YP Address—J. Hyland
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#42 in the appendix.
Savior, lead us by thy power safe into the promised rest. Choose the path the way whatever seems to thee. Oh Lord, the best be our guide in every peril. Watch and keep us night and day. Else our foolish hearts will wander from the Strait and narrow way. Hymn #42 in the appendix. I realize that sometimes afternoon meetings are very difficult.
And so as last afternoon, I'm going to suggest again that we stand up to sing this hymn.
And if someone could please start it for us.
Before I turn to the portion that's particularly on my heart this afternoon.
I'd like to read 2 verses. The first one is in the book of Philippians.
Philippians chapter 3.
Philippians chapter 3 and I want to read just the first part of verse 10.
That I may know him, and then in the book of Hosea.
Wasaiah Chapter 6.
Hosea chapter 6 and verse 3. Then shall we know?
If we follow on to know the Lord and now the portion that's particularly before me, the 23rd Psalm, Psalm, Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 You'll notice the title of this Psalm. It's a Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. Yeah. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
Well, I'd like to speak, and this meeting is particularly for those of us who are younger. This afternoon, and I know at one time I was a young person sitting in meetings just like this, and I heard our brethren minister to us on following the Lord. We were exhorted to live for Christ, and I wondered sometimes how I was going to get along in the path of faith.
And I can't say I fully learned the lessons, because we don't fully learn the lessons this side of glory.
The hymn writer put it this way. And when we've learned our lesson, our work and suffering done, our ever loving father will welcome everyone. In fact, I believe if we say we've learned the lesson, then we really don't know our own heart, Peter said. Though all deny thee, yet will not I deny thee. But the Lord had to teach him that he, that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. And so it's not that we fully learned the lesson. But I must say this, young people I have learned to appreciate, at least in some measure, the Lord's care and his full and abundant supply.
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And I want to encourage you this afternoon to, while you are young, follow the Lord. Young people, I can't reach down in your heart this afternoon and create a desire to follow the Lord. Only the Lord can do that. If I could reach down and create a desire I I would. But I can't. But I know the prayer of many here is that as you're here at these meetings, that the Lord will by His Spirit implant that desire in your heart, and that as we leave these meetings, each one of us, as has already been expressed during this time.
Would have a fresh and increased desire to follow the Lord. And that's why I began with these two portions in the New Testament.
Because I believe that this statement we read written by inspiration by the apostle Paul in Philippians, that I may know him. I believe this sums up Paul's whole Christian pathway. Before Paul was saved as Saul of Tarsus, he thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Christ. He sought to stamp out that blessed name he sought to persecute and even have put to death.
Those who were followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you'll remember when he was arrested in his course on the Damascus Rd. he asked this question. Who art thou, Lord? And if there's someone here and you don't know the Lord Jesus? As your Savior, I want to begin this meeting by giving a challenge to your heart. Why don't you know this blessed one, the way a blessing is open for you this afternoon? The Lord Jesus in his grace has allowed you to come to these meetings.
God in His mercy, is pleading with you to come to the Savior, just as He strove with thee.
Apostle Paul, when he was Saul of Tarsus, and finally there was that turn around on the Damascus Rd. all this conference could be the turn around for you. And so if you don't know the Lord as your savior, oh, would that you ask this question? Who art thou, Lord? And then, as I say, Paul's whole desire was to know more of the person of Christ, and not just to know more about him, but to know this person. It doesn't say here that he wouldn't had a desire to know more about him.
That's true. I trust each one of us, young and old here, have that desire to know more about our Lord and Savior, because He's told us all things that we need to know in the Word concerning this Blessed One. And I just trust our desire is to know more about Him. But young people, the challenge I want to give to my own soul and to your soul this afternoon is do you have this desire, like the Apostle Paul, not just to know about him?
To know him.
Now sometimes said. I know a lot about the Queen of England and the British royal family.
And I suppose, coming from Canada, I am more conscious of it than most in this audience this afternoon. But we studied in school much about British royalty. We often hear in the newspapers that which concerns the Queen of England and her family. And yet, while I know a lot about the Queen of England, I do not know the Queen of England personally. I've never been invited to Buckingham Palace. I've never had so much as the opportunity to shake the Queen of England's hand.
And so I know a lot about her, but I don't know her personally. But suppose I did receive an invitation to go to Buckingham Palace and a ticket provided and all the means supplied. And I go, and I spend some time with the Queen of England, and we sit down together each day and we talk and she unburdens her heart. And I unburden my heart. Oh, now I come away. After that time I say, I don't just know about the Queen of England, but I know the Queen of England personally.
All young people, We're not talking about the Queen of England or any other of the great dignitaries or famous people in this world. We're talking about the Lord of life and glory. We're talking about the one who inhabiteth eternity. We're Speaking of the one who wants your company and mine. But there's only one way to know him, and that's to walk in fellowship with him. And so Paul, I say his whole desire was to know more of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to know him personally and if we get nothing else out of this little time together this afternoon.
I trust that this burns into your soul and mind, that we may know him, and that we would go away from these meetings with a conscious sense.
Of his presence with us, you know, that's a challenge, isn't it?
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It's easy to enjoy the Lord in circumstances like this. It's wonderful to be able to sit with the word of God open before us.
It's wonderful to have the Spirit of God to minister Christ to us from the pages of this blessed book on an occasion like this.
It is a privilege to be in happy fellowship with so many of our brethren and so many of the young people who are here.
But the challenge comes down when we go home, when you go back to the home situation.
When you go back to school, when you go back to the office, when you go back to the shop.
When you return to the factory, when you go to that little assembly where there's only a handful on Lord's Day Morning.
When you sit down on Wednesday evening and there's just two or three brothers, but you open the word.
And the Lord undertakes and feeds your souls. But that's the challenge as we go from day-to-day.
Is it with the exercise to enjoy the Lord's presence, to have a conscious sense of his company with us? You know, young people, I don't believe we need to pray and ask the Lord to be with us because He'll never leave us nor forsake us. He's always with us. But what I believe we need to pray when we get up in the morning is that we would be walking in such a way that we would have a conscious sense of His presence with us.
The Psalmist said in the 30, the 73rd Psalm, he said. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast holding me by thy right hand. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. You know, if someone's holding you by the hand, you're conscious. You're very conscious. You're acutely aware that that person is right there with you and beside you. Do we live our lives like that? Do we say, nevertheless thou art continually with me, with me.
Do we feel the presence of his hand? That's really what it means in Philippians, Where it says the Lord is at hand, He's right there. He's with us, but all We're not going to enjoy his company if we're not walking in obedience to the word of God. And we'll speak of this a little bit as we go along. And so the first thing I want to bring before us is that I may know him. Oh, may we all have that desire to know this wonderful, glorious person.
Because he does desire your company and mine. And then we find it says in Hosea. If Speaking of following on to know the Lord, are we going to follow this Blessed One? Young people, I want to challenge your heart. The only happy path is to follow this Blessed One. We're going to go in a few moments to the 23rd Psalm, the shepherd's Psalm, as it's often been referred to and I've been struck to realize that she are one of the few animals.
That you lead. You know, you drive cattle, you herd pigs, but you lead sheep. And I believe that that's one reason why the believer is brought before us likened to sheep, because you see a flock of sheep and they're moving along the road or through the pasture. What are they doing? Oh, there's the shepherd and they're following him. That's what he wants, young people. He wants us to be followers. But, you know, to half heartedly follow the Lord isn't a happy path. It's not going to work.
Peter tried that, you know, it says of Peter. He followed afar off, and I believe it was one of the things that led to Peter.
Finally associating with a little company around the fire that night that had no love for his blessed Lord, and it led him to deny his Lord three times with owls and curses. Oh, I beg of you, don't follow afar off. Be like Caleb in the Book of Numbers. It tells us seven times of Caleb that he wholly or fully followed the Lord. You've heard me say this before, no doubt, but I've enjoyed the fact that with Caleb his name means a dog. I used to ponder that because.
Usually a dog in scripture doesn't have a very good connotation, but I believe there are two things that characterize a dog.
He's a good follower, and he's faithful to one master, all young people. That's what he wants. He wants good followers. He wants those who are faithful to him. But I will say this too, before we pass on that I believe there's only one way to be a true disciple. There's only one way to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's to have a heart where there's only one object in it. Because I believe where our hearts are, then our feet will follow.
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And all I trust that during these meetings your heart is and mine has gone out in some fuller and deeper way to the person of Christ. Have our hearts been attracted to the shepherd? If they have, then our feet are going to follow in the path of faith. Because young people, there is a path of faith as we're going to see for each one of us. Or let's follow on to know the Lord. And as we follow him it will be to find those beauties and attributes that make up his person become more real and precious to our hearts.
But they're not going to become real and precious to your heart and mind if we're not following.
If we're not walking closely to his side, I say he'll never leave us, but we can leave him. There was a there's a sad commentary about Jonah. You know, Jonah was one of the Lords. He was a prophet. But there came a time when Jonah chose his own way. And what was the result? He rose up to flee under Tarshish. And notice this expression from the presence of the Lord. Now we know from the story that the Lord didn't leave his servant, and the Lord dealt with Jonah and there was restoration.
And Jonah was used in a mighty way. Why, when he went and preached the message, the whole city got saved. What a blessing Jonah was in Nineveh. But all he could have saved himself that bitter experience if he had sought to follow the Lord and be obedient at the beginning, but he fled from the presence of the Lord. And if we choose our own way, we're going to lose in our souls a sense of the Lord's company with us. And I might just say in passing too.
There's something else very remarkable there in connection with Jonah fleeing from the presence of the Lord. It says he paid the fare thereof. All young people, if we choose our own way, and I wish I could impress this on your soul this afternoon, but if you and I choose our own way, we're going to pay the fare. And Jonah found that the fare that had to be paid was too great, or what a cost. When we choose our own way, we lose in our soul a sense of the Lord's presence with us. We lose that rest, we lose that peace.
Thank God we never lose our salvation, not secure in Christ, but we do lose. We pay the fare. Oh, let's seek to follow on to know the Lord, because young people, He not only has given us infallible guidelines in His word, marked out the path very clearly for us. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. But not only has he done that, but then he goes before he putteth his own sheet forth, and he goes before.
And it says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and I give unto them eternal life, and they follow me. You'll pardon a little incident that I know some of you have heard me recite before, but I well remember some time ago my wife and children and I were in a strange city.
And we were looking for the home that we were planning to visit and we got hopelessly lost.
And after some time, I finally took my wife's advice and stopped and asked for directions.
And the lady came out and she said something like this to me. Not exactly, but something like this. She said, well, you go down three blocks and you turn right. And then when you come to the traffic light, you turn left and then you'll see AY in the road and take the right fork. And then you'll go about half a mile. And by that time she realized by the look on my face that I wasn't taking all that in. She said, that's all right, I'm going that way. Just follow me. And it was a lot easier to follow her than just have her give me directions.
God has done both for us. He set out his word. There's a path of faith marked for you and for me in this precious book. But just like he said to Peter before he returned to the glory, he said, Follow thou, me. Isn't that individual? Isn't that a very individual thing? It's true. There's a collective aspect of the truth. But for a few moments this afternoon, I want to speak to each one of us as individuals, because we are individuals in God's family.
We're individuals in the flock of the Good Shepherd, and this, I believe, brings us to the point that we have here.
In the 23rd Psalm. Now, I might say before I comment specifically on this Psalm that I want to encourage you, when you read the Psalms, to notice the titles of these psalms. I sometimes wish these titles were printed just a little bit bigger in our Bibles because these titles were not added by the translators. They are part of the word of God, and if they are part of the word of God, then God has something for us in the titles of these Psalms.
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And yet, because of the size of print, we often Passover and miss precious truth.
In fact, I would just say in that connection, don't read the word of God quickly. You know, we're taught at school to speed read and just get the main thrust out of a paragraph or a page or a chapter. Never read the word of God in that way. Read the word of God prayerfully and slowly with exercise, because it says every word of God is pure. Now I realize that these Psalms are taken up in different ways. Many of these Psalms are prophetic concerning.
The blessing for the people of God in a coming day, God's earthly people.
Many of these Psalms bring before us the expressions and feelings of the Lord Jesus as he passed through the circumstances of life as a man.
And I believe there is nothing will tug at our heartstrings like going back and reading some of those precious psalms that give us the innermost feelings and breathings of the Lord Jesus, things that we don't have in the Gospels. In the Gospels we Get the facts concerning the life and the work of the Lord Jesus, but in the Psalms we get the feelings a glimpse into his innermost expressions. And I suppose that's why on Lord's Day morning.
We often read the 22nd Psalm, the 69th Psalm, the 102nd Psalm, and other of those precious psalms, and I say they ought to tug at our heartstrings. You know, sometimes when I have opportunity to visit with folks who are shut in, or I'll or elderly and feeling the cares of life and physical limitations, I asked them what portion of the word of God they are enjoying.
And I would say that the greatest majority of answers is I'm enjoying such and such a Psalm, because these Psalms have been such a comfort and help to the people of God. And I want to take up this Psalm in this way. And I want to take it up in a very practical way this afternoon because it is a Psalm of David. And I have appreciated these psalms of David in this way. They are the feelings and expressions and experience.
Of David as he passed through the circumstances of life as a man and all, how he felt things very keenly. And young people. David didn't have an easy life. Just go back and read the life of David. It was 1 difficulty and problem. After another one situation arising and that was taken care of in another situation. We find that first of all he sent by his father to the camp of his brethren.
And was he understood and well received by his brothers? No. They ridiculed him for coming down to see how the battle was. Then he goes down and he fights with the champion of the Philistines, and from that point on he flees for his life. He fears from King Saul. He felt it very keenly when his best friend Jonathan didn't follow with him in his rejection. Then even after he came into his Kingdom, it was a Kingdom plague with all kinds of of upheaval and turmoil.
We find that he had domestic problems, problems from his enemies about him, even family problems in connection with Absalom and other instances. But just I challenge you, go back and read slowly and carefully through the life of David. He didn't have an easy life, but he did find a resource in his God. He found one that was sufficient for every situation of life. And that's what I want to impress upon you from this little Psalm.
I know it's a Psalm we often take up. We often read. It's been a tremendous comfort to many through the ages as they've gone through sorrows and difficulties, but all to see that the Lord was sufficient to meet every need that David had. Young people, you'll never face anything in life. You'll never find a problem too big, that the Lord isn't sufficient. There's nothing too hard for Him, even when life seems tangled.
Sing a little hymn. He's able the tangles of life to undo. Sometimes we say, oh, I don't know how that's going to workout.
For a purpose of blessing in my life, I just can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. You ever feel that way? I've often felt that way. I said. I just don't know how the Lord is working it out, but oh, He's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, and there's one thing we can rest on for sure. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to His purpose. Sometimes we don't know how it's going to work out for good, but we know it's going to work out for good in the end.
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And won't it be worth it when we get to glory and we see it all in retrospect?
We see that he had a perfect plan for your life and mine. We see how everything was working out for a purpose, you know, It says, now we see through a glass dimly. There's things we don't understand. There's shadows and shades. But I've appreciated, and it's only an application, but I've appreciated a little expression in revelation in connection with the heavenly city. It says it's clear as crystal all there's a day coming when everything is going to be.
Clear as crystal. There won't be any misunderstandings there. And as we see it all in its completion, the plan for our lives, the purpose that he had in everything, oh, we're just going to praise him for his ways and marvel at his ways with us. And so this is a Psalm of David. It's a very personal Psalm, and I want us to see it that way. I want you to think of it that way. I want myself to think of it in that way.
Of being very personal, and certainly the first verse of the Psalm brings that before us.
The Lord is my shepherd. Can we say that from our hearts this afternoon? I might just say in passing that in the New Testament the shepherd is brought before us at least in three different ways. We find in John's Gospel chapter 10 that He's brought before us as the Good Shepherd.
And there it's In connection with the Good Shepherd giving his life for the sheep. Have you availed yourself of the finished work of Calvary?
Can you say that he has died for you? Has the blood of Jesus washed your sins away? If you can say that, then you, like David, can say the Lord is my shepherd. That's very personal, isn't it? This isn't just a theory or this is just isn't just philosophies. We're talking about the afternoon. We're talking about a person. We're talking about the person of Christ. We're talking about the Shepherd, the one who loves us and gave himself for us and the one who cares for us.
Because we find to that He's brought before us in Hebrews, the end of Hebrews as that great shepherd of the sheep. And there it's in connection with what He is doing in US and for us all. There's one who's interested in every detail of your life and mind. In fact, he knows us so well, so thoroughly does He know us. It says the very hairs of your head are all numbered. You don't have an earthly friend that knows you that well.
You don't have someone in this world that knows you that thoroughly, but here's one that knows us through and through, knows our background, knows our family situations, knows everything, our burdens, David said. He knows my down sittings and my uprisings, and yet he's the one that is caring for us and the one that is working in US and for our blessing. Then we find too that in connection with a future day of reward and manifestation.
He's brought before us as the chief shepherd that's in the end of First Peter is going to reward. He delights to reward for any faithfulness on your part and mine. Isn't it tremendous to think that the one that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure is the one that's going to come forth and say so much have I appreciated those little things that I'm going to give you a reward for it? It's true. We'll pass those rewards, those crowns.
Back at his feet. We get that in the 4th of Revelation, but oh what joy he's going to find in saying.
Well done. Thou good and faithful servant, enter thou in to the joy of thy Lord. So David said, The Lord is my shepherd. Oh, how personal it is. Do you, Do you know what it is to walk personally with this shepherd, to follow him? Or I just say again, young people and all of us learn to cultivate a personal relationship with this blessed one.
Well then we find he says, I shall not want. Now I'm going to tell a little story. There are some boys and girls here this afternoon. And I know this is a simple little story, but it touched my heart when I heard it because I heard of a little boy. And he went off to Sunday school each week. And at the end of the Sunday school year, they were going to have a little recital. And the teacher had prepared the children to sing some gospel songs and to recite some portions of Scripture.
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Parents were invited to come and hear this recital. And there was 1 little boy there and he was to recite the 23rd Psalm. And he had worked very diligently to learn this Psalm. But you know, on the day of the recital, as he stood up to recite this Psalm, he looked into the faces of so many adults and he got what we sometimes refer to as stage fright. And so he began, The Lord is my shepherd and he couldn't seem to get beyond it. And so after stammering the moment, he said again.
The Lord is my shepherd. Still, the words wouldn't come the next time. He started in. He said, The Lord is my shepherd. He hesitated a moment, and he said, what more could I want? And he sat down.
Or young people. What more could we want? What more could our hearts want this afternoon?
From the person of the Christ, the shepherd, his company. Oh, I say, this is the only thing that's going to fill and satisfy your heart. I know there's many empty, aching hearts in this world today, and maybe there's someone here. And you know the Lord as your savior. You know, the Good Shepherd, You've availed yourself with the work of Calvary. But maybe your heart is empty and aching because you're not walking in communion with the shepherd.
You're not following closely beside him. Oh, if you know the Lord as your savior, but you've chosen your own way. Oh, I want to encourage you. The way of Restoration is open, as we're going to find in this precious Psalm all returned. Because I know that if you're trying the things of this world, you're finding that they're not satisfying. Be honest with yourself. Let me ask you this question, and you answer it in your own heart. This afternoon are the things that you are seeking after in this world.
Satisfying your heart.
You know there is pleasure in sin, but it says it's the pleasures of sin for a season.
And you may go out with the crowd, and you might find some momentary pleasure in that which you are participating in or that which you are taking up. But I know when you return to your room at night and you lay your head on your pillow, your heart is empty. Those things that you thought were fun, they didn't satisfy your heart but all. Here's one. What more could we want? The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pasture.
Now we're going to notice, and we've spoken of it already, how the sheep are one of the few animals that are led, and how the shepherd desires to lead the sheep. And we're going to see that it's brought out very clearly here in this Psalm. But isn't it interesting then, that when it comes to the green pastures, He makes us to lie down? He leads us by the still waters, and we like that. He leads us in the paths of righteousness. And I trust we follow.
But when it comes to the green pastures, he makes us to lie down. Now I suggest that the green pastures speak to us of feeding on Christ and meditation. I say that because you remember with Isaac in the 24th of Genesis, he went out to the field at Eventide for the purpose of meditation. All I want to encourage you get into the field seed in the green green pastures, young people.
We've had some expressions to this end already in these meetings this weekend. The importance of esteeming the words of his mouth more than our necessary food. I will go in and out and find pasture. Are we finding our sustenance in the word of God? Are we feeding on Christ? Because wherever you read in the word of God, the subject is always Christ. Open this blessed book.
The hymn writer said Feed on God's word in the morning, feed on God's word at noon.
Feed on God's Word in the evening to keep your heart in tune. Are we feeding on God's Word on a daily basis?
It's often been pointed out, and I believe rightly so, with the children of Israel in the wilderness, they needed the manna from heaven.
Because, I believe a wilderness brings before us a place of no food, nothing to sustain life. For Israel, there was nothing in the wilderness to sustain the natural life, and God reigned that manna from heaven each morning. Apart from the Sabbath, of course.
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But young people were crossing a spiritual wilderness. There's nothing in this world to feed the Newman. There's plenty to feed your lust, but nothing to feed the new man. And if your soul is going to be satisfied, it's not, as we said, going out after those pleasures that the world has to offer. That's only the bubbles that last for a moment, but it's getting into this blessed book and feeding on the person of Christ. Open it and read it each day.
And I would just say to before we pass on that with the children of Israel, it was a daily exercise to go out and gather the manna. The manner they needed today was not the manner they needed tomorrow. They had to go out each morning. And I know that it takes exercise and discipline to get up a few minutes earlier in the morning, open this blessed book and satisfy your soul. But let me say this too. If you do that, you'll find two things.
You'll develop an appetite for the word of God, and you won't be so vulnerable to the things that are offered to you on every hand.
Sometimes said, if I make sure that my girls eat a good healthy breakfast before they go off to school, they're not going to be so apartment to want something at recess that's not good for them because their appetites have been satisfied with good wholesome food. Oh, let's satisfy our appetites with the word of God, so that when we go out into the world, we're not going to be so vulnerable to those things that are offered to us on every hand. He maketh me, and I want you to notice this expression.
I called a brother some time ago, a brother who used to minister amongst us in whose ministry we have known and appreciated.
And he is laid aside and not able to get around. And I said to him, because I know it's difficult sometimes to slow down.
We're used to the fast pace of life and being able to zigzag around the continent and across the across the continent and around the world. But I said to this brother, I said, you know, it is interesting in the 23rd Psalm that he speaks of leading us in various various ways. But when it comes to the green pastures, he makes us to lie down because we don't like to stop, we don't like to take time from the busy pace of life.
But sometimes I believe the Lord has to put His hand upon us and make us lie down South, that we will feed in those green green pastures. And I believe if we don't on our own take time to be in the word of God, to meditate on what He has given us all, then sometimes I say, He does have to put His hand upon us and make us to lie down, because He wants us to be in the enjoyment of these things. He wants you to read His word. He wants you to spend time meditating.
On the person and work of Christ. And I like that little hymn that says take time to be holy.
You'll never have time if you don't take time, but oh how good to take time.
To feed on God's word. So then he says, He leadeth me beside the still waters.
You know, this is a world where there's no refreshment. It's a barren land, just as Israel found in the wilderness. There was nothing to refresh them. There's nothing that's going to refresh our spirits in this world, young people. The only thing that's going to refresh us is that which he has given us of himself in this blessed book. Sometimes again, water is used as a type of the word of God, the washing of water by the word.
And we certainly need that wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking he taking heed thereto.
According to thy word. And so he speaks of it in connection with the green pastures. He speaks of it in connection with leading us beside the still waters. And I know there may be other thoughts in connection with what we have here. But to me it just shows the importance of communion with himself, the importance of being into the Word, and in finding our sustenance and our refreshment in this precious book. Then we find, He says in the third verse, he restoreth my soul.
You know, maybe I look into the face of someone here this afternoon and you say I haven't followed the Lord the way I ought to. I just haven't been as diligent in the word. I've got a way. I've kind of followed a far off. I've come to the meetings but really haven't had any heart for it. And I just have gone along with things. Oh, David said he restoreth my soul. Maybe there's someone here. And some sin has come into your life. Oh, there's restoration. We were Speaking of this this morning.
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How that on 2 occasions brought before us when David sinned and he confessed that sin before the Lord.
Oh, there was restoration for him, he could say. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.
Not restore unto me Thy salvation will never lose that. But we lose, as I said earlier, the sense in our souls of His presence with us. There's no refreshment, there's no sustenance while we go our own way out of communion with himself. But oh, how wonderful, there's a way back.
Young people, there's never, you can never do something so bad that there isn't a way back, a way for personal communion.
To be to be restored, David sinned grievously, but all there was full and abundant restoration for him. So as we were reminded this morning, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And I've enjoyed that verse two in the third of Jeremiah that says, Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, my father, Thou art the guide of my youth. I like that little expression from this time.
I haven't followed the Lord. I haven't allowed him to be the guide of my youth the way I have.
But from this time, you know, I think conferences like this are often turning points for many of us.
And we hear the ministry in the spirit of God takes it and applies it, and we're exercised.
And wilt thou not from this time? If you haven't followed the Lord, if you haven't, let him be your counselor and your guide the way you ought to from this time. Oh, may there be a turn around in your life, and may there be that exercise to follow him so he restores my soul. He leads us in the paths of righteousness, because there is a way of righteousness for us young people. I know these are dark, difficult days.
And I suppose that those of us who are a little further along, I suppose we little realize how dark it is when you go to school.
When you go to college, when you go to university, when you're with your Co workers at the office of the shop, I suppose we little realize what you're faced with. But there is a way of righteousness. Paul wrote to Timothy in the second epistle. And he wrote about a lot of unrighteousness. In fact, he wrote about the breakdown of everything, the breakdown in government in the world, the breakdown in the home, even amongst the Lord's people.
But he said to Timothy, Continue thou, he said. Timothy, you go on.
And he said, at the end of it all he said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. And he said, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. In other words, Paul said, I've sought to live righteously for God's glory in an unrighteous world. And now there's a crown of righteousness laid up for me.
Young people, they'll never be a day so dark where we have to say we can't live for the Lord's glory. There'll never be a day so dark where we can justify compromise in our in our lives, or giving up the truth. If the day ever gets that dark, the Lord will take us home. But until the Lord takes us out, until the rapture, he says, according as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
And when you stand at the judgment seat of Christ, what excuse are you going to give him? For some failure, for some compromise, for giving up, for not walking in the way of righteousness, for not following as he sought to lead you in that path that he had for you? I say, what excuse are you going to give him? You won't have an excuse, He'll say All the resources were provided. I spelled it out in my word, and I went before, and I sought to leave and to hold you with my right hand.
And to sustain you and to keep you. Oh, I say he wants to lead us.
In the paths of righteousness, it's the only blessed way. It's the only happy way.
I wish I could convey that to your soul. But may the Spirit of God burn this into your soul, that the only way of blessing in your life and mind is to follow in the path that He has for us. It's true. It's a path not discerned by the natural intellect. It's true it's a path not walked in in natural strength, because it's a path that the vultures I have not seen and the lions welp hasn't trodden upon it.
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But it is a path discernible to faith. He wants to make it clear to you.
Do you think he wants to make it difficult so you you don't know what the path is? In all thy ways acknowledge him.
And he shall direct thy paths. If I don't know the Lord's mind in some step in my life, it's no fault on his part. The fault is on my part. Because it says if any man desire to do his will, he shall know. Do we really have that desire? Like David in the 27th Psalm, he said, Lead me in a plain path, teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path. Seek that path while you're young.
Don't wait till you get a little further on. There's many shipwrecks on the path of life because people thought they'd wait until a little later on in life to follow the Lord. Oh, I begged of you. Don't do it. Have that exercise now to be led by him in the paths of righteousness.
And then he speaks here of the valley of the shadow of death. And I know that sometimes we apply the valley of the shadow of death.
In connection with the home going of a Saint of God, and I certainly don't want to take away from any application that may have. And certainly this portion has been the comfort and health of many who have passed out of this scene through the article of death and for many who have watched loved ones slip away. But isn't it interesting that the Valley of the Shadow of Death is mentioned just about in the middle of this little Psalm?
Because I believe this life is the valley of the shadow of death. We're in the valley of the shadow of death now.
We sometimes sing that hymn created things, though pleasant, now bear to us. Death stamp. Death is stamped on everything in this world. The whole creation grown up and travaileth in pain. Every level of creation has come under the effects of the curse of sin.
To this very day, all creation, every level of it feels those effects. It's true there's a day coming when they won't feel those effects in the way it does now, but still we're in the valley of the shadow of death. But what did David say here as he passed through the valley of the shadow of death, as he passed through this life? He said, I will fear no evil because it tells us in Timothy he's not given us the spirit of fear.
But of power and of love, and of a sound mind if you're afraid, you didn't get that from the Lord. Young people I know sometimes when we look into the future, there are fears, there are concerns, there are burdens. But all if you're trusting the Lord, isn't he sufficient for what's ahead? He hasn't given us the spirit of fear. And so often in the scripture, particularly at times when the people of God were at a low point morally and spiritually, he often encouraged them and said.
Fear not, like in Isaiah. Fear not, I have redeemed thee. Can anything change that?
I've called thee by thy name, thou art mine. And so over and over we have that expression.
Fear not. And there's not going to be the spirit of fear with us as we see the hand of God in every circumstance of our lives, and as we trust Him. And you know, as I read the life of David and as I read these precious Psalms, it is a rebuke to my faith. Because when you consider the light that David had, and it was only a small particle of light compared to what we have in the completed revelation of God, the full mind of God.
Resting on the finished work of Calvary, and yet with the little light that David had.
What a confidence he had in his God. And if David with that confidence, with that little bit of light, could have that confidence and that trust in his God.
How much more? You and me? So he says. And very quickly thou prepare us the table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Well, I just want to make a little application. Tomorrow we're going to have the privilege, if the Lord leaves us here, of sitting down at the Lords table, Is it in the presence of his enemies? Oh, it's in a world that still hates the blessed Savior. The heart of this world hasn't changed toward Christ. This world is opposed to everything, and Satan is opposed to everything.
That God has set up and established he's opposed to everything concerning Christ. We're going, but we're going to have the privilege of sitting down at his table. Young person, are you going to be there? Oh, I don't mean are you going to come into the room and take your accustomed that you've been sitting in for the last couple of days, but are you really going to be there? Is your heart going to respond? Are you going to participate in that wonderful privilege of remembering the Lord Jesus, He has said in such a loving way?
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This do in remembrance of me. Why do you hesitate? Why do you sit and let the loaf in the cup pass by when your Savior has done so much for you? Does the person and work of Christ mean no more to you than just to sit there week after week and not respond? The privilege of remembering the Lord is something that's only given to us for this life. We're not going to need it when we get home to glory. And how many Lords days are there left before the Lord comes? I don't know, but I think there are precious few.
That I suggest. There are very, very few Lord states left before the Lord comes. And again, what excuse are you going to give him? Why? Why didn't you Remember Me when you were here on earth? What are you going to say? Oh, he's made provision for you to be there. And if there's something in your life that hinders you from being there, get before him and judge it and seek to remember him until he comes. So he says. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Well, we know that oil sometimes is used in scripture as a picture of the Spirit of God.
In connection with Asher, he was to dip his foot in oil and as a result his his shoes would be as iron and brass and as his days so would his strength be. That's provision for our walk. We need power for our walk through this world. But here it's the head. You know, I think perhaps those of us who are parents are not totally aware the way we ought to be of the attack that's being made on the minds of our children and young people. You know, there is a movement today afoot in the even in the school system.
To have the children and young people empty their minds rather than we're never in Scripture given a precedent to encourage us to empty our mind. Because if we do, Satan has plenty to fill it. We're to bring every thought into captivity under the obedience of Christ. We're to fill our minds with Christ and all. The Spirit of God wants to take this precious book and to apply it in that way. It says, set your mind on things. Above all, let's fill our minds with this blessed book. Let's fill our minds with Christ.
So that the Spirit of God can attend, take it and apply it according to our needs. And then he says, my cup runneth over. Oh, do you want to? Not just a full cup, but a cup running over. I say again to walk in company with the Shepherd to draw on the resources that have been provided through his care and and his his provision. I've noticed a little contrast between this cup and the cup that the Lord Jesus drank.
In obedience to his father's will. Because that cup didn't run over, it was full.
But he said, the cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Not one drop of judgment escaped as he was in that cup was pressed to his blessed lips. But now as a result, we can not only have a full cup, but we can have a cup that's full and running over all. I say, does this touch your heart all get into the scriptures, walk with the Shepherd, follow him. I can't impress this enough upon you. And then it says, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
That's the present and what's at the end. I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. For us, it's the Father's house. We're going there very soon. The Lord Jesus is about to come, he says, Behold, I come quickly. May this hope be before us as a glad and a living reality. But in the meantime, surely goodness and mercy will follow us. Some of our life, some of the time, all the days of our life. You know, in the. I think it's the 84th Psalm, He says the Lord will give.
Grace and glory. Grace meets our present need and glory.
Is what comes at the end. Oh, I just say again, young people, and to all of us, to my own heart particularly, let's see, Let's have that desire to know him and to follow on, to know the Lord, to walk in company with the Shepherd and to avail ourselves of all that He has for us. He wants us to have a fruitful, happy life here, and he's provided for a happy and blissful eternity in the Father's house. Let's pray.
Our God and Father, how thankful we are for thy way.