uh uh The notices for the coming week
are God willing as follows. Pastor will preach here next
Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock. Also on Thursday evening at 7
o'clock. There'll be a prayer meeting
here on Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. Let us commence our services
today by singing together hymn number 1127 to the tune Barnstable
294. When Zion's sons, great God, appear
in Zion's courts for praise and prayer, there in thy spirit deign
to be as one with those who worship Thee. Hymn 1127. Sons, pray to
God and earth here, in Zion's courts, for praise
and prayer. in Thy Spirit came to be as one
with those who worship Thee. And from widow to worship see. Without thy sovereign, Barad-dûr,
No sweeter cost than can afford. Two drops of heavenly love will
fall to cheer the weary godless soul. To cheer the weary, pesky soul. Winds from the north and south
away take of the things of Jesus' sake. Diffuse thy fine celestial
dew, bring pardon, peace, and healing too. Green garden, peace
and healing too. Then shall we count the sweet
of dear to those who speak, all those who hear. and o'ercomes far with sweet
accord, in hymns of joy to praise the Lord. In hymns of joy to praise Let us read together from the
holy word of God in the gospel according to Luke and chapter
eight. The eighth chapter in the gospel
according to Luke, we will commence our reading at verse 22. Now it came to pass on a certain
day that he went into a ship with his disciples. And he said
unto them, let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And
they launched forth. And as they sailed, he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of
wind on the lake. And they were filled with water
and were in jeopardy. And they came to him and awoke
him saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose and rebuked
the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there
was a calm. And he said unto them, Where
is your faith? And they, being afraid, wondered,
saying one to another, What manner of man is this? For he commandeth
even the winds and water, and they obey him. And they arrived
at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
And when he went forth to land, they met him out of the city
a certain man, which had devils a long time, and wear no clothes,
neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus,
he cried out and fell down before him. And with a loud voice said,
what have I to do with thee? Jesus, thou son of God most high,
I beseech thee, torment me not. For he had commanded the unclean
spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught
him. And he was kept bound with chains
and in fetters. And he break the bands and was
driven off the of the devil into the wilderness. And Jesus asked
him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion, because
many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that
he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there
was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain. And
they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them.
And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the
man and entered into the swine. And the herd ran violently down
a steep place into the lake and were choked. When they that fed
them saw what was done, they fled and went and told it in
the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what
was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the
devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed
and in his right mind, and they were afraid. They also which
saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the
devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the
country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart
from them, for they were taken with great fear. And he went
up into the ship and returned back again. Now the man out of
whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be
with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,
Return to thine house, and show how great thing God hath done
unto thee. And he went his way, and published
throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto
him. And it came to pass that when
Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him, for they
were all waiting for him. And behold, there came a man
named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell
down at Jesus' feet and besought him that he would come into his
house. For he had one only daughter,
about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went,
the people thronged him. And a woman, having an issue
of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon
physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him,
and touched the border of his garment, and immediately her
issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter, and they
that were with him, said, Master, the multitude thronged thee,
and pressed thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus
said, Somebody hath touched me. for I perceive that virtue has
gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she
was not hid, she came trembling and falling down before him,
she declared unto him before all the people for what cause
she had touched him and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, daughter,
be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace. While he yet spake, there cometh
one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, thy daughter
is dead, trouble not the master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered
him, saying, fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house,
he suffered no man to go in, save Peter and James and John
and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept and
bewailed her. But he said, Weep not, she is
not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn,
knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out and took
her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and
she arose straightway, and he commanded to give her meat. And
her parents were astonished, but he charged them that they
should tell no man what was done. May the Lord bless that portion.
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty,
which is an art to come, we desire to bow before thy sovereign majesty. We pray for that needed grace
to pray unto thee at this time. and that there may be a sense
given to us of thy holiness and of thy majesty and of thy glory
that we may reverently approach unto thee. O Lord God, we come
as sinners and we solemnly have to agree with what these scriptures
declare. Born in sin, shapen in iniquity. In sin did my mother conceive
me. And as the prophet of old declares, from the crown of the
head to the sole of the foot, wounds and bruises and putrefying
sores, there is no soundness in my flesh. Gracious God, it
is so. We think of thy servant Jeremiah,
but when he declares by thy Spirit, the heart is deceitful above
all things and desperately wicked. Who can tell? So we come, most
gracious Lord, as poor sinners, to bow before thy great majesty,
to confess our sins and our wanderings and our backslidings. And oh,
we pray to be washed in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, thine
only begotten Son, who was manifest in the flesh. For, Lord, it is
declared, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth
us from all sin. Oh, to know the cleansing power
of the blood of Christ in our hearts, in our souls, and to
feel our sins depart away. Oh, we think of those beautiful
words, Lord Jesus, that thou didst speak to thy bride. Thou
art all fair, my love. There is no spot in thee. Oh,
that we may have a realization given unto us this day. that
we are indeed in that eternal covenant, ordered in all things
ensure, that we are sheltering beneath the blood of the Lamb
to take away all our sin, and that we are indeed trusting alone
in that glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of
Jesus Christ. Oh, to truly feel these things
as we gather around thy Word, to see sin, smarts but slightly,
but O to feel cuts deep beyond expression. May we be feeling
sinners and may we confess our sins. And if we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Gracious God, we
thank thee for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank thee for
the glory of his name. We thank thee for the fullness
of his grace, for the wonder of that mercy that mercy that
flows from our eternal Father through his only begotten Son
to poor sinners and sealed there by the Holy Ghost into the heart. Oh, that this day may be a sealing
day, that those that seek may find, that those that are asking,
Lord, may they receive. Those that are knocking, may
the door be open. We do humbly beseech thee. We've
read of that dear woman as she pressed through the crowd that
thronged thee. And she was immediately healed. Oh, that it may be so today.
We read in Holy Scripture and it was noise that Jesus was in
the house. May it be so here in this little
chapel today that Jesus is present with us. And may some poor sinner
touch the hem of his garment and draw from that virtue, that
fullness that is in him. of fullness resides in Jesus
our head and ever abides to answer our need. Oh, we do thank thee
for that profound mystery of godliness, of God manifest in
the flesh, the eternal word that was made flesh and dwelt among
us. And we do pray that we may behold his glory. But we do thank
thee that he was made of a woman, made under the law, that he might
redeem them that are under the law. We do thank thee, most gracious
Lord, for that perfect obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, under
the law, fulfilling, honoring that holy righteous law. We thank
thee for those lovely words of the apostle. Christ is the end
of the law for righteousness. everlasting righteousness has
been brought in, in that pure and that holy saviour, in his
perfect obedience. May we lay hold of him. Jehovah
Sidkenu, the Lord, our righteousness. We thank thee, most gracious
God, for the wonder and the glory of Gethsemane, of the judgment
hall, of Calvary where the lamb was slain, where sin was put
away, where divine justice is satisfied, where God and sinners
are reconciled. Oh, we would enter thy gates
with praise and with the voice of thanksgiving. He died for
our sins and rose again for our justification and has now ascended
into heaven. And we have a great high priest
who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the son of God. Oh, most
gracious Lord, may we truly feel as we bow before thy great majesty,
tis he instead of me is seen when I approach to God. We pray,
most gracious Lord, that we may be led of the Spirit, for as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. And we pray, most blessed Spirit of truth, that thou wouldst
truly convince us of our sins, and lead to Jesus' blood, and
to our wandering eyes reveal the secret love of God. And we
thank thee that in our Lord Jesus Christ we know the love of our
eternal Father, for through him we have access by one spirit
unto the Father. Oh, the wonderful glory and grace
of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. that we do pray that
thou wouldst bless us as a church and as a congregation, that we
do pray that thou wouldst send out thy light and thy truth and
return in thy power and in thy glory as thou usest to be in
the sanctuary, that we may see thine arm made bare, that we
may see the strongholds of Satan pulled down and the kingdom of
our Lord Jesus set up in the hearts of sinners, Let thy work
appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
O Lord, we do beseech thee, abundantly bless the provision of thy house,
and satisfy her poor with bread. Most gracious God, we do humbly
pray, O make bare thine arm in the gospel. O Lord, we do pray
thee, send out the light and glory and power of the gospel
into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets, that we
may see many, many precious souls yet gathered in, that we may
see a building of the wall of Jerusalem. Gracious God, hear
us, we humbly beseech Thee. Fulfill that sweet word Thou
didst speak to Thine ancient people, for I am returned unto
Jerusalem with mercies. Hear the prayer of our opening
hymn, O Lord, we do beseech Thee. Bless our deacons, give them
grace, give them wisdom, guidance, direction and strength and help
in all their responsibilities. Be with our brother at Tunbridge
Wells this morning and help him Lord there. We do pray thee and
we do pray most gracious Lord for any in the path of affliction
or trouble or trial or perplexity that there was undertake for
them. Help us to love each other, serve each other, bear each other's
burdens. We think of thy words, Lord Jesus. By this shall they know that
ye are my disciples because ye have love one to another. Lord,
increase our faith. Increase our love. We do humbly
beseech of thee. And we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst remember each one of our brethren and sisters
in church fellowship. that may we each grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and
that we pray for the little ones and the children. We thank thee
for them. We love to see them and hear
them in the sanctuary. Oh, that thou wouldst bless them
in their young and tender years with the fear of the Lord, which
is the beginning of wisdom. Bless the dear young friends
as they stand on the threshold of life's journey. Bless them
with that rich grace that is in Christ Jesus. Bless them with
the forgiveness of their sins and faith and hope and love in
him, that they may be brought to follow him and serve him,
that we may see a generation raised up to call thee the Redeemer
blessed, that we may see the fulfilling of those sweet words
of the psalmist, instead of thy fathers shall be thy children,
whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. Remember the
prodigals that have wandered, and graciously lay hold of them
and cause them to return. None are beyond thy power, none
are beyond thy grace and thy loving kindness. Lord, we earnestly
petition thee to have mercy upon them for thy great namesake. We long to see them, Lord. And
we pray, most gracious Lord, to remember all in the midst
of the journey of life, and especially parents, give them wisdom, to
bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord, we do humbly beseech them. And grant, Lord, that the family
altar may be raised and the word of God read and prayer made in
the family. For all things are sanctified
by the word of God and prayer. And we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember those of us in the evening time of
life's journey. We pray that thou would graciously
preserve and keep us and deliver us from all evil, deliver us
each from the temptations of Satan, prepare us for that great
day when heart and flesh shall fail, when we shall soar through
tracks unknown and see thee on thy judgment throne. Lord, to
be prepared for that day. We pray that most gracious Lord
that thou in thy precious mercy remember the churches up and
down the land, remember thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine
upon the walls of Zion, set them free, set them at liberty, grant
them that fresh anointing of the Spirit, and we earnestly
petition thee, O Lord, that thou, the great Lord of the harvest,
would send true labourers into the harvest, would build the
walls of Jerusalem, would turn back the tides of iniquity, in
this day in which we live. But we pray, most gracious Lord,
for our nation, for those that rule over us, that they may be
given wisdom, guidance, and direction in all matters. We pray for our
king and the royal household, that thy rich blessing may rest
upon them, but for thy great name's sake. Lord, we pray for
those that live in those countries in the earth where thy name is
Aboard, and thy people are persecuted, and hated, and imprisoned, and
lose their life for the name and witness of Jesus Christ.
Lord, send them help from the sanctuary. Strengthen them out
of Zion. Preserve and keep them in all
their ways. O Lord, we do beseech thee. And
O Lord God, we do pray for those that labor in word and doctrine.
among the nations of the earth, we would especially remember
those that go out from us. We think of thy servant, Ian
Sadler, as he labors in so many different places in India and
Pakistan and Burma and Africa. Lord, we pray that thou would
supply all his needs, that thou would gird him with all sufficient
grace, that thou would grant an abundant harvest in due season. Remember the Savannah Education
Trust and that great work that they are doing in Ghana. Oh,
that thy rich blessing may rest upon that work, that it may be
to the strengthening of thy church there in Ghana. And Lord, remember,
we do humbly beseech thee, the Mombasa mission, and grant the
outpouring of thy spirit there. We think of thy servant who has
returned, and we pray that thou would bless those, Sam and Hannah,
that remain. and give them wisdom and grace
and help, we do humbly beseech them, and grant a harvest in
due season. And, O Lord, we do pray that
thou, in thy precious mercy, wouldst now be with us as we
turn to thy holy word. Come and open thy word to our
hearts and to our understanding. Come, Lord, and touch one's lips
with a live coal from off the heavenly altar, We do humbly
beseech thee for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1111. The tune is University College
515. Jesus, thou alone can say, thou
canst raise the dead to life, thy reviving power I crave to
decide this inward strife. Hymn 1111. ♪ Thou canst raise me up into life
♪ ♪ I will find truth and I pray ♪ ♪ It is like this day and night
♪ Sing, my ev'ry god and power, Lord, I put my trust in you. Jesus, in thy mercy shine, and
then make me like that sun. We know not of surprise, Such
a beauty has no price. God is in you and you shall ♪ Of our sweet and darling land
♪ ♪ It is in you to draw my hand ♪ ♪ In earth's open land ♪ ♪ The bright and joys of heav'n
♪ ♪ The pitch-black nightingale ♪ It's the face of Lemuel. In thy strength, O Lord, I stand. In thy promises of love. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I direct your attention to the Gospel according
to Luke and chapter 8, And reading verse 25 for our text. Luke chapter 8 verse 25. And he said unto them, where
is your faith? And they being afraid wondered,
saying one to another, what manner of man is this? for he commandeth
even the winds and water and they obey him. How amazing it must have been
to see and witness the wonderful glory of Christ when he was here
on earth in the healing of diseases and making the lame to walk and
the deaf to hear and the blind to see, casting devils out of
those that were possessed with them. Of course, we live in a
day, even in many professing circles, where there is virtually
a denial of any devil possession or anything like that. But of
course, it's the same today as it was when Jesus was here upon
earth. I think it was godly J.C. Ryle that said, the first step
to unbelief in God is unbelief in the devil. And how many there
are in the day in which we live that deny that there is such
a thing as an evil spirit or evil ways. Of course, there's
many that deny there is even a God. A denial that we have
a soul. But these disciples, how the
Lord showed them revealed himself not only to the disciples but
to all those around and in his preaching and teaching guiding
them and directing them and you know it's wonderful here if we
just consider this little narrative at the moment from verses 22
to 25 see now it came to pass on a certain day that he, that is Christ, went
into a ship with his disciples and he said unto them, let us
go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. So they were there by divine
direction. And The Lord was guiding them
and not only that, the Lord was with them. He was present there
in the ship with them. We notice also here in the beginning
of verse 23, and as they sailed, he fell asleep. That's the Lord
Jesus Christ. And what it reveals to us, he
had a human nature just like we do. Body and soul just like
we did It says in Hebrews chapter 2 behoved him to be made like
unto his brethren in all things and We it's recorded in the Gospels
that he used to spend whole nights in prayer So there would have been times
when he was very tired And it says in John's Gospel he being
wearied with his journey, sat by the well. He knew what weariness
is. In fact, friends, he knew all
the sinless infirmities that we know. He knew what it was
to hunger. He knew what it was to thirst.
He knew what it was to be weary. He knew what it was to be so
tired. These are what are called the
sinless infirmities of our nature. And our Lord Jesus, He experienced
all these things when He was here upon Earth. Though He is
Lord of all, though He's the mighty God, the everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace, though He's from everlasting to everlasting,
He, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever, that's
eternally, from all eternity to all eternity, remains the same, eternally the
same. But when he assumed human nature,
in the womb of the Virgin Mary, when he became bone of our bone
and flesh of our flesh, in Psalm 22 and the Apostle, he quotes
it in Hebrews, it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. That, when he says his brethren,
it's the whole election of grace. It's all that the Father gave
him. That is brought out so clearly,
isn't it, in the, that very instructive prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the 17th chapter of John. These words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify
thy son. that thy son also may glorify
thee, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. In another place,
Christ says all that the Father giveth me shall come to me and
him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. I will in no wise cast out. So
in a sense of that word in the Hebrews a very profound word
that the Apostle speaks concerning the person of Christ. He was
tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. And so even in the trials, what
did Christ say? Foxes have holes and the birds
of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to
lay his head. You see, he humbled himself. But here in this narrative, these
disciples all with him launching forth under his command and in
his presence and as they sailed he fell asleep and there came
down a storm of wind on the lake and they were filled with water
and were in jeopardy. I understand it is quite a common
occurrence on the Sea of Galilee that a sudden storm will rise
up Southern wind will come and it turns very choppy. It's not
it's not a huge lake and This is what happened here, you know
friends the Lord Jesus he knew that this was going to happen He knows everything he sees everything
he understands everything and Those things that you may be
passing through at this time, the Lord knows. He knows what sore temptations
mean for he has felt the same. He knows. He understands. He not only sympathizes, he empathizes
because he's been there himself. I find it a very profound word
that in the Hebrews, he was tempted in all points like as we are,
yet without sin. There's nowhere you and I can
go that the Lord Jesus does not know it, has not experienced
it. It's a very profound thing. But
that is what that scripture means. And so this great storm came. I don't know where you friends
are, each one of you here today. And here a great storm came. Perhaps there's a great storm
has come in your heart, in your life, in your circumstance. in
your family, a great storm. And you feel that you're sinking
underneath that storm, underneath the weight of that storm. And
it says here, and they were filled with water. They were filled with water.
They were in jeopardy. The little ship they were in
was about to sink. And they came to him and awoke
him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose and
rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased. And there was a calm. You see,
my beloved friends, the Son of God. The disciples said, or he said
unto them, where is your faith? And they, being afraid, wondered,
saying one to another, what manner of man is this? For he commandeth even the winds
and water, and they obey him. One hymn writer says, doesn't
he, the wildest storm his word obeys. We read in the Psalms,
he spake and it was done. We read in Ecclesiastes, where
the word of a king is, there is power. And here is the king
of kings and the Lord of lords. That's who Jesus Christ is. He's
the king of kings and the Lord of lords. He's able to do abundantly more
than we can even ask or think. He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth. He's the
eternal son of the eternal father. He said that when he was about
to ascend into glory, he said to his disciples, all power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth. All power, not some power. All power. He's the omnipotent
savior. He's the almighty redeemer. One hymn writer says, doesn't
he? May these words encourage you to come to him. Thou art
coming to a king large petitions with thee bring for his grace
and power as such none can ever ask too much. And just as here. These disciples
are so astounded at the power of Christ. And what manner of
man is this? For he commandeth even the wind
and water, and they obey him. You know, he asks a question
here. Where is your faith? I can honestly
say I don't know where each one of you individually is at this
time in your life, in your feelings, in your soul, in your circumstances. But we propose this question
to you, that Christ asked his disciples, where is your faith? Many, many years ago now in a
great trial, and a trial that had gone on for months. And I
wondered if I'd see the end of that trial. It was a great trial.
And I was, Early in the morning it was summer. I think I got
up about four o'clock. I couldn't sleep I was so troubled
and so tried and I took my dog over the fields and I was so
wrestling with the Lord as I walked over those fields That he would
appear He had appeared many times But I'd become so almost overcome
with unbelief and it was just those words from the book of
Daniel that the Lord dropped them with such power into my
heart I shall never forget it but there's a God in heaven just
those words but there's a God in heaven it was almost like a rebuke but
there's a God in heaven a God that knows everything a God that
sees everything a God that understands everything There's nothing hid
from his eyes. Your circumstances are not hid
from the Lord. And these things are edifying
to look at. We read in Isaiah chapter 40. And it speaks in Isaiah chapter
40 of the greatness of this God. And he says in verse 12, Who
hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted
out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure,
and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsel
hath taught him? With whom took he counsel? He's
the Eternal God. He's the Almighty God. He's the
Creator of the heavens and the earth. He controls all things.
He knows all things. He sees all things. He understands
all things. We read in Psalm 145, His understanding
is infinite. That means without measure. There's
nothing that He doesn't understand or see. He's in control of everything. including all your minute circumstances
of your life. The Lord Jesus even refers to
that. He says the very hairs of your
head are numbered, not one of them falling without your heavenly
Father's leave. You see, it goes on in Isaiah
40, all nations, verse 17, all nations before him are as nothing.
They have counted him as less than nothing. And vanity, who
to whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will he compare
unto him? The workman, mounteth a graven
image. He goes here and he speaks of
those that have idols. And then he carries on in verse
21. Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not
been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the
foundation of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the
circle of the earth. And the inhabitants thereof are
as grasshoppers. that stretcheth out the heavens
as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. He's
the eternal God that bringeth the princes to nothing. He maketh
the judges of the earth as vanity. Verse 25. To whom then will ye
liken me? Or shall I be equal, saith the
Holy One? Lift up your eyes on high, Behold
now he's saying look at the Sun the moon the stars the planets.
That's what you're saying. What God has created Lift up
your eyes on high and behold who has created these things
that bring it out their hosts That's a host of stars by number
He called it them all by names by the greatness of his might
For that he is strong in power not one faileth not one faileth
those that study the stars, etc. They can tell you exactly when
a certain comet's going to come, exactly when a certain thing's
going to happen, that they've studied it and they know exactly
when it's happened, and it happens exactly as they have said it
does. Because that is the way God created it. And this is what
he's saying here. Who has created these things
that bring forth their host by number? He says, For that he
is strong in power, not one faileth. So he set it before us here,
the sovereign power of the eternal God. But then look what he says to
Jacob. Jacob is his chosen people. Wise sayeth thou, O Jacob. And speakest thou Israel, my
way is hid from the Lord. my judgment is passed over from
my God. In other words, Jacob was saying
the Lord can't see, my way is hid from the Lord, my judgment
is passed over from my God. And then he goes on by way of
instruction and reproof, hast thou not known, hast thou not
heard that the everlasting God The Lord, the creator of the
ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary. There is no
searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint. You know, these thoughts come
from this question that the Lord gave unto the disciples. Where is your faith? And we propose
the same question to you. Where is your faith? Are you like Jacob? My way is
hid from the Lord. My judgment is passed over from
my God. The Lord can't see. The Lord
doesn't understand. There is no searching of his
understanding. The hymn writer says, doesn't
he, my life's minutest circumstance is subject to thine eye. And
so true that is. Every little fine detail in your
life God sees it. God knows it. And my beloved friends, nothing
happens by chance. It doesn't. It doesn't happen
by chance. It happens according to the will
of God. You know, the Lord's servant
Eli, when Samuel went to Eli, in very solemn words he spoke
to Eli of the judgment that his sons would die in the flower
of their age because they were disobedient and defiled the sanctuary. What a solemn message the young
samurai had to take to Eli, wasn't it? And you know, Eli, that godly
man, he bowed his head. It is the Lord. It is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth him You
see, he bowed in humility before the great God. It is the Lord. Now, he says here, he giveth
power to the faint. And to them that have no might,
he increases strength. Even the youth shall faint and
be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But, what a but
here. It's a wonderful but. There are
some lovely buts. It's what I call the but of faith.
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, but they that
wait upon the Lord. Psalmist, he says, they wait,
I say, upon the Lord. What does it mean to wait upon
the Lord? It means to pray. It means to
ask. It means to knock. It means to
seek. Waiting upon the Lord. Waiting
for His appearing. Waiting for His grace. Waiting
for His love. Waiting for His mercy. Waiting
for that peace of God that passeth all understanding. You know,
the Lord Jesus Christ here in Luke, in the 11th chapter, he
speaks so beautifully, doesn't he? Concerning what it is to
wait. In Luke chapter 11. And he says,
he speaks here of the impotunity and prayer in the beginning of
the chapter. It's that lovely Lord's Prayer, our Father, which
art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will
be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us this day our daily
bread, forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone that
is indebted to us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. You see, my beloved friends,
he teaches us, our Father, which art in heaven. What really here
that is so instructive, it says in verse 9, And I say unto you,
Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened
unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth,
and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall
be opened. You see, they are definite. words of encouragement to seek
that's why they're written they that seek shall find it says
in proverb then that seek me early shall find me and blessed
is the man that waited daily at my gate standing by the post
of my doors he's promised to hear prayer that there may be
somebody here And you say that I've been praying for months,
I've been praying for years, I've been seeking, but I seem
to get nothing. Just look at these words and
what it says. It doesn't say that he might
answer you or he could answer you or perhaps he'll answer you. There's no ambiguity whatsoever
in what is spoken here in the promise of God. Ask and it shall
be given you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock
and it shall be opened unto you. These are the divine shalls and
wills of the eternal God. Keep seeking. The devil will
try to stop you seeking. He'll say it's no good. The Lord
will never hear. He will. He will in his own time. Just think of what we looked
at in Isaiah. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength. They shall mount up. Again, it's the word shall. It
doesn't say could be. It doesn't say perhaps or might
be. They shall. These are God's words. They are divinely certain. You see, my beloved friends,
these things are written for our instruction. It gives us
a little illustration here, the Lord Jesus. in verse 11 of Luke
11. If a son shall ask bread of any
of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he
ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he
shall ask an egg, will he offer a scorpion? If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much
more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him. Oh, that the Lord may indeed
encourage us. I would encourage you, dear young
friends, in all your concerns, there's nothing too small and
there's nothing too great to take to the Lord. Take it to
the Lord in prayer. As the apostle says in the Hebrews,
looking unto Jesus. That's the grace we need, looking
unto Jesus. then we have and he said unto
them where is your faith where is your faith and they being
afraid wondered saying to one another what manner of man is
this for he commanded even the winds and water and they obeyed
maybe there's something in your life that you think is impossible
looks impossible it sounds impossible and you feel that it is impossible
but you know friends this these things are written for our instruction
nothing is impossible with God for with God all things are possible
all things doesn't matter how great it is and nor does it matter
how little it is it's possible with God and may these scriptures
that we have been quoting to you, may they be a living word
in your heart and encourage you to keep praying and to keep looking
and to keep seeking and to keep knocking. It doesn't matter what it is,
the Lord hears prayer. He does indeed. We read of this
dear woman in verse 43, and a woman having an issue of blood 12 years. See, it was a long time. Maybe
there's somebody here who'd been seeking the Lord for years. Just
think of that man that the Lord Jesus is. I think it's in John's
Gospel. He was by the pool of Bethesda.
And once a year, an angel came down and moved the waters of
the pool of Bethesda. And the first person that entered
the water, after the moving of the water, was healed of whatever
disease it was. And we read that the Lord Jesus
came. He came right where that man
was. He'd been laying there 38 years. And he said to the Lord
Jesus, he said, when the waters are moved, I cannot get to them. Somebody always gets before me.
38 years. He'd been waiting and watching
and praying. But Jesus came right where he
was. Rise, take up thy bed and walk. Take up thy bed and walk. And
he did, he took up his bed and he walked. You see, the point
of highlighting this is to say that you may have been seeking
for a long time It may be some very particular thing that you've
been seeking. And you've been praying about
it for many years. And like this dear woman here,
12 years. And not only that, she spent
all her living upon physicians. Neither could be healed of any.
She came behind him. Why? Because the Lord had given
her faith. Faith to believe. She'd heard
of the Lord Jesus Christ. She'd heard how he could heal
the sick, how he could make the blind to see and the deaf to
hear. And she was desperate. She spent all her living, she
spent everything she had trying to find a physician that could
heal her. And then she came behind him
and touched the border of his garment and immediately her issue
of blood starts. You know, what we see here It
is the vital need of direct contact with Jesus Christ. And it's just
as needful today. You may have many troubles, many
trials, you may have afflictions, you may have perplexing things,
but we worship the same Jesus. He said, who touched me? And
it says in verse 47, and when the woman saw that she was not
healed, she came trembling and falling down before him she declared
unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched
him and how she was healed immediately and he said unto her daughter
be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace
There's wonderful teaching here. The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter
10, he says, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word
of the Lord. She heard and eventually she
went and she was healed of her sickness. You know, the wonderful
power of Christ, the wonderful virtue that there is in Christ,
You may say, but I'm such a defiled sinner, but he's such an almighty
saviour. There's none too black, isn't
it? That one of Gad's mishims, the
vilest sinner, out of hell, that lives to feel his need is welcome
to the throne of grace, the saviour's blood to plead. I go back to
what I quoted earlier. Thou art coming to a king. Large
petitions with thee bring. For His grace and power as such,
none can ever ask too much. And we also have that really
remarkable narrative here of the Mad Gadarene immediately
after our text. And again, we see the sovereign
power of Jesus, the Son of God. And not only that, we see what
James says the devils believe and tremble and when it says here they arrived
at the country of the Gadarenes as Gentile people of course because
there was a herd of swine the Jews wouldn't have swine which
is over against Galilee and when he went forth to land there met
him out of the city a certain man which had devils long time
again look at this See, this woman, she was 12 years. This
man, he said he had devils a long time, bound by Satan, until the
Lord Jesus came. And he came. This man, he came. When he went forth to land, they
met him out of the city, a certain man, which had devils a long
time, and wear no clothes, neither abode in any house but in the
tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out. See, this is what I mean, the
devil's believe and tremble. The crying out was done by the
devil. The Lord Jesus says, what is thy name? He said, my name
is Legion, for we are many. He cried out with a loud voice. What have I to do with thee,
Jesus, thou son of God most high? Oh, I beseech thee, torment me
not, for he had commanded the unclean spirits to come out of
the man. You see, the disciples saw that
wonderful power of Christ instilling the wind and the waves and the
sea. Immediately as he spake, where
the word of a king is there is power, he spake and it was done. And now this poor man that had
been bound by Satan this long time, They besought Him. Verse 31. That is the devils in the man.
They besought Him. They besought the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now there's some teaching here, friends, that we should
remember. These devils could not do what
they wanted to do. We notice that They had to ask
the Lord Jesus. They said, send us not into the
deep, that is into the Lake Galilee, but send us into those swine.
And we're told, I think it's in Mark's gospel, that there
was 2,000 swine upon the hillside. Send us into the swine. And when
he gave them leave, to leave that man, it says in verse 33,
then went the devils out of the man and entered into the swine
and the herders ran violently down a steep place into the lake
and were choked. Immediately those swine were
destroyed. Now, as it says here in the narrative,
this man had been possessed with those devils a long time. And
what those devils were trying to do A name given in Holy Scripture
to the devil is Apollyon, which means the destroyer. And that's
what they were trying to do to that man. They were trying to
destroy him. And they couldn't. Why? Because he was loved with an
everlasting love. The Lord had loved him from all
eternity, and now the time had come to deliver him. The devil
couldn't overpower him, much as he would like to done, as
much as he had tried to do, we read elsewhere that he ran among
the tombs cutting himself. But when the Lord Jesus came,
the devils were totally under his control. You may come into
circumstances, you may come into some intense temptations of Satan,
And what the devil would try to convince you is that he is
in control. My dear beloved friends, he never
has been and he never will be. God is in control and that is
what we see in this narrative of Legion. Jesus was in complete
control. Not only that, the devils believed
they knew him. Now there's different faiths. The devils believe and tremble.
Faith. But it's not living faith. Some
people have a faith just purely in the letter of God's word.
And they believe everything's written in God's word. And you
might say, well that's a good thing, surely. My beloved friends,
we need a personal faith in Jesus Christ. Not just a general faith. To believe that Jesus lived and
loved and died. You want to know that he lived
and loved and died for you. It's a personal thing. That's
what living faith is, or what is commonly known as justifying
faith. There's a historical faith that
will never save your soul. Just reading God's Word, good
thing to do, I'd encourage anyone to do it, just reading God's
Word alone will not save your soul. What do we read in Hebrews
chapter 11? Without faith it is impossible
to please God, for he that cometh unto God must believe that he
is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him." We need the spirit of faith. We cannot please God. Now, these
people that came, Legion was given faith. That dear woman,
after 12 long years of affliction, was given faith. wonderful spirit of faith, wrought
in the heart by the Holy Ghost, whereby you're able to believe
and lay hold of Christ, to believe and lay hold of the Atonement,
to believe and lay hold of the righteousness of Christ, a Saviour,
a Redeemer, who's able to save to the uttermost. You see, and
we read here, the people from the city in verse 35 then they
went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the
man out of whom the devils were departed look at the difference
between this man this naked man running among the tombs cutting
himself sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right
mind and they were afraid So what a change. Now, this man,
he wanted to go with Jesus. We can understand that, can't
we? He wanted to follow the Lord Jesus' ship. The Lord said to
him, verse 39, return to thine own house and show how great
things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published
throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto
him. What a monument of grace, wasn't
it? The great things that Jesus had done unto him. And then we have this other narrative,
the ruler of the synagogue, Jairus. He fell down at Jesus' feet,
verse 41, and besought him that he would come into his house. Because his only daughter was
sick. She was nigh unto death. Now, Jesus was greatly hindered. This man was desperate. She was
near unto death. And in verse 49, while he yet
spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's
house saying to him, thy daughter is dead. Trouble not the master. What a blow that must have been.
But when Jesus heard it, he answered, saying unto him, Fear not, believe
only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house,
he suffered no man to go in save Peter, James, and John, and the
father and mother of the maiden. See, the people laughed when
he said that she is not dead, but sleeping. They laughed him
to scorn. He put them all out, and took
her by the hand, and called, saying, made arise, and her spirit
came again, and she arose straightway, and he commanded to give her
meat, and her parents were astonished. Astonished. You would be, wouldn't
you? That the wonderful power of Jesus Christ, my dear beloved
friends, we worship the same the same power, the same love,
the same compassion. Think of what the Pharisees said
derogatory about Christ. It's derogatory, but it's so
true. This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Hallelujah,
he does. He receives sinners and eats
with them. He does today. Oh, that the Lord
would enable you to come, to bring all your concerns, all
your burdens, to bring all your troubles, all your trials, to
bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is able. He is willing. Doubt no more. He's able to say,
he's willing to say, this precious Redeemer. I love what, I know
I often quote it, what Hart says in that lovely hymn on Gethsemane.
It's so true of Jesus Christ. full of love to man's lost race. He was and he is full of love,
full of compassion, full of kindness. He receives poor sinners. Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. So these are the words of Jesus.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly
in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' And he said
unto them, Where is your faith? And they, being afraid, wondered,
saying one to another, What manner of man is this? For he commandeth
even the winds and water, and they obeyed him. May the Lord
add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 410. The tune is Ashtohol 332. O for
a heart prepared to sing, To God my Saviour and my King,
while with his saints I join to tell, my Jesus has done all
things well. Hymn 410. Amen. Amen. Amen. O what his glorious power confers
His wisdom on his heart express God, O His love, what time can
tell? Thy peaceless rest on earth is
well. Thou Sovereign, wonderful and
free, His Lord is love to sin for me. He called me as a friend from
then. My Jesus passed on all things
well. And since my soul has known his
love, What passage, hence, he may be proved? Praise, excel, my Jesus Christ,
the Lord's Israel. ♪ Where my Savior and my God ♪
♪ Pass on their vacation to Rome ♪ Sometimes he's pleased ♪ With hands to fight ♪ ♪ To make
me brave ♪ ♪ Forstaying my pride ♪ ♪ Yet I am helped on this day
♪ ♪ My Jesus has done all things
well ♪ ♪ Soon shall I cross the river of death
♪ the bed of death, and in his arms shall rest my grave. Yet then my happy throng shall
tell, My Jesus has done all things well. And went to that bright world
I might And joined the Anselm in the strife Now, May the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the
Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.