May it please God to bless us
together this morning as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
book of Psalms and the Psalm of Asaph, Psalm 73, and we'll
read verse 25. Psalm 73 and reading verse 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth
that I desire beside Thee. It's very wonderful how descriptive
the Psalms are. Of course we know that most of
them are written by David but there were some written by Asaph
and of course one by Moses. And this particular one is written
by Asaph. And really it describes his personal
experience, his spiritual experience, and it's good therefore that
we have an account like this to encourage us, because sometimes
we may think we're a very strange character, we're a very odd person. Surely we can't really be a true
Christian with a testimony, with an experience like this. So therefore we should be thankful
that God in his great mercy has recorded such accounts so that
you and I might be encouraged in our lives to believe that
we are a true believer, although sometimes we may doubt it because
of the evil and unbelief which we find in our own hearts. And Asaph commences this 73rd
Psalm with a very positive statement. And he says, truly God is good
to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart. Well, I'm sure
we can appreciate the truth of that word. But then he immediately
refers to himself. He said, as for me, my feet were
almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped. You may think, well, is this
really the testimony of a believer? Well, quite clearly it is, otherwise
it wouldn't be recorded in the Word of God. And so he then explains
a little bit about the situation. And he tells us, for I was envious
at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Now we'd be a very bold person
to say that we never have had thoughts like that, that such
considerations have never come into our mind. Because I'm sure
there are those times when we have perhaps been envious about
what people possess, perhaps about what people are able to
do, and perhaps what they say. And so such a statement I'm sure
is true. And he goes on to say, for there
are no bans in their death, but their strength is firm. That
really means they have no fears, they're totally confident, in
their life and they no doubt believe that when they die that's
the end of everything and therefore they have no concern but of course
they have a terrible shock awaiting them when they breathe their
last breath and to realize they are outside of the blessing of
God. And he says they are not in trouble
as other men, neither are they plagued like other men." Well,
we do find that the Church of God has troubles. We're not free from them. Man
is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. Indeed, such words
are very true. And therefore, If we look around
and think, well, they have a very easy life. They have a time when
no trouble, no problems. Well, we must never forget the
words of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, it is
through much tribulation that we must enter the kingdom. He
doesn't leave it there. He says, but be of good joy,
because I have overcome the world. So let us never be discouraged.
Because we find there are difficulties and there are troubles that we
have to endure, that we have to pass through while we are
walking in this world. Never think therefore that our
life will be just a plain easy sailing. The Word of God doesn't
encourage us in such a view at all. We only have to read the
Word of God and we will find the Church of God have many troubles
and many perplexities. What they find is there is a
good end to their life and there is a blessed eternity to look
forward to. And so here we have a little
testimony of Asaph. Their eyes stand out with fatness.
They have more than a heart could wish. They are corrupt. They
speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set
their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through
the earth. Well, very evident today, isn't
it, as you and I go about in the world and we see how the
ungodly operate and have no fear of God and they speak such evil
and wicked things which will, I'm sure if we are a true believer,
make us tremble at the wrong and evil things they say against
the true God. And therefore his people returned
hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out of them. And
they say, how does God know? Well, they don't believe in a
God anyway. And is their knowledge in the
Most High? And then Asa tells us about them. Behold, these are the ungodly,
who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. Well, the
Lord may prosper us naturally, but we must recognise and know
that these things are not our rest and not our home, but we
are seeking one to come. He goes on to say, verily I've
cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency,
for all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. So he gives a little indication
again of the difficulty that he found naturally in his life
and also in his spiritual life, because we are plagued sometimes
in our heart, sometimes plagued with the evil heart of unbelief,
which we should never think is something which God's people
never enter into, because the devil is a great deceiver, And
his great plan is to deceive the Church of God, as he did
in the beginning with Adam and Eve, and he hasn't changed his
plan. He still endeavours to deceive.
He still endeavours to bring into people's hearts that evil
heart of unbelief. If I say I will speak thus, behold,
I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought
to know this, It was too painful for me. It was painful for him
to realise all these things. But then he comes to that position
and his view is changed. He tells us, this occurred until
I went into the Sanctuary of God. understood I their end. And it is good therefore when
sometimes we may be sad and desolate and plagued through a week of
time and then we come and we go to the house of God. We meet with the people of God.
We hear the word of God preached and it puts such a different
emphasis on everything as a bright light shines into our heart. It's then we realise the difference
which God has brought about in our heart, so that we should
not be concerned and worried about all the things that the
world look to and rejoice in, but to be thankful for the great
things of God And then it is, you see, that the Lord shows
us, as he did Asaph, when he went into the temple on the Lord's
day to worship. And when he came there, then
he understood the position. Then he understood the difference
between the children of God and the ungodly, between the believers
and the unbelievers. Then he understood the pattern
of their life. Then he understood what the Lord
had determined, what the Lord had done, and what the Lord was
doing. And what did it do? It put things
in a right perspective. Well, bless God today, if God does put things in a right
perspective in our hearts. What a mercy that is, because
it is the evidence that God is graciously dealing with us. He hasn't cast us off, He hasn't
left us, but He's dealing with our souls in love, in love to
our souls. And it is because of His love
we're led in this way to appreciate in some measure about the life
of the ungodly. These are the ungodly. and to
realise that by the mercy and the grace of God, there has been
brought about that wonderful change in our lives, so that
we now have a desire to seek after godly things, not ungodly
things. We now have a desire to seek
after the blessings that Christ brings, and not the poor things
that the devil brings. There's a vast, enormous difference. And the difference really, we
might use an illustration, is between time and eternity. There's
no comparison. Neither is there. And so here
we have Asaph telling us, until I went into the sanctuary of
God, then understood I their end. Well what a blessing today,
if God in his mercy has shown us the difference, so that we
do understand the truth of God. It is through His Spirit. Otherwise
we continue and be envious of the wicked, and envious of the
things of the world, and wish we had this, and wish we could
do that, and wish our life wasn't so constrained. But when we see
their end, the end of the ungodly, what a mercy it is when these
things therefore take a different view and we have then a different
understanding and bless God for us. Surely thou did set them in slippery
places thou castest them down into destruction. How are they
brought into desolation as in a moment they're utterly Consumed
with terrors, as a dream when one awaketh. So, O Lord, when
thou wakest, thou should despise their image. Thus my heart was
grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I and
ignorant. I was as a beast before thee."
It's a good thing, isn't it, when God shows us what we really
are by nature. We're not a very lovely person.
We're not a very gracious person by nature. and Asaph recognized
it and he says, so foolish was I. It's a blessing to know that
you and I have been foolish. We are fools by nature and we
stay in that place until the glorious light of the gospel
shines into our heart and reveals to us what we are by nature,
what we've been doing, ignoring perhaps truth of God, the word
of God, following the things of this vain world, being occupied
unnecessarily with the things of time, trying to find happiness
in those things which are not convenient. Well, bless God then,
if the light has shone into our hearts and then we realise that
we've been foolish and we've been as a beast before God. Well then, again, there's a change. And Asaph tells us then, nevertheless,
nevertheless, considering all that, nevertheless, he tells
us some beautiful words. I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right
hand. What's he really telling us here?
Telling us what Peter tells us. Kept by the power of God, through
grace, under salvation, ready to be revealed in the last times. Nevertheless, I am continually
with thee. The church of God are with God. He never leaves us, nor forsakes
us. We may sometimes not feel his
presence, But His presence is with us and we can bless God
for the truth of God which tells us and encourages us to know
that He will never leave us nor forsake us. May we therefore
boldly say, the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can
do unto me. What a blessing that is to know
that. Far off as we may feel, low as
we may feel, as strange as we may feel, and yet the truth is
God is still with us. You see, we may not feel that
which we want to feel, we may feel afar off, but you see it
doesn't change the truth of God's Word. The devil wants to blank
out our minds, blank out the truth of God, so that if he could,
he would bring us to a condition of despair. We would give up
our religion, we would give up the work of God, but bless God,
that can never happen, because those for whom he has loved,
He ever loves those who He has redeemed. He doesn't cast off. And so may we be encouraged today
and strengthened in our soul, strengthened in
our faith to believe He that has begun a good work will continue
it. It's a mercy, isn't it? We have a God. who changes not. I am the Lord, I change not.
Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. We may change,
God changes not. Bless God for that. May it be
a strength and a support to us to realise these words today.
Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. What a truth, what
a blessing that is to know we are with God and the Goddess.
held us up with his right hand. And then he goes on to encourage
us, thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive
me to glory. There's no greater blessing than
that, is there, to realise. Thou shalt guide me. To know
that God today is guiding us by his counsel. We may not always
appreciate it, we may not always realise it, but nonetheless it
is true. Thou shalt guide me with thy
counsel. The counsel of God is true, and
then to think that we shall afterward be received to glory. Surely
that is the end of our faith, the end of our life, to be received
into glory. We may be reminded of those words
that the Lord spoke in the upper room to his disciples when he
said, let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. You believe
in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions. many mansions, many mansions. He goes on to tell us the wonder
of those things. He says, many mansions and if
I go and to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you unto myself, receive you unto myself just like these words
here and afterward receive me to glory receive you unto myself
that where i am there ye may be also well that really is heaven
isn't it to be where the savior is and
so we have these words then as the Asaph tells us in this 25th
verse, whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon
earth that I desire beside thee. We see Asaph's faith now strengthened. We see him looking forward with
that good hope and belief that the Lord is with him and the
Lord will be with him. And he was indeed therefore anticipating
the time to come when he would be found in glory. Whom have
I in heaven but thee? How often people today have a
wrong view of what heaven is. They just imagine it to be some
wonderful natural situation. and they think of all the natural
things that they perhaps want to do and enjoy doing. And yet you see, if you and I
sit down and carefully analyse these things, we will find that
in the many things that we do, there is disappointment in them. There is not true satisfaction
in them. There is not lasting happiness
in them. And therefore they are all fading,
and usually there is something in them which just spoils the
complete enjoyment. We may try and pretend that we're
totally happy and enjoying everything, but if we're really honest, we
have to conclude, well, it didn't quite come up to our expectations. It didn't quite fulfil what we
thought it would. And therefore there is an amount
of disappointment. Well, be sure of this, in heaven
there will be no disappointment. In heaven there will be no sorrow. There won't be anything lacking.
It'll be perfect harmony and perfect joy and perfect bliss
forever. What a difference then between
heaven and the things of time. And so, as Asaph is able to say,
whom have I in heaven but thee? He wasn't looking for everyone
else to be there. He wasn't expecting to see this
one and that one. It was the Saviour that he expected
to see. Whom have I in heaven but thee? What a mercy it is if you and
I have a right view of heaven. You know we don't have very much
information or description really about what it will be like in
heaven. We just get one or two little
glimpses in the book of the Revelation when the Apostle John was on
the isle of Patmos and he had a little view and he tells us
in the seventh chapter a little of what the position was and
he says, after this I beheld and lo a great multitude which
no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues
stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes
and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying,
salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the
Lamb. What was it? What would it be? Praise the Saviour for His great
and glorious salvation. And we have this picture of the
Lamb. Jesus Christ is so often referred
to as the Lamb. John the Baptist referred to
him as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. A Lamb was that which was typical,
which was instituted for the Passover. There was the Lamb
slain, the blood spilled. The blood put on the doorposts
and the lintels as a place of safety. And today there is only
that same place of safety as we are found under the blood. Well here we have then this little
picture. He cried with a loud voice, saying
salvation to our God. which sit is upon the throne
and unto the lamb. And all the angels stood round
about the throne and about the elders and the four beasts and
fell before the throne on their faces and worship God saying,
Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. Well, what is it? Surely
the song of the redeemed people of God, because we have much
cause if we are God's children to thank him for his blessing
and favor to us today. But that won't be a theme which
will cease. It'll be a theme of the redeemed
throughout eternity, for he is worthy to receive our praise
and thanksgiving. And we're told, one of the elders,
sorry, he asked, and one of the elders answers saying unto me,
what are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came
they? And he said, sir, thou knowest.
And he said, these are they which came out of great tribulation
and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb. A description, a very succinct
description of the Church of God. He tells us, therefore are
they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in
the temple. And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more, neither thirst
any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed
them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and
God shall wipe away all tears." Well, we should be thankful that
we have a little description like that which describes to
us something of the truth of what heaven will be like to the
true church of God. And in the 14th chapter of this
same book we're told John said, I looked and lo and Lamb stood
on the Mount Zion and with him and 140 and 4,000 having his
father's name written in their foreheads and I heard a voice
from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a
great thunder and I heard the voice of harpers harping with
their harps and they sung as it were a new song before the
throne and before the four beasts and the elders and no man could
learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which
were redeemed from the earth these are they which were not
defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which
follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed
from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb."
Well, what a mercy if we are amongst those, like Asaph, who
says, whom have I in heaven but thee? I'll be looking forward
to that day when, by His grace, and He is by grace alone, we
shall be found in glory. Is that what you and I are looking
forward to? Looking forward to that inheritance
which is incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved
in heaven for you or kept by the power of God through grace
under salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. What a blessed
consideration that is to an inheritance and all of God's people have
an inheritance. An inheritance is something of
course which we have not worked for It's something we receive
from someone who has died, someone who is deceased, and we receive
inheritance from them. It's not something that we were
worthy of, not something we could guarantee, something which was
given to us. And it's exactly the same with
regard to the blessing of the grace of God and that wonderful
inheritance which is reserved for the Church of God. And so
we should be very, very thankful for that condition and that situation. When the Apostle Paul wrote to
Titus, he spoke to him in the second chapter and from verse
12, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts
We should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world,
looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise the world."
The Apostle Paul, as we know, was caught up into the third
heaven to see things which he wasn't allowed to testify of. but we can understand that he
had a little view of the glory prepared for the Church of God,
for those whom God has loved with everlasting love, and therefore
those who love God. If God does not love us, and
if we do not love God, we won't want to be in heaven. How important
it is then to know that God has loved us, and that with an everlasting
love. You see, it's not something which
disintegrates, it's not something which fails, it's not something
which ceases, it is an everlasting love. And therefore, with loving
kindness, he's drawn us to himself. It's a wonderful expression,
I think, to be drawn to the Lord. Because of our sinful nature,
we are drawn to the things of the world. And the devil is very
active in trying to draw us away from the things of God. He's
always ready to make excuses why we should not go to the sanctuary. why we should not worship God. He brings many things before
us and tries to justify our absence from the preaching of the Gospel,
tries to justify our absence from hearing the Word of God. And we are so foolish and we
are so sinful that we listen to his words. and ignore the
truth of God, to realize the wonderful blessing it is to join
together with the saints of God, to hear the truth of God, because
there we receive food for our souls. There we receive that
blessing which the Lord has spoken to us. And as we know, when the
apostle wrote to the Corinthians, He told them the truth of these
things, about the preaching of the Word of God. And he says,
and Christ sent me not to baptise, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made
of none effect is here, you see, by the grace of God that we view
the cross. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved,
it is the power of God. Oh, how important it is. And
it's through the fullness of the preaching that we receive
and hear of the cross of Christ. The Apostle goes on to tell us
For after that, in the wisdom of God, the word by wisdom knew
not God. It pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require
a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ
crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness,
but unto them which are called Bless God if you and I are called.
The Apostle Paul was called. All the saints of God are called.
Both Jews and Greeks. Christ, the power of God and
the wisdom of God. What a blessing it is then to
know Christ and Him crucified. Because that's who will be in
glory. The blessed, crucified Saviour. there in his resurrected body,
there with the resurrected Church of God, to spend eternity in
praising and blessing him in perfect harmony. Perfect harmony
in this world. There is really not perfect harmony. You know, there's always some
little thing to disturb harmony. But in heaven there will be perfect
harmony because there will be nothing to disturb it. Do you
know why? There will be no sin. No sin. It's sin which disturbs
harmony. It's pride which disturbs harmony. Oh bless God then to realise
that there will be no thing to disturb our harmony. Asa tells
us, whom have I in heaven but thee? Well, my friends, may you
and I have a right view of these things and be able to praise
God that we are looking forward to that time we shall be, as
again, Paul tells us, to be with Christ, which is far better. Now that is a very dividing statement,
really. to be with Christ, which is far
better. It's very simple to understand,
isn't it? It's very clear, but it's only as God gives us grace
and desire after heavenly things, after true felicity and glory. We should understand that otherwise
we'll find it very hard to say. We may find it impossible to
say. We might find the things of this
world are a great pull. They drag us down. But to realise
the truth of the words and let us realise the Word of God is
true. For me to live is Christ. And to die is gain. Yes, to die is gain. For me to
live is Christ, that's really what the ASAP's going on to tell
us here. There is none upon earth that
I desire beside thee. None upon earth that I desire
beside thee. Who is he with on the earth? Christ, with us, walking with
us, going with us, strengthening us, supporting us. What a mercy it is to realise
we have such a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is none upon
earth that I desire beside Thee. It's a very great statement. It's a very important statement. It's a very testing statement
in our religion, especially today, in the material world in which
we live, with so many things to attract us away from the things
of God. Not surprising, is it, that we
read about that church of Laodicea and the Revelation The Word of God describes it.
They were lukewarm. Lukewarm. For the most part today,
the Church of God are lukewarm. They're not wholly taken up with
the things of God. You may say, of course, I've
got to live my life. Of course we have. We must live our life. We have to work. We know we have
to work. But the great thing is, as we
are told, being let go, they went to their own company. When
you and I have freedom to do something, who do we go to? The Church of God? Or our rich neighbours? Or our
worldly friends? that we go to the Church of God. Are they our own company? Well,
bless God if they are our own company because we see in them
Christ. And when we meet with them, we
speak of Christ. We speak of when it's done. to redeem sinful men. We talk about the great and glorious
plan of salvation. We speak about the glorious prospect
which is set before the Church of God of eternal happiness. We speak about what God has done
for our own souls. We speak about that time of the
new birth. We speak about his work of quickening. As we read in you, hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and in sins. It's not something to
cover up, it's not something to hide, it's something to declare. Because what does it do? It must
lead us to Christ, because it's his work. And if it were not
for the finished work of the Saviour, we would not have a
new birth. We would not know the blessing
of the light shining into our hearts. So there's much, is there
not, to speak about of the things of God when we meet together
and we go and meet with the Church of God. Those are the people
we love to be with. and the true church of God, a
very mixed company. They're different people, they
come from different situations, they have different jobs, and
they might be very clever naturally, they might be very ignorant naturally,
but they have that common bond, which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory. And that's what is attractive. And that's what is more attractive
than the poor things of time. There is none upon earth that
I desire beside thee. Nobody else that you and I desire
to hear about and to speak about. Well, my friends, you may say,
well, of course, I'm not often there. Do you desire to be there? Do you want to be there? Or are you satisfied with the world? Well, don't forget the truth
of God's word which encourages us to come out from among them
and be separate and touch not the unclean thing naturally we
touch the unclean thing But bless God, He gives us a desire to
come out, to be found living, united to the Church of God,
enjoying fellowship with them. The reality is, when God comes
and blesses the Church of God together with spiritual conversation,
our hearts rejoice and we go on our way rejoicing. We don't
go on our way then regretting what we've seen and done. There
may be many things in our life which we have done and regretted
doing. But you won't regret speaking
about the things of God. You won't regret rejoicing in
the work of the Saviour. You'll never regret thinking
on those things. which bring with them eternal
blessings. And so this morning here we have
these wonderful words really, recorded by Asaph, whom have
I in heaven but thee? There is none upon earth I desire
beside thee. He goes on then to tell, my flesh
and my heart faileth. Well, that may be so, but God
is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. True words, blessed words. And may we know that God is our
portion forever. For lo, they that are far from
thee shall perish. Thou hast destroyed all them
that go hoaring from them. But, as I said earlier, it is
good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord
God, that I may declare all thy works. Well, the gospel is for
sinners. Sinners can say, and none but
they how precious is the Saviour. But bless God today, that you
may feel an unworthy sinner to realise that the Lord is a great
saviour who overcomes all our sin and has given his life in
order that you and I might receive life. He shed his precious blood
so that all our sins are forever washed away and we are complete
in him. Well, let us bless God today. for the 73rd Psalm, for the truth
that Asaph was able to record by the Spirit of God, for our
encouragement and our instruction, and to pray that you and I may
be able to concur with this great statement, who have I in heaven
but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire Beside thee,
Amen.