Open—B. Prost, D. Hayhoe
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Whom have we, Lord, but thee of all thirst is satisfied? 153.
Oh oh. 10-4 1010, 1000.
Yeah.
Our God and Father, become before thee resightful hearts.
We thank thee that thou hast made of us a singing people.
That we can sing of thy love, O God and Father, and of the love of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Heaven will rejoice, and all the Saints up in glory will sing honor and glory to the land.
But our grandfather, we are still here.
And we are still a needy people.
We come before thee. The Dow mayors provide this afternoon meat and dew season for each one.
That was able to throw Thy Holy Spirit to provide for each one, but each one stands in need of.
We do pray for subjection to that holiest appearance and that he may take up the things of Christ.
I'm sure. So we pray for this meeting.
And the precious I read the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
Have a real burden on my heart this afternoon that I'd like to share with all of us I trust from the Lord.
And I'd like to turn first of all, to a verse in Matthew's Gospel.
Matthews Gospel.
Chapter 24.
And verse 12.
Matthew 24 and verse 12.
And because iniquity shall abound.
The love of many.
Show wax cold.
And then connect that with a verse that is well known to us in Revelation chapter 3.
Revelation chapter 3.
And verse 11.
Behold, I come quickly.
Hold that fast which thou hast.
That no man take thy crown.
We're living in very difficult days.
And I know maybe some of you young people have heard that bandied about so much that it becomes a little more than a cliche, and maybe you get a little tired of it.
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But you know and I know that we are living in difficult days.
And as we see what is happening not only in North America but also around the world.
We are made increasingly aware that the coming of the Lord draws nigh.
But I believe there are two dangers that attend upon that time in the history.
Of believers dangers that the Spirit of God warns us about.
And we have one of them presented in these two verses.
Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
There's a need to hold fast.
Because in the day in which we are living, the devil is doing his best to take away from believers whatever they have.
I suggest that here when it's a question of the address to Philadelphia.
That it isn't laying an emphasis on anyone particular truth or line of truth.
But the apostle John in bringing it out here.
Is saying whatever you do have.
Hold onto it.
I can remember well about 20 years ago now, more than 20 years ago, I was talking to a dear brother in Christ whom I had known well for quite some time. He didn't live in North America. He still doesn't.
But.
He was getting involved in things that were a little bit frightening to some of us and in love I warned him about it.
He tried to reassure me. He said I will never leave. Don't you worry about it. I will never give up the precious truth that I have. Don't worry, I won't do it.
But he did.
What happened? Did he intend to? Did he willingly say this is not worth anything? Just the same way sometimes we have something in our hands and we decide that instead of being valuable, it's garbage. So we pitch it in the trash. No, he didn't do that. What happened?
God did not allow him.
To hold, if I could use the expression, the theory of the truth in his head without the practice of it in his walk.
And when he gave up the practice of it in his walk.
He found that he couldn't hold onto it in his head.
He lost it.
Does God warn us about that? Yes, he does.
Turn to a verse. This one will do. There are many others because this verse, if I remember rightly, is repeated 5 times with variations. But turn to Luke 8.
And verse 18.
Take heed therefore, how ye here.
Here's the part for whosoever hath.
To him shall be given, and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken.
Even that which he seemeth to have.
What does that mean?
Oh, it means that if I have been on the receiving end of the precious things of Christ, I am among those who have. Whatever it might be, whatever degree, whatever measure God has given me, I am among those who have. What a wonderful place to be in.
I was reminded recently that there are millions of people in the world today who have never even heard of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's true. It's true.
You and I, everyone of us here is among those who have.
And yet if we don't walk in it.
God says you're not gonna be allowed to carry it up here. If you don't get it down into your feet, I'm going to take it away from you.
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And it's happening.
Don't think I'm pointing the finger except anywhere but back here because it is evident and it is possible in any one of our lives.
Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. What crown is that? It doesn't specify.
But I believe that God is going to give a crown for those who are faithful to Christ in these last days. I can still remember an old brother who has been with the Lord over 30 years now saying to me concerning the address to Philadelphia.
He said Bill, the Lord wanted something very specially for himself.
Just before he returned to call his own home, and amidst all the confusion, all of the giving up, all of the rising tide of iniquity and infidelity, God wanted something for himself.
And that's what Philadelphia is. Well, I hope none of us here would stand up and say yes. And that's where I am. I've arrived. Because if I talk like that, the sign is pretty clear that I belong in Laodicea rather than Philadelphia. But the fact of the matter is that there is a crown, and there is a danger of losing it because God is going to have a Philadelphia right to the end.
I suppose some of this is fresh in my mind, and in the fresh of sorry, and fresh in the minds of others here who were there when we saw, and you'll pardon my Speaking of them, but some of those young brothers in foreign lands, whose hearts are so on fire for the Lord.
This young brother wouldn't appreciate my telling the story, but I'm going to how that when he accepted Christ as his savior, his parents locked him up without food or water for three days and he was only able to escape.
After three days, and made a run for the brethren who had given him the gospel, said, What do I do now? They fed him, they helped him out.
Got them straightened out. You know what they told them? They said you go back, you go back, you go back to your parents. Don't run away. The Lord has a message for them and he went back.
I met that young brother. He doesn't speak English so it was hard to communicate one-on-one with him.
But to see those in this world today who are standing for Christ, who want to learn more of Christ, they're going to get the Philadelphian crown, who are saying give us more. We want to hear more. We want to learn more. We want to spend time, we want to be a little longer over the Scriptures.
Makes us hang our heads, Doesn't it hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown?
Philadelphia in the address there, the emphasis on is on keeping.
Kept my word, it says. Excuse me.
So I was kept my word.
And not denied my name.
Very important.
And everyone here, as I say, has something, and the Lord wants you to hang on to it.
Why does it say in Matthew's Gospel? And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Now I know that more properly refers to what will happen during the tribulation period, but in a general way I believe you and I can take it up.
It doesn't say because iniquity shall abound.
Spiritual intelligence will decline, it doesn't say, because iniquity shall abound. A knowledge of the things of the Lord will decline, that is true. But the beginning of the decline is not the loss of knowledge and understanding. The beginning of the decline is the love of many waxing cold. Oh, I say it to my own heart.
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Does Christ have a grip on my heart?
Iniquity is abounding today. And what is iniquity? The word iniquity literally is lawlessness and we had that brought before us in the meetings. It's not the doing or saying of anyone particular line of things, but rather an attitude that says don't tell me what to do, I will do what I want.
Don't anyone try and straighten me out.
That attitude, if I can say it, gets into our blood, doesn't it? In this day and age, because it's all around us and it's fostered by the world in which we live, lawlessness, it will find its ultimate expression.
After the church is called home, and when the Spirit of God is no longer here in the same way, and when that man of sin will be revealed, and there will be nothing to hinder the total unleashing of all of Satan's power in lawlessness. But you and I are seeing it now.
The love of many shall wax cold. Does it have to be that way? Oh, I say it to each one of our arts. It doesn't have to be that way. The Lord is able to touch your heart and mind. As a brother used to say many years ago, if God has not won your heart and mind.
What more could he do to win it? Turn to 2nd Corinthians 5 for a verse that we've often read before in this same connection.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5.
Verse 14.
For the love of Christ constraineth us.
Because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead.
And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves.
But under him which died for them, and rose again.
All the Lord Jesus looks out over this company and this is an extension of what our brother Dawn brought before us yesterday, and his heart longs for each one. Here He says, you are part of my bride. You are the ones whom I paid for with everything, and he says I want you.
And I want you to live for me. I want you to live for my glory. I want you to take up my cause down here. I want you to take up my interests. I don't want you to live for yourself, but for me, because I died for you and rose again.
So there's a need to hold fast what we have. And again I say there's only one way to hold on to what we have, and that is to walk in. And I say to your heart and mind, if I don't find that I am advancing in the things of God.
I don't want to say invariably, but probably it's true.
Invariably I have not put into practical effect what I already know.
Because if I know something and I say Lord, I can't do that, I can't go down that road, I can't go that far, then I would suggest that I am effectively putting the cap on my growth. Is the Lord going to show me more?
Someone yesterday referred to John 7 and 17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. But notice it does not say if any man will know his will. I've used the illustration before and you'll make a you'll. It'll bring a smile to your faces.
There are people that I can go to and if I say, will you do me a favor, their immediate reaction would be yes, what is it?
And there are others whom I know would somewhat guardedly say, what is it?
What is it? And the implication is very, very strong, isn't it? When I know what it is, I'll decide whether I'll do it or not.
God doesn't want that kind of a response. God doesn't want you and me to come to him and say, show me your will, Lord, and then I'll sit down and decide whether I can do it or not. No, the Lord isn't going to reveal his will of those kind of people. He's not going to reveal his will to those Christians, but to those who come and say, Lord, show me and I'll go tell me what to do and I'll do it. The Lord says he shall know of the doctrine.
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That's one danger.
But I suggest that there is another danger, and to get that, let's turn back first of all again to Matthew 25.
Matthew 25.
And this is at the end of the Parable of the Talents.
Verse 24. Matthew 25. Verse 24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said Lord.
I knew thee that thou art in hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strode. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.
Lo, there thou hast, that is thine.
His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strode. Thou Artest therefore to put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath 10 talents.
Now turn over for a similar expression to the 19th of Luke.
Luke 19 Here we have the parable of the pounds.
Little different emphasis on things here, but a similar expression.
Verse 20 of Luke 19.
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin.
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man. Thou take a stop that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou didst not so.
He set unto him out of thine own mouth. Will I judge thee, thou wicked servant? Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow. Wherefore then gave us not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required my own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that had 10 lbs.
The parable of the talents and the parable of the pounds are a little different. One perhaps emphasizes more the sovereignty of God. That's the parable of the talents. The parable of the pounds emphasizes more the responsibility of man. But we're not going to get into that this afternoon, but only to notice that in both cases.
There was one man.
Who was given something?
And who didn't use it?
I said the one danger was not holding fast what we have.
But I suggest the other danger is not act.
Using what we have.
It is not enough, I suggest to your soul and mind.
Simply to have something and to hold on to it.
And maybe as far as it goes to be in the right place.
Where that precious truth is known and enjoyed.
Yes, that's wonderful, a blessed privilege, and I can't emphasize it more highly as we sat and remembered the Lord this morning.
What a privilege it was to hear different brothers around the gathering here.
Give out to him. Read a scripture.
Get up and give thanks and a feel the presence of the Spirit of God and the Lord in the midst. And I thought to myself, what a privilege this is. What a wonderful thing that the Lord has preserved this to us in spite of our failure.
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And so I can emphasize that too strongly.
But on the other hand, if God has given talents, if he has given pounds, what are we doing with them?
The man with the talent hid it in the earth.
And I would suggest for our purposes that the application of that is that it was used perhaps.
With a horizon that didn't reach beyond this world.
There are many young people here.
Especially young men, many who have ability.
And I marvel at what young people can do today.
I marvel at the way they can handle technological advances that sometimes spook those of us, or some of us anyway, that are a little older.
That's great and God gave you that ability and it's wonderful to see it used. But I say to you, don't bury it in the earth.
Don't use it just for an end that doesn't reach beyond this world. Because as Dean reminded us yesterday.
Matter is temporary, contrary to popular opinion, but life is eternal.
And he which doeth the will of God abideth forever, it says.
In the parable of the pounds, we have 1 LB laid up in a napkin.
What does that speak of?
I suggest that that speaks of one.
Who has something very carefully put away in a very safe place where no one could find it, where no one could steal it, so that whenever it was needed he could get it out. There it is. I've still got it.
What did the Lord say to that servant, as He said to the one who misused the talent by burying it in the earth? It was pretty hard on that serve, it wasn't he. He was pretty hard on him. Why?
All because ultimately both servants had wrong thoughts of the master.
They misrepresented the character of the master, and within the context of the type, it's you and it is I misrepresenting the character of God.
Remember being at a Bible conference?
Over 20 years ago.
And we were discussing.
Some of the seven assemblies addressed in Revelation 2 and three, and the call to repentance in some of them.
And one brother.
No doubt with, as we would say, his tongue in his cheek.
Said What if you don't have anything to repent of?
What if you don't have anything to repent of?
And the answer was a good one.
Very good one.
God has put you and me here in this world in order that in the absence of Christ, we might represent His character in the fullest way.
And until you and I.
Have reached that point.
There is always something of which we can repent.
Does that hit home?
You notice in the address to Philadelphia that the Philadelphian has promised the key of David.
And there are different thoughts on what the key of David is for. What I have enjoyed is that if you go back to Isaiah and read the verses where that expression is taken from.
You find that there is a man by the name of Eliakim who was outstandingly faithful and whom God commands, and he says, I'll give him the key of David. But then as the Spirit of God goes on, it's very obviously talking not only about Eliakim but about Christ himself, because of whatever Christ could be spoken of as the nail in the sure place.
Eliakim, at least in figure, was representing the character of Christ. And that's what God wants to see today.
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So getting back to what we have here in the parable of the pounds and the parable of the talents, the one who had one talent and 1 LB. He had wrong thoughts of the master, wrong thoughts of God. He totally misrepresented his character. And God was misrepresented as an austere man asking for more than we could deliver, reaping where he hadn't sold, gathering where he hadn't strawed, and so on.
You'll pardon me if I unburden my heart, but many dear believers today are going down that road and maybe unconsciously they are misrepresenting God's character by saying I can't do it. The road is too rough, it is too difficult.
I say it with all reverence, but sometimes, in so many words, believers will say this business.
Of having a heavenly calling and yet living in this world as men on the earth and being a living witness, that is too difficult.
That is too hard. I want some respectability down here. I don't want to have the reproach thrown at me all the time. This is a difficult path and I don't think I can walk it anymore.
And then the calendar that goes into the earth.
Or it goes into the napkin and is it gonna be good enough in the coming day? If you and I say, but Lord, I was very successful.
Or to bring it closer to home, is it going to be good enough in the coming day? If I can say, Lord, I was at least outwardly gathered to the Lord's name, and I went to conferences and I sat there and I broke bread. Oh, that's the most blessed thing. Don't let me in any way diminish the preciousness of that.
But let me put it this way.
It's a wonderful thing to be, either as an individual or collectively.
Blessed. It's wonderful to be a blessed individual. It's wonderful to be a blessed company.
But unless I am a blessing individual, unless we are a company that is involved in blessing to others.
We will inevitably decline. We will go downhill, we will lose. And that's why at the end of the Parable of the Talents and the parable of the Pounds, you have that same verse that we read in Luke 8, repeated with variations. Because the Lord knew that ultimately, the moment a believer ceased to use what God had given them, the more he ceased.
To be a witness to this world.
To display God's character not only for the enjoyment of his own heart, because if we really do it for the enjoyment of our own heart, it will be there for others to see. What does that involve? Does it involve preaching the gospel? Paul says to Timothy. Do the work of an evangelist.
I don't find it easy to give out tracks. I don't find it easy to hand someone a gospel track.
But when I think that that soul is on the road to eternity, it makes it a lot easier. When I think that maybe that heart is waiting for something that they need, it makes it easier even though I have to keep thinking about it every morning. Put those wallet calendars in your breast pocket. Put those tracks there. You may need one. You'll see someone.
Appreciated what our Dave said at the children's brother. Dave said at the children's meeting, played a joke on some men and then gave them the gospel. Well, we have to be instant in season and out of season and sometimes that's the way it goes. You get people's attention that way. God will show you what to do.
But then.
Oh, we can use the precious things of Christ.
The precious truth of God in one of two ways. We can wrap it up in a napkin, as if too, shall we say, a credit, and distinguish ourselves as an individual or as a company. I know more than you do. See what I've got here with the idea I've got it and you don't.
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Oh, brethren, no, not that I'm pretending that we have that attitude, but it can be if we're not careful. No, that precious truth of God is meant to be used and expanded for the blessing of every true believer.
Now I know there are those who will not receive it, and I know that just as you preach the gospel and get a good many rebuffs and reproaches, so to hold fast.
And live the truth of God and represent God's character will likewise bring reproach, and it is not easy.
And the devil is working overtime today to turn Christianity into that which is Luke warm and respectable in this world.
But which has no ultimate effect. He's working hard to dull the edge of the sword of the Word of God.
But you and I need to wield it all the more.
And so I say to each one of our hearts, these things are reality. These things are serious. On the one hand, there needs to be a holding fast.
On the other hand, there needs to be a using of that which God has given us. Because I say again, it's wonderful to be a blessed individual. It's wonderful to be a blessed company.
But the moment I cease from being a blessing individual.
The moment we cease from being a blessing company.
At that point we are inevitably going to decline, we're going to go downhill.
And then we'll say what happened, what happened. Now, I don't say that in every case. When there's decline, that's the reason for it. There are other things that can come in. There can be open sin and other things that cause problems.
But I say to your heart and mind that I believe God would arouse us in these last days. First of all, by laying hold of our affections is the responsibility. Yes, there is a very serious responsibility, and we ought to feel it. But responsibility by itself will never take me all the way down that road. But a heart that has been touched by Christ, that is drawn out to Him, so that my affections reach out to Him.
Will give me the guidance, will give me the strength, will give me the energy in these last days.
I'd like to turn, brethren.
Who's some scriptures?
In connection with Waters.
First of all, I wanna say something connection with yesterday as a man who spoke unadvisably with his lips and I apologize for a remark I made.
Turn with me, please, to Isaiah 55.
Isaiah 55 and verse one. Just the first couple of verses.
Oh, everyone that thirsteth.
Come ye to the waters.
Either have no money. Come you buy and eat. Yeah, come buy wine and milk without money, without price.
Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bred, and your labor for that which satisfieth not hearkened diligently?
Unto me.
And eat ye that which is good.
Let your soul delight itself in fatness.
55 -, 2 is 53 I think.
You go back two chapters, you'll come to Isaiah 53.
A lot of us in this room learned Isaiah 53 when we were children.
How I love Isaiah 53.
That's the chapter of The Waters.
Come new to the waters.
In this chapter 55.
It says ho everyone thirsteth.
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God goes out beyond the bounds of Israel to the whole world.
Oh, how we.
To reach into the volumes of this book. How much we love that verse. John 316.
For God, soul of the world.
Hello everyone thirsteth, come ye to the waters. You see, the waters in scripture are spoken of in many different ways.
And here, I think, brethren, it speaks to the waters of judgment.
Does Christ love you?
How do you know he loves you?
Because he went into the waters for you.
Come ye to the waters.
Buy and eat without money, without price. If it's without money and without price, why does it say buy and eat?
What do you have to buy if it doesn't cost any money?
Not gonna cost you money, it's gonna cost you something else.
If you come to Christ and how we trust that everyone in this room belongs to him.
It separates you from the world.
And in that way, it costs you something.
But it's worth it.
Buy and eat without money, without price. So it goes on.
We're 4D spend.
Money for that which is not bread.
You ever get tired of this whole world?
Have you tried it?
Every one of us have tried it one way or another. You know I love that him.
I tried the broken cistern's Lord.
But all the waters fell ignores. I stooped to drink. They fled and mocked me as I wailed.
You won't find satisfaction.
In this world, dear young people.
Satan is a hard taskmaster.
But Christ can satisfy.
He can fill you.
Well, it speaks of the waters here.
So we had a lot about the waters this morning and meeting.
Umm.
So let's turn back to Song of Solomon chapter 8.
And just to comment on this verse that we know so well.
You know.
Let me just make a little comment in connection with this Song of Solomon I remember years ago.
We had a young people's meeting in Pine Grove, invited the young people from many places and I was only young at the time.
Sunday morning, the room was full.
Our brother Albert Hayhoe was there.
He got up and ministered after breaking a bread.
And let me tell you what he spoke about. Turn back to the first chapter of the Psalm of Solomon.
Verse 4.
Draw me, we will run.
After they What kind of people are they that run?
Mostly the young people, right?
So here we have the beginning of life brought before us.
Draw me.
And we love to see the energy of young people running after the Lord.
What does our hearts good to see you young people here.
Are you running after the Lord?
Don't stop.
Now let's go to the end of the book.
Verse 5.
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?
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What kind of people do the leaning?
Aren't they when we get older, Brother John?
Oh, that's what happens when we get old. We lean on one another, don't we?
If you're young.
Run after the Lord, and when you get old, the character of your life becomes a little bit more leaning.
And you can lean on the same one the young people run after.
God has only given one object.
So it says.
In verse seven, many waters cannot quench loss.
Neither can the floods drown it. The same love that drives the young people along after the Lord is the same love that God would occupy those of us who are older.
Draw me, we will run after thee.
Many waters cannot quench love. Now turn with me to Isaiah 43.
I suppose we could say.
The connection with that, uh.
Chapter.
That we just referred to in the Song of Solomon Mini Waters.
Speak of Calvary.
You think of the love of God, You think of the love of our Savior, You think of the waters that he went through with the cross.
His love was greater. I loved the story we get back in Genesis chapter 6 about the ark and it tells us about the the waters, tells us about the waters from beneath. It tells us about the waters coming down from the heavens, and it says of the ark rose above the water.
And the arc speaks of Christ.
The love of God, the love of Christ for you and me, was greater than all the waters of judgment that he went through.
Does he love you?
Oh, the depths of his love. May it be the motive.
It's springs from your heart and mind to draw us along through life.
Now water is here. These are beautiful verses here. Isaiah 43.
And I only want to read the first couple of verses.
I'm gonna start Oh my first one.
Now, but now thus saith the Lord. Isaiah 43 one.
The Lord created thee, O Jacob.
Jacob was a scoundrel.
And he that formed the O Israel.
Israel is the name he was given as a Prince of God.
If any man be in Christ.
Is a new creation. You belong to Christ.
You have a new creature.
Fear not, for I have redeemed thee.
I've called thee by thy name.
Thou art money.
How much does the Lord love you?
From eternity past.
He needs you.
Do you remember when he first called you?
I'd love to ask people about when they got C.
You know why I wanna hear what God did in their life?
I asked a man and a brother just yesterday.
And he told me.
I'll tell you this much.
He pulled over the side of the road in his car.
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Gave his life to Christ.
God was working.
I could tell you some other stories.
A man who God worked with at 3:33 in the morning when he saw the digital clock 333.
That was the time God was working, brought him to his knees, came to Christ. He's a new creature in Christ to this day. He was a he's a Jew.
He said to me the last person I wanted in my life was Christ.
But Christ wanted him. You know who won, don't you?
Wonderful, he said. When I when I came to Christ, there was no going back.
It's wonderful you belong to him.
I've called thee by thy name. Thou art mine.
You think Christ is gonna give up on you?
No, the next verse, verse 2.
This is Waters, I think, in a little different way.
Beautiful.
When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee.
And they'll walk us through the fire. Thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle thee.
Anybody here has never had any troubles?
When you get to be a Christian, do you stop having troubles?
Where does God put this verse here? Right after salvation if you like.
She the first verse she heard, says, I've redeemed thee, have called thee by thy name. Shouldn't everything be rosy after we get saved?
Oh brethren, the Lord here, he says I've redeemed you. But remember, you're still walking through this world that's rejected me.
And you're going to have trouble. The water is here. Speak of troubles.
And when you pass through the waters?
I'll be with you.
Now I like to tell the story in connection with this.
That happened in this very town that we're in. It's in connection with my mother.
And she went through some difficult times. She was bothered about things and I remember.
Staying in the house overnight with her back there on 43 David Dr.
And I slipped on the couch.
And she got up in the morning and.
She came in in a very, very, uh, bothered state.
And she said to me.
We are not told.
How deep the waters will be.
We are not told how wide the waters are going to be.
But we are told that there is the other side and he's gonna take us through because it says when thou passes through the waters.
Are you facing difficulties in your life right now?
The Lord will be with you all the way through.
Don't cave.
Submit to His will in His way in your life.
It's the way he works in our lives.
It's the way He brings us along, brethren.
When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee. You don't wanna go along without them, do you?
I don't know what you're facing.
You know, there's three things.
In the first in Hebrews 12. In the first couple of verses of the chapter.
Wherefore laying aside.
I'm not very good at quoting. Just hold the place please and turn to Hebrews 12.
Wherefore a verse one. Wherefore, seeing we are also accomplished about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience of race that is set before us, looking under Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame.
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And is set down in the right hand of the majesty on high. I've enjoyed these two verses this way. There are three things.
We have, we have weights, we have sin and we have cross.
Now it speaks here about let us lay aside every weight. You know what weights speak of weight speak of hindrances. If you're a runner, you make sure you don't have too many hindrances on you and your pathway, don't you, if you're going to run a race?
You don't wanna be hindered.
So it says here as the runner would lay aside the weights, lay aside the things that would hinder you from following the Lord, you and me.
And sin, you know, if we have a bad conscience about something that we're going on with, it's gonna slow us down.
In our Christian life.
It's going to hinder us.
But then there's a third thing mentioned here, and it's a cross.
Let us lay as these things aside, but in connection with the cross it says both, the Lord, it says, Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross.
Did he seek to set his cross aside? No, he died on it.
Do you have a cross that God has given you?
Don't try to set it aside.
You may have something that is difficult to bear in your life.
Don't try to set it aside.
Just like the Lord Jesus bore his cross, will you take it from him and go on?
He endured the cross. Well, I've enjoyed that in connection with those two verses. But now I just in connection with the verse back there in, uh, Isaiah 43. When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee through the floods. They shall not overflow you. And so, beloved, sometimes I find it a cheer. You know, I've heard of so many Saints recently at a mix, my wife and I.
Bow down. And we've been, Sometimes we put a list, they're not very good at remembering names, and we'll go down the list and tell the Lord about this and that one. They're going through trials and then I find out afterward how they got sustained in the trial. And I wondered how it would ever work out.
Well, that's our God.
That's our God.
Can we count on them? Can we trust them?
It's a privilege to pray one for another.
To seek to encourage each other to go on.
That's why we need the prayer meeting.
And I wanna say this, when you pray, don't just pray sitting in a chair. It's alright. Sometimes it's alright to pray standing up, it's alright to pray when you're driving. Get down on your knees. You know, it's interesting to read in the scriptures about the Lord Jesus, it says he knelt down and prayed.
It's reverence before him.
Pleading with God.
Tills about Solomon.
And God put it in his word that he knelt down and he prayed.
No, this subject of water is too big for me and uh, I just want to give a little thought. I enjoyed so much of scriptures in John 4:00 this morning.
I wanna give you a little thought before I sit down that uh, in John four. Please turn to it.
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John for the woman.
At the well.
What a well.
John Fore.
No.
I want to read.
These verses in my little new translation, I don't very often read out loud. Uh, I like to read this at times, but I want to read it. And when I'm reading along, I'd like you to read it. Look at it in your King James translation. And there's one word that's different on two or three occasions.
Very interesting, and you'll pick it up as we're reading So John 4.
John 4.
And verse one.
When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus makes and baptizes more disciples than John. However, Jesus himself did not baptize but his disciples. He left Judea and went away again under Galilee and.
He must needs pass through Samaria. He comes, therefore to a city of Samaria called Saikar, near to the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now a fountain of Jacobs was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied with the way He had come, sat just as He was at the fountain.
He was about to. It was about the 6th hour.
Now you know this passage, let me go on verse 10. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it was that saith thee, give me to drink, thou would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living waters. The woman says to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the whale is deep.
Whence then hast thou the living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well?
And drank of it himself, and his sons, and his cattle. Jesus answered and said unto her, Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinks of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst forever but the water that I shall give him.
Shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life.
I know you noticed it. Oh, I love to see the difference you see. As I understand it, there are two different words in the original and in the new in the King James translation that it is translated as the well.
But when? But when the Lord Jesus referred to the well, he referred to it as the fountain.
And every word of God is pure. He puts them there for our good and blessing. Now what is the difference between the whale and the fountain? Well, there was Jacob's wealth, and the Lord referred to it as the fountain.
And the woman referred to it as the well. You see, the well speaks of the place that she came to for refreshment.
And she went to draw water to get it from the well, and she would take it, and then she'd come back the next day and she'd get more water and then she'd come back the next day.
And that's like the thirst in the life of everybody in this world who is trying for one thing after another.
So we quote that same hymn. I tried the broken sister's Lord, but all the waters failed. And so there is a desire of thirst that God has placed in the heart of every man and woman.
To thirst after something.
And there can be thirsting after money and after fame and after education and after music.
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And after whatever it is. Cars, clothes, whatever.
Thirsty.
And then Jesus spoke of it as a fountain. You see, it really was a different source completely.
It was a different source. And so he said to that woman, basically this if you come to me.
If you have me, you're going to have a fountain inside you that springs up into everlasting life.
All to go away from the wells of this world.
Where all the drink that goes on and drinking. I'm not referring to hard drink, but the thirsting. Think of the newspapers, think of the Internet, think of all the TV's and everything that is put out there for mankind in general, Christians whoever they are.
To satisfy. To try to satisfy.
And God has given one source.
For satisfaction.
You and I have had the privilege during these 2 1/2 days at the meeting to sit at the well. But dear young people and Saints of God, are we going to go home with that well inside us and let it spring up into everlasting life to drink from this blessed book?
Our brother Bill spoke about.
Having tracked.
And being able to pass smoke to others. I want to give you a verse turn please to Isaiah chapter 52. I think it is.
Noah's chapter 50.
Verse 4.
This is Christ in his manhood. You know, if you want an example of how you're to walk through this world, you look at Christ. He left us an example of how to walk. Now look here. The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He waken of morning by morning He wakeneth my near to hear us and learn it. The Lord God hath open my ear, and I was not rebellious.
Neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them, plucked off the hair I had knocked my face from shame and spitting.
You wanna know how to speak to other people?
I like Bill, find it hard to give out track sometimes and I have to ask the Lord to help me. I got some tracks right here. I gotta tell you something, I haven't given one out today yet.
Uh, here you have something Here's a little secret right here in these verses. You notice how it says the Lord God verse four have given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season.
You know, you wanna speak to somebody else, do what the Lord did here. You know, it says the next thing he wakeneth, uh, he wakeneth morning by morning. He, he wakeneth my ear.
To hear as they learned.
And I found this a little bit in my own life if I spend a little time with the Lord.
Maybe a lot of time.
Why spend time with him? He will help me. He will fill up my life. He will. It'll be like the well of water that's springing up to everlasting life. And like that woman, she went and she told other people she couldn't hold it inside. Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did.
Why'd she do that? Oh, she was so filled up with him.
And we can't, we can't walk away from these meetings with the joy that we got in these meetings and use that as enough, so to speak, to bring us to the next conference.
No, we need him daily.
To walk with him and to get the strength to go on for ourselves.
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And for our brethren that are around us and to let it spill over to others that we meet all, may the Lord encourage His beloved. Let us try to help each other to go on to please Him.
It's a cold world out there.
It's wonderful to have the fellowship of our brethren. Let's seek to go on together to help each other in these precious things that God has given to us.
#166.