Open—Jonathan Grinton
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M #301.
We might not like.
Going on progress in all the time.
I didn't expect to stand here today.
Thankful for the opportunity.
Merely been considering the things that were before us this morning in the reading meeting and the thoughts that I had.
As I drove here.
Somewhat came together with that.
Portion a little bit this morning in Hebrews 12.
And what's been on my heart, mainly.
Recently is our eyes or our eye, and we read of that. I believe it's in Matthew, the singleness of I.
And I thought of this verse in Proverbs.
That I've enjoyed over the years in different ways.
And if we could just read it together.
In Proverbs.
Chapter 17 and verse 8.
And we've had grace before us this morning. And faith.
And I thought of this verse. It says a gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it.
A gift is as a precious stone.
In the eyes of him that hath it, and my margin, a precious stone that says.
There is a stone of grace.
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And so today I was thinking of this in connection.
With our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
You know, we read in first Peter 2.
If so, be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
And I wonder in each one of you.
In my own heart.
How we behold that one.
Who loved us and gave himself for us.
And most certainly, we're running a race.
Here in this world, waiting for him to come to take us home.
But our eyes need to be focused in on him.
Brother Wally, he mentioned.
The word of God. He said it at least twice that it was opened here today.
Well, he did mention that focus. I heard him. I don't remember how he said it, but.
He mentioned it.
And it somewhat reminded me a little bit.
I know everybody has an analogy about running a race, but it reminded me of my wife. She used to run long distance cross country races and.
You know, I'm certain that.
As you have come around a certain leg in that race, there might be a sign that would tell you maybe what direction to go, maybe how much more of a distance there were till the next leg in the race.
And there was direction in how to get to the end of that race.
And you know I'm.
I'm certain.
That in our lives, we need that same direction.
And sometimes probably going through the woods on one of those races.
You might.
Lose a little concentration or a little focus.
You might recognize that you didn't make as good time.
Or possibly there's a route.
Much like the one in our chapter.
And because your focus wasn't strong.
Maybe you tripped on that route.
And it slowed down your progress.
Well, there was a verse that came to mind this morning that I had it marked in my Bible, actually in Hebrews 2 and two and in Hebrews 10, the verses that Mister Rule read and it's in.
Habakkuk.
Chapter 2.
And verse two, you know, the end of verse four was quoted a few times this morning. But the just shall live by his faith.
But I was interested particularly in the end of verse two of chapter 2.
The verse says the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and make it plain upon tables.
That he may run that readeth it.
He may run that read a bit.
And to me, it simply was pointing out to you and I that God has given us.
A very precious tool where everything is written down and made plain to you and I.
But if we don't read it.
We can't be directed on the path or in the race.
If I'm in the woods on a cross country race and I ignore the sign.
I'm not going to make it to the finish.
It reminded me of that I've been reading this little booklet that Mister Bruce Antsy wrote.
On some three young men that had a fall. You've possibly read it. I won't go into the booklet so much as to remind you of that young man, Eudicus.
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I think they're in Acts 20.
You know, we often consider he's in this large upper room well lit.
And you got a little bit tired of?
The long preaching.
And he fell out the window.
But I suspect.
And I feel very confident in saying that Eudicus.
Was tired before he got to that meeting and before he sat in the window.
And fell out.
And maybe your heart is like that.
I can tell you mine was like that one time.
Eudicus wasn't looking.
For direction, he was looking at the window.
At the other things that were available to him in this life, he had lost focus.
While there's a lot more to that story of Euticus, and we need each other to help, to be brought back into focus sometimes, don't we? We can be thankful that Paul went and fell down and hugged him and the rest that were there. They brought him back up again. But that's really not what I had in my heart today. My heart.
Thought is that you and I need to read our Bibles.
And we need to rely on the Lord Jesus to guide us in our walk so that we can be like Him while we're here.
And when we look at him as that one that went to that cross of Calvary for you and I.
How do we behold him? Do we want to please Him?
Do we want to be like him?
I've read these verses before and their favorite verses of mine in First Chronicles chapter 29.
28 Sorry.
First Chronicles 28 and verse 19.
You know, there was something.
Very large, about to happen with Solomon.
It might have even been a daunting task.
When considering it.
A lot of work ahead.
His father in verse 19.
He said this to him.
I believe that there's a lot of good direction in it for you and I.
He was talking about building the temple.
And he said all this.
Said David. The Lord made me understand in writing.
It's not my intention to take this verse out of context, but I sure enjoy thinking about it.
And the fact that God has given us His Word in writing.
And it's here in our hands today.
To help us to know and to learn more.
About how we should be while we walk down here in all this.
The Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me.
You and I that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are indwelt.
By the Holy Ghost.
We have the privilege of having the Spirit with us always to help us and to guide us.
When we read His word, we can trust Him to show us the way.
He will.
By his hand upon me.
Even all the works of this pattern.
The pattern of everything that's laid out for your life.
If you don't know it now.
If you haven't figured it out yet.
Read God's Word.
He'll show it to you and he'll lead you to it.
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And help you every step of the way.
You cannot run the race with patience in this life.
Without direction from above.
David said to Solomon, his son. Be strong and of good courage.
And do it.
I think that's one of the most important parts of this verse.
Be strong and of good courage and do it. How many times do we say?
I'm going to start reading my Bible today.
How many times do we say I'm going to start talking to the Lord today, I'm going to ask Him for guidance and for help today?
But something comes up.
Something gets in the way.
Maybe we find something that seems a little bit more fun to do.
If that's you and you have lost your focus.
And you're not going to find direction for your life.
It's going to be very difficult to finish the race. You're going to trip on a lot of roots.
He's strong enough. Good courage and do it. Fear not nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee.
He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He's always with his own. He loves us. He wants to carry us along in the difficult times. He wants to help us.
And we can take comfort in that.
Says, He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee until thou hast finished.
All the work for the service of the House of the Lord.
And he's got work for you and I, dear ones, to do while we're on that race.
And I'm certain.
Like his Son the Lord Jesus, when he came into the world to save sinners and went to that cross of Calvary.
You and I are happy that he did it right.
That he did it exactly the way it was laid out.
So that we can be here today, assured of eternal life with Him.
Well, I believe that the Father wants us to do it right too.
And I can only tell you that because of my own failure and what it feels like to suffer through those bumps in the road.
On the race. But oh how much more precious it is.
When I do it right.
And when he is pleased with me, like Enoch.
Read that in Hebrews.
And how he pleased him.
Well.
And merely bring this out to us, that we might consider how we behold Him.
If our eyes are focused on that one, it was the perfect example for us while here in our life.
I would only just think of one verse in.
Exodus 18, I believe, and I.
Came across it this morning.
I just thought it was a nice little note when Jethro brought Moses sons and wife up to meet him.
It speaks of his son Eliezer in verse 4.
He says in the name of the other was Eliezer, for the God of my father said he was mine help.
And delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh mine helped and delivered me.
Eleazar in my margin says my God is a help.
And he wants to be a help to you and I while we run this race here in this world.
Let's let them be a help to us. Let's spend time reading our Bibles.
And spend time praying and asking him for direction.