say that thankfully our pastor
did not have a stroke, but he has a disorder of the inner ear
called vestibular ureitis. He is back home, but this morning
feeling very poorly. May the Lord be pleased to restore
him soon and sanctify this affliction to us each. May the Lord help
us now to commence with hymn 332, the tune Alfred 287. Now let the feeble all be strong,
and make Jehovah's arm their song. His shield is spread o'er
every saint, and thus supported who shall faint. Hymn 332, tune
Alfred 287. And the people will be strong,
And they will hear God's loudest song. This will be spread on every
stage, And the supported groups shall cage. ? And that simple day to come may
be ? ? Lord, by the power of your hand ? of heaven and earth, and in the
world, as it has been. ? And shall be set at last ? ?
And shall be set at last ? Now on this world we welcome
this day ? Recoction to the day ? ? Lamb
reunited ? ? Trouble you see ? Will children come home safely? Will children come home safely? ? A strong figure and promise true
? ? This Jesus, that divine creation ? ? Steadfast in patience ? ? Love
is love and trust ? ? Friendship in kindness ? ? With Israel's chalice ? ? And still in him my hope is found ? from the Holy Word of God. We'll read together Paul's epistle
to the Philippians in chapter four. Philippians chapter four. Therefore, my brethren, dearly
beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Iodius and beseech
Syntyche that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, true
yoke fellow, help those women which laboured with me in the
gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers,
whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord all
way. And again I say, rejoice. let your moderation be known
unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth
all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, Whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both
learned and received, and heard, and seen in me do, and the God
of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly,
that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again,
wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. not
that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatever
state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased
and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things,
I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry. both to abound
and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ
which strengthens me. Notwithstanding, ye have well
done that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians
know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed
from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving
and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye send
once and again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift,
but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. but I have all
and abound. I am full, having received of
Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour
of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to
God. But my God shall supply all your
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be
glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute every saint in Christ
Jesus. The brethren which are with me
greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly
they that are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. May God bless to us that reading
from his holy word and may he now teach us how to pray. most merciful and gracious and
almighty and eternal Lord, God of heaven and of earth. We gather here this afternoon
for the thanksgiving services. And Lord, we pray thy presence
here this day Lord, we pray for thy help. Help to be given as
we gather for worship. As we read thy word, thy word
is preached. As we sing thy praises, we pray
thy help here this afternoon and this evening. And help us,
Lord, in the time between the services. Lord, we do pray that
thou would help us to give thee thanks, to raise up our hearts
in praise and Lord, we pray that thou would draw out from us each
a thankful spirit. Lord, we meet and Lord, there
is some disappointment as we meet in that the dear pastor
of this people is laid aside in affliction. And Lord, we do
pray for him at this time that thy presence might be known and
thy blessing in his heart. And Lord, as he is set aside in affliction. Lord,
that thy all-supporting arms of love and mercy might be round
about him and underneath bearing him up in this time of affliction. Lord, we thank thee that the
diagnosis is not what was once thought, And Lord, we do pray
and thank thee for thy mercy in these things. And yet Lord,
his affliction is grievous and his pain and trouble is acute. And we pray, Lord, that thou
would support him and grant him a swift and full recovery. And
Lord, we pray for his family at this time. Lord, that thou
would help them each and grant, Lord, that they may have that
help to rest in thy promise. And Lord, may they feel thy presence
as they pray for him. and his recovery. Lord, that
the children and grandchildren and each of the friends that
meet here might see thy mercy and favour. And Lord, that he
may be soon restored and once more able to Stand in this pulpit
to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. And Lord, that
thou continue to bless his labours here and elsewhere as he's able
to preach. And Lord, we commit next week
into thy gracious hands. And Lord, that thou guide him
and direct him in all things. And so Lord, we do pray that
these things might be sanctified to us each. Lord, we pray that
we may each be brought to see the brevity, the shortness of
our lives and the uncertainty from our perspective Lord, we
do not know what a day nor an hour may bring forth. And yet,
Lord, thou knowest all things, and our times are in thy hand,
and not a single shaft can hit till the God of love sees fit.
And Lord, we do pray that there may be that desire that felt
need of each one of us to continually commit our way unto the Lord,
to trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass. He shall
bring to pass those things which are needful and right. And Lord,
we pray that that Thou would help us to fall into Thy hands. Lord, help us to submit to Thy
holy sovereign will. Grant us, Lord, that spirit of
submission. And Lord, we pray that we may
see and know by sweet experience that thou art too wise to err
and too good to be unkind. Deliver us each from the power
of Satan. Lord, thou knowest how he would
come in at our times of weakness and affliction and particularly
at those times he would seek to take advantage And we pray,
Lord, that it may prove not to be the case with our dear friend
laid aside, but rather thou be the wall of fire round about
him and be the glory in the midst. And we pray that for him, we
pray it for each one of us. Lord, that thou would be our
sovereign protector, unseen yet forever at hand, Deliver us from
the assaults of the enemy. Deliver us, Lord, from his desires
to meddle with our thoughts and minds. Grant, Lord, that thou
will make that way of escape in those times of temptation,
those times when he seeks to afflict us. And so, Lord, Give us each, Lord,
a few moments this day to stop and to think and to consider,
to ponder all the way that has led us. Lord, as we think back
over the past year since the last Thanksgiving services, Lord,
are there not those things that we are able to truly thank and
praise thee for. Lord, in amongst all our many
failings and sin, are there not those things, Lord, which thou
hast done in not rewarding us according to our iniquities? Lord, we do pray that we may
be given an eye to see that thou, Lord, art good and
gracious and long-suffering. And Lord, thy faithfulness knows
no end. And Lord, we confess with shame
our lack of faith. We confess with shame our many
sins and failings. We cast ourselves upon thy mercy
and seek that, Lord, Thou would have mercy upon us, that Thou
would not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according
to our iniquities. Lord, that Thou would look upon
us in and through Thy dear Son, Lord, that we may find our acceptance
in Him. Lord, that we may be truly thankful
for that mercy that is in Jesus Christ. That place by the, that
ground of acceptance, that refuge for lost, ruined, guilty sinners. Lord, may there be those who
are unable this afternoon to thank Thee and praise Thee for
that mercy they have found. those tokens thou hast given
them over the past year. Lord, may there be those encouraged
to pray on and to ask for further tokens of thy love. Lord, may
there be those who may not yet have proved thy goodness and
mercy in respect to their soul. but have heard prayer heard and
answered for other things. And may they be encouraged to
pray on and give them those reasons to call upon thee concerning
their sin and their standing before thee. Lord, we pray that
thou would encourage those that are seeking. And maybe Lord,
it's with some disappointment that they've not yet found that
which they are seeking for. Yet, Lord, do keep them at thy
feet, we pray, and hasten that time when that glad hour will
come that they may read their title clear, that thou wilt speak
those words of peace into their heart. I have loved thee well,
my child, and thou art mine. Do, Lord, remember us each, and
we pray as we meet to worship thee. Lord, we pray that thou
lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, and shine upon thy word,
and shine into our hearts. Lord, do glorify thy great and
holy name here as we meet to thank thee for the many mercies
that are ours. We thank thee, Lord, for another
harvest gathered in and thy faithfulness to that promise, Lord, that was
given unto Noah. And we do pray, Lord, that thou
will give us each a thankful heart for the supply of our temporal
needs. May we not take it for granted
as we go about our daily lives that we have food and clothing
and homes to stay. Lord, have we not those things
to thank Thee for? Lord, that the many mercies are
to ours. Lord, that we live in a day of
the gospel of the grace of God and are we truly thankful for
it? O Lord, do then stir up our hearts in thanksgiving, and may
we worship Thee and seek to praise Thee for all that Thou hast done,
and in humble desire ask Thee still for more. So hear us, Lord,
in heaven Thy dwelling place, And Lord, when thou hearest,
do forgive. For we confess there is sin mixed
with all that we do. Confess, Lord, our best is stained
and died with sin, and our all is nothing worth. Lord, look
upon us in thy compassion. Compassion on us have we pray,
and empty. Send us not away Lord, may there
be those things for us to take home at the end of this day,
those things to pray over, things for us, Lord, to ponder and consider
as we go forward into this weekend. Lord, do remember thy servants,
Remember our friend gathered in this afternoon here to help
him in his past route and help him in his labours among the
churches. Do encourage him, we pray, and
each of thy servants and thy people. O Lord, we pray that
thou bless us together and supply every need. Lord, we pray in
this day that Thou hast called us to live. O Lord, Thou art
able to make Thy grace abound toward us. And we pray, Lord,
that Thou will open Thy gracious hand and shower down blessings
from above as we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
633, tune Hereford 871. The love of Christ is rich and
free, Fixed on his own eternally, Nor earth nor hell can it remove,
Long as he lives, his own he'll love. Hymn 633, tune Hereford,
871. That the Christ is great and
free, which on His earth eternally O bless, O bless our native land.
O bless, O bless our native land. This is our home, this is our
home, where we will be. O come all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Amen. Thou which art with God, or death,
or hell, or sin, or war, ? And heaven and earth ? ? Should
not its heart awake ? ? Till the Lord is with thee ? ? Amen ? Let him be street with love,
and love will make him say to God, Your promise ever more from death
to life, and love will be made known as truth. Nithyanandam ? Every day they
sing ? ? Lord, Lord, can't they ? ? Conspire a thing? ? ? Lord,
Lord, And make this world a better
place. And can we all learn where we
may wander In the endless space this world shall prove Oh. of that God which made the world
and the heaven and the earth. Will you turn with me to the
chapter we read, Paul's epistle to the Philippians, chapter four. With the Lord's help this afternoon,
I'll speak to you from verse 19. So Philippians chapter four,
verse 19. but my God shall supply all your
need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Paul's epistle to the Philippians
chapter four, the 19th verse, that my God shall supply all
your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. This is a most precious verse. It is given weight because it
is spoken in this letter by the Apostle Paul. who through experience
had proved the truth of what he expressed. But my God shall
supply. As he comes to the conclusion
of this letter, as he seeks to encourage the church at Philippi,
he seeks to encourage them in the various things that they
will come into according to the purposes of God toward them.
He encourages them to continue in those good works that they
had and were doing according to the grace of God working in
them. And lest they should be discouraged
in their giving, he says, but my God shall supply. My God shall
supply. Paul approved it. My God. He gives a personal testimony
to the word, my God. And you know, friends, when you
think of Paul and how the Lord had brought him and taught him. You know the Lord had met with
him, hadn't he, on that road to Damascus. Paul had gone with
letters to the synagogue at Damascus
with the intention to bring those captive who were following this
Jesus of Nazareth. and he thought he had need to
go around and persecute that church and yet the Lord had a
need for him to preach to that church. The Lord had a need for
him to witness both to those in his day and generation and
through the pages of scripture to the end of time. The Lord had need of him. And Paul had proved it, hadn't
he? How that his Lord had given him
and shown to him both mercy and given him wisdom and given him
grace and given him love. And it's those four things that
are in particular on my mind this afternoon as we consider
this word, but my God shall supply all your need. You have your needs. You have
your needs collectively here as a church and congregation.
And if you look back and the Lord gives you the help to look
back this afternoon, those of you that meet here and worship
here week by week, you surely can see something of the Lord's
hand supplying your need over another year. And what thankfulness there should
be this afternoon that the Lord has supplied your need. You know, we meet under a cloud. Your pastor, who on these occasions
has been here, who has been able to give the hymns out, on these
occasions it is laid aside. And friends, as I voice in these
things, to you and to me, to each one of us, you know, we need, oh, what need
we have of the Lord's help? Oh, may these things be used
to stir us up, to bring us to His feet, to give us that prayerful desire
that the Lord would spare and maintain His servants to preach
His Word to His people week by week. I'm sure you do. I'm not speaking from a point
of view of thinking that you don't, but rather that the Lord
would help you to continue, to bear him up in your prayers, his pathway of affliction, what
need of his prayers. May the Lord give you that you
each may prove to be an Aaron and a Hur as he seeks to serve
his master and preach and pastor you week by week that my God
shall supply. And he has, hasn't he? And you
can think back further than this past year. You think back over
the years of your pastor's pastorate here. My God shall supply. Oh, may the Lord continue to
supply your need here, a living ministry. that the witnessing
of the Holy Spirit upon the preaching and reading of the word here,
that the blessing of souls, the adding to the church here, the building up of the church here
in its most holy faith, my God, my God shall supply. What about this word personally? My God shall supply all, all
your need. What is it that you need this
afternoon? What is it that you feel to need? You know, some of us can look
back to a time when we had many, many needs that we thought we
had, Many of those needs we couldn't come to the Lord and ask him
to supply because they were carnal, worldly. They were things that
we desired to have that we might consume them in our fleshly pursuits. May the Lord give you all that
true teaching or what we have need of. Our wants, are they really what
we need? Paul wanted, I said, Paul wanted
to persecute the followers of the Lord Jesus. The Lord would have him, had
need of him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul must must be brought, must
be taught, must be brought to those pricks of his heart, would under the hand of the Lord
be deepened to that true conviction of his sin. When the Lord met
with him on that road, He said, didn't he, that I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest. Saul saw why persecutest thou
me and he said, who art thou, Lord? This is Acts chapter 9
verse 5. And he said, who art thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is
hard for thee to kick against the pricks. There's a few this afternoon
and that's where you are, kicking against the pricks. The pricks
of conscience. Those things. I often thought what Paul thought
when he saw Stephen. When he stood and watched the
death of Stephen, it's hard for thee to kick against
the prince. As he saw the face of those that
he would hail and arrest and have put in prison, it's hard
for thee to kick against the prince. Friends, it was here
on the road to Damascus, in those three days following, where those pricks, Iblis' conscience
became more of a reality. And how the Lord revealed himself
to Paul. We're told as the Lord spoke
to Ananias and told him to go and lay hands on Paul. The Lord said to Ananias, go
thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before
the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel for I will
show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. What great things he must suffer
for my name's sake. My God, said Paul, shall supply. Lord, is it wisdom that you lack
this afternoon You feel your need of wisdom.
Paul didn't feel a need of wisdom when he was going to Damascus, but a need of wisdom when he
fell into the hands of the living God. What a need he had of the
Lord's teaching. His will was not that of the
will of his God. He thought he was serving God
as he persecuted the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, but he
wasn't. He was misguided. And all the need he had of that
true teaching and revealing of who Jesus of Nazareth really
was, to see him as the eternal Son of God, to see him as the
promised Messiah, to be brought to confess his sin before him,
find that place of true repentance and find a Lord able and willing
to save him from his sin, to deliver him from his own wisdom,
his own will, his own way, but to put the mind of his Lord and
Master in him. Writing to the Galatians, he
says at the beginning of that epistle, he says in verse 13, For ye have
heard of my conversation in time past in a Jew's religion, how
that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted
it, and profited in the Jews' religion above many mine equals
in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions
of my fathers, but when it pleased God. And those things continued until
it pleased God. who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by his grace. Called by his grace. When it
pleased God, he called him by his grace. Reveal his son in me as I might
preach him among the heathen. He immediately did it. My God shall supply. Friends, is it that that you
need this afternoon? Finding that your own wisdom
is coming up short? Are you troubled this afternoon?
Anxious? concerned, finding that you're
struggling with the day-to-day things maybe. The Lord seems to have weakened
your strength in the way, weakened you. You've lost some of your
youthful self-confidence. And now there's that need you
have of wisdom. How can you go on? How can you
make those right choices? How can you discern what is right? Maybe the Lord has shaken a foundation
that you were clinging to. to show you that it isn't that
foundation of the church. You're being brought to build
your house on something less than that true one foundation. And now there's a little shaking. The Lord in his mercy is doing
it. Wisdom. My God shall supply all
your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. All that wisdom that can only
truly come from God. And how will it come, dear friend?
It will come down. through our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. He who is wisdom. He who is wisdom. In your own time, you read what
the wise man writes concerning wisdom in Proverbs chapter 8.
That word comes to me, verse 17, I love them that love me. I love them that love me. Those
that seek me early shall find me. Wisdom. If wisdom is a person, who personifies
wisdom more than Christ Jesus? Wisdom. I love them. that love me, those that seek
me early shall find me. James writes, doesn't he, in
his epistle, in that first chapter, if any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, this is James 1 verse 5, let him ask of God
that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall
be given him, my God shall supply. But from his fullness, from that
vast fullness, true wisdom, wisdom to order your affairs, wisdom
to give you discretion in all your dealings, wisdom to be made
wise, as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. That
true wisdom. Let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like
a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let
not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.
That double-minded man Oh, to have that wisdom. Oh, to be made wise, to see what
would otherwise escape us, that we're lost, ruined, guilty, we're
fallen sinners in a fallen, dying world. To be made wise, wrought
to see what we need, Oh, we need that true wisdom.
We need the light of knowledge and understanding to be shone
into our hearts. Oh, we need the quickening power
of the Holy Spirit to be given. We need the Lord to reveal to
us something of our need as sinners. Why are we in a day of grace?
while we're on the ground of mercy, where mercy is to be found,
which is time. For when time is no more, there
is no more seeking. Are you understanding, and am
I understanding of this, that it is in time where the mercy
of God is known, made known, where it is found, And when time is no more, when
that trump sounds, or when you and I are called from time to
eternity through death, friends, then time is no more. Oh, may the Lord give us that
wisdom. May he give that true wisdom
to those that we, are burdened with, those that are laid on
our hearts, those of you that have known where wisdom is to
be found, those of you that have been made wise unto salvation,
know that the Lord will give you that burden of prayer, that
those that you know and love, those that are brought into your
quarters, those who are laid on your heart might find that same source and fountain
of all knowledge and wisdom, that they might be brought to
see something of what they are, something of Him, the Lord Jesus
Christ. My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus. Oh, the fullness there is, wisdom and mercy. Oh, there's mercy isn't there? There is forgiveness with thee,
says the Psalmist. There is forgiveness with thee
that thou mayest be feared. Those of you that hear of the
mercy, the forgiveness, those of you that witness others giving
testimony to that mercy they have found, does it concern you that they
are finding mercy? that they are finding a need
to find mercy? Does it mean nothing to you?
Does it have no effect upon you? Does it not put something of
the fear of the Lord in your heart? Stirring you up to concern over
your standing? If they need mercy, do not you? Do not I? And that prayer, while on others
thou art calling, do not pass me by. Calling them by his grace,
calling them out of darkness into his marvellous light, while
on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. Paul writes that where mercy
is to be found, He says it right into the Hebrews in chapter 4
verse 16, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. Obtain mercy, pleading the name
of Jesus at the throne of his grace pleading for mercy at the
feet of Jesus. That's obtaining mercy. When that desire has been put
in the heart and there's that crying for help, the Lord is pleased to meet with
the sinner at the feet of Jesus and bless them with some sense
that they've obtained help of God, favour in his sight. It has therefore come boldly,
not in pride, not in presumption, but in faith. My God shall supply. Is it that you lack this afternoon?
Faith. Faith to believe. Oh, you can see with your eye.
There's a lot that you see which you're not pleased with, are
you? You feel something of your misery and sin, faith to look
beyond. Faith to look to Christ Jesus. Faith to come to him, though
you feel unworthy. Faith to approach a holy God,
how? In and through his Son, Jesus
Christ. Faith that he will not turn you
aside. Faith that he will not refuse
your cry. Faith believing that this man
sitteth and eateth with sinners. This man receiveth sinners to
himself. Faith. Boldly, as a sinner in need. Boldly, in the face of temptation
of Satan to turn away, to give up. Faith to look above all that
stands between your sin and guilt and misery. Faith looks up, looks
above those things Faith lays hold of a precious
Saviour, who said, because I live, ye shall live also. Oh, we sang, didn't we, in our
middle hymn of that love of Christ. How did that hymn begin? The
love of Christ is rich and free. Rich and free. Oh, the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God. The gift, friends, the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. The gift of God. Thanks be unto
God for his unspeakable gift. Let us therefore come boldly
pleading the merits of a dear saviour of sinners, pleading
that name, that all-prevailing name that God has revealed. He's
well pleased to hear his children plead Jesus, Jesus Christ. It has therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy on the ground
of mercy we come to obtain mercy pleading the grace of God which
is grace gives us those things which we do not deserve pleading
his mercy that he will not give us what we deserve which is the
eternal punishment of our sin but that he might give us Give
us that forgiveness. Give us eternal life. Give us all that precious blood
applied to our guilty heart, the blood of His Son, which cleanses
us from all sin, that we may obtain mercy and find grace,
find grace to help that my God shall supply all your need. You need that grace to wait,
grace to call on his name, grace to go away from the throne of
his grace at times without the felt answer, grace to come again
and again, grace to respond to a cloudless sky like Elijah and his servant on Mount
Carmel, go again seven times with a promise in your heart
and yet no answer yet. My God shall supply. What a test it was for Elijah. Go again, he said to his servant,
go again seven times. He continued in prayer. And there the Lord appeared.
A little cloud, like a man's hand,
and all the appearing. Wrestling prayer can wonders
do, bring relief in deepest straits, Prayer can force a passage through
iron bars, brazen games, but we need the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ. All we need is grace to help
in time of need. All we need Him to supply us
with that grace. All that we might not murmur,
nor that we might not come with our murmurings and our disputings, but that we might come with a
broken and a contrite heart. We might come humble, we might
fall before Him, and we might humbly wait for
His appearing, pleading His promise. Thou hast said, He will regard the prayer of
the destitute and not despise their prayer. The Lord is good to them that
wait for him. Oh, to come and plead what we read in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah,
chapter 40. Even the youth shall faint and
be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait
upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up
with wings as eagles, They shall run and not be weary, and they
shall walk and not faint. Oh, that the Lord is good to
the soul that waiteth for him. We don't like waiting, do we?
It needs patience, and we lack it. We're impatient. We see a need. We feel in jeopardy. Everything's uncertain. Oh, when
will the Lord appear? Are you waiting at his feet? Friends, you're not in jeopardy. No, you're not in jeopardy when
you're waiting at the feet of Jesus. When you're pouring out
your heart before him, he is a refuge for you. He's able to supply your need
as you wait. He giveth more grace. He giveth more grace. We have a beautiful word, don't
we, at the beginning of John's Gospel, that first chapter, verse
16, and of His fullness have we received. And grace for grace. You know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. Oh, that fullness of grace in
Jesus Christ. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. Oh, will he also go away empty
of grace, devoid of his grace? Will he also go away impatient
at waiting for the fulfilment of his promise? Will you go away from the throne
of His grace? Because you lack that faith and
lack grace to ask. The promise runs, ask and you
shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock
and it shall be opened unto you, full of grace and truth. Will
ye also go away? Who else can help you? Maybe in humble confession you
say to whom else, Lord to whom else can we go? Thou hast the
words of eternal life. No one else can help. There's
no other fountain of of grace and love and truth. John bear witness of him and
cried saying this was he of whom I speak he that cometh after
me is preferred before me for he was before me and of his fullness
have all we received in grace for grace my God shall supply
and it's again and again And it's daily it must come, and
at times hourly. It's grace sufficient, it's strength
sufficient. And as the apostle proved, my
grace is sufficient for thee. And my strength is made perfect
in weakness. And your afflictions, and those
burdens, and those troubles, oh the Lord is going to use them. and sanctify them and then you'll
say with the grace of our Lord Jesus given and the love of God
shed abroad in your heart you'll like the Apostle say most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power
of Christ may rest upon me, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me, my God shall supply. His love, an everlasting love,
that love we sang of. He loves through every changing
scene. In all those dispensations, in
all those changing scenes of life, There's your foundation,
the eternal love of God. He loves through every changing
scene, nor ought can him from Zion wean, not all the wanderings
of her heart can make his love from her depart. Eternal love,
everlasting love, unchanging love. Oh, that love. We love Him because He first
loved us. Oh, did your heart go out? We
must come to a close, but does it go out? In love, is there
a desire in your heart? Oh, is there? Those things. Herein is love. 1 John chapter
4, verse 10. Herein is love. Not that we love
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love, we love him because
he first. loved us. Oh, to have that, that
love of Christ, the love of God, shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. My God, shall supply
a promise, one of those precious shells of scripture. Oh, may
the Lord give you that that seal in your heart and give you to
plead this word. Thou hast said, Lord, my God
shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ
Jesus. May God at his blessing. Amen. I would just mention that the
collections today are for the Christian Institute. We'll close this afternoon with
hymn 184, tune Laudate Dominum 2, 9-1-1. A fullness resides
in Jesus, our head. and ever abides to answer our
need. The Father's good pleasure has
laid up in store a plentiful treasure to give to the poor. Hymn 184, Tune 911. you. Thou who restest thy light in
Jesus our King, and ever the power to counsel the weak, The pow'rful inspiration that
made our beings grow, The precious information to which you have
grown. Watch where he abhors, reeling out in the air, The ne'er-returned
man and his worship in the air. This coldness shall heal us,
and thunder shall die. Its colors shall shield us when
danger surrounds. The first day of life,
the first Till holy mystery can reach the
whole grave. It is in abundance we daily receive. He has a great vengeance, Lord,
? Whatever distress ? ? The grave shall speak the truth ? Such gentle grace will please
us this earth, That still shall support us and silence our fear. O God, we thank Thee for just
what we have seen. Let the bolts of death, O danger,
o strife, Disarm, defend, and guard us through life, And when we are fainting and
ready to die, Whatever it wants in its place, Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship
and the communion of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with us
each now and forevermore. Amen.