All my Springs are in Thee

Well, we're going to be in Psalms 87. We were going to be in Genesis 33. And this one came along. But in Genesis, and my thought was this, it says when Jacob, he's wrestling the Lord. And then Jacob asked what his name is, and he says, why are you asking for my name?

And then it just sticks, it's just like it's stuck in there in that verse, the last phrase, and he blessed him there. And the Lord blessed him there. So there's a couple of things going on in the midst of trial and tribulation, the Lord often blesses his people and he often blesses with salvation. I know we want ease, I know we want fast food, drive-through religion, where we could just pay and just do this and do that, but for your children and for whoever, it's, Lord, he has his own ways and he will bless as he's determined to bless. But my, my, one of my thoughts was something I had read, I can't remember, weeks ago. He blessed them there. He blessed them right now. And would to God, before we walk out that door, we would know that we're blessed.

Some of you are going to be graduating soon, you're going to leave, maybe, maybe not. You have all these things you have ordered, and the Lord may say, no, you're not going anywhere. if you live that long. We don't have tomorrow. So my desire as your pastor, as a preacher of the gospel, is that he would bless us today. Today may be the day of salvation. So with that, and that was what I was thinking about, that's all I could come up with is today, the blessing today, before we leave today.

So I'm like, okay, that's not much of an outline. It's five minutes and we're done. And that may be preferable, but let's look at Psalms 87. This is amazing. This, if we could just get ahold of this by the Holy Spirit, I'm going to read the whole thing. There's just seven verses. And then we'll look at it, not really verse by verse, but we will go through as such.

His foundation is in the Holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of the old city of God. See, I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. Behold Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia.

And this man was born there and of Zion. It shall be said this and that man was born in her. and the highest himself shall establish her. He's talking about the church. The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that this man was born there, Selah, as well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there. And this is the phrase leading up to the whole thing. All my, this is the psalmist speaking, all my springs are in you.

There's not a thing that we have that cannot be attributed to the grace of God. Even as unbelievers, he sends the rain on the just and the unjust, the clouds, the sun, he sends crops, all these different things. Well, that's we'll get to. Well, let's kind of go back and let's look at this.

This psalmist depicts the lovely thoughts about God in Christ, his church, and his people who are born in her, where? In the church, in the church. So he says in verse 1, his, he's to be God's foundation is in the holy mountains. His, God's church is as he is.

Psalms, let's just turn a few over to Psalms 125 and verse 1. God's church is to be as in this world, it says it in the New Testament, it's the ground and pillar of the truth. It's supposed to be, it's supposed to be as God is, holy, true, the truth is found in her, et cetera, et cetera. Look at verse 125, Psalms 125 in verse one.

They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, the church, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. Okay, so that's what he's saying. His foundation is in the holy mountains It says this living stone is built up for a habitation of scripture says Christ is the chief Cornerstone, which means it's solid firm and unshakable That's what we're supposed to be in this community. If we have the truth, we've been trusted with the truth if he's loaned us this truth and We are to be responsible.

We are to be solid in the word spoken. If we don't know it, I don't know. This is what the word says. I'm not sure what that means. Today, everybody's got to have an answer. Well, I found out a long time ago when I was doing interpretive work, if you don't know, say you don't know and go find out or go research. But people just now, I got to tell you everything I know because I know everything. No. Not about the chief cornerstone. We know he's solid, he's firm, and he's unshakable. But look at verses two and three.

The Lord loves the gates of Zion. Zion, he's talking about the church. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more. I don't know about that. He loves his church, but he loves, no, he loves it more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. O city of God. So we'll take these two verses together. The Lord, and I like this what John Trapp said, he said, the Lord loveth. He first chose the church for his love and then loves it for his choice. He first chose it for his love and then loved it for his choice. The scripture says it's the church of God's choosing. Indeed, indeed.

Glorious things are spoken of thee when the church becomes like the world. It's not glorious when we started to setting up entertainment when we start setting up big screens when we start having puppet shows and Theatrical events and nothing to do with the gospel. It's not glorious It's like the world and if you ever get opportunity Spurgeon has a good sermon on why the the church has so little influence over the world because the world has too much influence over the church. That's exactly the truth.

But the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Look at verses five and six. And of Zion, and we're still speaking of the church, it shall be said, this and that man was born in her, and the highest himself, that's the Lord God in the Lord Christ, shall establish her.

It's not because Bruce and I are the elders and we've tried to keep this thing going. We've said this so many times. I think Nathan even preached on it a month ago. If the Lord be not with us, we don't want to go up. We need to stay put. If the cloudy pillar stays representative of the Lord and his glory in the Old Testament, if it stayed, the children of Israel stayed. If it went, they went. But when you go out from it, doing things which are not in the scriptures to do, No, we don't do that. We don't do that. Why? Because the highest himself shall establish her. Who's that? The church. Blessed walls of divine free grace conversion. Look at what he says in verse five again. And of Zion it shall be said in the church.

This and that man was born in her. Now I will say this right off the bat, there's exceptions. The Ethiopian eunuch was not in church, though he was reading, he was worshiping the best he knew how, and then Philip joined himself, preached the gospel, and the Lord converted him. So there is exceptions, but by and large, why do we gather together? Bruce said we gather together, this is a calming, The world's out there, we're in here, but if you're going to hear the truth, you're going to hear it probably here. And that's why it's so important to gather together. Not because of me, I'm not trying to increase, pad my salary or add to my pocketbook, no. Yes, he uses the truth and the truth spoken.

We can look at Romans chapter 10. How should they hear unless there's a preacher? How can they preach unless they be sent? That's all in the scriptures. That's not me. Yes, the truth received, believed, often through the declaration of his word of grace. Woe unto us, that's why Paul says, woe unto me if I preach not the gospel. And Jim Bird and I were talking about that. It's just, it's so sad that people who say they know the gospel and they get together and they talk about the gospel occasionally, but they're talking about all these other things, this church history and this and that, and they think they're impressing people, But if God says, and of Zion, of the church, it shall be said, this and that man was born in her, and the highest himself shall establish her. And in verse six, the Lord shall count when he righteth up the people that this man was born there.

Where? You got to keep it in context, in the church. So that's one of the pillars of the church is to preach the gospel and people are saved. It's always been that way. Jehovah, the highest, he and he alone established who, what, his local church, his church universal, his people feeding, singing, fellowshipping together, as small or as large as we are. What is in Revelations? Open up the book of a lamb and there's names written. There's names written in it. The Lord shall count when he righteth up the people that this man was born there.

Like I said, there's exceptions. I'm not saying heartless, but I'm saying by and large. When you hear the truth, you're going to hear it here. Unless you take the truth and you go out, But, turn to Acts chapter 2. What happens afterwards? What happens when you speak with somebody and they hear the truth and they believe the truth?

Let's take a look. Acts chapter 2 starting in verse 41. Then they that gladly received his word, now they're evangelizing like John Claude's doing, like Lance Heller's doing, received his word. They were baptized. There's an ordinance. Bruce made that comment, Lord's Supper and Baptism. If you believe the Lord, be baptized. It's a command. It's an ordinance.

And the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls. And what did they do? They just went their own way. No, they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. Doctrine's important. It's not salvation and fellowship. and in breaking of bread and in prayers, and fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, and all that believed were together and had all things common. That's gathering together. We have different ages here, but if we have Christ, we have that in common, and that should be the tie that binds.

Okay, and let's look at John chapter five. This is kind of a look at John chapter five here. Verses one forward just to kind of get the context of where we're at. John chapter 5 verse 1, after this, there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there was at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. Now look over to verse 7. There's an impotent man there, and Christ brings up this conversation, verse six, and he talks to Christ. I have no man, he's telling Christ, when the water is troubled to put me in the pool, but while I am coming another steps down before me.

Then Jesus said unto him, rise and take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked, and on the same day was the Sabbath." Now that's a picture of salvation. He was made whole. We're born not whole. Okay, now, immediately the man was made whole, in verse 10, the Jews therefore said unto the man, that was cured, it's the Sabbath day, it's not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

And he said unto them, he that made me whole, the same, said unto me, take up thy bed and walk. Then he's getting drilled by the religious folks. They asked him and they said, what man is that which said unto you, take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place."

Look at what happens. Okay, some time happens. Where's this man at? Where's he found? Verse 14, and afterward, Jesus findeth him in the temple. Now that's all they had. This is still in this dispensation between Old and New Testament. Where was he at? He wanted to be with the saints. He wanted to be with those whom he thought believed the same Christ. Now what are all that? I don't know. All I know is he was in the temple. He was in the temple.

Oh, how important public worship is. We can make all the excuses we can think of, but God will be honored and sought after and heard and believed upon in his place of choice. And in this lesson, it's Zion. And in the book of Acts, it was open air, but they gathered together and it became an early New Testament church. It's this local body, local ecclesia is what it's called. Yes, he is everywhere. And I understand that.

And there are examples outside of the walls of the church, but as I said, Sunday, set aside. It's not a holy day. If some people think it's a holy day, as Paul says, that's up to them. Let every person be fully persuaded in their own mind. And if you don't think it's holy, that's fine. But if the doors are open, we gather together. We're not under law, we're under grace. We're under a law to Christ. His love constrains us. But now let's look at verse seven.

This is what I wanted to get to. As well the singers as the players on instruments. And I have to stop there and I have to make this comment because this is something Nathan and I have talked about over the years. It used to be a sin to sing in church. You know, sing hymns and musical instruments. I don't think that's, I don't think they get that in the scriptures. Gone is the Old Testament stiffness, the mosaic system. There's no legality of the chants and the repeating sonnets. They used to do the Gregorian chants. You're not worshiping if you don't do this.

Historically, David in Chronicles introduced the singers, And those who played instruments, the harp, the sackbuck, the stringed instruments, the horns, and there was, I think, 4,000, looking at it this morning, 4,000, they set aside. And they did this, they couldn't, you know, 4,000, but they had it in shifts. Just like the candle, the candle that wasn't supposed to burn out in the tabernacle, the singers were supposed to sing and play day and night. First Chronicles, I believe, Chapter 9, Chapter 12, and chapter 23, if you want to look at it.

It's amazing. I can't imagine. It just sounds beautiful. So, as well the singers and the players of the instruments shall be there where, in Zion, in the church, and then he says this phrase, all my springs are in thee. It's just like an exclamation point. It's like a separate phrase. all my springs. David will place joyful instruments and singing together for worship.

And why not? Salvation has been wrought in her, was born in her. This man and that man was born in there. Why not? Salvation has been wrought, confessions of sins declared, public baptism embraced, and a following after the Lord Christ. Why not? singers and instruments, and then to cap it all off, lest we forget, because we are forgetful, everything we have is from his hand. Everything. All my springs are in thee. Not in me, not in this world, all my springs. What is that? All my graces and mercies are in thee. All my remembrances of your care over me from day to day, it's in you. All my times of refreshing.

Because he's speaking about a spring. What did Bruce read? If you come to Christ, you'll never thirst. Springs flowing up. All my times of refreshing are in thee. All my times of growth are in thee. All my times of desires and delights Salvation and enlightenment, everything in life, liberty and health is in him. From which our dry soul can be renewed, grace for grace. Don't go to the counselor for grace. Don't go to the teacher for grace. Don't go to the governor. Don't go mom, dad for grace. Go to Christ.

All David's springs. are in the, and that springs, it's just like an abundance. It's like an artesian well. You know what that is, it's just, you walk in there, something bubbling, it's just like, never go to big springs. They haven't turned that thing off yet. It just keeps on going and going and going.

Our sin is mortified going to Him, or our sin is crucified going to Him, and sin not to be played with, we go to Him. The Spurgeon has another excellent message. It's called Dying Daily. And he's basically said what Scott Richardson said, if we would rehearse our death, maybe we would start living. Dead to the world, dead to sin, dead to this, dead to that, but alive to Christ. And then he says much more in there. But he says basically he's like, the fountain of every blessing or something like that is just contemplating that we die Daily, everything we need is died daily. Die to self, die to the flesh, die to worldliness, live to Christ. Are in thee, that's the last phrase. All my springs are in thee.

All our fruit, says Hosea 14.8, is from him. All our fruit, all our fruit is from him. It's in him, it's because of him, and it's found in him.

John 15, five, he says, without me, Christ says, we can do nothing. We are nothing without Christ. And turn and closing to Colossians chapter one. Why is there so much of an abundance in Christ? Why do we need to go to him for everything? Because Colossians one, Verse 19, for it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell. That's why we run to Him. We run to Him.

As opposed to the world, there's not all the fullness. Now, we were promised all fullness in this world, but it's not there. It's not there. Not anything in this world or what this world has to offer. This world, the only thing it has to offer is a dried up spring. It's a broken cistern. That will one day, if we trust in it, will sink us down to very hell. But not in Christ, because all of our springs are in him.

But oh, beloved, Christ has an endless supply of grace, an endless supply of pardon, and an endless supply of eternal happiness. Eternal happiness. I think about what Donnie Bell said, he said, you know, and I know this is, it is what it is, he said, but since I've heard the good news, I haven't had any bad news. Now we know we have bad news every day, but That's true. Since we've heard the good news, we have not had bad news. Bad news.

Come, I say then, to this fountain filled with blood. We sing that hymn. There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins, to wash and to cleanse the power and dominion of sin away. And we also sing this hymn here. And I'll close with this. Come thou fount, fountain, of every blessing. Every blessing. Tune my heart to sing thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing.

Why? Because it's a fountain. It's a spring. It just keeps bubbling up and up. Calls for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sound sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount. I'm fixed upon it. That's verse one. Mount of thy redeeming love. It all comes back to who Christ is, what he's done, and for whom he's done it. May the Lord bless the reading, the singing, and the preaching of his word. Bruce, would you close us, please?

All my Springs are in Thee

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All my Springs are in Thee

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