Exodus chapter 13. I just I read something this
morning that. Triggered my my thoughts. And. Exodus 13, I want you to
look with me. At verses 21 and 22. Exodus 13,
21, 22. The Scripture says, And the Lord
went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way,
and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day
and night. He took not away the pillar of
the cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before
the people. Let's pray together. Our Father, we are so thankful
that we have this blessed time to be able to come together and
to meet and to hear of the glorious gospel of our blessed Savior. Lord, would You bless these words
to our hearts. Lord, I know the gospel is the
power of God unto salvation. Would you bless it to the calling
out of your people, the comfort of your people, for Christ's
sake. Amen. In the very midst of a
dry and desolate place in the wilderness, the Lord had called
the nation of Israel out of Egypt. And they came out by God's grace
and by God's power. glorious picture and type of
deliverance from the bondage of sin. According to this Scripture,
there was a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night. And what that did, the Scripture
said it was It was for the guidance of God's people. That pillar
of a cloud by day, it shielded them from the blazing heat of
the sun. Look at the mercy of God. Sent
a pillar of a cloud every day. It was there. And when that pillar
of a cloud didn't move, the people didn't move. And when that pillar
of cloud moved, they moved. Shielded them. Comforted them. There it was every day. At night,
every night, a pillar of fire out there in the midst of that
wilderness. Can you imagine how dark it is
out in the middle of a desert? The light. And there was that
pillar of fire by night. And that pillar lit the very
camp of the nation of Israel. Get up during the night, they
could see. They walked around, able to move
about. When that pillar was there, they
were warmed. From the coldness of that desert,
there they were. There was that pillar every night,
every night, every night. When it moved, they moved. When
it stopped, they stopped. There was the very presence of
God. But in the midst of that miracle,
pillar of fire, pillar of a cloud, something amazing happened. The
Scripture sets forth that over and over and over again the people
murmured and complained, doubted God, chided against Moses. Why did you bring us out here?
It would have been better if we had stayed there. You know,
we look at their attitude and we say, How? How? in the midst
of such an obvious blessing and an obvious miracle? How could
they doubt? How could they complain? How? But let me ask you this. Do we not have the very same
miracle manifested today? There in that pillar of a cloud,
in that pillar of fire was a picture, was a type of the very presence
of God. He was there and that was a visual
representation, a type. They didn't see Him. No man could
see God but they saw the manifestation of His presence. How could they have doubted?
How could they have murmured? But in the midst of a dry and
wasted land in Katy, West Virginia, God has
been pleased to raise up a place where His Word is manifested. There was a pillar of a cloud.
And here God has raised up a church. And the scripture says, He took
not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire
by night, from before the people. We were looking just a minute
ago at some of these old pictures, some of them taken in the 50s,
some of them back in the 60s, of the crowd, a group of people
that God had raised up. I looked at some of them. Some
of them have passed. Some of them left. Some of them are still here as
time just passed. But the Scripture says, He took
not away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire
by night from before the people. and in the indescribable mercy
of Almighty God, no greater miracle was manifested in the wilderness
then than is manifested right here. Here in the very midst
of a dry and arid land where no water is, God Almighty has
raised up a place where His gospel is heard. And still in this old
heart of mine, I'll speak for myself, I find myself murmuring
and complaining, doubting. How could they do that then with
such an obvious manifestation of His grace? How can I do it
now? David said in Psalm 119, is a lamp unto my feet and a
light unto my path." He said in Psalm 122, I was glad
when they said unto me, let's go into the house of the Lord.
In this very place where God has been pleased to raise up
the gospel of God's grace, may the Lord be pleased to bless
His Word to our hearts for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ
And may God forgive me where I've doubted and where I've complained
and where I've murmured how thankful I am for His long-suffering and
grace for Christ's sake. Amen. Let's take our Bibles now and turn to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. There is probably no greater or clearer declaration of God's
blessing that is God's favor. No greater declaration of God's
favor toward men than is found recorded. And I'm going to come
back to Matthew 5 in just a second. You hold your place there. Turn
over to Ephesians 1. Probably no greater manifestation set forth in the Scriptures than
in Ephesians 1, verses 3 to 12. Now, I've entitled this message,
Blessed of God. Blessed of God. In Ephesians chapter 1, I want
to read verses 3 to 12. And I want us to stop. Just stop
for a second and ask the Lord. Keep my mind while I read these
verses. I'm so prone to wonder. My mind is so frail, weak. Listen to the words of the blessing
of Almighty God to His people. Verse 3, Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Let me just,
before I read the fourth verse, let me give you the literal of
what that says. Adorable and praise to Him who
has spoken well to us with spiritual language. Adorable to Him who
has spoken well in spiritual language. Listen to the blessings. Let the Scriptures speak for
itself. According as He has chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love. having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in
whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath
abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known
unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure
which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in Him. in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him
who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will,
that we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted
in Christ." And knowing that the blessing,
the favor, the well-speaking, of Almighty God toward His people
is totally in the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing that this blessing
is not a reward that is paid according to anything that He
saw that I would do or could do, knowing that we being dead
in trespasses and sins were totally incapable of initiating the process
of reconciliation before God, knowing that God's favor is only
found in Himself according to His purpose and will, and knowing
that His purpose to do us good is certainly going to be accomplished. I have this question that I ask.
I ask for myself and I ask you to ask it to yourself. Am I blessed
of God? Am I blessed of the Lord? Well, knowing that Ephesians
chapter 1 certainly sets forth the description, the fullness
the purity of God's blessing. I read those words. Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has chosen us
in Christ, predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ Himself, given us an inheritance in Him, sons of God. I read what the Scripture sets
forth that the blessing of God is where back in Matthew chapter
5, on our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, He sets forth the manifestation. Ephesians chapter 1 sets forth
the blessing. Matthew chapter 5 sets forth
the description of, the manifestation the characteristic of those that
have been blessed by Almighty God. Now, when we read these
verses, I want you to remember that these blessings, the description
of those that have been blessed, these verses describe the blessed. These are not things that the
blessed of the Lord produce of themselves. It's produced in
them by the Spirit of God. It's manifested in them. But
they are not the producers of. Without Him, we'd do nothing.
We are the recipients of His glorious grace and mercy. says, And seeing the multitudes,
he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples
came unto him, and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Now before I go any farther, I think to myself, He's getting ready to set forth
the gospel. He's getting ready to set forth
the manifestation of those that God has blessed. He is getting
ready to describe those that God Almighty, for His sake, has
shown mercy to. All of these evidences, all of
these characteristics wrought in them who have been regenerated
by the power and grace of Almighty God, He's going to set forth
who they are, what's wrought in them, how they're described. The blessed of God. Verse 3 says,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
God. Not blessed because of anything
in them, but blessed of God according to His eternal will and purpose,
that He purposed in Himself. Blessed are the poor in spirit,
those that know something about their spiritual poverty. Those that have been taught something
of man's ruin in Adam and his total inability and depravity
to pay a debt that he incurred himself by his own rebellion
against God Almighty. Blessed are those that are poor
in spirit, not those that are poor monetarily or poor in land
or blessed are those that know that salvation is in no other
than the Lord Jesus Christ. No other hope. Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Spiritual paupers Nobody's. According to this world, those
that are the scourge of this world, those that have absolutely nothing
in themselves, chosen in Him, debt paid by Him, those that
think themselves to be rich in ability, rich according to their
will, Rich spiritually. Those that think themselves able. Poor in spirit. What do they have? What do they
have? I think about old brother Scott.
Empty handed sinners. Empty. Nothing. Those that think
themselves to be rich are actually wretched, miserable, poor, blind,
naked. Psalm 34, 18 says, The Lord is
nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be
of a contrite spirit. I had to look up contrite. A
contrite spirit. What is that? Crushed. Crushed to powder. The Lord is near those that are
of a crushed spirit. What do I have to give Him? I don't have anything. Verse 4 just continues, verse
3, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. When we see something of our
poverty, blessed are the poor, when we see something of our
spiritual poverty, we mourn. We mourn over indwelling sin. Let me ask you this. Do you ever
find yourself Just grieving, grieving over what you are. Just times that you find yourself
just wondering, do I just stay in a spirit, a state of depression? Spiritual grieving is profitable.
for by it the Lord continually draws His people to Himself and
shows them that He is their only comfort, their only need. It amazes me. No, it doesn't
amaze me. I understand it. This world sets
forth a state that They say man is
supposed to be in there. He's always supposed to be on
the mountaintop. Always supposed to be. Hallelujah. Always, you
know. And it just has been manifested
to me that I see God's people, as old Ralph Barnard said, I
told you this before, God's people are somewhere between a state
of absolute despair and total ecstasy. And they're somewhere
in there, They're grieving and they're rejoicing and they're
just struggling. But here's the promise to those
that mourn. They shall be comforted. God's people, they come. They
come and they know where they're going to find some comfort. They're
going to find some comfort where Christ is honored. where Christ
is exalted, where Almighty God is set forth in His absolute
sovereignty. And they'll hear the glorious
gospel of God's grace. They'll hear of His mercy and
compassion. I was listening this morning
to a faithful preacher. I have a CD popped in now. He was talking about when David
and sinned against God and dishonored God. He took Bathsheba and killed
her husband. David heard the prophet Nathan
come to him. Nathan told him a little story
about a lamb and made David mad because when he heard the illustration,
he was going to be real macho. And Nathan said, Thou art the
man. You are the man. And oh, how
it just cut David exposed. And Nathan said, The Lord has
forgiven you. Before Almighty God, for the
sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, David who rebelled against God
was one of God's own. And it cut him to the core. And
the sword never left his house. He suffered the very thought and remembrance
of what he had done. Grieved him. But here was the
comfort. The Lord put away your guilt. Loved in Christ. Almighty God,
for Christ's sake, had looked upon David everlastingly in favor. Loved Him. Does God have a right
to do that? Thanks be unto God. Yes, He does.
And thanks be unto God that He would show mercy to me. Blessed
are those that mourn. They shall be comforted. David said in Psalm 119.50, This is my comfort in my affliction,
for Thy Word hath quickened me. You come this morning and you
want some comfort? You want some peace? This is
what the Lord sends His preachers to do. Comfort you, my people. I know how you feel. I know what
goes on in your heart. I feel that too. That's what
you want to hear. Tell me again how He's put away
my guilt. Tell me how He's forgiven me. Because I'm telling you,
I'm not hiding anything from Him. I know that. He knows what's
going on. That Word, that Word that comforts
me in my affliction, that quickens me, that Word of His sovereignty
and His mercy and His grace and His compassion. Tell me that
one more time. Verse 5, Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth meekness,
patience in adversity, patience in the reception of
injury with a spirit that submits to God's will. I know this. I read in the Scriptures, He
works all things after the counsel of His own will. He moves all things according
to His eternal purpose and goodwill and compassion and mercy for
His people. Why do things that the world
considers? And as a spirit in me, remember
that's of the world. So when I'm talking about the
world, I ain't talking about them out there. I'm talking about
this old wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death when things are providentially
sent my way that war against my new man? Those things that strive within
me and I find myself murmuring, complaining against Almighty
God, think how wonderful it is that He would send these blessings,
these chastisements to those that He loves to cause them to
cast themselves upon Him afresh. I think back and I realize I
have been made see just how frail this life really is. You view the end of this life
and realize this life could be over so quickly. And oh, how
it causes me to again cast myself upon Him. Blessed are the meek. Lord willing, in a few minutes,
I'm going to speak out of Matthew 11, but I want you to turn to
Matthew 11. Look at one verse, verse 29. Take my yoke upon you,
Matthew 11, 29, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart. He, the Word that was made flesh,
He learned obedience in the things that he suffered. He learned
it. You know what that means? He
experienced it. He actually experienced what
we have to experience. He actually experienced obedience. As God Almighty, he never learned
anything. But as the Man, the Son of Man,
the God-Man, the Mediator, made in the likeness of sinful flesh,
He walked in absolute obedience before God Almighty and experienced."
That's meekness. That's where meekness is learned. Take my yoke upon you and learn. by experience. Oh, this thing of meekness, that
heart of patience and adversity, that's not something that's natural
to us. We learn it. We learn it. And these trials
and tribulations that we go through and these things that we suffer,
Walter Grover told Betty one time, he said, I wish I could
go through this life and learn all these things without having
to go through them. Betty said, Walter, that's not the way it
is. That's not the way it goes. We learn them. David said, it's
good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Blessed are the meek. Blessed
are those that learn submissiveness. Oh, that is a glorious treasure. Let me read 1 Peter 3, 1-4. Likewise, you wives, be in subjection
to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also
may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.
While they behold your chaste conversation, ruffled with fear,
coupled with fear and respect before God, whose adorning, let
it not be that outward adorning of plaiting of the hair and wearing
of gold or putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man
of the heart, that which is not corruptible, even the ornament
of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is a great
price." That meek, quieted, content heart
that seeks not after those things that are fated, but that which
seeks after the honor and glory of Almighty God. They're going
to inherit the earth. Not this earth we're looking
at, but the new earth. That place in which Almighty
God is going to make all things new, those are the heirs of God made
to bow to Him. Verse 6, Blessed are they which
do hunger and thirst after righteousness. They shall be filled. You know,
a hunger or a thirst for that which is fading in this
world, you know it's not going to last. Everything that you might think
that is going to be substantial in this life, look how quickly
it changes. Look how quickly stuff goes down
in value. Look how quickly stuff rots,
changes. A hunger and a thirst for a righteousness
that is no more than filthy rags. That's never going to suffice. But righteousness that is wrought
by the Lord, our righteousness, that which is holy and perfect,
that obedience to possess a hunger. And you know, when I read that,
blessed are they that hunger, Sometimes I'll come home and
Glendale will say, are you hungry yet? Are you hungry for supper?
And it's maybe like quarter to five or 5.15 or something. And I'm trying to think. Well, I mean, I can eat. I mean,
what have we got? What's for supper? Well, I've
got so-and-so. Okay, I will, yeah. I'm not hungry. I'm not hungry. I'm talking about a man that's
hungry. It's a man that just from the
innermost part of his being, he's shaking. He's so hungry,
he's nervous. He just, he can't even control
himself. He's so thirsty. He just feels
as though he's hallucinating, just dreaming. There's nothing
else that I need. I've got to have something to
eat. That man's hungry. Now, he's hungry. One that feels
as though if I don't get something into me that will give me some
sustenance to settle this quivering. I'm talking about a man that's
hungry. And you find a man or a woman
that's really hungry. Truly, blessed are they which
do hunger and thirst after righteousness. Do you realize what it takes
for a man or a woman to really be hungry and thirsty for righteousness? The world doesn't know anything
about that. Those that are hungry and thirsty for God Almighty's
pleasure. This is my beloved Son in whom
I'm well pleased. Hear Him. He's the righteous
one. Oh, to find myself hungry and
thirsting after righteousness. May God Almighty make me hungry. I just cannot drum that up. I just... Let me make myself hungry. Boy, you find a man or a woman
that truly they're hungry. They're hungry after God's honor
and God's praise and God's glory. And nothing else matters. Paul
said, oh, out of the junk, just dung. And I just, no, don't!
Oh, God, keep me from hungering after my own righteousness, hungering
after the things of this world, the cares of this life. What's
that? I know better. May God keep me
from it. Because I know what will happen
if He doesn't. Blessed are those hunger and
thirst, they shall be filled. Oh, I think about that scripture
that says, Open your mouth wide and I'll fill it. I don't even
have the ability to open up my mouth. I have no ability to even
desire. Lord, unless you open my mouth,
give me a heart to hunger and thirst after you. I'm going to
be the most disrespectful and disobedient person this world
has ever seen. Verse 7, Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy. You know, being merciful is truly
an attribute that exhibits compassion toward others, to help those
that are afflicted. That's mercy. That's kindness. but man's greatest affliction."
To help those that are afflicted. Man's greatest affliction. What is that? You know what it
is. It's his soul. Men are dead in trespasses and
sins. And there was one that the Scripture
sets forth, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was afflicted for the afflicted. He who made himself of no reputation. He who was made sin. He who was afflicted. Afflicted
by God Almighty. And this is what the mercy for.
I mean, I give somebody, you know, people stop by here, you
know, and they'll, and it's always, I mean, it's the longest stories
I've ever heard in my life. how many parts on their car broke
and how many, you know, just and how far they got to go and
all this kind of stuff. And, and I am so, I just hate
to say it, but you and you're like this too. You just, you
know, you think, okay, look, just what do you want? Isn't that sad? But that's, that's
the way we are by nature. It's just, you know, but to find
one that is made merciful. And may God Almighty make me
to be so for Christ's sake. To find one that is merciful,
they are going to direct me into Christ. There is hope for the
afflicted. Blessed are the merciful. Those that are merciful for Christ's
sake, I know that God's got a people He's going to save. I know that
the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. I know that the
Lord Jesus Christ, the surety, has paid the debt owed to God's
law. There's hope only in Him. Blessed
are the merciful. They shall obtain mercy. Verse 8, blessed are the pure
in heart. for they shall see God. Blessed are the clean in
mind. Blessed are those that are clean,
pure, holy. That right there is the characteristic
of the one that has been regenerated by the grace of God and is accepted
in the Beloved, a pure in heart, Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy
place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not
lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, he shall
receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the
God of his salvation. I know that man, as he was born
in Adam, was born with a wicked heart. I know that. But to possess a pure heart,
one that has been given by grace, that man, that woman that has
been cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, that life
that is given in mercy and compassion, of the pure in heart. They didn't
make themselves pure. Salvation, all of grace, known
by faith through faith in Christ. These are peculiar people. That's
what the Scripture says. Our peculiar people. Shut up
as a special treasure to Him. That's what peculiar means. as
a special treasure to Him. Pure in heart. They don't make
any claim. I didn't make this. I didn't produce this. And when
I look within, what I see is dark and wild. But I need Him. Could it be that God has shown
mercy to me? Could it be that because I realize
something of my desperate need of Christ that I'll call upon
Him? Could it be because by the grace
of God that I don't look to anything that I've done to merit me before
God? Could it be that God has shown
mercy to me? Paul says, by the grace of God,
I am what I am. And those that are pure in heart,
the Scripture says, they shall see God. Job said, I know that my Redeemer
liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth,
and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh shall I see God, who I shall see for myself, and mine eyes
shall behold and not Not another. Not a stranger. Not a substitute. I'm going to see Him. Though
my reins be consumed within me. I've always wondered about that
last part. Though my reins be consumed within me. Here's what
it means. For this my soul pants after.
For this my soul pants after. I'm going to see God. There's
a nature in me An old nature in me. As Brother Scott said,
it was created to live forever. And it was. And there's a part
of me that doesn't want to leave. That doesn't want to leave this
world. And anytime something I think goes wrong, I'm going
to go to the doctor. I'll tell you what I'm going
to do. I'm going to go to the doctor. If I don't feel good, I'm going
to try to see if I can find me some medicine. I'm going to try
to do something. There's a part of me that doesn't want to leave.
And there's a part of me that anxiously anticipates seeing
Him. It's just the thought that Job said under divine inspiration,
I'm going to see for myself. My eyes shall behold. To look
upon Him, the glorious Savior of His people. The glorious Lord
Jesus Christ. There's a struggle right there,
isn't there? Verse 9, blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God. It doesn't say blessed are they
that have made their peace with God. That's not what's being
said. Blessed are the peacemakers,
you know. It didn't say blessed are the peace producers, but
the peacemakers. Now there's a word right there
that will confuse you if you don't know what it means. It
means peaceable. Blessed are the peaceable. Blessed
are the peace-lovers. I know this according to His
Word. We have peace. We preach peace. We follow after peace. And it's
granted to us. But only one made peace. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
and by the blood of His cross, peace is only found where sin
has been punished and where holiness truly exists. And that is only
in Christ. Peacemakers, peace-lovers, the
peaceable, they are ruled by the Prince of Peace. And those
that are peaceable, they strive to live peaceably with all men
through the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Blessed are
the peacemakers. They shall be called the children
of God. And in closing, I'm just going
to read verses 10 to 12. Make a comment. Blessed are they
which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall
revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you." Those that are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for Christ's sake, those who are kept by grace
and power, those are they that set forth That's going to be and see and
behold and rejoice in Almighty God. You know, a stony ground
here is going to wither under the pressure, the persecution for the gospel. But not those regenerated by
the grace of God. They're kept. Persecuted. Laughed at. Ridiculed. But to understand the very heart
of this persecution, blessed are they which are persecuted. To understand the heart of that,
listen to the words of our Lord. If the world hates you, you know
that it hated me before it hated you. Now, you know, nobody's
hated for being a good citizen. Nobody is hated for being a faithful
husband, faithful wife. Nobody is hated for being honorable
in the workplace. But what men are persecuted and
hated for is for the declaration and the assertion, the setting
forth. that salvation is all of grace
through faith in Christ alone. You preach the truth that man's
righteousness is done. You tell man or a woman that
their efforts or their self-righteous works or their Acts of religious
rhetoric. You tell them that that's a stench
in the nostrils of Almighty God. That everything that they've
ever done is going to be burned up. And they'll hate you for
that. They will despise you. Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. They,
theirs, I'm sorry, is the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord set forth those that
are blessed of God, chosen in Christ, predestinated, kept. And there's the manifestation
of that. And you ask any one of them, do you see any of those
things in yourself? So no, to be honest with you,
I don't. All I see within me is dark and wild. But to find myself clinging, longing, hoping, seeking,
praying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. That's the greatest
cry that you'll ever have from a man or a woman. May the Lord
bless these words to our heart for Christ's sake. Amen.