our service this evening by singing
hymn number 893. The tune is Grosvenor, number
154. If guilt pursue thee with its
cry and would to prison hail, to Jesus Christ the surety fly
and he will give in bail. If hope that use thy soul to
cheer now leaves the darkest night and neither sun nor stars
appear, yet wait for morning light. Still look to Christ with
longing eyes, though both begin to fail. Still follow with thy
feeble cries, for mercy will prevail. In number 893, June
Grosvenor, 154. you. ? In His holy image come ? ? Thy
goodness, the praise of heaven ? ? In Jesus Christ, the King
of Kings ? The chosen one that we will be.
? Behold there is a Son to give
you ? ? A gift with all the stars ? ? And like a star in the sky
? Let there be calm in the night. And all the joys that long in the
heart O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Satsang with Mooji of obedience. Yes, in the Lord, and with everyone, He passed it in the pool. He carried off the men of faith,
? And come to that healing lake
? ? He is and will ? ? Freely from death to life ? May we be helped to read two
portions this evening. The first is in Ecclesiastes,
chapter three, the first 15 verses. Ecclesiastes chapter 3, the first
15 verses. To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born,
and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to
pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to
heal. A time to break down and a time
to build up. A time to weep and a time to
laugh. A time to mourn and a time to
dance. A time to cast away stones and
a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time
to refrain from embracing. A time to get and a time to lose. a time to keep and a time to
cast away, a time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep
silence and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to
hate, a time of war and a time of peace. What profit hath he
that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the
travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised
in it. He hath made everything beautiful
in his time. Also he hath set the world in
their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh
from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good
in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life. and
also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good
of all his labor. It is the gift of God. I know
that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can
be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God doeth it that
men should fear before him. That which hath been is now,
And that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth
that which is past. And then if you turn with me
to the book of the Psalms, Psalm 31. The book of the Psalms, Psalm 31. In thee, O Lord, do I put my
trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver
me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me. Deliver
me speedily. Be thou my strong rock for an
house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for thy name's sake,
lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they
the net that they have laid privily for me, for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit,
and thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I have hated them
that regard lying in vanities, but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in
thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my
soul in adversities. and has not shut me up into the
hand of the enemy, thou hast set my feet in a large room.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. Mine eye is
consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief,
and my years with sighing. My strength faileth because of
mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among
all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear
to mine acquaintance. They that did see me without
fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man,
out of mind. I am like a broken vessel, for
I have heard the slander of many. Fear was on every side. While
they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away
my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord,
I said, thou art my God, my times are in thy hand. Deliver me from
the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, save me for thy mercy's
sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord,
for I have called upon thee. Let the wicked be ashamed, and
let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to
silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously
against the righteous. Oh, how great is thy goodness,
which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast
wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men. Thou shalt hide them in the secret
of thy presence from the pride of man. Thou shalt keep them
secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be
the Lord, for he hath showed me his marvellous kindness in
a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am
cut off from before thine eyes. Nevertheless, thou heardest the
voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the
Lord, All ye his saints, for the Lord preserveth the faithful,
and plentiful fully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen your heart. All ye that hope in the
Lord. We leave the reading there, friends. May the dear Lord bless the reading
of his own word to each of us. May he help us in prayer. Oh
Lord, help us to come now. Our need is great and yet we
come to one who is greater than our need and we thank thee for
it. Dear Lord, may we be allowed,
may we be permitted to plead thy glorious name once more before
the throne. Oh, that we could plead, dear
Lord, the name of Jesus, really mean it, sincerely mean it, from
an honest heart. Lord, we do pray that we might
gain access through thy merits, through thy precious blood. Oh,
thy Sinatolian blood, that this evening, Lord, as we come before
thee, that we might truly, each one of us who are praying, each
one of us who have an interest, in thy precious name and worth
and blood, having access. Oh, my dear Lord, we be enabled
to hear that sweet invitation, come unto me. Lord, we do pray
that we might hear thy voice as we come before thee. Thou
knowest how we come to thee, Lord, how each one of us has
come in this evening. Thou knowest the burdens of our
hearts, Thou knowest the troubles of our mind. Thou knowest the
confusion that ensues thy people. Thou knowest, dear Lord, where
they are and what they have been surrounded by today. Lord, Thou
knowest us all together. So we do pray that Thou wouldst
draw us away from these things. Oh, may we be like the disciples,
the door was shut for fear of the Jews. Oh, but they were safe
inside, and Jesus himself came and stood in the midst and said
peace be still oh lord whisper that into our hearts this evening
that precious peace not just the words but may we be partakers
of that peace and may there be something dear lord to still
our fears to still all those things that are found in each
of thy people we pray for it lord earnestly leave us not on
the outside leave us not in the outer sanctuary but do draw us
into the inner sanctuary where thy people come and where thou
art oh lord do help us then as we gather this evening may there
have been much prayer that thy presence might be known and felt
in the sanctuary once again we do pray dear lord that they would
speak to our hearts and we beg of thee that there might be those
here that are pleading with thee as samuel did of old speak lord
for thy servant here is. Oh Lord we do pray that we might
be used for thy honour and for thy glory and that there might
be souls that are being brought out of the world, souls that
are being quickened by divine life and those dear Lord to be
established in the truth and there might be those who for
the first time realise that they are redeemed. by precious blood,
oh by Jesus precious blood redeemed. Lord do come then we pray this
evening and we pray continually that thy presence might be known
continuously in this house of God and wherever we worship Lord
that there might be that flowing together. Oh Lord, we do pray
for their dear pastor, do remember him, dear Uncle Jay, bless him
abundantly, strengthen him once again for the work. We do beg,
dear Lord, that there may be much prayer going up for him,
that he might return to this pulpit and to others to declare
the unsearchable riches of Christ. Lord, we do pray that as he has
been laid aside, that it might have been good for him, The dear
psalmist said that it had been good that he had been afflicted.
May Uncle Jay prove it, Lord. May he have had those fresh views
of Christ. May he have been enabled to draw
near to his Redeemer. And dear Lord, we do pray that
he might have heard from thee. So that when he comes, he has
that message from on high, once again, to poor destitute sinners,
those needing salvation, those needing confirming, those needing
help. Oh we do pray then that they
would restore him to this people. Be with him and all thy servants,
we do pray for them and many are preaching this evening. Lord
we pray for each one of them that thou hast helped them to
travel safely and take them home in peace and safety. But Lord
in the sanctuary may thy name be honoured and glorified amongst
the people. Oh may there not be one dear
Lord, left out. We do pray, Lord, that all might
be partakers of this glorious inheritance that thou hast laid
up for the saints. Lord, and may we have those tastes
and foretastes while here below, so that we know what's coming,
so that, dear Lord, those crumbs that fall from the Master's table
fall from the feast that is already prepared. Oh Lord, we do pray,
then help us each as we gather around this glorious word once
more. Help the deacons here, do be
with them and help them abundantly, dear Lord, we do pray. In the
time when their pastor's not here, but help them with all
the mundane things, all the things concerning the house of God,
the fabric, all the visiting, dear Lord, do help them, strengthen
them for the work and be with them. and Lord we do pray that
their prayers might be heard and answered, we do pray that
thou would raise up more to come and testify of thy glorious work
in their hearts, what thou hast done for them savingly, what
thou hast done for them concerning a never-ending eternity, Lord
may there be many to come and speak out this year, oh we do
beg, thou hast promised open thy mouth wide and I will fill
it, Lord we don't have to come with a great testimony. I will
fill it, the glorious Holy Spirit, to fill our hearts, to fill our
mouths with praise unto God. Oh, work, Lord, and those places
where thou art working in the dark and behind the scenes, Lord,
bring it forward. Lord, we do pray. There is a
precious word. I, the Lord, will hasten it in
His time. And so, Lord, may this work be
hastened. We do pray, Lord, that thy spirit
might be known amongst us, that there might be those things done,
evidence that we are children of God, evidence that we have
been with Jesus. Lord, we beg it. Oh, we do plead
with thee, dear Lord. These things are so real at times
upon our hearts. And so we do beg that thou wouldst
help each one to continue in the race, that thou wouldst help
each one look unto Jesus, that thou wouldst help each one, dear
Lord, to be found on their knees pleading pardon and forgiveness.
O Lord, it is not just once as thou hast taught us, over and
over again, it is continual, because we are sinners. We are
sinners of the deepest die. Lord, and there's only one place
that we can ever be forgiven, There's only one place where
we receive that forgiveness. There's only one place where
we can be washed and cleansed from our sins. There's only one
voice that can speak it. Dear Lord Jesus, lead us to thyself. Oh, we do pray. Time and time
again, lead us to thyself, dear Lord. Thou knowest how we stray. Thou knowest how wayward we are.
Thou knowest how, as the hymn writer said, how backward we
are in search of endless life. Lord Jesus, do come. Oh, do come
this evening to each one of us. May there be those that are constrained
to turn in with us this evening, dear Lord. It is cold outside,
but make it warm inside, Lord. Oh, may it not be cold inside
as well as out, but may we know the warmth of the glory of God
in our hearts. Help us, Lord, as we look once
more into thy word. Oh, we do pray that it might
make sense to us. Lord, that it might be laid straight.
And those crooked things that each one of us have, may we see
them in the light of heaven. May we see them through the Redeemer's
eyes. Lord, we do beg these real things,
these experiences that thy people have, Visit us, visit this vine. Lord, we beg that thou wilt appear. Thou hast promised us the Lord
will appear. And so, dear Lord, we hang on
to these gracious words. We hang on to thy voice. We hang
on to whatever word thou dost say. Bless us, Lord. Be with the dear children and
young people that worship here. Remember them and help them.
Be with them, dear Lord, in this day and age in which we are growing,
or they are growing up. Lord, bless them indeed. It is
such a different age to when we grew up. There's so much to
draw aside, and Lord, it is such different things. Oh, we pray
that thou wouldst help them and be with them, but may they always
remember that God is in front. Dear Lord, thou art in front
of anything that has been designed. anything that has been worked
out anything that has been thought thou art still in the future
and we thank thee for it lord we cannot overtake thee as humans
we cannot get in front of thee and we thank thee for it oh help
us now help with the singing of thy worthy praise and lord
we beg earnestly that we might feel thee to be near to us that
we might have that fountain in the pulpit and the streams make
glad the city of our God. Lord, help us all. Oh, we do
pray that there might be one or two prayers, Lord, if not
all of them heard in heaven this night, that the answers might
come forth. Do forgive our every sin for
thy dear namesake. Amen. We now serve this by singing
hymn number 600. The tune is St. Raphael, number 689. Truth and mercy meet together,
righteousness and peace embrace. Each perfection of Jehovah meets
and shines in Jesus' face. Here the Father can be just and
saved by grace. What a field of consolation!
Here no jarring notes are found. Zion has a full salvation, and
shall all her foes confound. Each believer has for hope a
solid ground. In number 600 tunes St. Raphael,
number 689. Sing to them of righteousness,
of peace, and grace. ? His direction, Lord, is from
above ? ? His judgment day is near ? ? In the world to come
? O come, O come, all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave Which God with heaven and high
soul may comfort him. ? The Lord is come down to earth
? ? Down in the world to dwell ? ? And with His cross He gives
His own crown to wear ? ? Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia ? ? With Jesus Christ the Lamb ? ? Raised to the shoulders
of the angels ? ? Stood with hope in his heart ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave May the dear Lord help me to
say a few things from the psalm that we read, Psalm 31 and verse
15. The first part mainly. Psalm
31, verse 15, My times are in thy hand. I'll read the whole
verse. Psalm 31, verse 15, My times
are in thy hand. deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies and from them that persecute me Psalm 31 verse 15 my times
are in thy hand dear David here we can see really as we read
this it's almost like you can see the man and his feelings
and he's letting us know just how he feels and how often times
friends you and I can enter into these things It's almost like
you're reading about yourself. I don't mean all the verses because
obviously some of these men were led into it so deeply and so
strangely. But the child of God will trace
his own steps here. He will trace where the Lord
has led him in a similar pathway. And really, dear David, do you
think of Solomon? He's got all this trouble around
him and he's because this is when he was fleeing from Saul
or Absalom but really David was always fleeing he was always
on the run until the Lord settled him but even when he settled
him he was still an anxious man and really the Lord brought him
to that point so that he would rest on the Lord he wouldn't
rest on his kingship he wouldn't rest on David himself he would
rest on one place and that's the Lord It's a lovely thing
if you and I can rest there, isn't it? From time to time,
friends, I believe we can. I really believe we can rest
on the Lord, and not on self. What happens when you rest on
yourself? Well, you know, don't you? You don't have to have me
to tell you. So we have this here of Dear David, and what
I was going to say was Psalm 121. It said, He shall preserve
thy going out and thy coming in. David, you wrote it. he shall preserve thy going out
and thy coming in and dear David's here saying now after my life they devised to take away my
life now I know it's prophetic and I know it's concerning the
dear Lord Jesus as well but David had to walk through it so that
he was able to write it and so he's being preserved in Jesus
and friend I know you've sung it oftentimes But you know, how
many times have you been preserved in Jesus? Some of you might have
long life, some of you might have a shorter life. But you
think of those times when you've actually been preserved in Jesus. Well, every strike of the clock,
every tick of the clock, your time is passing. It is a reminder. We all wear watches. Sometimes
it's a good thing. But it's a reminder on your wrist.
Time is going. Every tick is one nearer to meeting
God. One nearer. We've been here just
over half an hour. That's half an hour nearer to
standing before God. He's not getting further away. He's getting closer to us. We're
getting closer to Him. When you really think of these
things, when these men wrote this by the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, they knew exactly where they were. And the Lord
brings his people to these same things, my times, my times. What a sacred word it is. Sometimes I really wonder how
the Lord allows a poor sinner to take the word of God. I really
wonder, friends, how this treasure book This that has been written
in heaven, written on the earth for men to read. And yet, there's
preciousness of it. Who's worthy to open the book,
they said in heaven? Who is worthy? I wept much. I wept much. There was no one.
But there was one. What was his name? Jesus. You think, friends, you and I
are permitted. We're not worthy. I don't want
to stray, friends, but we're not worthy to own a Bible. We're
not worthy to open a Bible. We're not worthy to read it.
And yet we've got nothing else. This is what he's given us. So
just a few passing comments. My times. Now this is a lovely
thing because it becomes personal to us, doesn't it? We've been
living through last year. How did you get through? I ask you a question, friends.
Does your diary and God's diary meet? Or have you got a separate
one to God? Consider that, take that home.
Does your diary match God's diary? Because I know last year if you
had a diary that said you were going to do this, this or this,
your life fell out according to his diary, not yours. Consider it, friends. My times
are in his hand, are in thy hand. Think how this brings us, friends,
this makes it a reality to us. It's not just something we read,
it is a living reality to the child of God, that our times
are in his hand. Personal times, times of communion,
Times when the Lord has drawn near to you. It's not something
you've arranged. It's His times. Isn't it beautiful? Friends, as the Lord opens this
and He shows you your name here, you personally. David said, my
times. He was saying they're mine, David's
times. And that's why the Lord brings us into these things and
you and I will be able to say my times. You might look at your
life and you think, well, I really am rebellious. And the rebellious,
always remember this friends, the rebellious dwell in a dry
land. They do. It's easy to say I'm rebellious.
You won't get near God if you're rebellious. And when these times
come and they go, don't they? And you think to yourself, well,
that didn't seem like the time of the Lord. Every single moment
in your life is in His hand. I know we get big and we get
proud, don't we? And we think we're something.
And friends, we actually stand up and we would answer God. Realising
that tomorrow is in His hands. Tomorrow. Today's been in His
hands. Tomorrow will be. And what's solemn to my heart,
I want to get to the centre of this if I can, if the Lord helps
me, but what grieves my heart and troubles me at times, and
I'm sure it does you if you're a believer, Ahab and Jezebel's
times were in the Lord's hand. They were there. They were there. He allowed them to go so far,
so far. And then they realised their
times weren't in their hands, they were in His. never would
Jezebel and Ahab come to the end that they had to come to
if their time was in their own hands and what a warning it is
to you and I oh it's a lovely place to rest
this isn't it for a child of God do you ever lay down your
head on your pillow and think my times are in thy hand Lord
and not in mine I trouble and I fret and I stew and I get anxious
And then look, he's laid this here all those years ago by dear
David, through David. My times. It makes your pillow
soft, friends. It does sometimes. It really
makes that pillow soft. You know what it's like to keep
turning your pillow over and over and trouble, trouble and
trouble, and you can't get comfortable, can you? My times. Oh, what a difference it is.
My times. You know, it's lovely to have
a sleep in the arms of Jesus, isn't it? I don't mean eternally,
I mean just for one night, to lay your head in His hands and
think, He has it all ordered for me. Everything's ordered
and everything's falling out just as He pleases. It's a strange thing, but when
you do that, you don't want to sleep. I want to speak naturally
French, but if you'd really lay your head on his hands and think
that all your care is there in his hands, you don't want to
sleep, what do you want to do? Well, you want to get up and
praise him. So it's had the opposite effect to what you thought it
would. My times. Now, these times, you know, whatever
we come into, it's a blessed thing if we realize where we
are. If you and I actually realize
You know, the flesh is so blind and so hard-hearted that it doesn't
even see when you're in one of the times of God, it doesn't
see it. You're blinded. All you want to do is get out
of it. All you want to do is something else to happen. All
you want to do is another door to open so that you can get out.
David's here, he's saying, yes, it's a beautiful word, my times
are in thy hand, but that's the times of patience as well. when
he must be patient. Now, I know God gives patience,
doesn't he, to different ones, naturally. And sometimes, friends,
it's not grace. It's not grace. You can be a
patient man and hate God, but when he gives it to you spiritually,
spiritual patience, so that you wait his time, there's such a
difference, friends, that really is waiting God's time, not your
time. Again, I say to you, dear young
people, wait God's time. Don't get pestered and anxious
over things. Wait His time. And where do you
wait? Where have you older ones waited? Do you know that lovely hymn?
Though it tarry, wait for it. What is it, friend, you're waiting
for? What are you tarrying for? At the throne of grace. That's
where patience is, friends, Patience knows its way to the throne of
grace, and that's where it will lie at Jesus feet It will friends. I know it does my times are in
his hand in my hands And there's all the graces that God allows
his dear people to have he will give them to them To bring them
back to his own feet You don't go anywhere else with the grace
of God in you you don't friends You go one place, to one place
alone, to those precious, precious feet, and you fall there and
you wait for it. Then you can say, my times are
in thy hand. What a lovely realisation it
is for the child of God to be found in these things. I don't
know what you're in today, or tonight, or will be in, but when
you have this, like dew upon your heart, isn't it? It's like
sucking honey out of the rock. It really is, friends, when you
really have My times, my times. Wait for him, wait for him. It
may be a set time to favour Zion even this night, wouldn't it
be lovely. I don't just mean in this course friends, there's
many other chapels open, many other ministers standing up,
may it be a set time for one soul, that's all we look for,
we look for hundreds but one soul, just one, to realise that
my times, are in thy hand. You know, do you think how embarrassing
this is for a sinner? It really is, friends. As we
go before God, he says that the crane and the swallow and the
turtle dove know the times of the Lord. They know the times
when to fly. They know the times when to migrate. They know all
those times. And then he says this in Jeremiah.
He says, but my people, but my people know not the judgments of the
Lord. They don't even recognize me. They don't even see what
I'm doing. And yet all these birds of the
air fly off. They know exactly what God wants
and they do it. The child of God doesn't. You
know, just thinking about that, years ago there was a hurricane
in one of the little islands, in one of the great oceans. And
just before a hurricane came, all the birds left. gone. But the sinner stayed. See friends,
the sinner stayed. Can you believe your hard heart?
Why didn't they take notice of what God was saying to the fowl?
Move! Fly! Flee! This is not your rest! No, they didn't. They watched
all the birds go. Then the hurricane came. Then
the destruction came. It's going to happen. Then everything
was flattened. A few days later, when the wind
had dried down, all the birds came back. Where are you, sinner? Where
are you? Are you fleeing to Jesus? Has the Holy Spirit warned you?
Are you one of those fleeing? Look at them! They've been fleeing
from the beginning of the world. From Adam's day until today,
at quarter to eight, they've been fleeing to Jesus. And you've
been watching them. You actually watched them flee
to Jesus! What have you done? Have you been a monster? Friends,
I often think the younger generation, and I used to look at the old,
I really did. And when it all begins with you,
and carries that work on, I believe you watch closer. I used to watch
many flee into Jesus, if only I could have done, if only I
could have done at that time, I didn't even know who he was.
As for reading this work, My Times Are In Thy Hand, didn't
know anything about it, nothing about it, yet been brought up
to it, been brought up to it friends, could argue it, could
debate it, knew nothing of Jesus, nothing. But when you see a soul flee
into Jesus, oh it gives you such a desire, have the same thing
to have exactly what they've got and many have arrived and
I want to speak lovingly and personally a little bit French
but I love to get near those people that have fled to Jesus
and they've arrived. I love it. I love it. Because if you've
actually been there something takes place in you and others
can see it. There David's saying, all those
times when I fled to Jesus, now I understand that they were in
his hand. We don't understand much of the
scripture, it doesn't matter how religious we are, it doesn't
matter how clever we are, but what we do know is, just a few
little nuggets, a few little things that we can hold on to,
just a few little things from heaven, And this is one of them. This is one that has been written
in the annals of eternity for its people to experience. My
times are in thy hands. And where would you have them?
Where would you have them? In your own hand? Well, what
has your own hand done for you? I'll tell you what your own hand
has done for you. The same as these, you have to reach up and
take them through. She was willing to reach up and
take the fruit. That's what her hand did. And
what did Adam's hand do? He took the fruit out of her
hand. Do you want your life in your
hand, friend? Look at the progress you're going
to make towards hell. The only progress you'll make
is towards hell, friend. If your life is in your hands, you know the dear the dear redeemer's
hands are so precious aren't they in thy hand you know in
the lord's hand he's got sympathy and compassion upon his people
he really has you've only got to read the gospels and look
what he did with his hands he took hold of the children he
went to that little girl and he didn't just shout at her he
took her by the hands This is the Almighty! This is the King
of Kings! The Glorious One! He went to
that little mite and he took her hand and he said, Maid, arise,
my times are in thy hand. All the accounts that we have
of the dear Lord Jesus in touching, holding these people's hands.
My times are in thy hand. And often we look at things,
don't we? And friends, there's a lot to
confess. A lot to confess. There really
is. How many times have you let go
of the dear Lord's hand? What's happened? What's happened? Absolute confusion. But when
is it that you shouldn't put strain? I've said it before,
I watch our little children and now our grandchildren doing this.
And it's an amazing thing. That they try and, there's a
little toy, I know you may have heard me say it, but there's
a little toy, a wood toy, with all different shapes that you
put through the different holes. They can't do it. They can't
do it. They cannot put a circle through
a square. Yet they try their utmost to do it. They will not
put the circle through the round one. And I watch them and they
get so confused with it, they walk away from it. And that's
exactly when we try to take over. When we try to take over our
lives. There's another word, be content
with such things as you have. Do you think, friends, that that
is just providence? Do you think that's just a new
car, a new house? Do you think that's just clouds?
Be content. No, friends. It goes deeper than
that. Be content that your times are
in my hand. This is what we've got to be
content about, friends. Not trying to wrench them from
his hand and say, that's not right. That's not the time. Now's the time. How many times
have you tried to persuade the Lord that it's now? You won't do it. Believe me,
many have tried long before you were born. Many have tried to
persuade the Lord to turn His hand for good to them, and not
one of them have been able. But at least precious hands of
His. You know, Jesus knows how precious
He is. It's not something that's a surprise
to Him. He knows how precious He is.
He is eternally precious. and he desires or i don't really
know the word to use but he wants his people to taste the same
he does friends he wants his people to taste how precious
he really is and he says this i believe it's in the book of
john the gospel of john and it says none shall pluck thee friends none shall pluck thee
from my hands And then he goes on further and he says, and my
father is greater than I, and none shall pluck them from his
hand. When we look at our times and
the Lord's hand, he is guiding, he is directing, and why is he
doing it? This isn't for everybody, this
is for only his family. Why is he doing it? Because he
loves them. It's the only reason. There's
no other reason. There's no other reason that the Lord is doing
it, just that He loves His people. I believe the word is in Deuteronomy
and it says this, Yea, He loved the people, all His saints were
in His hand. And isn't that a wonderful thing
for you and I to experience, that my times are in that gracious
hand, That nail-pierced hand, friend, when you really think
that nail-pierced hand for eternity, it's forever. He will never heal. Never heal, friend, like you
and I. You have a cut or something, it heals, doesn't it? Was it
in 21 a man who is a real man? With wounds still going wide. Older than what I knew. And friendly
rested there because that was where his tides were. there's
no other place, it's the safest place on earth to be in the hands
of the Dear Redeemer if you're a believer but the Apostle says
to us it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living
God if you're not a believer if you're not friends to fall
into those hands that can crush a 10,000 worlds and yet the hand
of their Dear Redeemer puts He puts them under the head. His
right hand, his left hand embraces and his right hand is under the
head. Oh, it's dear Jesus. And each
one of the souls, if you're not learning this, we will be learning
it in our lives, won't we? Because whatever character you
read of in the scriptures, they learn them, my times. All of
them. in his own friends of the time. That's why I read Ecclesiastes.
If ever they observe their lives laid out before us, your life
is in Ecclesiastes chapter 3. My life is there. And it'll always
be there. And all the generations to follow
us will be there. A time to be born. A time to
die. Where do we stand? My time. I wonder how many really could
say that all my times are in his hand, in thy hand. You know,
these things are so vast, aren't they? Because before we were
born, he had taken up the case of his people, and he was willing
to bear them right through. Every single one of them, all
day, every day, until that eternal day, he was willing to put their
times in his hands. you know that number 64 that
we're going to read is it's just such a precious precious here
isn't it it says sovereign ruler of the skies ever gracious ever
wise i want to read it all but take it home with you do read
it again friends quietly in your bedrooms or in the kitchen or
wherever you sit quietly just read it through, ever gracious,
ever wise, all my times are in thy hand, all events at thy command, and it just goes through every
time in their life, all of them, all the times are laid out, your
life's laid out for you, it's not something that's going to
be a surprise to you is it, when the Lord's already told you over
and over again, What a wonderful thing, friends,
it really is that His hands embrace us. And really, I believe that
the hand of faith goes out towards the Lord. I want to say this
rightly, but the hand of the Lord, if you're a believer, is
already on its way. It's already on its way. So when
faith takes your hand, and you put your hand out it goes straight
into the hand of God because it's already on it's way to you
it is never could he never friends could he give his life never
could he give his life for a people and then not look after them
never you've done some great things for people haven't you
and people do some great things for the human race but nothing
like Jesus nothing at all like Jesus. I think that we've grown
familiar with these things, and it's sad, we shouldn't grow familiar
with them. We hear it, we've heard it all
our lives, but friends, when the Holy Spirit brings it fresh
to you, like it's just being done now, He is literally just
being crucified now, this is what faith does, takes you 2,000
years back, and it shows you as though it's being done now,
then you'll understand the love of God in Christ. You'll have a taste of what it
is, dying love. You'll understand then that He
took your times in those hands. Isn't it a wonderful thing, friends,
because you know and I know what sort of times we come into, don't
we? I don't know whether you're in
the time today, but believe me, whatever it is, it's in God's
hands. It's in God's hands. It's such an encouragement. It
is such an encouragement, isn't it? Look, if we take this and
apply it to ourselves, I know we can't apply it to ourselves,
but the Lord does, but if we apply this to the dear Lord Jesus, we read it didn't we? I couldn't
lay my eyes on the verse but it said into thy hands I commit
my spirit the thing is you see each one of us have got to understand
that we must trust Him with all our life we must trust Him with
our soul we must so that during life we can actually trust Him
when we can't see Him. We can step out, when He said
step out, He stepped out. And you can't see where you're
going. Abraham did it. He said leave the Earl of the
Chaldees and go and he didn't know where to go. But he didn't
question God. He believed Him. He stepped out
and went. What about you? Is your trust
that great in God? Is it that great? that you could
venture in faith. Is it that great that you know,
you know of a surety that your tithes are in thy hand and you
venture with him? It's all right, I want to speak
right, friends, because I know what it is just to be head knowledge
and have these things and not really know what it is to venture
in faith. Not really know. That's why, and I wouldn't say
it now in defence, but many start off and they turn back. Turn back. Why do they turn back? Because
they're times. Yes, they're times in His hand,
but not by David's hand. No. David waited every single
time for the Lord. and i want to encourage you dear
young people about partners in life wait the lord's time wait
the lord's time and then those that are older with their children
wait the lord's time just wait the lord's time and then us that
are older you know i look at joe and look
what he said I thought this for many years,
you know, because of David's death, of David's birth. It was
an untimely birth for him, because of how the Lord was dealing with
him. And yet, Job, my times, my times were in thy hand. His
birth was accurate. At that time, he should have
been born. At that time, Job should be in
the earth. And it is the same, exactly the
same for you and I. It is this time that you and
I should be here. Oh friend, as the dear Lord draws
close to you and you really realise that all those things you've
been through were God's timing, they were accurate friends, they
were His times. And all those things that you
will go through but his times every single one of them but
his times again the dear lord lord spoke
through joe when joe said this he hath appointed the thing for
me and many such things are appointed unto me or something like that
and you look at the lord jesus not one of his times did he change
he didn't change one of them If he should be found in the
judgment hall, he should be found in the judgment hall. If he should
be found carrying his cross, he should be found carrying his
cross, my darlings. The eternal clock was set, and
Jesus fulfilled every minute, every second, every hour, every
day. Are you rebelling? Surely the Lord's going to work,
isn't He? Surely He's going to do something?
Surely the Lord will appear? Surely! And how do we get? How
do we get grace? Surely He'll do something! Might
I ask? Do you know, this really quiets
your spirit down, doesn't it? Doesn't it quiet you down? if the Lord was to come and whisper
and I think people don't believe it when they when you say that
the Lord comes and whispers into your heart but he does come and
whisper and in a moment he settles everything done in a moment just
like he was on the oh the water wasn't he we thought the water
was coming in he would have drowned as well he would have done friends
he was laying asleep Never would he go to the bottom. Look at
the times there. They run and get him. Do you
know, I like reading these accounts because how many times have you
run and got Jesus? Do you really run and get him,
friends? Lord, we perish, we perish. We're going down, Lord.
We're going down. This is it. The place is filling
with water. All we can see is the wind and
the rain and the storm and the darkness. Nothing else. What
were we going to do? Run and get Jesus. Think of that
dear one that ran back. The others were watching on the
storm and the waves. That one that ran back saw something
glorious. He saw Jesus. And this is what
I want to come to Francis for a few, shame it's a few moments,
but my time is in thy hand. Have you seen Jesus? Have you
really seen Jesus by faith? Look at him, what does he do?
It'll be alright, don't worry about it. No, he didn't. Do you know what he actually
did? He got up. He got up. He could have sorted it all out
laying asleep. But he didn't, and this is our
God. He got up, and he went to his disciples, And he stood out on the bow of
the ship. Isn't it beautiful? And he could have said, disciples,
brethren, friends, your times are in my hand. And he lifted
up his voice and he said, please be still. Please be still. He was done. He was done. my time was in my hand the Lord
taught them that there on that sea everything became calm everything
this is what the Lord does for his people and I say if you ever
see him by faith friends you'll see there the calmness there
is with him he doesn't get pestered like us God is never pestered
friends he is never confused or emotional like we are he's
not mate please be still he's gone you know I remember as a little
lad I know I say these things about Mr Tiger at the dicker
but it comes back so fresh to me he used to say this go home
and prove it Isn't that a lovely word? Now I think, yeah, I know
what he means. Go home and prove it. He used
to preach a beautiful sermon, and as he'd come back to his
text, he'd say, now go home and prove it. You prove this, friends. Wait
on him, and you'll see your times are in his hands. Just keep waiting. Just keep watching. just keep
praying it's not an idle thing to wait it's not it wears you
out it really does crying unto god wears you out and yet if you prove that it's
one of the lord's times if you enter into anything make
sure it's one of the lord's times make sure it's rent whatever
it is make sure make sure of it because if it
isn't you take it on your own and you go along whatever it
is but if you make sure that it is a time of heaven you know i uh just before well
just after i started preaching i had to go to the dhikr to preach
uh towards christmas And all the Christmas sermons have been
used up. I know you probably don't understand
that if you're not a minister, but if you're a minister, for
instance, all the texts have been used up. I want to speak this in glory
to God. And I turned over and read, and
I went to get out, and the Lord spoke. He said this, in the fullness
of time, he sent forth his Son to the world. My times in his
hands. and the times of eternity for
his son the time came there is no time in eternity there's no
time friends you can't measure anything in eternity but in the
fullness of time God sent forth his son oh the beauty I saw in
that and the other thing I want to say is God made time He made
it. You didn't make it. You carried
it. You watched it. You do everything by time. God made time. He actually made
it. Did He make it for you? Did He
really make time for you? So that all the way through your
life there will be those times when He appears to you. when
he's the most precious thing there is to you in your life
and that's because the time of love will come the time of love
will come when we shall clearly see not only that he shed his
blood but each shall say for me that's one of the times that
are in his hand in thy hand there's many more and it's a shame I
often say but it's a shame the clock keeps ticking Isn't it? Because once you get on to the
precious Lord Jesus, we lose time, we lose self. And this
is the most precious thing in the world. So I know that at
times, you look at Lazarus, he was dead. He was actually dead,
laying in the grave. He'd gone. His sister said by this time,
Lord, you're stinking. but Lazarus was to know the time
of God and this was how he knew it two words it made you know
come forth come forth that was it Lazarus proved his time was
in the Lord's hand go home and think about these
things won't you the apostles said think on these things because
these are the better things aren't they in their lives I'm saying
this to my own self because I'm preaching to my self friends,
these are the things that should encourage us and all those things
that discourage you and twist you up and get you in a knot,
my times are in my hand. Just one illustration about that,
I always think about it, we used to do a bit of fishing when we
were young and we were obviously around this great big pond and
there was some older chaps there and they were good fishing and
us younger ones would get in such a mess with the line it
would tangle up, it would be all knotty, completely and you
couldn't use it my time, they did quite that didn't they do
you know we took it to the older ones They took hold of it, and
they got hold of one end, and they got hold of the other end,
and they just pulled it, straight like that, and the whole thing
just came down into a straight line. My time here at Nighthand
is best to have on their frenzy. It really is when the Lord untangles
things for you, and He shows you. He shows you that this did
happen because I said it did. You've been waiting a long time
for this appointment, but I brought it to pass. All the way through
your life, and I believe mine, we will see that there is only
one way, Winston, only one way, and that's in the hands of Jesus,
friends. No other way. Isn't it beautiful to be found
in those dear hands? Well, I'll leave you with it.
I was going to try and speak on the rest of it, but it's This
is enough, isn't it? It's really enough, isn't it,
friend? To go home and rejoice that my time is in my hands.
May the dear Lord forgive anything that's been said of me. conclude our service this evening
by singing hymn number 64 the tune is Melchizedek number 483 Sovereign ruler of the skies
ever gracious ever wise all my times are in thy hand all events
at thy command his decree who formed the earth fixed my first
and second birth parents native place and a time all appointed
were by him in number 64 to Melchizedek number 483. ? To be nearer ? Of the dirt ?
Ever greater ? Ever wise ? O my kind Oh, it is a fine woman Oh, it
is a fine woman Jesus Christ, Lord God If I were sent back on earth,
I would stay to bless them, too. Chosen by Him, or appointed by
Him. The acolyte of man, He shall
guide me to the tomb, O'er the land of the free and the home
of the brave? O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? and of January and of tomorrow Santa Claus is here! Santa Claus is here! I'm the David that you grew. I'm the David they adore. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? you. Days and months around me fly,
Till he is a man of kind. Not a single ? Alphabet ? ? Stereo
? ? Positive ? ? Stereo ? ? Stereo ? ? Stereo ? And now, dear Lord, we thank
Thee so much. Fearing to be so unworthy and
undeserved, we thank Thee, Lord, that Thou art still faithful
to Thy people. And do, dear Lord, encourage
us by the Word. Oh, may we receive it by the
Holy Spirit to do us good, to help us on our way. Lord, this
is what we need. Be with each one here. Do bless
them indeed, dear Lord, and be with them. and do encourage them,
we do pray, in the pathway that they walk. And now may the grace
of the dear Lord Jesus and the love of God and the sweet fellowship
and communion of thy Holy Spirit rest and remain with us each
now and always. Amen.