I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter
25. We're going through the book
of Proverbs, verse by verse, and I'm skipping
ahead here for this one message. I'd like to look at one verse
of Scripture. Proverbs 25, verse 11. The Scripture says a word, fitly
spoken, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. In the margin you may have, it
says fitly, meaning spoken. with His wheels in the Lord's
season is what that means. In the right time, in the right
spirit, in the hour of need, a word fitly spoken, the Scripture
says is beautiful. It's valuable. This morning I'd like to consider
for just a minute the word fitly spoken, not from the mouth of
merely a man as I, but from the shepherd of the sheep, the Lord
Himself. I want to consider Him, and I need to know what God Almighty
has to say about Him. Bill Maher didn't know where
I was going to be this morning, but that passage in Isaiah 40,
I had that passage. In fact, the first verse I want
to read right here is out of Isaiah 40. This is what the Lord
says concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He shall feed His flock
like a shepherd, the best, the finest. He shall gather the lambs with
His arm and carry them in His bosom and shall gently lead those
that are with young. He is the tender shepherd. He is the shepherd of the sheep. He is the Lord. Ezekiel 34, 23 says, And I will
set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even
My shepherd David, the great shepherd of the sheep, King David
was but a type, the Lord Himself. He shall feed them, and He shall
be their Shepherd." What mercy! What grace! The Lord said of
Himself, I am the Good Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd giveth
His life for the Now here is the reality of the
situation. This world is in a mess. And we are in it. And we are not of it. And we
greatly grieve over what we see, what we see going around us. But our Lord promised, He said
in John 16.33, in the world you shall have tribulation. You will. Now, we're promised
this. You're going to have trouble.
You're going to have trials. But in the midst of the world,
in the midst of us traveling through as sojourners and pilgrims
in this life, He speaks a word that is fitly spoken. He knows what to say and when
to say it, how to say it, blessed by the Spirit of God. Now, listen
to this. Be of good cheer. I have overcome
the world. These things have I spoken unto
you, that in me John 16, 33, you might have peace in Him. We have peace with God. Be of good cheer. Now listen,
I know, I know that the things of this life are trying. I know that. I know it just vaguely. just a few things that I have
seen. There are many that have truly
gone through some trials. But I know this for a fact. Be
of good cheer, believer. You that know Him, He ever sees
the blood. He ever sees Christ. He ever sees Him. We have peace of conscience and
heart. We know by the Spirit of God
bearing witness to our spirit. We know this. Now listen. These
are words that we can walk through this world with. Your sins are forgiven. Your
sins are forgiven. When I take my last breath, if
Almighty God takes me today, here are some words that I can
leave with. There is no condemnation to you
that be in Christ Jesus. No charge. Blessed is the man
to whom the Lord will not impute Iniquity. As I've said before,
it's not that we're not chargeable. We're sinners. But here's the
grace of God that He won't charge you with it. That He's charged
it to His Son. Put it away. I know this. I'm a dying man, as it's been
said before, and I'm speaking to dying men and women. Listen
to me. This life is but a vapor. It's so fast. It's so fleeting. Soon, very soon, all that know
Him in grace, that know Him as the Shepherd, that know Him as
life, Salvation is to know Him. That's
what He said. This is life eternal, that they
may know Thee, the only true God in Jesus Christ whom Thou
hast sent. To trust Him, to come to Him,
and to forsake all confidence in myself is by the grace of
God. 1 Peter 5 verse 4 says, When the
chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory
that fadeth not away." All of His sheep, all chosen in Him,
redeemed by Him, kept by Him, nurtured by Him. When He shall appear, when our new eyes meet His, now
listen to me, believer. We're going to see Him. And we're going to look at Him. We're going to look upon Him.
And all that He's promised, all that God has promised in Him, the Scripture says this crown
of glory. I don't even want to try to explain
all that. whatever He says it is. When
the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory
as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Beloved, now are
we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Job 19, verse 26-27, Job said,
under the inspiration of God's Spirit, And though after my skin
worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God." Did Job mean that in his new
flesh, changed flesh, that change that is going to divinely take
place, we are going to all be changed, and this corruptible
is going to put on incorruption. I know that. We're getting older. We're getting more frail. But I'm telling you based on
God's Word, God says you're going to all be changed. Job said,
in my flesh I shall see God. Did he mean in that new flesh? Or did he say, that He who was
made flesh, the Word that was made flesh,
in that flesh, that flesh that He took upon Himself, in my flesh,
I'm going to see God. I'm going to see God in my flesh. I shall see Him for myself. And
mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within
me." I'm going to see God. I'm going to look upon Him. Not the saints, though I'm sure
I'm convinced I will see them. All of those that died in Christ,
we're going to see them again. We're going to see them. Pearly gates, I don't doubt for
one second. Streets of gold, but that's not
what Job said. He said, Yet in my flesh I shall
see God. shall behold Him." In that new man, made perfect,
I am going to see God. And in that
moment, with perfect sight and perfect knowledge and sinless
confidence, I shall behold Him who has everlastingly loved me
and gave Himself for me, and I shall behold His glory that
He told the Father. Father, I will that those that
Thou hast given Me be with Me, that they may behold My glory,
the glory that You gave Me." Oh, struggling saint, hear the
Word of the Lord as He speaks to His people today as we struggle,
and I know we do. And may we by grace and confidence
say these words, The Lord is my Shepherd. The Lord is my Shepherd. And
I shall not want. I'm not going to want for righteousness.
I'm not going to want for salvation. I'm not going to want for a mediator. I'm not going to lack for a priest. I'm not going to lack a husband. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. in the freshness, the ever-freshness,
the ever-living Christ in Himself. He leadeth me beside the still
waters. He restoreth my soul daily. He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for His namesake. Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod
and thy staff, they comfort me. And thou preparest a table before
me in the presence of mine enemies, and thou anointest my head with
oil. And truly my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever. Amen.