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91.
Our Father, we thank you that it shall soon be by sight no more, by faith but the Lord to see thee face to face. And may the present time in which we live in the north wind to drive us, Lord Jesus, with a fresh sense of what are we here for and where we're going, and that this, this exercise.
This concern, Lord, for the young, oh, may it be part of our daily desire.
Before the throne of God, that the children and the young people would be brought into the conviction and the enjoyment of that hope that is so bright before our hearts, thy coming, Lord Jesus, to receive thine arm to thyself in the Father's house. And with joy Lord, we would anticipate that shout, that shout from heaven, that trumpet, that sound that it causes home to the Lord while we're here in our world.
00:05:10
In a world that has become so evil.
And that which would be of God has been so corrupted around this. Lord, help us that we might be encouraged this time together, and that thy precious word would have a place in our hearts, in our souls, in our conscience, as we anticipate perhaps a few more passing days here, Lord, but with that bright hope in our souls each day the anticipation of our return. And so we pray for thy dear people, our God, and that thou and thy grace and thy mercy with directest now into that which is appropriate for our comfort.
Our encouragement?
And our concern, Lord, and we ask these things with praise and Thanksgiving. And thy worthy precious name. Amen.
I think that's a very.
Excellent portion and I was just thinking.
As we were sitting here.
Any intelligent Christian.
Is expecting momentarily to hear the shout and be caught away to be with the Lord Jesus, let's suppose.
That's why we're sitting here today and tomorrow are Monday, that the room should be emptied.
Every true believer and.
Accept every true believer. Yes, will be caught up, but the room will not be emptied completely.
And picture yourself, young people, as one of those.
Who is still sitting here? And the room is virtually empty.
Can it be?
Can it be that you would be one of those who is left and you have heard the gospel all your life virtually, and you know that there is no more opportunity to believe the gospel and be saved because you have heard it many times and rejected it?
Take young people.
Of the doom that awaits you, and I leave you with that. Let me pick up on one first, dear brother. This verse was all that was needed for a man to be saved, and this morning by God's grace may have read any. In that case they would be able to believe it. The Lord Jesus in the 6th chapter of John's Gospel says these words, verse 27, verse 47.
Early I say unto you, he that believeth on me, that everlasting life you don't need any more than that beloved friend, and you can be saved. I was with a man in Italy that was diverse, that he believed and was saved. And now on with our chapter. You'll pardon these words, but I feel the need, the conviction of it.
Olympians Chapter 3.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord to write the same things to you, to me, and he is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, Beware of the concision, For we are the Circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof I'm he might trust in the flesh, I'm all.
Circumcised, the 8th day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of pending, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the wall of Pharisees concerning zeal, persecuting the Church, touching the righteousness which is in the law blames. But what things were gain to me? Those I counted lost for Christ Gay, doubtless, and I count all things but lost for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.
00:10:20
For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but done, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God my faith.
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not, as though I had already attained, either, were already perfect, But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do for getting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if in anything be otherwise minded, God shall reveal easily this unto you. Nevertheless, whereunto where to we have already attained, Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Brethren, he follows together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
For many walks of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose hand his destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Perhaps I could just say before we comment on this chapter that it's always helpful to have an outline of proof. I believe that's why Paul, when he wrote to Timothy, said to hold fast the form of sound words. And I believe when we take up a chapter or any portion from the word of God, it's always helpful to an instructor to see the context in which we find that portion. Now wherever we read in the word of God, the subject is always Christ.
Every line brings before us some aspect of the person and work of Christ, and I would just encourage those of us who are younger to read the word of God in that way. Whether you read it in the Old Testament or the New Testament, the subject is always Christ. But I've enjoyed how in Philippians, Christ is brought before us in four different ways.
In the first chapter you just notice it in chapter one and verse 21.
He says for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. In other words, in this first chapter Christ is brought before us, shall I say as the believers life. Then in the second chapter it says in verse five let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. And then he gives us this little summary here of the pathway and work of the Lord Jesus here in this world, taking us of course right back up into the glory where the Lord Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God this morning.
And so we might say in the second chapter Christ is brought before us as the believers example. We often read these verses on Lords Day morning in connection with the remembrance of the Lord, and rightly so. But in their context here they're brought before us as the perfect example for us here in this world.
And then in the 4th chapter he says in verse 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. And so in the 4th chapter he's got brought before us as the believer's light. No man goes to warfare at his own charges, as many troubles and difficulties, and the enemy is busy to discourage and weary the people of God in this day. But we have one in whose strength we can go on for his glory even in this world.
00:15:02
But then I was thinking how the third chapter in the 14th verse, he says, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. So in this chapter Christ is brought before us as the believers object. So we have Him as our life. We have him as our example, we have him as our object in this chapter and then as our strength in the chapter following. And so as we have this portion together, may Christ be ministered to us by the Holy Spirit.
Minister to our heart and conscience according to the need and may we get a fresh glimpse of the prize and the prize in the Christian life is Christ, and may we have the object in view. We're not going to run with endurance the race that is set before us, unless we're looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.
That's nice. Sometimes it's nice to see these chapters.
With a little catchy way that'll let you remember them. And I use it by AP because this is a prison epistle. And if you remember that this is his epistle pistol in prison. And so I would use it. I have seven PS in these chapters. I'll go quick. The first one is purpose, and that is to live. Christ, That's verse 21.
And the second chapter is the paddle, and that's to serve Christ, for Christ as the example how to live in this scene for him. The third chapter I use this prize or an object, but the prize is the P and that is really to win crimes, to make him everything in your life. Of course there's a price ahead, but you have it now and then the 4th chapter is power, which you mentioned.
Power that be verse 13 and four, and it's beautiful. Now you've got to have three wars for seven. And so there's three extras. And the best extra I got is chapter one and verse 29. Privilege is privilege. I'll read that verse 29 for unto you it is given. This is a gift in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his faith. That's a high privilege here.
A reproach of Christ after we are used to people. All right, then the six, which would be an extra I gave would be chapter.
Four and verse 19 I call in provision.
I better turn over read. I could say it, but I'll do it wrong. Maybe. But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. In other words, if you go on for him.
In the truth, don't worry about the means that's provided. And now we got 7, don't we have seven would be chapter 3 and verse 15. I think chapter 3 is called perfect. This year, chapter 3, we're going to be in that verse 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect. Be thus minded, and if anything the otherwise minded God shall reveal even this.
Unto you, oh, I think what we have in perfect. You know, when a Christian is identified as perfect, it doesn't mean you won't make a mistake or it doesn't fit. What It does mean that he's mature in the things of God. He's full grown believer able to take in me. So you've got 7 and I like sevens and perhaps I won't repeat it.
Well, it's very beautiful, the way the chapter begins, as if this were the last word. Finally. Say, finally. Well, that's the close of the subject. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. We can't always, brethren, rejoice in our circumstances or our physical needs or everything here in this world is confusion and upset. But isn't it lovely that there's one who's the same?
Yesterday and today and forever. And so he begins this very beautiful chapter with those words that need to takedown each of our hearts. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. He's always the same as love, his knowledge of every situation. We can rest in that, and that gives us peace. And he follows, of course, with some warnings, because there's always a hindrance. And we all find this when we want to rejoice in the Lord.
00:20:02
There's something that's a hindrance to this, and he takes that up then those things that could be a hindrance to our rejoicing in the Lord.
Not only is it a prison official, but as our brothers mentioning, it's the epistle of joy. 16 times joy of rejoicing is found in this business because Paul wasn't suffering in that sense, he was rejoicing. You don't hear him ask in this epistle that he be that they pray for his release.
And brethren, if you're going through a trial, Paul was here.
Never ask the Lord to take you out of the trial. Ask him to give you grace to go through it, and then you'll have the blessing that Paul has right here. It's the. It's the.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, and that's false prison peace.
We might say that Paul saw more of heaven in prison than he did out of it. And sometimes we think that the only time that we can rejoice is when all our circumstances are just right now, that is, in our own minds, and that we are suffering ourselves. But Paul was Paul was suffering for the name of Christ here, but he was rejoicing in prison. And so we too can see more of heaven, perhaps in our circumstances than out of our circumstances. I remember talking to a young man.
In my where I live and not gather with it, but he, the Lord has put him through a circumstance where his wife eventually passed away and a brain tumor. And he said, you know, I wouldn't have missed that for anything.
Don't we get in this chapter 2? Also I should say the thought of energy.
Not only is it an object, but that object before us requires energy on our part. He has expended it all. He has done all the work in order that we might be brought into a place of blessing and nearness. But I see in this chapter 2 That there there's a need of putting forth an energy in that profession or confession that we have made of Christ. God has brought him before us in a very most, in a most blessed way.
I'm just just noticing here, he says finally. My brethren rejoice in the Lord, but in verse two he gives us a sounds of warning to us. We're surrounded with the adversaries. Just notice the first, the second, the first chapter concerning the faith of the gospel. I just, I'm just going to read verse 28 and in nothing terrified by your adversaries. So it takes energy on our part to go on to please the Lord.
And who gives the energy? He does. And the only way we're going to get it is to be occupied with Christ and be found rejoicing in the Lord.
Christ sent out 70 in chapter 10 of Luke, and then the 70 were given power not only in the gospel, but power over the surface and power over evil, evil spirits. Oh, it's wonderful.
And they were so happy when they returned. And they said in verse 17. And the 70 returned with joy, saying, war, even the devils are subject unto us. And you know what the Lord said. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice.
That the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your knees are written in heaven. You know he loves to set things straight, doesn't he? Rather, it isn't what we're doing have we ever ought to rejoice in. It's the privilege of doing it because we are one of his and our names are written indelibly in the last book of life. Satan can't get it out. Neither can you.
I think it's wonderful. That's why we rejoiced. We are in Christ.
One of the titles of the Lord Jesus is the same, isn't it? Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. And so he says here to write the same things to you. To me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. I was thinking too of how when the Lord Jesus was in that agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, it tells us that he prayed. And then he went away again, and it says, and he prayed again, saying the same words. Sometimes we might think, well things are repetition. We've heard them before.
00:25:17
I think all of us understand in connection with food, if there's some dish or some food that you particularly like, you don't mind having the same thing again. You say, oh, it's enjoy that, it's very nice. And brethren, God has given us a portion and it's when the children of Israel tried to change they manna and make it palatable instead of enjoying it as it was. It was as wafers made with honey and when they attempted to change it, it said it tasted like fresh oil.
I don't know how others are, but I don't like the taste of fresh oil. But wafers made with honey? That was something very precious. So isn't it blessed to write the same things to you? Indeed, does not grieve us. We need the encouragement. We need that which lifts our hearts. We also need the warnings. And so he gives both in this chapter. That is very much to lift our hearts. But there are also warnings here, because our hearts do tend to those things that would spoil the enjoyment of Christ in our lives.
We might ask what was the beginning of the relationship?
It was the.
Philippian Jailer wasn't there.
They had a St. to go into Bathinia, and the Spirit suffered them not.
But there stood at Macedonia, man of Macedonia saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. So he goes there as the mind of the Lord could go there, and he ends up beating crisp.
And then came Silas Sing at midnight.
There's the shaking of the prisons, the opening of the door.
Jailer ready to kill himself, perhaps because he's serious to lose your prisoners.
And he's asked that question. He serves What must I do to be safe?
And we leave on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in thy house. He takes him, and washes his stripes, and feeds him the origin.
Of this epistle is to write the same things to you.
He was there.
Beaten.
Stripes wash and ministering and it said the things that he puts them in writing.
And how wonderful to to know that.
Some of the finest relationships can come out of some of the most awful difficulties.
To his own glory, make it the wrath of man to praise him.
Turns it all to his glory, that thought of the same thing that is very important today, in these last days.
The truth never changes. Principles of Old Testament never change. And so we have to be strong in the truth because he magnifies his word above all this thing. Let's never forget that. But in Peter.
The present truth of Peter is the present truth. Today it's the same. And I'd like to just look at that Second Peter, his dying declaration in Second Peter. Peter knows he's going home. He knows he's going to put off his Tabernacle, that is his body. The Lord told him and he believed it. Verse 12, chapter One, Second Peter. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. Now notice.
Though you know them.
In the same truth and be established in the present truth. Yeah, I think it means, as long as I'm in this Tabernacle, His body, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me moral, I will endeavor that He may be able after my disease.
To have these things always in remembrance. The present truth of the 1St century Christianity is the present truth of this century.
00:30:06
I think that's vital, Brother Bob, because when Jude wrote to the Saints, he wrote of appalling days of apostasy and giving up and turning aside, and he felt it necessarily necessary to write in his day and say, Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me that I write unto you and exhort you that she earnestly contend for the faith. And I want you to notice this once delivered to the Saints.
When John wrote to the Brethren, he said, no new commandment, right, I unto you, but an old commandment, that which ye have received from the beginning. And I think this is a good warning for us, especially in this day, when there's a movement among many Christians to say that there's a new revelation of truth.
Christians are coming forward and saying they've got new light. We need to be careful, brethren. In fact, I believe it's a principle with God, as you trace through the history of man, that God never gave fresh light at the beginning, at the end of a dispensation. When a dispensation was established and man was tested under a certain administration, God gave light as to that administration and responsibility connected with it. Because life always brings responsibility.
But at the end of the dispensation, when man had failed in his responsibility, what did God do? Did he bring in fresh light and give new revelation? No brethren. He brought in judgment because of man's failure, and then gave fresh light at the beginning of another dispensation. Is it any different with the dispensation of the grace of God that we find ourselves in? No. The foundation has been laid. Those crews were given to the apostles and prophets, the New Testament writers, and as Brother Bob said, that I don't want to belabor this, but I think it's vital to get a hold of this in our souls.
Those principles don't change. The word of God doesn't change. If I give up the truth of God, that doesn't change the truth of God. If I miss apply the truth of God and take it out of context to justify something I want to do, that doesn't change the word of God itself. The word of God abides. Now I would just say that God often gave recovered light during a dispensation you see in the Old Testament under the law.
With those godly met kings that were exercised as to the deterioration of things in Israel, such as Hezekiah, Josiah, and then later on after the return of the captivity with Zerubbabel and Nehemiah and Ezra and those godly men, there was light there, but it wasn't fresh light, it was recovered light. Why were the revivals in Israel under those men? Because they went back to the word of God, and they were exercised about that which had been given at the beginning.
And I say that's what happened in this dispensation. In the 1800s. There were men raised up of God.
Who were reading their bibles. And by the Spirit of God they became exercised as to the what they saw around them and the exercise as to the truth of God. But it wasn't fresh light given, it was a going back to the light that had been given the truth of the word of God that had been established at the beginning. And so I just say this is a warning and all delighted to bring out these truths to the Saints of God, just like Peter who said, I'll always put you in remembrance of these things.
Paul said to write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, and for you it is safe. He had no hesitation. And I trust, brethren, that those of us who take responsibility, whether it's in the local assembly at home or whether it's on a broader sphere, that we never make apologies for the repetition of the truth of God. If you just allow me to say this too, sometimes I think we come to the local reading meeting and we feel well, there's a lot of repetition.
And I've heard people say, well, we read the chapter and we don't seem to get much out of it. Someone mentioned about the manna and you know, it displeased Jehovah very much in the wilderness when they despised the simple man that God gave them. Brethren, let's be careful that we don't despise the simple manner that God gives in the local assembly. It may be an ever so feeble away, but I believe there's a real blessing connected with being at any meeting for ministry of the word of God. The word of God hasn't changed.
The Lord hasn't changed, and if we come together as an assembly and read a portion of scripture, I believe that even in our weakness, even without much gift, the Lord can bless His word and feed our souls. Even in the local assembly I'd say Amen and with. And sometimes I wonder when we get done with the first meeting. We're only two verses in the chapter and then we get going. But I think the Spirit of God knows the foundation.
00:35:18
Most important, then, you could go on with the foundation. And I'd like to just add one thing. It's it's the word that Paul is both concerned about. He was concerned of of of a moral.
Of moral, what do you call it?
Evil but that try no evil. Now I just want to read this in Escalation, but stop trying. No evil that has to do with truth and Pauls gospel is the whole gospel. And so in Galatians one, I'll just read this. It's so it shows you how important it was to Paul. Verse 6. Galatians one. Verse six. I marvel that ye are so soon.
Removed from him that called you under the grace of Christ.
Unto another gospel, another truth, which is not another, But there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we are an Angel from heaven, preach any other God, what are you than that which we have preached unto you? Let him be a person. And as we said before, so say I now again, if any.
Preach any other gospel under you then that you have researched received. Let him be a curse. He's not just preaching about salvation, he's preaching about the gospel that they may come, that may be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth. That's Paul's gospel and notice how serious it was.
The Law could say to 17 and Second Timothy two. He could say so. Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. And so it goes on and on. That's a progressive thing. It's not apathetic as such, but it is succession, isn't it? And so in our local assemblies, as Jim has been mentioning, we need to to remember that.
That it is there where it is passed on to those that that are younger. And it's important that those who are younger do not despise that which is has been said already. And we need those of us who do teach others also as a work. We need to remember that we are responsible to lay the truth out before those who are younger, that they might get it in its purity. And so let us not.
Get to the point sometime where we weary, perhaps, of that which we hear over and over again.
And think, well, our young people, they want to have a little change here, so we'll change it for them. But Paul says the same commit thou to faithful men who will be able to give each others also. So it's the same thing, and it's a doctrine. Over and over again, Paul. Paul speaks of the doctrine in Timothy. How is the importance of that doctrine? And that not only has to do with the gospel or with this teaching, but also our manner of life as well. The doctrine is included in that.
So how important these things are that it's the same that we have heard from the beginning. I've been coming to these conferences for 40 years and I can hear, I can still hear the same thing and I don't worry if I begin wearing of it, then there's something wrong with me, brother. And it's not the truth that that needs to be changed. And so let us, let us be glad that it's continuing and we'll continue on one of the saddest.
Verses in the Epistles.
A Pole is Second Timothy chapter one. When he told Timothy this Snow also that all day in Asia, he turned away from me.
Paul declared the the gospel the good news.
Not just for salvation, but the truth of God regarding Christianity. He was the Apostle for Christianity and declared it faithfully. Now then he sees in his last days while he was in prison. This is his last epistle, unless possibly Hebrew was.
00:40:05
That all in Asia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Tardis.
Holy B7.
Cities that we are mentioned in Revelation 2 and three, besides others, they returned away from me. Not Christ, but.
Paul saw the fruit of his labor as it were deteriorating and what a sad, sad thing he was then in 30 years later when.
John wrote. He said that they to the Ephesians he had left her first love.
And what a sad testimony it is that the truth of Christianity, pure, simple Christianity, is being given up all that we might embrace with a a full affection the truth that all cost.
In his fourteen epistles.
He says to write the same thing to you, to me is indeed is not grievous. In other words, Paul never tired of the truth, never tired of the truth. He has the sense of Jeremiah, who said, I did find thy words and I delete them, and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. That's Paul in prison. So it wasn't grievous to him that he's writing the same things over and over.
And it shouldn't be grievous to us to hear them, but it's more than that, he says. But for you, not grievous, it's safe. It's the only thing that will keep us, rather it's safe, and we need that.
There is the aspect of it being fresh. It says in connection with the Passover, He shall let nothing of it remain until the morning, and that which remaineth of it until the morning he shall burn with fire. And there are foods that we like. We like them a lot better when they're fresh.
If they're served two days later, well, they don't taste nearly as nice. And someone just handed me here about Lord Cecil, how he was preaching the gospel and when he preached it. This person was not saved, but they were so impressed that he was preaching it as if he had a personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus, and that he was talking about him in such warmth and in such reality.
That it touched the heart of this person who was not even a sane person, and saw there is that also in that peace offering, it was not to be kept over beyond the second day. And we might enjoy something here today and we might enjoy it tomorrow, but if it's just repeated as something that we're not in the fresh enjoyment of, it will not have the same effect. And so there is such a thing and very important that the Lord is always the same, yesterday and today and forever.
The truth of God remains the same, but may the Lord help us, brethren, when we speak of him.
Whether it be in the telling forth of the gospel, or in the ministry of the truth, that there should be a freshness with it, that we give it out of a full heart, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak of. Or as the Lord Jesus said, that he that believeth on me is the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Why does it say out of his belly? Well, it's been taken in, it's been made our own. It's been enjoyed.
And it comes out as something that we have made our own for ourselves and are enjoying. I just mentioned this because while we do speak the same things, we need to be exercised that there should be a freshness in the ministry that would touch the hearts of those that listen. I also would mention how it tells about a person coming into the assembly of Corinth, and it says he might be unlearned. He might even be.
An unbeliever.
But he falls on his face and confesses that God is in you of a truth. He felt the reality of the Lord's presence in the place. Whether he was a believer or not, he felt that he was in the presence of God.
Should we not also mention this? Better than that, tough times be used weakness as an excuse for our spiritual laziness? We haven't done our homework and then take the place of teaching and instructing the Saints.
00:45:04
You know, I believe Timothy was admonished that he had an outline of sound words. You know, that is the first responsibility of those who try to encourage and teach and admonish the Saints. And sometimes we haven't done our whole world, and so there is little that we can offer. And then we might complain that the Saints are not satisfied with what they're getting. Well, maybe the fault is with us.
That we have little to offer. If we had been more diligent, we had more to offer. But how important it is we have to make these things our own. Just like we have in John Chapter 6. These sandwiches that were used to feed the multitude were prepared for their boys without any thoughts that the Lord would use it to feed democracy. You know, too often we have accepted the idea that we study so that we can pass on.
To others information. Well, that is not the scriptural order. These who feed our souls, who enter into the enjoyment personally, and then the Lord at any given time can use that to feed the Saints or to feed the needs of mankind. This is beloved, what you exercise us, and I believe there is a lack of this. We are so occupied with a lot of things.
And have little time to get into the world. And then when we come to meeting, there's little that we have to offer, Let's we exercise about it in Christ the Lord itself, that we become more diligent years ago.
Older brother said to me, what is present truth? So I long stand to an explanation. And he listened carefully and he said no. So I said, you tell me then what press the truth is, He said. You, you read the scripture?
Think it better. Use the word meditate. I don't think he used that word. But think about that scripture. Get as much as you can. The Spirit teaches you.
Read the ministry on what that verse says and then live it live.
Live that truth and outrage will come over here. Most present truth. That's why it says, Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly through them, that thy profiting may appear to all. Thou shall hold safe thyself. And then that year. That's a thought.
Now in verse two and three, with the foundation he gave us in one, Paul brings three things he warns love, and then three things that should be sort of nice, The way he laid things out, and the three things he wore in love. Beware of dogs, Beware of evil workers. Now dogs are the unbelievers, usually without us in a while making a dark moment, but usually without.
What the evil workers can be within, that's sad. And then he says beware of the concession. That's general, isn't it? That's mixing fresh the flesh with the spirit and it can't work. And so those 3 warnings are very important. Concession is a partial cutting off of the flesh, allowing some to remain in even teaching.
Through.
And then he says we are of the circumstances completely cutting off the flesh.
Like Guildhall, but now it's in the heart. It's the flesh in the heart. Not so much open physical action, but it's reality in the heart. And so we are dead. With Christ, we're risen. We should live that new life which worship God in spirit. Of course we know what he told the woman at Sidecar and truth.
The Spirit will never never teach us, but according to truth so and rejoicing Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. This is very good ministry of thought.
Would you allow the bar that the dog be towards the character? They're unclean but.
00:50:05
Then evil workers is what they're doing. They're bringing in the principle of the law, you know, That is what is so oftentimes recognized that those who preach and teach legal things don't touch it themselves.
You know and then.
The concision. You see, they're trying in a legal way to deal with the flesh piece meal, you might say. And this is not the spirit of Christianity, may recognize the Christianity that the flesh is judged in the cross of Christ and we have to recognize it to be judged.
And not cutting off piece of meat like a brother. Vinegar used to drastically explain that is cutting a dogs tail off each at a time, you know, instead of recognizing that the whole thing is judged and cut off.
So we have to be careful. In our day we have both these dangers of legality.
Attending to impress amongst the same we also have worldliness and looseness, but here he deals with especially illegals element that was bringing in the law.
Well, Paul said. I know that in me that is my flesh is no good thing. That's what we need to remember, the Lord said. Yay, Paul. But without me you can do nothing anyway. So it takes both, doesn't it? We can't do anything, but it'd be wrong if it's our reflection in action. But we can't do anything anyway, unless it's Hill by the Holy Spirit, the word of God. Without me, you could do nothing anyway.
That's an interesting point. If we think we can do something, we're not going to do anything that will be pleasing to the Lord.
Dogs also.
Glory and dominance, don't they? Even in their play, they'll play. They'll get the other dog down in their jaw, up and across the other dogs, neck and games over.
Definitely true in fighting, but is that tendency something?
We can be guilty of.
Seeking to dominate.
It's quite a contrast.
Control of the Spirit.
Of the spirit of control.
I wonder, Brother Des Moines, if that isn't what's brought out in this connection in the 56th of Isaiah. In fact, we might just read it because I think it bears out what you're saying. Isaiah 56.
And verse 9 or verse 10.
His Watchmen are all blind. They are all ignorant. They are all dumb dogs. They cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yeah, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough. And they are shepherds that cannot understand. They all look to their own way, everyone for his gain from his quarter. And so here there were those who were liking taking the preeminence amongst God's people.
Trying to put themselves forward for some gain of their own. But he refers to them in this way as dogs. Because, as you say, a dog likes to have the preeminence. You take a dog, you go buy a house and there's a dog there, and he barks ferociously because he feels it's his territory and nobody's going to interfere with his territory. Well, God warned his people of all of those who rise up in that way. And perhaps this is the warning. I'd like to hear more on it, but perhaps this is the warning that we have here.
In the third of Philippians.
In in John 717, we've got the principle and it's brought out better in Timothy, but in John 717 and this is the danger.
First of all, the positive. And that's verse 17. If any man will do his will, that's merely means obedience to the work. He shall know of the Doctor.
Now 18 He that speaketh in an ordering from himself seeketh his own glory. It's one of the other. If you want to do his will and please the Lord, you'll know.
00:55:11
God will make sure that. But if you speak from yourself, you seek your own glory. That's the dark in that sense. Then Timothy brings it out very beautifully. Falling Timothy? It'd be second Timothy, and this we have to be careful of. This is practically the same Paul brought out in the act in chapter 20, but this is a nice place to have it here in Timothy, chapter 4, verse 3.
Four, The time will come.
When they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own loss, till they heat to themselves teachers having itchy ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fable.
Well, there it is.
Now these verse I said the brother Jim read in Isaiah at first show what a dog should do. You know these are dumb dogs.
They were not watching, you know, they were taking their ease.
I that is certainly not what is meant in Philippines, but the 11Th verse. There you have the greediness and selfishness and self is the object that that can well fit in here.
With the description of the dog, but I do believe the primary thought in Philippians is being unclean. You know, this is repeatedly in the word of God mentioned about the dogs. The dogs are outside because they're unclean and the dead dog is what activation used for himself to describe his unworthiness to be the president of.
The King.
But we have to be on our guard about these men that exist in prison, you know, and might even find the entrance amongst the same.
And I think that's the way that that's used here. Shameless evil, because he's talking about rejoicing in the Lord. What is it that hinders our rejoicing in the Lord? Well, if we're allowing something that's a shameless evil in our life, it certainly will hinder our enjoyment of the Lord. If we're listening to evil doctrine, beware of evil workers or servants, I believe Mr. Darby translates it. That is going to hinder us too, because.
All false doctrine always detracts from the glory of Christ, instead of occupying us with him and all his loveliness.
It's something to take away from the glory of Christ. So we're to beware of that and then beware of the concision. There can be a sort of spiritual pride. I've done this, I've given up that, and I've accomplished certain things in my Christian life. There's a great deal of that among true believers, where they can tell, well, I gave up a good job for this, and I did this, and I this. That's the concision. But we are the circumcision.
What did Paul think of the things he gave up? Did he give up things that he considered were once worthwhile? Well, maybe he once were worthwhile, but when he gave them up, he counted them but dumb for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord.
And so he would never boast of giving up anything, he said. I've seen the end of the flesh, for not only was the Lord Jesus that's in there bearing our sins upon the cross, but his death was the end of all that we were as men in the flesh. Our old man is crucified with him, so we are the circumcision. So we don't introduce anything into worship that appeals to the flesh.
It's what comes from the heart. The true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
So we worship God in the Spirit. We're not rejoicing all of us. A lovely organist there and there was a grand choir and so on. We were just as it says here, we worship God in the Spirit. That's what the Lord was teaching that woman at the Well. The true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth, and then rejoice in Christ Jesus. We're there rejoicing in all that has come to us.
01:00:11
Through the work the Lord Jesus has done, the heart of God so fully revealed, redemption accomplished. Oh how blessed it is when we come together on Lords Day morning and our hearts are just overflowing and thinking not of something we've given up for allowing evil thoughts to hinder our worship, but to be just occupied with the Lord Jesus and with the Father's love and sending him so we rejoice in Christ Jesus.
And we don't need all those extra things, because in Judaism God gave all those things because man was under trial. People often wonder, why did God in Judaism give them all those things? Different instruments. When the Temple was dedicated, there were 123 astounding with trumpets beside other instruments. They were arrayed in white linen. They made one sound and phrasing and thanking the Lord.
It was a glorious scene and God showed his approval because the glory of God came down and filled the house. What God was showing was would these outward things change the heart of man?
We might say, well, when you make a test of something, make a thorough test. And so God was testing, ma'am. And what did those people who had all those wonderful things do? They rejected Christ. They gloried in the building. They gloried in the temple, and that all that went on there in the road, and so on. But they had no heart for Christ. And brethren, it isn't a grand building. It isn't now. Well, we can sing, although we could say we should sing ourselves.
But it's the melody that's in the heart that God values. So we worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. So I believe He's showing us that if we're going to rejoice in the Lord, we need to watch certain things. But we can be, and we should be happy Christians, rejoicing in the Lord and worshiping with full hearts.
Before, when did you say man was tested? That was man in the flesh. It was not necessary for one in the Old Testament to approach God to have a new life and have the Spirit dwelling within.
So it was man being tested naturally, man in the flesh, and if there was anything for God in me. And it proved.
And So what is done in Christendom by introducing those things that once God used to test their is ignoring the fact that God in Christianity has given us a new life, has given us the Spirit, and so we are a new creature in Christ. And that's where everything begins.
And so the Spirit of God is the power for worship in John 4, the powerful service in John Chapter 7. So if one is not born again, it doesn't have the Spirit of God dwelling with him. He is incapable of entering into anything. We worship for service for God, and even after we are saved to have the Spirit within our we have to go on in the Spirit.
Because we tend to.
Leave on the arm of the flesh. You know that's a danger and that's why all wars against this. And you know, it is a very emotional thing to listen to beautiful music. You know, I love good music, but I have to be careful that I will get taken to buy these things and we do not have any place in the United States for that kind of thing. We can enjoy music, good music to some extent.
In our walks and but in the assembly it has no place, because all its faith and its new life, and the activity of the Spirit and undoubted Spirit in our life, enables us to be worshippers and servants of God.
Let us call music what it really is, the enjoyment of sound. There's nothing wrong in the enjoyment of sound, but don't call it worship, because worship is what comes from the heart, and that's what we do when we come together. We don't come together to give a place to that enjoyment of sound and all that sort of thing. We come to worship in spirit and in truth, and only as we're exercised before the Lord are we able to do that.
01:05:19
But everyone ought to come with a basket full of praise and worship. I think it's well understandable. There's nothing wrong to enjoy sound, but don't call it worship. Call it what it really is. The enjoyment of sound and what God wants is what comes from the heart.
In verse 4, when Paul says so, I might also have confidence in the flesh. He's speaking about religious flesh because that's the worst kind of flesh in the Lords mind and in God's mind. It's the religious flesh in action. And for what he describes where his confidence could have been, he's speaking about religion.
Talking about man being fully tested, here's.
Real example, Paul himself.
And he brings out this that was in his past, that he could have confidence in that flesh if anyone could.
Yet he could hear us a rehearsal of truth, and sit by the clothes of people that stone the man whose face shone like an Angel.
That's where religion.
Let merciful of God to stop them on the road to masters. What was he doing there?
Persecuting the church.
How awful and religious?
And yet it was something God had given to me in reflection.
That's why he could say I am the chief of Sinners the.
More the responsibility, or I should say that the more the truth, the more the responsibility. Many sinners out there are pretty filthy, but what God is most disturbed with is those that are.
Our hypocrites, I should say, really, in the truth, they're They're putting on a good act of religion. And all could say I was putting on a real good advertising. He was doing great. Really. That's a Jew. But it wasn't merely an act with him, though. He was sincere. Yeah, he was sincere, but it wasn't real for God. And he counted it all, all as dumb.
Now somebody mentioned in Calgary, Mr. Darby surrendering there is still because he said there is some use that can be made out of dumb but not out of field. So you can put the dung on the field and it helps things grow. But the rendering in Mr. Darby's is, I believe better India. They cook with us, that's a good use.
But we have to learn to count as the apostle Paul in order that we might win Christ. Why is it that some make progress in the things of the Lord and others don't? But maybe this is one of the reasons they haven't learned how to count is.
And if we don't?
Still value those things and try to attach spiritual significance to them and will stun us and hinder us in our growth and enjoyment of Christ.
Before we get too far in the chapter, I got a question regarding the word in verse one, not grievous. Mr. Garvey translates that not work. Something. Is that like what we have in that children's song? Tell it over and over again.
It was a joy, so much of joy that it was number difficulty to tell the story of the things he rejoiced in over and over again. That's the thought we have here.
Precisely. Well, he was so in the enjoyment of the truth himself that it wasn't Earths and for him to give it out, even though he'd given it out many times. And I really believe again, it's a good exercise for any who take responsibility, administering the truth to the people of God. It must come from the heart, it's been already said. And if we're in the enjoyment of it, not only will it come across in that way, but he, the water is watered also himself. I believe Paul really was encouraged when he gave out the truth himself.
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Not only watered the peep and refreshed the people of God, but he was watered and refreshed himself as he gave it out, because it was fresh to his soul and then ministered by the spirit of God. It was fresh to those that heard him. If you read the letters of Samuel Rutherford back in the 16th 1600s.
He wouldn't think he's writing from prison. He'd think he's writing from a palace. But he called where he was in prison. Christ, Prison palace. For me it's it's wonderful. He just loved the truth. But he's like Paul. He's spent most his life in prison for it.
M139 This world is a wilderness wife. We have nothing to see or to choose. We will vote in the ways to abide. We have not to regret or to lose 139.
This world is.
A real life.