12 Says run with endurance. The race is set before us here. It says Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he's tried he should receive the crown of life.
And so there may be things in our lives that for some little time there are problems. And if we want to walk in the path of faith.
It it takes endurance.
But there will never be the losers if we're fighting the good fight of faith and and there's the crown ahead. What a turn. Speaking of fighting the good fight of faith, let's let's turn to Second Timothy for a verse or two.
Come to mind we have here, we'll look first.
At what the Apostle?
Himself could say at the end of his life, and then we'll look at what he encouraged another young Christian to do.
In verse six, Second Timothy 4, Second Timothy 4/6 I am now ready to be offered in the time of my departure is at hand. The Lord seemed to have made it clear to him he was right.
Near the end of the journey he said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, not to me only, but unto all of them also love is appearing.
Oh, he says. I've kept the faith henceforth is laid out for me, a crown of righteousness.
Which the Lord, the righteous judge, forgive me a bad day. You know, sometimes we get discouraged by things about us. We think perhaps some other of our young friends, even Christian friends, maybe they're not treating us right or we're not being dealt with fairly or whatever it may be. Well, here it speaks in that day of the righteous judge. The Lord is the righteous judge and he's not going to make any mistakes in what his estimate is when.
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Comes to a question of a crowd. No, he's the righteous judge and the apostle and we would encourage you to keep in mind and to think in terms not of this life but that day that's ahead. All you know we're all going to be our life is all going to be made manifest reveal that the judgment seat of Christ and everything that's been done that's pleasing to him will lend have his reward in that day.
Well, he could say.
He could say I have fought a good fight and you know, there's one kind of a fight. There are a lot of fights is most fights is best for us to stay out of. But I would have encouraged you to fight the same fight that the apostle did. Let us turn to what he says to a young man, the name of Timothy and the first first epistle, first Timothy, the last chapter, first Timothy, the 6th chapter, first 12.
Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life and so forth. Fight the good fight of faith.
Oh yes, are we seeking to walk by faith? If we are, and trial comes in, the Lord will sustain us and undertake for us.
We are reading in Hebrews 12. We won't take the time to turn back to it, but if we turn back to the 11Th chapter, it tells us about it tells us about how Abraham.
When he was tried, offered up Isaac, what a test. God told Abraham to take his son. Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him up for a burnt offering. Oh, what a test. But by faith. Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, will never be the losers if we walk by faith.
And seek to do that which the Lord would have us do based on the athlete who runs according to the rules.
Based on the Word of God, that which we have in this book. And so you and I were encouraged to fight the good fight of faith. In that same portion, a few verses further down from the one I just referred to as Abraham, it says Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer.
Affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season.
There are things in your life and mine we have to refuse.
Oh, look what Moses turned down.
Why he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter. That would have really given him status. He might have been on this road in Egypt someday.
Refused to be called the son of Pharaoh daughter. Why choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.
Oh, he knew that which really counted. It might mean trials and afflictions, and indeed it did. Why for 40 years he was in the in the desert, as it were. Yes, he was. We know we can't take time to go into the circumstances, 40 years in the wilderness. But you know, he was somebody's once said he was 40 years learning to be somebody.
40 years learning to be nothing.
And then 40 years used of God.
Oh, dear young friend. It takes faith, though. I encourage you.
Fight the good fight of faith in the end of the 19th verse of that last chapter of Timothy. The wording here is that it says speak to those that they may lay hold on eternal life. Another translation. I'm surely glad to see this.
That they may lay hold of that which is really life. Oh yes, this world can't offer what's really life. I've already read to you about the multi millionaire that said I'm the most unhappiest man that ever lived. Yes, but you know, if we give the Lord his place, then we'll lay hold of that which is really right.
Yes, oh may the Lord encourage us that we might be found seeking to walk in the past.
Be like the one who we read in James Blessed is the man that endorse temptation that when he has tried he should receive the crown of life. Oh you know how wonderful to be one of those to receive that recognition of the Lords approval a crown in that coming day. Speaking of the crown of life in the in Revelation 2.
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We find others who are going to be given that crown.
In Revelation 2 and straight to the book of to the to the assembly of Smyrna.
It it speaks of in the end of verse 10 it tells all the overcomer. It says be thou faithful unto death. And to verse 10 of Revelation 2 be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life. Well here is the monitors that get the crown. Well I doubt if many of us are going to call to be martyrs.
But.
Here are the markers here that get the crown of life, those who are faithful unto death. But you know, may the Lord encourage us to be faithful because we've learned from the other verse that we already looked at, but it isn't limited to those that are faithful on the death of those that are martyrs. And while our while our Bibles are open to Revelation 2. Let's look in the third chapter, just one verse.
I noticed the time is up, so just one verse, the 11Th verse, the Lord says behold, I come quickly.
Revelation 311 Behold, I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Oh, I hope, I hope that the Lord will encourage each year to seek to hold fast the truth, the principles that God has given us in His Word. A little while that's left. How true it is today that He's coming quickly, very soon. Why we feel it could be now at any moment. There's so much to indicate. The Lord's coming is right at hand.
Oh, dear young friends, and those of us who are older too, may the Lord help us to hold fast, as it were, what He's committed to us. How thankful we can be in this day when the Word of God is being set aside in such a measure that He's given us to value this word.
And many truths that he's brought out.
And given us to know and enjoy.
And may we seek to hold it fast. And then just in closing the last verse.
In the 5th chapter of Revelation it tells us.
It says, oh, I meant to say the 4th chapter, sorry. The 4th chapter of Revelation tells us there are those in the middle of verse 10. So that says, well I'll read the verse. The four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne.
The four and 20 elders here refer to redeem, that they're going to at that time be with the Lord in glory, or it says they cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and so forth. This morning we all were reminded in a very precious way of how the worthiness of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, you know what a wonderful thing will be to be our privilege in that day, to have a crown.
To cast at his feet. Oh, may the Lord encourage us and these last and difficult days.
May we seek to be found walking in a way that will merit his approval. May we seek to hold fast that which is being committed to us, that no man take our crown. Shall we pray?