It's good to see you this evening.
Let's take our Bibles and turn with me to Isaiah chapter 26. Isaiah chapter 26. While you're turning there, I've
got a couple of announcements. Jason, this is Janetta's son,
is in Ruby, and he's had another heart attack. So I want you to
be remembering Jason. And also, there's two conferences
coming up. Brother Donnie Bell is having
one this month, June 17, 18, 19. And also Brother Walter Pendleton,
down in Crow, West Virginia, is also having one. The one in
Crow, it's going to be brother Don Fortner and brother Clay
Curtis. And because of that, I'd like
to go and anyone that would like to go, we'll just go down and
spend the night, Friday night, plan to come back Saturday afternoon. But that weekend is the third
weekend, so I'd like to just have the men's meeting on the
25th. That would be the 4th, 4th Saturday, so that I could
go to that meeting. But Brother Donnie Bell is having
a meeting and I'll try to remember how many, Milton Howard, Todd
Nybert, help me somebody, there's four
others, Mike Walker, Daniel Parks, Moose Parks, And I can't think of the other
two, should have written it down. But same weekend, okay? And so
if you'd like to go to those, have a good meeting. Alright, Isaiah 26. I'd like to look at the first
four verses, but before we begin, let's ask our Lord's blessing. Our Father, we pray for Christ's
sake, help us Precious Lord Jesus, thank you for your presence.
I pray that as we try to worship, Lord, speak to our hearts. You
said that your sheep hear your voice. May we hear this evening. Forgive us of our sins, we pray.
For Christ's sake, we ask these things. Amen. For a man, a woman, to be brought to a place to where they feel
or need the Lord. For them to be brought to that
place, to where they need the Lord. It is the mercy of God
that has been shown that sinner. Who but a needy Now think for
just a minute about what you've gone through today. Paths that
you've crossed today, things that's happened today that seem
as though to be just flying in your face, just a complete disruption. Do you
know who sent that? You know who ordered that? The
Lord. He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. David said in Psalm 119.71, I
love this, he said, It is good for me that I have been afflicted
that I might learn thy statutes. Afflictions, chastisements, trials,
they are Imperative for us who believe. Imperative. They cause
us. They're the means by which we
cry unto the Lord, help us. You know where there's no awareness
of our frailty? Let me tell you what happens.
We become forgetful. We become spiritually lazy. Just, we need, we need. Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth
and scourgeth every son that He receiveth. Romans 5, 3-6. The Apostle Paul,
who was no stranger, you know that, to these afflictions, he
said, and not only so, but we glory in tribulations. Now, let me tell you what we
glory in. The tribulations are grievous.
They're grievous. They're hard. But when he said
we glory in tribulations, we glory in the effects of the tribulations. Knowing that tribulation worketh
patience. That is to wait on God. That's
good. It's good. that we've been made
to wait on the Lord, and patience, experience. That's what these
afflictions and tribulations do. They work patience for us
to believe God. And patience, experience. That
is approving of our faith. There's no word of comfort. Like someone that has been through
something that you're going through, and for them to tell you, I know
how you feel. And I can assure you, they would
say, the Lord's grace is sufficient. The Lord's grace is sufficient. So we glory in tribulations knowing
that tribulation worketh patience, patience, experience, and experience
hope. That is confidence in the Lord.
These trials, oh weary believer, recognize the source of them,
the Lord worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.
There's a purpose in it. And the reason for these tribulations
is that we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. So therefore, as I've told you,
I would tell my kids growing up, I mean, I bet you they heard
this, Time after time after time. I said a situation never changes,
only the way you look at it. Now, if by the grace of God I
can see, by faith, the Lord's hand in working these things,
bringing these things about, and causing this crook in the
lot, that disruption, what I think is a disruption, You know, my
day and this trial. Instead of letting me look at
the trial and be torn up over the trial, by the grace of God
may I see the hand of the Lord in it and cause me to rejoice
in that. And my heart be lifted up in
His sufficiency and His mercy to me. Now, knowing that, Let's
look at Isaiah 26, 1-4, verse 1. In that day, I'm telling you,
you look in the book of Isaiah and see how many times he says,
in that day. And as we've recently looked
at that, in the day of enlightenment, in the day of regeneration, in
the day of new eyes, but also in the day of the realization,
like today. By the grace of God, by tomorrow,
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah, in
the spiritual land of the church, in the bride, the elect, the
people of God, the holy city that's still on this earth. In that day shall this song be
sung. I want you to look at Ephesians
5. If you'd like to read it, I'll read it. If you'd like to
turn there, Ephesians 5, 18 to 21. The Apostle says, be not
drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.
I read this again and I thought to myself, Lord, help me here. Help me. I'm so prone. I'm so prone to let things mess
and stuff. Get to me. I just, you know,
you that know Him, I know you're like that. You're just things. Speaking to yourselves in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs. Singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God. Verse 21, giving thanks always
for all things unto God in the Father, in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Doesn't that just have the sweetest
sound? I mean, just to walk that way? Just to be able to walk. Just
thank the Lord. For whatever comes our way, in
that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah." And here's
that first verse. I read this the other day when
Brother Moose was here. I was looking at it then. Here's that
first verse. We have a strong city. We have a strong city. The city
of God. The heavenly Jerusalem. The church. The one, as I said
the other day, that Abraham and all like him looked for. That city that hath foundations,
whose builder and maker of God. That permanent abode of the church. That city that God Almighty indwells. He mysteriously, wonderfully
dwells in His people. Christ in you. The hope of glory. But there is a mysterious union
of the church as one body. He being the head. And this one
body, that strong city, the church. God purposed it. God is bringing
it to pass. He's eternally chosen, called
her in time, building this city, calling His people out of darkness,
lively stones built together on the foundation of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. And God keeps it kept by the
power of God. This is a strong city because
He is the mighty God. Listen to this verse. Salvation
will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Walls and not, you
know, a strong city, humanly speaking, fortifications, whatever it is,
a ditch, a moat, you know, whatever is there, Bulwarks, their fortification,
their protection. They've got walls around it,
but they may have, like I said, a moat with a bunch of alligators
in it too, you know. They pull up the drawbridge and
whatever. Bulwarks. Here's ours. Salvation will God appoint for
walls and bulwarks. Salvation Himself. He was appointed,
the Lord Jesus Christ, was appointed by the Father in electing grace
according to God's everlasting covenant. And this salvation,
Christ Himself, unchangeable, that eternal covenant that is
ordered in all things, in sure, founded upon Christ Himself. Salvation. There's the song.
We have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint for
walls and bulwarks. Verse 2, Open ye the gates that
the righteous nation, which keepeth the truth, guards it. Guards it in her heart. Loves
it. God put it there. God keeps it
there. which keepeth the truth may enter
in." Now here's the promise, the open manifestation of God's
eternal will and purpose to His people. He's going to call them
out of darkness. We have a strong city. Open the
gates that the righteous nation, that one loved of Almighty God,
redeemed by blood, called by grace may enter in. I want you to turn to Psalms
118. Psalm 118, verse 19 and 20. Look at this. Psalm 118,
19 and 20. Here's the cry of the regenerated
sinner. Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will go into them, I will praise
the Lord, this gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall
enter." How do they enter? Well, they enter in by the door.
By the door himself. How do you go into your house? You don't crawl in through a
window. I mean, you're not a thief and
a robber. You go in through the door. Why? You go in through the door because
that's your house. How do we enter into the city?
We go in through Christ, by Christ. Why? He is the door of the sheep. I am the door. If any man enter
in, I'm the way, the truth, the life. And then verse 3 says this,
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
Thee, because he trusteth in thee." Now, if you have a margin, my margin
here is this perfect peace. It's peace, peace. That will
keep him in peace, peace. Now, there is a peace. Hold your
place right here. Turn to Ezekiel 13. Ezekiel chapter 13. There is
a peace. that is promised by the world and it's not peace. Look at this, Ezekiel 13 verse
9 and 10. The Lord's speaking, He says,
My hand, that is His hand of judgment, shall be upon the prophets
that see vanity and that divine lies. This is what God has to
say about these false preachers. They shall not be in the assembly
of my people. The church is not going to be
found with their names on the roll. They're not going to be
counted as having fellowship with the saints. Now I know they're
standing in pulpits, but the scripture says what they're doing
is divining lies is what they're
doing. They shall not be in the assembly
of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of
the house of Israel. Their names are not found in
the book of life. Neither shall they enter into
the land of Israel, spiritual Israel. They're not going to
be in heaven. And you shall know that I am the Lord God because
even because they have seduced my people, they've drawn them
into a mistake. They've preached to them, trying
to steer them away, steering them wrongfully. But here's the
thing, the sheep's not going to hear them. They're trying
to steer them away, seduce the people of God. And this is what
they're saying, peace. And there was no peace. One built
up a wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar, with
slime." I had someone talking to me the other day,
and I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything. And
they knew that I pastored here, telling me about where they were
going, and based upon what they told me, I know what that denomination
believes. And this is what he said to me.
He said, we all worship the same God. Peace. Peace. There's no peace. Not with an unbeliever. There's
no peace. Back in Isaiah 26, The Scripture
says, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Thou wilt keep him in peace
with God based on this one thing, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
shed for His people, that blood that covers them, That peace
that is truly given and is believed by faith. Now let me share something
with you. What we have here is we have
the declaration of perfect peace. Now my question would be this,
do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for all of your salvation
before God." Now, let me tell you what a believer is going
to say. They're going to say, yes. And they believe it. I believe God. I do not look to my flesh. I know this. He's convinced me
that I'm not saved by works of righteousness that I've done.
I know I'm not. I know this. If I have any hope
before God Almighty, God ordained it. The Lord Jesus Christ procured
it and the Spirit of God applied it in regenerating grace and
keeps me. I know that. I know that. But there are times when through
the frailty of my flesh, I don't feel the comfort as I wish I
did. I'm downtrodden. You say, well, that would never
happen to me. I'm glad. I'm glad. But let me ask you this. When Elijah, you know, he was
running from Jezebel, and he was out there and he was asking
God, he said, just kill me. Just go ahead and kill me. All
of them forsaking you, I'm the only one left. Would you just
take my life? How about Jonah? How about Jonah? Jonah knew that
the Ninevites were going to turn. God sent him to Nineveh to preach
to them. And Jonah knew the Ninevites,
they were the bitter enemies of God's people. And history
had proven their hatred for them. You go preach to them. And here
Jonah was and he went and did what the Lord, after the Lord
put him in the belly of a whale and then vomited him up and sent
him to Nineveh and he went. But you read the account of Jonah.
He was downtrodden. The Lord asked him, Jonah, do
you have good reason to be mad? You got good reason to be angry? I know this, that in the frailty
of our flesh, there's times that we are downtrodden. But listen
to the Word of God. Thou will keep him in perfect
peace. And I'm so thankful that my perfect
peace is not kept and established on my feelings. Because if it's
based on my feelings, I ain't going to make it. But my feelings, they come and
go. But God's Word endures forever. If the Lord Jesus Christ has
put away my guilt and given me a heart to believe Him, thou
wilt keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. How do
you know that? Because I trust Him. I trust
Him. I believe Him. Do you always
feel it? No. No. Oh, there's times that
I'm so downtrodden, but I believe God. Because thou trustest in
Him. Trust ye in the Lord forever. For in the Lord, Jehovah, is
everlasting strength. Trust ye. You know, trust is an amazing thing. Men can trust in a lot of things. Some men trust in chariots, some
in horses, trust in the arm of their flesh. But the Scripture
declares to God's people, trust ye in the Lord. Trust ye in the capital L-O-R-D. Do you truly believe that God
elected you in Christ before the foundation of the world?
That you should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Trust in the Lord. Do you truly
believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ went to Calvary, that Almighty God made Him sin? God made Him sin, who knew no
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him?
Do you believe that when He died, He died for you under the wrath
of Almighty God? Do you believe that the Lord
put away your sins as far as the east is from the west? Do
you believe that? I can tell you this for a fact,
I want to. I believe it and I want to believe
it. Lord, help me to believe it. Do you believe that right
now, truly, there is Therefore now, no condemnation. There's
no condemnation to you which be in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Do you believe that? Trust in the Lord. Trust in the
Lord. How long? How long? Forever. Forever. It is the most comforting thing
to know that our trust in the Lord right
now, our perfect trust in the Lord, our confidence in the Lord
right now, is only hindered by our flesh. We see through a veil, a glass
darkly. But we are commanded to trust
in the Lord and do it forever. Right now we believe Him by faith. But according to the Word of
God, one day this faith is going to give way to perfect sight.
And in that day, we will trust the Lord perfectly, be confident
in Him perfectly. We struggle and struggle and
struggle right now to trust in Him. But we trust. We struggle
to love Him, but we love Him. Let me show you something in
closing, Revelation 5. Revelation 5, verse 8 to 10.
Let me show you that trust in the Lord forever. You know, I mean, if there was
ever a time that we were not going to trust Him, something's
wrong here. Revelation 5, verses 8 to 10. Now let me, here's the
revelation of perfect trust. Not by faith anymore. Here's
a revelation. John saw the four and twenty
elders, the whole church victorious. Verses 8 to 10, chapter 5, Revelation. When he had taken the book, the
four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb,
having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors,
which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song,
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof,
Now here's what they're doing, they're seeing perfectly, trusting
perfectly, having confidence in perfectly. Now here's the
word of perfect confidence, trust, confidence. For Baal was slain
and Hast redeemed us to God. by thy blood out of every kindred
and tongue and people and nation, and has made us unto our God
kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth." Now, I'm
going to tell you something. Believers believe that. They
believe that. But oh, how they desire to see
it perfectly. desire to see it. Trust ye in the Lord forever
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the Lord Jehovah. He which is, which was, and which
is to come. He is the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. He is the self-existent, eternal,
immutable God. In Him, being found in Him is
everlasting strength. Trust ye in the Lord, Forever,
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Who shall separate
us from the love of God? He's God Almighty. I know that. He's given me that song to sing. In that day, that's the song
of the saints. Right now by faith. and by the
grace of God, soon by perfect sight. May the Lord bless these
words to our heart. For Christ's sake.