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General Meetings Wheaton, August 1975 Last Reading Meeting.
From Titus the 2nd 10.
Just a few verses there.
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Titus, Chapter 2.
Of verse 11.
Through the end.
Worst Level of Science 2:00 On to the end of the chapter.
These verses really represent a wonderful really are a wonderful expression of what Christianity is.
The real expression of what Christianity is.
Here for the grace of God.
That bringeth salvation has appeared.
Well, we do know that Grace often explained this way, that it's receiving something we don't deserve.
And.
Mercy would be not receiving that which we didn't serve.
But here is the.
A wonderful presentation of what real Christianity is. Race. God.
I suppose more Indians have been one for Christ.
On that word verse in Ephesians 2 Than any other.
That many, of course, have been saved with John 316. But this other verse for by grace I saved through faith.
And that's not if you sell it is the gift of God.
Out of work now, the Roman Catholic Bible adds the following words. Purely natural.
Lest any mansion quote, that verse has been used along.
To bring many of these souls to the peace of Christ.
The Grace.
Well, I.
Yesterday, the last meeting concerning reconciliation.
You remember we had that suffix before us, and.
Second five was referred to the.
19th verse.
2nd Corinthians 519.
To it that God was in Christ for reconciling the world unto himself.
Not including their trespasses unto them, and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
And we heard a very remarkable statement, and of electrifying to me that God had failed in doing this.
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Reconciling. Well, I believe it's true. In this way concerning the grace of God. The grace of God has appeared, and he has committed the word of reconciling nation unto us. We've heard the gospel faithfully preached 3 nights in a row. How many have been reconciled by the grace of God? We trust that all heard it, but how is it with the world as the world?
Been reconciled, but I think we ought to develop a little farther.
We know that God really never fails in anything he undertakes, but concerning grace, the world has not received it. Let's turn to a verse in Isaiah 26. I think it makes it quite clear.
And verse.
All right.
And.
10 Isaiah 26, nine and 10.
With my soul have a desire at the end of night, Yeah. With my spirit within me will I seek thee early. For when thy judgments are in the curve, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Lit favor or grace he showed to the wicked. Yet will he not learn right from the land of uprightness, will redeem unjustly.
And will not be home to the majesty of the Lord. So this grace or this favor, it has been shown for 6000 years nearly God proclaiming that message of grace. Has the world been reconciled? Well, God has another way.
Reminds one of an expression.
That our fathers used to use.
When they took us to the old woodshed, you know, perhaps the younger generation doesn't know what that is. But out in the woods yet there would be a paddle, a flip that increased stick. And sometimes while they would say I'll reconcile you, well, he he used government before that we got blessed with.
Show his pain. But if that failed, he had another method and he chooses now to confirm reconciliation to return to collections. Chapter one, I believe it is.
Colossians Chapter One.
I'm looking for the verse where it says yes, now happy, reconciled, Thank you, verse 20, and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself.
Now God won't fail in that he's going to reconcile all things.
Why am I saying whether they be things in her or things in heaven and you, So that's the Colossians Saints, and that's us here today who have believed through the grace that has been proclaimed and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works. Yet now as he reconciled, well it's a wonderful thing to be reconciled to God by the grace of God, it's appeared it's still going forth.
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According to the threat of power of the air.
Verse 7 The Lord magazine and Megan French he bring us slow and lift us up.
He raised us up the floor, out of the dust, and lifted up the beggar from the downhill, to set them among Princess and to make them inherit the throne of glory.
The fillers of the Lord, of the earth, of the Lord and he and said the world above him.
Will keep the faith of his Saints. The wicked shall be silent and darkness, but by strength shall no man from there want to lift up. This is the beggar from the Dark York.
Sinners is the various opposite of God's way.
Way would be to try to reform centers, get them to sign the pledge and put their bad habits and to lead a more decent, respectable life.
But God's way is found in the in that first verse, the grace of God brings salvation, and then it teaches us to live a life that comports and agrees.
With that salvation which grace has brought to us, so God's grace doesn't try to change man and improve him. The God's grace starts out with a message of mercy and love. And when that message.
Of God's love to sinners revealed in Christ, in the work that he accomplished on the cross is received by the Sinner. Then he's born again. He has a divine life, And then we get the.
The life of the believer set before us in the verses that falls for then we get teaching us at denying on godliness and worldly lusts. We should leave soberly and righteously and godly. The word hasn't changed in which the Sinner is converted.
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It's it's spoken of as this friend were still the same world of sin, corruption and evil and darkness.
And which we were born world goes on its course, but here are the one who believes the God who has saved out of this world, and is now instructed, so that he might live in a way that will honor the one who in such wondrous love has brought salvation full and free to his soul.
This expression of majesty attached to it is the grace of God. Now God is the judge. He doesn't say the grace of the Father or the grace of Jesus.
But it's God in his character as to what he is over all things. And it's God himself who is responsible for bringing this grace. Now we know that when God does things.
According to his own character. And So what did he do? Why, he said his son.
He couldn't have said anything better.
Heaven has nothing better to offer. He sends his Son, and so in the Gospel of Luke, which is often been spoken of as the gospel of grace.
We see this precious truth unfolding.
In the chapter where the 12Th chapter, I think, where the man asks the Lord, will you divide the my brothers inheritance with me? Why? He said man who made me a judge or a divider over you, he didn't come for that purpose. He came simply to bring grace. And yet we know that all judgment is submitted to the Son.
He didn't come for that purpose. He came ingrained.
As he goes along, he meets a widow who takes her is taking herself.
In a in a coffin, out the barrier.
And as she passes through the gates, there stands Jesus, and he says we've not. And then he he says to the young man, Young man, I say that he arrives.
We find him as Peter begins his ministry.
Why he has troubles at home?
And Peter turns to their stands, Jesus.
And so they beseech you, and he raises up. The mother-in-law was sick, and she ministers to them.
I'm just reciting a few instances of how this race is operating.
My dear brethren, these things were given us to show us how grace operates today in our lives.
And these are the practical lessons we learn.
That this verse gives us, which is the key to this subject, the graves God, God himself sending his own Son as we have in Hebrews. One God is not speaking in signs and wonders as He did in the Old Testament He's speaking in.
Son, his own son and his son has come in grace. Now the question may raise in our mind, what is grace?
Is it mercy? Well, mercy is included, but perhaps mercy would take care of our needs.
If I were in need, mercy.
Would be welcome.
But think rather than of what grace means.
As has been Recycled mentioned already takes the Beggar from the Dunghill to inherit the Throne of Glory.
And we can well imagine how Mary felt in the Gospel of Luke.
As her heart was open by grace. Now when you notice that passage in the early part of Luke, we see Simeon, a man coming out of the country.
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And he's moved by the Spirit of God to prophecy.
But when Mary speaks, she doesn't. It doesn't say she's moved by the Spirit.
She simply opens her heart.
It's Grace that's taken over and she's so overwhelmed that she just pours her soul forward as Grace has taken over in her life.
I'd rather that's what we need.
And I'm thinking to approve. Remember when Ruth finally.
Came to be alone with Boaz on that special occasion.
Why? At the close of their meeting, he tells her to hold out her apron.
And he fills it. And she got twice as much as she ever got in gleaning. That's great.
Now, rather than there are times in our lives when we search the scriptures and we wonder, will I ever understand this passage?
And then there's other times when God comes in and we sit quietly in His presence and suddenly He opens to us precious truth, your grace for all. How much we need to be quiet in His presence that we can avail ourselves of what this first verse we've read means that God, the grace of God himself, Is God interested in us.
That you want us to learn?
Some nice things about him, yes, But he wants us to understand what Grace is, because there he opens up his treasures and Grace goes and gives us beyond anything we can ask or think.
His own thoughts, his own purpose is he unfolds to his friends in grace, and we find a pattern of it, as I mentioned before in The Gospel of Luke. In a very special way, it reminds me, brethren, of a talk I had to rather distinguish Surgeon, an English surgeon.
Who always seemed to rejoice in the declaration of his genealogy.
He could trace his genealogy way back. He was one of the elites. He was an absolute man.
And I listened attentively to him, and he expatiated for quite a while on the virtues of his genealogy. He could go way back. And I knew him well, the family. And he said to me, Smith, you know, I've had a wonderful bringing up. And he said, you have had the one that we're bringing up too, haven't you? And I said, indeed I have, Doctor.
Yes, he says. I believe you have.
According to him, that verse he brought me up out of an horrible bit.
Established my going. Put a new song in my mouth, even praise on the ground. He just looked at me and went.
Is that it? That was a good bringing up, wasn't it? Well, he, he didn't like them tall. But that's a good bringing up, brother. I'll run. Horrible pit. All the grace of our God.
An old Scotch brother who commended me for the work. One of them, he said. Eric, remember from when she'd been decked in Sovereign grace. Remember from which you've indicated that's how the Scots I guess I'm pretty Scotchman's help. But remember from?
When she detected how was Grace, well, may we remember that president? We are just nothing. I was talking to a brother just a little while ago and said we are really nothing brother.
And when I read a statement made by JND when I was a young man standing out in the work, I was struck with what he said, that men could have gone into his service, go forth from a place of strength realizing.
They're all nothingness.
One would have thought an educated man like J&P who had titles, leather, long trees, name he might have said, realize their own ability or education. Now it's realizing they're all nothing.
Well, when we think of salvation.
In Romans one God there is the author of it, and so it says here the grace of God which bringeth salvation.
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Well, we do know, I'm sure all prison know, that salvation has a threefold meaning.
My faith in the Precious Blood of Christ.
I am saved right then from sin's guilt.
And as one looks back over the many years, it's 70 years and a little since I accepted Christ as my Savior.
So my need of Christ is my own personal safety. Well, it's wonderful to look back and remember.
The grace of God is there in this respect concerning me, but what I was going to say is this, that salvation then has another aspect.
The Lord Jesus has been into death and robbed death of his sting, and brought life and incorruptibility to lighter, rather like that word incorruptibility. There we put it into the translation of the scriptures to light through the gospel, and there in glory as their brother, he who was saying we have one in glory.
He's there, beloved, and he saves us from Sins, powerful sin power, yes, every moment of the wave, and also from Sins dominion.
And again sin slavery. But then it has another aspect and we'll come to that little later. But may I just mention this, that when he comes again he's going to save us from sins very presence. So that we're saved now through faith in this blood, from the guilt of sin you kept by the power of God and saved every moment of elderly from sins power.
Dominion and the slavery of it. When he comes, it could be the day. He's going to save us from sins. Very impressions. What a wonderful woman that could be.
The Person of Christ. And that takes us back to the first chapter of John's Gospel and the 14th verse. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.
Full of grace and truth. Then in the 17th verse, well the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
So it's revealed to us or manifested to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why was it that the apostle Paul spoke so much?
Here and there in his various letters of the grace of God.
For he realized in himself.
The true meaning of that grace of God and he could as a result, the effect on the Apostle is indicated in all his letters, all his ministry, and how that should speak to our hearts also.
It could in the I was thinking of that verse in the third chapter of Ephesians.
He could take that lost place even though he was an apostle, turned to the third chapter of Ephesians and verse 7.
Whereof I was made a minister.
According to the gift of the grace of God-given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Don't stop there.
Unto me who I'm less than the least of All Saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ? If anything, should keep us all low and humble before God, Is that matchless grace of God revealed to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you agree with that?
We have certainly divine order doing office in peace.
First chapter of Isaiah and verse.
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16.
Cease to do evil. Learn to do well.
In our crowd verse it says teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly love and ceasing.
They're evil.
Give us to know how we should be walking in this scene in view of a certain tremendous event. That event is.
The coming of the Law of Jesus Christ or the Bride.
But it says here teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
It teaches us what we should how we should walk. We should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.
Well, the world in the scriptures, in the epistle of John, and here, it's not God's created world at all. We noticed this in the original. It's this diabolical spirit beloved, that pervades this world. You get it brought out in the abyss of John.
Love not the world? Well, it doesn't mean God's created world there.
What more glorious than this handy work of our God?
But it's been spoiled.
Man is a failure. Sin has come in.
The picture has been blurred.
And blotted so.
Here, it's this diabolical spirit that pervades everything above it in this scene.
And so we're told not to love it.
And it says also that the world passes away with the flusters thereof.
But he that doeth the will of God.
By us forever.
I've often spoken to the younger Christians, the men Christians. Not to read the word of God, merely to know that makes you heavy, you get pumped up and of course, useless.
But we read the word of God to do.
And if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctor or the teaching.
Well, then we come. Well, I won't go on anymore. Some of you may have something to say on this.
In one sense, as the grace of God appeared to fall man.
I think you could answer that for us, brother. You can? Well, I only have a thought. I'm not sure of it.
Take for instance to occur. It's not absolute when we go out farm or we go out to pick blackberries, right there are thorns, but the curse is not absolute. It's they're nice berries too. They haven't declared the glory of God, and the firm will show his hand. They work. There's three manifested in so many things.
It does not mean that.
Every season and the most remote parts of the earth is going to hear the Gospels of the grace of God. Am I right? I'd like to know.
Shall not the judge of the earth do right that has often been asked me, concerning the thousands of savages in the centre of Brazil and Bolivia on the frontier. What about them?
Well, we do know that the gospel of the Kingdom will be announced during the tribulation period.
It's the gospel, but those and there'll be a host come to know the joy of sins forgiven during that time, but they're not going to form the bride.
Now the heavenly entity that we announced we want, is that right?
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Smith, wouldn't you say this? The question that our brother has asked has to do with the grace of God, that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
I take it that's the range of it. That is, God doesn't limit his grace in the gospel to any grace.
Or special people. Now you take the promises made to Abraham unto his feet forever. There were limitations to that. It was a special family, a nation. But now what the apostle Paul is presenting is something that goes out.
In grace to a world of lost sinners, so that when you went down to Bolivia you didn't have to ask the question.
Entitled to the gospel as much as the people who speak the English language. Where I came from, there's no question about that. It's offered to all, of course, as we know from Romans 3, that is upon all them that believe. But I take it as the extent and range of the gospel, the grace of God going out through the gospel. Now, our brother's question about.
Whether all people on the face of the earth will hear the gods as you say, they will hear the gospel of the Kingdom. It'll go out to the whole world.
But it says to me that the heathen have the gospel of creation, That is, every soul in this whole world has had the access to sound gospel.
They came into the gospel of creation.
I was told of a case, some heathen countries.
Where there were those that observed in the wonders of creation, the sun and the moon, and the stars, that there must have been a supreme being that created all these wonders in the sky and on the Earth.
They said these items that we worship, they couldn't be the God that created all things, and so they threw their idols away and waited to get to know.
The God of creation, and God saw to it that missionaries carried the gospel to those.
So that I doubt not that in these heathen countries.
As a missionary told me, that had labored for years.
He says you think those people over there just waiting to hear the gospel. He says they don't want the gospel anymore then they do here. And when we think of the awful wickedness of those people is terrible. And the very fact they're in that even darkness is because at one time, according to Romans one, they had the truth and they gave it up and and changed the glory of the incorruptible.
God and cure and likeness of man, and then a four footed beast or birds, and then four footed beasts and creeping beasts, That is the heathens down great is described as You'll finally like you.
Fine. In Pakistan, they're actually worshipping the serpent.
Perhaps we become no accustomed to the threat. Why do those of the gospel? And we do forget that it was not always so that God did restrict His message to His own No, certainly people.
We find in the marriage of the King's son, in fact, that an invitation was sent out, but it was a limited invitation.
And those who heard it rejected it. Then we find that it was sent out a second time, but sent out to the very same company that hurted the first five. But with this as a statement, my office and my faculty are killed. All things are now ready come under the marriage, but it was meant to them where it in other words, when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
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Were sent out to his old people. With this invitation. Now the Lord leaders is crucified. The word of redemption is uncomfortable. He's written from among the dead and the message goes out again. But the wounded is go out once again. It goes to the Jewish people. Smuck with his added wonderful thoughts. My fox and my classics are killed. All things are now ready.
But the same limited number in that second invitation and they also rejected. Now the message is go out into the highways and hesitant. Now it's profane from every nation under heaven. And so I believe it's a happy thing for us to realize that the scope of the gospel, although we may become a customer, but not always that which went to the four corners of the earth, perhaps that's the father that we read from the last class.
Which was preached to every preacher which is under heaven.
I don't suppose it's meant that when that was passed, this had literally taken place, but the message is now extended to all that.
Marked in such a wonderful presence, we've been able to address the story of the man was great of thought wherever we may be found, and to realize that that's great is extended by all loving hearts to whosoever will, no matter where they may be.
I have wondered too. And Speaking of the grace of God here, and seeing the result of it is a very nice version. Does it not stand out? It's happy contrast, because that's which we had yesterday in Rome. What shall we say? Shall we continue in sin and grace may abound? What a shocking basement that is, to think that anyone would look upon or think of the greatest gods and turn it into listening.
To hear this as an excuse or conspicuous, continuing in our hairless place here we see that we not the proper result in a soul that is served by a fest of a great dog, if this rustless grace of God don't heart has been so manifest.
Has picked me up from where I was and has brought me into a place that I know I cannot get comprehensive.
What does the result mean when I just told verse 12? It's still not what the results of. That's great, enjoyable properly.
My Savior regarded for the Master.
Turning the grace of God into Las Vegas. Now that's in the book of Jude. And there we have apostasy.
We we find today, there is a tendency.
And I don't want to be misunderstood.
These are delicate things, but remember the end of the age closes in the grace of God being turned to lasciviousness.
It's a dangerous thing to couple likeness with the word of God at any time.
Now, there is such a thing as our having this natural happy times with our families enjoying the things that God has provided in all. But let's be very careful that we not drop the standard of the word of God.
And mix it with things.
That would lower the meaning of the truth and water it down.
We're living in a day when there's a tendency to mix things.
And we should be very careful.
That we not find ourselves in that pattern of turning the grace of God into license. That's really what it means, license and mixing holy and unholy things.
Now as to the testimony.
In the 19th Psalm, you'll turn just a moment.
We have the heavens in the first verse.
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Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
That's the first testimony. We have 3.
Then in the seventh verse, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
First there was a testimony of creation. Then God sent His word, Whether it be the Law of Moses or whether it be the whole word makes little difference. It's the word of God. But then the last testimony he gave was in Hebrews. But we get a thought of it in the next song. That is the 21St song, the King.
Your joy and I strength. Now that's the last testimony. That's the person of Christ, whether it be the king to Israel or whether it be the the Son of God that we recognize.
Who's now in the heavens Who died for us? It's the Person of Christ. The first testimony was creation. He sent His Word, then He sent His Son, and the testimony is complete.
So that you and I are responsible for all three testimonies.
There are people who are responsible for one testimony, Romans 1, the the Creation. But I'd like to read a verse in John 17717.
That's often quoted and.
It sort of helps us to see that.
God himself.
Is behind the blessing of man, and the least little turning to God, the broken Reed the.
The burning flax. He answers to it, the least little turn his way. You can't imagine will do his whip. That is, if anyone will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.
Whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself, so that should there be anyone.
Who has the slightest exercise toward God? It's aroused by the Spirit we know God is going to answer.
Is going to give a testimony to that one. And of course the testimony today is his own beloved son that you say?
Instead of a trooper, I have received that God is no respecter of person, but in every nation he's appeared him and worketh righteousness is accepted within.
Astounded with the I went to preach the gospel to the troops in the check of war.
A savage was given me by the general, he said. Smith, there's a savage here in the Army and we don't want to shoot him. Nobody understands his language.
And will you take him? I said. Yes, Sir.
Well.
One day he got away with I left a little bit of Bolivian money on my cot under the the protection from the bomb, and lo and behold, it was gone.
It was gone.
I called him on his way out. He didn't know that I saw him and he ran for his life with this little bit of money. Now I said to myself, what made him do that?
He's a savage. He knew that it was wrong.
Was it comes home to one's heart concerning mankind? Is that?
They did not retain God in their knowledge, and so God gave them over to a reprobate mind.
And this is just the problem. But here's the savage running away with my little bit of money.
Why did he run? Well, I told him some Spanish during the months that I was there with this general, and he got to enjoy a little of John's Gospel.
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I've often thought of him. Nobody knew his name and his teeth were sharpened like a dog's teeth, so I got to be able to speak to him in the Spanish.
And I said, why do you have your teeth sharpened like that? He says we eat everything wrong, everything we eat is wrong, and that enables us to tear the flavor with that.
Teeth whitened like a dog.
Well, what made him run? I thought to myself. Why did he run? He knew.
That it was wrong. Well, I've just mentioned this. It's.
My soul to mention one thing about that savage.
He got to love me and he got a little working knowledge during the War of the Spanish. So I put a New Testament in his pocket. One day he came to me and put his arms round me. That the point that worried me a little bit. In the hour of the night that I would awaken with the rattle of the machine guns. There was this. I called him Grandcito Little John. There he was watching me. I wondered whether he was thinking of putting me in the pot.
A cooking bin. Anyway, he went away with this little testament. I said, how far is it? He said, let us go to the tribe that's up next to Peru on the border. He's all those hundreds of miles. And I said, how he says on foot and how long will it take? Oh, he says about eight weeks on foot. You'll have to swim. Well, I said, how are you going to carry that testament? Who? He says we put the top of our heads.
Mix it up with our hair and we never get it where we don't get it wet.
Now I have often wondered why the Lord allows that testament to go like that.
I pray every day that he may be in the goodness of God, evangelizing the thousands of savages, he said. That the world is it possible. It's nothing is impossible with the law.
Well, I mentioned that it's something to pray about for Juan Cedar. He may be evangelizing the full cup together. He told me there were thousands of them, but coming back.
This question of man.
Man is a failure at the close of every dispensation, isn't it?
And that's why God has given man so many opportunities. But that doesn't excuse him. He is without excuses says.
Without excuse.
Well, first, first you get denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. I think that's important. There must be a breaking with the old ways of one's converted and.
Going on with bad habits. For he should seek grace from God to give up those ways and then follows.
Should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
Will soberly has to do with ourselves.
Well, we surely need surprise me when we realize that there's wickedness evil on every side. People are observing our ways if we act in a frivolous.
Careless way, like the ungodly around us for the sad testimony.
That is to the ungodly. And then we are going to live righteously. That has to do with our fellow man.
What might be going on in his unconverted days and carrying on a dishonest course? Well, we are to realize that now that we're we are saved and we have the responsibilities in connection with our fellow man, so that we shouldn't.
Be dishonest or allow deaths to accumulate.
Without any thought of getting those debts settled and then the last year's godly in this present world, that's our responsibility to God and all that describes the walk of one who has received the grace of God and accepted the salvation that the grace of God has brought to his soul.
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From the world and run modules.
Plus denying and God in this worldly lust the next.
If that happens, how would one go about Brother Berry if there were just say that they were conscious? Now this was true. The Thessalonians Saints wasn't just saved and they were exhorted in connection with these things, that there were things carried over from their former condition, not just how they go about. There's no power in the flash to overcome these things, is there?
I'm sure you've had more experience with.
Those who have had those habits and they were converted and the accepted Christ, So maybe you could give us some help on that.
No, I was hiring. I know of a case of a of a brother who had it was just converted, but he wasn't able to give up the use of tobacco.
And it came to a point where.
He's called to his attention.
And he went to his room and got down before the Lord. And he said, Lord, I'm through.
I can't do a thing about it and he had been trying to hide the fact, Mother said. He was, and he knew it was being a hypocrite.
So he said, tomorrow morning I'm going to work.
With a cigarette in my mouth. Unless, Lord, you come in, never use the six.
And I believe that in all of our Christian experience.
Simplicity of faith is the answer because as soon as we discover that we've come to the end of ourselves, God comes in turn to a verse in in the Old Testament.
You know, I like the Old Testament, brethren. It's in Deuteronomy. I remember a brother once saying when we refer to the Old Testament, he said, oh, that's in the Old Testament.
As though it were not for us, but turn to this verse Deuteronomy.
28 I believe it is.
No, Deuteronomy 32.
I speak of this, brethren, because these are real, practical things.
That we need today.
And there are such things as habits that must be overcome if there's to be a testimony for Christ. Now this is the way in the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy.
36 birds.
For the Lord shall judge his people. Now that doesn't mean take vengeance on them.
It means she'll take up their cause, whatever is needed.
The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he sees that their power is gone and there is none. Shut up or laugh. Now turn to the Book of Joel.
In the Old Testament.
The second chapter of Joel.
The 12 birds.
This chapter speaks of the day when Israel is coming down to the end of their rope. They're through.
All of God's ways with his people will have come to an end.
It's a day when their sin will be removed in one day. But how?
Therefore also now saith the Lord, turn me even to me, with all your heart.
With weeping, With mourning.
Rend your heart not your garments. Turn under the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. Slow to anger the great kindness and repent of Him of the evil, who knows that he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind you, even a meat offering and a drink offering under the larger God.
01:05:18
Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify a fast call of solemn assembly. Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation assembly elders, gather the children and those that suck the breasts.
Let the bridegroom go far from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Now notice, let the priests and the ministers of the Lord we between the porch and the Albert, And let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say, among the people, where is their God?
Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and piteous people? Yeah, the Lord will answer and say on his people, Behold, I will send you corn and wine and oil. You should be satisfied there with, and I will no more make your reproach among the heathens.
But I will remove far off from you. The northern army will drive him into a land barren and desolate, and so on. Verse 21. Fear not all land be glad and joy, for the Lord will do greatest things.
I believe, President, that one of the great lessons of life for us who are believers is afterward saved is to discover that we absolutely have no strength.
We have no strength to overcome habits.
We have no strength for testimony. We have no strength for walk.
And unless there is the constant dependence.
And communion. There will be no power over such things as habits.
And it's the Lord Himself who not only saves our soul, but keeps us.
Yeah, day by day. And unless it's so, we will not be kept.
Well.
Once and for all more.
Perhaps it might be a little less connected than what we had yesterday is that.
I remember here in this town, but I don't know what you'll think of it, but.
I'm asking to be, that's fine.
And then he was led to the river to be baptized and made preparations. He took off his glasses and sent them on a rock, took off his watch and set them on a rock. He took his pipe out of his car and set it down on the same rock in Westport could be baptized.
When he came back and had put on dry clothes, he put back on his glasses and put back on his watch and walked away.
The young fellow who had been there notice that he forgotten something, so he picked up the pipe and went after the man said Sir, you forgot your pipes and.
Well, yes, it is Siri. Or don't remember. No, that's not mine, Honey said. You remembered. You set down your wasp and your glasses and this pipe on the rock.
I forgot it, he said. That belongs to the man that went under the water. I'm the man that came up out of the water, not mine. He denied his.
I have had that particular, I emphasize that particular problem, but I believe the word in high is a very significant word. I think each and our measure knows something of what that works ought to be in mind and a man be Christ, and he sent you creation. I was mentioning some time ago how I LED a Japanese officer to Christ for the Japanese crater. This was in 1921.
01:10:18
On my way to Bolivia the end of 1920.
Well, he had on his walls of his cabin he was one of the officers and everything that was belonged to this world. On his table he had to bear and he had cards and he had a big pipe, and in the corner he had whiskey, and in the other corner he had what we call travel. That's alcohol.
I never comment on the walls where I've seen pictures, so he was a man of the world.
Now at the end, though I've spoke to him about his soul, he could speak some English.
Being an officer, he has been trained for some time in the States. Well, I spoke to him in his own tongue, and rather in the English tongue, but I never commented on those things on the wall, nor his pipe or anything yet, at least in me.
Of the 4th week. That man came to my cabin door before daylight and banged at the door and I said, who's there? He said I am here and he says won't you come up to my cabin?
Well, I'd often been in his cabin and when I got in he turned on the light.
And I then said, Sir, what happened to your pictures?
And then I made bold to ask what happened to the whiskey?
And the pipe and the tobacco and the cigarettes. Some churros they call the cigars and so on. Then I asked him what what happened? He said I couldn't bear the sight of them, Mr. Smith, for that 2:30 in the morning I got on my knees and accepted Christ as my savior, and everything went overboard off the coast of Peru, where I've just come from.
Everything went into the ocean.
Now that the American often wrote me to Bolivia.
And what a wonderful change. Now I never spoke to that man about anything, about vice or anything else but smooth of the Lord Jesus, and is found to save and deliver.
From all those vices that we have.
Time left and should we not consider the 13th? 1St because rather we not only need to deny ourselves these ungodly and worldly lusts and so on, but we need an object, and God has given us an object, something to look forward to. And that you get in the.
13 first.
Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
In a wonderful way, the Spirit of God has connected the Lord's coming glorious Saints, and the Lord's coming with his Saints for the appearance when he comes with his face. But the blessed hope is when he comes for his face. And that's what the believer now who is saved by the grace of God.
As before him, like the certain Samaritan that carried the man to the inn and took care of him, and then he departed and said when I come again. So he left him a hope he had fully provided for his stay there in the end, but given him a promise that he was coming back again. And that's what God has given to us as believers.
He saved us eternally. He's given us.
A new nature He's given us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. He's given us His blessed word, although He's given us a hope before our souls. And that's the hope of the Lord soon returned for His own when he comes with a shout and voice of the Archangel and trump of God and the dead in Christ rise 1St, and we which are alive and remain are caught up together to meet the Lord in the air.
01:15:10
These forever with the Lord, I find the lovers that I need to repeat those lines every day. And because my work I torso, gets so easily occupied with things down here, and I so soon they can't forget. When I get up in the morning I go over those verses to myself. The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout to kind to keep it fresh in memory from our soul.
Not telling others the way that they should keep that hope before them, but I know it's been practical for myself.
Do we really believe it? What a break this would be on our every action and thought.
If we really believe that at any moment the Lord Jesus would come.
There's nothing that will keep us.
So activated.
Souls expectation as the fact that he is coming.
I've often thought of the Mr. Dunbar.
Whom some would remember here he always spoke on the Lord's coming, and spoke on the streets in the sky, announcing a new day. What would Mr. Dunlap overseas his tomb? You know, what would he say if he should could come forth now?
And see things as they are.
Rhythm Do we really believe?
That as dear old Mr.
Who was used to always speak of the imminency of the Lord's coming to know whom I am being killed? Gill. Brother Gill, the imminency. Do we really believe that before we leave this place we could be gone?
No, what a wonderful hope position will enjoy. Concerning the watches, Mr. Dunlop's expression concerning the speaks of the sky, I've always thought of the watchers. Remember that the Hebrew watches were period 4 periods of three hours.
Six to 99 to No 6 to 10.
22 to 6:00 That's the old Hebrew watch, 3 periods of four hours. But remember, Brendan, after the captivity, the Hebrew watch was changed to the Greek and the Roman watch. So it was 6 to 99 to 12:12 to 3:00 and 3:00 to 6:00, Four periods, 4 periods of three hours.
Well, we do know that the.
They fried your Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Well, then it's passed, isn't it? That is part.
What would you say, beloved present concerning the cockroach? Is that positive? What would you say, brother Barry? Would you give us some help there?
As just came to mind looking at this version.
And why it is that it speaks of that blessed hope and the glorious appearing, I believe the better translation is the appearing of the glory. Well, I just never had thought of it before, but I just.
Oh well, instead of wondering if this thought could be before us.
That when it comes to the Lords coming in the air.
There's nothing so blessed is that for our souls to contemplate. And really, blessing is happy, isn't it something we rejoice in, Something we are just looking forward with heinous anticipation. At least we should be to hear His voice and to see His blessed face. He caught up into the air and for the first time.
01:20:01
Really look at the face of that blessed man. But when it is his appearing.
There's glory connected with that. He comes out of heaven, the armies of heaven follow him on white horses, and the glory of God will be manifested in dark and sinful world. Would that be the thought?
Of business.
There's.
There's nothing so precious thought that at any moment we're going to see his face and we're going to be like him.
We're not very much like him now in our practice, many of us friends, but we're going to be like him every way then, and it isn't just to to get relief from our troubles.
Because that's a very low attitude to take in regard to his coming. It's less than we will be.
But think of all the desires of these newborn souls will be satisfied forever.
Not one desire, these newborn souls, disappointed, satisfied forever. And the one that has loved us, the one who has died for us, the one who went to Calvary's cross and paid for every black sin that we have committed, He's coming for us personally. He's not sending someone, he's coming. And when he comes, he's going to take us to be with himself.
Thessalonians, it says we shall live together with him, but there's a solemn sign when we think of his appearance.
When he appears, he not only is going to manifest all his glory and we'll be with him.
That glory?
But he's going to reward faithfulness.
That's what the appearing would suggest.
When there's a day coming when all of our works will be manifested.
And then at the appearing, the rewards will be seen.
Of those who had.
From their heart served him down here and also there will be such a thing, I believe.
As in that day.
Just before that day takes place, as the judgment seat of Christ, put all the trash be burned on the heat. But think of the day when he will say to one be the over 5 cities, another be the over 10 cities. We're going to reign with Christ that's connected with His appearance. We're going to be associated with him in the sense of the first type in genesis of E.
When Adam was was placed over the whole creation.
This is all connected with disappearance. We will be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the one who will be head over all things.
And will be there not only as the bride, but in that sense his revelation suggests the White be with him as his health mate.
Being interacted with verse 12 is a very thirsty talent in it to be preceded preceded by.
Verse 11. The Farmless greatest thoughts, and followed by the glorious and wondrous post that is ours. If it were only her 12 alone it would seem perhaps.
A very, very almost impossible challenge to us. But we look back from the place where we now stand and we see the wonderful grace of God that Sodom found that we need not. And we turn from that place and look ahead and see the whole book is coming and the the appearing of glory.
01:25:03
And it seems to me to make verse 12 That's much more executive than water to find we must back upon the grace of God, and we will not get to that glorious force.
But we've seen that in that bright and blessed mourn his dear.
40 1244.
That clearly makes no face.
Oh Harold, well.
Jesus.
And I love all the arms. And we have learned.
What else? I have lost my love, my love, my love for years.