The pool was only like a Sunday
for years, so I just switched it up and put it here. And I'll
give you one probably next Sunday morning. That's fine. I looked
at it, and I was relieved to stop and say it. It's fine I just don't know if we want to turn
towards you but then we'd have to If you need to use the bathroom,
it's through the front door, the main bathroom down the hall,
of course, with cold water and coffee. Hopefully it's not too hot in
here. We're going to begin standing
and singing, There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood. Hopefully
my lyrics are okay. Hopefully I did a good cut and paste. ? There is a fountain filled with
blood drawn from Emmanuel's hands ? ? And a sinner's blood feeding
that flood ? ? Lose all their guilty stains ? ? Lose all their
guilty stains ? ? Lose all their guilty stains ? to lose all their guilty stains. And I keep rejoice to see that
balcony safe. And there may I go mild as sea,
wash all my sins away. Wash all my sins away. Wash all my sins away. And in there may I know my mercy. Wash all my sins away. Here I in land thy precious blood
shall never lose its power. ? Till all the ransomed ones
of God be saved to sin no more ? ? Be saved to sin no more,
be saved to sin no more ? ? Till all the ransomed ones of God
be saved to sin no more ? Since by faith I saw the spring, Thy
flowing looks so fine, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall
be till I die, And shall be till I die, And shall be till I die. ? Love has been my feet and shelter
till I die ? ? In this for his feet stand become my silent den
of grief ? ? And in a nobler sweeter song I'll sing thy power
to save ? I'll sing thy power to save. I'll sing thy power to save. And in a nobler sweeter song,
I'll sing thy power to save. Let's sing the Lily of the Valley.
? I found a friend in Jesus, he's
everything to me ? He's the very stuff that bows
into my soul ? A lily of the valley, he invented me ? In sorrow he's my comfort in
trouble ? ? He's my safety, he tells me every care I have to
go ? ? He's the lily of the valley, the bright and morning star ?
? He's the fairest of 10,000 to my soul ? ? He all my grief
has taken and all my sorrows worn ? and forsaken, and all my items
are from my heart, and now he keeps me by his power. Lord of all, the world forsake
me, and save that every soul through Jesus' house shall safely
reach the goal. He's the lily of the valley,
the bright and morning star. He's the fairest of 10,000 to
my soul. You'll never, never leave me,
nor yet forsake me here, while I live my faith and do His blessed
will. Of all the fire about me, I've
nothing now to fear. While His hand I need, my hungry
soul shall fill. Then, sweeping unto glory, He's the lily of the valley,
the bright morning star He's the fairest of a thousand to
my soul I'm going to read 1 Thessalonians
5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as it be from
the night. For when they shall say peace
and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail
upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake
you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and the children
of the day. We are not of the night nor of
darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us
watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in
the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But
let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate
of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God
hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves
together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech
you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over
you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very
highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren,
warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the
weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for
evil unto any man, but follow that which is good, both among
yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore, pray without
ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God and
Christ concerning you. Quench not the spirit, despise
not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast that which is good,
abstain from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace
sanctify you wholly. And I pray, God, your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you.
who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet
all the brethren with a holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord
that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we come to you thankful
for this piece of scripture, Lord, that you've written to
your people. And Father, we're thankful again
to have the opportunity to meet with other brethren. And Father,
we're thankful for the pastor that you've sent us. Father,
let him bring the message that you would have us hear. Father,
open our eyes, open our minds and hearts to the message that
you're gonna bring us this morning. Father, we just ask that those
that couldn't be with us, Lord, that you please watch over them.
Father, we ask that wherever the gospel's preached today,
that again, you open hearts Father, we ask that you watch over the
brethren in Danville as they search for a pastor. Father,
we just ask that you watch over and care for us in Christ's name. Good to see you all again. All
right, brethren, we're going to be in Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. And this morning, I just want
to look at verse 28 with you. Romans 8, 28 says, And we know
that all things work together for good. to them that love God,
to them who are be called according to His purpose." Romans 8, 28. I've titled this message, By
Him We Know. By Him We Know. That's what I want to begin with
this morning is what we know, we know, what we know. Now after
the Lord reveals salvation in us, or as He reveals salvation
in His saints, which we know He does through the revelation
of faith, right? He reveals Himself through the
revelation of faith, making us to see Christ, to see our need
of Him, and to see what He has accomplished for us, that He
is the sufficient Savior who has accomplished the salvation
of His people. Our Lord then is pleased to begin
to teach us and to give us instruction, to make us to know the things
which he's done, to understand these things more abundantly. He grows us, he grows his saints
in knowledge, he tells us. He grows us in knowledge so that
our love abounds yet more and more in knowledge and in judgment. a sense of what the Lord has
done for us in Christ. And you understand, you get the
understanding that it's a growing knowledge, it's a growing sense
as we discover, as we come to know what we are and what he
has really done for us. the sacrifice that He made, the
power of His glory working in us and making us to know the
things of our God. Of our Lord and Savior, He teaches
us to equip us and to fit us for the work, to fit us for the
trials and the troubles that'll come upon us. He's doing these
things for us. Our Lord tells us in John 6,
45, He said, it's written in the prophets. The Lord has recorded
this in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God. All of God's saints shall be
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath
heard and hath learned of the Father, he tells us, cometh unto
me. If the Spirit, which is teaching
you of God, is of God, you'll be led unto Christ. You'll be
shown Jesus Christ. You'll see your need of Him. Our Lord says that we that are
His saints, we shall acknowledge His might. We'll acknowledge
His might. We saw that last Sunday when
we were looking in Isaiah 33. In verse 13, our Lord said, hear
ye that are far off what I have done. Hear what I've done, and
ye that are near, ye that are brought near by the power of
God, by His grace for you, He draws you near so that we acknowledge
His might. Many will hear what He's done,
but His saints shall acknowledge His might. We shall confess the
Lord Jesus Christ. So from that day, from that day
of salvation, when we are born of the Spirit, a fellowship is
begun. A fellowship is begun, not only
with our brethren, with one another, where we see that we're of like
minds, but a fellowship with the Father, with our God. Salvation
is a work. We learn that salvation is a
work which the Father has undertaken Himself to do for His people. To do for His people. And we
see, as He's teaching us and revealing Himself to us, that
it's a work of salvation for us, which we could not do for
ourselves. Christ didn't just come as a
means of salvation or another way of salvation, but there's
many ways, not at all. There's only one name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved. It's the salvation
that our God has provided through his son, Jesus Christ. And because our God undertook
to do this work for us, to do this work for us, which we couldn't
do for ourselves, This gives us assurance and comfort knowing
that it shall be successful. We weren't instrumental in the
beginning of our salvation, nor are we needed throughout the
rest of the salvation. In other words, He's not depending
on our cooperation and our power and what we put into it to make
it effectual, but He supplies all our want, all our need, everything
necessary for salvation, the Lord Himself provides freely
in grace. We call that grace. Because we
know we don't deserve it. We don't deserve this tenderness
and compassion of the Lord. If it was left to us, if it was
left to us, we see, we come to know it would be an utter failure. We know that based on what we've
seen in ourselves, how careless, how indifferent, how cold, how
hard, we can be. We see just how capable of ruining
and destroying everything if left to ourselves. And yet our
God triumphs over this flesh over and over again and revealing
Himself in grace and in power to show us Christ, to reveal
faith in us, So it's not a work that we're boasting of. It's
not something that we're looking to and saying, look what I've
done. Look at my faith. I believed on Christ. You didn't.
Look what I've done. That's what dead religion boasts
of and teaches their hearers. We boast and teach our hearers
of Christ, of God's grace through his son, Jesus Christ. We declare that our salvation
is founded upon Jesus Christ Himself. That He Himself is our
very salvation. Not the things that we do, not
the things that we've said, faith isn't of this flesh. But that
confession of faith in Him, we know, was born of His Spirit
in us. It was revealed in us. When He
regenerated us, when He gave us life, when He gave us the
here and here, to know what He has done and accomplished for
us. To know that when Christ came in the flesh, that He fulfilled
all righteousness for His people. He fulfilled the law perfectly,
and loving God perfectly, with heart, mind, body, and soul,
and his neighbor as himself. He laid down his life for his
friends. He willingly went to the cross,
bearing our burden, bearing our burden of sin, the weight of
our sin, the weight of our iniquity in his own person. and his body
as a sacrifice, a fit sacrifice, the Lamb of God who was sent
of God to take away the sin of his people scattered throughout
the world. And he did that work faithfully,
never once sinning, never once denying God, never once cursing
God, never once complaining about it. He willingly laid down his
life for his people. Because He looked at His inheritance
and He was satisfied. He was satisfied in calling you
and in making you His people, His own bride that He loves.
And He laid down His life, He showed His love for us, and so
He accomplished our salvation. And we're told, again, it's not
our work, we're told that He leadeth me in paths of righteousness
for His name's sake. So His name is on it. And that's
how we're assured and comforted to know this isn't going to fall
apart. This isn't gonna come to an end
by something I do. The Lord is able to overcome,
and he works that desire in us. He works that desire in us so
that we desire to know him, and we do fear. When we see our sin
and iniquity rising up, we do get afraid, because we see the
horror before us. We see what's in our heart, we
see what's in our mind and our thoughts, And yet, and that we
cry out, He causes us to cry out to Him and we find that He's
faithful and gracious and kind to put away our sin and to deliver
us out of that mire and that muck and all that we ourselves
get ourselves into. And so because our God's name
is upon it, this is our confidence, right? Our confidence is fixed
in Him. Not because we see, well I had
a change of heart about these things and now I have a better
understanding about these things and that's why God saved me.
No, we know that it's all of His grace and that's why I have
a change of heart. And that's why I know and believe
the things that I know and believe now. Because my God in grace
did that for me. So our confidence is fixed in
Him. whom we believe. I like that scripture more and
more that Paul said to the Philippians in 1 6, he said, being confident
of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you
will complete it to the end, to the day of Christ Jesus, right? He'll perform it to the day of
Jesus Christ. It's not that he says, I'm confident
that you've begun this journey and that now you're going to
complete it. No, He's confident in the Lord. Because the Lord
began it, and the Lord's name is on it, and He shall complete
it in His people. That's how we know and believe,
that just as it's written in the Prophets, they shall be all
taught of God. Our God teaches us. He makes
us to know what we have need of knowing, and He brings us
into fellowship with our God. And so to this end, the true
and living God sends out pastors and teachers to preach this gospel,
to declare to you, his people, lest you grow weary, lest you
faint in the way he continually reminds you of his grace and
what he's accomplished for you and his son. Paul, when he was
declaring the unsearchable riches of Christ, he's writing to the
Ephesians, and he says in Ephesians 3.9, and to make, that we were
sent to not only declare these unsearchable riches in Christ,
but to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hidden God, who
created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known
He's making this known to you by the church that the church
might know these things, the manifold wisdom of God according
to or in the context of the eternal purpose which God purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord. He has a purpose in what He's
doing and He's revealing that purpose to us through Jesus Christ
His Son. What He's accomplished, what
He's determined and purposed for you brethren that hear the
Word of God, that hear in truth and believe that Christ was sent
of God. Turn over to 1 John 1. 1st John
1, and we'll go to verse 1. John here is describing this
revelation of knowledge, right? We're talking about what we know,
and he's describing this revelation of knowledge which is given to
the Church, and it's revealed to us by the Father. And so He
makes us to know through the preaching of the Gospel, Those
things that were being taught, he's making this known to ourselves. And he says in 1 John 1, verse
1, now this is, again, this is John speaking from his experience
as an apostle, as a disciple of Christ. He says, that which
was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon in our hands
of handling, of the word of life, And he tells us that the life,
this eternal life of God, this source of life, this who is our
creator, our God, this life was manifested and we've seen it
and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was
with the Father and was manifested unto us. And he says in verse
three, that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you. And so the Lord revealed Himself
to John and the other apostles. They saw Him. They heard Him
audibly. They touched Him. They know that
He was indeed manifested in the flesh. He wasn't a ghost. He's
real. He's fully man. The God-man. He's fully God. Right? And so
through their preaching, and the Lord illuminating that Word
in the hearts of His people, they heard and they went forth
preaching it. and that word has come to us
whereby we've heard and we declare it now too, right? I hear it
and declare this to you, right? Having seen and heard as has
pleased our God, right? Through regeneration and revelation
of God we hear and see This we also declare to you, that ye
also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship
is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And so through this peculiar
fellowship that we have with God, which He has made known
to us through regeneration and through revelation, This is how
we know these things, right? We experience the truth of this
word as the Lord reveals it to us, making us alive to know these
things. The Spirit testifying with our
spirit that we are the children of God. We are the children of
God. And so Paul says in Romans 8,
28, we know, we know. He actually just said in verse
27, if you look at Romans 8, 27, it says, He that searcheth
the heart knoweth. God knows what is the mind of
the Spirit because He maketh intercession for the saints according
to the will of God. And so it's the Spirit of God,
sent of God, to make known these things to us, so that we know
as well. We know the mystery of the riches
of God in His Son, Jesus Christ, according to His purpose. According
to His purpose. And Paul uses this phrase, this
two-word phrase, we know five times in Romans. It's the most he ever used it
in one letter was to the Romans. And so he declares, I think John
actually, the Apostle John used it more than anyone in the Gospel
of John and in his epistle of 1 John. But Paul says it because
the Lord is making known to us He's revealing to us the Gospel. He's making known to us our salvation
in Jesus Christ. And so it's by this revelation
of the Gospel to us that we come to know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are be
called according to His purpose. So let's consider now how these
things all work together. How these things are all working
together for good. Everything that we have, every
experience that we go through, the Lord's telling us it's for
our good. It's been sent of Him as a wise
and faithful God and Father He's the one who brings these things
to pass that we may know this, that we may be assured and comforted
that all these things are according to the will and purpose of our
God. You might even ask, well, what
about our fallen act? Was that according to the will
and the purpose of God? Yes, yes, even the fallen Adam,
otherwise it couldn't be so. Not that God himself is the author
of sin, but he allowed it, right? And if you think about what happened
there, when sin entered and death, because of sin, entered into
the world through Adam and reading Adam, what we see there is that
What our God did was He revealed our need of a Savior. He revealed Christ through that. And He made us the inheritance
of Christ, so that we know our God and have that fellowship
and relationship with our God, which the angels don't even have
or know. In a peculiar sense, and if you
think about it, it's even a greater righteousness than what Adam
had before he fell. Because Adam was righteous, right?
God made him upright and he was righteous. When he was made,
he had no sin and no death was in him. But Adam, when he was
created, he could fall and he could die. But now we that have
been redeemed by Christ can never fall away and never die. There's
no fear that we have of the second death because our God has revealed
His salvation. He's revealed His righteousness
in us so that we know Him as our God and Savior. He's our
husband. He's our joy. He's our life and
our very love. He's done all that work for us.
Moreover, our God makes us to know our need, our continual
need of His grace. So through all the things that
we're going through, our God is revealing to us our continual
need of His grace. Paul tells us, if you go back
in Romans 3, look at Romans 3 verse 19, He shows us how that we know
that before God, in ourselves, we're guilty. We're guilty, justly
condemned sinners. It's our God that makes us to
know that. We wouldn't know that naturally.
We would think highly of ourselves. We would think that by doing
these works and doing these things, we please God, and we make ourselves
righteous. But our God has revealed to us
and made us to know that, no, before the law we're guilty.
Before the law, trying to come to God in the law, we all come
short of the glory of God. He says in verse 19, now we know. Now we Before we didn't know, we were
dead in trespasses and sins, dead in religion, struggling
and striving against one another and with these things to come
to know the true and living God and always falling flat on our
face. and yet not understanding, and not knowing what was going
on, or having any understanding of what the Lord was doing, because
we didn't know the Lord. But he says, now we know that
what thing soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. So that he's the one now who's
making us to know I'm not gonna be able to right this wrong.
I'm not gonna be able to turn this around. I can't suddenly
make myself righteous, but the Lord taught you that, right?
He's the one who brought you to see that as I strive, when
I'm trying to do that which is good, I really find evil right
there with me. I'm coming short of the Lord's
glory. Therefore he says in verse 20,
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
the sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Right,
so we begin by God's revelation, we begin to see the exceeding
evil and darkness of our sin, just how corrupt it is and how
evil it is and the damage that we do. right, in our sin, and
in our heart, and in our thoughts, and when those things are worked
out in us against our brethren. We see just how corrupt we are. And we see that. We see that
corruption of inward sin. The Lord allows us, as we go
even, in the truth, in the knowledge of the truth, He allows us to
see the inward sin in our hearts, He shows us, there's times where
we see just what sinners we are. He shows us through outward sins,
right? Whether they're outward things
that make it from the heart and the mind to outward actions,
whether it's of us or whether it's from others, other brethren
or others in the world. The Lord faithful to make us
to know that we're not now so great as we would think that
we are. And you know I had a brother
sharing with me last week just saying how he was doing everything
that he was supposed to do, right? Reading the Word, praying, studying,
coming to services, doing that which the Lord had given in His
hand to do. He was faithfully doing those
things. And yet, he says, the Lord showed
me that I was lifted up in pride. And so the Lord broke him, and
humbled him, and brought him low in himself. But it's the
Lord that does that for us, right? It's the Lord that, in the time
appointed of Him, when it's necessary and right of Him, the Lord will
do that. And we can't make that. We have a sense, right? We know
that we're proud in our hearts and in our nature. We can't do
anything about it. We confess it at times. We want
to feel it, and we want to confess it and be done with it. But there's
times where, maybe years later, it'll take, but the Lord will
bring a trial or an affliction that brings us low. And we see,
wow, I really was lifted up in pride. And I really was thinking
too highly of myself. And the Lord is the one that
uses those times and those seasons. not to destroy us, but to bring
us nearer to Him, to draw us further into that fellowship
with our God, where we're brought back down to the basics to see,
Lord, I need You every hour. I need You. And I wouldn't have
even known it unless You revealed it to me. And I wouldn't even
say that unless the Lord reveals that in us. And so, The Lord does it. I can think
back and I don't know if it's exactly right, but it just seemed
like for seven years or six years I'd go on and everything seemed
good. And I'd be thinking, you know, according to the Scriptures,
wow, the Lord really does even make, you know, when a man's
steps are right before the Lord, he makes even his enemies to
be at peace with him. And then one day it all comes
crashing down and I see, wow, I was cold and hard and indifferent. And the Lord is the one who delivered
me from that corruption. Not that that's not true. I'm
just saying that we can see how we're brought to nothing in ourselves
at times. And it's the Lord that does it. And it's painful. And it really
strips us down so that We think, I don't know if I ever knew the
Lord before now. I don't know what I knew then
or how I was walking or living and why the Lord didn't just
kill me and throw me into hell. But it's all, the Lord reveals
Himself so sweetly in those times and we see it's all of His grace. Paul would say in Romans 7, 14
and 15, He would use that phrase again. He says, for we know that
the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that
which I do, I allow not. For what I would, that do I not. For what I hate, that do I. And so through those things,
we're learning humility, and also we learn patience with our
brethren, right? When you've been beat down and
knocked down, And the Lord reminds you that He fixes that in you
so that you do remember it, even when you don't feel it the way
you felt it, you remember what it was like so that when those
opportunities come as we grow, hopefully the Lord, as He keeps
us, as He's the one doing the work, we're more patient with
one another and more understanding with one another. And this flesh
will react a lot of times, but a lot of times also we see how
the Lord stops us. And we bite that tongue, and
rather than say something or do something to respond in kind,
the Lord reminding us of what we are in ourselves will bring
us low so that we're patient. And rather than saying or do
something, we'll pray. We'll lift it up to the Lord,
and the Lord does it. I can say without saying any
particulars, but just how I've seen through experience of life
how it's the things I didn't say anything about that I saw
the Lord do something in others. lies. I remember even Pastor
Fortner once saying that every time he put his hand to something,
he just ruined it or messed it up. And we see that. And it's
not that outright sin and corruption shouldn't be addressed at times,
because there are times to address or to help one that you love
in that sense. But there's a lot of times and
a lot of different circumstances and a lot of different ways in
which We can't change the heart, right? I used to have a friend
that could argue any point about anything. He could just argue
and argue and argue and beat you down to the point where you
just say, yeah, yeah, yeah, I agree. I see what you're saying. And
then you go away and you're like, I don't see what he's saying.
I don't agree with that. And you just got tired of it.
You got weary of it. Because we can't make a person
believe. The Lord is the one that convinces
us in the heart. And that's why we do need to
be patient and trust the Lord. As long as someone's coming to
hear the gospel, we're thankful for that. Because that's where
the Lord's going to teach us. That's how we heard and learned
was through the gospel. And so why wouldn't our brethren
hear that same way? They're gonna hear and be taught
through the gospel as well. And so we have to trust our Lord
to that end. And so we also see that also
through experiences and afflictions, that these things are all working
together for our good, right? We see that through these trials
and and the hardships and oftentimes how things don't work out the
way that we planned it or think hey if it just worked out this
way it would be perfect and it doesn't work out that way and
sometimes we understand it and sometimes we don't. Sometimes
we don't know why it didn't work out that way, but we do know
that all things work together for good to them that love God.
I'm thankful for the promotions now that I didn't get in my job. Because it prepared me, it gave
me a heart to say, maybe, Lord, you have another calling for
me. And had I gotten those promotions,
it would have been, I'm sure, a lot harder in the flesh forsake
all that and to turn away from those things. And so I'm thankful
for those things now. They hurt, they stung then, but
I'm thankful now. And see how the Lord is merciful
to do what he does. And Paul would say that we know
that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now. He brings us collectively as
a body through hardships and through dark times and through
good times and bad, but it teaches us, it creates a yearning and
a longing in us to look for the redemption of our bodies, to
look for the return of Christ, right? We don't grow comfortable
in this world and in this life, and it's all on purpose. It's all according to purpose
because those sighs and those groans and those heart, born
of hardship, it does knock us down. It does remind us that
it's not all about us. It's not about our comfort and
getting the things that we would get in this life. But there's
a greater purpose, a calling of our God, that He's working
in us, that He's teaching us and revealing in us by His Spirit. And so, in these afflictions
and trials and persecutions, through all our failings and
our weaknesses and our troubles, we're all working for our good.
When speaking to the Corinthians, Paul would make known the power
and the glory of God and His purpose, and he said in 2 Corinthians
4-6, that our God is giving the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And he went on to confess
saying, but this treasure that we have of Christ, it's in an
earthing vessel. We're carrying this thing in
an earthing vessel that is weak, can be shattered, broken, stolen,
smashed up and hurt. But He said that though we're
troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down, all those things work
to manifest Christ in us. In these bodies, these dead,
dead corrupt bodies, this tent of flesh, Christ is manifested
to you and revealed to you. And you know that He is, He creates
that hope in us in the Spirit so that we're looking for Him.
And again, because it's not that the goal isn't, right? It's not
about being wealthy and having all things in this life. It's
not a name it and claim it kind of thing, right? We're going
to know disappointments. We're going to know these failures,
but it's that Rather than us being pampered and safe in this
life, right, in the flesh, that is what we think is safe and
necessary for our lives, the Lord is showing us that he's
bringing us to obtain that for which he's called us, right? Paul said that I may apprehend
that for which also I am apprehended. His name is on it. Our God's
name is on it. He's going. to apprehend you. He has apprehended you and you're
going to apprehend that for which He's apprehended you. You're
going to reach the goal. You're going to know the true
living God. When you die and I die, our eyes
shall open. We shall awake and see Him and
be satisfied with His likeness. We're going to see Him. Paul
would say, Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen. For the things which are seen
are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Oh, for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Right? So our Lord is working this for
us. Even Job would say, though he's
slain, yet will I praise him. Only the Lord can reveal that
in us and make us to confess that. Because we've seen time
and time again that when I was high and lifted up, and enamored
with the world, it was the Lord that slew this flesh, that killed
this flesh, that I might see that, what was I thinking? He's
my all. And that's what I'm going for. That's my inheritance, not the
things of this life. in this world. And so our Lord
even takes our lack of knowledge to teach us. Because knowledge
puffs up. When you just have a knowledge
without love, knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And he would say to the Corinthians
that we know in part. We know in part. And there's
a blessing in that, just knowing in part. As Paul would say in
Romans 8, 8.26, Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities,
for we know not. We know not what we should pray
for, as we all, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And so through all
that, we're learning that our strength is Christ. When I'm weak, then I'm strong.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Not me,
myself. Not me standing strong and being
that elite saint or something like that. No, the Lord, it's
when we're low that the Lord will use us and teach. and teach us, revealing Christ
in us, right? So it's of God that we are in
Christ Jesus, who's made unto us wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption, that according as it's written,
be that glory, if let in glory, in the Lord, all right? And so
it's through that stripping that we find our dependence upon our
Savior. And that leads us to our final
note there on that phrase, that we are called according to His
purpose. As I was saying, the Spirit is
the one that brings us to see that we're entirely dependent
upon His grace, not by our strength. And so when we in ourselves see
the truth of God concerning our fall, and our sin, and our just
condemnation before God, then we begin to see that it's His
power and His grace that breaks in upon us and has done this
work. Not because we turned it around,
not because we first sought Him, not because we saw it and recognized
it, but in spite of us, in spite of what we do in the flesh, the
Lord breaks in upon us for our good. And He brings His flesh
low for our good. And so, we look to Him and see
that this is all working according to His purpose. Our calling of God wasn't because
of something that we did, but it's entirely to His praise.
And He's the one that gets all the glory for it. I want to close
with Ephesians 1. If you turn there, Ephesians
1. And go to verse 10 with me. Ephesians 1 10 Paul said having
this is the Lord having made known Unto us the mystery of
his will According to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed
in himself That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ Both which are in heaven
and which are on earth even in him in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ." So that's what our God is working in us and teaching
us, that we would find are all in Him, and that we would learn
through these things that all these things are for our good,
and they're all being worked in us so that we are those that
love God, right? He's the one who brings us to
love Him as a result of it, and we see His purpose in salvation
in Christ. I pray the Lord will bless that
word to your hearts and comfort you, brethren. Let's pray. Our gracious Lord, we thank You,
Father, for Your grace and mercy. Lord, help us, help us to see
and to know that all the things that we go through, all the trials,
the afflictions, the sufferings, even the sin which is discovered
in our flesh, Lord, that all these things are working together
for good, for the good of Your people. Lord, not at all that
we glory in our sin or make any excuse for it. But we're thankful that You humble
us, that it's Your Spirit that teaches and reveals the mystery
of God in Christ to us. Lord, that it's Your power that
enables us to hope and to continue in hope and to apprehend that
for which also we ourselves are apprehended of Jesus Christ.
Lord, we pray that you would bless your people, that you would
comfort them. Lord, any that are struggling
with sin, with hardships, temptations, weaknesses of mind, weakness
of the body, Lord, that You would comfort Your people, that You
would teach us and reveal Christ in us, that You would turn us
from this flesh, turn us from darkness, turn us from sin and
temptation and the evil one, Lord, and turn us to our Savior,
Jesus Christ. Cause us to walk in hope and
in faith, looking to Him alone. It's in Christ's name we pray
and give thanks. Amen. Let's stand and sing our last
hymn. I will sing of my Redeemer. The singing of my Redeemer When
the storm burst up to me All the cruel oppression suffered
From the curse who set me free Sing, oh sing With His blood He purchased me. On the cross He spilled my heart
and paid the debt and made me free. In His boundless love and mercy,
He the ransom freely gave. Sing, oh sing! ? On the cross He sealed my pardon
? ? Gave the dead and made me free ? ? I will praise my dear
Redeemer every day ? I'll tell, how the victory he
giveth, over sin and heaven and hell. Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer, me free. Son of God with Him to be. With His blood He purchased me. Come on the cross, He sealed
my pardon. Take the dead and make me free. It's good stuff.