Gospel—J.N. Hyland
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Was written by a man named Philip Bliss who lived the end of the last century. He was a hymn writer and many of his hymns are in this very book that we hold in our hands. Perhaps one of his best known is I Am So Glad that Jesus Loves Me, which was written under a special exercise and circumstance.
But this hymn is quite remarkable because Mr. Bliss and his wife had returned home from Chicago. They were working with Mr. Moody.
Here in Chicago and they had returned home to Rome, PA for the holiday season to spend it with family and their two small boys.
And they were returning the end of December by railway back to Chicago to continue their work in the city. And as the train was crossing the trestle at night at Ashtabula, OH, the trestle broke and that train went down into the ravine and it was winter. And you can imagine wouldn't wouldn't railway cars.
He could buy pot belly stoves, but that train went up like a tinderbox.
And Mr. Bliss was able to scramble out of the railway car in which he and his wife were riding. But in his concern for his wife not being able to find her, he returned to that burning railway car. And that was the last time that Mister Bliss was seen alive.
And if we were to travel tonight to the little town of Rome, Pennsylvania, which I have had opportunity to do, we would find in a graveyard in the middle of that town, and it's a very, very small town. You would find a very large monument erected there. It was the result of Sunday school children all over America taking up a collection and sending money to erect this monument. Mr. Bliss and his walking or nor his wife are buried there. They were.
Burned to death in the train fire and their remains were not found. But there is that monument with snatches of some of the hymns that Mister Bliss is well known for. But this hymn is remarkable because in the midst of the all that carnage, that fire that consumed that train and so many of its passengers, God preserved the briefcase of Philip Bliss.
And in that briefcase was this him? Evidently the last hymn that Mister Bliss had written.
Not remarkable how God watched over that hymn through that fire. And though He called Mr. and Mrs. Bliss home to be with himself, to be with the Redeemer of whom he had just penned these precious words, yet he preserved this hymn. And as I say, I believe this hymn and many of Mr. Bliss hymns.
Have been used in real blessing. Well, sometimes a story like that helps to make him real and precious to us. And I trust this, these this heritage of hymns that we do have is real and precious to us. So let's sing hymn #23 if someone will start it.
I will say.
Oh my God.
Let me pray.
Say my reading.
Just made me.
Feel my heart.
Let me find the.
Grace in the bridge. Free. Breathe, breathe, Breathe in. Breathe, Breathe deeply.
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On the.
My God.
I will bring my dear reading.
Let's try all the power.
Let's ask God's help and blessings. Our God and Father, we thank thee for our precious Redeemer. We thank thee for the Lord Jesus Christ, that one who came into this world to save sinners. We thank Thee for that precious blood that flowed forth at Calvary Cross, of which we read The blood of Jesus Christ. His Son cleanseth us from all sin. And we thank Thee for each one who can lift up their voices and their hearts in this room.
Thing of their Redeemer. But now we are solemnized as a gospel hour is before us to consider that perhaps there's someone here who's still lost and in their sins, someone who's still on the broad Rd. that leads to destruction. If they're such in this room, we pray tonight that thou to rest them in their course, open their eyes to see beauty in Christ and draw them to the Savior. We know that the work is dying, but we thank thee for one more privilege and opportunity.
To hold forth the word of life. We pray for thine own tonight, that we might be encouraged and refreshed as we hear again the sweet story of Thy love and grace. So we ask for blessing, and we thank Thee too, that Thy word is going forth around this globe, that this has been another day of grace, and that by many means and in many places by word has been preached. We pray for much blessing fruit, for Thy glory, and for the eternal blessing of the lost.
We ask this as we look to Thee for help and guidance in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Amen.
Turn with me, please, this evening to the 37th Psalm.
We won't read all of this Psalm, but we will read part of it.
Psalm 37 will notice the title of this Psalm. It's the Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good.
So shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in His way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, for evil doers shall be cut off, but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
And then just drop down to the 23rd verse. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord uphold of him with his hand. I have been young, and now I'm old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed.
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Depart from evil and do good, and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his Saints. They are preserved forever. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous.
And seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a Green Bay tree. Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not. Yeah, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together.
The end of the wicked shall be cut off, but the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble, and the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in Him. Well, I had it on my heart to look at this Psalm this evening. Now I realize that these psalms are taken up in different ways. I realize that strictly speaking, these psalms.
Jewish in their application. I have no doubt that this Psalm will have its fulfillment in the coming day when the nation of Israel is finally realizes that it's only the Lord that can bless them. It's only He who can provide for them. They haven't come to that point yet, have they? We.
Look at the Middle East. We hear the news and we find that Israel today is trying to workout their own blessing by their own devices. Isn't that the folly of man? Many people in this world trying to workout their own blessing, trying to work out their own salvation by the things that they feel they can do to merit favor before God. And just look at Israel tonight.
They're they're trying through peace pacts and summits and negotiations.
To bring about peace and put down their enemies. But it will never happen. They rejected the Prince of Peace, and not until the Son of Righteousness rises with healing in his wings and the Prince of Peace comes back to reign, will Israel be finally brought into blessing. They'll have to go through terrible times in the tribulation to bring them to the end of themselves. They've been through terrible times since they cried at the cross. His blood.
On our children, but it's nothing compared to what they will yet suffer to bring them to the end of themselves. But oh, what final blessing it will be when there's the shout of the King amongst them and they're gathered around himself. So these Psalms are really Jewish in their character. We know too that many of the Psalms bring before us the feelings and expressions of the Lord Jesus as He passed through the circumstances of life.
Man and we do in the Psalms get expressions and feelings that we don't get in the Gospel. In the Gospels we Get the facts concerning the life and work of the Lord Jesus. But I believe we need to go back to the Psalms and when the Lord Jesus was speaking to after they had returned on the road to Emmaus and we're back with the 12 with the others who were gathered in obedience in Jerusalem. It says he came and he spoke of the things concerning.
Himself in Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms, because the Psalms tug at our heartstrings perhaps like nothing else. And that's why I believe when we're gathered on Lords Day morning to remember the Lord Jesus, we often read many of these psalms that bring before us in a very real way the innermost breathing of the Lord Jesus, such as the 22nd Psalm, the 69th Psalm, the 40th.
102nd Psalm Oh, I say there's nothing. We'll tug at the heartstrings like to go back and to have a glimpse into the innermost feelings of the Lord Jesus. But I believe there's something practical and good for us to consider in these psalms, both in connection with the gospel and in encouragement to those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior. Because Scripture always has a present application, and all Scripture is given by.
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Inspiration of God and is profitable. And so I don't hesitate to turn back to this Psalm tonight. We know it all speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I might just say too, before I comment on these verses, that I've often wished that the titles of these Psalms were printed just a little bit bigger in our Bible because we tend to pass over them and these titles were not added by the translators. I believe these titles are part of the inspired Word of God.
And if that is true, then it has a message for us, because every word of God is pure. And so often, because the titles of these songs are printed so small, we pass over them. But I would encourage you when you take up the Psalms, if there's a title at the beginning of the Psalm.
Take up that title. Notice what it says it often or always perhaps I should say it illuminates the truth that is brought out in in the Psalm. And these this Psalm is a Psalm of David. Now there are many psalms that begin with this title, a Psalm of David. And I like to think of these psalms of David as the practical experiences of David as he passed through this life as a man because David didn't have.
Life did he you just traced the life of David. It was a life of ups and downs. He he went when he story opens, he sent by his father to the camp of Israel to see how the battle was going and to check on his brethren. And was he understood and welcomed by his brethren? No, they even judge the motive of his heart. When he came down, they said, why have you come down? They said there's naughtiness in your heart. That was a difficult thing.
David, that was a real reproach from his brothers. Then we find that he goes down and he meets Goliath in the valley, overcomes in the strength of the Lord, the champion of the Philistines. We know it's a picture of the Lord Jesus who went into death for us to overcome the strongman, the enemy.
But nevertheless, it was a real test in David's life as a young, as a young man. And from that point on, we find he flees for his life from King Saul. He feels it when his best friend Jonathan doesn't associate with them in his rejection. We find that he's sleeping on, he's sleeping in The Cave of Adelaide, conditions that perhaps weren't exactly what he would like. And then when he did come into his Kingdom, well, it was a Kingdom that was.
Plagued with upheaval, wars from his enemies around him, domestic problems, even had to flee for his life, His own son Absalom rose up in rebellion against him. He had family difficulties. He knew what it was to lose a young child in death or say it wasn't an easy life. But I believe what we find in these psalms of David is that even though sometimes his faith seems to waver, yet he always.
Back to what he has in the Lord. And that was so much greater than anything that the man of the world might have or cling to for the moment. And if there's someone here tonight and you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, we're going to find in this Psalm that we have what I might say is the positive side of things.
We have in the Lord. Sometimes when the gospels presented people think of what they'll have to give up if they become a Christian. The only thing I gave up were my sins, and I'm glad they're gone. As far as the east is from the West. So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Blotted out like a thick cloud, my sins are washed away forever in the precious blood of Jesus. And I say I'm glad. I'm thankful that they're gone. And what did I get in return? Well, what I have received in return is so much greater than what I even anticipated. I know it's slightly out of context, but I often think of that verse when a soul is first saved. I have not seen nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.
Things that God has prepared for them, that love him. And some who are older here in this room who've known the Lord Jesus for many, many years, they will attest to the fact that as they've gone on with the Lord in their Christian life, all they found that it was far, far more than just the forgiveness of sins.
Far, far more than just being saved from judgment and from hell. Far more than just having a wonderful home at the end of the journey through this life. It's true. That's part of it, but it's only part of it. They've you found as I have found in my few short years that oh, what I have in Christ is far more than I ever anticipated. Oh, if I could just set before you tonight what it will be yours in Christ if.
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Come to the Lord Jesus. It's just like Rebecca, you know, when she saw the treasures of Abraham's house presented to her by the servant, a picture of the Spirit of God. And then they asked the question, wilt thou go with this man? Was there any hesitation on the part of of Rebecca? Oh no. She had fully revealed to her what was in the heart and the possessions of the one who had sent this man and she was willing to go oh, if you could just get.
Taste of what God has for you tonight in Christ. You wouldn't stay away. And that's what I'd like to do as we comment on some of these expressions that we have in this Psalm of David and some of these psalms of David are just as if we might put it this way, there are little summaries of the believers life.
Take us from the point where we come to know the Lord Jesus is our Savior to the time when we're safe home in the glory. And they show how that everything we have of eternal value is in and of the Lord. Well, we find at the beginning of this Psalm that David looks around and he sees the wicked going on in their prosperity. Don't we do that sometimes? Don't you say, well, I try to please the Lord, I try to go.
The Lord and look at the wicked, they just seem to go on and nobody seems to interfere with them. If we were to go back to the head to the 73rd Psalm, we find the psalmist there makes a similar remark. He looks out and he sees the prosperity of the wicked. He says my feet were well, knife slipped.
Said, I just didn't think I could take it. He said, they just go on and nobody interferes. But again, by the end of the Psalm, he says, nevertheless I am continually with Thee. Thou hast holding me by Thy right hand. Thou will guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. Always said, they might grasp something for a little time, they might get away.
Things down here, but I have something eternal. I have one who's with me in this life and a wonderful future at the end, and it's the Lord Jesus said, what shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul? What if you made it to the top in this world?
What would it mean in eternity? Because we came into this world with nothing and it is sure that we can take nothing out. A young man one time was asked after a gospel meeting, What is the best thing in this life?
And his reply was the best thing in this life is to be ready for the next life. And so David, he he he says here threat not myself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the Wick, the workers of iniquity. Or perhaps it could read unrighteousness. And so we look around and we see the rise of unrighteousness on every hand in this world. But he says they'll soon be cut off again. It's like in the.
3rd Psalm he says when I went into the sanctuary then understood I their end when he got into the presence of the Lord, he realized they might have something for time, but they have nothing as far as eternity goes because, you know, it's eternal issues that are important. Was reading about the the Spaniards before the days of Christopher Columbus and his explorations and they had a motto on the the.
Of the of the country. And it said nothing beyond. Nothing beyond because their semen had sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar and seeing the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean before them, they concluded that they had reached the end of a habitable world.
Let you know, Christopher Columbus changed all that, didn't he? When he landed in the Western Hemisphere, the Spaniards had to recognize that there was indeed something beyond. There was quite a bit beyond. And they changed the motto on their countries Crest to something beyond. And there is something beyond. We don't just die as a dog. We don't just draw that final breath and it's all over.
Know the Lord Jesus. When he was here, He warned about eternity. He drew the curtain aside in Luke's gospel and told about two men.
Two actual men. It wasn't a parable. 2 actual men who lived here in this world under very different circumstances. And two men who died and they entered eternity under very different circumstances too. One went to a place of torment, the other to a place of bliss. There is indeed.
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Indeed, something beyond. Well then, I want to notice some expressions here. We don't have time to look at everything in these verses, but I want to notice some expressions. And as I say, what I want to particularly notice is how David found that everything of eternal value was in and of the Lord.
And the first expression that we have here is in verse three, it says trust in the Lord. Now it's true. We trust him for salvation. And again, if there's someone here who's not saved, oh come and trust him for salvation. Don't base eternity in your soul salvation on something other than the word of God and the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only thing is to trust in the Lord for salvation.
But then I believe there's a trust too after we're saved, a trust that trusts him for every circumstance of life. David's son Solomon said Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all my ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. And over and over and over again, in the word of God were exhorted to trust or to have confidence in the Lord and notice.
In the Lord, it's in a person and a person who will never disappoint us or let us down, one who's always worthy of our confidence. Maybe you've had a friend or someone you felt you could trust, someone at work, a business associate, he said. I thought I could trust that person, and then something happened.
Found that they really weren't worthy of your confidence. How disappointing that is. But here's one that we can put full confidence in, and we don't have to wonder if he's worthy of our confidence.
I suggest that that's how our faith grows. It's by putting our trust in him in the circumstances of life from day-to-day. I really don't believe for a Christian it's an intelligent prayer to ask the Lord to increase our faith. You know the disciples said that to the Lord. They said Lord increase our faith. But the Lord used an illustration I believe to show that the way that faith grows is in a better acquaintance with himself. Because if you have a friend and you find.
Trust that friend. Well, maybe you have some confidence, some faith in that friend. But if you've known that friend for 20 years and that friend has always been worthy of your confidence, then you find that your faith has grown in that person. I'm sure when Abraham was called to take his son and offer him up on one of the mountains that God would show him, his faith had so grown over the years that he had trusted the Lord since his call from earth, the Caldecott that he was.
Ready for that test? Because God never tests us beyond our faith. And sometimes said, if Abraham had been given a great test like that at the beginning, perhaps he would have faltered, perhaps he would have failed. But having proved the Lord for so many years and finding one who never disappointed him, never let him down, then when the big test came, his face had grown. And so he says, trust in the Lord and do good.
So shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed now again.
This is in connection with God's earthly people, and there is a day when they will dwell in the land and He will feed them. They're going to find their trust in him under the shelter of His wing, not trusting in their armaments, not trusting in their packs with the allied forces and that kind of thing, this.
Will be real safety for Israel, but I believe again there's an application for us.
Because the land speaks to us.
Testament of our inheritance, all that is ours in Christ. We have an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away. How are we going to enjoy this? Oh, it's confidence in a person. It's walking in communion with him. It's finding our trust in Him. And then as we were saying this afternoon.
He wants to feed us as well. He wants to sustain and nourish our souls down here. And so the first thing is to trust in the Lord and we're going to notice a little progression here as we go along. The second thing is in verse four, he says delight thyself also in the Lord.
Because there's many people we might trust. Let me illustrate it this way. I might trust my banker. I go down and I put my money in the bank because I feel my banker is will invest that money wisely. And when I want that money, it will be there and hopefully with some interest.
You know, well, I might trust my banker as a banker, Maybe I don't have any great delight in my bank, or maybe I don't even know him personally. But here's one that we can not only find our confidence in, but we can find our delight in too. Now, wonderful to have someone you can trust, but isn't it more wonderful to find in that person some very pleasing characteristics? It's like this, the bride and the Song of Solomon, you know.
As she went over the attributes and glories of her bridegroom.
Or did she find any imperfections there? No, indeed, she had to say at the end of it all, he's all together lovely. And if you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior tonight. Oh, I challenge your heart, find your delight in him walk in company with himself again. You might have a friend and you find some very pleasing qualities in that friend. But you know, maybe you get to know that friend just a little bit better and you find well, there weren't there's some things that.
I just wish we're a little different, but not so with the Lord Jesus. He'll never disappoint you. This friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Oh, we just as we enumerate his glories and beauties from the Scripture, we find he is indeed altogether lovely. And so delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. That doesn't mean brethren, He gives us everything we ask for. But I believe that as we find our.
And delight in this person, His desires become our desires. You know, if you have a friend that you walk in company with and your hearts are knit together, oh, you find that what pleases them pleases you. And I believe this will be as we walk in company with the Lord Jesus, as we find His delight, our delight in Him.
Then we're not going to ask amiss, but I say our desire, his desires become our desires.
And then the next thing is in verse five, commit thy way unto the Lord. Now again notice everything is in and of the Lord. Trust in the Lord, Delight thyself also in the Lord. Commit thy way unto the Lord. When I read this, I think of Joseph, you know.
Because Joseph is perhaps one of the most beautiful and complete types of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament. And you find that when Joseph was brought to the House of Potiphar, Potiphar immediately recognized that here was a man he could trust. And he found, no doubt, some very pleasing qualities in Joseph. And what's the next thing we read? Well, he just commits the whole running of his household into the hand of Joseph. Can't we do that with our Joseph?
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You know, if you have someone you trust and someone you find your delight in, well, it's not hard to leave things in their hand. And brother, that's the happy way for the Christian, just to commit our way unto the Lord. There's no happiness in my life as a believer as long as I try to struggle and bring my own plans and devices to pass. But when I submit, when I say Lord, not my will but thine be done, then he can come in and.
Says trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Now it may not be to pass in the way that I had thought.
But won't it be to pass in the way that is best? Doesn't he know what's best in our lives? How can I think that I know better than God? He's the Potter, I'm just the the clay. And I might have some plan. But it says who knoweth what is good for a man in this life? There's only one who knows the end from the beginning. Maybe sometimes it doesn't seem like the best way.
Again, David, I'm sure there were many times when he wondered why the Lord had allowed this and that in his life. He might have said, I really tried to please the Lord. And why has it turned out that way? Don't we feel that way sometimes? Well, just commit your way unto the Lord. Leave it in His hands, knowing that He desires the best.
Because, brethren, not only is everything working out for a purpose in our lives, that's true, but it's working out for a purpose of blessing. I say that because I might have a purpose, some plan in connection with my family, but it may be just in the long run, a selfish motive. It may be just to get something for myself. It might not really be for the blessing and good of my family. But here's one. And even when he chastens us, it says he.
Us for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness. It's not just for a purpose, but it's for a purpose of blessing. And so how good to commit our way unto the Lord. Trust also in Him, and let him bring it to pass, not in the way that we thought it should work out, but according.
To his purposes well then he says in verse seven rest in the Lord well this is the result of all this, isn't it when we trust in the Lord, when we delight in the Lord when we just leave everything in his hand, doesn't that give us real rest of soul doesn't that give us peace of heart again, there's no peace of soul when I try to work it out myself but the rest the.
God that passeth all understanding is the result of submission in our lives and realizing, brethren, that He is in control. You know, I went to see a brother one time. We were going through some difficulties in my home assembly and in the area where I come from, and I went to see an older brother and I was pretty disturbed about what was going on. And I was taken into the living room of this brother and we sat down.
And this brother said one thing to me, one sentence, the only thing he said to me, I think, other than hello and goodbye.
He said Jim, remember this, sometimes things seem out of hand, but they're never out of the Lord's hand. Oh what? Peace flooded my soul. That was just what I needed to realize that yes, maybe sometimes from our perspective things seem out of hand, but they're never out of the Lords hand. Just read the book of Esther in that regard, seems like everything is out of control.
Seemed like the people of God were going to be annihilated and thought we've often been told, it's often been said.
The only book in the Bible where God isn't mentioned by name. But is there any doubt that he's in control? Oh no, He's behind those scenes. The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water eterneth, that whether so every will. And at the end of it all we see that it was not just working out for a purpose.
For a purpose of blessing. And who would have thought that Mordecai, a Jew, would sit on the throne next to the to the king and that the people of God would be blessed in the way that they were. But that was the result of God being in control and individuals in that book who knew that God was in control. Well, what a lesson for us. So we're to rest in the Lord. Well then the next thing is in verse 9.
Wait upon the Lord.
Well, this is the hardest one for me, and maybe it is for you too. Sometimes said, you know, this is difficult, especially in the day in which we live, because this is a day when there's instant answers and remedies to everything. We don't like to wait for anything in the day and age in which we live. And I know if there's a problem at work, you go to the computer and you punch it in and zip, there's the answer on the screen. And the faster the better. It seems like there's a 1800 number.
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Answer every problem. There is a self help book for every difficulty that will take you in six easy steps from point A to point B. And I'm not saying some of those things aren't necessary to survive in the business world. And so on.
But we need to realize that God doesn't work that way. He teaches us the need of waiting and notice here. We're going to notice this expression twice in this Psalm. But notice it's wait to wait. I want you to notice this word upon the Lord. You know, David often spoke of the Lord Jesus of the Lord of Jehovah as the rock.
And he is the rock. He's the rock of our salvation. We know him as the Lord Jesus Christ, that rock, and we can rest upon that rock. You've heard me say this before, but I enjoyed reading about John Patton, that missionary, pioneer, missionary to the New Hebride Islands. And he went there to take the gospel, the light of the glorious gospel to those South Sea Islanders.
And he his one of his first tasks was to translate part of the Bible.
Into the language of those natives, so that they would have some of the word of God in their own language.
And as he was translating through the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, he found it very, very difficult to come up with a word that would denote the word trust or believe, something that would just be to the natives way of looking at things. And he struggled with this until he came to the 16th chapter of Acts where we find the Philippian jailer saying what must I do to be saved and the answer given.
Paul and Silas believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And John Patton translated it for those natives in this way.
Lean your full weight on him. I thought that was very good. We've leaned our full weight on him for salvation. Now can't we lean our full weight on him for every circumstance of life? My wife and I some time ago were in to see an elderly sister.
And as we entered her home, she stood up and came across her living room to greet us. And she was able to take one step after another as long as she leaned her full weight on the Walker in front of her. And leaning her full weight on that Walker gave her confidence to cross the room and to greet us.
Brethren, we can go through life like that. You know, I wouldn't want to trade places with anyone that isn't a Christian. Now, there's so many people, no doubt, right here in Addison tonight, and they're leaning their full weight on something other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Are they finding that these things are worthy of their confidence? No, Things are being shaken in this world that men once felt were secure. And there's many empty, aching hearts, many people who are frustrated tonight, people who don't know.
Turn. And if they are turning somewhere, they're turning to all the vices of humanity because they don't have one to lean on. Life is difficult. Life is hard enough when you have the Lord than without the Lord. And what a wonderful thing it is to be able to lean our full weight on Him.
To wait upon the Lord. Well then, I read the 23rd verse. The steps of a Goodman are ordered by the Lord, and he delighted in his way. And that wonderful to have our steps ordered by the Lord. See she from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? Oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his footsteps, but when we know the Lord.
Then He has a path for us, and He wants to order our footsteps, and those footsteps are ordered according to His word. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Then we find something nice in the 24th verse. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.
When I think of this, I think of the verse at the end of June that says he is able to keep you from falling, but actually, if you notice a better translation, he's able to keep you from stumbling. I like that because I might take one of my girls by the hand and we might go out for a walk, and when we come to a rough place, I might be able to keep them from falling. As long as I'm holding their hand, I can keep them from falling, but I can't always keep them from stumbling. You know, we don't even.
Have to stumble in our Christian life, in the strength of the Lord. Not in our own strength of course, but He's able not just to keep us from falling, that's true. But he's even able to keep us from from stumbling, even though it is a rough Rd. So though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Oh how wonderful to have his hand in ours and to know that He is upholding us.
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And then he says I have been young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread? I love when I visit elderly folks, maybe in the nursing home, maybe not able to get out and about. I love to read them this verse and to ask them, is this true? Have you experienced this verse?
And I have never had an older person who's known the Lord to say that this verse is not true. They'll confirm every time that it's true. It's like the hymn through every period of my life, Thy goodness I'll pursue. I think of it in connection with what we have in the I think it's the end of Exodus 15 where the children of Israel as a redeemed people, they come to Elam where there were two things, 12 wells of water because God doesn't have any.
There was a well for every tribe. He blesses every believer equally and every believer here is blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. But then there was something else. There were three score and 10 palm trees because it says all the days of your life shall be 3 score years and 10. There's provision for the whole pathway through every period of our life. There's children here tonight. There's young people here tonight. There's some of us that we would say.
There's some who are a little further along, but the Lord is interested in every aspect of our life. Sometimes we get a little older. We don't always understand or enter into what the children and young people are going through. But there's one that says He shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. He fully understands every stage of.
And spiritual growth, and He's able to meet that need wherever we are in our Christian pathway. Well, there's much here we read that He'll never forsake His Saints. And what a comfort that is. Just notice something in the 31St verse. Though the law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide. Brethren, what's going to keep us as believers? It's not just a mental assent to the Word of God, it's getting it down into our heart.
Keep our footsteps. I believe there's only one way to be a true disciple. A true follower of Christ must have a heart where there's only one object in it. It tells us to thy word. Have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee? Get the word of God down into your heart. It's true that the entrance of the word is the mind, but that's not the dwelling place. The dwelling place of the word is the heart. The conscience needs to be reached too, but the dwelling places the heart and I believe when the.
God affects our hearts then it preserves us. I like that with Caleb, You know, Caleb was preserved all those years in the wilderness and amidst plenty of discouragement. He saw those of his own generation fall around him, the governmental hand of God upon them time and time again. Sin on every hand, fault finding, murmuring. What preserved Caleb well when he came in the book of Joshua to remind Joshua the promise?
By the Lord through Moses years before he said these beautiful words I brought him word again as it was in mine heart the word of God. The inheritance had gotten into Caleb heart and that's what preserved him and that's what's going to keep our footsteps from sliding. It's to have the word of God in our in our hearts. Well then we find in verse 34 he says.
Wait on the Lord, or if you notice another translation, wait for the Lord. Now we spoke about waiting upon the Lord, that is, it's confidence in a person.
Resting on the Lord. But here he says wait for the Lord. In other words, wait his time because his time is not always my time. Sometimes I get ahead of the Lord. I'm thankful for that verse. I guess I enjoy it being impulsive by nature. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee say this is the way. Walkie in it when you turn to the right hand to the left. So the Lord doesn't forsake us when we get ahead of Him, but he wants us to wait His time. Sometimes the thing might be right, but the timing.
May be wrong and are we willing to just wait his time again, This is the now generation. We want things put in our hands immediately but to learn that important lesson to wait, wait for the Lord. Well, he speaks again of the wicked here spreading himself as a Green Bay tree and speaks of how he passed suits away and so on. And then in verse 37 he says mark the perfect man and behold the upright.
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For the end of that man is peace. Again, if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, there is a future to the man of peace. Isn't that wonderful to consider? You know those of us who know Christ as our Savior, we have a wonderful future. In fact, I suppose really we little enter into what a wonderful future it is.
In fact, I believe that in the New Testament, the things that we are told about that scene of glory are really it's, I want to say this carefully, but it's like the Spirit of God groping for human language to give us some inkling of what it's going to be like to be raptured out of this world, to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus, to be in the Father's house.
To be part of that millennial city in its glory, as it reflects fully the glories and attributes of Christ. Oh, we little realized. No wonder, Paul.
Who was caught up to the 3rd Heaven could give up present advantage. Doctor Mike just says a little aside, but in 2nd Corinthians 11, you find a list of things that Paul suffered in the path of faith and service. And it is an astounding list. Things that I have never been called on to pass through in the path of faith and service. And you say, how could he do it? How could he go on year after year and suffer those things quite the very next chapter.
Us. He didn't just have a vision of the coming glory. He'd been caught up there. He knew what was ahead. He'd been in the 3rd heaven, in the very dwelling place of God, in the presence of an ascended, glorified Christ. And with that, before his soul, he could press toward the mark. He could press on for for the for the prize.
Brother, and let's get a fresh glimpse of the coming glory. Because where there is no vision, the people perish. And so there is a future to the man of peace. But notice a solemn contrast in the 38th verse. It says, But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The end or again the future.
Of the wicked shall be cut off. Not a solemn thing, you know There's a future to the wicked too.
There's a future for those of us who know Christ, a wonderful future. But there is a future for the wicked. And it's a solemn thing to realize and a very real thing to consider that there is a future, a future in a lost eternity. How solemn. And I trust there's no one here.
Who is headed for a lost eternity? I like to tell. Another little incident that rather impressed me. Recently I was in Scranton, PA visiting and the brother handed me a newspaper article. And I am astounded that this article made it into the the Scranton newspaper in the day and age in which we live. But this newspaper article was quite a testimony. It was telling of a woman who had recently passed away in Scranton, PA.
This woman knew that she had not long to live in this world, and so she called the man that she wanted to take her funeral, and she said to this man, she went over with this man many things in connection with her funeral. She wanted certain hymns sung. Rock of Ages was one of them and they printed this in the Scranton newspaper. She wanted certain scriptures read and certain things said and done at her funeral.
When the man who was to take her funeral thought that everything had been arranged, she said to him, there is one more thing.
She said when I am laid out in my coffin and they pass by to pay their last respects, She said to him, I want you to promise me that there will be for all to see a fork placed in my right hand.
Well, this man had taken a good many funerals in his life, but he had never had a request like this and so.
He queried her as to why she wanted a fork placed in her right hand.
She said to him, I have been to a good many functions and suppers over the years. And she said when the plates are lifted from the main course of the meal, I have been usually told to keep my fork, that the best is yet to come. And she said I want you at my funeral to tell those who have seen that fork in my right hand. She said I want you to tell them from the word of God.
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That for the believer, the best is yet to come.
I thought that was quite a testimony printed in the Scranton newspaper just a few weeks ago. The best is yet to come. There's a future to the man of peace. But she said, I want you to also solemnly warn those who are at my funeral who are lost. But there is something very, very terrible ahead for those who enter this, who leave this world, enter eternity, rejecting God's wonderful offer of salvation.
What we find here in the end of the Psalm, verse 39.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. Now, and notice again, everything is in and in and out the Lord. You know in the New Testament salvation is taken up in three different ways.
We find that in Romans 5. It's taken up first of all in connection with the salvation of the soul, we might say.
And we're saved from wrath through him. We're saved because from judgment, because the Lord Jesus died, He shed his blood, He rose again, and he's living for us. And we're going to be with him. We're not going to come under judgment. We're saved from raw through him. But in that same chapter, salvation is taken up in another way. It says there we're saved through his life, that is his present intercessory life.
We're preserved because there's one who's living for us as our great high priest.
And as our advocate, we sometimes sing his hands are uplifted in sympathy and love. And so we have the salvation that is passed, we might say, and we look back, every one of us, I trust, to that moment when we came to know the Lord as our Savior. We were saved from wrong through him. But then there's that ongoing salvation or being preserved by his life. And then there's something that yet future, because later in Romans it says now is our salvation nearer than when we.
Believe that's the salvation that every believer is waiting for it the salvation of our bodies when at his coming were changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, and we receive bodies of glory like unto his body of glory. But as Jonah said, salvation is of the Lord and as he's the psalmist says here, the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord and again Israel will have to come as a nation to that point that this is all of the Lord if they're going to.
Come into blood to blessing. You know, I believe the way of blessing, whether it's for the Sinner, whether it's for the Saint, whether it's for God's earthly people, it's always to recognize two things, our guilt and his provision for us.
Redeemed Israel by the blood of the Passover lamb. They had to realize their need and then his provision for them. So he says, the salvation of the righteousness of the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. Well, these are troubled times, aren't they? Maybe you say, well, Jim, it's all right for you to talk about everything being in and of the Lord and how wonderful everything is, but I've got to go to work tomorrow. I've got to go back to the classroom tomorrow.
I've got to go back to the situation that I left on Friday afternoon, and you just don't know what kind of trouble I'm going to face when I go back to the situation tomorrow morning. Well, perhaps I don't, but I do know one thing. The Lord is sufficient. He's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. He's the Lord is good.
Stronghold in the day of trouble. And he knoweth them that trust Him. And then in the end of the 40th verse he says, And the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. Well again, this applies to Israel and that future blessing.
Gives them full deliverance. But again, we can apply this to ourselves. And so I say again, I wouldn't want to trade places with anybody that isn't a Christian tonight. Because I can go from this meeting room. And if I'm left here a few more moments, a few more days, even a few more months, I know that I have a resource in my God, a resource in my Lord that the man of the world doesn't have. Man of the world.
I say are frustrated today, men's hearts failing them for fear and looking for those things that are coming on the earth, but we can have a perfect confidence.
Finding our trust in the Lord, our delight in the Lord, committing our way to the Lord, resting in Him, waiting upon Him, waiting for Him, knowing that He, He's our salvation, knowing that our strength is in Him. Oh, what a wonderful resource we have, not just for eternity, but for this life. I like to sing in closing another hymn by Mr. Bliss that we mentioned at the beginning of the meeting.
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Is 335 and this hymn was written under special.
Circumstances and exercise. Mr. Bliss was attending a gospel meeting and the folks who were at this gospel meeting were singing that well known chorus, Oh, how I love Jesus. And you know, as Mr. Bliss heard those words sung over and over again, he thought, well, you know, it is wonderful that I love Jesus, that he has put that response in my heart. But he got to thinking. He said, you know, there's even something more wonderful than that, that Jesus loves me. And so he went home that night.
And he penned these words. I am so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me. How wonderful to know that he does love each one of us. Let's sing 335 if someone could start it.
I am so glad that our Father in heaven tells us.
Wonderful things in the Bible, I say.
This is the dearest that Jesus loves me.
Arms of blood like Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. I am somewhere like Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.