2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy 2. With all the present uncertainty
in the world at this time, and all the bad news, it seems that
we are constantly, daily, hourly, bombarded with how good to read,
to hear this sweet promise In verse 19, that's our text, verse
19 of 2 Timothy 2, we read, nevertheless, nevertheless. In the context,
Paul is in prison. This is his last epistle. As he tells us in chapter 4,
Nero, when he stands before him, Last time, the next time, the
first time he said, nobody stood with me, everybody forsook me,
notwithstanding the Lord stood with me. And he'll deliver me
into his kingdom. Paul was facing certain death. He mentions these two in verse
17, how many of us in Philetus that were teaching false doctrine
concerning the resurrection, that it was past, or there's
just a spiritual resurrection, not a resurrection future for
God's people, the body, soul, spirit. And even with that background,
Paul says in verse 19, nevertheless, nevertheless, despite Nero, despite false teachers,
despite persecution, despite the imprisonment, nevertheless,
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are
His, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from
iniquity." The title of my message is this, Another Blessed Nevertheless. The Word of God is full of them,
and whenever they're used concerning His people, It's always a blessing. It's always a promise. It's always
with comfort and joy. Another blessed nevertheless. Because remember, if a believer's
relationship to God was determined by or dependent on anything other
than his union with God's Son, His relationship with God's Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, there would be no reason for, no basis
for this sweet word, nevertheless. For example, I mentioned God's
Word being filled with him, promises to his children. But for example,
in Psalm 73, whether this was a Psalm of David or a Psalm of
Aesop, it really doesn't matter because it was written by a believer,
a believer. And in verse 22 of this psalm,
we read this confession from one of God's true children. He
says, so foolish was I and ignorant. He had envied unbelievers. He
had looked at envy, with envy, on unbelievers and said, they've
just got it made. They've got it made. He said,
I'm serving God for nothing. So and when we he went into the
presence of God and God showed him the end of unbelievers How
suddenly they're brought to destruction? Being recovered. He now confesses
so foolish was I and ignorant Ignorant, what's the last time
you confessed? I'm ignorant not not Not flattering, is it? So foolish was I and ignorant.
And he says this, I was as a beast before thee. Ever been there? Ever been there? Ever done that? If not, if not, I want to shake
your hand and say, how do you do? Because you're the first
one, the first one I've ever met of God's children that hasn't
been in that circumstance. Brethren, your look and your
pastor more often than he would like to admit and cannot promise
because it would be a fallacy to say that it would never happen
again. But how often I made this same confession. I was ignorant
before my God. I didn't trust him. And he's
so trustworthy. There is not one of God's people
that hasn't done the same as this psalmist. If not, indeed,
at least in our thoughts. As the devil ever whispered to
you as he did Job through the lips of Job's wife, why don't
you just curse God and die? You're serving him for nothing.
Look what it's all come to. Get it over with. Yeah, been there, been there,
done that. Oh, but in that same psalm after
that verse, verse 22, we read this, nevertheless. Oh, don't
you just love that? I'm as a beast, I was foolish,
I was ignorant, but nevertheless I am. Nevertheless, I am not that I
was but now I've gone too far. I've crossed the line and God's
cast me off He's disowned me. Oh, no Nevertheless, I am continually
ignorant foolish beastly all nevertheless, I Am continually
with thee thou is holding me By my right hand. Oh, he'll hold
to my hand Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward
receive me to glory." Nothing has changed. This is what the
psalmist is telling us. Nothing's changed concerning
God's love and purpose for me. Nevertheless, what a sweet word
that is. That tells us that our standing
before God is not because of us. Aren't you glad that's true? Aren't you glad that's true,
Billy Cobb? That your relationship to God, your standing before
God is not determined by, is not dependent upon anything you
do, good or bad? Now the legalist will hear that
and say, oh my goodness, my goodness, that's just horrible. How can
you preach such a thing as that? That'll give people a license
to sin. Well, that's what a hypocrite would say. That's what a religious
thinks he's working his way to heaven would say, but a true
believer that has this hope in himself purifies himself, John
said, even as he is pure. Two things here in this text.
First, you have this abiding foundation. The foundation of
God stands sure. And then you have this inscription
stamped upon that foundation by the very finger of God The
Lord knows them that are His. You have the foundation and the
seal. First, the foundation of God
standeth sure. Well, why wouldn't it? It's the
foundation of God. It's God's foundation. Why wouldn't it be permanent?
Why wouldn't it be firm? It being God's makes it so. Psalm 102 verse 25. Of old hast
thou laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are
the work of thy hands, not the result of a big bang, as the
so-called smart folks tell us, but the result of any beginning
God. But what's true of creation is
true of providence and true of grace, Isaiah 28 and 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, behold, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation. I've laid
this foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious stone, a chief
cornerstone, a sure foundation. And he that believeth shall not
make haste, just calm down. Just calm down. He that rests
upon this foundation that God has laid need not to be concerned,
need not to be weary, need not to fret. Just don't make haste. What am I gonna do? Gotta have
somebody to talk to. Somebody help me, oh my soul,
what's gonna happen to me? God says, that's not necessary. Nevertheless, nevertheless. In
1 Corinthians 3.11 Paul wrote, For other foundation can no man
lay, than that is laid. And what is that foundation?
Which is Jesus Christ. That's God's foundation. That's
the foundation of the church. The foundation of God is his
eternal purpose of grace, yes. That's committed, though, into
the hands of the only one worth it, enough to fulfill it, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Fellas, what are they saying
about me? Who do they say that I am? Well,
some say you're Elijah, the great prophet, John the Baptist risen
again from the dead. Who am I to you? Who am I to
you? And Peter answered, Thou art
the Christ. You're the Messiah. You're the
God's anointed. Nobody else is. You're the Christ,
the Son of the living God. Oh, what an answer. Christ gives
to Peter's confession. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, because you're rich,
because you're wealthy, because you're healthy. Oh, no, you're
a blessed man, Simon Barjona, because God, my father, has taught
you something that he's not taught to the smart alecks. He passed
by those doctors of divinity and revealed to you, Simon, you
fisherman, who I am. And I say unto you, Peter, Upon
this rock, the truth of Peter's confession, Christ himself, is
what he was saying. Upon this rock I'll build my
church, and the gates of hell shall not, shall not prevail
against it. They'll attempt to do it, but
they'll never succeed. The foundation of God doesn't
rest on man's decisions, on man's religious rituals, or man's will,
but it rests upon Jesus Christ. And God said, concerning his
son, he shall not fail. He shall not fail. That one, as Paul said, to whom
he's committed everything, everything for time and eternity, his life,
his soul, his all, God says, he shall not fail. Call his name
Jesus. He shall save his people from
their sins and glory to his name. He shall not fail. Father, I
will also that everyone that you've given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory and bless his name. He
shall not fail. It's not dependent on me. It's
dependent upon him. The faith, which is the faith
of God's elect, true faith, is the operation of God. You can't
reach in there and find it, John. It's not there. Old fallen Adam
can't believe until he's born again, until he's given a new
nature. Faith, we're told in scripture,
is the gift and the operation of God Almighty. With Christ
as the object of true faith. Therefore it stands sure being
supported by the power of God and the intercession of Jesus
Christ Peter Satan's gonna have you he's gonna sift you like
wheat But you'll never quit believing You'll curse me. You'll deny
you even know me You'll try to convince those around you that
you never had any acquaintance of me, but you'll never quit
believing. It'll be alive It'll be alive
Why? because I've prayed for it. Nevertheless, Peter, when, not
if, but when you're converted, when I turn you again by my mighty
grace, strengthen your brethren. Concerning this foundation, our
Lord said, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets,
and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as if it were
possible, they should deceive the very elect. if it were possible. Thank God, it's not possible. Faith, as I said, is the gift
of God, and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. That doesn't mean repentance
on your part, repentance on His part. Those gifts He gives, He
never takes back. God never takes away that precious
gift of faith He has given in order for us to behold His Son. That's why He opened our blinded
eyes, like Bartimaeus. What do you want? I want to see. Well then see. Christ said, and
the first thing He was looking at was the Son of God, the light
of the world. That's what faith does. It beholds
the Lamb of God. What a great comfort. to a child
of God, that the unbelief of men cannot make the promise of
God of none effect. Not at all. All the attacks which
the powers of darkness have made upon the teaching, the doctrine,
the gospel of Christ have never shaken it. Steel stands firm
and weathers all the storms which have ever been raised against
it. Even those with DD at the end of their names. Don told
me the story. He probably told you as well.
There was a man named Twiddley. His last name was Twiddley. He
got a degree and he was Dr. Twiddley DD. Dr. Twiddley DD. But even all
the doctors of divinity have come forth down through time
and have claimed to have proven that Jesus Christ is not truly
God. He was a good man. He was a good
teacher. Yes, he was even a prophet, but the Son of God, God in flesh,
no. Oh, let them come forth with
their so-called proof. Jesus is still the Almighty God
Regardless of what what they say or do Listen, here's his
answer to that. I am the Lord and there is none
else There is no God beside me I girded thee thou though thou
has not known me that they may know from the rising of the Sun
and from the West that there is none beside me. I am the Lord
and And there is none else. I form light and I create darkness.
I make peace and I create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things.
Believe it or not, or like it or not, or bow to it or not,
it's so. I am the Lord. Thank God for
that. There's others who have claimed
to disprove. And these people that done so,
I've read them, I've heard them, claim to be speaking for God.
But they disprove, they claim, the substitutionary atonement
of Christ. One man dying in the place of
another. Someone bearing the sins of another.
That just can't be. The death of Christ was simply
a demonstration of God's love. That's all it was. But bearing
sin in his own body? That can't be done. Well, this
is what I say to them. This is what God's Word says
to them. to the philosophers, the wise men of the world. God
had made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteous of God in him. How you like them apples?
Thank God, regardless of what they say, rhetoric and logic
can do wonders in appearance. Oh, they strut like peacocks,
put on a pretty show, but in reality, they accomplish nothing.
Accomplish absolutely nothing. When he was in college, he was
the president of an atheist club. He would stand, the ringleader
of these young men, during the day and declare the non-existence
of God, and he said at night he would pray that that same
God have mercy on my soul. What about that? The orator's
thunder has not shaken the unchangeable truth of God. Nevertheless, the
foundation of God stands sure. When I was preparing this message,
I thought of a little poem I had read along this line, and I found
it. I found it. Let me share it with
you. It was called The Anvil of God's Word. Last eve, I paused
beside the blacksmith's door and heard the anvil ring the
vesper chime. Then looking in, I saw up on
the floor old hammers worn with the beating years of time. How
many anvils have you had, said I, to wear and batter all these
hammers so? Just one, said he, and then with
twinkling eye, the anvil wears the hammers out, you know. And
so I thought, the anvil of God's Word, for ages skeptic blows
have beat upon. Yet though the noise of falling
blows was heard, the anvil is unharmed, but the hammers are
all gone. So shall my word be that goeth
out of my mouth, saith our God. It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the things whereunto I send it." Brothers
and sisters in Christ, let us find comfort in this foundation
of God. He still has a church in the
world, and while the floods and the winds have beaten down on
her through And though houses, every house built upon sand has
fallen all around us, we've seen it, yet the house of God still
stands. You know why? Because it's founded,
it's built upon the rock. The rock, Christ Jesus, the foundation
of God's eternal decree, and therefore it makes it most sure. This is exactly what Paul says
in chapter 1 of this epistle. Verse 9, Who? God, who has saved
us and called us with the holy calling, not according to our
works. Woo, I'm glad of that. Not according
to our works, but according to what then? According to His own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began. It's founded upon Christ, the
rock of ages. Rock of ages. Deuteronomy chapter
32. These verses are from the Song
of Moses. Give ear, O ye heavens, and I
will speak. Hear, O earth, the words of my
mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the
rain, my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain
upon the tender earth, and as the showers upon the grass, because
I will publish the name of the Lord. Ascribe ye greatness unto
our God. He is the rock, not a rock. He is the rock. His work is perfect,
for all His ways are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity,
just and right is He. Oh, it is as we sang a moment
ago. The thought crossed my mind as we were singing. "'Tis so
sweet to trust in Jesus." I thought, oh, Larry, that's a whole lot
easier said than done, isn't it? Oh, but it is sweet when
God enables us just to trust in Jesus. Just to take him at
his word, not my feelings, not my circumstances. Nevertheless,
just to trust in him. Oh, how sweet to feel that here
is something solid under my feet. With all the turmoil, all the
doubt, all the insanity in the world. Oh, it's so sweet to know
that I'm resting on Christ, the solid rock I stand. Billy, nothing's
gonna sweep me away. Oh, I might feel when the storms
of life are raging, I'm gonna be swept off the vessel of grace,
but nothing's gonna sweep me away. Not on this foundation
of Jesus Christ. Oh, isn't that sweet? Nevertheless,
the foundation of God stands sure. Though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains are carried into the midst of the
sea, Though the waters thereof roar in our trouble, and though
the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, yet will we
not fear, for the Lord Jehovah changes not. Though men prove
fickle, false, wicked, and the church has been sorely grieved,
as it was in Paul's day, as he wrote, there is this sweet nevertheless. God's purpose will be carried
out. The covenant of grace is fulfilled
and the glory of God will be revealed. It has been revealed
to His people. God has a grand purpose from
which He has never swerved. Not one hair's breadth. He's
not changed His mind. Oh no, He is still in the heavens
doing whatsoever He has pleased. He shall do, He says, all of
His pleasure. We are troubled by matters which
are beyond our control. And most of them are. It is a
blessed thing to fall back upon the purpose and providence of
the Almighty God. And to know that though we may
feel defeated, He, God, cannot be. He cannot be. Our great Savior,
as we said earlier, shall not fail. It said he wouldn't even
be discouraged. Not even be discouraged because
he knew that he would accomplish everything that God gave him
to do. The good shall glorify God and
even the evil that he allowed shall be compelled to magnify
his greatness. This is exactly what we're reading
in Psalm 76 verse 10. Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee, the remainder of wrath shall vow restraint. With
such a foundation of God, with such a sure foundation, it's
only fitting we find this sweet word, nevertheless, the promise
of God. I love that word, don't you?
I love this word from God, to my soul, nevertheless. Never
less grace. Oh no, on the contrary. He giveth
and he giveth and he giveth more grace. Never less mercy. His mercies are new, fresh, Every
morning they're waiting for me when I wake up never less love
For God loves his own as he loves his son now think about that
Think about that that's exactly what Jesus Christ himself said
in John 17 verse 23 as Thou thou has loved them as thou has loved
me Wow never less Christ For Christ is all forever and we
are always complete in him We have all of Christ always I Love
what brother Don's wrote about this in his book discovering
Christ day by day It was this text in Galatians chapter 2 verse
10 and you are complete in him As I read this, I could just
see him, Bobby, and hear him. And I thought, him, he being
dead, yet speaketh. But don't know what does the
word complete mean. How far can we carry this statement,
you are complete in him? Is it possible to carry it too
far? Must we be careful not to go overboard here? Never. Never. Never. Whatever we are in Christ,
we are completely. Whatever we have in Christ, we
have completely. In all matters regarding our
spiritual welfare and our soul salvation, we are complete in
Christ. Complete without any supplement
of any kind. Oh, Don wrote, Rejoice, O my
heart. Oh, how he must be. I imagine
he rejoiced when he wrote it. I can only imagine how he's rejoicing
now. Rejoice, O my heart, to hear
God the Holy Ghost declare, you are complete in Him, blessedly,
assuredly complete. O my soul, believe this and rejoice. Be ashamed, my heart, of every
reluctance to believe that which God has declared. Let our admiration
be fixed upon this delightful privilege. Arise, my brother. Arise, my sister. Shake off the
fears and the doubts. with which Satan would bind you. Behold yourself as God declares
you to be, and as you really are, perfect in Christ Jesus. Do not let your sins shake your
faith in Him and cause you to question His all-sufficiency
and His all-sufficient grace." And I wrote down, Amen, Brother
Don. Amen, Brother Don. Here's the
second thing. we read in our text, the seal. Having this seal, this foundation
has this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are
his. I think we'll better understand
what Paul meant here when we realize that in his day among
the Jews, seals were used in transactions, buying or selling,
that it might be known who bought what. A seal is stamped upon
it to confirm the purchase, to distinguish one from another,
and to make it authentic, a legal transaction. I think this was
Paul's intent. He represents the foundation
stone as bearing the inscription upon it, like the stone mentioned
by the prophet Zechariah, where we read, I will engrave the graving
thereof, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity
of that land in one day. The custom was also in use during
the days of the pharaohs. They would inscribe stones, foundation
stones especially, that would be used in a building with their
royal inscription. Everyone would see it, they would
know what particular pharaoh ordered that to be built. Here,
Paul tells us, God has put his royal stamp. or seal of the King
of Kings, and set it upon the foundation of the great palace
of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself." God is stamped
with the finger of God. The Lord knows them that are
His. The seal or the stamp of the
elect of God is simply this. The Lord knows them. He knows
me. Don't you find that comforting?
Oh, a rebel, that should be a terror to them, if they had any sense.
Oh, but to a child of God, He knows me. He knows me. Like Peter said, Lord, you know
everything, and you know that I love you.
He knows me. This means that He chose them. He wrote their names in the Lamb's
Book of Life. and he will never allow that
they should ever perish. Listen, listen. This is what
God knowing us means. It's not just a mere acquaintance
of or an awareness of, no, no. Isaiah 43, verse one. But now thus saith the Lord that
created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear
not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name.
Thou art mine. I know you. God says, Billy,
I know you. You're mine. You belong to me.
I've redeemed you. Therefore, when you pass through
the waters, I'll be with you. Why wouldn't I be? You're mine.
And through the rivers, they won't overflow you. And when
you walk through the fire, you won't be burned. Neither shall
the flame kindle upon thee. It'll just consume the dross,
but you're gonna come out shining as gold. Again, Isaiah chapter
49, verses 15, 14 through 16. But Zion said, the Lord hath
forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me. Ever felt that
way? And this is God's answer. Can
a woman forget her sucking child? That she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will
not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee. Upon the palms of my hands, thy
walls are continually before me." God's people, Christ's sheep,
they're in his hand and they're in his heart all the time. Always,
always. This knowledge God has for His
church is much more, as we said, than a mere awareness of. In
that sense, He knows everyone. But that's not what I'm talking
about. This knowledge is God's love. When we read, God foreknew
His people, whom He did foreknow, whom He loved beforehand. Whom
He loved with an everlasting love. It's a special love to
them. And that love is distinguishing
and unchangeable and everlasting. And it's been sealed, affixed
to all God's elect. He knows those that are His. And it changes not. Jeremiah
3, 31 rather, verse 3. The Lord hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with everlasting love. Therefore, therefore, I won't
do anything for you. What kind of love is that? I
have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, I won't interfere
with your mighty will. I'll just sit back and let you
go to hell. No, no, what kind of love is that? I have loved
thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness,
I have drawn thee." What did David ask? Is there
any left of the house of Saul that I might show mercy upon?
Well, there's that crippled Mephibosheth. Go fetch him. And he put him at his table.
And we read, you couldn't see his crippled feet under David's
table. And he did eat bread at the house of David the rest of
his life. I've loved thee with an everlasting
love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Lord, as the old hymn that Moose
so often sings, Sovereign Love, Almighty Grace, arrest that man. Not me. My brothers, one of my
four brothers got out, but not me. Not me. For Christ's sake,
only I knew you. Therefore, before the feast of
the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of
the world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the
world, he loved them unto the end. The Lord knows them that
are his." I read a letter Mr. John Newton wrote, a portion
of it, Well, I read the letter. I want to share a portion of
it with you. He was, I think, more known for his letters than
he was perhaps anything else, but this is what he wrote to
a friend, and he made this confession. He said, I was for a while troubled
with a very singular thought. I seemed not so much afraid of
wrath and punishment as of being lost and overlooked amidst the
multitudes that are continually entering the unseen world. What
is my soul, thought I, among such an innumerable multitude
of beings? And this troubled me greatly.
Perhaps the Lord will not take notice of me. I was thus greatly
perplexed." Nevertheless, Mr. Newton, regardless of how you
feel, nevertheless the Lord knows them that are His. He knows He
foresees, he predestinates. For whom he did foreknow, he
did predestinate. He watches over them by a special
providence, knowing the way that they take, and he never loses
sight of them." Never. He that keepeth Israel shall
neither slumber nor sleep. I'm never out of his sight. Our
children, when they were young, my children, yours, our grandchildren.
How often have we said, man, I can't let them out of my sight. I cannot turn my back on them
for one minute. They're in trouble. God says,
Larry Criss, you're never out of my sight. You're never out of my sight.
John, a man by the name of John Aerosmith, a preacher that lived
many years ago, He wrote this, he said, "...Election, having
once pitched upon a man, it will find him out and call him home,
wherever he may be. Election calls Ikeus out of the
cursed Jericho, Abraham out of the adulterous Ur of the Chaldees,
Nicodemus and Paul out from the Pharisees. In whatsoever dunghills
God's elect are hid, election will find them out and bring
them home." Elijah. gets news that Jezebel is going
to have his scalp before the sun goes down. He runs away,
hides in a cave, and he says, I'm the only one left. God, I'm
the only one left. They've killed all your prophets,
and I'm the only one left. But what was the answer to God
to him? God says, I have reserved to
myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to the image of
Baal. And Paul says, even so, at this
present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of
God. You stamp August 16, 2020 on that verse. And every other day that God
allows his world to stand is because there is now a remnant
according to the election of grace. I've had foolish and ignorant
men. I remember one time I was talking
to Terry concerning an individual and he was telling me something
they did and Terry looked at me and said, Is that stupid or
what? I thought of that when I've had
people tell me, if I believe what you believe about election,
I wouldn't even preach. And I think, is that stupid or
what? Wouldn't preach when I hear something like this from the
lips of my dear Savior. Other sheep I have which are
not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice. And there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Why I
preach? Peter, or rather Paul, in Cornuth. God speaks to him and says, Paul,
Paul, speak. Don't be afraid. Nobody's going
to hurt you. Preach, because I have much people
in this city. Why preach? The comfortable conclusion,
let me wrap this up. The comfortable conclusion from
God's everlasting love and our election to salvation is this.
shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a promise God gave to
Jacob and to every son of Jacob. Genesis chapter 28, verse 15,
And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places
whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land.
For I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have
spoken to thee He that's begun a good work in you will perform
it in the day of Jesus Christ. I like this that Mr. Spurgeon
said, when it's all finished, when everyone who ever shall
be called has been called, when everyone of the Lord's elect
has been regenerated, justified, sanctified, and glorified, When
the whole of the blood-washed family of God shall surround
the throne above, all the glory shall be given to the Lord alone.
There will be no jarring note in heaven, no whisper of human
merit, no claim of a reward for good deeds, but every crown shall
be cast at the feet of Jesus Christ, And every voice shall
join in this ascription. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy name be all the glory of the salvation which
thou hast wrought after us from the first to the last." In the
last, oh, I don't know, week or so, I've been reading some
of the writings of a man by the name of William Plummer. He was
a preacher and a pastor that lived in the 1800s. This that I want to share with
you is from an article that he wrote called A Word to the Weary. This is just a brief portion
of it. A Word to the Weary. And he says, whatever is the
case of anyone, the basis which God has laid for the faith, the
support, the encouragement, victory, and final salvation of his people
is ample and covers the whole case. Whatever your case is,
this covers it, nevertheless. The firm foundation of God stands
having this seal. The Lord knows those that are
his. He wrote, for 55 years I have been considerably familiar with
the beds of sickness and death. I have seen many die, but I have
not in that time seen one comfortable death where the good hope through
grace in Christ was lacking. Nor have I ever seen the righteous
forsaken in his last moments. Do you think about that a lot?
Do you, John? I do. I don't think I'm wrong,
but I think when I'm leaving this world, if God is pleased
to allow me to be aware of it, I believe as I'm stepping out
of this world of the seen and stepping into the world of eternal
unseen things, I'm going to see my Savior. He's going to take
my hand, and he's going to take me to glory. This man wrote, I knew of a child
of God who was subject to seasons of great depression. She had such a spell not long
before her death. But as she approached near her
end, her mind became clear, and she left the world not only tranquilly,
but joyfully. One thing is very cheering. It
is that the young, the nervous, and even those who had been in
the bondage through the fear of death were able to put their
whole reliance on Christ and were in the last days of life
among the very bravest and brightest of dying saints. Soon the delightful
day will come when my dear Lord will call me home and I shall
see His face. But then with my Savior, my brother
friend, a blessed eternity I'll spend, triumphant in His grace. Nevertheless, God bless you.
Thank you for your attention.