All right, back in 2 Corinthians
7. Our text is going to be verse
13. But as we mentioned in the reading,
it might be helpful to give a little background of the occasion of
this writing. Paul, as we said in verse 6 and
7 tells us this, had sent Titus back to the church at Corinth.
Paul had to deal with some Terrible, terrible behavior, and that's
putting it lightly. They were just open sins. Getting
drunk at the Lord's Supper, taking a fellow believer to court, an
incestuous relationship. That's pretty tough. That's pretty
tough. And Paul was a faithful preacher. He dealt with that.
He dealt with it. And in the interim, in between
that epistle and this one, Titus had gone to the church at Corinne.
Paul wanted to know, Titus, how did they receive Oedipus? How
did they react to it? Are they madder than they were
before? But Titus comes back with the good news. Paul, God
blessed it to their heart. They repented. They did what
they should do. They repented. And although it
wasn't a hundred percent, because there were some that even thought
Paul wasn't worthy to be listened to, he wasn't a true apostle,
Paul dealt with that thing all the time anyway. But the majority
received it as Paul intended it to be received out of his
love and concern for them. John, the best friend you can
have is somebody that'll tell you the truth. You know, especially
at a time when You don't need to be coddled. John, if you see me doing something
contrary to God's Word, dishonoring to my Savior, if you're any kind
of friend, you'll pull me aside and say, hey Larry, you better
check yourself. You need to check yourself. And
that's what Paul did. That's what Paul did. And he
did so because he loved them. Turn, if you will, back to chapter
1, and then we'll come back to chapter 7 here. But in chapter 1, when Paul speaks
about the comfort and joy that Titus' message brought to Paul, Titus came back and his cup was
just running over and it splashed out on Paul too. He enjoyed the
message of the reception of that first epistle. But here in chapter
1, look at verse 3. Blessed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort. Wow, what a description. We just sang, thy mercies, new
every morning, new mercies I see, the Father of mercies, and the
God of all comfort. That's our God. That's our Father. It's because God is the father,
as Paul says there in verse 3, of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
he becomes to us likewise the father of mercies and the God
of all comfort. Remember our Lord said after
he rose from the dead, he told Mary Magdalene, go back and tell
my disciples, thy sin to my father and their father, my God and
their God, the father of mercies the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ because of our advocate, because of our mediator, because
we're accepted in Him. What did John say concerning
Jesus Christ? Of His fullness have we all received. And that fullness includes our
relationship to His Father and our God. Look at verse 4 there
in chapter 1. Again, speaking of the God of
all comfort, Paul says in verse 4, "...who comforted us in some
of our tribulation." Aren't you glad that's not what it said? There's going to be some you're
going to be left on your own. There's going to be a few times
God's going to say, well, every man to himself. Oh, no, no, no,
no. "...who comforted us in all our
tribulation." And it has this blessed effect. This is one reason
for it. that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble. By the comfort we're with, we
ourselves are comforted. Often I make the mistake, or
I at least try to catch myself, when I'm tempted to say to someone
like Bobbie, or any, Bobbie, I know what you're going through.
No, you don't, Larry. No, you don't. You don't know
what she's going through, unless I've gone through the same thing.
That's what Paul was talking about. God, one of the blessed
workings by the old wise God in allowing us to suffer is so
we'll be a comfort to those who are going through the same thing.
When we say to them, I know what you're going through, it means
something. It carries some weight because
I passed through. Let me tell you what God did
for me. Let me tell you, I had something like what you're passing
through right now. Let me tell you about the God
of all comfort and the Father of mercies. And concerning His
children, He's no respecter of persons. What He promised me,
He promises all of His children, all of His people. If He brought
me through, He's going to bring you through. Oh, what a comfort
that is. For example, here I thought of
this as I was preparing this message. Along this line, what
Paul said, that God is able to comfort us, and that's one of
the reasons for our trials, so that we can identify with you
that are suffering as we did. Look what God did with Job. Now
you remember, Job was not in on that conversation between
Satan and God Almighty. Job wasn't in on that. He had
no idea why these things were happening. I mean, God gave Satan
permission, otherwise he couldn't have done nothing and he still
can't. I get mad when I hear somebody speak of the devil like
he's God's rival. And most of the time it's some
stupid preacher that doesn't know what he's talking about.
No, he's God's devil. And he can't wiggle or move unless
God Almighty allows him to do it. That's why he went before
God and said, if you'll take your hand off Job, He knew he
couldn't touch Job if God didn't allow him to. But Job wasn't
privy to that, was he? Job wasn't in on that conversation. So, you know the story. Trial
after trial after trial. One bad report before the messenger
bringing the bad news had left Job's house, here come another
one, meeting him at the door with an even worse report. But by the working of our all-wise
God, how many people, down through the centuries, had gone to the
book of Job and found the God of all comfort and the Father
of mercies? God allowed Job to pass through
that. working all things together for
Job's good and the good of all those hereafter. That you go
back to that and say, well, look what Job went through. And we don't stop and say, well,
what a man Job was. Oh, no, no. What a God Job had. That's what we learn. The God
of all comfort. Verse 5 here again in 2 Corinthians
1. Look what Paul says there. For
as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation. The sufferings are not all. So
our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." Paul said, I've learned,
I've rejoiced in my tribulation, that the power of God might rest
upon me. Oh, Paul said, it's worth it.
It's worth it. Be willing, by the grace of God,
and that's the only way we can be, to endure the greater suffering,
that we might enjoy the greater consolation. Children of God,
When we get to heaven, we're going to look back and say, my
soul, look what God did. Now I know. Now I understand. Oh, it was worth it all. I wouldn't
change a thing. I wouldn't change a thing. Though
at the time, we don't see that, do we? Verse 6 again, chapter
1. Paul goes on to write and says,
whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation. and salvation,
which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer." We know what you're going through. And whether
we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. Now let's come down to our text,
verse 13. Paul speaks of the comfort and
the joy. Oh, not like this world talks
about. Oh, that's a whole different thing. It really doesn't deserve
the name. But Paul speaks of the sweet
comfort and the joy the message that Titus brought to him had.
And he mentions Titus was refreshed by his visit to those believers.
And Paul was refreshed by Titus coming back to him with that
report. Sweet refreshment. Could you
use some of that? Look at it again. Read it with
me again. Therefore, we are comforted in your comfort, yea, and exceedingly
the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit
was refreshed by you all." Could you use some comfort? Could you
use some refreshing? I remember it was, oh, I don't
know, a couple of months ago, I was watching a news broadcast,
and they were interviewing this lady, and it was at the time
that LeBron James, the big basketball player, was saying how rough
he had it. I know I'll be called racist.
Well, you're racist if you're born white. I mean, it's automatic.
But anyway, not much I can do about that, no more than the
black man can. But anyway, LeBron James was
talking about his struggles. I think he became a pro out of
high school, didn't he? And the interview this news broadcaster
was having was with a black woman. And he asked her about that.
She said, yeah, yeah, those struggles. He's a multimillionaire. He lives
in a mansion. He's got a fleet of cars. Yeah, she said, I'd like to have
some of that sorrow, too. Give me some of that, she said.
Oh, this refreshment, this refreshing that Paul speaks of, I want some
of that. I want some of that. Paul uses
this same word, refreshing, refreshed, in other places as well. And
I was surprised to find this, and I just jotted down a few,
but it's in many places. And it always is in the context
of the sweet joy and comfort in the fellowship of believers
with their God. What a joy. What a comfort. Romans 15, 32. Paul wrote that
I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may with
you be refreshed. Children of God, I know we live
in a day that many professing Christians seem to think it's
a sign of being super spiritual that they don't need to gather
with God's people. You know, I can worship God out there with
a fishing pole in my hand. No, you can't. And I'll tell
you what, anybody that can do without, they can be a five-point
Calvinist. If they can do without, if they
can live without the fellowship of God's people, when it's available,
when it's there, and they will not avail themselves, they are
just fooling themselves. They're just lying to themselves,
and they're not fooling anybody. Brothers and sisters in Christ,
you can bear witness to this. We need this, don't we? Man,
I look forward to this. I missed last Sunday. I missed
last Sunday. We need this fellowship. And
bless God, He's put it in our hearts. We want this fellowship.
We want to meet with God's people. You're in the world. You hear
God's name cursed. I mean, you can't help that.
There's nothing you can do about it. This world hates God, always
has. They've manufactured a God that they'll accept, but not
the God of Scripture, not the sovereign God of this universe.
They hate Him. You hear that. You have to put
up with it. Like Job. I'm sorry, Lot. Vexed. Vexed with their filthy
conversation in Sodom. I mean, it just presses down,
wears you down. Oh, thank God for that day. Thank
God for that time. We can come together. Instead
of hearing God's name cursed and dishonored, hear Him praised. Sing songs to Him. Pray to Him. By His grace, bow down and worship
Him. Because the Lord Jesus Christ
said, where two or three meet together in my name, there am
I, my soul. I want to be there. I want to
be there. I told you one time, brother-in-law,
for several years before God took him home, he just continued
to decline. But he told me one time, I was
visiting him at his home, and he said, Larry, He said, I get
up, it takes me several hours to get ready to come to service.
I said, really? He said, Larry, it takes me that
long. Because I just move so slow, everything's hard, it's
difficult. But he said, I want to be there. I can picture him
right now, slipping through that door and sitting right back there.
And it took him three hours to get ready to come here. Why?
Why? Why was that so important to
Brother Law? Because he wanted to be with God's people. He wanted
a refreshing. He wanted to worship God. Oh,
thank God for the fellowship of the saints. What a joy it
is after a week of trials and battles with this world and with
the devil, with this flesh, my worst enemy, to come together
into this place with those of like precious faith and to pray
and sing and hear again that good news. Give me some good
news. I think I was telling John a
while back, I just about quit watching news. I mean, even Fox. I mean, it's just the same old,
same old. Bad, bad, bad, bad. Sometimes
I tell Robin, turn it off or turn the channel. Enough of that.
Tell me the good news. Tell me of the story of Jesus.
Tell me about that one who loved me and gave himself for me. Tell
me about that one whose name is Jesus because he shall save
his people. And bless God, Larry's one of
those people. I need to hear that. That's refreshing, isn't
it? That's good news. Again, here's another place,
1 Corinthians 16 and 18, Paul uses the word. Speaking of several
of his fellow pilgrims, fellow servants of the Most High God,
speaking of them, he said, For they have refreshed my spirit
and yours, like rain after a drought. Therefore, acknowledge ye them
that are such. 2 Timothy 1.16, Paul is waiting
here to be executed. The time of my departure is at
hand, he wrote. But in chapter 1 verse 16 he
said, the Lord give mercy unto the house of Anesiphorus for
he hath refreshed me. And I believe that man thought
it was an honor to do that. Paul said, well I was in prison,
nobody wanted to identify with me. Demas forsook me. He loves his present world. He
said, all men forsook me. At my first answer, nobody stood
with me. Paul, you're on your own. You're
on your own. But not this man. He sought Paul
out. He found where he was. Paul said,
he wasn't ashamed of my chains. And that dear brother felt it
an honor to do so. In Philemon, verse 7. We have
great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels,
your very heart, the very inner man of the saints are refreshed
by thee, brother." And of course, a wonderful picture
of this, Psalm 133. This fellowship, this refreshing
fellowship. Behold how good and how pleasant
it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It's like the precious
ointment upon the head. Oh God, help me not to take that
for granted. That ran down upon the beard, even into Aaron's
beard. That went down to the skirts of his garments. And that's
a picture of Christ, the head of the church. And of his fullness
flowing down to every member of his body. Precious, precious
ointment. As the dew of Hermon, and as
the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion. For there
The Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore. In our hymn book, on page 187,
there's a hymn written by a man named John Fawcett. Blessed be
the tie that binds. Blessed be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above. You can turn there and read it
with me if you like. Before our Father's throne, we
pour our ardent prayers, our fears, our hopes, our aims are
one, our comforts and our cares. We share our mutual woes, our
mutual burdens bear, and all for each other flows the sympathizing
tear. When we asunder part, it gives
us inward pain, where we shall still be joined in heart and
hope to meet again. You may not know this, but this
little background about how that hymn came to be written, I think,
will be a blessing. John Fawcett, the man who wrote
it, was a preacher. He was a pastor of a Baptist
church in England. And in his time, he was one of
the greatest scholars in the land and an able preacher. He wrote several books. Some
of y'all may have seen his name before. Published a volume of
hymns and founded a school for the education of young preachers,
like Spurgeon did after that. And one essay he wrote was so impressive to the king of
England at the time that he offered this Baptist preacher, John Fawcett,
any benefit that a monarch had the power to confer. And John Fawcett became an orphan
at the age of 12. That was his background. And
now he's being offered something by the King of England. And he
had to work real hard in his youth, putting in 14 hours a
day, a 12-year-old boy, in what they referred to sweatshops. He studied at night by the light
of a candle to learn to read and to improve his education. At the age of 25, he was ordained
and took a little church It says, with 100 members, I wouldn't
consider that little. But for a very modest salary,
often they paid him with potatoes and wool. After seven years of being a
faithful pastor to that congregation, he received a call to Great Carter
Lane Church in London, a prestigious place in its day. And he was
preparing to make the move. Remember that old song from that
program, moving on up. On the day that he was to leave, many of his congregation gathered
around his house. There was a horse in a cart,
stood outside, and one by one, his possessions were carried
out and put in that cart. Finally, the last thing, the
last item was hoisted up and made secure, and John Fawcett
began to make his rounds saying farewell to those people that
he had pastored. There were young couples that
he married. There were those he had comforted
through trials and sickness, sorrow. There were little children
that he had held on his knee in their homes. And there was
the old whose sorrows he had shared, and they had shared with
him. This article said they were a
humble people. Few of them could either read
or write, but they loved him. They loved their minister, and
their devotion to him finally overcame, and he told the driver,
unload that stuff. I'm not going anywhere. He said,
I'm going to stay a little while longer. Well, the fact is he
stayed another 54 years and died as their pastor. He never did
take that offer from King George III, and later, years later,
commenting on that incident, he said he didn't need anything
that a king could offer. He was a child of the king. Now,
in our hymn book, they're not recorded, but as he wrote that
hymn, Blessed Be the Tide That Binds, there were two more verses.
This glorious hope revives our courage by the way, while each
in expectation lives and longs to see the day. from sorrow,
toil, and pain, in sin we shall be free, in perfect love and
friendship reign throughout eternity. Blessed be the tide. Brothers
and sisters in Christ, we are one family with one head, the
Lord himself. The church is his body. Paul,
in writing in Ephesians 1 and 15, said, Wherefore, also, after
I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and love to
all the saints. Cease not to give thanks for
you, making mention of you in my prayers. What did you pray
on their behalf, Paul? What did you intercede for? That
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
unto you health and wealth." Now, now, there's a bunch of
hucksters making merchandise out of men's souls with that,
aren't they? No, he said that God would give
unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of Him. Him. That He would make a fresh
application to your heart of the riches of the grace of God
that is in Christ Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul said,
and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it.
or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ. What an honor. And members in
particular, children of God, little flock, you're my family.
I don't think this will shock you. It may shock if my brothers
and sisters hear it. I'm more comfortable with you
than I am with them. Often with them, I love them,
don't misunderstand me, we're a close-knit family, y'all know
that. But I honestly, much of the time when I'm with them on
occasion when we are all together, which is rare, much of the time
I feel out of place. And it's sad, because I don't
have anything, I can't They can't sit down with me. My brothers
can't sit down and say, hey Larry, let me tell you about what God
did for me last time. Larry, let's talk about our Savior. Talk about golf, talk about fishing,
talk about this, talk about that. They can't talk about the Savior.
They don't know the Savior. Oh, but you do. Every believer
does. This is the tie that binds us
together. We've each been loved by God
Almighty with an everlasting love. Wow! We've each been redeemed
by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Man, what about that? And we're each on the same journey
through this world going to that city whose builder and maker
is God. How about that? And by that same
mighty grace, that will keep us. We're going
to enter that city and see Him that sits upon the throne and
as He wipes all tears from our eyes, hear Him say, Behold, I
make all things new. And when He dries your eyes,
you're going to open them and look and you're going to see no sickness,
no pain, no death. They're not there. But what you
will see with a perfect vision is King Jesus on His throne.
That's what binds us. That's what we have in common.
Jesus Christ himself. Oh, no wonder that man wrote
that hymn. Did you notice the quote in your
bulletin today by John Gill? Oh, Gill was Don's favorite,
favorite theologian. Mr. Gill said, the same persons
to whom is given to believe on Christ, to them it is given to
suffer for him. And they do all in some shape
or another. And of course, Philippians 1
and 29 says that very thing. Brothers and sisters in Christ,
I ask you again, could you use some refreshing? The last few
weeks, and I'm talking about among our little flock, the last
few days, weeks, months, there has not been anyone That's not
gone through some trials, some very heavy, painful trials. Every
one of us. Like the psalmist. Do you sometimes feel like he
did? Psalm 63, O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee.
My soul thirsteth for thee. My flesh longeth for thee in
a dry and thirsty land where no water is. That's what this
world is to a child of God. Oh, Father, I long to see your
power and your glory as I've seen it in the sanctuary. Because
thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise
thee. Oh, I'm in a dry and thirsty
barren land. Here's God's answer to that.
Here's some refreshment for your heart. God says, ho, everyone
that thirsteth, come to the waters. And he that hath no money, come,
yea, buy, eat. Come, come over and over again. Come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price. Well, that, that, I can afford
that. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread?
We usually apply this to the unbeliever and it would certainly
be so, but children of God, I mean, you need this as well, don't
we? And your labor for that which satisfieth not, hearken diligently
unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto
me. Herein your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting
covenant with you, ordered in all things and sure, as David
said. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure
mercies of David. Remember when David laid down
his deathbed? Oh, my soul, he said. Though
my house be not so with God, yet, yet, yet, the same covenant
we just read of, He has made with me an everlasting covenant.
Oh, what a pillar, what a pillar to lay your weary head down on.
Nothing can change God's covenant. God made a covenant with the
great shepherd on behalf of his sheep. The everlasting covenant
of God's almighty grace, and David looked at that and said,
it's ordered in all things and sure, it's not dependent upon
me. Whether it succeed, oh no, it
must succeed, because it was made with the great shepherd.
He came, according to the stipulations of that great covenant, to save
his people when he said, I come to do thy will, oh my God. Jesus said to that woman at the
well, If you drink, whosoever drinketh
of this water shall thirst again. Oh, but whoever drinks of the
waters that I shall give him shall never thirst again." Thirst
for more of it. All my life long I had panicked.
This is also on one of the CDs I spoke to you about earlier
that Brother Dave Coleman made. Satisfied. All my life long I
had panicked for a draft from some cool spring that I hoped
would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within, feeding
on the husk around me. That's what the world's doing.
Till my strength was almost gone, longed my soul for something
better, only steeled the hunger on, oh, there must be more. There
must be more. Poor I was and sought for riches,
something that would satisfy. But the husk I gather round me
only mock my soul's sad cry. Remember that? Well of water,
ever springing, oh, here's refreshment. Bread of life, so rich and free.
Untold wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me. Hallelujah, I have found it. whom my soul so long has craved,
Jesus satisfies my longings through his life, I now am saved. The psalm of Psalm 36, verse
7, How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children
of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. That's
a nice picture, isn't it? They shall be abundantly satisfied
with the fatness of thy house, and I shall make them drink of
the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain
of life, and in thy light shall we see light. Remember what John
saw in the last chapter of Revelation? And he showed me a pure river
of water of life, clear as crystal. Where did it come from, John?
For sitting out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Refreshment. Everlasting refreshment. How
about this? Isaiah chapter 65, verses 17
through 19. For behold, this is God speaking
to his children. For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth. And the former things shall not
be remembered nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem
a rejoicing and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem. Paul's, Selah, Paul's. Did you hear what God just said? Did you see that? That's not a misprint, is it?
Is God really saying that? I will rejoice in Jerusalem and
joy in my people? That's exactly what he said.
Of course we rejoice in our Savior, rightly so, but God says I'll
rejoice in them. I will joy in my people." This
is the joy that Christ endured the cross for, the joy that was
set before Him. And God says, "...and the voice
of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying."
Oh, when I can read my title clear, the mansions in the sky,
I'll bid farewell to every fear and wipe my weeping eyes. in
that place, there shall I bathe my weary soul in seas of heavenly
rest and not a wave of trouble roll across my peaceful breast."
Oh, refreshment. Nothing but in that day. Let
me close. Let me bring this to a close.
Romans chapter 8, let me make some practical application. In the same sense that Paul did
in Romans 8, when he talked about God being
for us in the way of predestination and everlasting love and sending his son, Paul said, now,
what shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who shall be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Oh, that's a gracious cup of
refreshment, isn't it? But now saith the Lord that created
thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, that's every
believer, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. Well, if people
he redeemed end up in hell, where's the comfort in that? If he redeemed
Judas just as much as he did Peter, I don't see no comfort
there. Oh, but thank God it's not so.
Child of God, there won't be any sinner that Jesus Christ
redeemed in hell. Now did you hear that? There
will never be a sinner whose sins Jesus Christ put away end
up in hell. Before that happens, God Almighty
must change his very person. He must become a liar. He must
cease to be satisfied with the death and work of his son, the
satisfaction of his son, the atonement that his son made to
God the Father. Don't think that way. Don't entertain
a thought that way. Jesus Christ redeemed his people,
and everyone he redeemed is going to be with him in glory. Don't
dishonor him by talking like that won't be, because it will
be. This is what God says, fear not. And the basis of that is this,
I have redeemed thee. You're mine. You're mine. I've called thee by your name.
You belong to me. And until I bring you around
my throne to be with me forever, remember this, when you pass
through the waters, not if you pass through, you will pass through,
but when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. I will be with you. And through
the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through
the fire, you won't be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. I am the Lord thy God. The Lord
thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. And even to your
old age I am he. And even at the whore hairs will
I carry you. I have made and I will bear.
Even I will carry and will deliver you. When I was reading those
verses last night, I thought, oh, hear that, Bobby and Lester. Even to your old age I will carry
you. Hear that, Terry? Hear that, Delilah? Hear that,
Billy? Hear that, John K. Carroll? Hear
that, Robin? Hear that, Larry? God says, you're
mine. And even to your old age, I'm
going to carry you. I always have. From the womb
to the tomb, I will carry you and deliver you. Queen Victoria. one time visited a paper mill
not far from Windsor Castle. She was interested in what went
on there. She didn't dress in her royal
apparel, so she wasn't recognized. But she went in and she saw the
foreman. And of course, he didn't know
who she was. But she told him, what goes on here? What are you
doing with this? Because she saw large piles of
just old, filthy, discarded paper, just trash. And he told her that
they would make some of the finest, whitest paper out of that garbage. When she had gone, went back
to the castle, the foreman learned later who she was. And some days
after that, she received at the palace a package that contained
some of the purest, most delicate paper had the Queen's likeness
stamped on it, with the note from the foreman of that meal
telling her that that paper was from the very rag she had seen
at her first visit. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we shall be called the sons
of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, And it doth not yet appear
what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we
shall be like him. For we shall seek him as he is."
That's refreshing. That's a refreshing promise from
God the Father to each of his children. May he give us grace
to carry it with us. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention.