Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Like to turn to First Chronicles 12TH chapter, First Chronicles chapter 12. I'd like to read a few verses in this chapter from the first verse. How these are they which came to David to zip lag while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish.
And they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. They were armed with bulls, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow. Even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin. And passing on to this 16th verse. And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.
David went out to meet them, and answered, and said unto them.
If ye become peaceably unto me to help me, thine heart shall be knit unto you. But if ye become to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers, look thereon and rebuke it. And the Spirit came upon Amasii, who was chief of the captains, And he said, When are we David? And on thy side did thou, son of Jesse peace. Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine.
For thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band and the 32nd verse, and of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. The heads of them were 200, and all their brethren were at their command. Perhaps they could just look back also.
In the eighth verse.
And the Gadites, they're separated themselves unto David, into the hold to the wilderness. Men of might and men of war are fit for the battle that could handle Shield and Butler, whose faces were like the faces of lands, and were as swift as the Rose upon the mount. Well, there were two particular verses that I had upon my heart tonight, one in this chapter and one in Acts. The one here is particularly this 32nd verse, and that is.
The man of Issachar were men that had understanding of the times. The verse in Acts was the passage. We'll turn to it later. In connection with serving our own generation by the will of God. I believe in the meetings that have been held here. It's been much set in connection with the family and the importance of going on for the Lord in our family life.
And I thought these two verses were especially important for us.
Having understanding of the times and serving our own generation by the will of God. And the reason I read these other verses in this chapter is because to me, it's very interesting to see here that David was rejected. He was haunted by Saul. He was God's king, but he was in the place of rejection. And that is our place as we seek to go on in these days. The one whom we acknowledge is Lord, the one whom we recognize.
King of kings and Lord of Lords is rejected, it tells us in Hebrews 2. We see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. We look up and recognize Him as the rightful King. We recognize Him as our Lord. And so here we see that these ones who came out to David to be helpers first of all.
Who were ones that were, it says of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.
Don't cost these people something to take a stand of this kind. Saul was the king at this time, and yet here were the ones who were Saul's dragon, and they separated themselves because they recognized that David was God's rightful king. This must have been very difficult for them. It's always hard to go against flesh and blood.
Others that perhaps are very near and dear to us as those who are related to us by ties of nature, might possibly be a hindrance to us in following the Lord devotedly. And here we find these, these men. To me it's very blessed and very interesting to think that these who are spoken of as Psalms, brethren of Benjamin, they come out to be helpers of David.
And you know, if we're going to.
The Lord, He must be first, it tells us, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. And so we see that to put the Lord 1St may often cause us to have to take a stand, where perhaps even those who are nearest to us may not understand, in order that we give the Lord Jesus.
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His rightful place, first of all.
And then also, when we read about these Gadites in the eighth verse, perhaps you'll recall that when the children of Israel crossed over to Jordan, 2 1/2 tribes decided to remain on the wilderness side of the Jordan. And it tells us distinctly the reason they did that was because of their flocks and herds, because they wouldn't have to be in as much conflict.
So if they settle down there, it was a place that was very.
Pleasant they could leave their lives and their children their cavalier, and while they were content in some measure to fight the Lord's battles, they didn't want to be thoroughly and completely engaged in this. And Gareth was one of these tribes. There was the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gab, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and these had settled on the wilderness side of the Jordan. Now they hadn't decided, as I remarked, to cross over and to give.
And to give the Lord his rightful place. But I think it's very lovely here to see, first of all, those of the children of Benjamin, those who are near to King Saul, who recognized that David was God's rightful king and separated themselves to follow David and to be his helpers. And then we found these, and they had.
They could have said well.
We're part of the group that has settled down on the wilderness side of the Jordan, and we can't come and in a special way declare our devotedness to God's king across the Jordan because we've settled for something a little less than that. But here we find how this tribe come, those who decide that they're going to give David the rightful place. And so here, perhaps in the first case, it is going against what we might say, those who are.
Near and dear by ties of nature. And in the second instance it seems to me that it was setting aside that which was ease and comfort, because that was the reason they settled on that side of the Jordan, and giving this up in order to be devoted to David and to go to him in the hold. Or in other words, in The Cave where it was no easy path. For it's often been remarked that the flesh likes an easy path.
Evil path, and if we're going to follow the Lord, it's going to cost something.
One of these came all David wondered if they really knew what they were doing, because he thought perhaps that they had come to betray him. Was it possible that these men who had such ties in other directions would be willing to come out? And so he asks them. He said, Have you come out?
With true heart to me. And I think the answer here of a Maasai in this 18 verse is so lovely.
He said, one, are we, David, and on our side, as thou son of Jesse, you know there's no such thing as taking sides among the people of God, but there is such a thing as taking our side on the lower side, that is to give him his rightful place. And so as they were on the side, as they say of David and they said.
Thine are we? We like to sing that little hymn, don't we? I am lying, O Lord, I have heard thy voice.
And it told thy love to me, but I longed to rise in the arms of faith.
And be closer drawn to thee. And so here they come and say, Thine we are on thy side, thou son of David, peace, Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers, for thy God helpeth thee. Here we see the path of faith, here is the path of blessing. And these had decided to come out and choose to follow David, to give him his rightful place.
Now among these different ones, who came from all the various.
Tribes. The Spirit of God has been pleased to tell us how many there were from the different tribes that came in every case but those of the men of Issachar. And this is quite interesting to me. And that is if you read over carefully, beginning from the 24th verse, it tells you the number from the tribe of Judah, the 26th verse the number from the tribe of Levi.
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The 29th verse, the number from the tribe of Benjamin.
But when it comes to the men of Issachar, we're not told how many there were that come that came. It simply says, And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were 200 and all their brethren were at their command.
The Spirit of God, as I say, doesn't tell us how many came from the tribe of Issachar, but it does tell us that they had leaders who had understanding of the times. And you know how often we realize how important this is, whatever time we're living in, in the history of God's people, whether it was Israel in their time, whether it's ourselves in our time, how important it is that we should have.
Understanding of the times that we should know the proper conduct that is suited to us at any given time in the history of God's people upon the earth. And God has given us instruction in his word for this. He hasn't left us to our own thoughts. The Lord doesn't change, but times do change and we do need that wisdom which he alone can give us. And if we have understanding of the times and it says.
They knew what Israel ought to do. There was a time, for instance, when Israel didn't have a king at all. Then there was a time when they had a king. And we found that when they first wanted a king, Samuel was very grieved. He said they rejected the Lord from being their king, and they want to have a king to be like the nations. Well, the Lord said give them a king, and then Samuel thought it was necessary.
For him to recognize that this one was in the place of the king and he sought to be faithful and to bring before Saul away he should walk. And so there was a wisdom that was needed for Samuel before they had a king. There was also a wisdom that was needed for them when they had a king and the Lord gave him that wisdom how to act and I'm sure that if we.
Take the Word of God and read it carefully. We'll find that there is something in God's Word for any time in which we live, whether it's back in the days of the apostles or today. God has described the way things were at the beginning. He has even told us the way things would be at the end. He tells us in Laodicea that there was lukewarmness, he said.
As they were rich and increased with goods and felt they had need of nothing. But there was a path of faith in every generation.
Those who desired to walk to please the Lord would find if they were walking near to Him.
And there were three particular things that I would like to speak of in connection with having understanding of the times just in a general way. And first of all, that I'd like to bring before you is the heavenly calling of the believer that we turn to first Peter chapter one, first Peter chapter 1, and verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.
Now, if we look also at John.
16 John chapter 16 and the 32nd verse. Behold, the hour cometh. He has now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me might have peace in the world. Ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer I have.
Come the world.
One more passage and 1St Thessalonians, First Thessalonians chapter one, First Thessalonians chapter 1, and verse 9. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how He turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead.
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Even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Far as the new translation reads our deliverer from the coming wrath.
Well, the reason I brought these three particular scriptures is because in thinking of having understanding of the times. Now these three scriptures bring before us three different things. First of all, in Peter it shows us that we have a heavenly calling, we have an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fate is not away reserved in heaven for us, and a son can be. Is that as far as this world is concerned?
We can expect tribulation.
And then that our proper hope, what we really look for is the coming of the Lord Jesus. And I'd just like to speak a little bit about those three different things. I remember my father making a comment one time. He said no Christian home and no training of a family is proper, no matter what is said, unless we realize that we're a heavenly people.
Now those are things that are.
Important because there are many, many things in God's Word in connection with children being obedient, the proper place of husbands and wives. All these things are very precious and very important. But if we lose sight of the fact that we are a heavenly people, we have really lost our true and proper calling here in this world.
The church in this world is not part of it, but we are a people who are separated from.
In a general sense, we're just like ambassadors in this world, and wouldn't you expect that?
If they will say India sent over someone here to be their ambassador, I thought their whole family life would be patterned after India, Indias family life. You wouldn't expect them to adopt all the ideas of Canadian planning and home life and so on because they're here as representatives of their country.
And I believe that it's very, very important for us.
In our whole outlook in life, whether it's in regards our home, our children, our relationship with one another, to remember that we are not part of this world. We are really representatives of heaven here in this world and this will have a character that will be felt. The world may change, Canada may change, but still those who come from India.
Have a certain character to maintain.
Regardless of what changes may take place in Canada, because they represent another country, and you and I represent a heavenly lamb. It tells us there in that passage in first Peter. I just look at it again when it says here, which according to his abundant mercy, that's first Peter, one verse 3 hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection.
Of Jesus Christ from the dead. The reason it uses the word again is because this epistle is addressed to the leading Jews. And these Jews had an earthly hope. It was natural for them to look for blessing in their storehouse and in their barn, Was natural for them to expect that prosperity on the earth would be a sign of God's blessing. All this was proper and right to them as godly Jews. But now he says.
You have been begotten and.
Not to the hope of Canaan and all the blessing that you could look forward to in Canaan, but to a hope that is heavenly.
Here now, it was very difficult for the Jews to get hold of this after the Lord Jesus had died and risen again.
When the Lord was with them before he ascended to heaven, you remember one of the last questions they asked him was wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom again to Israel? It was very difficult for them to give up the shall I say, the earthly calling and the earthly hope, but our.
Calling, as Peter brings before us, is a heavenly calling, as it says in Hebrews chapter 3. Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling? And so in our home life, in the relationship between husband and wife, when Paul brings it before us in Ephesians chapter 5, what is the pattern that He gives us? Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. He uses the pattern.
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Of that which is, shall I say, the most blessed thing in connection with our heavenly calling, that we're part of the Bride of Christ to be displayed with him another day, and that as he takes such great delight in his church, failing though it is. And that this is the pattern then for us in connection with the relationship that we're in. If it's children, why then we're brought into the place as children of God.
This was a relationship that was not known in the Old Testament. Now, that is, they weren't taught to say have a father. Now, this is characteristic of Christianity, to be able to look up and call God our Father. And then too, as I say, and that our hopes are entirely heavenly so that we don't look to remain here in this world.
But we know that our true inheritance is up there. So much so.
That the Spirit of God in Speaking of blessings in Christianity always associates them with spiritual blessings. That is, we're blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. Whenever it talks about material things, it uses the word mercies, because our proper place is heavenly and so.
When our children are brought up home.
Important it is. You think that when this ambassador from India is in Canada that he's going to tell his children to copy the Canadians and to be like them? No, he probably constantly said. And don't forget, now we belong to India, we have a image to present here and that image is to be like our own homeland.
And so now there's an image that we are.
Present to this world and it is a heavenly 1 and we belong to heaven. I particularly enjoyed what our brother Edmund Beecham was telling one time and give us a little incident, perhaps some who were to water liking the foam. I'd remember we were talking a bit along the lines of our heavenly calling and and spoke about one time and he was going to buy a used car.
And.
He looked up the hats and the paper and he found one that was advertised. He went and looked at it and he decided to buy this car and this particular car was owned by a man who was over here on behalf of the Swiss government and this part was what he wanted. It was very pleasing to him. When he decided to buy it, this man said I'm going up to Ottawa to represent.
Switzerland. And he said, I want you to be perfectly satisfied with his car, he said. Because he said if there's anything that goes wrong with it at all, I want you to get in touch with me. I want you to call me in Ottawa if there's any problem, because he said that the Swiss government must maintain a good image in Canada.
Isn't that a is not a little practical lesson of what it means that we are heavenly people and that we have a particular image in connection with the relationship of husband and wife, in connection with the assembly, in connection with our children, in connection with our business, everything we must ever remember that we are heavenly people.
He's called us to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled in the faith in the Fadeth.
Away reserved in heaven for you.
And then too, as we notice the passage.
Then we turn to in John chapter 16, the Lord is about to leave them. Does He tell them that during His absence that everything is going to be very prosperous and easy for them? No. And do you think that when the government, I speak again of India to follow my illustration, when they send a representative to a country that is not too friendly toward India, that they assure.
The ambassador that he's going to have an easy.
Time that there'll never be any stones thrown through his window, then you'll never have any problems at all. No, they probably tell him that there may be instances that will rise up that will show the hostility of the country, where he is going toward his country. But how is he to treat them? He is to receive them patiently. Now the Lord Jesus was going away. Did he tell his followers that they could expect an easy path, that everything.
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Everything is going to be rosy for them of sometimes thought when it says in John that Mary Magdalene thought the Lord Jesus was the gardener, that there's a little spiritual thought for us in that, that sometimes we think the Lord is the gardener to make everything beautiful for us. But the Lord said no, He said, as it were to Mary, No, I'm not the gardener, Mary.
I'm going up there and he said I ascend them.
My Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.
So before the Lord Jesus went away, he told them, he said you're going to be scattered everyone to his own. But he said, uh.
In the 33rd verse, these things I have spoken unto you, that in me he might have peace. Are we to expect an easy path in this world?
When Paul preached in the book of the Acts, did he ever tell the ones who were saved that they were to expect an easy path?
No, he said, We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God, He said to the Philippians And to you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.
And over and over again the questions are reminded that their portion in this world was not going to be an easy one, but rather 1 of tribulation, one of being rejected. The Lord Jesus said on another occasion and not to be upset if the world hated them because it had already hated him. And he said that the disciple is not above his master. That verse is really spoken to my heart.
Disciple is not above his master. In other words, if I expect better treatment in this world and from this world, and my Savior had, I must think I'm a little bit above him, that they should treat me better than they treated my Savior. So he said the disciple is not above his master. If they persecuted me, they'll also persecute you. And so I believe if the Lord leaves us here a little longer.
That we can expect that we may have more.
Persecution. That it's going to cost more to follow Christ and that the pressures that will be brought to bear upon us if we seek to be loyal to Christ are not going to lessen, they're going to increase.
For the godly remnant, after the church is gone, they will be so great that one of the scriptures in Daniel speaks of how the enemy would seek to wear out the Saints. Just the pressures get so great that it just seemed like to wear you out. And the Lord Jesus said that the deception would be so great that they would deceive if it were possible, even the very elect.
So we are heavenly people. We are to represent heaven. What kind?
Treatment are we to expect from this world? We're not to expect it to be easy. We're not to expect them to treat us better than they treated our Savior In the world ye shall have tribulation. But he gave them something wonderful, something the world doesn't have. And he said in me He shall have that. In me He might have peace. He assured them that he had overcome the world.
And you know, I believe that some of those who were thrown.
To the lions in the in the Colosseum at Rome and years gone by had more peace than some of us with all our prosperity.
I believe that some of those who went to the state for Christ had more peace than some of us. Some of us know what it is to be in just in turmoil and be upset and have problems and it almost seems insurmountable. And I believe from what I have read of those men and women to that when they face the the persecution and perhaps being burned at the stake or thrown to lions, they have more peace in their hearts than we do.
That's just.
Lord Jesus assured here, He said, I spoken these things, I warned you, but he said in me, you'll have peace. The world ought to look upon us and say that lo, we do go through tribulation, that there is a peace inside that which sustains us through all the constant changes of this world and the increasing pressures that may be brought to bear upon us.
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And then the third thing that he meant.
Is in First Thessalonians chapter one, First Thessalonians chapter 1, the ninth verse. But they themselves show us what manner of engine him we had unto you, that is, they lived Christ.
And then it says to Sir, he turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and they served him. And then the third thing, they waited for God's Son from heaven. Well, we have a very blessed hope. And that's the third thing that I was thinking of bringing before us. First of all, as I said, that we are heavenly people. Second, that we can expect persecution from the world.
And thirdly, that we have a.
Hope, I have a hope and is not defined a better government. It's not that the things will improve for us. We have a wonderful hope the Lord is coming.
The Lord is coming at any moment we may hear that glorious shout, that shout of our precious Savior, the bridegroom of the church to call us to be with himself. And this is the hope we need to have before us. This is a hope in family life. This is a hope in assembly life. This is a hope in business. Many who are working know that pressures are increasing constantly. As I this recent trip that I made, I was surprised how how many.
Men of perhaps you might say a middle.
Wage are even afraid of their jobs because everything is so uncertain. They thought their jobs were secure. Now things are becoming uncertain and they wonder but isn't it lovely? We have a hope. There are difficulties in the assembly. I remember hearing about some brothers who were walking out one time from brothers meeting and one said to the other, oh where is this all going to end?
And the brothers that at the coming of the Lord.
That's our hope. The Lord is coming. What a glorious hope it is. And so here, this is another thing of having understanding of the times. Surely we'd find these things that we have to go through unbearable if we didn't have this hope that isn't nice to get up in any morning, even if we know we're going to have to face problems through the day and say this may be the day.
Perhaps the Lord is going to come today and call us to be with Himself.
Well, I thought of these three things in connection with having understanding of the times that we really have a proper perspective of our position. And I believe when we do, this helps us to adjust to whatever changes the world may make if the world is going through a period of change, and it most definitely is why for us, we know the one who said I am the Lord.
I change not.
And having a sense of our real position here in this world.
That we that we belong to heaven, that we expect tribulation in this world and we're looking for the Lord to come at any moment because this gives us understanding about how to meet other situations of everyday life as we go on waiting for the Lord Jesus to come.
Now let's turn to Acts, the 13th chapter, next chapter 13 and a 36th verse.
For David, after he had served his own generation, by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.
Hello. As we have been placed in a particular generation, we could have been placed at the time of the Apostles. Things were rather different at those times, but nevertheless what sustained them, what gave them understanding of the times, was, I believe, the things that we have just spoken of.
But then it tells us here that we are to serve our own generation. We live in 1976. Is it possible for us in this very generation in which we live, to be able to meet all the changes and to serve God wisely and intelligently? The Scripture says not to be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
So David was a king at a certain time, we were.
About those ones who came out and owned him and David knew how in his particular time to serve his generation and the Lord used him. He wasn't perfect, but nonetheless in his generation he did seek to be faithful to the Lord and God used him to accomplish some great victories and the first times who were oppressing the people of God, he was able to.
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Conquer them. So much so that when Solomon came to the throne, it was a rain of.
Peace, the results of his conquest extended on to the reign of Solomon. And so if you and I know how to serve our own generation, by the will of God, we leave a wonderful heritage, a help to those behind. I always think of poor King Hezekiah.
When Hezekiah.
Was warned about the failure in his life. The Prophet told him that there would be peace in his day.
And he said, oh, that's good, that was good. But he didn't take any care in connection with the generation that was to follow. And so the generation that followed, poor Manasseh was one of the most ungodly and wicked kings that reigned in Judah.
Are we just satisfied to have peace in our days or are we acting in such a way that we are living in our generation so that those who follow will share in the blessing and that we, shall I say, leave because we have sought to walk to please God? Sometimes we're satisfied just to have everything peaceful in our day, but isn't it important that we should live in such a way?
That we would be faithful to the Lord in our generation.
And those who follow will help to share and reap the blessing. Well, David served his own generation by the will of God. I would like to speak of a few things in connection with serving our generation. First of all, in Two Timothy, Second Timothy chapter 3 and verse 4, verse 13. But evil man and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But continue thou on the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child. Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect.
Perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Well, first of all, in connection with serving our own generation, the most important thing perhaps is to make the Word of God our God.
Here we find that that was what is brought before Timothy. We might say that in two Timothy we have the Church of God, or the House of God. In its ruined state it had become a great house. There were vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and with those to honor, those to dishonor. How was the man of God to conduct himself in a day when things were in a state of ruin?
Was there a path for faith? Could he really go on for God when everything was in the state of ruin? What was the resource? Isn't this lovely? There is a resource and that is we still have the Word of God. And as I was saying to the young people down in Montreal a week ago, what a marvelous thing it is that if there was ever a time when we needed the word of God, it's now and we have it.
In the days of the apostles there was no such thing as having a Bible reading like this, with everybody having the whole Bible sitting on his knee. No such thing. They might have perhaps had a small portion of it. Many of them couldn't read, and if they could procure perhaps one book or two books of God's precious word, they would consider themselves greatly favored. But if the enemy has come in as a flood in these last days.
God has also preserved to us.
His Word, He's made it available to us. He has given us not part of it, but his whole revealed mind. For it was given to Paul to complete the word of God, and we have his whole revealed man. And so he says, you've received these things, you've been assured of them. And he said you'll find in the Holy Scriptures what's necessary to make you wise unto salvation.
That you may know that ye have eternally life.
If there's any doubts that we have, and Christians sometimes do have doubts, it's because we're looking inward for feelings or experience or the amount of our faith or something like this. But never when we rest on God's Word and this precious book, God's Word, then he is suitable for us so that we can serve our own generation. And if someone says, why are you doing that?
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To have Gods revealed mind for our tasks way.
And if someone says, do you think that's according to the word of God? Can we say, yes, I, I looked into the Scripture and I believe it is the will of God for my pathway. So isn't this lovely that we have a resource so that we can serve our own generation? Not according to the will of a certain group, but according to the word of God. We meet friends who are perhaps associated with other groups of Christians. What do we tell them? Do we say, well, our group teaches this?
Does your group teach? Now we say the important thing is what the word God says, what the word of God teaches us. And so here was Timothy in a day of ruin. What was his resource? What did he have? How could he serve his own generation? By the will of God, He had the word of God.
And it was able to make him wise unto salvation. It was profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect or full grown, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Nothing that we need to know is left out, nothing needed for our pathway is omitted.
God has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. What a resource. Then we have to be able to serve our own generation by the will of God. To be able to say, I know the path because God has worked it out and I have his word to show me.
Well, then there's another thing. Perhaps we could speak of that in connection with the family, because Timothy was brought up in that kind of a home.
And so I've no doubt that the word of God was read constantly for it says from a child, I was not known the Holy Scriptures. And I just like to say to those who are parents, what a a privilege, what an important thing to bring before our children, the word of God, to read it to them, to cause them to see that this is a revelation from God.
The message that he has given to us. So Timothy was brought up in this way.
Thing I just mentioned.
Today it's been quite interesting and that is the kind of a home that Timothy was brought up in.
Perhaps she'd never stop to think about it. Timothy had a very godly mother and a very godly grandmother, but Timothy's father was a Greek, and we're not told that he was even saved. There's no mention whatever of the faith of Timothy's father, But perhaps you could say, well, that must have been difficult when the home was sort of divided. The father was a Greek and perhaps an unbeliever, and the mother was a woman of faith.
Isn't it nice to see that?
Hello. Timothy was brought up in that home where perhaps there wasn't just oneness of purpose. Nevertheless, God honored the fact that the word of God was brought before Timothy and at home. And Timothy grew up to be a faithful person. And not because everything was just the way it should be in the home, but because the word of God was given its right and proper place. Now let's turn to.
Another.
Message in connection with it and that is in.
Romans chapter 12, Romans 12 in the first verse. I beseech you therefore gladden by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Or the new translation reads your intelligence service. And be not confirmed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect.
Full of God.
I've always spoken about the importance of the Word of God, and especially in the home.
I thought of this passage is to deal with the our attitude in connection with the world. The world has certain ideas. The world has certain things that are constantly set before us as being the thing to do. As they say, it is now a generation and that we are to go along with the generation in which we live. Well, it's true that we use this world. The scripture says those that use the world is not abusing it for the fashion of this world.
Passeth away. But the important thing for us is that in our lives our pattern of thought, our thinking about things, should be formed by the Word of God as He has revealed His mind to us.
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So Hewitt tells us to present our bodies a living sacrifice.
Totally acceptable unto God. Now that is when we are saved.
To just say, like Saul of Tarsus did, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do now? The world has a lot of patterns. The world has a lot of ideas. We can get books on almost every subject that will set before us the world's outlook in connection with so many things, whether it's in home or dress or whatever. We can get many things that set before us the world's way of doing things. And we have to check all these things.
By the word of God. I don't say that always the way the world does things is wrong, but I do say that we have to check it by the word of God.
And so it says, be not conformed to this world, that our pattern of thought is not formed by the world, but rather that it's taught to us by the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And how often when we have read something of the world, when we have followed some of their ideas, then we come to the Word of God and we see that God has something different to say about it.
His the plan for us isn't just according to the world's plan. And we're faced with a very trying decision. And that is why we're going to just say, well, I'm going to go along with the world. That's the way they do it. After all, we have to follow the world. Or are we going to say, no, I have to check this by God's word?
And it says be not conformed to this world that be transformed by the renewing of your mind. There are some things, as I say, that we can use the world. We're thankful. We have automobiles, we have chairs to sit on and we have lights in this room. There are many things that we use, but there are also many things in the pattern of this world's way of doing things and the pattern of this world's thinking that when we check it by the word of God, we see.
That God's will is different. God's plan is different. The world's idea of morals, the world's idea of so many things is not according to the Word of God. And so we've come to the Word of God and we bow our minds to God's revelation and we say, well, it doesn't matter what the world says or what their pattern is, This is what God says.
And So what do we find?
Well, we not only discover the will of God, but isn't this lovely? We prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Now that is, we have a joy and a peace in walking in the will of God. And I don't believe there ever has been a Christian who has sought to do what he does in his life just to do the will of God.
And has looked back on his life with regret and said, well I wish I had followed the pattern of the.
World instead of following what the word of God said.
Maybe at times it may be difficult, maybe at times it costs something and that it's good, acceptable and perfect. And many a Christian, when he has come to the end of his life, as he looks back over it, he only wishes that he had followed the word of God and walked in conformity to the revealed will of God instead of some of the slips that we make.
In following the pattern of this world.
How many times it's been so and so we can speak of these things. Just like I could tell you, well, if you're going to a certain place, I, I might say, well take such and such a highway. I've been over that road. I know it's a good one.
Well, you don't know it until you've been over it, but after you've been over it then you can say, well, I tried it and I do think it was the best way. Someone told me about a certain way to go and I I tried it. I found it was a great deal longer than the way I planned to go on a certain trip. And when I thought it over, I thought, well, I almost wish I had gone the other way because the road wasn't as good as I had hoped. And so sometimes when.
Try things we find out. Well, they're not quite as good as what we had expected, but no one has ever sought to follow the light and wisdom and path that God has marked out in his Word and looked back and said, I wish I'd done differently.
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I wish I'd followed my own way. I wish I'd followed the world instead of the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Our own generation, we have something that we can go by. We have the word of God and may I say to you brethren here that it is important for us because the world is gradually setting aside the Bible. I don't need to tell you that you know it. You know very well that the whole outlook of things in connection with almost every.
Moral and spiritual subject is to follow their own ideas. 1 Preacher.
Said recently, it's not for us to be governed by a set of laws that was given over 3000 years ago. We live in this now a generation. And what was he doing but setting aside the word of God and saying, well, we just have to make our own plans about life. But that isn't the way for the Christian. When we hear it's ideas, when we hear the plans of this world, let's not forget we have a standard, we have God's will revealed to us.
So whether it's in home life and bringing up our children, let us bring them up under the sound of the word. But we're making decisions about which course we're going to follow. Are we going to follow the course of this world? Are we going to say, well, I have to change my thinking a little bit to follow the word of God and I prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Then there's one other passage I would like to turn to in 3rd Epistle of John.
Your Epistle of John and the second verse belonged. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prosper.
For I rejoice greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
The ninth verse I wrote unto the Church. But the atrophies, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Now one verse, beloved, Fennel map that which is evil, but that which is good he to do as good as of God. He that doeth evil hath not seen God.
The reason why this passage is here was an assembly and there was a man who was exalting himself. There was a man who wanted to be in the place of leadership and everyone had to go out of his will. Was it possible in an assembly like this to really go on to the Lord? Was it possible to really walk to please the Lord when conditions were like this?
Isn't it lovely to see that in this assembly where?
There was a state of things that must have been very, very oppressing to.
Gaius and Demetrius, who was mentioned in the 12TH verse. Here were two men who really wanted to please the Lord in this assembly, one to bring up their families for the Lord.
And could they go on in such a thing as this? Could they serve their own generation by the will of God, when there was such a thing as this that made it so difficult? Yes. Isn't it lovely to see that even in this, this literally state of things that existed, here was the mention of Gaius and the mansion of Demetrius who sought to go on for the Lord.
Even in this state of things and So what I thought in bringing these.
Passages before you in connection with serving our own generation by the will of God, we see how we can serve Him in the home by having the Word before us and getting that constantly before our children. And then too, in connection with the world about us, we have our minds and thoughts renewed by the Word of God, so that we can live in this generation according to the will of God.
And then if it's in the assembly, when there are difficulties and problems, there are situations that make it very trying. Isn't this lovely that even in such a thing as this, there is such a possibility of going on? And as it tells us here, these to this family were walking in the truth here was Gaius going on. You might have said, well, how do you get along with things like this?
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Well, Gaius went on, He sought to walk in the truth himself.
Demetrius had a good report of all men. So we can see that we can in this generation. If the world is in disorder, if the home is in disorder, if the assembly seems to have problems, there is a path for faith and you and I can serve our own generation by the will of God. So God has brought before us this lovely thing. We can have understanding of the times.
And I comment again.
In connection with what it says about his, a car doesn't tell how many came out to follow David. It simply says all their brethren were at their command. In other words, the influence of a life that is lived, having understanding of the days in which we live, and seeking to serve our own generation by the will of God will have far reaching effects. It will be a great blessing to others.
And so, as another has said, whether it's a ruined word.
Or whether it's a ruined church as to its testimony, or whether it's ruined as to what we see in family life today, so many broken homes. What is the answer? Christ is the answer.