Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the gospel according to John 14. John 14. John 14.21
says this, my commandments, and keepeth
them. He it is that loveth me, and
he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love
him, and will manifest myself to him." We continue with our Lord's Blessed, good pleasure to assure His people
that He is going to be present with them even after His death, after His burial, after His ascension. He is going
to manifest Himself. to His people. Now, I need that
assurance. I need to know that the Lord
is going to make Himself known to me. I need that manifestation. I need for Him to speak to my
heart. I need to hear His voice. I see the frailty of my flesh. I need for Him to teach me afresh
by His Holy Spirit. He is talking to His disciples,
and His disciples have been with Him now for three, three and
a half years. And He knows the sadness that
they feel in their hearts. And they've been given a heart
to leave everything. Look at Matthew 19.27. Hold your
hand right there in John 14. Matthew chapter 19. Matthew 19.27. The scripture says, Then answered
Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed
thee. What shall we have therefore? Look at Matthew 4, Matthew 4,
18-22. And Jesus, walking by the Sea
of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew
his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow
me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway
left their nets and followed him. And going on from thence,
he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, John his
brother, in a ship. with Zebedee, their father, mending
their nets. And he called them. And they
immediately left the ship and their father and followed him." It's a miracle of God's grace
that a man or a woman would leave whatever. that Almighty God calling in
power and would give His people a heart to leave. To leave whatever He calls them
from. I heard Brother Henry and Brother
Scott, maybe both of them, say this, be careful what you hold
on to in this world. God may have to just break a
hand. But I'm going to tell you, God's
people are going to follow after Him. God's people are going to
forsake whatever. They will follow the Lord. In leaving whatever, I and you
that know Him need the assurance I'm not going to leave you. I
will manifest Myself to you. The Lord not only gave His disciples
that assurance, He gives every one of His elect, regenerated
by the grace of God, that comfort in their heart. Now, back in
John 14, verse 21, my commandments." Now, I'm not
talking about merely quoting scriptures. Somebody that can
just quote the scriptures or somebody that knows some facts
about the Lord. But I'm talking about those that
Almighty God has given a heart for His Word. Thy Word have I
hidden in my heart. that I might not sin against
thee." The possession of God's Word written in the power of
the Holy Spirit of God. And there's a love for that Word.
There's a love for His sayings. A love for His commandments.
He that hath My commandment and keepeth them. You know, when
you hear that, you think, oh, Lord, Do I have a heart to keep
it? Keeping them means to watch over
them, care for them, have a guard upon them, to cherish them. This is God's Word. This is the
speech of Almighty God. And the Lord's people have a
heart. They have a heart to keep it. I don't want to lose it. I realize
this, I have no ability to keep it. Say that He gives me a heart
that loves it, that longs to guard after it. It's not just
a system. It's not just a set of doctrines.
It's a person. It's Him. He that hath my word
and keepeth them. Those precious commandments,
that precious Word, that's precious because He's precious and not
grievous. It's not a grief to a believer
to desire to hold to His Word. It's not a grief to a believer
to take it and search the Scriptures. It's not a grief to a believer
to long to pray. What grieves a believer is when
he sees his frailty in doing so. That grieves him. But to
have a heart, to lift that heart up to Almighty God and to speak
to Him in a familiar way, under the inspiration of God's Spirit,
and to say unto Him, And whatever follows is a joy. He that hath My Word and watches
over and guards and loves Him, to call back to Him His promises.
Lord, You say it. Lord, You say it. Lord, thank
You that when I see the frailty in my flesh, Lord, You say it. Your grace is sufficient. It's
not a grief to God's people. To believe Him. To love Him. To support His Gospel. Support prayer. It's not a grief
to pray for one another. It does not grieve God's people
to pray for their brethren. It doesn't grieve them for that.
It doesn't grieve God's people to give of their time. It doesn't
grieve God's people. You may tell me you go to church
or twice a week. It's not a grief. It doesn't
grieve God's people to give of their finances. God's people
are generous people. Every one of God's people are
generous people. They give as a support. It doesn't
grieve this assembly to support missionaries, other churches. It's not a grief. It's a joy. Joy! His commandments are held
fast. Those by the grace of God that
have that attitude, the Scripture says, He it is that loveth me. He that hath my commandments
and keepeth them, guards them, loves them, cherishes them. I want to hear them again. Tell
me again. Tell me again how the Lord put
away my guilt. Tell me again how God saved me
by grace. Tell me that blessed truth of
how before the foundation of the world that He chose me in
Christ. Tell me how before He formed
me in the belly that He knew me. Tell me one more time When
He laid down His life, He had me on His heart. I know my sheep. Tell me one more time of blessed
salvation by grace. That truth is real to me. It's
not, as I said a moment ago, it's not just a system. It's
not just taking up time. Teach me. Lord, help me. Keep me. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father."
Now, I know this. It's not that our love for Christ
was the reason for the Father loving us. I know that. Scripture sets forth that His
love for His people never started. His people have been everlastingly
loved. But His love is manifested in
that we love Him. We love Him because He first
loved us. He that hath my commandments
and keepeth them, He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father. How long? Forever. Forever. I will love Him. The Lord Jesus Christ and the
Father are one. That love that the Father has
for His people, the Lord Jesus has for His people.
And His people love the Lord. They love God Almighty. They
love the Father, the Son, the Spirit. But our Lord is getting
ready to reveal something to those that love Him. those that
have been given a new heart, a heart for His commandments,
a heart for Him, a heart that loves Him, and a sure sign of
His and the Father's love for His people. Now listen to this
blessed promise. I will manifest myself to Him. Now that's a sure promise. I will love him and I will manifest
myself to you. Now this is a promise that we
can hold on to. Here is the truth himself. That
love that has ever been That love that is the same as the
love that the Father has for the Son. What a thought! That love from
Him that never changes. Immutable. I will show myself
to you. That is what manifest means.
I am going to show myself to you. I'm going to make and place
before your eyes a manifestation of myself. Now, I know from the reading
of Scripture that He manifests Himself after His resurrection. I know that He was speaking to
His disciples In that blessed Scripture, I know that He was
speaking to them while He physically stood before Him, but I am telling
you, God who is no respecter of persons is going to manifest
Himself to all of His body, all of His people. There is going
to be a spiritual apprehension of His glorious presence. He speaks today. right now through
His Word. And I'm telling you, you that
know Him, and you listen, just listen. With the ears of your new heart and by the eyes of faith, you
see Him and you hear Him. My sheep, my sheep, hear my voice. Just the very words from His
lips that says, I will manifest myself to you. The believer hears
that with that new heart and says, Lord, as You say You will,
You will. I will." He communes with His people in
prayer. And when His people are drawn
to call upon Him, they are speaking to the Father, to the Lord Jesus
Christ, in the power of God's Spirit, and the Spirit of God
who teaches them. The Lord manifests Himself. When you lift your heart unto
the Father, you're not speaking to the air. You're speaking to
Him. And you know it. And He knows
it. In the times of trials, His Spirit
that comforts and eases the troubled mind and reminds His people And
they hear this from the very voice of the Lord Himself. And He says, all things work
together for good that love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. I'm not going to leave you. He manifests Himself. And it's
no imagination. It's no dream or fancy. It is
reality. And it's a blessed, mysterious
reality. We see His manifest presence
in the calling out of His elect. when Almighty God is pleased
to move in power upon one that He has everlastingly loved. And
He speaks to them in the time of love. He comes to them while
they are still in their own blood. And He speaks to them and He
says, live. And immediately that new heart
that he has just given and just spoke to, it hears the voice
of the Master. My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. And they come to me. And him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. I pray that Almighty God is pleased
to save sinners. I read in the book of Acts how
the Lord called out at one time 3,000 souls. You know the problem
with us today? Well, let me say this. You know
what my problem is? I just have so little. faith that God is going to do
anything. By the grace of God, I believe
God is going to do something today. What is it? It is whatever He is pleased
to do. That is what it is. I pray God save thousands. I pray Almighty God is pleased
to call out people that know nothing of their desperate need
and teach them of that need. I pray the Lord have mercy. But
I know this, it's a mysterious thing. When He says, I'm going
to manifest Myself to you, the world knows nothing of that.
And I love the mysteriousness of the glorious gospel of God's
free grace. It's given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God. I love it that I cannot figure
out what God does. I love it because it is truly
a mystery. If I could figure it out, it's
not glorious. If I can know what it is, let
me read Romans 16.25. Now, to Him that is of power
to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began. But now it is made manifest,
and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith." I love the glory of this mysterious gospel. Somebody that can say, well,
I can figure it out. Well, I will tell you this. If
you can figure out what God says is a mystery, you don't know
Him. I love the thought that Almighty
God, through the preaching of the gospel, is it necessary? Absolutely. Is it necessary to
hear preaching? You might say, well, I'll tell
you what. I can take the Scriptures. I
can read these Scriptures. And I can come to a knowledge
of God by me reading the Scriptures. Well, may I say, with all due
respect unto our Lord's Word, that's pride. That's pride that
you think that you can do what God said you can't. It pleased
God through the foolishness of preaching. What the world calls foolishness,
that's foolishness. You mean to tell me that the
only way that God is going to save His people is through the
preaching of the gospel? That's exactly what I said. Because
that's what the Lord said. That's a mystery. That Almighty
God would use vessels of clay This treasure that's in earthen
vessels? Yeah. Preaching. Granting faith. What a mystery. Here's a mystery. Job 42.5, I've
heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye,
that eye of faith, I see you. that there is a glorious manifestation
of the Lord Jesus Christ to His people when they hear the gospel
preached and the Spirit of God speaks to them and they see Him
and they hear Him and they fellowship with Him. But in closing, I want to remind
you, dear believer, possibly the ones One of the most precious
of all of His manifestations. I say that and I don't know if
it's the most precious. I mean, we're here this morning
and the Lord is manifesting Himself to His people. Turn with me to
Psalm 63. Psalm 63 as I close this morning. Now, this is a great mystery, but it's a wonderful manifestation. I'm going to manifest myself
to you. Listen to this. Psalm 63, verses 6 and 7. You that know him know exactly
what I'm about to read here. The psalmist says, when I remember
thee, upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy
wings will I rejoice." There are blessed seasons, and it is whenever the Lord is
pleased to manifest Himself. to his people. But I'm telling
you that there are some precious seasons of blessing when the
Lord comes in those night watches, when that believer somewhere between Are you asleep
or are you awake? I don't know. But I can tell
you that that believer cherishes those precious visits from Him. They are truly Bethel's. They are truly that time of and being able to visit in the
house of God. That's what Jacob said. This is Bethel, the house of
God. He wrestled with the man all
night. How many times have you found
yourself in the night watches when no eye sees you but His? No ear hears, but hears in secret. And in your heart, you absolutely
hear that sweet voice of Him and refreshes your soul. And there is no distraction of
the day, no interruptions. And He rehearses His Word to
your heart And there's communion that the world doesn't know anything
about. The very gate of heaven. Someone might say, I don't know
anything about that. Well, I can tell you this, when in the very twilight, when
I can't put my finger on exactly where I am in a sleep or awake. And my heart is drawn to hear
Him. And He speaks to His people.
I know His soul by inspiration of God's Spirit and by actual
experience. Somebody would say, well, I don't
know about that. Well, it's so. Song of Solomon, I'm sorry. Song of Solomon 5. Last verse. Song 5, verse 2. Song of Solomon chapter 5 and
verse 2. The bride says, I sleep. Now
this is a picture of that old heart that
is in rebellion toward him, but it's also a picture of what I'm
speaking of right now. The bride says, I sleep, but my heart waketh. Now this is a great mystery. I sleep, but my heart waketh. It is the voice of my Beloved
that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my undefiled, for my head is filled with you and my
locks with the drops of the night. And here is the old flesh. speaking. Well, I've put off my coat. How shall I put it on? I've washed
my feet. How shall I defile them? Can
you imagine, believer, is this not the way we are? And you think,
stop for just a second. He who said, I will manifest
myself to you. The Lord God of Heaven, He who
humbled Himself, came into this world made of a woman, made under
law, made flesh, would actually come to His people and speak
to them. In these night watches, I mean,
I can even see this even during the day. I mean, when the Lord
would come to His people, and even during the day in the distractions
of the day when I'm so foolishly busy, I just don't have time. Lord, but did He leave me to myself?
He said, I'll never leave you. Now, here's a manifestation of
His promise fulfilled. Even after I gave him reason,
I was just too busy. I'm just too sleepy. I'm just
too tired. I just don't have time. And my
beloved put in his hand by the hold of the door in my bowels,
my heart was moved for him. I don't know all the ways that
the Lord is pleased to manifest Himself to His people. But I
do know this. He who has promised that He will
and does shall. Speaks to them through the preaching
of the gospel. Speaks to them through blessed
chastisements. Speaks to them. Reminds them
Reminds them of their frailty. Reminds them of their waywardness.
Speaks to them in these night watches when nobody else knows
what the believer knows. And he knows. And he speaks. And I can tell you this, his
people hear. They hear. And he draws them
gently, lovingly, and they respond. He said, they come to me. Lord,
manifest Yourself to us. Lord, keep us by Your grace.
Keep us by Your mercy, Your compassion. Lord, thanks for Your promise
to never leave nor forsake. Thank You that You don't leave
salvation up to me. For Christ's sake, Amen.