Christian fears and communications (Quality: Good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I would direct you prayerfully to the prophecy of Malachi, chapter 3, and reading verse 16.

[0:16] Malachi 3, and verse 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it.

[0:31] And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. How needful then one especially feels it in this dark day of ours of this work of grace to be manifested in sinners' hearts.

[0:58] They shall be brought to true repentance. They shall have grace given them to truly fear the Lord in that filial sense.

[1:12] They might desire to do those things that are acceptable in his sight. And oh, how they have to prove if they have been so quickened and called by grace, how vile they are.

[1:27] That without him they can do nothing. And yet they will have these blessed desires to do that that is right in the sight of God.

[1:40] And you see, when they, then they that fear the Lord spake often one to another. It is a great mercy that who hear godly souls in converse.

[1:55] But oh, how much more I believe does the Lord desire to hear those that fear him, communicating to him.

[2:06] The Lord harpen and heard it. You know, them that honor me I will honor. And as the Lord exercises the child of God with grace, so they will delight to do his will.

[2:22] They may be stripped of all their fancied meekness. There will be great teaching by the Spirit to humble a poor sinner. But when the Lord so strips you of everything, and you feel to blush and be ashamed, even to lift up your face before God, as I've said before, sometimes we seem to be ashamed, even to tread the threshold of God's courts without coming up into a pulpit.

[2:53] But then these things will draw out from your soul and mine when you are brought to blush over your sins and mourn over them.

[3:05] You will be speaking, I believe, unto the Lord at the throne of grace and confessing your sins and praying that you might meet a few companions.

[3:17] You know, it's a lonely path, I know, and we walk the darkest paths often alone in our trials. But when the Lord so exercises the child of God and they meet, one with another, they will be speaking often of the wonders of God unto them in providence, but above all in grace.

[3:45] They will be looking unto the Lord and you know the Lord hearkened and heard it. We're reading God's word, don't we? There's not a word in his, in our mouths, but what he knows it all together.

[4:02] And we shall be judged by every word that proceedeth out of our mouth. And if the Lord brings you to a halt to consider the idle words that we often speak, O how little there is that is God honoring.

[4:19] But then they that fear the Lord, they that fear the Lord, spake often, spake often, would to God there were more godly conversation in our day.

[4:31] We cannot manufacture it or create it. But when the Spirit so exercises your soul with repentance, repentance, that when the Spirit so shows to you your sins in the secret light of his countenance, when he so shows you your great need of the blood of Christ to cleanse you from all your sins, there'll be an exercise in your soul and mine.

[5:02] And that exercise, you know, will often squeeze out some cry unto the Lord and you'll feel your poverty and your need. And it won't be a catchphrase, as it were, of the denomination.

[5:17] It'll be something that is really squeezed out of your soul. So, Lord, I am poor and I am needy. And only thou can enlighten, enliven my poor, needy soul and hearken unto my groanings and record these groanings in the book of remembrance.

[5:44] Now, the Lord is not unmindful of your groanings and your pleas unto him as you look to him and see that he would favour you with those visits to your never-dying soul.

[6:02] Put us in remembrance, declare thou, that thou mayst be justified. You see, the Lord alone can cause your soul to be saved by that revelation of his precious promises that he has performed in fulfilling them in satisfying the just demands of the law and Calvary's trade.

[6:32] When the Lord so blesses you and me with the application of a promise, then it's yours forever. And all these promises are yea and amen in Christ.

[6:46] Now, you and I might be tempted concerning the previous verses here. He have said, this is not speaking of right, is it?

[6:59] Ye have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts.

[7:11] Now we call the proud happy. Yea, they that work wickedness are set up. Yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. And all this is the work of Satan, isn't it, to stir you and me up in enmity to God.

[7:27] When the Lord so brings you to be pricked in the conscience, when you are made to feel that your words have been stowed against me, said the Lord, yet you say, what have we spoken so much against thee?

[7:44] Oh, how we are ever ready, aren't we, to murmur and complain with their lot? We know better. mercifully, we're no worse than the ancient people whom he had compassion upon, although many were slain in the wilderness because of their sins.

[8:02] But if God has chosen you and chosen me, then we shall know what it is to truly fear God. And unto you that fear my name, we read further on here, didn't we, shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings?

[8:23] What healing that touches does a portion need? And oh, how he will plead this as he is taught the fear of the Lord. And that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

[8:37] And as the child of God is taught to walk in wisdom's way, so he proves more and more his whole dependence is upon the Lord to keep his feet.

[8:54] Now, what a mercy that the Lord will change the heart of each and every chosen vessel, that they shall truly fear his name.

[9:06] His name will be the object of their soul's desire. His name will be his ointment poured for to heal up those wounds that sin have made.

[9:18] And what wounds have you and I received? In other words, what conviction of sin have you received? And what exercise has your soul been brought into concerning serving the Lord, or humbly following him and walking in his fear?

[9:37] you see, when this appointed time comes to those that fear the Lord, they will speak. They will speak, you know, of the things that the Lord has revealed to them.

[9:54] They won't come with any false testimony, or with any false religion. They come if their chosen vessels at the set time to favor Zion.

[10:05] And they know what it is to walk in the fear of the Lord, daily. They feel themselves to be lost, undone.

[10:16] When they look into the Holy Scriptures, the Scriptures will read them, no other man, sinned against light and knowledge.

[10:28] There's no soundness in the flesh. You're hastening on to a never-ending eternity. And yet often so careful and troubled about so many things perishing with the using.

[10:41] Yet the Lord brings his dear people at times to a halt. And they look to him that he might send his messenger. The Lord whom he seeks shall suddenly come to his temple.

[10:57] This is those that fear the Lord. They will be looking to the Lord to come. They'll be exercised in prayer. The desires of their soul as they come to Zion will be to be favoured to gain the attentive ear of the Lord himself.

[11:17] They plead this, bow down thine ear, O God, for I am poor and needy. You feel that great need for the Lord's blessing, for his deliverance, for himself to be revealed, for him to be made attractive to your immortal soul, and to exercise your soul unto godliness, to seek to be prepared for eternity before you.

[11:45] No solemn and searching is that word of God that we read. You see, he has said here, the righteous you know, as they are favoured to have the imputed righteousness of Christ, ye should tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, said the Lord.

[12:08] The reality of eternity, the reality of all the wicked to be burnt up with everlasting punishment in outer darkness where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth, we want to put it away, don't we?

[12:23] We want to water it down in our natural mind. Who can escape the wrath of God? Who can abide the day of his coming? We read here, who shall stand when he appeareth?

[12:37] For he is a refiner's fire, and like full of soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

[12:55] All this reality, then, of purging poor sinners. Prayer of David, purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

[13:10] Now, do you and I know anything of this fearing God? This desire to honor him in all those things that you attend to in life? The solemn realization and sense of the eye of the Lord is upon you, and his ear open unto you, and there's not a word in your mouth, as we said, but he knoweth it altogether.

[13:35] Oh, how soon we can get stirred up by the enemy, can't we, that he comes in like a flood, but, and your words, he said, have been stout against me, all the times that we offend God, and oh, how he is still long-suffering and patient towards us, that he still lengthens our cords and strengthens our stakes, in other words, he still supports and sustains his chosen people, that he will not let them go.

[14:10] You know, he won't let any go, but he has chosen and has recorded their names in this book of life. This is that that you and I want to know, don't we?

[14:22] that blessed assurance that he's recorded your name in the book of life. Thy fair book of life and grace, may I find my name recorded in some humble place beneath my Lord the Lamb.

[14:44] You see, you wouldn't see your fate with curious eyes, would you? you would look to the Lord and seek for that living faith that we've been singing on just now, that living faith that will keep alive your humble hope that the Lord will yet come as the Son of Righteousness to shine into your dark benighted soul as you have sought grace, to walk in his fear, and to speak often to the Lord.

[15:20] It's not only speaking often one to another, which is a great blessing and favor when you can feel that liberty in speaking of those things, one to another, of what the Lord has done for you, and what the Lord has revealed to you, and it will be but a little.

[15:41] You see, it isn't these religious talkers, is it? Those are those that bear in Jesus' eyes, those with broken hearts and humble walkers, those that bear witness that they have been with Jesus, those that live that life of faith by prayer, those who don't wear their religion on their sleeve, but it's in their heart, and it affects their walk and their conduct, as they seek to ask for the old paths and stand in the old ways, they might find rest for their souls.

[16:20] So they that fear the Lord spake often one to another, and they call upon the name of the Lord, they're often in prayer, they're often meditating upon Christ, and they often mourn their ignorance of the knowledge of Christ, and they want clearer views of him, and they want their weak hands of faith strengthened, this is the request, isn't it, the child of God, all that I can understand the scriptures, Lord, all that I could feel to have some personal word, some blessed evidence of the Lord communicating with me from off the mercy sea, to say unto my soul, I am thy salvation, that I might truly go on my way rejoicing, believing of this special favor that he has borne unto my soul in visiting me, and coming right where

[17:31] I am, and you feel when the spirit comes, unworthy dwelling, glorious guest, favor, astonishing, divine, would to God, we could feel more of this speaking often, one to another with the Lord Jesus, well now he must come, mustn't he, but all do, hold fast to those desires, dear friends, they may be very feeble, your desires, you may be often ready to faint, you may be even tempted to say what it says here, it is vain to serve God, and are is the biggest sinner before you in feeling that ourselves over the ministry friends, but you know the Lord won't have man to glory and we mustn't worship man, preacher, deacon or people, we must not worship man, and so we don't want, do we, man to be exalted, but him, that is

[18:40] Jesus Christ hath God exalted, to be a prince and a saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission for sins, now to be unable to speak as you fear God, you may fear his frown, if you and I are disobedient the Lord, we can fear his frown, you know the Lord will have his way with you and me, he will have his way, you think you can devise your steps don't you, you think you can direct your way, but God directs, and God manifests, and God works, and God makes a sinner willing in the day of his power, rebel you may against the work of grace, against the pathway you had called to walk in, you know you will maybe, you will rebound doubtless, your words will be stout against him at times, and then before those words have gone out of your mouth, oh he preaks you in the conscience, and you melt down, oh Lord what a wretch I am, what a vile sinner I am, oh and you have to pray don't you,

[20:02] Lord do come, restrain my evil tongue and the evil propensity within me to sin, and still at some unguarded moment, there you go again, your words stout against the Lord, but oh when the Lord brings you to repentance, oh what a sweet moment it is, when he softens your heart by due degrees, and makes your spirit pink, you then feel that fear of the Lord rising within you, and that grace in your heart causes you to cry unto him, Lord have mercy upon myself, I have nothing to bring to thee, but do in thy sovereign mercy, show me it over, bless me with a touch, and oh favour me to hear thy voice, that I might commune with thee, and thee with me, from off that mercy seat, and does he not speak, does he, that he will come in with them, and sup with them, and they with him, all those sweet moments when the

[21:21] Lord so favours you and me, to be blessed with those answers, you see the Lord hearkened and heard it, he hearkens and hears the groaning of the prisoner, and I wish you have to be very much exercised in this, being burdened in yourselves, when the Lord so plainly makes you to repent of your sins, and you come with godly sorrow, because you have doubted what God has spoken to you of.

[22:04] Thomas was a doubter, wasn't he? He wanted real, concrete evidences, didn't he? And so you are dying a day, if you're like me, or how you want real evidences.

[22:19] You want the Lord to write the promise, indelibly upon the fleshly tables of your heart. And so you'll seek that grace, won't you, to look to him, and ask him, that you might yet receive the blessing that shall enrich you.

[22:41] He says, bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, you see, it's bringing all your concerns into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, it's making sacrifices for Christ.

[23:09] Oh, what a burden that will be to you and me, making sacrifice for Christ, separation from the world, forsaking, or leaving this or that, that you have so enjoyed pursuing, some earthly, some earthly, fleshly, excitable thing, that might have led you captive, and swallowed up all your desires, for a little season.

[23:42] The Lord, you know, will then bring you in heaviness, if need be, through manifold temptations, and ah, we cannot fight the devil, can we, in his temptations, his gins, and his snares, and traps, are every ready for our unwary feet.

[24:04] But all then, what a mercy that the Lord, you know, permits you to fall, though not utterly, because the Lord will hold you out. these steps then of the good man, ordered by the Lord, though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast out, but the Lord shall hold you up.

[24:24] He may permit you to backslide in a little measure, and then he pricks you in the conscience over it, and all you flee to him for refuge at the throne of grace, because you fear him, you fear his judgments, you fear what might befall you because of your backsliding condition, because of your sins, and you're made to cry unto him daily, Lord, I am oppressed by these many backslidings and these many sins, and the carnality of my heart, and the allurements of the devil, and I'm too weak to resist him.

[25:06] I know it brings you here, doesn't it, that you might be brought, you bring your ties into the storehouse, you're willing to make a sacrifice, if the Lord will strengthen you, and he says, and prove me now herewith, said the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

[25:34] He brings you off all those things that were so alluring you entracting you, and he brings you here, doesn't he, with that willingness to part with all, to put everything in a secondary place, and to seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these other things might be added to you in your pathway.

[26:05] And so, this blessed work of grace in your heart teaches you the fear of the Lord. And in that set time, as the Lord harkens and hears your voice, as you cry unto him out of the depths, as you cry unto him, unto him in your uttermost situations, you feel your very heart would break sometimes with the trials that befall you, but is there not a cause?

[26:41] Is there not a cause? Perhaps there might be a great Goliath against you, as I think we touched on on Sunday and I wouldn't repeat, but the Lord of known knows my need every hour, every moment in the pulpit, that those enemies of your soul and mine, all you feel sometimes, what will the end of these things be?

[27:05] is there not a cause? There is a cause, you know, friends, and that is, our pride's got to be brought down, we've got to be humbled in the dust of self-abasement, and you know, so he shall sit as a refiner, and also he shall purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

[27:31] righteousness, you say, what have we got to offer in righteousness unto the Lord? Why, a broken heart, contrition of spirit, oh, to feel it more, oh, to experience it more, painful to your flesh and mind, but when you're brought there as one that truly fears God, you fear his judgments, you look to the Lord to give you a blessing, blessing, that he might open these windows of heaven, that he might empty out a blessing as the margin says, that there shall not be room enough to receive it, and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, oh, it is the Lord alone can rebuke this devourer that leads you captive, that captivates your mind with the vain things of this life, and oh, you lose sight of that vital, needful thing, the saving knowledge of the Lord

[28:36] Jesus Christ, and so you look to the proud, you call them happy, and you look to those that work wickedness as set up, you know, it's fret not of him that prospereth in his way, fret not thyself because of evil doers, or have you not seen the wicked spreading himself as a green bay tree, and then what, he was not, he was not, cut down in the midst of the years, or how happy are they that are the chosen people of Israel, happy art thou, O Israel, or to be a blessed character, chosen of God, an Israelite indeed in whom there be found no guy, then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, when the

[29:40] Lord brings you away from the wicked, from the proud, and from that tempting of God, and brings you to see the end of the wicked, or how solemn it is, it shall be ill with the wicked, but so to the righteous, it shall be well with him, shall be well while life shall endure, and well when called to die, and this book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord, oh what a great privilege then to have a good hope for grace that your name is recorded there, and if by the mercy of the covenant keeping God your name is recorded in heaven, it will never be removed, tempest tossed as you may be, the devourer trying to destroy you, and even the fruits of your ground, but the

[30:47] Lord you know has a set time to cause you to flourish and bear fruit in his earthly courts, and you'll be like when this blessed son of righteousness arises with healing in his wings, he comes where you are, what did he, what did Hezekiah have to prove, a plaster of things, all that means used of God to grant restoring mercy, oh what a good God he is, but you see, there's a proving of all things isn't there, prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts, a proving time, a proving of the fulfilling of God's promises, what he has spoken to you of, what he has spoken to you of, he will yet bring to pass, and when he speaks of some things, they're very solemn to you, and you tremble of the thought of them coming to pass, the thing that you feared has befallen you, and it's all to teach you as it, all to teach you the majesty and the sovereignty of God, and it's all to bring you to truly fear his name, and to humble yourself before him that you might be exhorted in due time, casting all your care upon him, and faith be given to believe, as he applies these promises, that he care for you.

[32:29] So this blessed book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord. Now you say, I haven't had a word, I haven't been able to speak, I haven't been unable to hear his voice as I would, and have some indelibly inscribed promise on myself.

[32:52] Take courage, sinner, he has a hope, and that thought upon his name. What a mercy if your soul is in the course of the days that go by, and the night season may be, there are thoughts upon his name, thoughts that the Lord might yet grant you deliverance.

[33:18] Yes, we have many thoughts, don't we, when those in the world die, then anyone dies, there are thoughts. We are taught of after death the judgment.

[33:33] We are taught that there is the righteous and the wicked. We are taught that there are the saved and the lost, the sheep and the goats.

[33:46] There's also the precious to be separated from the vile. We can view that in more than one alike, aren't we, the precious and the vile.

[33:59] We can look at it in the chosen vessel. The precious truths of the gospel revealed to a sinner, the vileness of his own sinful heart.

[34:11] There's a separation. The save and the lost, the sheep and the goats are definitely the separation of two classes or groups of people.

[34:24] What a mercy then that there are right thoughts. and if the Lord has thoughts of peace toward you and not of evil to give you an expected end, there'll be an exercise in your mind.

[34:40] Lord, manifest those thoughts to me, that I am one of thine. You see, those that thought upon his name, this book of remembrance was written such.

[34:58] Those thoughts then, that he has toward his dear people, thoughts of peace, not of evil, to give an expected end.

[35:10] Lord, do fulfill those right desires, those right thoughts. Do grant, Lord, that my thoughts might be converted to prayer by the Spirit's teaching, for he says, my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, says the Lord.

[35:32] As the heavens are high above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts and my ways your ways. Then you plead this, Lord, do gird up the loins of my mind, that I might be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be given, thine appearing.

[35:56] You see, this is it, isn't it? You want the Lord to gird up the loins of your mind, that your thoughts might be blended into the thoughts of God, in other words, the teaching of the Spirit on your soul and mine, that as you have those right thoughts, heaven wants, so the Lord will send answers to those thoughts, those thoughts that might be at peace, those thoughts of pardon, those thoughts of salvation, and he says, my soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.

[36:40] These are your thoughts. more that the Lord then when in his sovereign mercy, bless you and me more often with right thoughts, right concerns, as to the welfare of our soul, how vital it is, how vital and important it is, that we have some real exercise of soul, of mind, heaven wants, saving, knowledge of Christ to be manifest to us, that you are brought here, you see, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts in that day, when I make up my jewels and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

[37:34] Well, what a great blessing this is, isn't it? They shall be mine, because I have bought them with a price, I have chosen them before the foundation of the world, they shall live to show forth my praise.

[37:49] So whatever your thoughts are in mine, what a mercy if there's grace that girds up the loins of your mind, and gives you right thoughts and right exercises concerning how the case stands, and whether you're in that covenant.

[38:11] You see, the messenger of the covenant, he will come suddenly to his temple, whom ye delight in, behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

[38:23] I bless God, don't you, for these shells and wells to be manifested and revealed and brought to light and the experience of his chosen people. Now we're living in very solemn and dark days, and all man can do nothing, but through the mercy of God, his word shall be fulfilled concerning those that fear his name.

[38:51] And it won't be a slavish fear, it'll be a filial fear, it'll be an exercise of thought, the eye of the Lord is upon each one of us, and our air hearts right in the sight of the Lord.

[39:09] You see, the eye of the Lord runneth to and fro through the whole of the earth to see whether there be any that fear him. Now does it constantly exercise your mind to have these right thoughts?

[39:25] thoughts. The Lord alone then has this foundation, foundation of God, standish sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that it is.

[39:40] Your thoughts then and mine will be that the Lord will exercise you with that real religion of God's elect. Oh, you've nothing to boast of or glory of.

[39:55] Lord, but confirm my soul with some real exercise of mind in desiring to know thee and desiring a fulfilling of thy holy word and of the manifestation of thy love to me.

[40:15] You see, it will be this. Heal us, Emmanuel, God with us. Now we believe that the Lord has been manifested in the flesh, preached on among the Gentiles, and all confirmed by the angels.

[40:36] Behold, a voice from heaven saying, the dove-like figure of the Holy Ghost upon him, and a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

[40:52] And it pleased God that in him should all fullness dwell, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. now this man receive his sinners and eat it with them.

[41:07] They that fear the Lord then as they speak often one to another, as they think upon his name, will be looking to him to reveal to them that their names are in the Lamb's book of life.

[41:24] and they give him no rest until he can firm it with them. You see, this is the way, he says, walk in a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it.

[41:40] You know, and if you've heard the voice of the Lord, if any of you have heard the voice of the Lord in judgment, it will make you tremble. If you've heard the voice of the Lord in direction, your venture in it, you'll be like Abraham.

[41:59] He went out not knowing whether he went, but he was persuaded that God had shown him the way where he was to walk, and he had faith to believe that the Lord would be with him.

[42:15] Now, what a mercy if the Lord has exercised your soul in a word of direction. when the Lord gives you a word of direction, you'll lean upon him to fulfill it, and your thoughts will often be concerning this and that word, that it might be a lamp unto your feet.

[42:40] Lord, order my footsteps by thy word, teach me to do thy will. We spoke much on Sunday, didn't we, concerning that? show me now thy ways, lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation.

[43:01] And oh, as you fear the Lord and desire to walk worthily of him, may he in his sovereign mercy bless you with that promise that the sun of righteousness shall yet arise with healing in his wings, that you might go forth and grow up, he says here, you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the storm, made tender in the fear of God, conscious of the eye of God upon you, conscious consistently of your need of his grace, and of him to keep the door of your lips, and grant you that revelation of himself, and the application of his promises, and that good hope through grace that you shall yet overcome this body of sin and death, this carnal mind, that is enmity to

[44:03] God, you might be blessed with that spiritual mind, which is life and peace, and that he might bless you with that gracious counsel to, to truly speak often one with another, with those that fear God, and also to be enabled to speak with your Lord and Savior, and have that sweet union and communion with him from off the mercy seed.

[44:38] Then they that fear the Lord spake often one to another. the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name.

[44:52] May the Lord bless our few remarks and forgive all the mess. Amen.