Let's commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 985, the tune is Benediction,
779. Hode ye despairing sinners here,
ye thirsty, sin-sick souls draw near. Here's water whose all-powerful
stream shall quench your thirst and wash you clean. Its healing
power has always ruled beyond the reach of human thought. Hymn 985, Tune Benediction 779. Despair and sin has come. Give us this day our sick souls
from here. Thou earth's all-powerful stream She'll wed you first and wash
you clean. She'll take your heart, always
yours. We are all the rich of human
thought. The tempest's foe is not like
this, No hills, no pines, soft like grasses, For silent streams, no Jordan's
flood Can blur thy rocks in thy sacred Tis' Christus, Lord God, Prince
and Saint, That was, is, is, and is, and is. With this dear fountain I prepare
With all the wounds and pains I bear I'd keep my station near its
side And watch them drink and laugh at night nor from the sacred stream river,
till taken to the salt above. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Second Epistle to Timothy, chapters
three and four. Second Epistle to Timothy, chapters
three and four. This know also that in the last
days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce
breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that
are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God. having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof, from such turn away. For of this sort are they which
creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come
to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood
Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds,
reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further,
for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also
was. But thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity,
patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch,
at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured, but out of them all
the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and
seducers shall watch worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, none of
whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast
known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good
works. I charge thee before God, And
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and kingdom, preach the word. Be instant,
in season, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust, shall
they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables. But watch thou in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof
of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is at hand, I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy
diligence to come shortly unto me, For demons have forsaken
me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with
thee, for he is prophet to me for the ministry. And Tychicus
have I sent to Ephesus, the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus,
when thou comest bring with thee, and the books, but especially
the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did
me much evil, that the Lord reward him according to his works. Of
whom be thou where also, for he hath greatly withstood our
words. At my first answer no man stood
with me, But all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not
be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood
with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might
be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall
deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his
heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca and Aquila and
the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth, but
Troephemus have I left at Miletum's sake. Do thy diligence to come
before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens,
and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus
Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. May the Lord bless that portion
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is an art, an art to come. We come as poor sinners before
Thee. We come to confess our sins,
and we seek repentance for our sins. We leave undone things
that we ought to do, and we do things that we ought not to do.
We find a law within our members that when I would do good, then
evil is present with me. Lord, we prove these things day
by day. We have to so often say a wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death.
O most gracious Lord, we pray that thou would bless the reading
of thy word unto our souls, that it may find an abiding place
there that we may be instructed in the ways of righteousness
and of truth, and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and
the love of God our Father and the sacred fellowship of the
Holy Spirit may rest and abide with us. We pray to be led and
taught and guided and directed by thee. O Lord, we do pray that
thou wouldst teach us thy way that thou wilt grant us a humble
and a teachable spirit. Lord, we do need thy chastising
hand. And we do thank thee, Lord, that
thou dost indeed deal with us. And where would we be, O Lord,
if thou didst not? Gracious God, read in thy word
that no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous,
nevertheless afterward. Oh, we do pray for grace to walk
the way that thou hast ordained, grace to cast all our cares upon
thee, grace continually to look unto thee, that we may constantly
be found looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of
the majesty on high. Gracious God, all we do pray
for grace to follow thee, to serve thee, to live to thee. While our days on earth are lengthened,
may we give them law to thee. May we be enabled to do that,
Lord. present our bodies a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable unto thee, but which is our reasonable service. And that we be not conformed
to this world, but may we be transformed by the renewing of
our mind, that we might know what that good and perfect and
acceptable will of the Lord is. Gracious God, we do pray that
thou would bless us as a church and as a congregation. that thou
wilt work mightily, powerfully and effectually among us, that
we may be favoured to see mighty signs and wonders follow the
preaching of the word, that the word of the Lord may have free
course and thy name may be honoured and glorified, that we might
see the fulfilling of thine ancient promises. I will bring thy sons
from far and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they
shall come. And thou hast said, I will work,
and who shall let it? Let thy work appear unto thy
servants, and thy glory unto their children. For, Lord, we
live in days of great declension in Zion, a great falling away,
few come to Zion's solemn feasts. Gracious God, we pray that thou
wouldst bless the churches, bless thy servants, raise up others,
Many of thy servants, Lord, are now in great age. Raise up others,
O Lord, to stand upon the walls of Zion, to preach the everlasting
gospel. O Lord, do hear us, we pray thee. Send a day of real prosperity,
that there may be additions added unto the church. Send out thy
light into this village, into the surrounding villages and
hamlets. and graciously work, we do humbly
beseech them. Lord, it's thy work that we desire
to see. It's thy power that we long to
see displayed. Thou hast said in thy word, not
by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, said the Lord of hosts. Oh, to see the work of thy Spirit,
the power of the Holy Ghost, that we can witness that with
the dear apostle for our gospel came unto you not in word only,
but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. Hear
us, O Lord, we do beseech thee for thy great name's sake. We
pray, most gracious God, that thou in thy great mercy, which
remember our deacons, graciously bless them, Remember that those
of our friends are away at this time and bring them back in peace
and safety at the appointed time. Remember our friends that will
be away in the coming week and graciously go before them. Grant
a time of rest and change that they may be refreshed and strengthened. Gracious God, we do pray for
the little ones and the children as they're brought into the sanctuary,
that thy blessing, the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning
of wisdom, may be given unto them in their young and in their
tender years. Remember, Lord, the children.
Have mercy upon them. And remember the young friends. Have mercy upon them. Bring them
to living faith in Jesus Christ. calls them to follow Thee, and
to serve Thee in their day and in their generation, to come
and tell to sinners round what a dear Saviour they have found,
and point to Thy redeeming blood and say, Behold, the way to God. So bless us, Lord, we humbly
beseech Thee. Remember, we do pray Thee, Jacob
and Inika in Holland, bless them indeed there, Remember Tim and
Fran and bless them, Lord, where they've gone to and make them
a blessing there. And Lord, remember all in the
midst of the journey of life and undertake for each one. Parents, as they bring up children,
give them wisdom. Cause prodigals to return. And
thy wonderful grace to be seen in this. as thou alone art able. O Lord, do hear us. In heaven,
thy holy and thy blessed dwelling place, we do humbly beseech thee,
and send answers of peace. As promised in thy word, I will
work, and who shall let it? Lord, we plead thy promises,
and that we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and that thou wouldst
send a day of prosperity, and that thy hand might be upon the
man of thy right hand, the son of man, whom thou madest strong
for thyself. Remember, Lord, we humbly beseech
thee, all in the evening time of life's journey, think of our
dear aged sister, Ina, a member of this chapel for the past 60
years. We thank thee, Lord, for maintaining
over that period. And, O Lord, we do pray that
thou, in thy great mercy, would preserve us each unto thy heavenly
kingdom. Remember any in affliction and
trouble and trial and perplexity, and undertake for each one. Remember,
O Lord, we pray thee, thy servants, grant the settlement of pastors
among the churches, And we pray thee, the great Lord of the harvest,
to send true labourers into the harvest and to build the walls
of Jerusalem. Oh, that the gatherings of people
might be unto thee. We pray to be delivered from
the temptations of Satan, from the power and dominion of sin,
from the influence and power of the world, There are those
things, O Lord, in the world that pleases our flesh. We pray
to be delivered from them and that we might be, Lord, enabled
by thy grace to please thee and to do those things that are right
in thy sight. Grant that thy word may be a
lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We do humbly beseech
thee. Remember the churches. Remember
all thy servants. Graciously grant that fresh anointing
of the Spirit. And grant, O Lord, the spirit
of real travail. For as soon as Zion travailed,
she brought forth her children. O gracious God, grant us that
spirit of travail. We do humbly beseech you. of
power. Come and speak, Lord. Pour forth
the Spirit from on high. Pull down the strongholds of
Satan. Set up the kingdom of our Lord
Jesus in the hearts of sinners. Lord, there is nothing too hard
for Thee. Indeed, O Lord, Thou art able
to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think. We thank
Thee for Thy This is the word of thy grace. This is the word
by which the gospel is preached unto us. May thy word be a lamp
unto our feet and a light unto our path. We thank thee for every
mercy of thy kind providence. We thank thee, O Lord, for the
sacred glory of the incarnation of the Son of God. We thank thee
for the holy life ye lived as a man, fulfilling, honouring,
magnifying thy holy law, bringing in everlasting righteousness
for thy people. We do thank thee, Lord, that
it is so. We thank thee, O Lord our God,
for the sacred and most precious sacrifice of Calvary. where the
lamb was slain, where sin was put away, where divine justice
was satisfied, where God and sinners are reconciled, where
peace is made between God and man. We thank thee that he died
for our sins and rose again for our justification. We thank thee
that he has bodily ascended into heaven and sitteth at thy right
hand. but we indeed have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Lord, do hear
us, do be with us now, do make up in giving where we do so fail
in asking, do forgive all our many sins, do come and touch
one's lips with the live coal from off thy heavenly altar,
we ask. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 643. The tune is Evening Hymn 709. Again, dear Lord, we would be
fed. We come to seek for living bread
and feast on love divine. Dear Father, let thy presence
be enjoyed by all thy family and make each face to shine.
Hymn 643 to an evening hymn 709. ? Holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
? ? The living Word ? ? And peace
on earth divine ? ? Dear God of Israel ? ? In the land of
Israel ? ? Let all thy people adore thee
? ? And make thee great station among them ? ? In the open distance where she
lay ? ? A man can hear her songs and dreams ? ? A man can hear
her songs and dreams ? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. ? And in eternal peace arise ?
? Let all glory now repose ? ? On earth as it once was ? ? The home of the brave ? ? The
home of the brave ? In this we praise Thee, Lord
of all, Ever ever true. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the third chapter
of the second epistle to Timothy, and we'll read verse 14 for our
text. Second epistle to Timothy, chapter
three, verse 14. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured all, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned. One of the hymn writers, I think
it's William Gadsby, he says we cannot learn God's truth as
schoolboys learn their task. Such knowledge is not proof against
illusion's blast. We learn God's truth experimentally. Of course, as he says here, in
the context, we learn God's word. We should read God's word, especially
when we're young, to commit it to memory. He says to Timothy here, when
he speaks of this learning, he says, and that from a child thou
has known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith. We should always notice that
through faith. able to make the wise unto salvation
through faith, which is in Christ Jesus, to be made wise. Or as it's put in another way,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. It's great mercy if the Lord
has enlightened us, if the Lord has given us an understanding
David in Psalm 119, he prays, give me understanding according
to thy word. It's a spiritual understanding.
It's spiritual guidance. Now, the apostle here in the
context, he says, this know also that in the last days perilous
times shall come. And do we not see so clearly
that we are in the last times? Men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy. These things are so evident in
our society in the day in which we live, without natural affection. truth breakers, false accusers. You see, all this whole list
of things here. And we see these things in the
day in which we live, manifested very clearly. But he speaks here
in a broader sense of the Christian church. And do we not see it
in the Christian church broadly? having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof. From such, turn away. But what
a solemn thing to just have a form of godliness, just an outward
form of religion, just that exists in certain outward things that
we do in coming to chapel, et cetera. form of godliness. But denying the power. You see,
how vital is the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
heaven. And if we have a godliness that
there is not that new birth, It's merely a form of godliness. It denies the power. It's just
an outward adherence to the doctrine of truth. An intellectual adherence
to the doctrine of truth. But denying the power. How vital
is the power? How self-evident in the word
of God. that we need the Holy Spirit,
not by might. Zechariah, when they were to
build the second temple, not by might, nor by power, but by
my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Not by your might, not
by your power, but by my Spirit. Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power from such turn away. Speakers here falling into
sin and in verse 7 he says ever learning and never able to come
to the knowledge of the truth. By that he means of course by
the spiritual knowledge and the spiritual understanding which
flows from the new birth The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened, that flows from the new birth. Learning in a spiritual way,
when the Holy Spirit convicts and convinces of sin. Not just to read that you're
a sinner, it's to feel it, to see sin's smarts but slights. To own with lip confession is
easier still, but oh, to feel cuts deep beyond expression.
You see, we ever contend for a feeling religion, and we ever
contend for an experimental religion. If the Holy Spirit is working
in your heart, you'll have an experience, an experience. of the truth in your heart. To
feel and know that you're a sinner. To feel and know that you're
in need of salvation, of redemption. You feel it. You know it. You
long for it. You look for it. You wait for
it. You see, but continue thou in
the things which thou hast learnt. what you've attained to so far,
the things that you have learned so far in the knowledge of yourself and in the knowledge of God, a knowledge of your sinfulness
in some measure, a knowledge of your weakness, your emptiness,
a knowledge of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the light,
made precious. When that knowledge of Christ
being made precious, then light shines into your darkness. But this is how we learn the
truth. Continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned. This is how we learn the truth,
by experience. often here a little, there a
little, line upon line, precept upon precept. There's a gradual
opening of the truth in your heart. But continue thou in the
things which thou hast learned, which thou hast learned. What
has God taught you? One says in Holy Scripture, What
I know not, teach thou me. Is that your prayer? You feel
your ignorance? What I know not, teach thou me. The Lord Jesus in the beautiful
sermon on the mount, he speaks there, blessed are they that
hunger and thirst after righteousness. for they shall be filled. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
You see, this is how we learn God's truth. It's when the Holy Spirit enters
the heart and when you begin to understand your lost condition
and that the Spirit of God leads you, guides you, direction, you
begin to realize that God's holy law is very real and that the soul that sinneth
it shall die. It makes you feel your sinfulness,
your emptiness, your poverty, your ignorance of spiritual things. These are all the divine work
of the Spirit of God in the heart, in the in Matthew chapter 5.
We read there the Sermon on the Mount when those multitudes were
gathered together. And look at what Jesus said,
blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are they that mourn.
It's the opposite to human reasoning, isn't it? Blessed are they that
mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. These
are wonderful promises to these hungry, longing souls. Blessed are the merciful, for
they shall obtain mercy. You see that spirit of Christ
in the heart, it'll make you kind, merciful. When the love of Christ is shed
abroad in your heart, it'll make you kind and merciful, compassionate. Blessed are the pure in heart. That's something that perhaps
troubles you because you, You don't feel that you are pure
in heart. You feel you're unclean. You feel you're unrighteous.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
children of God. What a wonderful thing to be
a peacemaker and to have that spirit within you that longs
to make peace And some things here, blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. These things, we wouldn't call
them blessed, would we? He says, blessed are ye when
men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner
of evil against you falsely for my sake. What's the exhortation? Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heavens, for
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. You see, these things, these
teachings of Jesus Christ. And continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and has been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned."
Now, may the Lord indeed give us that grace to search the Scriptures
in accordance with the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Search
the Scriptures. For these are they that testify
of me." There'll be that desire, that
hunger in the heart, not just for a head knowledge, but for
a heart knowledge of the truth. And you shall know the truth
and the truth shall make you free. That's the wonderful truth
as it is in Jesus. That truth shall make you free.
It will free you from the law. It will free you from the power
of sin and corruption in the heart. And that from a child thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Notice what
is added there. not just the bare knowledge of
Scripture truth, it's through faith. The apostle writing in
the epistle to the Hebrews, he says, without faith, it is impossible
to please God. For he that cometh unto God must
believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him. Oh, that we might It may be our
chief concern to have this faith without which we cannot please
God. This is true and living faith. Some have a faith in a
broad sense of the word. Those that have a form of Godliness
but denying the power thereof, that they have a knowledge of
the scriptures. They believe they know the truth
and that what they know intellectually they believe is sufficient to
take them to eternal glory. But you know friends, it isn't.
It isn't. We need faith. That precious
gift of faith. Given by the Holy Ghost, wrought
in the heart by the Holy Ghost, brought into exercise in the
soul by the Holy Ghost. away come north wind and come
thou south and blow upon my garden the spouse says you think of
the garden of your heart and those warm south winds blowing
upon the garden bringing it into fruition even naturally speaking but think
of it spiritually which is what is meant there in Solomon's song
the spice is faith hope Humility, love. These are the wonderful
graces of the Spirit. These are the spices that flow
when the wind of the Spirit blows in the soul. But continue thou
in the things which thou hast not learned and hast been assured
of. We often speak of assurance and
when assurance is spoken of in the Christian sense of the word,
immediately people just think of one thing and that is the
forgiveness of sins and a clear view of Christ so that you know
him and can affirmatively say that you know him and that he's
your savior. Of course that is one beautiful
aspect of assurance. But there are other aspects of
assurance. He says here that you're assured
of. That when the Holy Spirit works
in the heart, we're assured by the inward teaching of the Spirit
that we're sinners. We're assured of it. We know
it. We feel it. And this is how we learn the
truth. And this is how you're brought
to feel your need. And this is how you learn the
truth, by being brought to feel your need of a saviour, of redemption,
of deliverance. But continue thou in the things
which thou has learned and has been assured of. You've been
assured of. You know that you're a sinner.
You know that you're a lawbreaker. You're assured of it by the inward
witness of the Spirit in your heart. And it's by that inward witness
of the Spirit in the heart that we hunger and thirst after Righteousness,
because we've got no righteousness of our own. But the Holy Ghost
working in the heart brings us to hunger and thirst, after righteousness. You then are brought to see that
there is a righteousness that is attainable by faith. You may
not have been able to say that you have attained it, but you're
assured that there is. of righteousness, obtainable
by faith, but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned
and has been assured of. Has been assured of. Truth, under
the ministry of the Word, under the reading of the Word of God,
the truth has been sealed into your heart. that from a child, he says, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child thou hast
known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Faith which
is in Christ Jesus. And he gives us an affirmation
here of the validity of scripture that is divinely inspired. All
scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine. You don't need to go any further
than the Bible. It's profitable for doctrine.
That's teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, truly
furnished unto all good works. You can absolutely rely on the
holy scriptures of truth. That they are the truth. That it is the word of God. The word of God. And therefore
you can place a complete confidence in it. You can be assured of
the truth of it, assured of the truth of it. It says in the second
epistle of Peter in chapter 1 and it speaks of the revelation that
the apostles received Peter, James and John on the Mount of
Transfiguration. It says in verse 17, for he received
from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from
heaven we heard, as the voice of the Eternal Father. They heard
speaking from heaven, affirming to them, assuring them,
this is my beloved Son, hear ye him. And this voice which
came from heaven we heard. You would think, wouldn't you,
that if someone's heard the voice of the Father speaking from heaven,
surely there can be nothing better than that. You just carefully
look at what carries on. And this voice which came from
heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount, we
have also a more sure word of prophecy. Now he's speaking. of the word of God. We have a
more sure word of prophecy, wherein do you do well that ye take heed
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day
star arise in your hearts. Know in this first that no prophecy
of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. What a wonderful testimony
to the veracity, the truth of the Holy Scriptures. And what
an encouragement it should be to you and I that we should read,
study, Meditate in Holy Scripture. Meditate in the Word of God.
It's a spiritual exercise. Just like prayer is a spiritual
exercise, some of the learned and godly have compared prayer
and meditation. And they said in meditation,
the soul is brought closer to the Lord. When the Holy Ghost
gives a spirit of meditation in God's Word, it brings us closer
to the Lord. And the eyes of our understanding
are enlightened so that we begin to see, we see light in thy light. Christ is the light of the world,
and we see light in his light. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them. Thou hast learned them. Again,
you know, in that epistle of Peter, and it speaks there concerning, in that first chapter of the
second epistle, it says in the third verse according
as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has
called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises we're in the word of god that by these
you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside
this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to
virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance
patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you
and abound, they make you that you shall be neither barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he
that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off,
and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore,
the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election
sure, For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall, to make
your calling and election sure. You know, this learning and this
teaching, my mind was much drawn to the 30th chapter in the prophecy
of Isaiah. And there the Holy Spirit is
left on record about this learning this waiting for they that wait
upon the lord look look at isaiah 30 and chapter and verse 18 and
therefore will the lord wait that he may be gracious unto
you maybe you're waiting may you've been watching for a long
time it's a good thing it's as in
lamentations is a good thing that man both quietly wait. It's
opposite to our nature we're so impatient aren't we? Therefore will the Lord wait
that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be
exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God
of judgment that means he's a God that knows what's best for you.
In his judgment He may, at this time, be withholding something
from you. Because in the judgment of God, you see, it says, blessed are
all they that wait for him. That wait for him. Now that's
painful to our flesh. It goes on. In verse 20 he says, and though
the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,
yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner anymore,
but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. What does he mean? It means the experiences that
you pass through. Thine eyes shall see thine teachers.
the chastening hand, the temptations, the trials, the perplexities,
the sorrows, the losses, the crosses. Thine eyes shall see
thy teachers. And that is how the Lord teaches
us. And though the Lord give you the brevity of adversity
and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be
removed into a corner anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy
teachers. And thine ear shall hear a word
behind thee, saying, this is the way. Walk ye in it, when
ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. You see, teachers. Think of what Paul the Apostle
was taught. And think of how the Lord taught
him. He says to Timothy here, the
tribulations and the persecutions that he passed through. They
were his teachers. He tells us in the second epistle
to the Corinthians, he said, lest, he was lifted up to see
into the third heaven. He said, I saw things that I
couldn't possibly speak of, the wonderful glory. And then he
says, lest I should be exalted above measure. I was given a thorn in the flesh,
a messenger of Satan to buffet me. A thorn in the flesh, a messenger
of Satan to buffet him. Lest he should be exalted. Do
you have a thorn in the flesh? Do you have a messenger of Satan
to buffet you? You know, Paul, he thought he
knew better than the Lord. You might say, what do you mean?
Well, he said, I besought the Lord thrice to remove it, this
thorn in the flesh. Wisely not told exactly what
that thorn in the flesh was. But we know it was something
very painful. Something to do with the temptations
of Satan. And these are our teachers. These
are our teachers. to teach us our emptiness, our
poverty, our wretchedness, our weakness, our insufficiency, and to teach us that Jesus is
the way to God. And when we are weak, the Lord
gave Paul a most wonderful promise. We don't read he delivered him
from that thorn in the flesh or the messenger of Satan. She
said, but the Lord said unto him, what did he say unto him? The Lord said unto him, my grace,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, my grace is sufficient for them. My strength is made perfect in
weakness. This is the way. This is the
way. You may have an affliction that
continually comes, and you wish you could be rid of it, but it's
the Lord's way of humbling you. It's the Lord's way of bringing
down our flesh, no chastening for the present seeming to be
joyous but grievous, nevertheless after what it it yieldeth the
fruits of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby. It's a wonderful thing you know
friends and you can look back sometimes and see where you can
imagine where you would have been if it wasn't for that thorn
in the flesh, if it wasn't for that trial, if it wasn't for
that loss, if it wasn't for that cross. You see that that's how
the Lord teaches and that's how we learn That's how we learn. We learn the truth of God. There's another word in Isaiah
40 that was made exceedingly precious to me when I was still
a young man, having great affliction. And it's the last verses of Isaiah
40. Hast thou not known? Hast thou
not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of
the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There
is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint,
and to them that have no might he increases strength. It's a
painful place to come when you've got no might. Even the youth
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.
What a butt that is, isn't it? What we call the butt of faith.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They
shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not
be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. What a wonderful
mercy, my beloved friends. If we know just a little of these
things, but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned
and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them."
What a mercy. Timothy had learned from his
youth on. And some of the Lord's people
are like that. They actually can't, they don't
know a time when they've not known what it is to be spiritually
exercised and concerned, even when they were a very little
child. And I believe that's what it
was like with Timothy. From a child thou hast known
the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The time came when the
Lord gave him faith. All scripture. Oh, this is written
for our instruction friends, for our encouragement to go to
the word of God, to search the scriptures, All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learnt. There's that word in Again, it's
in the second epistle of Peter. But growing grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, but growing grace. And where is that grace? In Christ. And what is that knowledge? You
see, in the desire of the dear apostle that I may know him,
in the power, you want the power in the power of his resurrection,
in the fellowship of his sufferings. And it's in these pathways that
you'll be assured. You'll be assured. But continue
thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured
of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. May the Lord add
his blessings. Let us now sing together hymn
number 192, the tune is Celestial, 111. As newborn babes desire the breast
to feed and grow and thrive, so saints with joy the gospel
taste and by the gospel live. Hymn 192, tune Celestial, 111. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O come, O come, Emmanuel, O come,
O come, Emmanuel, O come, O come, Emmanuel, I love you, and will love you
for all the years and days of our generation. Not all the cave that I will
choose Shall find their source divine. like a rock of barrenness, that
answered victorious raised high, for the home of
the brave? In our time, pray for them, say,
Thou'st for me. The sands of the world to save,
Not by the terrors of a slave, Jaded paper, full of misery,
But with the promise that He had, His sweet commands fulfill. Lord, I confess Thy heavenly
throne, God be near, child of mine. Send down the spirit of
thy Son to draw mine ? Divine Lord ? ? Blessed thy choices
of support ? ? And then think of the others ? Now, May the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the
Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now and forevermore. Amen.