I just, I'm so thankful that
the Lord would allow me the privilege to be here with you. I think
what an honor, what a calling, what a place to be standing right
here. My heart rejoices and my heart
trembles. Brother Tom, thank you. for having
me and for you that have been placed under the ministry of
this faithful pastor, for you that are under the franken, that
the Lord would allow the privilege of the candlestick to be in that
place, that Almighty God would allow
the gospel to be there. I passed a lot of towns today,
for as I know. I didn't pass any that I knew
of. Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Psalm, chapter 116. Psalm 116. Psalm
116, I'd like to read verse 12. And then, make some comments
out of this chapter. Psalm 116, verse 12. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all His benefits toward me? I read that question and I think
to myself, what an arresting question. What a soul-searching
question. What shall I render? What shall I render unto the
Lord? for all of His benefits to me, every divinely chosen, redeemed,
regenerated object of God's mercy. Those that have been called out
of darkness and taught by the Spirit of God and know In their
heart, without Him, I can do nothing. What can I do? What can I render? What can I give? What can I bestow? I know this, whatever the answer
to this question is, It's going to have to be found in God's
Word because that's an answer that's just too high for this
sinner. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefits toward me? Before we look at
the answer from God's Word, I want us to look at the Lord's benefits. What does the Scripture say that
Almighty God has done for His people? Well, look at verse 8. For thou hast delivered my soul
from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling in electing grace. Almighty God from before the
foundation of the world. And I know this. I know this
by faith. I know that Almighty God has
a people. That He chose to show mercy to. That He in electing grace through
no good that was in me that He saw. I know that. He chose to show mercy. Moses asked Him, show me your
glory. And here was the Lord's glory.
I will have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. And Paul under the inspiration
of God's Spirit in Romans 9 says, so then, It's not a him that
willeth or him that runneth, but God that shows mercy. Show me your glory. I'm going
to be merciful. Thou has delivered my soul from
death. The scripture reveals that out
of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, He has a people. prepared, Romans 9.23, a four
prepared unto glory. He's going to have His own and
the will of the Lord Jesus Christ is going to be done. Father,
I will. Those that Thou has given me be with me where I am. They may behold my glory. The benefits that God's done
for me, He's delivered my soul from death. Redeemed His people
by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, being made sin,
He hath made Him sin. And Almighty God dealt with all
of God's people in a substitute. And by one sacrifice, He is perfected
forever. All that the Father gave Him
delivered them from death, delivered their eyes from tears, In that day, Scripture says that
many will stand before Him and say, Lord, Lord, we've done many
mighty works in Your name. We've cast out devils. I never knew You. Cast them out, and there'll be
weeping and wailing, gnashing of teeth. Lord, You delivered
me from that. Lord, it was by Your grace and
mercy that You saved my soul and my feet You've delivered
from falling. Deliver them from going down
to the pit. Why? I found a ransom. He always found the ransom. He saw the Lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. Lord, You have chosen to show
mercy, delivered my soul, my eyes from tears, my feet from
falling. What are all the benefits that
He's done for me? He saved me and kept me. Look at this, look at verse 2,
1-16. Because He hath inclined His
ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. What
has the Lord done for me? What's the benefit? He's not
turned His ear away from me. I tell you, when I find myself,
you that know Him, you know what I mean when Petitions are so
feeble and so frail and so wandering. You know, when you're trying
to pray and you find yourself all of a sudden somewhere and
you're thinking, where have I been? Here I am
calling myself, praying. And I find myself now even starting
to wonder, am I even praying at all? And he bows his ear and stretches
forth and hears. You know, as parents, have you
ever found yourself, when your kids were little, and they're
talking and they just want to talk. They want to talk and they're
rambling and you're knowing somewhere back there you're hearing and
you kind of give a kind of a grunt or something every once in a
while to kind of make them think that you're listening, you know?
Not him. He's not turned his ear away.
He has inclined his ear onto me. He's heard me. He listens. Look here, verse 7. The scripture
says, Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt
bountifully with you. In electing grace, He hid me
in the cleft of the rock. Put me, and old brother Scott
used to say where God put his people, that's where he kept
them. He's always kept them there. Lord who never changes, always
looked upon them in the surety. Set us upon the sure foundation. That's what David said. Though my house be not so, he
hath made with me. an everlasting covenant, ordered
in all things. And sure, that which was required,
He has supplied. That which was demanded, He has
fulfilled. All of the benefits that He's
done for me. Listen to this, heirs of God,
heirs of God. Joint heirs with Christ. I can't even enter into that.
I mean I hear it, I hear it, I know it, I rejoice, but oh
how I see through a glass darkly Join heirs with Christ, and then
I'll read. Eye hath not seen, and ear hath
not heard, and neither hath entered into the heart of man." I've
never thought about everything I know about heaven, everything
I read. And by faith, I know it's so. I know that we shall see Him
as He is. And listen to this, be like Him. The benefits that the Lord has
done for me. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all His benefits toward me? What am I going to give? What am I going to do? This frail
creature of the dust who has delivered my soul from death,
inclined his ear unto me, dealt bountifully with me, would not
charge me with iniquity? Blessed is the man. Oh, what
a blessing. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not charge, impute, iniquity. That I'm chargeable? Yeah, I'm chargeable. I'm guilty. I know I'm guilty. There's no
question but that God would not charge me with it, but chose
to charge it to Christ. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefits? Well, I'm going to give you the
answer from God's Word because I know that this is right. This
is so right here. Now here, I can rest right here.
Here's what I know. Here's what I'll render unto
the Lord. Look at verse 13. I'll take the cup of salvation
and call upon the name of the Lord. I... Sorry about that, Tom. I'll take the cup of salvation
and call upon the name of the Lord." Well, I know this for
a fact. I will take is not a confession
of my own ability. I know that. I know that for
a fact. I know that it's not according
to my ability or will or power, but it's the wisest and the safest
thing that any sinner will do. I will take the cup. I looked up that word cup just
a few minutes ago. I was reading over my notes and
I looked at that and I thought, hmm, the cup. I just got my strongs
out and just looked at it a few minutes ago at your house. I
will take the cup. You know what it is. I'm going
to take the lot. I'll take the lot that He's given me. He chose to have mercy on me. And in irresistible grace gave
me a heart, new heart. Remove that heart of stone. It
doesn't rule and reign. Sin shall not have dominion over
you. Oh, it's still there. But it just doesn't rule. I'll take the lot. that He's chosen to give me.
By grace, by mercy, and with a heart made willing, I'm going to receive what He's
given me. And all the while know, what if you had not chosen to
show mercy to me, where would I be? Take the cup, the lot of
salvation, It's an act of worship by faith. The psalmist is saying,
taking that cup, that lot of salvation, he's drinking of that
cup of that good pleasure of God that the Lord has filled. This is my lot. This is my lot. He's shown mercy to me. That's
my lot. That's grace. saving grace, the
natural man, you know what he's going to do? He'll hear of the
mercy of God. And this is his natural response.
No, thank you. I'm doing just fine. I'm doing
just fine. That I don't need. I've got all
I need. Oh, but for the believer. The Spirit of God gives him a
new heart and shows mercy to this object of mercy, and that
new heart cries forth, Lord, have mercy on me! And the Lord's
had mercy on him. Lord, save me! Because the Lord's
already saved him. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefits? I will take the cup, the lot,
of salvation. And I'll call on the name of
the Lord. Lord, have mercy. I'm calling on Him with thanksgiving
and praise and blessing, giving honor to His name for His mercy
toward me. Why? Look at Psalm 4-3. Why? The purpose Here it is,
right here. Psalm 4, verse 3, But know that
the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, and the
Lord will hear when I call unto him. I know this, I think to
myself, Lord, while you've been pleased to
pass many by, Thank you that you didn't pass me by. Thank
you, Lord, that you did not leave me to myself. Thank you that
you saw in your indescribable eternal mercy to set the lot
of salvation upon me because it pleased you. What shall I render unto the
Lord? I'll take the cup of salvation and call on His name. Look at
verse 1. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefits back in Psalm 116? I love the
Lord. Because He hath heard my voice
in my supplications, what am I going to render unto Him? He
give me a heart to love Him. I love Him who first loved me. I know that had He not set His affection
on me and given me a heart for Him, I'd never love Him. I know
that. I know that. I know that God
Almighty has absolutely produced. The Lord demanded it. Thou shalt,
shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all your mind,
soul, spirit. You shall do it. But grace produced
it. Grace did it. He put within my
heart a love for Him. Oh, I think about Peter. Lord,
I'll go to the death for you. Peter, before this night's over,
before the cock crows twice, you're going to deny me three
times. One of the writers said that
when Peter denied the Lord the third time. The Lord just looked
at him. I read that scripture and it
breaks my heart. I just read. He just looked at
him and he said, oh. And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Three days later, they saw him on the seashore there. They're
sitting around eating and the Lord said, Peter, lovest thou
me more than these? Three times he asked him that.
You know what Peter told him? Lord, Thou knowest all things. You know that I love You. I think
to myself as I try to read, try to ask, try to pray daily, it
says the Lord is my witness. This assembly is brought to my
mind daily. asking, praying for you and for
your pastor, you too, Frank, you men, praying for your assemblies,
praying. And I think to myself, as I'm
trying, trying to pray, I think, Lord, if you had not given us
a love for you, to call on you to pray for one another, to ask
your blessing By this shall all men know that you're My disciples.
You've got love for one another. Why? Because you love Him. You
love His body. You love His people. What shall
I render unto the Lord for all the benefits that He's done for
me? I'm going to love Him. I'm going
to call on Him. I'm going to take the cup. I'm
going to love Him. Look at this one. I'm going to
rest. I'm going to rest in Him. Oh,
return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully. Verse 7, Return unto thy rest. I'm going to thank Him that He
has delivered me from trying or thinking that
I can establish my own salvation before Him by my works. He is
my Sabbath. What shall I render unto the
Lord? I shall declare, Lord, You're
my rest. You're my day of rest, my eternal
day. When I find myself even now ruffled
in spirit and disquieted, which you just read about for me, Because of the trials and the
temptations of this world, return, return, return. When do we return? We're always returning. He that
cometh unto me. He that cometh unto me. And you
say, you know, I remember when people say, I came to the doctrines
of grace. Well, don't go to the doctrines
of grace. He said, He that cometh to me. Coming to me. Coming to me. He that cometh
and cometh. I came to the Lord back, oh,
been, probably been about 40, 43 years ago. Today is the day of salvation.
I've had people say, well, you know, I kind of wonder, I wonder
if I was ever converted. Well, really I wonder, listen,
it's water under the bridge. Yesterday's faith, It's faith
cometh, cometh by hearing. I need faith right now to believe.
He that returns to the rest. Return unto thy rest, O my soul. What shall I render unto the
Lord daily? Thanking Him that He is my Sabbath. He is my life. Look at verse
9. Here's what I will do. What shall
I render unto the Lord? I'll walk before the Lord in
the land of the living. By the grace of God, having my
manner of life before men, trusting Him, trusting the Lord. We walk how? By faith. We walk
by faith. Almighty God is pleased to keep
His people from walking as a hypocrite. They walk believing. Brother
Henry said this on this verse, May my life be becoming as a
Christian. For His honor, my good, my comfort,
my peace. Peter said, 2 Peter 3.11, seeing
then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? You know, this walk, it's not
a command to a dead heart attempting to earn a righteousness before
God, but is the heartfelt desire. This is the longing. of a believer. This is the heart of one regenerated
by God's grace. I want to. And oh, if you want
to take a show of hands, let me just be the only one that
shows a hand. How many have seen themselves daily, moment by moment,
with this confession? Oh, wretched man that I am. I
get so sick of myself. Old John Newton, he said, when
I look within, you know what I see? All is dark, wild. You that know him, is that the
way you feel? Can I deem myself a child? I
know that there's two natures in a believer. I know there's
an old man, I know there's a new man. I know there's an old man
that does nothing but sin. I know that. What born of the
flesh is flesh. Born of the Spirit is Spirit.
There's an old man that does nothing but continue to rebel
against God. And there's a new man that does
not sin. You know the one I see? Oh, that I might walk before
Him. It's what I'm going to do. I'm going to walk before the
Lord, confessing what I am. I know what I am in myself. I'm a needy sinner. Walking before
God Almighty, thankful that God has been pleased to save a wretch
like me. I'll walk before the Lord. in the land of the living, walking,
kneading Him, pleading for mercy, asking for forgiveness daily. Look at verse 17, 18. I will offer to thee the sacrifice
of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord. I
will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all His
people. A sacrifice of thanksgiving. It may not seem like a very costly
sacrifice to this world. But it is well-pleasing. Look
at Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13, verses
15-16. Now, I want to read this, and
then I'm going to turn over to a passage in Revelation. Hebrews 13, 15, 16. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name, but to do good and to communicate,
forget not. For with such sacrifices God
is well pleased." Those first two words in verse 15, by Him,
by Him. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefits toward me? By Him. Offering the sacrifice of praise
now. I want to show you something
turn with me to Revelation chapter 8 Revelation 8 verses 1 to 4 You know when we We're going
to offer a sacrifice of praise Thanksgiving You know saying
thank you Thank you But you know, even when I try to think about
thanking the Lord, I think, what a frail, weak... I don't know. I don't know what
to say. I can't... My heart just... I wish I knew. I wish I could. Look at this. Revelation 8, 1 to 4. And when
he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about
the space of a half hour. And I saw the seven angels which
stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. And
another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden
censer. Here is our Lord, the angel of
the covenant himself. And there was given unto him
much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of
all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne,
and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of
the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."
I want you to look, if you have a margin there in the middle
of your Bible, there on that third verse where it says in
the middle, offer it with the prayers, He added the merit of
His intercession to the prayers of the saints. And Almighty God
heard for His sake. When I don't know what to say,
and when I'm trying, and in my heart truly I want to be thankful,
but He takes the incense of His intercession, and adds it to,
and it descends into heaven. Totally, absolutely upon His
merit, the Lord Jesus Himself, engaged, ever-living, right now,
on behalf of His redeemed, presenting to the Father, in the sweet fragrance
of His own perfection, both the petitions and the worship of
His people standing for them, taking their prayer, adding His
merit to it. And the Scripture says, it ascends
into heaven on His merit. By Him, let us offer. the sacrifice of praise. What
am I going to say to God? What shall I render unto the
Lord for all of His benefit toward me? I will thank Him that He
has taken His own merit and presented this frail creature and the weak
crying before God Almighty and God hears me. for His sake. And then lastly, the Scripture
says, and I will pay my vows unto the Lord. Back in Psalm 116, I had read
that a few times that the psalmist had said that. Verse 14, I will
pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all of His
people. Verse 18, I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in
the presence of all of His people. I looked up those words again
because I began to think, I will pay my vows. Well, I looked up
the word pay and it says to make payment. Then I looked up the vow, the
promise. I will pay my promise. I will
pay my promise. And my heart was directed to
Jonah 2.9. This is as good an explanation
of that verse of scripture to me that I know of. Jonah 2.9,
this is what Jonah said, I will sacrifice unto thee with the
voice of thanksgiving, and I will pay that I have vowed. And here's my payment unto the
Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is all of grace. I'm going to pay my vow. He alone quickens a dead sinner
to life in Christ. That I owe Him. That I pay Him. He maintains the objects of His
mercy with preserving power and grace. If I have a heart to pray,
He moves me to pray. If I walk with any consistency
in this life, it's not I but Christ that liveth in me. Salvations
of the Lord. I'm going to pay my vows. Lord,
not unto me, not unto me, but unto you is honor and glory and
praise. If I find myself sanctified before
God, cleansed before God, His blood has been applied to me. His blood has washed me. If I find myself Not under the
condemnation of Almighty God is because He said, when I see
the blood, I'm going to pass over you. Salvation is of the
Lord. If I stand before God Almighty in holiness, it's His holiness,
His righteousness that robes me. He has made me so. The branch
cannot bring forth except it abide in the vine. No more, He
said. Can you accept you abide in me?
Salvations of the Lord. Here's my vow unto the Lord. And by faith, I own it, I pay
it, I acknowledge it, He is my salvation. What shall I render
unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me? It's summed
up right here. Lord, You saved me by Your grace.
I am what I am by the grace of God. Lord have mercy upon us
for Christ's sake. Amen.