The tune is Beachley, 585. What a precious, needful thing
is the Lord and Saviour. Zion shall His mercy see, now
henceforth and ever. In Him a rich fullness dwells
and is freely given. Law and conscience Jesus quells,
Crooked things makes even. Hymn 574, tune Beachley 585. A precious little thing. is the Lord and Saviour, so you
shall get the sweet thing that ends both together. Give him a grateful express,
When he's weary, give him rest, Knowing God's precious rest. God help me to achieve the goal. Mercy from His bosom flows, free
and sending river. Spirit rested on the earth, Now are we living in the sanity
of rapture's pill Now that I've been redeemed, We have heard
the Lord His prayer, From His King who made us all. Visit the house I know, where
we gave our birth. And in their tree, where it doth
store, As to die a pilgrim. ? And we give to every youth ?
? Who has such a savior ? ? Every person we have need ? ? Well
take me in ? Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Psalms, reading Psalms 8 and 9. Psalms 8 and 9. O Lord, our Lord, How excellent
is thy name in all the earth, who hath set thy glory above
the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I
consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man? that thou art mindful
of him, and the Son of Man that thou visitest him. For thou hast
made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned
him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion
over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under
his feet, all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field,
the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea. and whatsoever
passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how
excellent is thy name in all the earth. I will praise thee,
O Lord, with my whole heart. I will show forth all thy marvellous
works. I will be glad and rejoice in
thee. I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high. When mine enemies are turned
back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast
maintained my right and my cause. Thou sattest in the throne judging
right. Thou hast rebuked the heathen.
Thou hast destroyed the wicked. Thou hast put out their name
forever and ever. O thou enemy, Destructions are
come to a perpetual end, and thou hast destroyed cities, their
memorial is perished with them. But the Lord shall endure forever.
He has prepared his throne for judgment, and he shall judge
the world in righteousness. He shall minister judgment to
the people in uprightness. The Lord also will be a refuge
for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that
know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord,
hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the Lord,
which dwelleth in Zion. Declare among the people his
doings. When he maketh inquisition for
blood, he remembereth them. He forgeteth not the cry of the
humble, Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer
of them that hate me. Thou that liftest me up from
the gates of death, that I may show forth all thy praise in
the gates of the daughter of Zion, I will rejoice in thy salvation. The heathen are sunk down in
the pit that they made, in the net which they hid is their own
foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment
which he executed. The wicked is snared in the work
of his own hands. Higeon, Selah. The wicked shall be turned into
hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall
not always be forgotten, The expectation of the poor shall
not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail,
let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear,
O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. May the Lord bless the
reading of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, we bow before thy glorious and
sovereign majesty. Thou art the creator of the heavens
and the earth. Thus saith the high and lofty
one that inhabited eternity, whose name is Holy. And Lord,
we are solemnly aware as we bow before Thee that we are unholy,
unrighteous altogether. Thy word declares unto us concerning
man, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. And so Lord, we come in confession. We cannot come, Lord, unto Thee
in our own name, All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. We are all
as an unclean thing. But we do thank Thee that that
wonderful provision has been made in Thine only begotten Son
that was manifest in the flesh and that lived here as a man
upon earth and fulfilled that holy righteous law that we have
broken. He has magnified that law and
made it honourable. We do desire, O Lord, a heart
of gratitude for that wonderful glory of the incarnation of the
Son of God and the fulfilling of the holy law of God in that
holy God-man. We thank thee that in that fulfilling
of the law, that perfect obedience of Jesus Christ, everlasting
righteousness has been brought in. Oh, we do desire the heart
of gratitude of thanksgiving for that glorious everlasting
robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is, O Lord,
our home for eternity to be clothed upon, to cover our nakedness,
our emptiness, our poverty. We thank thee for that sacred,
sin-atoning sacrifice of Calvary, where the Lamb was slain, where
sin was put away, where divine justice was satisfied, the precious
blood of the Lamb. O most gracious Lord, fill our
hearts with gratitude, a door of hope is open wide in Jesus'
bleeding hands and side. Lord, be gracious unto us, and
come and reveal thyself unto us here. We thank thee that he
died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, and is
now bodily ascended into heaven. And as we stand before thee now,
tis he instead of me is seen when I approach to God. All we
do thank thee. for that all-prevailing plea
of our precious Redeemer. And that, Lord, we do pray that
thou wouldst guide and direct us in the right way. We read in Scripture, and he
led them forth by the right way unto a city of habitation. Deliver
us from every wrong way, every sinful way, every corrupt way,
and lead us in the way everlasting. We do humbly Beseech thee, let
thy hand, O Lord, be upon the man of thy right hand, the Son
of Man, whom thou madest strong for thyself, that glorious high
priest sitting at the right hand of the Father. Oh, we pray. Look upon the face of thine anointed,
O Lord, we do beseech thee. Come and show us thy ways and
teach us thy paths and continually lead us unto Jesus Christ. But
we pray, as we gather round thy word tonight, that the wonderful
power of the Holy Ghost may be present with us in the pulpit
and in the pew, that there may be power in the word that will
reach into our hearts, that will be sealed there by the Holy Ghost.
Blessed divine spirit of truth, convince us of our sin and lead
to Jesus' blood. and to our wandering eyes reveal
the secret love of God. O Lord, we do pray that thou
wouldst graciously hear us and have mercy upon us. For Lord,
we confess our sins and thou art faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We
do pray that thou wouldst remember us as a church and as a congregation,
and that thou wouldst work mightily, powerfully, and effectively among
us. We pray that we may be favoured
this evening hour to know the wonderful truth, for God has
sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying,
Abba, Father, or to know that sacred spirit of adoption. as
we gather together around thy word, we do humbly beseech thee. My God, my Father, blissful name,
O may I call thee mine. We pray for our brethren, the
deacons, that thou would graciously help and bless and undertake
for them in all their responsibilities here and elsewhere. We pray for
our dear brother, lay aside in weakness at this time, we lovingly
commend him to thee and to the word of thy grace, which is able
to build him up and grant him an inheritance among them that
are sanctified, that thou wouldst richly bless him in this time
of affliction and make thyself precious unto his soul and reveal
thyself unto him. Bless him and his dear ones,
we do beseech thee. and undertake for each one in
any trouble or trial or perplexity or affliction. Oh do be gracious,
remember all in the path of affliction and sustain and strengthen and
uphold. We read in scripture in all their
afflictions he was afflicted and may the angel of thy presence
save us. Grant thy presence Lord, we humbly
pray thee. In thy presence I am happy, in
thy presence I am secure, in thy presence I can easily all
things endure. O do grant us, Lord Jesus, thy
wonderful presence, and that we may hear thy voice and see
thy countenance, and that we may be led and guided and directed
by thee. We do humbly pray thee for thy
great name so we pray to be made more spiritually minded and that
our heart and our affections may be set upon things above
and not on things of the earth draw my soul to thee my lord
let me love thy precious word we do humbly beseech thee and
we pray oh lord that thou would bless thee each one of our brethren
and sisters in church fellowship and graciously undertake for
each one. We pray, O Lord, that thou, in
thy precious mercy, would help us to love each other, serve
each other, bear each other's burdens. May there be those,
O Lord, that would be constrained to follow thee, to put thee on
in an open profession of thy great and holy name, to walk
in sacred obedience to thy holy commandment, Oh, dear Grant,
Lord, we humbly pray these rich blessings upon us as a church
and as a congregation. Lord, we pray for the little
ones and the children as they come into the sanctuary. We pray
that thou wouldst richly bless them, that thou wouldst put the
fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their
hearts, and that thou wouldst graciously work in them to will
and to do that which is thy good pleasure. We often think of those
wonderful words of grace, suffer little children to come unto
me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Lord we pray for the young friends,
oh that thou wouldst bless them indeed, that thou wouldst bring
them to living faith in Jesus Christ, that they may become
true followers of thee and of those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises. Guide them, O thou great Jehovah.
Make them pilgrims in a barren land, we do humbly pray thee. Draw them to thyself. As the
spouse prays, draw me, we will run after thee. And as thy word
expresses it lord none come except the father draw may we feel those
sacred drawings of a heavenly father drawing us onto his best
beloved son and oh lord we pray for parents that they may be
given wisdom and grace to bring up their children in the nurture
and admonition of the lord we pray most gracious lord that
those bless the families as they gather for worship in their homes
and grant that thy blessing may rest upon them there. We pray
that prodigals may return, those that have wandered away, that
thou would stretch out thy almighty arm, that thou would cause them
to be in one, that thou would cause them to return. Oh, do
hear us, O Lord, in heaven, thy holy and thy blessed dwelling
place. And when thou hearest, O Lord, forgive. O Lord, we do
pray that thou wouldst send now prosperity, that thou wouldst
return to Jerusalem with mercies. We think of all in the midst
of the journey of life and pray for them that thou wouldst graciously
work in them to will and to do that which is thy good pleasure.
Hear us, O Lord, we pray, for thy great namesake. And we pray
for those of us in the evening time of life's journey, that
we may be graciously prepared for that change which must come. Lord, we would pray that thou
would be with us and guide us safely unto thy heavenly kingdom,
and that we may let all fruitless searches go, which perplex and
tease us. but desiring naught to know but
of bleeding Jesus. We pray for this village, for
the surrounding area, that many, many, many precious souls may
yet be gathered into the sanctuary, that the glory and light of the
gospel may shine forth. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word. We do humbly beseech thee, O
Lord of hosts, O God of Israel, O Thou that dwellest between
the cherubim, shine forth. Let Thy hand be upon the man
of Thy right hand, the Son of Man, whom Thou madest strong
for Thyself. And O Lord, we do pray that Thou wouldst arise, arise,
arise, O God of grace, into Thy rest Thou and the ark of thy
strength, and let thy priests be clothed with salvation, and
thy saints shall shout aloud for joy, O abundantly bless the
provision of thy house and satisfy her poor with bread. O Lord,
we do beseech thee for thy great name's sake. O Lord, we do pray
that thou would remember all thy servants as they labour in
word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion, and do grant that they
may dip their foot in oil and be made acceptable unto thee,
brethren, and that the word preached may be in power in the Holy Ghost
and with much assurance. Do 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 Lord send a day of real prosperity,
send mighty men of God to preach the everlasting gospel of Jesus
Christ and rebuild and renew and revive in these dark and
solemn days in which we live when we see much of the power
of Antichrist and the wickedness and the evil that is even legislated
for in our Parliament Lord, bring to naught the counsels of the
ungodly. We do humbly beseech thee. We
pray, Lord, that thou wouldst put a stop to war and graciously
grant a just peace in the Ukraine, in Israel. Oh, do be gracious,
Lord, we humbly pray thee. And there are other places in
the world, we think of those places also in the world, where
those in power hate the name of Jesus Christ and persecute
thy people, imprison them, and even unto death. We pray that
thou would send them help from the sanctuary and strengthen
them out of Zion. We do humbly beseech thee. Give
wisdom to our leaders and guidance and direction in all matters. We do humbly pray thee, most
gracious Lord, We thank thee for every mercy of thy kind providence,
all thy goodness that has passed before us in the way. Come and touch one's lips with
the live coal from off the heavenly altar. Come and breathe thy word
into our hearts. We ask with the forgiveness of
all our many sins for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 557. The tune is Evening Hymn 709. How sweet and precious is the
name of Jesus Christ, the Lord, the Lamb, to sinners in distress. A name just suited to their case,
pregnant with mercy, truth and grace, with strength and righteousness. Hymn 557 to an evening hymn 709.
? The nations praise the Lamb ?
? O Jesus Christ, Lord of all the worlds ? ? In spirit filled
with strength ? ? Arranged our students to their
place ? ? With open hearts, we do our best ? ? It's tranquil, quiet, just like
a dream ? ? In the trees of church and well
? ? Each day from sheep of poor and care ? ? From fields and
straying in the snow ? His name is called the glory,
the name of God. to give the future days thy presence. Emmanuel rises and reigns, ? Let all be calm, still, still,
and safe ? ? And the heavens fall down on me ? ? His praise so fierce ? ? That
heaven and earth ? ? Should bow in praise ? ? Is Jesus Christ
to thee ? ? Yes, it may take me round some
place ? ? But it is all right in heaven above ? ? Thy presence shall prevail ?
? Here's to thee, O Israel ? ?
Here's to thee, O Israel ? ? Here's to thee, O Israel ? ? Here's
to thee, O Israel ? ? Good riddance, sweetest love
? ? Take me with you from shore to shore ? ? Come in, shepherds, come in ? He lives in us, and in each of
us, but He is almighty God. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I direct your attention to Psalm 9 and we read
verse 10 for our text. Psalm 9, reading verse 10. And they that know thy name will
put their trust in thee. For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken
them that seek thee. And they that know thy name will
put their trust in thee. What a great mercy it is to know
the Lord. And when we read here the name,
when they that know thy name, this is often put for the person. The name, the person of Jesus
the Son of God. Of course, by God's grace, through
Jesus Christ, we can also know that glorious name of the Father. What a precious thing it is when
we know that spirit of adoption and we're enabled to say, Abba
Father, my God, my Father, blissful name, may I call thee mine. That's the hymn of Ann Steele
isn't it? And we read in Galatians chapter
4 and verse 4 but when the fullness of time was come God sent forth
his son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them
that were under the law that we might receive the adoption
of sons. It's a wonderful thing to receive
the adoption of sons. And he goes on, and because ye
are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. What wonderful, precious truths
these are. When we know that our God is
our Father, and emphasizing that point and that
oneness of the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,
you know, you see, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into
our hearts. my father precious thing you
know and he says here the lord also will be a refuge for the
oppressed a rescue in times of trouble and they that know thy
name will put their trust in thee so it's a precious thing
when in and through our lord jesus christ we know our Heavenly
Father. And that oneness of the Godhead,
when we read in Isaiah chapter 9 concerning the wonderful and
precious names of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it says His name,
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For unto us a child is born,
Isaiah 9, 6. For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his
shoulder, and his name, that's the name of Jesus, shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace. Wonderful. How wonderful that
grace. How wonderful that love. And
again, not just the love of Christ, God so loved the world, that's
God our eternal father, so loved the world, he gave his only begotten
son. That whosoever believeth in him
shall be saved. Precious truth, isn't it? And
there in Isaiah 9, it says of the increase of his government,
that's our Lord Jesus Christ, and peace, there shall be no
end. the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it
and to establish it with judgment and with justice henceforth even
forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts
will perform this. His name shall be called Wonderful. Counselor, an able counselor
to plea. We have and advocate with the
Father. You think of that, his name shall
be called Wonderful Counselor. Dr. Gill, he's speaking on this
particular word, he said in some of the translations, the Syriac
version, it puts it down as Wonderful Counselor. In the authorised
version it's Wonderful, Counselor, separate names. He's a Wonderful
Counselor. He's a wonderful Saviour, He's
a wonderful Redeemer, He's a wonderful Deliverer, He's able to save
to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever
liveth. You think of the wonders, the
wonders of Jesus Christ. And as I've said, when it says
the name, it is speaking of the person, the person of the Son
of God that was manifest in the flesh. the person of the Son
of God that lived here upon earth as a man in that profound mystery
of godliness even in his glorious person he's wonderful he's God
and man in one person but he's also a counsellor an
able counsellor such an high priest have we who has passed
into the heavens Jesus the Son of God counsellor. Take all your needs, your requirements,
your difficulties, your troubles, your trials, your perplexities,
your impossibilities, take it to the Lord in prayer. Take it
to our great high priest. That's why he's there. Such a high priest have we. Again,
The name, our great high priest, who intercedes. There is one
God and one mediator between God and man. The emphasis here,
the man, Christ Jesus. We've sometimes explained it
to you in that way. In the book of Job, we read of
the daysman. It was an ancient office back
in those patriarchal days. And the daisman, when there were
two opposing parties, the daisman would put his hand on the shoulder
of one and he put his hand on the shoulder of the other and
he would seek to intercede for them, to bring them together. A daisman. What a beautiful description
of Jesus Christ. As the eternal son of God, he
puts his hand upon his eternal father. As the son of man, God manifests
in the flesh, he puts his hand on poor sinful man and he mediates
between the two. An intercessor, he stands between. He reconciles poor sinners unto
God. He's the only person that can
do that. And they that know thy name. What is it to know the name of
the Lord? It's for a poor sinner, quickened
by the Holy Ghost, you know before we move on I feel I should just
speak of the Holy Ghost. We spoke of the Father, we spoke
of the Son, but let us just speak of the Holy Ghost, that glorious
divine person of the Spirit of God. It's only as he enters the
heart of a poor sinner and gives them spiritual life and brings
them from death into life, it's the only way that you and
I can know God. no other way of knowing God. Only as the Holy Ghost enters
the heart and gives spiritual light and life. And you know the Apostle in the
Epistle to the Corinthians, he so beautifully speaks of that,
doesn't he? he says to us now for the for
what man knoweth the things of a man said the spirit of man
which is in him even so the things of god knoweth no man but the
spirit of god that glorious person of god the holy ghost now we
have received and this is a great point when each one of us here
tonight or those that may be listening online have we received
the holy ghost was a question that was asked
wasn't it by those that had been baptized with John's baptism
when the apostles came to them and have they received the Holy
Ghost and they said we have not so much have heard of the Holy
Ghost and then the apostle expounded unto them the great need of the
Holy Ghost to bring a poor sinner from spiritual death into spiritual
life Romans he says for the spirit of life in Christ Jesus have
made me free from the law of sin and death the spirit of life
in Christ Jesus and it says here in in 1 Corinthians
2 now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit
which is of God that we might know the things are freely given
to us of God which things also we speak, not in the words which
man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual. For the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
deserved. The only way that you and I can
have spiritual discernment is as the Holy Ghost enters the
heart, quickens the soul, enlightens the understanding, teaches us. The Holy Ghost is that great
teacher. I should never forget years ago
reading John Owen, there's two wonderful volumes of his on the
Holy Ghost. And he made this comment, and
it's always remained with me. It says in scripture, he shall
not speak of himself, that is the Holy Ghost. He shall not
speak of himself. And John Owen immediately says,
but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't speak of him. The glorious,
divine person of God the Holy Ghost. God the Father, God the
Son. and God the Holy Ghost. These
three are one, one blessed, infinite, glorious and eternal God. And it's in that divine act of
the Spirit of God who proceeded forth from the Father and the
Son. We read in Timothy, the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal upon it, the Lord knoweth
them that are his. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, they
know those that are His. When it says those that are His,
what does it mean? It means those that were chosen
by the Father, those were redeemed by the Son, and those are sanctified
by the Holy Ghost. There's a divine order in these
things, and you know that divine order is set before us in the
eighth chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans and that divine
order in the covenant of grace. So we read in Romans 8 verse
28 and we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God to them who are the called. So they're called. When the Holy Ghost enters the heart there
is a divine call And as far as I can see my beloved
friends the only evidence That a person is in that eternal covenant
is if they're called that's the only evidence To them who are the called according
to his purpose For whom he did foreknow, that is the chosen
of the Father, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called,
them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified,
What shall we then say to these things? If God before us, who
then can be against us, he that spared not his own son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give
us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. yea rather
that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who
also maketh intercession for us. Then it speaks of the security
of these chosen vessels of mercy that have been redeemed by the
blood of Christ who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall
tribulation or distress or persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword. He says, nay, in all things we
are more than conquerors through him that loved us, for I am persuaded. You know, friends, it's a wonderful
thing to be well persuaded. For I am persuaded, says Paul,
that neither death nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate us. And they that know thy name will
put their trust to know the name, to know Jesus
Christ. One God, there's one God and
one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, is
to know Jesus Christ. Do you know Jesus Christ? Do
you love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and in truth? Do
you desire to love him? Do you desire to lay hold of
him? Are you like that dear woman that we read of in the Gospels?
If I might but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole.
Is that the language of your heart? You long for union, for
communion with Jesus Christ. They that know thy name. This
is the name the Father loves to hear his children plead. And
the Lord Jesus said, whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name,
I will do it in my name. It's a name that is above every name. It's
above every name. The name of Jesus Christ. I am the Word, the Truth, and
the Life. Do you know this name? Do you
love this person? we keep trying to emphasize to
you when it speaks of the name, it's speaking of the person. For it hath pleased the Father
that in him, that's in Christ, should all fullness dwell. And
they that know thy name will put their trust in thee. It's to be given the faith and
that faith It is again the wonderful work of God the Holy Ghost in
the heart of a sinner. Faith is the gift of God. Faith is wrought in the heart
by the Holy Ghost. The Puritans used to put it this
way, the Lord works faith in the heart. It's a good way of putting it.
He works faith in the heart. Why? Because faith is a very
dynamic principle. or grace. It motivates the soul. And as the apostle says in another
place, it's faith that worketh by love. You know friends, faith
isn't some intellectual principle. It works by love. I think it's Thomas Watson that
says, could have knowledge without
faith but you can't have faith without knowledge no because
when faith is given the soul is enlightened Christ is revealed
and there are spiritual desires and concerns there is a sense
and realization of our lost conditions There is a sense of realization
that we've sinned against God. There is a sense of realization
that God is holy and righteous altogether. This is the knowledge
that the Holy Ghost imparts through the Word of God. It's the knowledge that is given. And the heart is enlightened.
The Apostle says in the Ephesians, doesn't he, the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened. the Lord Jesus Christ it speaks
of him in Luke 24 on those disciples that he said then opened he their
understanding that they might understand the scriptures and
that's what the Holy Ghost does he opens our understanding he
gives us light and understanding in the word of God and so that
the living soul just like David prays in Psalm 119 Let thy word
be a light unto my feet and a lamp unto my path. It's that desire. When we're made spiritually minded,
when Christ is made precious, we begin to search the word of
God. Search the scriptures. That's
what the living soul does. Search the scriptures. that's the exaltation that was
given by the Spirit unto Joshua when the Lord spoke to the Lord's
servant Joshua and when he was to lead the children into the
promised land and the Lord said to him this is in Joshua 1 chapter
5 there shall not any man be able to stand before thee all
the days of thy life as I was with Moses so I will be with
thee I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of
a good courage, for unto this people shalt thou divide and
inheritance the land which I swear unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe
to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded
thee. Turn not from it to the right
hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper with us whoever
thou goest. This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous
and then thou shalt have good success. This book of the law. Joshua had the five books of
Moses what is known as the Pentateuch That was the extent of the Word
of God at that time. And the Lord says to him, it
shall not depart out of the mouth, they shall meditate and study
day and night. Now, we are greatly blessed in
that we have the whole canon of scripture, the Old and New
Testament. The Old Testament points to Christ,
the New Testament speaks of Christ. The Old Testament gives wonderful
promises concerning the coming of Christ. The New Testament
speaks of the wonderful fulfilling of those wonderful promises in
the glorious person of Jesus, the Son of God. How the law has
been fulfilled and magnified and honored in his glorious person. An everlasting righteousness
had been brought in in his glorious person. And divine justice has
been satisfied in that Holy sacrifice of Calvary. His precious blood
has been shed that cleanses from all sin. Just think of the light
that is given in the Old Testament on that, when the children of
Israel were delivered out of Egyptian bondage and the Paschal
Lamb was slain and his blood painted on the side posts and
lintel of the doors and they went in and ate the Paschal Lamb,
a beautiful type of Christ. And what did the Lord say? When
I see the blood, the blood of that Paschal Lamb, I will pass
over you. Oh, how wonderfully that speaks
of the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, that cleanses from
all sin. It does. When I see the blood,
I will pass over you, for they that know thy name will put their
trust in thee. Faith. Faith in the bleeding Lamb. Faith
in his precious blood. Faith in his glorious righteousness. I am the light of the world.
Faith looks to Christ. Faith cleaves to Christ. It does. Trust. When I was meditating this afternoon,
my mind seemed much drawn to the first part of Psalm 37. And
it speaks there of the faith of the Lord's people. Threat
not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against
the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like
the grass and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do
good. It's wonderful counsel here,
given to us by the Spirit of the Lord. Trust in the Lord and
do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land and very thou shalt
be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord,
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way
unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to
pass. He shall bring forth thy righteousness, which is what?
It's the glorious righteousness of Christ. He shall bring forth
thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord. and wait patiently for him. Fret
not thyself because of him who prospers in his way, because
of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger
and forsake wrath. Fret not thyself in any wise
to do evil. You see, rest in the Lord, trust
in the Lord, commit thy way unto the Lord. That's the work of
faith. That's the work of faith. And
it's by faith that we know the Lord. It's by faith that Christ
is revealed. It's by faith that Christ is
made precious. It's by faith that we understand that there is a way. There is
a way that God has made whereby poor sinners can approach unto
him and they that know thy name Listen to the Apostle, Philippians
chapter 3, that I may know him in the power. You know friends,
it's not just to know about Jesus, it's not just to intellectually
understand the scriptures, it's not just to understand intellectually
what the ministry is saying. No, it's to receive the word
in your heart and to know the Lord personally yourselves. personal knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. And they that know thy name will
put their trust in thee. Trust in him at all times, ye
people. Wait patiently for him. You know, faith is the substance
of things hoped for yet not seen. What you're waiting for how many
of us here tonight or any that are listening online as well
you're waiting you're waiting what do we read in isaiah 40
but they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength they
shall mount up as we on wings as eagles they shall run that's
the wings of faith they shall run and not be weary they shall
walk and not faint and they that know thy name will put their
trust in thee, for thou, Lord, thou, Jehovah, hast not forsaken
them that seek thee. Look at how low this comes. He
will not forsake them that seek him. We read in Isaiah chapter
55, seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him
while he is near, let the wicked man forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man is thoughts. You see, it's to seek the Lord. It's a precious thing to be a
seeking soul. I know we often speak of a seeking
soul as one that it first begins to feel after the Lord and to
realize their need of a savior and to seek something. But you
know, all the time that you and I are on this earth, be seeking
souls. We'll be seeking souls. The Apostle Paul had been in
the way many years when he wrote Philippians and he says there
that I may know him. He'd been in the way many years.
I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, I press
toward the mark to the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. Pressing toward the mark to the
prize at the high corner of God in Christ Jesus? Are you pressing
toward the mark? I count not myself to have apprehended. You know, there is no room whatsoever
in the Christian experience for complacency. No, there's a constant
stretching that I may know him, that I may lay hold of him, that
I may feel the power of his grace in my heart, in my circumstances,
to experience these things day by day. And they that know thy
name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not
forsaken them that seek thee. In Luke chapter 11, the Lord Jesus Christ, he speaks
so beautifully there, unto seeking souls. Indeed, right through
the word of God, there are precious things for seeking souls. But in Luke 11, it says in verse
nine, and I say unto you, ask and it shall be given you, seek
and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth,
and to him that knocketh it shall be open. Doesn't say it might
be open, doesn't say it could be open, it shall be open. If
a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will
he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he
for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will
he offer a scorpion? If ye then, be an evil, know
how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more? Shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? What a beautiful encouragement
that is, to poor seeking souls, who would give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask Him, and they that know they know. will put
their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them
that seek thee. And he'll never forsake. We read
in Holy Scripture, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. The Lord will never forsake
his people. The Lord will, we have that wonderful
word, he that hath begun a good work in you. shall perform it
unto the day of Jesus Christ. I will never forsake you. He'll
perform that work that has begun in your heart unto the day of
Jesus Christ. I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee, never. Those lovely words spoken to
the disciples but of course applicable to the Church of God. how that the Lord will, as it
were, wonderfully be with his people. In the last few verses of Matthew's
Gospel, and Jesus came and spake unto them, all power is given
unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you all the way, even
unto the end of the world. Amen. I am with you all the way. I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken
them that seek thee. And he never will. Wonderful thing, you know friends,
if we have here tonight some seeking souls. The apostle puts it in another
way, doesn't he, in the Acts. Them that feel after God. How many in this chapel tonight
are feeling after God? You want to know Him. You want
to be led and guided and directed by Him. And they that know thy name will
put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken
them that seek thee. And he never will. May the Lord
add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 558. The tune is Judah 475. Sweet the name of Christ
must be, from and to eternity, for it pleased the Father well,
fullness all in Christ should dwell. Hymn 558, tune Judah 475. O say can you see by the dawn's early
light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
All it bleeds, her Father well, Love that all in Christ shall
have. Jesus, Jesus, reign and rise,
In thy shore, O King, we praise and praise. He hath saved thy soul from sin,
And thy strength, O, He did give. One shall seize his heavenly
power, If the mighty power of love. And it's heav'nly boundless love,
Life and joy and peace below. ? Then o'er all this light to me
? ? Now I shall bitterly see ? Then for me this day of trust,
And of Thee the day my birth, God have mercy on them all. Jesus' name will make me proud,
Not the death, sin or the living, How great Thou art, Lord God
of hosts, If I ever be confined, May God
never fail to tell, ? And keeps up with us in cheer
? ? Gladly the heavens are in cheer ? Make His name the only choice. Every prayer on earth they rejoice. ? And with that shall be made clear
? ? What the Lord hath made man's world. ? 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.