I commence our service this afternoon
by singing hymn number 398. The tune is Godra Coed, number
925. Dear shepherd of thy people,
hear thy presence now display. As thou hast given a place for
prayer, so give us hearts to pray. Show us some token of thy
love, our fainting hope to raise, and to pour thy blessings from
above, that we may render praise. Hymn number 398, tune Godra Koed,
number 925. O say can you see by the dawn's
early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming ? Shepherds, shepherds, where are
you? ? ? Come and see what I do ? ? And all my praises to Thee ?
? All my praises to Thee ? ? All my praises to Thee ? We'll carry on and on we'll reach
and on and on we'll go. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's This afternoon, dear friends, from
the Infallible Word of God we turn to Deuteronomy again and
we read a part of chapter 5 and chapter 6. The fifth chapter of Deuteronomy
and we commence to read at verse 22 together with chapter 6. these words the Lord spake unto
all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire
of the cloud and of the thick darkness with a great voice and
he added no more and he wrote them in two tables of stone and
delivered them unto me. It came to pass when ye heard
the voice out of the midst of the darkness, for the mountain
did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads
of your tribes and your elders. And ye said, Behold, the Lord
our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness. We have heard
his voice out of the midst of the fire. We have seen this day
that man doth talk, God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now therefore, why should we
die? For this great fire will consume
us. If we hear the voice of the Lord
our God anymore, then we shall die. For who is there of all
flesh that heard the voice of the living God speaking out of
the midst of the fire as we have and live? Go thou near and hear
all that the Lord our God shall say. And speak thou unto us all
that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee. And we will hear it
and do it. The Lord heard the voice of your
words when you spake unto me. And the Lord said unto me, I
have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have
spoken unto thee. They have well said all that
they have spoken. Oh, that there were such an heart
in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments
always. that it might be well with them
and with their children forever. Go, say to them, get you into
your tents again. But as for thee, stand thou here
by me and I will speak unto thee all the commandments and the
statutes and the judgments which thou shalt teach them. They may do them in the land
which I give them to possess it. Ye shall observe to do therefore
as the Lord your God hath commanded you. Ye shall not turn aside
to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways
which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that she may live,
that it may be well with you, that she may prolong your days
in the land which ye shall possess now. These are the commandments,
the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded
to teach you. which ye might do them in the
land, whether ye go to possess it. That thou mightest fear the
Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments,
which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy son's son, all
the days of thy life, that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and
observe to do it, that it may be well with thee, and that she
may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath
promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our
God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy might. And these words which I command
thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt
bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontless
between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon
the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be, when
the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land, which is
whereunto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give
thee great and goodly cities which thou build'st not, and
houses full of all good things which thou fill'st not, and wells
digged which thou diggest not, vineyards and olive trees which
thou plant'st not, when thou shalt have eaten and be full,
then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth
out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage. Thou shalt
fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Thou shalt not go after other
gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you. For
the Lord your God is a jealous God among you. Lest the anger
of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee
from off the face of the earth. You shall not tempt the Lord
your God as ye tempted him in Massa. Ye shall diligently keep
the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies,
and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt
do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord. that
it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess
the good land, which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to cast
out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. And when thy son asketh thee
in time to come, What mean the testimonies and the statutes
and the judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy
son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt, and the Lord brought
us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the Lord showed signs
and wonders great and saw, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon
all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from
thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which
he sware unto our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to
do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good
always, that he may preserve us alive as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness
if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord
our God as he hath commanded us. Again we ask the blessing of
the Lord upon His Word read, and that He may favour us in
prayer. O Lord, Thou who art a prayer
hearing in a prayer answering God. What a wonderful and a sacred
privilege it is and a favour for a poor worm of earth, sinful
dust, to approach the majesty of heaven the eternal God and
not the consumed. For our God is a consuming fire. We thank Thee for that new and
living wine which Thou hath consecrated for us through the vial, that
is, through His flesh. the sacred humanity of God the
Son, the man Christ Jesus, who is now ascended at the right
hand of God as our great high priest, there to intercede for
us as we come to God in Jesus' name. O may we be accepted in
thy well, beloved Son, in whom thou art well pleased. Do grant to us the divine health
of thy Holy Spirit, for we know not what we should pray for as
we ought, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. And so, Lord,
we thank thee for the sacred provision granted thy church
and people enabling them to call upon the name of the Lord. Then began men to call upon the name of the
Lord. And all thy people have been
calling upon thee ever since. Oh, the necessity that brings
us to the throne of grace. Oh, the path of tribulation,
the burden of our heart, the trial of faith that brings us
to thy dear feet, O Lord, in prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, making our request known, Lord, to they. And yet, Lord, thou knowest us
all together. Thou art well acquainted with
all our ways. Thou knowest our thoughts, our
far off. Thou knowest the way that we
take, the path we walk in, which is subject to thy sovereign will
and good pleasure. But Lord, what grace we need
to walk humbly before our God. For the flesh dislikes the wine,
but faith approves it well. And so, Lord, do keep us at thy
feet in prayer. And, O Lord, may we be favoured
with further answers according to thy sovereign will. Thou knowest
how poor and needy we are and feel to be. We're not equal,
Lord, in and of ourselves to conduct the services and to walk
by foe. Oh, we need Thee, Lord. And then by Thy help and grace
and strength and power, we can walk humbly before our God. And O Lord, could it please Thee
to graciously appear, to undertake, and save us for Thy mercy's sake. Help us to continue in word and
doctrine, and in faith, and in practice. Help us to hold on
our way, to press toward the mark and to go forward. Leave us not, Lord, to go back
or to turn back. Oh, there were those, Lord, that
did this, and thou didst say to thine apostles, Wilt thou
also Go away, O do save us, Lord, from the shipwreck of foe. But O may we continue in that
narrow way to go forward as Thou didst speak of old. Speak unto
the children of Israel that they go forward, and although obstacles
may be in the way, burdens upon our heart, servile fear and unbelief,
yet Lord may we go forward in faith, looking alone to the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith. May we be established in the
truth and settled on that one eternal foundation stone, the
Lord Jesus Christ. We come before thee now, dear
Lord, again to further wait upon thee in this service. And O may the services, Lord,
of the sanctuary be a means of grace and blessing unto us each. May we not come and go to thy
courts as the door upon its hinges that may we come in exercise
and go with the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich in our
hearts. Help us to come, Lord, in exercise
of soul, waiting upon thee that thou wouldst speak and let thy
servants hear. O may we have an open ear, the
ear of faith, to hear what thy Holy Spirit will say unto the
Church of God. O speak, Lord, and let thy servants
hear. Be not silent, Lord, unto us,
lest, if they'll be silent, we be like them that go down into
the pit. Oh may we have an ear and ear
of wise and understanding heart concerning thy word which we
hear and thy word that we are unable to preach according to
the will of God. And so, Lord, we give this day,
the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, to Thee, dear Lord,
as we desire to soberly celebrate the glorious resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the grave, the first day of the week. ye be risen with Christ. May we seek those things that
are above. Oh, how often we grovel here
below, fond of these trifling toys. But we do thank thee, Lord,
for a sanctified heart, a heart that loves the Lord and seeks
the Lord and follows the Lord. And O Lord, do help us then on
this thy day to glorify thy great and holy name. May there be profit
and edification and further instruction for us in the things of God. Now, Lord, again we pray lovingly
and affectionately for thy cause and interest here. Oh, we thank thee, Lord, that
thy spirit remaineth among them. We thank Thee for the continued
ministry of their beloved pastor. We thank Thee, Lord, for that
union between us both. We pray that Thou would grant
him souls for his hire, seals to his ministry, so that there
may be those signs following, the preaching of the gospel here,
so that he knows he does not labour in vain, or spend his
strength for naught, but to know that in all labour there is profit. And so may there be that manifestation
of profit follow in the ministry within these walls that thy name
may be glorified and thy people favoured and blessed with thy
presence and thine approbation to rest upon them from above. Be with each one, Lord, from
the youngest of the dear children to the oldest one present who
statedly worship thee in this house of God. And as, Lord, an aged sheep has
been taken home to glory of more recent times, our late dear friend
and sister, Mrs. Field, so may there be a lamb
brought into the fold of Christ here. And so we lovingly commit
and commend each one to thee, and pray that thou wilt mercifully
suit thy goodness and love to them as they stand in thee. that thou wouldest be a God of
providence to them, much more a God of grace. Again we pray
for the officers of the church here and pray that thou would
help them regarding the office here and their responsibilities
and concerns and labours within the gospel standard body of churches
to which we are united in the bonds of love and union. Now Lord we would acknowledge
thy great goodness, the supply of all our needs, for maintaining
our lot, for homes, for dear ones, the families and all the
benefits that thou didst grant, we would truly thank thee for. And, Lord, do go before us each
in every untrodden step. May we be favoured according
to promise, grace and strength equal to the dine. Remember thy
ministering servants today, their dear pastor at South Chard, and
all the ministers, Lord, labouring on the walls of Zion, not only
in this land, but those who are abroad at this time, ministering
thy word. Lord, be with them. in the preaching
of the gospel and in those friendships that are being made with meeting
those of a like mind and gracious spirit. And so Lord may we all
be one in heart at the feet of Jesus. Lord, we would pray for
those in their afflictions and trials and infirmities. Oh, as the years pass, Lord,
oh, these things overtake us and render us more dependent,
Lord, upon thee. But, oh, may we prove continually,
day by day, Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as they day,
so shall thy strength be. But do, dear Lord, sanctify to
us each the path of tribulation, and may it lead us to the dear
Redeemer in all his sorrows and grief. while here below. Now, Lord, do preserve to us
our gospel privileges, the freedom of worship. We're living in solemn
times in our land. Violence and corruption, Lord,
have laid upon our streets. That may the privilege of public
worship Be mercifully preserved and keep us each safe, for safety
is of the Lord. Now, Lord, we pray for further
help in the ministry of thy word. Oh, may we be favoured to dip
our foot in oil and be acceptable to the brethren and sisters in
Christ. Oh, Lord, do hear us in all these
things. And I'll do own and bless thine
own word for Jesus' sake. Bless the singing of the good
hymns. And I'll do grant thy pardoning
love and thy forgiving mercy unto us each. For thou hast power,
O Lord, to forgive sins, who cleanse us in that sacred fountain,
thy precious blood that cleanseth us from all sin. We would glorify
and praise and honour the name and person of God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. God bless her forevermore. Amen. Continue our service by singing
hymn number 888. The tune is Old 148, number 552. No wit or will of man, or learning
he may boast, no power of reason can draw sinners unto Christ. So fallen is nature, such her
flaw, none come except the Father draw. His Spirit must disclose
the deadly plague within, uncover all our woes, and show the man
of sin, and feeling thus our ruined state, we humbly fall
at Jesus' feet. In Number 888, Tune Old 148,
Number 552. O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's O come, O come, O come, O come,
O come, O come, O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming? O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave? ? The firstborn King of all ? ?
He is heaven-shown in heaven ? ? And earth, heaven-sown in
heaven ? ? God rest their lonely souls ?
? And give them rest for evermore ? ? Ever true is your love ? ? Precious
to man is love ? ? Precious to man is love ? ? There is much that the earth
? ? Nothing knows ? As the Lord shall be pleased
to help me, dear friends, I ask your prayerful and loving attention
again from the word that we considered this morning, namely chapter
10 in Deuteronomy. And we read again verses 12 and
13. And now, Israel. What doth the Lord thy
God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in
all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God
with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments
of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee this day,
for thy good. Well we endeavoured this morning
ministerially to open this word in the context of it and thus
as we desire to do that by the help of God then it magnifies
to us the word upon which we are seeking to apply our minds
and hearts. If you just take the truth as
it is and not understand the background to it, then I believe
we do not enter into that greater fullness than if we consider
that which constitutes this word Because you see, the whole word
of God, friends, is truth, and it all blends beautifully, and
it's all a sacred order, from Genesis to Revelation. And so, dear friends, God is
a God of order, and He's a God of order in His word, and in
truth, and in everything that He does. There's a blessed order. There's no confusion with God,
friends. Confusion of faiths belongeth
unto man. Man's full of it. Why? Because he's ignorant of God. But you know, if we fear God,
you'll desire to live an ordered life in the fear of God. That'll be the effect, friends.
You won't live in confusion. No. Oh, the Lord, friends, works
in wonderful ways and enables his dear people to do that which
he requires. Now, this afternoon, as the Lord
helps us, let us continue in the verse, but to fear the Lord
thy God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. And the fear of the Lord here
is not a servile fear as a slave before the taskmaster. No, it's
a filial fear as a son to the father in reverence and in godly
fear, our Father which is in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come. And so the child of God, under
the filial fear of the Lord, is labelled to fear the Lord
thy God. Now, to open this up further,
let us go to the covenant blessing that was given to Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. You remember that when Abraham
received the promise of a son, Isaac, shall thy seed be called,
he'd waited many years for that promise to be fulfilled. And when God spake it, he believed
it. And it was accounted unto him
for righteousness. But as the time went on, he got
weary of waiting. And so, in keeping with his wife,
they devised a way to try and hasten things instead of waiting
upon God. And what was the effect? Well,
it was Ishmael who was born, but he was never the child of
promise. And so dear friends, at that
appointed time, God's appointed time, Isaac was born. Isaac was born. And soon after
this, the Lord spake to Abraham, take now thy son, thine only
son. No mention of Ishmael, thine
only son. by promise and go up Mount Moriah
and offer him there as a sacrifice upon the altar. And he went in
obedience. And you know the account I'm
sure. And what did God say? He said this afterwards. He said to Abraham, now I know
that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son,
thine only Son, from me. Now I know. And friends, the
Lord will bring you into a path of the trial of faith to prove
that you fear God. That's not an easy way, friends. No, the righteous are tried by
the Lord. It's the trial of faith. And
so the promise being fulfilled, and the Lord appears and does
something for you. Now, now, you must do what the
Lord says. And how strange to human nature
But you see, friends, the ways of God are past finding out.
And Abraham had to go up Mount Moriah and take his son. And see that lamb caught in the
thicket. Take it and offer it as a sacrifice. You see, he saw Christ die there
on that mountain. What a blessing it was. He never
lost it. Never lost it. The Lord Jesus
said, years later in the Gospel, Abraham rejoiced to see my day
and was glad. And that's where he saw it. Oh, the effect of faith. His
faith was greatly tried. But his faith saw Christ. And this is the object of faith. to see the Lord Jesus. Friends,
have you seen Christ by faith? There'll be a cost. There'll
be a cost. Oh, true religion, friends, there's
a cost. There's loss. There's cross. But the crowning blessing is,
you see, he saw Christ. And all the faithful worthers,
recorded in Hebrews 11, all the Old Testament saints, by faith
they saw Christ. By faith Abel, he saw Christ
when he offered that lamb. Cain, what did he do? He brought her the fruits of
the sin-cursed earth. What was that? That was nothing,
friends, to God, but what Abel did was. But Cain was not in
the covenant of grace. He rose up and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? For
his own deeds were evil, and his brother's righteous. And
so the Lord, friends, tries his dear people. And that you know,
how the Lord tries you in some particular matter. You have to
wait upon Him to bring it to pass. Oh, what grace you need,
what faith you need to wait upon Him still. Our fallen nature
is so impatient, but tribulation, friends, will work patience.
And you will have to wait upon the Lord at all times, ye people. So dear father Abraham, the friend
of God, feared the Lord. Beautiful, isn't it? And all
the Christian worthies did. Noah did. Indeed he did. When he built that ark, he saw
Christ die. He moved with fear, prepared
an ark to the saving of his soul. And so dear friends, faith is
a wonderful grace. But it only works by love. It only works by love. And our
text speaks of love. And if the Lord has given you
faith, he'll give you love so that that grace can be operative
in your heart and to the glory of God. Oh, how the Lord works,
friend. The ways of God are past finding
out, dear friends. But we have to learn a little
here and there by these things. And so my mind also went to,
in the New Testament, the first Gentile convert. And that was
Cornelius. Ah, he feared God with all his
heart. Oh friends, what a godly man
he was. He gave much alms and prayed
to God a wife, feared God. And friends, the obedience that
he yielded to God and sent for Peter. And Peter came and preached. And look what he said. Peter in his ministry after he
was brought to Cornelius he said this, but in every nation he
that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with
him. He that feareth God and regarding
him personally a devout man, and one that feared God with
all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed
to God all the while, and one that feared God. Well, friends, the question we
ask is this, do we fear God? Do we fear God? is the Lord in
our thoughts and minds and hearts. We desire to act in accordance
with that, knowing that the Lord hears us and sees us. In the
Sunday school at the Decca, where I was brought up as a lad, over
the door, hanging there, and those words are still there today,
Thou, God, seest me. What a mercy that is, friends.
God sees the heart. Man sees the outward appearance,
but God looketh at the heart. And he sees your heart. And he
gives you his filial fear. This is the very essence of true
religion. I said this morning that every
virtue that we are exhorted to walk in and fulfill can be accomplished
because it flows from Christ. This is no exception. Though he were a son, yet learned
the obedience by the things which he suffered. and he rendered
that filial fear to God his Father. Let me just read that verse exactly. Who in the days of his flesh,
when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong
crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death
and was hurt, In that he feared. There's the filial fear of God
in the heart of Jesus Christ. I do always those things that
please my Father. That wonderful filial fear. Now friends, what a glorious,
wonderful pattern for the Church of God And the hymn writer took it up
in one of our hymns, and rightly so. I'm glad we've got a hymn
that contains such words as this. And what are they? Let me just
read that verse to you. Or these two verses. Happy the
men that fear the Lord, They from the paths of sin depart,
rejoice and tremble at his word, and hide it deep within their
heart. This treasure was by Christ possessed. In this his understanding stood,
and everyone that's with it blessed has free redemption in his blood. So this treasure, and what a
treasure it is, the fear of the Lord, was by Christ possessed. So the child of God is enabled
to fear the Lord, because the Lord Jesus did. And if we are
true disciples, we can follow Him. That is discipleship, following
Christ. And then, this filial fear is
in exercise continually. It's a requirement, friends.
It's a requirement. God requires it. And as his well-beloved
Son has fulfilled it on our behalf, so we can walk in the filial
fear of the Lord. Fear God. honour the king, love
the brotherhood, the exhortation given us by Peter in his epistle. And so friends, may we all be
the subjects of this filial fear. What a favour. This is true vital
godliness. This is more than religion, friends.
One can be religious and destitute of the fear of the Lord. Oh,
the scribes, the Pharisees, the chief priests, Caiaphas, Pilate,
Herod. Oh, religious men, so-called. They knew nothing of the fear
of the Lord. Nothing. But oh, friends, we
want more than religion. We want Christ. We want godliness. This then is the fear of the
Lord. Beautiful, isn't it, when it's
in exercise and being walked out. And to fear the Lord thy
God. Again, you see a gracious understanding
in some measure, only in a measure, of the greatness of God upon
your spirit. The greatness of God cannot be
fully comprehended in our mortal state, but under the influence
of the spirit, a little of the greatness of God is felt upon
our spirit. And friends, if you've ever known
it, if you've ever known it, you'll never forget it. And we
need this from time to time, to save us from ourselves, and
the world, and the flesh, and the pride of our heart, and to
realize the greatness of our God. Ascribe ye greatness unto
our God, and realize in a little of this greatness, then you walk
humbly before the Lord, which is a requirement, as Maker says. Oh the Lord thy God, thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and
to walk in all his ways. To walk. Well naturally the Lord
gives us legs and feet enable us to walk, and what a blessing
it is. Just think friends, if you had
no ability to walk, how sad it would be. Like that man in the
Word of God, in the New Testament, in the Acts, he was born a cripple,
and a cripple for all those years, and he had to sit in the gate
of the temple begging, asking, for the day came when the Lord
healed him and raised him up. So what a wonderful blessing
it is to be able to walk. Now here there's a walk, this
walking is in faith. To walk in all his ways. So let us consider a little of
this walking. How can two walk together? except
they be agreed." There must be an agreement with that which
God has required. There must be that agreement,
one with another in the things of God. And the church are agreed
in the things of God. But if one fears not God, you
can't walk with them. No, you can only walk with those
of a like mind and their spirit sanctified by the power of God. And you can consider those that
did walk in faith. My mind goes to Enoch. Not a lot is written in the Word
of God about him, but we read this, Enoch. walked with God. What a wonderful
testimony God has left on record for that godly man. I wonder sometimes if we ever
ponder the day of our death Whether you've made arrangements for
who you want to take your funeral. These are things that should
be done. Set thine house in order, the
Lord said to Hezekiah, for thou shalt die and not live. But you
know, when that day comes, and the funeral service is taken,
what a wonderful matter it would be if the minister could say
concerning the deceased our dear departed friend walked with God
wouldn't be ending out that's complete isn't it that's complete
oh that's a fullness friends walked with God not walking according
to the course of this world no but walking with the Lord. And friends, man is either walking
according to the course of this world, or he's walking with the
Lord. He's either walking with Satan,
or he's walking with Jesus Christ. What an honour for a mortal man,
fears God, to walk with God. Well, there were many, weren't
there, that walked with the Lord Jesus. His disciples did, the
apostles did. They walked with him. There were
those that turned back. How solemn, friends. After a
profession of religion, then to turn back from following the
Lord. The apostle Paul knew this sorrow. He said, Demas hath forsaken
me, having loved this present world. That's what took him from
the Lord and took him from the Apostle Paul, the love of the
world. But friends, if we're walking
with the Lord, then we won't want the world. Oh, this walking
by faith. following in the footsteps of
the Lord's dear people and also following in the steps of Jesus
Christ because to walk in all his ways. Did the Lord walk in
these ways? Yes he did. Indeed he did. We read concerning the two on
the Emmaus road. And the Lord Jesus drew nigh
and went with them. And that journey was about seven
and a half miles. And so the Lord walked with those
two for perhaps seven miles. Several miles he walked with
those two. What a favour, friends. They
didn't realise who it was at the beginning, but he made himself
known. And sometimes, friends, the Lord
walks with us and we're not aware of it, to the enjoyment of it,
until he makes himself known. And yet the effect was seen. And friends, the effect will
be known in your heart. did not our heart burn within
us? While he talked with us by the
way, and while he opened to us the scriptures, he walked with
those two. Oh, beloved friends, bless God
that Jesus walked with his dear children. They didn't realise
it was the Lord But you see, it was, and after he'd made himself
known. And the Lord always makes himself
known to those that love him. Judas said unto the Lord on one
occasion, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest
thyself unto us and not unto the world? If a man love me and
follow me, My Father will reveal Him to thee. Revelation, make Himself known. You see, this is the difference,
friends, between the world. How is it, dear Judas, that thou
wilt manifest, show thyself unto us? It's because the Lord loves
us, because we are His. And so the Lord Jesus walked
in all his ways. Another walk-in that I would
bring before you is this. The disciples on that boat, on
the Sea of Galilee, the Lord constrained them to get into
that boat to go to the other side. They yielded obedience. And off they went and started
their journey. Now, you see, you would think,
wouldn't you, if one yielded obedience to what the Lord said,
and venture forth, all will be well until they reach the other
side. You may desire to act in the fear of the Lord in a matter,
and you may feel, well, I won't have any trouble or distress
in this matter. I have acted in accordance to
the will of God, And I'm sure that all will be well. Friends,
they had to learn a lesson. But they had to prove more of Jesus Christ. Because there
that tempest, there that storm. And friends, they were filled
with fear and jeopardy. In the fourth watch of the night,
Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And you may have encountered
a sea of trouble. You seem to be tossed with waves
and not comforted. Oh, they're afflicted and tossed
with tempers, did not comforted, Isaiah said. But what happened? The Lord died walking on the
sea. And I believe I see there all
the troubles and all the conflicts and all the trials that we're
subject to. The Lord is above it all. He's
above it all. And He comes walking above it
all and comes to you like He did to those in that boat. It
is I. Be not afraid. The presence of
Christ, friends, removes all fear. It is I. Be not afraid. That will remove the fears and
the unbelief from your heart. The presence of Christ. He walked
to them. Oh the dear Redeemer walking. There's another walking as well
that is very remarkable as relates to Christ himself. He was brought up in Nazareth
as we know and he preached there on one occasion
and the people rejected his ministry and cast him out and wanted to
take him to the bray of the hill and cast him down. A prophet is not without honour
save in his own Now, we read this. He, they'd rejected him, cast
him out. But he, passing through the midst
of them, went his way. His way. Walked his way and walked
down to Capernaum. But dear friends, it was his
why, not theirs. They rejected him and cast him
out. But he went his way, because
they rejected him. There were those in Capernaum,
waiting, longing, yearning, praying for the Lord. And he walked down
to Capernaum. And his word was with power. They were astonished at his doctrine,
for his word was with power. He walked down to Capernaum,
but he went his way, not theirs. And sometimes in a trial you
may feel that man is prevailing, but friends, he's not. You're
walking in the way that he will have you go, because Jesus Christ
is the way. and he's the truth and he's the
life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Oh, the
way I take cannot be wrong if Jesus be but there. And so, friends, in your tribulations
that we're all subject to, then it's his way. We have to walk,
friends, don't we? Sometimes we can run, sometimes
we feel lame, but this walk in, in all his ways, in all the ordinances
of the Lord's house blameless, Elizabeth, Zacharias, they will
walk in, in all that the Lord requires. Again, what a blessed
testimony. Walking in truth. Well, dear
friends, may we be favoured to walk in the Gospel way, to walk
in all His ways. Well, what a wonderful leader.
The Lord Jesus is the way. No more gracious exhortation
than this, to follow the Lord. And we have a beautiful account
in the Gospels of all that Jesus did. Now I know there are other
things that are not written, but these are written that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that believing
ye might have life everlasting. And so, friends, there's a walking. There's a movement. And under
the inspiration of the Spirit, you'll walk in these ways. You won't be slothful or indifferent. to be a gracious activity of
walking. The exercise of soul, friends,
that's what it is. I believe it's right to say in
medical terms that walking is a good exercise for the heart,
the body, naturally. Well, be that as it may, walking
is a gracious exercise of your soul. It keeps your soul in a
good, healthy state to walk in all His ways, the ways of the
Lord. Well, the Gospel way, the Gospel
invitations and the ordinances of God's hands, you see, to walk
in all His ways. He was immersed in Jordan's flood,
baptized by John the Baptist. And so, dear friends, the ways
of the Lord. These are good ways, right ways,
ways that are for the benefit and the blessing of your never
dying souls. Now to do this, you need to love
Him. If ye love me, keep my commandments. Love, friends, love. So, to love
Him. Well, the carnal mind of man
is enmity with God. Hatred to God. Oh, how solemn. It just shows, friends, the depth
and dimension of the Adam fool. The God who created us in our
own image. And yet, through the Adam fool,
there's an enmity which is hatred to God. So to love Him there
must be a wonderful change wrought by the Spirit in your heart and
then you'll love Him. As He brings you to Sinai, as
He brings you to condemnation, that brings you under the curse,
and then the Lord delivers you. Because the Lord Jesus turned
the curse to a blessing for his dear people, because he died
a cursory death upon the cross at Calvary. And so remove the
curse, and for all what the Lord has done, you'll love him, friends. Dear Peter, Oh, that grievous
denial. But it didn't undermine his love.
He still loved Christ. But the Lord wanted to hear him
say it. That's why he asked the question
three times. Lord, thou knowest that I love
thee. The Lord saw his heart. And Peter
spoke the truth. He still loved the Lord. And
that's why the Lord reinstated him. When thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren. And friends, what strength there
is in that first epistle of Peter, those five chapters. What a strength
to a believer. Beautiful truths. To my mind,
they're some of the most sacred truths in the Word of God to
my soul. That first epistle of Peter,
and it strengthens the brain. He loved the Lord, the Lord reinstated
him. He wrote those epistles, the
first and the second. Oh friends, to love, yeah. Having loved his own which were
in the world, he loved them to the end. The love of Christ is
rich and free, fixed on his own eternally. And his love manifested
to us. There, we love Him. That's the way, friends. Not
like some in the circles of religion. Oh, they say we've accepted Christ
and we love Him. We want to follow Him now. Friends,
that'll never last. Never last at all. It's His love
to us. that brings forth love to him. Then you'll walk in truth. Then
you'll do that. The Lord Jesus, I do always those
things that please my Father. You see the love between Christ
and his Father. The love that I had with thee
before the foundation of the world. And in the Gospel by John
we have those sacred words that were spoken by the Lord Jesus. O righteous Father, the world
hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known
that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them
thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. So the sacred union, I and my
Father are one, eternally one in love. Yea, the Holy Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, these three are one in the eternal
bonds of everlasting love. And so, three separate glorious
persons, all in the sacred operations for the benefit of the Church
of God, And yet, one, one. What's the secret of oneness?
Love, love. Well dear friends, I see the
time has gone this afternoon to love Him, to serve the Lord
thy God with all thy heart. and with all thy soul to keep
the commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command
thee this day, and it's for thine good, for thy good. Amen. serving today by singing his
number, 247, the Junior's Gerontius, number 150. O Lord, I would delight in thee, and on
thy piety bend, to thee in every trouble plead, my best, my only
friend. O Lord, I cast my care on Thee,
I triumph and adore. Henceforth my great concern shall
be to love and praise Thee more. 247 June, Dronchus 150 The. The. The. Oh. ? And came to earth this life ?
? A glory in my name ? ? I hear the song of a lark ? ? We love thee ? ? Everlastingly
? ? Everlastingly ? ? Forevermore ? ? With hope and faith ? When it's time to think them
again, And know which of them they mean, ? I shall follow thee ? ? Even
in the end of days ? ? In every hour of day ? ? My children are true ? ? You
shall be happy ? ? Happy ? ? May heaven bless you ? I'm How can she say I can't be true?
What can I hope to be true? ? And my cross I bear for thee
? ? I call on thee, O God ? ? And for my grave one servant shall
be ? And Thou, most gracious God,
do own and bless all that we have in Thy tender fear, desire
to attend unto today. O may we all be profited and
edified and further instructed in the truth and be able to do
that which thou, Lord, doth require of us. Do take us now on our
journey in peace and safety. Come up with us again, dear Lord,
this evening in another call. May thy grace, Lord Jesus, the
Father's love, the communion of thy Holy Spirit, rest and
remain and abide with us each now and forevermore. Amen and amen.