Toronto Conference: 1970
Table of Contents
Jude 5-16
Reading
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Auto March 1969 Reading Meeting Friday PM.
The person of June verse 5.
I will therefore put you in remembrance. Though you once knew this, how did the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards, destroyed them as belief? Now the angels were kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation. He has preserved an everlasting change under darkness.
00:15:08
Under this judgment of the great day, even a Sodom and Gomorrah, and if it is about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flash, are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. White my rules of these filthy dreamers to file the flash despite the minions, and speak evil of dignity.
Yet Michael the Archangel.
Where disputing would continue with the 70 disputed about the body of Moses, there is not bringing gas in a railing accusation, but that the Lord reviewed thee.
But they seek evil, as all seen for say. No, not So what. They know naturally as brute beach, and those things they corrupt themselves, woe unto them. But they have gone in the way of pain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam, for rewards for reward and parish in the game saying authorities.
These are thoughts in your faces, Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves.
Without fear found the oil without water carried about. A wind freezes good weather without fruit. White deaths ****** ** by the roof. Razing waves of the sea forming out their own shame. Wandering stars to humans. Reserves of blackness constructions forever.
An inaugural disturbance of that, and prophesied of these things. Behold, the Lord cometh with 10 thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all of the ungodly among them, of all the ungodly beings which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hearts, feet which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
These are murmuring complainers, walking up with old bluff and the mouth, speaking great falling words, having mended persons and its admiration because of advantage.
But beloved, remember ye the words spoken before of the apostles of our Lord.
Is in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly love?
These be they who separate themselves sensual, having not the spirit.
But do you, beloved?
Building up yourselves on your most holy praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and if some have compassion, making a difference.
Another day with severe pulling them out of the fire, hating you in the garments spotted by the flag.
Unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you fallen before the presence of its glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, a glory, majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. Amen.
To the Red Sea and 1St Corinthians, 10 is used as a figure of baptism, as our fathers were all baptized, and the Moses and the clouds and the sea, and saw this deliverance out of Egypt is used in that way. And there are thousands of people in Christendom who have been baptized and had the name of Christ placed upon them, and in that sense been brought into the outward place of privilege.
But they don't all have faith, and this is brought before us here as a warning.
Because it pictures christened them to us, christened them a great baptized mass. But how few have real living faith, and that doesn't save the soul just to be in a place of privilege and favor? Israel had that position in the past and in the general Sanskritism has it today.
00:20:04
But what a warning even to any who like to hear who might be brought up in a Christian home but perhaps have never personally received the Lord Jesus.
Different solemn warnings given here the angels.
Which kept off their first state, but left their own habitation. I thought that the Angel that sinned as timeless.
Before the flood we read out in jealousy 6 because there are other fallen angels that are not in change of darkness, waiting for the judgement of the Greek city, those demons that suppose the Lords that he cast out.
They even before him that he was, he would not send them into the bed. That is the legion that possessed the demoniac, the faces of faithful class of fallen angels that kept not their first estates, but our pains of darkness.
Of the judgment of the great city. And this was a rather solemn subject when you consider that when angels fell there was no Savior provided for this, although they were a higher order of creation.
The man but when man fell.
And all the sins and ruins within this world.
God's Son half angels by and came into this world and became a savior to lift fallen sinners out of this guilt and misery that disobedience had brought them into.
And to bring them into higher favor of our brother just and bringing before us to be accepted in the beloved.
If we are to ask ourselves why the difference, why God chose to save a ruined race of of mankind and the only confine the fallen angels in chains of darkness with nothing but judgment ahead, we can only say if his sovereign grace that God has a right to do as he pleases.
And if he chose you and me in Christ before the foundation of the world, it fills our hearts with praise. But it takes all opportunity for boasting and reasoning, and everything of the kind of way.
That Bob raises confirmed in the fact that even the angels themselves who didn't fall are referred to as elects angels. Is that perhaps the meaning of that that state elects angels?
It was the goodness of God that they didn't all fall.
Suppose there is a smash of angels that fell and faithful to get in the 28th of Ezekiel when he was lifted up because of his beauty.
And.
That was his form lifted up with Christ, and there was a whole army of immense multitude of angels that fell along with.
Faith. So we read of the devil.
Of angels.
It's very significant to notice how God takes each and every, each and every class as we have the apple state and in moral people and the severity of the judgment of God against them to bear upon the future and control. And Christianity I also call Christendom.
I know, especially in connection with Solomon Gomorrah, it is true that they suffer physical disruptions, didn't they? But you notice the hearsay in the last part of the verse seven, that they are suffering the eternal vengeance of a fire. So that means that Nender only suffer physical destruction, but they suffer and determined of eternal fire for eternity. Isn't that solemn to those who deny hell and the hereafter Israeli presence?
00:25:12
Following things to notice too that in connection with apostrophe we get man falling into a most depraved habit.
You get in the first chapter Romans, because they did not like to glorify God. He gave them up to over to reprobate mind to work all uncleanness with greeting us.
So an article not long ago written by a man of the world.
The subject of his article was Is there any substitute for golf? He just pointed out that these countries that are giving up God and his words are becoming more debased than the and the outlook is so terrible that.
Fairly men of the world fairly trembled to think of what is before these countries.
Well, it just follows that pattern, doesn't they? Give up God, and then they give up all moral restraint, and man is just becoming a great bottle and Gamora.
It is the sixth verse that it says they kept not their first at date but left their own habitation. We know that angels are spirit, but they do have power from God to take bodies. And in the Old Testament on various occasions we find angels appearing as men and taking bodies. And so in the 6th chapter of Genesis it tells us that they came down and married the daughters of men.
Their habitation was not intended to be the earth. Their habitation was intended to be in the presence of God. But they came down here and because of this God judged them. I think, brethren, this is quite an answer to what is taking place in men going to the moon.
God has made man for the earth, it tells us in First Corinthians 15. There are bodies celestial and bodies terrestrial, and man has a body that's suited to the earth. He's not suited, He's not satisfied with that, and he himself desires to leave his habitation and go up to that which doesn't belong to him. Now many thought that they would never succeed. The angels succeeded in leaving their habitation and coming down.
Marrying the daughters of men. And this was followed by God's judgment. So the scripture does not at all tell us that man wouldn't succeed in his attempts in this direction. But it shows us very clearly at this portion here that God judged that attitude of leaving their habitation. And it tells us in the Psalms that the heavens, even the heavens of the Lord and the earth had been given to the sons of men.
That verse has been used to say beforehand that man would not reach the moans. But the scripture doesn't tell us that. It just simply tells us that it's not given to him. And so God allows man in the end to go beyond what is properly given to him, and he allowed the angels to go beyond what was properly given to them. But it's the same thing to go beyond what God has given to us. God is given to us certain things when he plays Adam in the garden.
How richly he blessed him. But he did place one restraint upon him, which was an acknowledgement of God's grace over him. And I feel that these are solemn days, when men, according to the second Psalm, are not satisfied to recognize certain restraints that God is placed upon Mass. And it says in the second Psalm that the cry is let us break their bands of Thunder and castaway their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heaven shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. That is when man thinks that he can throw aside the restraints that God has placed upon him. God says how foolish man is, He still has to answer to God. This is Adam did, this is the angels did. And I believe these things are a warning to us. Goddess place certain restraints upon that upon us personally in our lives.
As we have in the 7th chapter in the seventh verse here, in connection with fornication and so on, God has placed certain restraints in connection with the use of our bodies. All these things, if we fail to recognize them, are going to bring the judgment of God.
00:30:21
I was thinking over the 14th chapter of Isaiah in connection with what you say of man Brother Gordon. I like to read 2-3 verses there in the 14th chapter of Isaiah. I think that's where very clear about the subject of a man sticking to his soul control.
In verse 12 state our war fallen from heaven or Roosevelt one of the morning. I suppose this refers to Satan himself.
But then in verse 18 say for thou hast said in thine heart.
This is Satan again. I will ascend into heaven. I will exhaust my throne above the stars of God. I will see it also upon the mountains of the congregation in the size of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High, yet thou shall be brought down to hell to the sides of the fifth. Well, isn't that what many time to do, brother Golden imitation, Satan.
I believe it's my honor, Satan. I believe it refers to Babylon in the last days. Certainly Satan is the one who leaves man on. But as you say, man is wanting to do this very thing. His present attempts not only to the moon, but to go beyond it.
Partly show the Spirit, but it definitely referred to a man by the 16th verse. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble and did shake Kingdom? It's the Spirit of Babylon.
That pride that exalts itself no doubt LED on of Satan, but it's it's man. It's an awful thing to see how Satan fell through pride and he seeks to lead man on to the same thing that caused his own fall.
Do the same thing in in the book of Obadiah concerning Edom. Is that right? I'd like to read a couple of verses there in connection with all our brother was read. We know it's Speaking of Edom in its pride, but how how this brings up to date some of these things, man, man. And his pride hasn't changed. He gets worse. And so today.
We have all of this in connection with this moon mission.
In the Obadiah the third verse, the pride of thine heart have to see thee as all that dwelleth in the cleft of the rock, whose habitation is high. That Seth in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? Well, this is man in his pride. He thinks he he's going to rise to the greatest height. But then notice the next verse, though thou exalt thyself as the eagle.
And though thou set thy nest among the stars, since will I bring thee downs at the Lord, he will too.
There's also a person in Isaiah 45 in connection with the subject.
18.
So Thou said the law that created the heavens. God Himself that formed the earth and made it. He have established it. He created it. Not in vain. He formed it to be inhabited. He didn't form the moon to be inhabited. Man thinks he's going up there to sell real estate, but that's not his place at all.
He formed the earth to be inhabited. We should be satisfied with being here until the Lord comes.
Eighth verse shows the working of the human mind away from God, and you've given over to his his evil way. Likewise also these filthy dreamers to file a slave to 5 dominion and speak evil of dignitaries.
So a man abandons himself to.
Sinful life. Then his mind begins to work, and he tries to ease his constants so that he can go on and his corruption wicked ways. And that becomes the invention of all these false doctrines. Firstly, those doctrines that.
00:35:14
Deny eternal punishment the working of the human mind to try to.
Is the conscience as all they were, knowing that man needs to fear ahead so he can go on and corrupt himself.
As he continues in his wicked ways.
Suppose that will culminate in what we read of in Revelations, the plague of Darkness. This is what man seems to wish for, although he doesn't use that word, but he does seem to get want to get rid of the light.
Man love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil and they want to get rid of everything that would remind them of that which is wrong in their concepts.
And they really seem to wish to go on in darkness. And it would seem that when that awful place finally falls upon man, that by that time he will have a tease what he's striving for right now. And yet when that flag comes.
It seems to produce the most awful result of any play, for it says that when the flag of darkness fell, they gnawed their tongues for pain that's not used in any other place. And it seems to to tell it unspeakable anguish that when man finally achieved that which he boasts of today.
When all light is removed and all restraint is gone.
The darkness of the man's are given into this, I believe, will be the result. Darkness such as will cause men to know their tongues for pain. They'll feel the result of their own wicked ways.
Another evidence of the.
The end of the apostasy is speaking evil of dignitaries.
The way that people more expressed and show pictures of him with horns and the long tail, and to weaken the frost in the minds of men that there is but being in existence.
Well, that's another evidence.
Man's departure from God, of course, now the the thing to have no restraint, saying everything disarring and insulting about God and his Son and the Holy Spirit.
And then we get Michael the Archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses. There's not thing against him a reeling accusation, but that the Lord reduced. These are facing although a foreign being.
Is great dignitaries. He was the most exhausted of all the angels.
I know he is a fallen being and is bent, bent on corrupting the human race. It's honoring God, especially his son. Yet he has built looked at as a dignitary even. So much so that although Michael of the Archangel, he wouldn't bring against him a reeling accusation.
And simply said, the Lord rebuked thee.
Then we get the occasion when this place rather remarkable. It was at the burial of Moses, and I wonder if we've all considered why it was that the devil contended with.
The Angel at the burial of Moses. I believe the answer to this is that.
That faith wanted to get hold of that body if he could only have to defeat it in getting the body of Moses or he would have had all the children of Israel around the world itself to worship him. So God didn't allow even the burial place of of Moses be known. Or just like Mohammed and Confucius they would have raised the monument.
00:40:01
Through his shrine and his burial place will go foresaw if there was this terrible tendency to idolatry and work with man. So God wouldn't allow Satan to have his way on this occasion.
Moses went up at the end of his journey here instead of down.
Stands in 34th chapter of Deuteronomy and Moses went up from the plains of Moab under the mountain knee boats on top of his car that is over against Jericho. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there.
And Aaron too went up and died. And we're going up soon too, aren't we?
Through Grace, I think it's nice to see that these two wonderful servants went up at the end of my pathway.
Unless stuff will walk. We're waiting for everyone of us who know the Lords our favor.
Instead of the undertaker brother.
I was thinking that oftentimes you hear people saying the Lord rebuked these Satan.
But I don't think that it's in the power of the believer to say that. I believe that the best thing that the believer can do is rectify himself with the death of Christ and cleansing his precious blood and alive with Christ. I think it's the best power that he has against Satan. This is our blessing.
Just the devil and he will flee from you of the Apostle Peter So and it was weird to resist him and they and the faith aren't we. That is when when Satan comes and meets the believer that is in communion with Christ and join Christ and his soul, he meets the very one who defeated him so long ago and he powerless and all he can do is to get out of his presence.
Quickly and as fast as possible, walking in communion is the sure deceit of Satan, who is ever busy to entrap us in some way in his devices.
The false chapter of Revelation. Perhaps he could just read this Revelation chapter 12 and the 10th verse, and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now it comes salvation and strength in the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they love not their lives unto the death. I believe we have three things here that are very important in connection with overcoming. First, the blood of the Lamb. The Lord Jesus is the one who met, says Satan, and defeated him.
First, in the temptation in the wilderness we find him binding Satan. He answered every temptation by saying it is written. But to overcome him for us he must go unto death. And so he died, bearing our sins in his own body on the tree. And going into death he accomplished that word by which Satan was defeated, as we have in Hebrews 2, that through death he might destroy or annull him that had the power of death.
That is the devil and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to ******* and then the next by the word of their testimony Satan is a defeated fall. But in a practical sense, there needs to be that using the word of God in connection with our testimony, and we meet him in this way. He brings temptations constantly to us if we don't.
Answer those temptations by the word of God.
We can never be lost. He can never drive us into hell. But he certainly can get power over us, even as Christians. So they overcame him by the word of their testimony. And then the third thing it says They love not their lives unto the death.
Because that is, there may be such a test that the only way to overcome is to let Satan power triumph, to put us to death. And what does that do? Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. And this is mentioned in the second chapter of Revelation. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and you shall be put to death. So the enemy is brought before us as being.
00:45:18
Behind the fact that he would like to even put God people to death. Well, if that God allows him to go that far, he still hasn't triumphed because he has only sent us into the presence of the Lord. So that while Satan is a defeated fall in a practical sense, I believe we need to remember those other things not only by the blood of the Lamb, but the word of their testimony. And they love not their lives under the deaths, I believe.
Have rather than if the Lord leaves us here longer.
We may find more difficult opposition than seeking to walk in the truth. It may cost us more than it cost us before. There have been noises laid down their life. There are those, no doubt in our very time who are suffering, is a brother been coming, a Christian man been coming to the meetings in Ottawa? He told us there were some provinces in India where it was against the law to be baptized. Oh, it just shows us how even in our time there are those.
That are really facing difficulties, and perhaps even having to die for Christ. Well may the Lord give us grace to walk close to the Lord, not only knowing that faith has been defeated, but in a practical sense meeting these temptations in the Word and by the power of the Spirit, we are no match in ourselves.
We are no match at ourselves for Satan power.
The Lord gives us that wisdom and strength to go on.
No doubt, as our brother stated, not only here but in other in other lands the Saints of God will be tested.
More perhaps?
Of the character of Satan as a roaring lion. We are being tested now. Satan and the character as a servant and.
Angel of Light, we have that roundabout today. We cannot deny it, but if the Lord leaves us here much longer, we may see the character of the Roaring Lion. I know of no scripture that would exempt us.
Followed.
Tell us that those who speak evil of dignitaries, the next thing is.
But what they know naturally a roots beast in these they corrupt themselves. That is, if you take away from man the fear of God, the fear of any judgement, there are any punishments for his ways.
If you teach a man that he is nothing after all but.
A more insolvent beast. What? He's going to have butter beast till man, he's the beast. He's going to live like a beast. And that is what you see increasing the whole world over. The communists have succeeded in persuading a large portion of the world that there is no God, there is no hereafter is.
That man is just.
Just a more developed form of life. Evolution has brought that in well.
As natural group feast, they corrupt themselves on an awful state received as this, and it should really exercise as less. We in any way have any thoughts with the unfruitful work of darkness that we see on every half as a result of this. That's the invaded, the schools and the.
Colleges.
Getting the year. So many people.
Oh, we need to be on our guard against the thing to take a firm stance, and we will not be in any way corrupted fire by all the teaching that man has in bringing in these last days.
00:50:07
The question was raised on some some time ago at the Woodbridge Fellowship meeting about the ways of okays, and I believe, if I remember correctly, the answer that was given was that the way of a can is the religion of the natural man that denies the fall of man, that man is lost and that he needs the blood of Christ to be redeemed. They deny this thing as the religion of the natural man, isn't it?
Yes, you got three things here. Woolen to them, for they've gone in the way of aid and ran greedily after the air of Pelham for reward, and perished in the game thing, of course, and as you say, Brother, pure father, the the way of Cain as a religion of good works.
And that has prevailed the whole world, That man by his own efforts is good deeds and provide a way of salvation for himself. Remember talking to an East Indian from Calcutta years ago, And I questioned him about how he thought it was necessary to to be saved. Well, he said you have to be good. Said you mustn't cheat. He told me a lot of good things you must do.
Well, there is war in India. That's fair believer, that's their belief.
And you take care all these heathen countries, they must feed their God by some form of good work. So the whole world has been invaded by that level of good work for salvation. And that is the way of Cain is. And it isn't confined to India and China. It's right here in America, and all the Christianized countries have fallen under that area.
Is really what the Lord describes in the parable of the woman who took 11 and hit it in three majors of meals till the whole was 11. So just to wear little gospel light finds its way here and there. The whole Mass of Christendom has been corrupted by that leaven of of good work or the way of Cain.
What do you think? Perhaps that in the three things that are mentioned here?
There might be Satans counter but for the three things that the Lord Jesus mentions of himself in the 14th of John, where the Lord Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the light. Well if this were accepted what a very blessed thing it would be. But Satan has come along with this counter foot and we find the way of Cain, the error of Balaam.
And parroting.
In the gainsaying of Cora, so instead of the Lord Jesus as the way, we have the way of Cain instead of the Lord Jesus as the truth, we have the error of Balaam. Instead of the Lord Jesus as the life we have the perishing in the game saying, of course.
I wasn't going to say.
We running greedily after the era of failing for reward is hired ministry. Isn't this man preaching anything for his own, his own game?
And that has introduced in Christendom the giving up of the true gospel because the world isn't willing to accept God's plan of salvation. Remember years ago being in Woodbridge and man came in and sat back and he informed us after the meeting that he was a pastor of a large church. He says. I haven't any place to go to on Sunday night.
He found that where I preached. He felt they won't have a Sunday night meeting because the preachers are to blame for it, he says. They fill these churches with unconverted people. Now, he says they won't have the gospel. Well, that's just one little example of what has happened all over Christmas.
And also mix them the truth with Arrow, isn't it?
00:55:00
This is what you have encrypted them today.
And the gains, say of.
Core some brother mentioned That is the denial of the **** wood of every believer and threaten themselves on the place that belongs to each and every believer.
I suppose the error of veiler would be seeing that.
There was evil in Israel. He supposed that a righteous God would curse them, but he lost sight of the fact that he's a merciful God through the work of Christ of Calvary.
That's all.
They aren't really designed to hurt the people of God. He wanted that reward. And the very solemn thing too, that when Salem found that he couldn't hurt the people of God, well then he corrupted the people of God.
So we get the fin of veil PR where the awful spin fornication. So that's the way the enemy works, isn't it? He would gladly have hurt the people of God of any corrupted.
Brings the sound of commercializing the gospel or the truth and the game saying of Cora, displacing Christ and as well as the Holy Spirit and man taking or seeking to take their place.
I suppose the reward here would not necessarily be money, would it but popularity or applause?
That was all included in that or the veil only was offered a great reward. I suppose it was more money than before he died.
This must be a very.
Important thing for the people of God to be reminded of this, I was thinking the error of Salem.
In second Peter.
Two you get.
In second Peter 215.
Speaking there about the those that are the.
It says, which have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Salem, the son of Moser, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. Well, you have the the way of they'll have mentioned here in Second Fear, and then in our chapter you have rang greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and then in Revelation.
2.
You have.
In the 14th verse you have I have a few things against thee, because thou has spare them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast assembly blocks. Well, it's a solemn thing, isn't it? As God has brought before us a very solemn truth here, that this is a we should take note. Three times over this individual is brought before us his way, his error, and his doctrine. We we need to be exhorted on this, don't we? Careful.
I don't see soon as the phenomena brings bath in the second chapter, the second epistle.
In verse two he speaks of the way of truth.
And.
Verse 15 The Right Way.
And in the 21St verse, the way of righteousness as much as they there is a right way in five at all.
Oh, brilliant thing of course, is when core Nathan and Nebuchadnezzar themselves up against Moses. He fell in #16 three and he gathered themselves.
Together against Moses, and against error, and said unto them, Yeah, you take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the Lord is among them. Wherefore then lift up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord.
We see an error on the type of Christ our great High Priest, and Moses, I would say, and see the head hypocrite head over all things to the Church which is His body. And those who set themselves up, they want to put themselves right on the level where the Blessed Lord and His faithful prerogative.
01:00:17
Well, we know bringing man in between the center and and God the Father has resulted in the whole the whole system of priesthood. Well, that's that's just one phase of the destiny. And then?
They leaving the authority of the Blessed Lord completely out, and a man setting himself up to take that authority which belongs.
Christ himself, well, that is the final crowning, thin, encrypted them and brings down the the judgment of God in the in a special way where you know that these wicked men Corrine dating the barn were swallowed up the oaks, the earth opened up her mouth, he went right down into the pit, and he goes right on to that subject to what's the end of those who.
Who corrupt the testimony of the Lord.
And the the.
The corruption.
Starts off gradually, doesn't it?
The they have gone in, the wave came. Well that was slow to begin with, but as the evil increases then it says they ran greedily. Oh, that was increasing and that's what we're seeing now today, the corruption rapidly increasing, but then the third one as they perished and this they don't see yet.
But this will be the end the whole of this.
Great system that we're seeing around us. It will be just at its highest when it is.
Plunges down to hell.
So that's all patient of mine, the Antichrist. It says he has God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, and that's the climax of sin, which finally brings down the judgment of God.
Your reference to numbers, brother, in connection that solemn matter I was looking. It also speaks of the 250 Princess. It's.
A famous in the congregation men have renowned. What a solemn thing. If they were consumed, they belong to the congregation. Men of renown. And yet they were consumed. Why they were false. What a solemn thing that is to empty professors of today. They might belong to a congregation, might be a person of renown, but without Christ they'll perish. Here's a very, very solemn example of it. 250 Princess of the congregation was burned to death.
The 12 words that says these are spots in your piece of charity. You know in the beginning they had what they call the love piece.
You have that specially mentioned in the 11Th chapter of First Corinthians where they came together with their meals and their wines, where they even got drunk if if.
This lofty And then they was great bread and remembrance of the Lord. Well, we know how the Apostle says that you cannot.
It couldn't go on that way if the God wouldn't allow it.
Well here, these six up here are spots in your love piece when they faced with you feeding themselves without fear. It doesn't say they were they were breaking bread and remembrance of the Lord, but they were free and active at their love keys.
They got in among the Christians state of things where they had this meal together became.
Large and and popular. And then these these men crept in among them, and feasted with them, and got to be very important and real accepted among them.
So all this is a warning, you know, even though there may be those that are not gathered to Lord's name if we accept them.
01:05:09
And they they're going on with evil practices.
So there must be a fixed line of separation, or else the enemy will soon get in with his disastrous work.
Twice dead by nature and by apostasy, will that be?
Call him described here ranging waves of the sea foaming out their own chains, wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Remember Brother Potter saying that that's the only place where you get that spoke about as the blackness, the darkness forever? I believe it's the word Taurus, isn't it?
One of the words that speaks of eternal hell or judgment.
He said he believed it was a special judgment to those apartheid who have.
Let people astray in a doctrinal way. There's nothing so soft, so terrible As for anyone to deceive and and lead astray those who might have accepted the true gospel. Someone comes in with something false and get followers and get people persuaded to take up with his.
His own, his terrible, wicked doctrine.
There's nothing in God's sight, I believe, as quite as serious and solemn as that.
Leaders, perhaps?
Leaders in in a prophecy there are brought here before us.
With me without reverence to God, is that what would be the thought There without fear, without any fear, the consequences of their wicked deeds wave moral lesson.
But it says there that the wandering stars, they give the appearance of great light, don't they? Temporary, but very exhausted wandering stars. Well, that's amazing.
But it's going to end in just the opposite Utter dark.
I think this is all very good enough for our young people this afternoon to hear these things and not to be deceived by the apparent conviction that men, wicked men, are speaking instructors today.
Talking with such arrogance and assurance, this whole corrupt system is going to be cast into hell.
The modernist preachers would be certainly.
Described here in this way, I'm not an awful doom and gutman, and yet there are men you know that are looked up to and their names are in print and.
They're popular speakers and they're given a great place in Britain, demands many of God's children.
There's no harm in going. That's one of the sad thing about popular evangelists that they will allow these.
These men that deny the virgin birth of Christ and.
Deny the inspiration of scriptures and have them up on the platform, even praying for the for the Godful meeting that's about to take place.
That's a pretty serious thing. Refers to them as dressing themselves as Angel of light, don't they? Angels of light. And they come in with countenance, beautiful philosophy, nice language, but they deceive us because they have not. The truth is a Chopra. Some will say, you know that people are converted. It's under that kind of preaching where this is allowed. Well, God is sovereign.
And he can use His word wherever He pleases, and in the most unexpected ways. But the path forward, one who seeks to honor Christ, is to have no relatives with the unsuitable work from dark, but rather improve them. And those, surely, are the unfruitful works of darkness. We're to have nothing to do with it and keep strictly.
01:10:16
Apart from it.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly. I think when we read verses like these we need that verse more and more.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly. There's a great deal of ungodliness spoken of in this little epistle, and here were leaders in ungodliness who have been brought before us here.
And I'm sure we realize that among the most honored things today in religious circles and philosophy as well, there are ungodly men. I'm not speaking at all of these evangelists. I'm Speaking of these ungodly mass who have honored names in the realm of philosophy and religion. And you're not considered at all up to date unless you've read or heard of what they have to say.
But they have never been born again. They're ungodly man, and I sometimes feel perhaps a little text would be in order on which those two things would be brought together. His name shall be called Counselor, and along with it the other verse. Blessed is a man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, and that the dearly beloved young people would look at that.
Little combination of text every day. We have a wise counselor. His very name is Counselor, and to him we concern, and from him we can learn the wisdom that we need. But the council of the Ungodly.
Is plainly brought before us in this little epistle, and the outcome of it too, and I believe that the beloved young people who are facing the challenge of education today.
There's so much of the.
Council of the Ungodly. If they would take a look at the name on the front of that textbook, they find it to be the name of a man who doesn't know the Lord Jesus as his savior. And if there are certain things in that book that are necessary for their schooling, let them always remember that they're not to walk in the council of the ungodly. May the Lord preserve His promise, because I know at the beginning of his little official we find God's courage and God's commendation.
Earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints, Is that going to make us popular? Is that going to make our names known in the world? Not at all. In a day, in an age like it, it's going to be considered rightfully outdated. But it's what God commands and God approves. And here is that with God condemns and that with God warns against. And yet it's extremely popular all around.
Those who listen to such counselors should read this verse and Micah, the 4th chapter of Micah verse 9.
Why dost thou cry out alone? Is that no king in thee is by Councillor Parish?
Is he parish? Is our councillor Perished? No. Thank God you're still a counselor. He's never lost the case yet, and never will. He's one to whom we can turn under all circumstances and receive counsel from him and from his precious words. So the verse is here. I think it's very important.
Perish if he is not, why always anxiety?
Have a remarkable year that Heck is introduced.
The 7th grommet of these things, behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his faith to execute judgment. I for the Enoch's day he was seeing the world getting bright for the judgment of the Flood.
But he says that this character or condition that existed where the earth was being filled with corruption and violence well were conditions that would continue right on to the end until the Lord himself.
Would come in judgment upon those guilty world.
01:15:10
Going back to the thought of the marks placed upon.
Certain ones, I'm sure most of us have heard this expression.
But they have so much proof that they've got a lot of truth.
Well, the question is arises then, but do they have one of these marks upon them? Well, if they have, then they don't have all the truth. They may have a little spattering of it. I speak of one that I know particularly who is really the Lords. And we spoke to him about these things, thinking of the gainsaying of Korah, usurping the place that the Holy Spirit should have in the assembly.
And we ask him this question. He's a man who's been in this.
Category of a minister for 35 years. We ask him this question. We said we came to your little church and the Lord gave us something to say. If the Spirit of God lay something upon our hearts, would we be able to give it out? He said. That would be up to me to determine whether it was of the Spirit or not.
Now, this is a man who's been a preacher for 35 years. I think he's the Lords.
And so we find here them man taking a place that the Holy Spirit should have.
Is as we have in Cora, that is.
Usurping that place.
There may be a lot of truth in what some of these men say, mixed with a little poison, but our difficulties just to filter out that poison.
Put a little poison in your meal at the table and eat what is good. How are you going to keep the poison out of it?
Good answer to this question. I visited a man and he had quite a a collection of books.
I won't mention the name of them, but there was quite a quite a collection. Large volumes on On the Bible tells you all about the Bible.
Well, not knowing too much what to say, I looked up to the Lord for an answer to this. I didn't want to read these books. I wanted to talk to him about the Lord Jesus.
So I said, well, I would ask you one question before we even discuss these books. Was this man who wrote all these books? Was he gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, he didn't know what to say. I said if he wasn't, I'm not interested in the books.
Interested in the truth that some have written that have walked in it, and I think this is a good word for each one of the young people to remember to.
Uh, not waste time with with the various.
Writings on the scriptures that have not been written by men who walked in the truth. I mean, this is an important thing for us, isn't it?
All right, the muscle king. The weight of our brother this morning before us to rule.
Hear thou not, my daughter, go now to another field so great.
It's very special indeed, isn't it?
Might give the impression that we think that we're better than that is the natural reaction. And I think, well, do we have a corner on the truth? Well, these these verses that we've been contemplating this afternoon why, they surely speak to our conscience that here is the warning.
Is that a little compromise is going to end in and utter failure. This is where the compromise will end. And if we are taken up with these things and think, well, it's only a little compromise, what's the harm in this?
These verses bring before us the end, then understood, either end. When I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I therein.
01:20:01
From a little of a verse in connection with Ruth again and connect connection with what you just said, says and she spats beside the reapers.
Doesn't say she read all kinds of writings from different ones, but she sat beside the reapers, those who had been reaping, and she received a portion, didn't she?
That's the beauty of the Bible reading. And let's sit with the Reapers, those who spend time on the Word before the Lord and gathered something from it to pass on to others.
Likely welcomes all of the infection with this expression wandering stars that I believe these stars were not really stars at all. But this is the expression among early astronomers that was using connections of planet and the the thing that marks the metal is different from the stars. Our vacancy was simply that their core they differed from the courts and the two stars they wandered in and out amongst them.
But they didn't know that there was any difference. When they looked at them, they seemed to be giving off, like like the stars did. But they wandered erratic courts, so they were burdened with the quantum stars. And the miles told us remarks to the spirit of God, the use of expression like this, because now we understand that these wandering stars are not two sorts of light at all. They they get the appearance of these? No. They walk through in and out, apparently.
Amongst those true source of light, but they aren't true, sort of light and tall, they're completely false, the sources of light wandering in another once we have the car.
Being open with a little while the Lord will come, and that takes place before what in a processor. The Lord coming with 10,000 of his faith.
That the Jude speaks of that looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
When you get down to the 21St verse.
So that those who were passing through the time of trial and testing, and being the coming judgment of God, about to be poured out on this apostate world by those who are the Lord, will have them taken away, caught up to meet the Lord in the airport. Jude didn't have the revelation of the Lord coming in the air as we have it, but He saw very clearly the coming of the Lord in judgment, and He saw that.
The faith would come back with him, but how those Saints would be with him so they could come back with him, Waited till.
Gave it to the Apostle Paul. Then we get the full revelation, the mystery that that the Lord will have already come and taken all His blood for people home to himself. Then they come back with it.
Beautiful thoughts in those verses you just mentioned, brother in the 21St, 20th, 1St, the 21St and the 22nd.
20th 1St But she beloved, building up yourselves. I believe this speaks of edification, and says in the same verse, praying in the Holy Ghost supplication, And then in the 21St verse keep yourselves in the love of God.
Preservation and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ and eternal life anticipation.
These are the four anchor gum tree that will keep the Christians of the 27th chapter of Acts. I think I mentioned once before, but these are really wonderful anchors to cast to keep us there. In the 27th chapter of Act we find that that they cast the four anchor serve and they wish for the day they wish for the coming of the Lord listening and then the 5th anchor is that He is able to keep us from fallen.
That's the stronger one. Listen.
I didn't notice that before, but I noticed tonight and verse 24 you have the 5th and to him that he's able to keep your football. This is a good anchor isn't?
The Lord himself keeps his anger.
As we're exceeding joy, you want to be a joy to falling.
01:25:04
Singing the 21St verse, we have the lowest charge to the Saints. In the 24th verse we have God's power over the Saints.
Now under him is able to keep you from falling.
In charge till the Saints keep yourselves and the love of God and His power over the Saints.
#324.
Lord Jesus, come, nor let us longer roam far from thee. And that bright place where we shall see thee face to face. Lord Jesus, come.
On Scary.
Jude 17-25
Reading
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General Meetings Toronto, March 1917 Reading meeting, Saturday AM.
The thing #2929 All blessed and Savior, Son of God, who has redeemed us by God from guilty of death and change. With joy and praise I proceed the crown of glory worn by these. And where did he proclaim?
#29
Mm-hmm.
00:05:53
Subject or factory for the beloved.
Because of June verse 17.
But 11?
Remember you, the words that are spoken before are the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lust.
These two days and separate themselves sensual, having not the spirit.
Would you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life?
Now some have compassion making a difference, and others they would fear pulling them out of the fire, painting even the garments spotted by the flag.
Now to him that is able to keep you from falling under present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joys for the only wives gone, our Savior, the glory in the United States, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Lord Joseph.
He could turn away from all this apostasy and undress those who love the Lord.
Have beloved.
So God does have, amidst all the corruption and the apostrophe, evil that's coming in.
People he looks down upon with delights and can address our beloved.
And the word is to remember.
And to remember he the words which were spoken before the apostles.
Now we know that the apostles were inspired men.
And they had. They had written.
He's inspired a pistol and as we're getting near the end of these huge laws of that special time.
God was communicating his mind through a powerful it wasn't to be any further addition to.
What was revealed?
For when the apostles had left the scene, Last word was complete.
We learn that you know from what Peter has to say and and his.
Threatened Epistle.
Is closing my mark.
In the 12Th verse, wherefore I will not be negligent. This was second Peter one and 12. Therefore I will not be negligent. To put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yeah, I think it's me as long as I'm in the in this Tabernacle to serve you, stir you up by putting you.
In remembrance.
00:10:00
Throwing that shortly on the foot off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me neither, doesn't suggest in any way that after his departure there's the other apostles raised up and the word of God would be.
Further revealed.
And you know Paul, I mean, John speaks of that firstly in his last successful 6th of the writings of Paul.
As the other scriptures.
So they they recognize these men who were apostles.
Paul and John and Peter gave us these inspired epistles that their writings were directly from God by his Spirit, and there would be no further revelation given.
That's what Paul has before him. And collection Chapter One and verse 25.
Only there's more in connection with the mystery.
Where I have made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill or complete the word of God.
So there's no new revelation today. We have it all and the revealed word.
I noticed the Apostle Paul used the very same expression in Hebrews 6 as we.
Says But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.
After dealing with the false professors.
Well, the apostles have warned of this very condition of things.
How they told you there should be more concern in the last time. Who should walk after their own love? Well, we know what Peter had written.
And and the way he had worn the front was.
The last chapter and he's taken the festival.
The third verse, knowing this first that there shall come in the last days corporate walking after their own love and saying, where is the promise of His coming. But since the father fell asleep, all things continued as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Well, that's one evidence that we're in the last days, because there was a time when men were coughing, as they are today, at the promise of the Lord return.
It's striking how man's love.
Thought associated with false doctrines, as diverse you just read, and also in Second Timothy. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heat to themselves, teachers having itching ears.
That is, I suppose the reason why they turn away from the truth is because it's not at all compatible with their own fallen, lost, and they want that which will allow them to live as they choose and still be considered orthodox in some religious realm or others.
Number of hearing Brother Rivers Brown given address on time about.
Where all the children of Israel got the material or the gold to make the golden calf? Where'd they get it? They got it out of their ears.
I haven't told them to break off their golden earrings and bring them to it. And he said he put it in the bar on that golden calf came out. So that is right in keeping with that verse you were quoting in Timothy that.
They should have 15 years and turn away from the truth. Fact, you know.
They said to ask for this Moses, he's gone up. We don't know what to done with him unless the attitude of the world today, isn't it that this man Christ, well, he's dead and we don't know what's to come of him. So let's make something we can see, let's make a religion that suits the place.
00:15:18
So they were dancing around the golden cap, having a big celebration and even calling it a piece of Jehovah, fixing the name of Jehovah.
Where they're wretched idolatry and their wicked practice because it was a shame and disgrace the way they were going on.
Timothy 3:00 and 1:00.
Where Paul says this, know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.
That the expression last days.
Would that be the last days of the Church's history or would that be a a general term looking on?
All through the church, period.
I popped Brother Barry. That was the last time. Just thought we were speaking about the closing days of apostasy. That was my thought of it.
I believe the Lord allowed all the evil to come into the early church. The very character of the last days displayed itself during the life of the apostles. And then God by His Spirit gave corrective ministry. And this has repeated itself in these days in which we live in a much more definite way and much more full blown, because man has known more of the truth and has definitely turned his back upon it.
But just as it's been remarked, the ministry was given for all the whole church period, and so it was given to show us the character of the last days and how to beat the situation when it arises.
So this would have been the character of those last days, even in the days of the apostle.
Wonderful how God is His wisdom has allowed all these things so that the surrounding us today there could be nothing that isn't covered instructions in the word of God as to how we can cope with it.
Gold rather given to the for the purpose of making the golden comp. I was thinking the difference in the 31St chapter, 35th chapter of Exodus.
It says in the verse 21.
Very striking contrast here. They gave their goal up for different purposes.
And they came everyone whose half stirred him up, and everyone whom he spurs made willing. And they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the Tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came both men and women as many to a willing hearted and brought bracelets, earrings, rings, tablets, all jewels of gold. And every man that offered, offered, offered, offered an offering of gold.
Unto the Lord.
Muscle purpose of making golden comp. They gave up their jewels of gold, which if worn by themselves attracted others to their attention. Instead of that they gave them up the tackled the Lord.
That's very important for the Albert Hill, what you call attention to.
Smokers walking after their own ungodly lust. The two things go together.
It is when man begins to mark at the word of God.
Especially the fact that the Lord Jesus is coming back and he's coming back in judgment.
Unlike the discredit that we mocked.
A mock that the thought of it so he can go on in the air zone ungodly ways and love without any restraint.
I noticed that I'm in the fake shots, that of a second Timothy, then the Spirit of a God that goes into detail as to the condition of the things. And the last day, isn't he? So many different details to the character of the unsaved people, isn't he? And of which we buy we were the same, but by the much less grace of God. God has taken out that over that condition and put us in Christ as we had yesterday, but as opposed the condition that we're going to have in the last day.
00:20:23
This has been true of a man at all ages, but I believe that in these last days it is an intensified the evil character of a man. Isn't he in the third chapter that you have a detail there?
Separate themselves and will have enough security. Now that's another kind of separation, that which is a proof of the spirit of God. Christians are separated, sanctified, set apart, that blesses them to the work of God's Spirit. But here we read about a class who separate themselves.
Isn't the work of God to separate them?
But at the flats we read somewhere, I believe it's the 29th of Isaiah who say stand apart, I'm more holy than now. Well, that's the work of the enemy. And instead of being of the Spirit, it's only essential those who have, not the Spirit who set themselves up to be better.
And models themselves.
There's under whom much is given of the same shall much be required. And so Christendom is much more responsible than those who don't have The knowledge of God is revealed to us in the word God said to Israel. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you. So to connect the name of Jehovah with the evil that they went on with was much more serious than.
Heathen themselves because they didn't connect the name of Jehovah with it. And this is the great error of Christendom. And I say this because sometimes.
It'll be sad. Well, if you look back in the world's history, you'll see that men behave themselves much worse than they are today. Why could you, top of things being so wicked today? Just read the history of the past and you'll see it as dark, but it's much more serious in the eyes of God.
When the name of Christ, the Christianity, is connected with the evil, and this makes it a darker character in the eyes of God. And so I believe that in these verses here, when it speaks to those who separate themselves sensual, having not the Spirit, it refers to those who under the name of Christianity have perhaps taken the place of being leaders in Christianity and have introduced all kinds of looseness and carelessness.
And even the denials of the deity of Christ and the tax on God himself, this hasn't been done.
In under the name of even them, but it's been done under the name of Christianity.
We might also notice in First Corinthians 3 that the one who was so seriously spoke about was the man who defiled the temple of God and says if any man be filed the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are.
Now that Speaking of the processing House of Christendom, not the individual believer there, and in the processing House of Christendom where the spirit of God dwells when evil is introduced there, that is a very serious thing and brings down the special judgment of God.
And I believe that's what we have brought before us here. And if we can apply it for I think we should apply all truth to ourselves. What a great privilege it is, brethren, to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. What a blessed place we have been brought into. But how responsible we are and things that are allowed in our lives if we take that position, are more serious than in the lives of others who don't have that precious knowledge.
And it should speak to our hearts too, so that we would realize that having the truth, we become more responsible. It's a great blessing and it's a great joy, but it's a great responsibility.
Reverse the thought here. Instead of being like those who separate themselves, we are set apart for God.
00:25:07
And.
Where we have the desire was in us the new nature to please Christ, and instead of following sensible slaughters, and we have the Spirit of God, the very opposite of what is meant in here about these walkers.
Chapter 11 I'd just like to read a part of a bird in connection with separated themselves, sanctuables not having the spirit in Leviticus. Chapter 11, verse nine, I just like to read a part of that verse that brings the talk in connection with each creature. How one civilism, self without heaven, not the spirit.
They say there in verse 11, though he divided the hope at separation.
And he had Clement food, yet he chewed. Not because he is unclean. Well, the hope the separation would be natural or sensual. Sensual. But not having the spirits, the word of God has no no room in the heart, isn't it? Isn't that what it is? He's not saved. He's not born against. Is that what that would be, brother?
There were to be the two features and they clean animal in Israel was there. There was to be the divided horse and also the shoe, the cuts.
But the most unclean animal of all divides the hook. That's the pig. And but he doesn't chew the cut. He had the outward mark which the divided hook typifies separation, and he had the outward mark of separation. But he didn't have the inward. He didn't divide the he didn't chew the cut. And we can have the outward mark of separation, but if it isn't corresponding with the.
Chewing Macad That is making the truth of God our own.
Inside. By then, it makes us unclean and the worst kind of uncleanness.
But the antidote for it is not to be placed under law and bring in rules, because even a cake can be cleaned up on the outside, but that doesn't change its nature. The antidote is that which we have in the verses that follow.
That which would speak to our hearts, to build us up and draw us near to the Lord. And that's what's needed for us in these days, not just to follow a certain code of rules, but have our hearts touched by the truth of God.
But the beloved comes in, doesn't it? First we get.
The words of warning to the beloved. And now you get something of what should occupy our hearts and our affections.
Turning away from marks of evil, but not being occupied with it, was being occupied with something better.
I thought that little.
Feeding our subjects, but hating even the garment spotted by the place so that there is a danger of even getting to enjoy.
The considerations.
Of the terrible evil and wickedness because we have an evil sinful nature in this field that loves evil. And so we we need to remember that verse is the 96th or 7th. Thomas says he that loved the Lord.
Hate evil. We need to continually remind ourselves of how hateful with the evil as we see increasing all around us.
Is to the heart of God to get his thoughts about it.
Is that what we have in the?
Pistols of the church, Pergamos and very character things with Balaam, casting, assembling block before the children of Israel. We stay back to fight slides and submit foreign occasions. The very thing of Brother Albertson mentioned the mixing of the very evil things.
00:30:00
The profession of Christianity.
And so the Lord says which thing I hate.
That's the doctrine of the Nicolas brothers.
A brother mansion to me one day his amazement that the children of Israel would turn so suddenly and in one step from following Jehovah to worshipping a golden calf and all the evil that went with it. But then he indicated that on looking into it carefully, he noticed that they really didn't do that. In one step they got their eyes off the Lord and on the Moses, and then from Moses.
To the golden calf. For they said As for this Moses which brought us up under the land of Egypt, we want not what has become of him. It wasn't Moses brought them out of the land of Egypt, it was Jehovah. And I believe there is this danger with us that.
Satan cannot bring us in one sudden step from following the Lord to the kind of evil that were warned against here. And so I believe that each and every one of us can be months before the Lord that we be kept close to himself. And I think we can see even in Christendom that the names of men are becoming very, very prominent, and the person is very often considered pretty badly out of date.
If he's not well acquainted with what this and that religious teacher may be bringing forward at the present time, I believe the happy privilege of the Assembly Bible. Reading this is a privilege to be at a conference like this, and perhaps there are those here, shall I dare to suggest it, who are not as regular as they might be.
At their own little assembly Bible reading at home.
Oh, I believe we're in danger if that is the case, if we don't desire and seek after the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and the precious and simple privilege of the ministry of His Word, among those who are gathered around the Lord Jesus Christ unto His precious name.
We're in danger. We're in danger of going off into other fields that gleams and we may end up where they're still under Israel ended up.
I was thinking in connection Berlin with this very precious portion of the word of God. But he beloved building yourself up when your most holy faith. And I was thinking that naturally speaking men everywhere today, specially in this part of the world are conscious of the value of vitamin that for somebody likes vitamin D he takes vitamin D5 pills if one likes vitamin E.
12/6 Vitamin E Pills and so on. Well, what about spiritually? Well, here we have all the problems that we need to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, Disney Press and the practice.
In view of all powerful corruptions that are mentioned here, that he has spoken of all their ungodly.
Ungodly as have committed, and all their heart speeches that ungodly sinners have spoken, and so on all the corruptions that he turns from that and says, but ye beloved, building yourselves up on your most.
Holy faith.
Regardless of all the evil and apostasy are brought in and all that corruption and wickedness, it hasn't came this blessed book one iota, and it's just as holy as it was when it came from the hand of God.
That's most encouraging for us, and there's the exercise tool that we go on in communion with God in.
Connection with the holiness of His nature.
Is it not important too, if we have been Speaking of what what we have just been Speaking of, in connection with those who were sensual, having not the Spirit and the teaching which is presented through them?
That we may be established and I'm built up in our most holy faith because there is.
00:35:02
Amongst the writings that are present today, that which would turn aside and they cause those who were gathered to the Lords name.
To.
They turned aside from the precious truth that we have.
And how good it is to be established in the truth that we may detect the error which is at the present time.
Amongst those gathered to the Lord's name and some of the publications which have recently come out.
And some of these things have disturbed many of those gathered the Lords names.
I think we need to be on our guard against these things.
And so in view of what the What's the view it is written before about? These are separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. And then but He beloved us building up yourselves on your most holy faith. How much we need that at the present time and dependence on God praying in the Holy Ghost.
We need this for our present day.
I think Brother Hale, what you were saying, Brother Albert Hale about the reading meeting?
Especially brought out here in the 20th verse, it says. But ye beloved, building up yourselves, notice that you might say, well, I can stay home and read good books. Some say I can hear better ministry over the radio, but that's not building up yourself.
She is looking at things in a collective way and it is a great privilege and the folks who are responsibilities for the paints to build themselves up in their most holy faith. And if we are not attending the meetings where we can build up ourselves, we are missing the very subject and the very teaching that we have here.
That's so very important in these closing days.
Chapter 2, verse 42 It says over the early disciple that they continued in set wrestling the apostles doctrine.
And in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer. These are all essential things, aren't they? I believe that there is a word that continued in the apostles doctrine. It doesn't tell us just how the meetings were conducted, but I'm sure that it would include a reading meeting. In fact, you know of all its fair treatment till midnight and the.
Word is he discourses doesn't convey the thought that he just gave one long lecture, but he was discoursing in a way that would give others the opportunity to ask questions and so on. And I believe, and I'll repeat it while our brother Albert Hill says the importance of the Reading meeting, I believe that God has bestly blessed that it was through the space getting together.
Over the word of God that the truth was recovered and all through the years God has faithfully blessed the reading meeting. I wish those who have other 8 rules books will look up what he says on on the Reading meeting. It's very helpful.
There is no substitute for the word of God.
It's true we have helps and written ministry, but could be found building up ourselves in our most holy faith. It's from the Word by the Spirit of God making it good to our soul, and then to not reading it flippantly or slight sliding it, but allowing the Spirit of God to apply the word to heart and conscience.
Or if the word doesn't speak to conscience.
Where there is no blessings.
Verse in Isaiah 66 has been before 1 recently.
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In a special way and applying it to the believers young and old. Isaiah 66 and verse 2. The principle here.
The latter part of the verse. But to this man will I look?
Even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit. But that's not all. And trembling at my words.
There needs to be a handling of the word of God.
With reverential fear, God fearing and God's word. And we need to pay attention to what God is bringing before us in His words. It's a living word.
And then in verse 5 is this same chapter here the word of the Lord?
That tremble at his word. There is not that reverential fear as we take up the Word today, as there was with those who have gone on before it. We handle the Word of God very lightly, and as a result we are not. We may be hearers of the Word, but not doers as James brings before us, And I think this is this is most important today.
Especially for the young coming up amongst us, do we tremble at the word of God.
Reverential fear.
In connection with that 4th brother I was looking at, the verse in Mike is 6 verse nine. We have two things there brought before us. Very important too.
The 6th chapter of Micah and verse 9.
The Lord voiced the Lord's voice crying out of the city.
And the man of wisdom shall see thy name.
Hear ye the rock, and who has appointed it? There we have the Lord's voice and the rod. If we disregard the Lord's voice, we may come under the rod, and we'll remember who appointed it. I was thinking in connection with our verse.
Building up yourselves, I suppose this would produce a healthy state of soul, would it not, but to disregard the the Bible readings?
Would manifest an unhealthy state of soul.
Because, as we've been reminded, that's where we get faith from the word of God.
So it's very important, I believe, to remember that.
I remember 2 on one occasion a few brothers our sister needs this morning would remember him young brother in China. He didn't come to the prayer meeting very often and.
Brother Willis said to him. Brother Watson, you're not often at the prayer meeting, he said. No, Brother, I haven't much to pray about it. He stayed away and he was not too often at the Bible reading either. So he left Shanghai and went down to Hong Kong by boat. On the way down, the ship was wrecked and Canada's storm ship was wrecked and he was thrown in the sea and lost all his belongings.
He hasn't too many, but he lost what he had. He was picked up by a naval vessel and rescued and brought back to Shanghai, and after that he came to prayer meetings, he said. Brother, I have something to pray about now.
The Lord follows him through that terrible ordeal. He loves not only his belongings, but he lost the spirit of independence.
And then the Lord brought him back to prayer meeting and the Bible reading.
Learning again to act 2 and 42 might just point this out. That is the punctuation we have there, the continuous set back when the apostles, doctrine and fellowship, those who have believed, go together. And that is what we have in the in the reading meetings, we have the apostle doctrine and we have it together in in a collective way. And I believe that it's important to see that in that verse that those two things.
Go together.
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I was thinking also there's, it says building up yourselves. And there's surely a word for each one who takes part in the Bible reading. We need to be careful in taking part in the Bible reading. That we bear in mind the purpose for which we come together, that the Saints might be built up in their most holy faith. And again, the word in Peter feed the flock of God, which is among you.
Which, taking the oversight thereof, and I believe that each one who takes part in the Bible reading, whether it's here or whether it's in the assembly at home, should seek the good and blessing of the Saints of God and that they would be built up. We can use the Bible reading to perhaps set forth our own views, or to give forth a great deal of knowledge without really seeking the good of the same. Paul had to speak of those who took part, and he said they ministered questions rather than godly edifying with his in faith.
And sometimes the Bible reading can be spoiled by that sort of thing. Supposing that when dinner time came, the brothers stood up and said, I want to talk to you for about 10 minutes, tell you how long it took to prepare this food and how much food is on the table, we'd consider that that was a kind of a delay and we'd all be wanting to get to the food and eat it, and we can get too much occupied with things that don't build up the stall and don't feed the stall.
Get too much occupied with things that don't build up the soul and don't feed the soul, and try this mansion. This because it says building up yourselves. And each one of us can contribute the sisters by their prayer, the brothers by their parts.
Saw that the Saints might go away refreshed and blessed from the Bible readings instead of having a lot of questions raised in their minds that don't feed us all at all.
At 1514, I'm for myself. Also I'm persuaded of you, my brethren, that he also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Well, let us go with a very happy state show of the state of soul. Individually we're in full of goodness. And then there had been the searching, the words, for there was knowledge there of.
Doesn't mean knowledge that both of us, but knowledge of the truth reveals, or the spirit and the words for them They were able to admonish one another.
And remember, in a little reading meeting, don't leave it just to one or two to do all the fenestrating. Seek to be exercised to to add something to it. Remember your father used to say that some people said the meeting was so dry. Well, there's one thing you know when you have a pump that like we used to have those old hand pumps.
For you had to prime them or sometimes you know we need to add a little we can all add something to the to the blessing of the assembly.
How do we expect to grow individually or collectively and the things of God, if we have sent ourselves from the various meetings and especially the reading meeting of all the prayer meeting is very very important and Colossians the second chapter.
And the seventh verse.
We might read a part of the verse 6.
Or verse six with it, as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord.
So walk ye and Him. That's our walk. That's our dependence, our rooted and built up in Him. What material are we using as in our building, as we seek to encourage the Saints? Is it Christ, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith? Established in the faith?
Well, we cannot establish ourselves.
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Individually or collectively, if we miss the point here, build up in him, rooted, build up in him, and established in the faith, Well, if we neglect what we have in our portion, well that will not become us.
You're speaking about some need to be primed, brother. I remember hearing in the prayer after a prayer meeting a brother said who had not been primed, he said. Do you think it's all right, brother, if we say Amen to the other brothers prayers? I said, well that's a very easy way out. But the Lord says, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice.
That's what we need, isn't it?
The character of the prayer here too, praying in the Holy Ghost.
I remember the wild brother Potter was with us. He neared the end of his ministry. He so awesome spoke of this, that long prayers are for the Plaza, short prayers for the public, and I believe that word of that's important. And of course sometimes one can pray until it worries the thing with.
Although they're hurt because of their much speaking.
Oh, I think he was a godly brother veteran and Mr. Darby's got his teaching right from from Brother Darby. I think his advice and caution was important for us. Just remember that long prayers and for the club and short prayers for the public have something definitely on our hearts for our prayers.
Not just making our prayers or teaching prayers.
How can we say Amen to the prayer if we don't hear it?
So we know the mayor should be short, and there's another brother stated to the point, But given so that the Saints can hear.
You mean some brothers pray so softly that you can't hear their voice? I know from like that.
Pray and the Holy Ghost, I would like to suggest present that would speak of the fact that we need to be to keep short accounts with God so that we might be in communion with Him. Would you say that, brother? At least one of the things that I see in it, it seems to be some mysterious to some people praying on the Holy Ghost. I know the question has been raised to my own heart of some time and other people they have raised the question what is it to pray on the Holy Ghost? I say again brethren.
And how how that speak to my own conscience? Sure I can't with God. It's very important, isn't it? And keeping communion, fellowship.
We have the privilege of a visit with Doctor Clawson a few weeks ago and we were reminding him of the prayers of many of the Saints in different parts of the of all of the of our lands, Canada and the United States. And so he he referred to the second chapter back verse 42 That has been referred to this morning. And he said I'll pass on a thought that I enjoy to the same. And he said that not only the fellowship.
That is referred to in the first part of the verse of the Doctrine and the fellowship.
Of the Apostles, but also a fellowship of prayer. So he he commented on that that he enjoyed that thought that there was also could also be the fellowship of prayer. So I thought I'd pass that on to the same.
I believe it has been remarked that.
Prayer is based on the privilege of having common interest with God, and I believe that's very important. It isn't long prayers, it isn't how often we pray, but it's having the mind of God in connection with what we pray about. And so it tells us in John, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us so that God by his Spirit brings us into communion with Himself, plays upon our hearts, those things that he delights to do.
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And then he comes in and answers those requests Our brother read to us from acts of the Lord had said that He would they were to carry in Jerusalem till they were induced with power from on high. But then they, and fellowship with the mind of the Lord, were praying for those days. While they waited, Daniel discovered from the Scripture that God was about to bring back his people from their captivity.
And so he prayed. And prayer and the knowledge that he received from the word of God relates together. And I believe that we need to have those two things, that prayer needs to be in the intelligent light of God's Word and also the result of being in communion.
God laying the request upon our hearts so that we might have fellowship with Him, and then answering those requests.
How could we keep ourselves in the mother's job?
Keeping the sunshine.
I would like to bring again another natural illustration, which is everybody in the United States is country the value of sunshine, of a sunbath.
Very good for the body to have sunshine and sometimes well, what about spirituality?
The same. It's the thing, isn't he? Is to keep him deployed, shot. There are occupation with our love for Christ, but it's really occupation with his love to us.
This must roll out in John 15 brothers and verse 9. The Lord says, as the Father has loved me, though have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
Either be occupied with his love for us, aren't we? We cannot boast of our love to him.
Enjoyment of that love, John 14, I think would answer our brothers question.
John 14.
Verse 21.
He That's half my commandments, and keepeth them.
Here it is that loveth me.
This is, I believe, our enjoy, our joy and communion as well as our comfort.
He that have my commandments and keepeth them, here it is that loveth me. I say I love the Lord. Well, there's a question. Am I keeping His word? Am I going according to His mind?
He that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. There's a manifestation.
I'll drop down to verse 23.
Because the answer the Lord gives to Judas, not Asteria. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me, he will keep my word, Not words here it's words the whole revealed word of God. And my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Well, I believe that the sunshine of God's love.
Right there.
Somebody has said that we have 3 campuses in the 14 chapter of a general, the Holy Spirit, the proud and the tongue.
Thank you.
It seems to be rather a sad little note at the end of that verse in Dom 15 and 9:00. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. To think that he would have to add continue ye in my love.
You received a letter from someone very, very dear to you, and in that letter they told you once again of their love and then said continue in my love, you feel a little ashamed. Shall I suggest to have to receive a little reminder like that?
It would touch your heart pretty deeply to think they would have to say such a thing. And yes, so forgetful we are that the one who loved us, and whose love toward us never changes, realizes the forgetfulness and the coldness of our hearts, and faithfully brought that little word to our attention. Continue ye in my life, and how wonderful it is that if we have drifted away from that loss.
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If we have allowed the shadows to come upon us the moment we move into that love again, we find that it's just the same as a little him. Put this, and yet to find these still of fame is this that humbles us with shame.
We have a dog at our home that's not a very intelligent creature in my opinion, but at this time of year we keep him chained up outside and in the general area. There's a bit of sunshine through the day and I noticed that that dog, every time you look out, is curled up, sound asleep in the sunshine. And as that sunshine moves over and he's in the shade, even though he's sound asleep, he'll wake up and move over and curl up in the sun again.
And I've thought of it first when I've seen him do it awake or asleep. He seems to miss it when the sunshine moves over and you move over with it. Well, I think we need to be alert too as to this danger, because the shadows are all around us and perhaps there is a danger. In fact, I feel sure there is, that we become so accustomed to the shadows that we become like poor Samson.
Who went out and took himself, and wished not that the Lord had departed from him.
Well, the next thing is looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Thus the Lord coming but the Lord coming as a mercy to take us out of the world, that becoming more and more corrupt in the apostrophe is increasing a special fearful rates.
Take them out of it, away from us, is our hope.
Go to mercy. This will be a brother before. What a mercy.
Saying yesterday that Enos prophecy, behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his faith.
That this British where it says, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto everlasting life, really proceeds what what we get in a prophecy of Enoch, the Lord coming with 10,000 of His Saints, because His mercy will have intervened and taken us away.
Have little children and realize how long this time is to bring up children.
And such corrupt and wicked world as we're living in. To think they and their little ones will be caught up to meet the Lord when He comes in the air with that mighty shock the Texas Hall. But all that will take place before we come back. And then this apostate scene that is described in this book so solemnly.
Will come on to the judgment of God. Because if you follow the subject of the judgment from the 4th chapter of Revelation on, you'll find the first Fear of Guts Monster of Christendom. I believe that's right. It's a very place where they have had all the advantages and the opportunities of having the word of God, hearing the gospel and the truth of God.
That's where God's first and awful justice is going to fall.
Relation chapter 3 verse 10 brings that out. The Lord Jesus doesn't, because thou hast kept the word of my patience. I will also keep thee from the auto spy. That's the way she's assessed him, which will come from we shall come upon all the world to try them to dwell upon the earth.
This is the most, isn't it, that is going to do that.
In the address to Philadelphia. And that's the last testimony of the church that has the Lords approval and he doesn't give any encouragement as to things improving or as to.
Any remarkable testimony going out from Philadelphia? What characterizes Philadelphia?
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Is having a little strength, and keeping his word, and not denying his name. And then he says that which thou hast received whole fast till I come.
This expression, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, is a remarkable expression. We already possess eternal life, but the life that we have is the life that suited to heaven. And when we get there, we'll be in the element to which that life belongs. And as we see the darkness and evil increasing, we feel more and more. We don't belong here. So it makes us look forward to the time when we'll be in the place where our life, the life that we already possess, will find it.
Expression and enjoyment. So it's very remarkably expressed and used here in connection with the Lord's coming. In some places we have the joy of seeing the Lord. But here in the day of apostasy, it's the release that it will be just as a fish placed up on the on we'll stay on the grass. Well, it has a light that's suited to the water. It's out of its element. Heaven could speak, it would say, please put me back where my life find this expression.
Where it can enjoy itself. Well, that's what we feel as the Lord's coming draws nearer, and it ought to make our hearts cry out and long for his return.
Probably to have three names united here coming up our Lord Jesus Christ.
A precious to have those names united.
And that's the one that we're we're waiting for, the one that's coming in the air.
Lord himself shall defend from heaven with a shock.
And if that one who has revealed himself in this world took that lowly name of Jesus?
He's our Lord. He was the promised one, the Christ That's the one that we're looking for, whose mercy will separate us from, a theme that's right for the judgment of God.
Then there's great apostasy of butter, we are told in the 22nd verse, aren't we, Of some have this compassion making a difference, and others, save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flag. We know that there are real children of God that are getting mixed up in the current of what's going on, which is really.
Leading to the apostasy we don't say that all those who are mixed up with this movement that will finally end up in the apostate church and come under the judgment of God. We don't say they're all lost. Some of God's people may be mixed up in that, while it's our privilege and our responsibility to try and help such. And so the exhortation is here to try to do it. But.
Not to forget hating even the garments spotted by the flag. If we do try to help them, it isn't that we can have fellowship with this mixture of things that is going on, that it makes and mixes together evil and good. We have to take our place. Just like a truck that comes full of man out of the fish, he doesn't go into the ditch, he stays up and he helps the man out. And we need to remember that we're never to compromise the truth of God, even to help someone who has drifted.
But we are to walk in the truth, and seek to draw them into that which is pleasing to God and obedience to His words.
Jeremiah 15 is a quick little portion for that. This is Brother Gordon. I was thinking of those verses as you mentioned in in connection with all that we've had.
In this portion in the 15th of Jeremiah.
In the 16th verse.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I'm called by thy name, Oh Lord God of hosts. I sat on the assembly of markers, nor rejoice I sat alone because of thy hands, for thou hast filled me with indignation, while this is what we've been having in the early part of the of this chapter.
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One finding his word, rejoicing in them, making him good to his soul. Then he's in a condition to, as we've had, have compassion on some, making a difference. If you go on to the 19th verse of that same chapter, therefore thus that the Lord if thou returns, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me. Well, this is individual, isn't it? One who's rejoicing in the Lord finding his words.
Applicable to his own soul.
And making it good, and that these intelligent he's in a position where God can use him. And so it says, And if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shall be as my mouth. Let them return unto thee, and return not thou unto them.
Well, this is this is not necessary for us, isn't it? It's been said already we should be on the word for our own soul 1St and then we're in a position to.
Know God's mind as to that which is true and that which is false.
We can find some science. People have been entangled with 70 advertising and even Jehovah Witnesses are found. People. When I told them their doctors were perfectly shocked, they had no idea that it was this wicked people connected with it. The last you can pull out of the fire.
And we're killing a woman.
Who is 1/7 Day Adventist? She handed me her book. I looked through a graphically and found the place where they make the the devil the scapegoat and the sins were laid upon him, that eventually all the sins will be laid on the devil and as he was responsible for the fall and Phillip man, he'll have to bear them away.
I told her that and then I read 53rd of Isaiah. Yo Homa has laid on him the electricity of us all. I said, what you going to believe your book here or the word of God? Like said, I'm going to leave the IT was the Bible says. I didn't know that was in that book. Well there was one that he could pull out of the fire.
They didn't know the depth of faith.
Don't have compassion.
Well, it must be done in that spirit.
Otherwise the spoiler work the Spirit of God, if the Spirit of God is already working.
Then the other part, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh. We find that principle in numbers. If a man was unclean, a clean man was to sprinkle the water of separation upon him. But the man who sprinkled the water of separation was himself unclean until the evening.
Having to do with evil, even if it's necessary for God's glory and for the good of others, defiles us. And we should be careful that in any contact that we have with evil, that as soon as we're through, we turn from it right away. Just like what you were saying before, Brother Dari, We can get so occupied with the apostasy of evil that's going on in the world, and we can find ourselves dwelling upon it, and it renders us unclean.
If we have to do with it, if in faithfulness to God to help others, we have to do with it by we get away from it as quickly as we can. And the best way is that the man in the 90s of numbers, then he washed his clothes, and this in this way he was cleansed from any films that he might have received by that unclean man, even though he was trying to help him. Well, we turned to the word of God. We read the word of God.
And our garments, so to speak, our cleanse, and we are occupied with good instead of with evil.
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All to him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you falsely before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. I believe a better word in that verse, instead of keep you from falling and to keep you from assembling because we stumbled before we fall.
Here is a pervading for that we may we may not even stumble.
But it's under him that is able.
Must look up to him.
We are told to keep ourselves in the love of God, but we're not told to keep ourselves from falling. We can't do that. But God has made the provision for us. Then He's able to keep US1 Thinks of that verse in the 17th Psalm by the word. As I lift have I kept me from the path of the Destroyer. The Lord is able to keep us, but if we walk in the path of disobedience to His word and say, well, He'll keep me.
While that's a denial of the way that he keeps us, the way He keeps us is in the possible obedience.
So again, we have in Peters a pistol kept by the power of God. But it doesn't stop there. Kept by the power of God through faith, that is, as we walk in the bathroom, faith. He preserves us. So the blessed thing to know he keeps us, but he's given us a safe path.
In the full on story children's progress as a place where Christian comes to a spot where the lions roar at him and as he is about to proceed along the way he becomes full of fear. But then he finds in his chart that these lions are chained and that if he stays on the path they can't touch him. Well, I think it's a good illustration. Satan can roar.
And Satan can harm us if we get out of the path. So his effort is always to get us out of the path of obedience, independence. God encourages us to walk in that path. These four anchors that were mentioned are given. And then the power of God, the peace us.
The Apostle Paul and Second Timothy, chapter one. It says verse 12. For I know whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep that which I have committed him unto him again that day. Well, it's very blessed listening.
And this is true of everyone of us, and as our brothers mentioned this question, to walk in communion and in faith, isn't it? And to keep shut account with God are true. That is, this is so essentialism I find so essential in my life to keep short accounts with God.
Before the presence of his glory was exceeding joy. That is, we need to seek as near as possible and be continually exercise. It might be true the very character of pop is before us when we're done with what pertains to the old nature and we're taken out of the scenes where.
All these trials and these temptations.
Found. We need to be as much in the atmosphere of heaven as possible down here.
Impossible often just speaks as all the Christian life is looked at as going right on into the heavenly sea.
Well, that is only possible.
In the walk of communion and path of obedience as we've had brought before. But the fear of God doesn't consider that anything that would lower the standards.
Or in any way compromise with what is is wrong is even to be considered or suggested?
The line was built. The Board of Trade demand that a rail should be put round the ship side. What is it for the children to climb up and down? No, it's to prevent passengers from falling overboard.
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But then the fasteners have their responsibilities not to fall down on board, and their responsibilities now. God has made it His responsibility to keep up, especially since we get on our earth. He's able to keep us. But then there is the other side. I believe we read in the epistle James and the first chapter last verse.
Someone was there to keep himself unspotted from the world.
That's the responsibility I have. God has made his responsibility to keep me, but now I have one too. And John says, little children, keep yourselves from idols and forces To Timothy, keep thyself pure. So we do have our responsibility too, do we not?
Do we not have the other side of the universe? We've already considered verse 21. First part of it. Keep yourself in the love of all this of the people.
And there's certainly something worthwhile to have before us.
That is the presence of his glory.
Where the exceeding joy.
A lot of prospects and.
The and the Spirit of God would keep us as false as in view of that coming scene of glory, as we sometimes think. The glory shines before me. I cannot linger here, so clouds may darken or me. My father's house is near.
So there is a false mark.
Life that we know will be fully revealed, but he wants us to be and the good of that down here, and the Father makes it.
What encourages us for that pathway is having the glory. Not only that, but the exceeding joy in that glory.
Of the merely exceeding joy, and we are with exceeding joy.
I believe there is a practical aspect about the verse of connected with the 2nd Corinthians 5 isn't there? We labor than whether present or absent, we may be agreeable to him. In a certain sense. Every believer will be presented there. That is through the work of Christ We have perfect acceptance. We are accepted in the beloved. But in the practical side of it, when our lives are manifested, there will be that which is acceptable, that which gives.
Joy to the heart of God and joy to the heart of the Lord Jesus. And there will be that that has to be burned up. And so the exhortations and the verses before are as regard to our walk. But then also it's his power able to keep us from stumbling. While every believer isn't kept from stumbling, sometimes we do stumble. It isn't that he isn't able to keep us, he is. But we walk himself well and so we stumble. He'll never allow it to be lost.
He'll pick us up when we do stumble and bring us back to himself. But I believe here that there is a practical aspect to it. Other scriptures speak of the joy that there will see when we're with the Lord. In fact, I believe we could say that when it's the truth of the Rapture that is brought before us, it's the joy and the blessedness and the comfort of seeing the Lord and being with him. But whatever, there is that which has to do with the.
Count as we have here.
The presence of his glory and that would just manifest the judgment feet of Christ. There is a practical aspect that is always brought to bear upon our consciences, so that we might live pleasing to him while we waste that time.
For his joy will exceed ours, and having us surround himself.
I believe that is why we have that expression exceeding joy here. It's in contrast. This is not to verse 21 looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Well, it's the mercy. It's already stated that if we were taken out this very moment. But there's a higher note.
The Lord's joy in his people, and having them round about himself, and that and that connection is that exceeding joy of the Lord.
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I will joy and rejoice, but his joy will be greater.
In thickened feet at chapter one and verse 10 and 11. I love to read those two verses. They're very nice, precious words and when they connect with our brothers was before us.
Peter chapter one, verse 10 and 11. To say work for the right of brethren, give diligence to make you call in an election, sure, but if you do these things you shall never fail.
Fall for throw an answer, and shall be minister, and to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the present enjoyment. Who is included here is an exam.
Captured. Captured.
Time has got the bottom is the only wise God, or the only God our Savior be Glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. So whatever way we consider the truth that we've had before all glory and honor, praise belongs to Him, not to us in any sense whatever.
At #18 in the appendix.
The Will of God in Our Lives
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Romans 12 and verse one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that she presents your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent service.
And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That she may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.
But to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man.
The measure of faith and I'd also like to quote another verse where the Lord Jesus said.
The good pleasure of Thy will, O God, is my delight. With on my heart this afternoon, dear young people, to talk of the importance and the blessedness of acknowledging the will of God in our whole life. I believe that the reason for the fall was that Adam and Eve sought their own will in independence of God.
Indeed, we might say that that's the root cause of all sin. Sin is lawlessness.
It is the practice of our own will, independently of God, but the source of all blessing is the heart and the will of God. This very universe in which we live. We think of the One who made it all, the One who created everything, and how full it is of things that are for the happiness and good of man. It tells us, when the things were made, that God's delights were with the sons of men. Just think of how.
This is that when God created everything, He was thinking of you, dear young people.
He was thinking of your happiness. He wanted you to be blessed. And when Adam and Eve sinned and spoiled it, did that will change? Did God suddenly decide that He no longer had a will of blessing for man? All not at all. When sin came in, God only showed that His will was still to bless man, and He made a promise.
That there would be a Redeemer, he said. That the seed of the woman.
What bruised the serpent's had? And so he in due time God.
Send His only begotten Son into this world and the Lord Jesus.
Died on that cross of Calvary. What for all He died there to glorify God his Father.
But all dear young people, that we might be blessed, that we might be blessed. And every life that has begun in this world has begun for eternity. Your life is not just for time. Your life has begun when you start in this world for eternal existence.
If you resist that will, that seeks your good and your happiness and your blessing.
Why it's going to be to your eternal loss, but if you acknowledge that will.
You are going to prove, not only in eternity, but in your life here, how that God delights in your blessing and in your happiness, because God finds the satisfaction of His own heart in the blessing of His creature. How marvelous this is.
Well, the Lord Jesus came down into this world, and in his pathway. Did he ever do his own will? Never. He said, Not my will, but thine be done.
It tells us even Christ pleased not himself. Yes, the Lord Jesus was the perfect example of a dependent man walking here doing the will of God his Father. Now in our life and in the whole course of this world. It is contrary to this.
And where we read in Romans 12, it says be not conformed to this world.
Now I believe that sometimes we think of conformity to this world as being certain things, certain material things, that show that we have become conformed to this world. And in the measure this is true. But I believe that the thought in this passage is that conformity to the world is a principle in our lives that is contrary to the mind and will of God. And what is that?
To have such a good opinion of ourselves that we think that by our own life, by our own plans, by our own minds, we can bring about happiness for ourselves. Isn't this the attempt of the world today? Shutting out God, yet using the mind that God gave them and using the material things in the universe that God created?
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To find in this a solution to their problems and happiness for themselves.
Independently of the Creator. And you, dear young people, as you go to school, are continually exposed to this sort of thing.
And this is what conformity to the world is. And if you're not constantly watchful, you'll become taken up with the ideas that are set before you. You have the possibilities within you. This is a wonderful world. And if we develop it independently of God, we are going to find the ultimate. We're going to be able to bring in a Millennium of happiness for ourselves.
But men are trying very hard.
And there are some great philosophers and there are some great scientists, and men are working overtime to try and solve the questions of existence and to try and develop all the wonders of this creation and to enjoy them independently of God. Dear young people, this is the greatest mistake that you can make is to follow.
Course of this world and think that this is ultimately going to bring you happiness or joy.
It's not going to bring it to you even here, although I do recognize as the Bible says.
There are the pleasures of sin for a season. There is a temporary enjoyment in the indulgence of your own will and of your own lusts, but there's nothing abiding in it. The pleasures of sin are only for a season. The pleasures of sin are in the act and not in the consequences of the act. And so you see, as Satan is a deceiver, and he's trying to deceive you.
And this is the importance of God's Word. This is the importance of the Bible reading.
This is the importance of these meetings that we are having here, because we sit under a different kind of teaching than what we are constantly exposed to in school.
And in the educational systems of men, because we are approaching things from God's viewpoint, not man's, we're not trying to prove and that man has the capabilities in himself, but trying to show you by the health and grace of God that the blessing comes from God himself, the God who created everything, who made you, who made your body, who made this wonderful world.
You live cares about you and is interested in you.
And in this lovely epistle after the apostle Paul has.
By the Spirit of God opened up to us the wonderful truth of what God has done for us in our sins, meeting us in all our guilt, and then accomplishing redemption and bringing us into fellowship with Himself, explaining to us the full and blessed results of redemption.
So that we not only have our sins forgiven, we possess a new life. We are delivered from the law, we are delivered from the old nature that would drag us down. And we're given comfort in these bodies of affliction and we're promised a glorified body, and last of all, promised that nothing can separate us from his love. Well, he says, after a person has done that much for you, can't you be satisfied that they really?
Are seeking your good and can't you willingly and gladly give yourself over to your will?
That to their will, I should say. And there are boys and girls going together here in these meetings.
And there are two things that they want to be assured of before they're willing to give themselves to one another.
And what is it? Well, they want to be sure of love and they want to be sure of mutual respect. And if they don't feel that they have sufficient love for one another, why the thing breaks down? If they don't feel, if they have enough confidence in one another to commit their lives to one another, it breaks down. And if it goes ahead, there's sorrow afterwards. There has to be an understanding that there is a confidence in the person to whom you commit your life.
Now I want to ask you, can you have confidence in God and committing your life to Him?
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Can you be absolutely sure that if you yield your will over to God that He is going to seek your happiness and that He is going to want your blessing?
If there is a boyfriend that wants your attention and you are absolutely sure that all he is seeking is your happiness through the whole of your life and that he loves you with a perfect love and you can look to him with respect, it's not hard to fall in love. It's not hard to give yourself to a person like that. And dear young people, I want to tell you that God.
Is the one who is making a demand upon your heart.
And he doesn't do it without first telling you what he has done for you. He tells you in the beginning of this lovely epistle all that he has done for you. And then isn't this beautiful? He says Here I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that she presents your bodies a living sacrifice. Don't wait until you're an old person.
That's too late.
Not that God doesn't accept those who are older, but why not?
Give your life when you're young. Why not while you're still in your youth? Be willing to acknowledge the Lord's claims. If you say, well, I'll wait until I'm about 40 years of age and I've had my fun of youth and then I'll do it. You're practically saying I don't believe that God's able to make a young person happy. I don't believe that his will is really for my happiness. It's my own will that brings happiness when I'm young, but it's true when I get into.
Then perhaps God can help me. Oh, that's a great mistake.
God is interested in you from the very time that you were born of, the little hymn says Air. Knew my infant heart to move thy tender mercies still pursued. Yes, he's interested in you. Indeed, if you're one of his own, you can say that before you were born you were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
Well, and it tells us to present our bodies.
That is, give yourself up to the Lord, all dear young people.
Are you willing to give yourself up to the Lord? Or are you saying, well, I'm willing to let him save my soul, but I'm not quite willing to let him take control of my life? I'm willing to make him happen. He I'm willing to let him make me happy for eternity, but I'm not sure that I can count on him to make me happy here in this world. That's practically what you're saying if you're unwilling to yield your life to him now while you're young.
So here it tells us a living sacrifice, holy.
Acceptable under God, which is your intelligence service and be not conformed to this world.
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And then in the third verse.
Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, I want to say to you that this.
This conformity to the world has to do with your mind. It has to do with your thinking. Why do you follow after the pleasures of the world and independence of God? Well, I can tell you very simply because you don't believe that the real happiness is in following Christ. So you have decided that.
It's your own mind and your own intelligence and through man's schemes in this world that you're going to ultimately find happiness.
And what we need and what this Scripture is telling us that we need the renewing of the mind and to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That is when you're willing to yield yourself to God, present your body to him, and to look up into the face of the Savior who loved you and say, well, I don't really have.
A will of my own in this matter. I want to do thy will then and not till then. Have you found the way a real blessing and happiness in your life. Otherwise you're just following the course of this world. For the man of the world, his whole life centers around himself. Even when he does a kindness, he does it for the good feeling that he gets. He does it for the.
He receives, but not until one is set free from himself can he be brought into a place, shall I say, where his will is yielded to do the will of God. Now I want to recognize here at this point that there are many who have perhaps different thoughts as to what is the will of God in certain matters in life.
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I'm sure that as you have talked to other young people and older ones.
Some have said, well, I don't think it's the will of God, you should do this. And you have said, well, I, I haven't seen that yet. I'm not sure. Well, I believe that God always leaves room for growth. And I believe that we haven't all made the same progress in the things of God.
And the apostle John, wisely, when addressing the family of God, he addressed babes and young men and fathers. And I don't expect that those who were younger are going to have the same knowledge of the will of God as those who were older, but you can have the same willingness to do the will of God.
You can have exactly the same willingness to do the will of God as someone who is much older.
And so I'm not going to say to you that if you do a certain 10 things.
You've done the will of God, and if you don't do them, you haven't. I'm going to ask you rather, instead, do you really in your heart recognize the truth of what we have been saying and what God's Word says, that the will of God is the way of blessing and the few are willing at this very moment to say, well, there are a lot of things I don't see exactly the same.
As some of the older brethren.
But I can honestly say from my heart that I do want to please the Lord, I do want to do the will of God, I do want to let Him plan my life, and I want to recognize His claims over me and everything. Well, dear young people, if you take that stand, the Lord will teach you. It says very plainly, if any man will do his will.
He shall know of the doctrine.
And another verse tells us that.
In all thy ways acknowledge him and he.
Shall direct thy paths. And so that's what I would like to bring before you this afternoon. And that is, are you desirous to do his will? And notice what it says, that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. It's good because.
It's from a heart that seeks your good and happiness and has proved His love to you in giving His Son to die for you. And it's acceptable because all who have sought to walk in this path have found it to be the path of blessing and happiness.
Perhaps you say, well, I know some Christians that have seemed to walk in the straight and narrow way and.
And they don't seem to be happy and they're not really finding happiness, but.
You can walk according to certain rules and not find happiness at all.
Paul was trying to live up to the law and he didn't find any happiness. Why? He didn't have Christ before him, he didn't even know him. And it's quite possible for a young person to have certain outward things before them instead of having the Lord Jesus Christ as a person before your heart.
And that's what I want to ask you to your young people. I want to ask my own heart, is the Lord Jesus Christ a person before the soul? I don't believe that there is a young person who really has the Lord Jesus before his soul who would not say, well, I believe and I have proved that that is happiness to have my eye upon him and to follow him.
And so it's the acceptable, it's the perfect will of God.
I might ask my children to do certain things, I might have certain thoughts for them, but I could easily make mistakes, and I do. My will is far from perfect, but the will of God is perfect. Never, never, never will the Lord ask you to do something that isn't the very best thing for you.
Because His will is perfect, and we prove it as we walk in it. And so the very first thing in conformity to the world is.
To have too good an opinion of yourself. The thing in conformity to Christ is.
To be willing to take your place as nothing and to acknowledge that his will is everything. It was read to us this morning by her brother and Isaiah chapter 66. And to this man will I look to him that is of a contrite spirit and that trembles at my word. One who takes the low place, who says, well, if God speaks, I want to do his will. That's the one.
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Whom the Lord looks, that's the one whom he desires to bless. Well, you might say. And does that mean you'll have a trouble free life? Oh, not at all, not at all. Some of the nicest hymns that we have in our book were written by people whose life was full of trouble. ***** Crosby, as some of us know, was blind, but she wrote some of the beautiful hymns.
Did she consider that because God allowed her to become blind?
That then he had blighted her life? Not at all. She recognized that this had been allowed so that she might show the triumph of His grace over circumstances. And she wrote that lovely hymn that is so known to us.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. Oh how lovely to see in these hymns, ones who have been in trial.
Did Paul have a trouble free life? No, the Lord said, I'll show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. But did he have a happy life? Oh indeed he did. Indeed he did. He had a happy life because he took all his circumstances, even the thorn in the flesh, as from the Lord.
And because the Lord gives you a set back in your Christian life does not mean that he is against you.
He is just showing you that the things that you thought were necessary for your happiness were not necessary, but He was the all sufficient one, able to fill and satisfy your heart and to bless you and to use you. And the most precious ministry of Paul was written from inside the prison.
The most precious hymns were written by those who were in trial and if.
Read at times, perhaps something about the story of our hymns. It must surprise you to see that the beautiful hymns that you've really enjoyed were written by people who were put in very, very difficult spots, very definite trials. But the Lord was sufficient, and they triumphed in them. Now I'd like to just read a few different passages.
And show how that God brings us to a point in our lives.
Where there is a definite challenge, shall I say, as to whether we are going to do His will.
And I'd like to look at several, first of all in Judges chapter 6.
Judges chapter 6 and verse 25. And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young Bullock, even the second Bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of bail that thy father hath, and cut down the Grove that is by it.
And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock in the ordered place, And take the second Bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the Grove, which thou shalt cut down. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him. Well, here we find a young man.
And he said his family was poor in Manasseh and he was the least of his father's house.
His father was a worshiper of Baal. His father had built an altar to Baal.
And now a great challenge came in his life. At this point, I'd like to bring before you.
Dear young people, I believe that there comes a time in our lives where there are special challenges, special things come before us, great decisions are made that may affect our lives for years to come and I believe these are very, very solemn occasions. I would like to speak of this one as a young man as to whether he was going to be controlled by.
His father's worship, who was an idolater and whether he was going to go on with that or whether he was going to.
Acknowledge the Lord's claims and do the will of God. His father, as I say, was a worshiper of Baal, and he could have said, well, you know, my father is a worshipper of Bail. So I'm the same. I just go along. It's the easiest way. If you go against things at home, it's pretty difficult. But we find that a definite challenge in this young man's life. And the challenge was whether he was going to throw down.
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Altered to Baal and acknowledge the Lord's claims and his follower from that time forward. All this was a very serious thing, and it may be there are young people who have come to this meeting this afternoon, and perhaps there are strong influences in your home and among your loved ones to draw you away from wholeheartedly following the Lord.
It's not easy to take a stand, to try to please the Lord in such things, is it?
Thank God if you have a Christian father and mother who encourages you. But Gideon didn't. And when Gideon had to do this, it was a very difficult thing for him to take that stand. But here we find that Gideon didn't delay when the Lord appeared to him and said to throw down that altar and to build an altar to the Lord in the ordered place.
To do what God would have him to do, to acknowledge God in his life, in his home life.
And in his worship we find that he did it that same night. There was number delay.
As though he looked up and said, Lord, I desire to do thy will.
Now, it wasn't easy for him. Perhaps some might say he did it in a rather cowardly way, doing it at night.
And that he didn't do it alone. He had some help. Well, all these things we freely admit.
And there are often mistakes in the very best things that we do. But the important thing was.
He did it. He did it from that that moment the order of bail was thrown down, the altar was built to Jehovah in the appointed place, the sacrifice was offered. And we all know the happy sequel in the life of Gideon, how he was used of God and blessed of God for the deliverance of Israel. But this was a particular moment that came in his life, a challenge, a decision.
And this decision was made in the right way. And dear young people.
Many of you, and I love to see you here. You come to these meetings. Perhaps some of you are kind of sitting on the fence. Perhaps it's just a matter of a very small thing that would cause you to turn into the world or cause you to follow the Lord and all. How I do desire that as the result of these meetings, you'd throw down the order to bail, that you'd live for the Lord, that you would desire to do His will.
In your life cost what it may, and you'll find in that path that there is the joy of the Lord, the blessing of the Lord. It maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. So perhaps we could speak of the case of Gideon as a question of acknowledging the Lord above all home ties and in connection with worship.
And Gideon, by the grace of God, did this.
And did what was pleasing to the Lord. He did the will of God.
He did not choose the easy path. He did not go along with what had been his course before and been a worshipper of bail. He now was a servant of the Lord. Now perhaps we could turn to another one in Exodus chapter 3. Exodus chapter three in the tenth verse. Come now, therefore I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of.
Out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, certainly I will be with thee. Well, here was a call to do a service to the Lord. Here was a call, I say, that this young man, he had spent a great many years of his life being educated in Egypt.
He had become discouraged because his brethren hadn't appreciated his desire. And for 40 years he had gone back into the desert and kept sheep. And there might be a young person here and you might say, well, I did want to please the Lord, but you know, nobody understands me. And when I try to please the Lord, people find fault with me.
00:30:05
Well, Moses that had just exactly that experience and it hurt him and he turned back and for 40 years.
He was in the backside of the desert, but that was all necessary schooling for him.
And even the criticisms that we get are allowed of God. They're for our good and for our blessing. They're part of God's training with us. If Moses had gone after he graduated from the schools of Egypt, when he was mighty in words and deeds, he would have been very proud. He would never have been able to go on with a failing people. But in the school of God, he became emptied of himself. He became so emptied of himself that.
He even said that he couldn't speak and he said, who am I that thou should have sent me?
Before he had tried to do it in his own energy, and the Lord said certainly.
I will be with thee older young person here, and perhaps the Lord.
He's laying some little work on your heart and you say, oh, I can't do it, and nobody would appreciate it if I did do it.
Oh, how wonderful these words. Certainly I will be with thee.
Certainly I will be with thee all in your service for the Lord.
And what you try to do for him, what a sweet thing to have the sense in your soul.
That the Lord is with you. This was a distinct moment in the life of Moses. And Moses made this grand, this fine decision that he would go forth and the rest of his life, the last 40 years of his life, he spent it among the failing people of God. He wasn't always appreciated, that's true, But he loved the Lord, He loved his people, and he sought to do not his own will.
But the will of God, as it tells us in Hebrews, he gave up all that might have been his as a great man in Egypt to become useful. It says he, he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin. For a season, though, I ask you to your young people, are you willing to identify yourself with a failing, grumbling, complaining, false finding?
Of God, yes, you'll find this. Probably you'll find in your own heart. I do.
But are you willing to identify yourself with them? And, well, it's the path that Moses chose here.
A challenge came and from this moment he was number longer going to be a shepherd on the backside of the desert. He was number longer going to be a great man in Egypt.
He was going to be a servant among the people of God seeking their good and their blessing. Well, there's another one. I won't take time to turn to it. And that was the case of of Joseph. Joseph, we know, was sold out into Egypt and they're in Egypt. He was placed in the House of Potiphar and it was a very, very great temptation presented itself in his life.
Now there was a woman there who tried to lead him into a sinful path.
And this would have changed the whole life of Moses, if he had yielded to this.
I believe it would have spoiled his usefulness, but we find that, Moses said.
How should I do this great wickedness and sin against God? All dear young people, as I look into your faces, there's many temptations. The moral breakdown of the world is terrific today, and you can ruin your whole life by yielding to this temptation, particularly in the line of sex in these days.
Oh, I plead with you young people. Satan wants to ruin your life.
He wants to spoil it. He doesn't want you to be useful. And there can be a blight brought in your life that may spoil it for the rest of your time. Not that God cannot restore. Not that he can't bless you. Not that he can't come in and fill your heart even after you've failed. He restoreth my soul. But I believe that things can happen in a Christian's life that can spoil his usefulness for years to come.
And how nice it is when this challenge came in, All in all its thoughtfulness. And it wasn't through any planning on the part of wasn't through any planning on the part of the Joseph that he was in that house. But it was a circumstance that arose, an unexpected one. And he was faithful. Why? Because he wanted to do the will of God. He said, how should I do this great wickedness and sin?
00:35:14
Against God, all dear young people, May God keep you pure. As Paul said to Timothy, keep thyself pure. And in these days we need this, that we might be preserved so that we would go on for the Lorde glory. Well, and there's another one that I'd like to turn to, and this is in Judges.
Chapter one judges chapter one and verse 12 and Caleb said he that smite of Kerja Seifer and taketh it to him. Will I give acts of my daughter to wife and Osteo the son of Kenas Caleb younger brother took it and he gave him AXA his daughter to wife. Well, it was just particularly the first part.
And I wanted to call your attention to the fact that this.
Name Kurja Seifer means the city of books, the city of books. Now, I believe this is another thing that challenges us as young people today. As you go to school, you're required to do a great deal of reading. And the bookshelves everywhere filled with all kinds of reading, interesting things, things in connection with what is going on in the world.
We're leading, we're living in an age where.
There is what King Solomon said of the making of books. There is no end. And young people are doing a lot of reading. And I'm not here to say whether it's necessary what you're doing or not. I leave that between you and the Lord. But I want to ask you, are you like Caleb? He overcame Kerja Seifer, the city of books.
That is, he didn't allow books to ruin his life. He overcame.
And, you know, there's a lot of young people, they do a lot of reading of things that.
Really do a lot of harm in their Christian life and pervert their Christian thinking.
I believe that we need to remember that this kerja means the City of Books.
And here we find a very lovely thing this young man overcame Kerja's sea for, and he got a Good Wife. And no wonder he was blessed. He became the first judge in Israel. Yes, and dear young people, in this time when there are so many books around, may the Lord keep you, may He give you the grace to overcome the city of books. And it tells us that the name of the city was afterwards called.
Mentions this in the 11Th verse. The name of the city was afterwards called Dieber, which means Oracle.
In other words, he read books to no end, but he placed confidence in the oracles, the word of God.
And this, I trust, will be true in your life, that with all the reading and much of it is necessary in your educational life today, that you will always keep the word of God on top. You'll always give it the best, the most important place. Because unless you do, all these things are going to affect you. And you'll become conformed to the world in your thinking if you're not careful.
To prove all things, to test what you hear.
By the word of God.
And I'd just like to turn to a little verse in Genesis chapter 2 and the 18th verse. And the Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone. I will and help meet for him. Here's one man that had nothing to do with choosing his wife. It says the Lord.
The Lord made this remark, He said I will make.
And help meet for him. He didn't have anything to do with his will.
It was completely the will of God that provided a help meet for Adam. And this I'd like to bring before you to in connection with this great decision in your life. I know that we need to be guided intelligently by the Word of God. I know that there is much helpful instruction in the word of God in connection with these things.
But we can each ask ourselves, dear young people.
Do we want to help meet that the Lord can say I.
Chose that helped meet for you. I chose that help meet for you.
00:40:03
And I ask you, dear young people, as you seek to make these plans in life, not to forget this and that as you look to the Lord and seek His guidance and His will, that you will always bear this in mind, that the Lord is the only one who can bring the right help meet into your life and the girl whom you marry.
Or the boy whom the girl marries is going to make a change in your whole life.
Because the wife is the completion of the man. And so there's two that are made one and if you get the right one, it's going to be for your blessing and happiness and you can together follow the Lord. If not, it can be the ruination of your life.
But God is interested in this, the very beginning of things.
God said I will make a help meet for him. How lovely was God Himself that have provided this one for Adam and God himself can provide one for you. She wasn't perfect. No, we find afterwards she wasn't. Don't look for perfection. We're not perfect ourselves, any of us, but we can have the consciousness that the Lord has guided. The Lord has directed our lives and He wants to do that.
And so now I'd just like to quote that verse in Philippians chapter one in closing.
Where the beloved apostle Paul could say this to me to live is Christ. That is, he had learned in his life that the path of blessing and happiness was not his own will, but to have Christ before him, to follow the will of God in his life. And all I wish to say to you again to your young people.
Are you willing at this very moment?
To commit your life to the Lord. As I say, these challenges arise in our life from time to time. There may be a challenge as to throwing down an altar. There may be a challenge as to what service we would do. There may be a challenge as to choosing a wife. There may be a challenge as to our business. There are many different things that come up in life.
Definite decisions that are made and if first of all we have been before the Lord.
And we have recognized that He loves us and that His will is for our blessing.
Then when we approach these problems, when we approach these decisions now, there is a reason why we decide as we do, and that is because we do not want our own will, but His will. May we have grace to look to the Lord and say, not my will, but thine be done. The Lord will give us grace for all the circumstances. That may not be a smooth path, but.
Useful path. It can be a successful path, a happy path, if you and I put the Lord Jesus first. He loves you, He wants to bless you. He made you that you might prove all the blessing that's in his heart for you. And he'll not be satisfied until each one of his own is supremely blessed. And it won't be in your will and mine, but in His will.
That that eternal happiness will be our portion.
May we seek His will even now.
Our Guide is the Word of God
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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First Chronicles, chapter 1230, second verse.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were 200 and all their brethren were at their commandment.
Then the 38th verse, all these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel.
And all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover, they that were nigh them, even unto Isakar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on ***** and on camels, and on mules.
And on oxen and meat meals.
Cakes or figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly where there was joy in Israel.
I'd like to read as some other things from the passages that follow here, but I was thinking brethren, how this little scene that is brought before us would perhaps correspond to the happy 3 days that we have had together here as we have been over the precious word of God.
And oh, how lovely it is that we can be here of one heart.
To be occupied with our David, with the Lord Jesus, to seek to give him the place that is due to him. And here we find that these were men of war. They were those who had been valiant, who had sought to stand for the truth of God. It particularly mentions about the men of Isakar that they had an understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do.
And surely, brethren, we do need in these times.
To have an understanding of situations that exist so that we can be a help one to another.
The Word of God is written for all time. It is written to suit the need of every time, whether it be in the days of the apostles or whether it be today in the year 1970. It is perfectly adapted to our present needs because it's the Word of God. When men write books, they have to rewrite them as times change.
But not God, what God gives us is the truth and is suited to our need and in a evil way. I'd like to try and bring a few things from these chapters that perhaps have a present application to our very day. Here were these happy 3 days.
But those happy 3 days have sort of been a measure. He had the real state of things of the people of God.
And God is so good to us that when we come together in times like this.
Our hearts are lifted above present things, lifted above difficulties and problems that some of us may face.
Whether it be in assemblies, or in home, or in business, and in the goodness of God, we are withdrawn from all that to spend our three days with our David, with the Lord Jesus, occupied with him, filled with His love and goodness, and our brethren have prepared to for our temporal needs.
And so it has truly been a time of rejoicing. But this time of rejoicing came to an end.
And the people of God in this day had to face realities again.
They had to meet situations that were not always the easiest. And so it is with us. When these three days come to an end, as they have just about done, we have to return to our own assemblies. We have to return to our own homes, to business and things that confront us. They're going to be exactly the same when we go back. But I hope that we'll be different. If we're different, then we'll be able to meet these situations.
Even though they haven't changed. That's why it tells us in the Psalms. He maketh my feet like Hinds feet.
He maketh me to walk upon mine high places. I'm sure we've all watched the little deer as it comes to an obstacle in the way and it doesn't remove the obstacle, doesn't ask to have the obstacle removed. It just makes a graceful little spring and up it goes over that fence or over the obstacle and all. How nicely.
It just seems to act as though the obstacle were not there. Well, brethren, that's what the Lord wants to do with us, too. He wants us to have Heinz feet so that we might be able to rise above the difficulties even though they remain. Only there's something nice about what it says.
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He maketh my feet like hindspeed, and then it says he maketh me to walk upon mine high places in all the little hind. When it goes up over the fence, it comes down on the other side.
To the same level it was before. But it says here that the Lord enables us to rise up, and then to walk upon my high places. That is to be above the difficulty in the enjoyment of the one in whose company we desire to be.
So here there was a time of great joy and of great feasting. But now I want you to notice the beginning of the 13th chapter.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seemed good unto you, and it and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere.
That are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites, which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us. And on a spring again the ark of our God to us. For we inquired not at it in the days of Saul, And all the congregation said that they would do so. For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
And the sixth verse And David went up, and all Israel to Bala, that is, to Kurdish Durham, which belongeth to Judah, to bring up fence the ark of God, the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called upon it. And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab and Aza, and a higher.
Drove. Drove the cart.
Here we find a mistake that is, after all this happy time, what did David do? Well, he looked to man instead of to the Lord. He consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And because we have had a happy time together, there is perhaps a tendency with us to look to man and not to realize that the only way of meeting the.
That come up is by looking to the Lord and being guided by His word. But David looked to man, and he thought good advice. You might say. He went to the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader.
And it tells us in the fourth verse all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. He went to these leaders, he sought their advice. And shall we say he was going to do a right thing, but we find he was doing it in a wrong way. And it's possible for us.
Too to do a right thing in a wrong way.
To desire to please the Lord, to serve Him, to go on for him, and yet to have sought the advice of others instead of sought the mind of the Lord through His word. This, I believe is a great danger and perhaps more especially after three days meetings. We've been here, we've enjoyed one another's company, we've enjoyed the ministry. And so we get our eyes.
Instead of upon the Lord, we remember how that the disciples went up to the Mount of Transfiguration.
And there they saw Moses and Elias talking with Jesus and Peter said.
Let us make here 3 Tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
He would actually have put the Lord on a level with Moses and Elias. And then we find that after this experience, when they came down from the mountain and there was a a man who met them, wanting them to cast out the evil spirit from his child, they weren't able to do it.
I believe it was because they had their eye upon man. They were occupied with an experience.
Instead of in full depends upon the Lord and we can have this same feeling.
We can be so happy that we have been together and think, oh we've heard precious things, we've enjoyed the ministry together. Now things are going to be different and we find the first situation that we meet, we're quite unable for it, it's too much for us. So we go and ask someone's advice, just like David did, and they give us advice.
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And this advice that was given by the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader.
Was not according to the word of God, Alhamdulillah verse. See she from man whose breath is in his nostrils, For wherein is he to be accounted of? And let me say again, brethren, that when we go back to our little gatherings, as our brother mentioned in his prayer, where there are often difficulties and problems, we need to have our eye upon the Lord.
If we have our eye upon man.
We are sure to face disappointment. Well, they made a new cart now. This was a new idea. This was surely going to solve the situation. And I say again, it was a good purpose definitely to bring up the Ark of God from the House of.
Benedict and the Hill was definitely a very good thing and but the idea, the way it was carried out.
Was a human idea. It was not according to the mind of God. It was the idea that they had learned from the Philistines, because when the Philistines had sent back the ark of God, they had put it upon a new cart, and God had prospered this plan in the hands of the Philistines. Why? Well, the Philistines didn't have the word of God.
They were not believers and when they acted in this way.
God honored the measure of desire there was, and He allowed the.
Are to be brought up safely upon the new cart made by the Philistines. But for those who had the word of God, for those who ought to have been depended upon the Lord, this was an entirely different matter. And so when they tried to do this.
There was great singing and there was great rejoicing, as if they would say, oh, now this matter is going to be solved. Things haven't been right in the past. Notice they said in the third verse, let us bring again the arc of our God to us, for we inquired, not added. In the days of Saul, they said, things haven't been right. We're going to set them right, but they were going to set them right in a human way. They weren't.
Right, according to God's plan. And so most of us know the story quite well. As they were going along with a higher and other driving the cart, the oxen stumbled. God couldn't bless this human plan. And so when the oxen stumbled, other put forth his hand to steady the ark, and God smote us. He showed his displeasure because it wasn't.
In his way, oh brethren, God is jealous for his own glory. He is desirous that we should do what we do according to His Word. He hasn't left us to our own ideas or resources. He hasn't hasn't left us to follow the ideas of man. Because God says my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
When Azar and Ohio were driving the cart, I suppose we might say they were the prominent people.
Everybody thought what a fine position they have driving that new cart with the arch on it. They were greatly honored men. But God's plan, as we learn the 15th chapters, was that the ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites, and that would be high above their heads, so that the men would be hidden and the ark would be seen.
The truth of God always exalts Christ.
Men's plans always bring men into prominence, always give them honors, but honor is due only to the Lord Jesus Himself. Well, it tells us the oxen stumbled, ASA put forth his hand, and it says in the 11Th verse. And David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Aza.
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Sometimes we get very displeased too because our plans don't work.
And we say, well I tried so hard and my plan didn't work and I really meant well and I asked advice of others and they said it was the right thing to do too.
Why didn't it seem to work?
He hadn't gone to the Word of God, He hadn't inquired of the Lord, and so the plan didn't work and he was displaced. Our brethren, is it right for us to get displeased? Isn't it better for us to get before the Lord? Thank God David did afterwards. He did afterwards. But I'd like to point out something that I think is very beautiful here, and that is.
That when this took place, it says in the 12 Person, David was afraid of God that day, saying, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? It raised a question in his mind, a question that was later solved by dependence upon the Lord and by going to His word to find out the answer. But the point that I'd like to particularly bring out is this 13th verse.
It says.
So David brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the giftite. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed.
The House of Obed Edom and all that he had. Now I think there's something very nice here.
And the point that I see and that I'd like to apply to our hearts is this, that when there is failure, when mistakes have been made, when we find people are displeased, isn't it nice to see that there was one family here that got a blessing from all this? And what family was it? The family that gave the ark of the Lord its place. Oh, how lovely this is. And perhaps in the assembly where you are, there are difficulties and problems.
But your home, your own personal life, can be still.
Carried on in communion with the Lord in a way pleasing to him and this very sad circumstance that arose in Israel, this mistake that was made by the leaders and by David himself was overruled of God and this one family got a blessing through it. Paul Braden. Is it possible the trials and difficulties.
In home life and in business life and in the assembly can actually turn into a blessing.
Yes, if the oxen stumble on your plan, if the oxen stumble and things don't seem to workout, the Lord still has a blessing in it when we seek to take it from Him, when we, as it were, give the Lord His rightful place in our homes and in our lives. And when David was upset because his plan didn't work, here was one man and one family that got a blessing.
And all, let us not be discouraged.
It's similar to what we have in the third epistle of John. Things were in an unhappy state when.
John wrote the third epistle. There was a man named who loved to have the preeminence.
But it's nice that John by the Spirit of God writes to Gaius and tells him, Follow that which is evil. Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. Now do us faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and and to strangers. So there was a home even in that assembly that was enjoying fellowship with the Lord, and here was the home in Israel.
In the midst of failure.
In the midst of what really dishonored the Lord that was still enjoying sweet and happy fellowship with the Lord and because this home was open because the Lord was given his rightful place. It says the Lord blessed the House of all that Edom and all that he had while he kept the ark of God there for the three months all may this be our experience If there's anyone here and you're discouraged and you.
I don't see how I can be happy or how things can be happy. Remember, the Lord is always faithful. He is able to fill our hearts. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. The principle in God's ways is where sin abounded. Grace did much more abound again.
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Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
So how sweet it is to see this happy family.
Family in the midst of a sad condition that existed among the people of God as a whole, and even David himself upset and displeased.
When we come to the next chapter.
Here we find.
The eighth verse. When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, and David heard of it, and David went out against them. The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rapium, and David inquired of God, saying.
Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up, and I I will, for I will deliver them into thy hand. Here we find that David had profited too from this experience. He didn't go and ask, Now the captains of thousands and hundreds, and every leader, what should I do?
How will I meet this situation? What did he do?
He got on his knees, he got before the Lord. Another thing to notice that even when there was a desire to honor the Lord for the bringing up of the ark, as I said, was a good desire. It was very nice that David had such a desire that that ark which was a symbol of God's presence among his people. For God said about the mercy seat on top of the ark.
There I will meet with thee, and there.
I will commune with thee. That was a wonderful thing, that ark. And when the Philistines heard that David was honored as king, and the people had desired to bring up the ark, then the Philistines made an attack. So there was not only failure within, but the enemy came in from without too, and he was going to try and break up everything.
Oh, how busy he is. Don't we feel it in these last days, brethren, the enemy is busy. Weakness within.
The power of the enemy from without is, our brother reminded us in the young people's meeting. Is there deliverance? Is there power? Can we meet it if all the captains of thousands and hundreds were giving bad advice? If other was smitten and David was displeased?
Had God-given up his people? Had He forsaken them? No. When there was a cry of dependence upon Him, he heard it. He heard it and all. Let me say to you, if there has been things, if there has been things that have discouraged you and cast you down, remember the Lord hears the cry of dependence upon him.
And God broke out upon the enemies of Israel, and David had a great victory over these Philistines.
Why? Because they were in such a good state. Because they were dependent on the Lord. God was showing that the way of victory was to be dependent upon Him and that He was able to come in and help His people when there was a true turning to Him. Well, the enemy didn't give up. Notice again the 13th verse and the Philistines yet again.
Spread themselves abroad in the Valley.
Then David inquired again of God, and God said unto him, Go not up after them, turn away from them, and call upon them over against the Mulberry trees. 16th verse David therefore did as God commanded him, and they smoked the host of the Philistines from Gibeon, even to Gazer.
Oh how wonderful. This is the second attack. The enemy will never leave us alone.
If we defeat once, by the power of God, he's not going to say, well, I'll give them up. No, the enemy is going to try the second time. And so here he gathers himself again. The Philistines come out, and what did David do? Isn't this lovely? David inquired again of God. He didn't act on the precedence. He could have said, well.
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We did it this way the last time, so we'll do it this way this time. It worked last time, so we'll try it this same way this time. Now he inquired of God, and God told him to go about the situation in a different way the second time than the first. The first time he had told him how to attack them. The second time he told him an entirely different thing.
It says here that he was to not go up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them. Now this seemed like a weakness itself, to turn away from them and go around and listen for the sound in the Mulberry trees, and then go out and God would give a victory. Sometimes we go by a precedence. We say, well, we did it this way before.
And so we're going to do it this way this time too. Well, perhaps it won't work. What we need in every fresh circumstance that arises is fresh dependence upon the Lord. Perhaps we might say, well, we did it this way some years ago, but we're living in 1970 now, and we need fresh wisdom from the Lord for this year and for this situation.
And for what? Our dear young people are meeting not in 1960, but in 1970.
They are meeting a different situation. Is God sufficient for it? Is His Word sufficient? Is He able to meet the difficulties of 1970 just as He was able to meet them in 1960, just as He was able to meet them in 8060? He is sufficient. But He would teach us dependence. He would teach us that we must look to Him, and that we must find from Him the wisdom for all.
Comes up for nothing, happens by chance. There was a second victory, a second victory. God granted a great victory. Again, David was encouraged. Now David before had been displeased. He'd been cast down. He'd been discouraged, but he had learned something by the experience. Brethren, do we learn something by the experiences of the pathway? I've made many mistakes.
I hope by the grace of God, He will help me to profit by the mistakes and by the experiences that He passes us through. I hope that He will. And here we find that David did profit. And so it tells us here in the 15th chapter in the first verse.
And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for an attempt. Now notice this second verse. Then David said.
Carry the ark of the God. But the Levites, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.
Passing on to the 13th verse. 12Th verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the Fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves.
Both he and your brethren.
That she may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel into the place that I have prepared for it. For because she did it not. At the 1St, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the Jew. Order the 15th verse. And the children of the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders, with the staves thereof, as Moses commanded.
According to the word of the Lord.
Now we see there were two things in the first instance where David made a mistake. He didn't ask the Lord, He didn't go to the Word. He consulted with captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader, and the plan failed. But now he has learned the need of those two things. He has learned dependence, for twice we find him in prayer.
In the mind of God in the 14th chapter. And now we find Him.
Searching the Word, getting the answer from the Word, and those two things always go together in Christian life. If we would walk here to please God, the reading of the Word and prayer, they must go together for blessing. And so David didn't consult with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader. David took the place now of being absolutely sure of what he said.
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How could he be so sure? Could he actually look into the face of these men?
And say I am going to tell you now what should be done.
Said it's the word of the Lord.
It wasn't David telling them he had the word of God for it. And when you and I have the word of God for our past, what peace it gives, what true assurance. If we trust our own opinions, even the best might be mistaken. But if we trust the word of God, we can be sure heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.
So we find here that David gives the word of God its proper place, and he tells them none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. And then he acknowledges the mistake too, which took much humility. He said because we didn't seek the Lord after the Jew order, He made that breach upon us and he said we must do it.
As we have in the end of the 15th verse, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.
How beautiful this is.
So we find these two things.
Dependence in prayer and following the Word of God.
Now the desire that he had was the same desire on this occasion.
Before, he had wanted to bring up the ark of God.
He hasn't changed this desire. It's the same desire, but it's had to be done in God's way. People say, well, I want to serve the Lord. I'd like to worship the Lord. We must find the answer in the word of God. We must find it independence in prayer. You say, I'd like to please the Lord in that situation in my home.
I'd like to please the Lord in that situation. In my business, I'd like to have the Lord's solution to that problem that has arisen in the assembly.
Has there been true dependence upon the Lord? Has there been a turning to His word? And shall I go a step further? Has there been a willingness to admit that we made a mistake? David did. David admitted. Think of him, King.
King David acknowledging that he made a mistake. The hardest thing for any of us to do is to say, well, I made a mistake. I didn't do it the right way. I didn't ask the Lord, I didn't go by his word. I just followed the advice of others.
We see these things brought before us in the Word of God. What blessed lessons? This happened hundreds of years ago, I suppose we could say almost 3000 years ago.
But is still suited to our needs today. We're the same and the Lord is the same. The Lord is the same, perfectly able for the situations. And rather than I do believe that many of our difficulties would be solved, many of our problems would be overcome if we remembered those three things.
Prayer and the Word of God and the willingness to admit that we made a mistake.
We made a mistake. God came in. Know what a happy ending there is to this story? They got the Ark of God.
Was placed upon the shoulders of the Levites, and they carried it up to Jerusalem with shouting and with joy. The oxen didn't stumble. There weren't any oxen there. There wasn't any new cart that might allow the ark of God to tip.
There weren't, there wasn't an Aaya there to get a great deal of prominence and glory and say these are the people that solved the situation for us, No.
How lovely this is, that ark for those cherubims of glory.
The place where the blood was sprinkled, all that honored and exalted God and God's plan and God's way. This was what was prominent. And as those people, those Levites, carried the ark upon their shoulders, the people looked, and the heads of the ones that carried it were all hidden. But how lovely there was that.
To which God would attract attention, without which though could be presence of God among his people.
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Oh, how lovely. God delights to honor His Son. God delights to give his beloved Son the rightful place. And in glory, brethren, heaven is going to be heaven because the Lord Jesus has His rightful place, because He's everything.
Because He is above all that throne on which he sits, and those redeemed hosts around him, saying, Thou art worthy, for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. Well, we know, as I say, the happy story and how they went up, what rejoicing there was, what singing there was.
And they carried the ark of God all the way up to its appointed place.
And there it was, and it tells us here there's perhaps just one little sad note which shows what the natural heart is, the 29th verse. And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michael, a daughter of Saul, looking out of the window, saw King David dancing and playing.
And she despised him. In her heart. She was one who was not, I believe, a true believer.
She was one, a daughter of King Saul, who was a man after the flesh. She couldn't see any reason for all this rejoicing. She could quite understand that she didn't despise David when they were bringing up the ark on the new cart, but she did despise David when he rejoiced. Shall I say that the Lord was having his rightful place? The flesh never wants to see the Lord have his rightful place, the flesh.
Christian wants some recognition for self, some place for self, some honor for self and cannot see how the Lord should have all the glory and all the praise, but he's worthy of it. Brethren, may we check the flesh that would want to have some honor for myself that would like to be able to say, well I did it, the Lord used me, I was the one that gave this good advice.
Oh, how our natural hearts like to have some little place and we are so anxious for it. May the Lord give us grace to see that He wants to honor His Son. He wants the Lord Jesus to have His rightful place. Now I just want to notice a little portion in the first part of the 16th chapter.
So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the 10th that David pitched for it.
And they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the brute offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he dealt to every man, everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag of wine. And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord.
And to record and to thank and praise.
The Lord God of Israel, well they brought the ark to the appointed place here and David doesn't take any credit to himself. It says they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. I might say that I believe the burnt offering brings before us what the work of Christ is to the heart of God.
And how lovely it is to see here these burnt offerings.
That which recognized what Christ is not only to us, but what He is to the heart of God. For God delights to have his Son honored, and it should give us delight to do what is pleasing to Him. And then the peace offering has often been remarked. The peace offering could be called the communion offering because the peace offering was actually.
One that the people could eat of.
They could share in it. And isn't it a lovely thing that you and I, when we seek to do God's will and we seek to please him and honor him, we can actually enter into the thoughts of God, so to speak, in the burnt offering. And we can hold fellowship, communion with God. We can actually enjoy fellowship with God in our own souls. And so here we find.
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When this was done.
That it says He blessed the people in the name of the Lord. Well, the time came then that this happy assemblage had to break up this grand gathering of the people of God that had such blessing from God and now had to break up. I notice what it says the third verse. And He dealt to everyone of His Israel, both man and woman.
To everyone.
A loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and a wine. Yes, they had to break up. We noticed in the beginning they'd had three days of eating and drinking altogether, with one heart to make David king. But now this was all going to break up, and they were going to their homes. Did they go away empty? God says in his word, None shall appear before me empty.
But does He send us away empty? Does He send us away empty? He doesn't want us to appear before Him empty. He surely done so much for us that we ought to have praise and Thanksgiving in our hearts to Him. But I say again, does he send us away empty? No, never. And so it tells us here that each one received a loaf of bread.
Well, if I could just apply this.
I believe the scripture does. And the loaf of bread, The Lord Jesus was the bread of God that came down from heaven.
Perhaps we could think of the Brad says that which is associated with our wilderness life.
Just as the children of Israel eat man as they went through the wilderness, so all their needs were met in that dry and thirsty land by the manner that fell. And so the Lord said, your Father's the manna in the wilderness and our dead. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. And so isn't it nice we're going to face wilderness life again.
We're going to go back and the office is going to be the same.
Yes, the home is going to be the same, perhaps the assembly too, but we can carry a loaf of bread. That is, we can have the food for the soul that enables us to go on in the wilderness pathway and then it speaks of a good piece of flesh. Well, Paul spoke to the Hebrews and said.
That he wanted to feed them with meat, not just with milk he wanted them to have.
More mature food. I hope we've learned a little more of Christ. I hope we've gained a little more knowledge of himself. I hope we can say that we're going to carry away a good piece of flesh. That is something that has contributed to our spiritual growth in the things of God. He doesn't want us to remain babes forever. He wants us to grow. He wants us to. It says strong meat belong us to them who are full age.
Even to those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
And then last, a flagon of wine. All this tells us that not only to have comfort for the difficulties of the way, not only to have a better knowledge of Christ and what we have in him, but oh, I hope we'll also carry away a flagon of wine. I hope we'll also carry away a deeper enjoyment of himself.
That is, as it says, be not drunk with wine or in his excess, but be filled with the spirit.
And I trust that there will be a joy ministered to our hearts that as these three days are over and we leave again, that He will be comforted as we see these things. Isn't it lovely, brethren, as we trace this to see that which answers to the very things that we meet in our life, in our assembly life, the very same circumstances and conditions.
Existed among the people of God.
They displayed what was in their hearts, just as we display what is in our hearts. But God is faithful. God delights to bless. He's sufficient. And may we remember what it was that helped them in this, the situation. Let us think of that House of Obed Edom in a time of failure, where the ark of God was.
00:45:08
Let us think of David praying and asking God's mind.
Let us think of him turning to the Word and discovering his mind. Let us think of his humility in being willing to admit that he was wrong. Let us think too, of his joy and the people's joy in giving the Lord his rightful place. And the result was that when the congregation broke up and they went to their homes again, that they carried away those three things.
And we carry away precious things with us too, things that will make a difference.
In our lives, that will show that we have received a blessing.
By being together, not that we will just talk about the fellowship that we had is a thing of the past, but something that we have for the present, that which we've carried with us from His bountiful supply.
God's Way of Bringing up the Ark