Being led by the Spirit (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, we'll direct you prayerfully to the Acts of Apostles chapter 10 and reading verse 36.

[0:13] The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all.

[0:26] We read this remarkable account this morning, how Cornelius was an exorcised soul that feared God, but was yet to hear the glorious truth of the gospel.

[0:44] And so we see here the work of the angel of the Lord coming into the presence of Cornelius in this remarkable vision, an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, and all the question from Cornelius was, what is it Lord?

[1:12] And he said unto him, thy prayers and thine arms are come up for a memorial before God and see the instruction. Now sent a chopper and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter.

[1:27] And likewise the revelation to Peter when he went up under the housetop to pray about the sixth hour and he became very hungry and would have eaten.

[1:44] But while they made ready he fell into a trance and saw heaven open. And what a revelation.

[1:56] This certain vessel descending unto him as it being a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down the earth. Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air.

[2:11] Which according to commandments of God some of these beasts were not to be eaten. But through the mercy of God a voice that Peter said, not so Lord.

[2:24] Even here was Peter told to rise and eat. Peter rebelled against it in that sense. Not so Lord.

[2:35] For I have never eaten anything that is common until the voice spake unto him again. And what a teaching there is in this. You and I may seem to, as it were, cavil against the truth because it's something that we wouldn't do.

[2:55] In our self-righteousness may be. But the voice is going the second time. What God had cleansed that call not thou common. Doesn't this speak to us to be very mindful of how we speak of others?

[3:12] How we, as it were, judge others? When we need to look at our home and see that our great need is that what God had cleansed, call not thou common.

[3:27] Though we may have personalities that different change, clash, but all if we have the root of the matter in us, that grace in our hearts, then we should come at his bidding and we should come realising that our prayer through mercy might have been heard and that we might hear the glorious truths of the gospel.

[3:54] As he said of a truth, Peter says, as he opened his mouth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, that every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

[4:07] The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. And so this religion is for Jew and Gentile alike, and this is our mercy.

[4:22] And so we don't fall down and worship man, God forbid, but we should look to the Lord Jesus Christ who alone has come and he has brought peace into the world through the shedding of his precious blood on Calvary's tree.

[4:42] And it is Jesus whom we are to preach. We speak to a fillet, don't we? We went down to the desert to meet one man, preaching peace by Jesus Christ.

[4:57] My peace, he said, I leave with you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I believe I've had to learn a lesson about this in years back in England.

[5:14] What God had cleansed, call not thou common. And so twice in the night season those words brought to me, in between was sleep given.

[5:26] And so we knew what we were to do. And I won't go into all that. But oh, this is the mercy, isn't it? When the Lord instructs you, when he teaches you, it might be contrary to the will of your flesh, but made willing in the day of his power for the Lord to unstop your ear, open your heart, and give you that grace that makes you willing even to take up our crosses and follow Christ.

[5:55] And so the word which God sent, and this is it. And it is God sent servants of love that shall proclaim the name of the Lord.

[6:08] And once sin-bitten, in other words, once been convinced of your sin, knowing this is appointed unto each one of us once to die and after the death of judgment, we shall pray that we might be amongst those souls that Christ has chosen.

[6:27] Before the worlds were made, the Father chose them. And their names are recorded in the book of life. And this is what we need to know in our dark day. Lord, when wilt thou come and enlighten, enliven us, that we might have that evidence that thou hast created in me a clean heart, renewed and right spirit within me.

[6:53] And so it's not calling any man common or unclean, because what God has cleansed, what God has cleansed, we shall prove the evidences of it, I believe, by that living testimony that the Lord has granted to us.

[7:12] And so the word which God sent unto the children of Israel. And we need the Lord to grant us that grace. You see, this is the spiritual Israelite indeed, in whom there will be found no guile.

[7:25] No guile. We look to the Lord Jesus, for him hath God exhorted to give repentance to Israel and remission for sins. My peace.

[7:36] This is that perfect peace that passeth all knowledge of understanding when the Lord shines into your heart and mind, when he gives you a real token, when he blesses your soul with the warming of your cold heart and setting your soul on fire.

[7:55] To know that Jesus himself that sought you as a stranger wandering from the fold of God, he that has removed you and me from the curse of the broken law.

[8:09] Jesus sought me from a stranger wandering from the fold of God. He to save myself from danger interposed his precious blood. We cannot underestimate the blessed privilege of knowing of this fountain open for sin and uncleanness.

[8:31] The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day and can I say, and can you and I say with a humble hope, and thereby washed all my sins away.

[8:43] It is, you see, the matter of sin and salvation. And the mercy is that there is this fear of God implanted in your soul and mine.

[8:55] You see, you may have had a vision. The vision is yet for an appointed time. Though it tarry, wait for it, for in due time it shall speak. And so we have to pray, Lord, do grant that I might be lifted out of self, that I might feel some true exercise of soul, that thou would ascend thy word, that thou would apply it with power, that I might feel that healing, restoring mercy given unto me.

[9:26] As the eye of my understanding might enlighten, that I behold these things, that I see light in his light. As he lightens my darkness.

[9:37] We know that our life's minutest circumstance is subject to his eye. But we need the Lord to apply it with power, to reveal it, make it plain.

[9:50] Lord, don't leave me to drift along, satisfied with hearing the truths of the gospel, whether read or proclaimed by a poor sinner. But to be unable to enter in the little of these truths, to feel them apply to your heart and mind, that the name of Jesus might become real to you and me.

[10:13] Not dry doctrine floating in the brain, but to feel the effects upon it, on your soul. His name, his name, dear friends, shall be above every night.

[10:26] And oh, it will be sweet and precious when the Lord does appear to you and for you. You've been looking for something. This man, Cornelius, was looking for something.

[10:40] He gave much harm to the people and prayed to God away. Feared God with all his house. A devout man. Well, we don't want to just be devout in our outward show of religion.

[10:53] We want to be devout in our hearts. We want to be steadfast and be unmovable away from the blessed word of truth. It's not having our own interpretation of it, but ever looking, we feel, because we feel to need that peace.

[11:13] Not like the peace in the world, a troubled world still, there's not much peace in the world. But Christ has made that peace, peace by his cross as Jesus made.

[11:24] The church's everlasting head. Or hell and death, or hell and death as victory won. And with a shout, the glory gone. He says it is finished. And so we bless God for the birth of Christ.

[11:39] And would not lose sight of it at this season of the year. But to realize the blessed mercy if you and I have had Jesus Christ form in your heart.

[11:51] In other words, that he's taken the word and sealed it. And you don't forget it. But you're waiting for the fulfilling of it. Some secret word in your soul.

[12:02] That's when they have been born again. There's been a change war. There's been a, an embarrassment of your sinfulness that's been revealed to you. As like that woman comes to your man that told me all things that ever I did.

[12:17] Is not this the Christ? Don't you blush and be ashamed at times sometimes of your sinfulness? Your shortcomings and failings?

[12:29] Because he says, Be ye holy as I am holy. Lord, how far removed I am from that at times. It's only as thou just indict that real spirit of grace upon me that I see that thou art the one thing needful for me.

[12:46] And so we need that religion. And if your religion is real, you know, it'll be tried. but through mercy you're looking for the word which God has sent unto you.

[12:59] You as an individual receive something. It's locked up in your soul. And yet it's, it prompts you and me to pray. And you have many matters that cause you to go have many errors of the throne of grace because they are a burden to you.

[13:18] I know the world in his troubles. We hear those troubles don't we as the world in. And oh, they go to such terrible lengths sometimes to resolve their difficulties.

[13:31] They get away, they get into such darkness. But you see, when the Lord teaches you his will, when he brings you and me to a sense, dear friends, of their sinfulness and he alone can blot out as a thick cloud, your transgressions and mine, you see then that's the only way we shall obtain peace.

[13:53] Peace by the cross. And so had not Jesus been made under the law, the bone made of flesh like unto our flesh sin accepted, how could we ever hope that we should see our sins pardoned?

[14:12] He went to the end of the law, magnified him, made it on. He satisfied the just demands of it. I know you often hear me say that, but it's the truth. And so we bless God for the coming of Christ.

[14:25] But oh, what of his second coming when he comes to judge the world in righteousness? And so here is the way that you and I that must follow.

[14:36] Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. And no man cometh from the Father but by me, but all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And unto him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.

[14:50] Oh, how we need the Spirit to stir us up in these matters to make us realize the vital necessity of seeking peace and pursuing it through the merits of Jesus.

[15:04] And so God sent Christ Jesus to the world. and the apostles, you know, were called to preach this everlasting gospel.

[15:16] And that good news of salvation for you and me, the way of deliverance, the way of peace, we read, the way of transgressors is hard. And sometimes, you know, we need the Lord to lift us out of those depths that we often get into and show us the path of peace.

[15:39] Oh, it is the blessed work alone of the Spirit and the truth to come down to reveal the things of God to make to us salvation known and witness with the blood.

[15:53] And so, it is seeking the Lord that would teach us his fear. That reverential, sacred awe of the Spirit upon you that you might be a little like nearby involved.

[16:10] He had to look back and say, so did not I for the fear of the Lord. There was no doubt that he was a sinner, but there were those, some things in his life that he'd been kept from.

[16:21] He'd been on the brink of danger, as you and I are often at times, that through mercy there was this blessed hope in his soul that the Lord had taught him to fear his name.

[16:37] So the word which God sent unto the children of Israel. And the precious Bible is the word of God. And all of us is the, and we go again as we look unto this word which God sent.

[16:53] The word was made flesh. Here we're speaking of Jesus. He is the word. The word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. And we beheld his glory as the only begotten the Father, full of grace, full of truth.

[17:09] And if there's any evidence of grace in your heart, you'll want to seek the nearness of Christ. And you want the evidences that Christ is your Lord and your Saviour.

[17:23] And we have to go on walking by faith, I know, but faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of those things that are not seen. Things that are seen are temporal.

[17:36] Things that are not seen. God, ordering your footsteps and mine are right. Teaching you and me ever to call upon his name because we shall only find peace as Jesus has procured that peace for his chosen people.

[17:59] He says, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that he might go forth and bring forth real fruit. And this is out of love to your unworthy soul and mine that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.

[18:15] Blessed be his holy name. He is that he is the he is that one that should be called wonderful prince of peace, the everlasting father.

[18:28] And he is with us. And though you cannot see it here in the fleshly thoughts of your mind, by faith we believe it because his word declares it, the word sent by God.

[18:42] My presence shall go with thee. I will give thee rest. And where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst. Oh, do you ever feel this as you sit in the pew or enter into God's house, the sacredness of the place where he has visited you perhaps in former days, former times.

[19:04] It is the place where his honoured dwelling, this time honoured sanctuary. We know sinners have been through it, but by grace they have been saved.

[19:15] And by grace can you and I only hope to be saved. And his grace alone is sufficient for you and his strength made perfect in weakness. You can glory in your infirmities.

[19:26] And that glory in not boasting but in this sense that those infirmities that come upon you, you glorify God in the face of Christ Jesus that he might have caused us and that to come in your life.

[19:42] Because it's brought you to a halt. It's made you to consider your ways. It's prompted you and me to pray, Lord, have mercy upon me. It isn't looking at another and saying, Lord, look at him over there or that one over there.

[20:01] You see, as I often say, we have to pity those that know nothing of this regenerating grace. And we have to ponder often, if so be amongst these chosen vessels, why?

[20:12] why was I made to hear thy voice? Why was I brought to understand the Bible and to be attracted to it? Why was I made to change my steps and my pathway and my plans even in life?

[20:30] Because if the Lord was with you, there'd be those evidences of it. You had the pricks in the conscience. and then the exercise was so great, you knew you had to venture and you came trembling perhaps again to the house of God.

[20:48] And oh, you wonder sometimes, can God dwell here because you still know your kind of mind, which is very active at times, and it's enmity to God.

[21:00] But deep down in that change, you know that something has affected you. You know that something has made you willing to turn again into Zion's head. You know that though you're brought here under duress or into any of us, are brought under duress to the house of God.

[21:19] But now you can look back and see what folly, what foolish ways you had and what was folly to you now is your only hope of eternal life through the merits of Jesus.

[21:34] and so he alone came to preach peace, came not to condemn the world because the world is already condemned by its sin and the breaking of the law.

[21:52] But there is no condemnation of them who are in Christ Jesus the Lord. And this is where your peace will come from, won't it? and we pray that the Lord in his mercy will ever keep us seeking peace and pursuing him, seeking to know him, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things shall be added unto you.

[22:21] You see, we may feel in times that our life has been a disappointment. You may have had disappointment, you may have sorrows, you've had difficult things, but you see, as sanctified, they bring you to realise how privileged and favoured you are.

[22:41] You see, when we look around and we think, the countless homeless ones and you and I might say, well, have they procured it to themselves? Not necessarily, only because of the sin and they have not seen how favoured they once were.

[23:01] But oh, how we bless God for their many privileges and favours and we should acknowledge them and realise that thus far through mercy our God has brought us on.

[23:13] But you say, I can't say he's our God or my God. But then there's something in the word of God, is there not, that exercises you and me to realise that God reigns.

[23:26] It's not what man says about creation, it's what the word of God says. And this precious Bible that would be made more and more precious to us, and all if those out there could only be changed in heart and renewed in will to realise what a precious word is the Bible and to be made conscious that we need to know him and we need to walk in his fear and we need also grace.

[24:00] As we seek this preaching of peace, we need that grace to endure hardness. it's no smooth passage to heaven, it's no easy way or easy believism as many seem to think it can be, but it's under the influence of the Spirit.

[24:24] Oh, how we need the Lord to be the Lord in the Lord in his mercy to appear to us in this dark day, make us realise the truth in this precious Acts of the Apostles chapter we read this morning.

[24:39] We see the wonders of it, this is the work of the Spirit, and until the Spirit of the Lord be poured upon us, then we should not really flourish and bear fruit, but we should be exercised about it if there's any work begun in your soul, that we want to hear peace, we want to hear that peace of God in our soul, we want to have that good hope through grace, which shall anchor our soul in the merits of Jesus, there's no other refuge, God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we're not we fear, you won't want fear what man should do unto me, but fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty, or should I say the responsibility of man, as, and when, is led by the Spirit, so you see here how Cornelius was led, how Peter was led, you see two different places, and the blessed

[25:49] Spirit to bring these two men together, to hear the glorious truth of the gospel, of how this word was said, and how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed, of the devil, for God was hidden, well, you see, he came to do the will of his Father, and how we need him to truly reveal himself to us by his Spirit, because, as you know, he is confidence in death and hell for everyone in the covenant, he's ascended on high, he's led captivity captive, all you say that lets me out, I feel, to be so captivated by things, well, all the while you're in the earth, you will be captivated by things, and all this is often a deterrent for fulfilling the presence of our Lord, and we have to rely upon the Lord continually for this, continually for this, dear friends, to look to the Lord, and it's all today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, or in the day of our forefathers, in the day of provocation, there's no doubt our nations have provoked

[27:20] God's anger, and but for the few in the earth that sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land, oh, we wonder what judgments would become in the further judgments upon us, but the Lord does reign, and so it's the trial of your faith and mine to still go on praying and seeking that you might know this preaching of peace, preaching of peace, might also bring you and me into a low place, you might get to say, well, there's not a hope for me, the things you say are the truth, then I'm lost, and that's a mercy if you feel your lost condition, because Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, he came to seek and to save lost sinners, and at times you might have come and gone to the house of God, to your

[28:21] Bible, to reading sermons and religious literature, which is all, as I say, overshadowed by sovereign grace on those that have written these things, and you may wonder, well, I seem to be out of the sea, constantly I've come, constantly desired for thee to manifest thy love to me.

[28:50] Do remember this, appointed times, set times, to favour your soul. You see, none can keep alive his own soul.

[29:01] You had hope that the Lord would cause you that peaceful pathway, and now everything seems to be turmoil and tribulation and trial on every hand, and all these things seem to be against me.

[29:17] Well, you have a companion in Jacob, don't you? but through mercy he was brought through. He had to say, few and evil have been the days of my life, because there were those things that were seeming evil to him, but through mercy the Lord was teaching him to number his days, to apply his heart and wisdom, and oh, how he had to soon learn that Joseph is still alive, and oh, he could not hardly believe it when the brethren got back to say so, but oh, when he saw the wagons coming, oh, his heart fainted within him, oh, that true repentant spirit, where he was brought to realise that Joseph is still yet alive, and he must go and see him.

[30:10] And so you see these answers of prayer, maybe praying for many days, months, or years before the Lord fulfills that desire, your heart and mine, go on seeking, because, he says, the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, and might I say to the child of God, even this day, may the word be sent, may it be revived, may it be confirmed in your soul, that Jesus is the way of peace, that he is the only way, and he is appointed, and will fulfil that work that he came to do, he was under the influence of the spirit, and the spirit of the Lord will also be upon his disciples, that they may feel to be so insignificant in their days, but ever waiting upon the Lord, to renew their strength, and it's preaching peace by Jesus

[31:16] Christ, in and through and by Jesus Christ, we shall live and have our being, because he is Lord of all, and what a mighty saviour he is, and what a mercy, that he says to you and me, without me ye can do nothing, and all those things, those hard of mystifying things in your life and mine, they all work together for good, to them that love God, to those who are the court according to his purpose, and his invitation is to such, come unto me, all ye that labour and heavy laden, I will give thee rest, and in peace, dear friends, will be rest, because you rest in the love of Christ, oh, on such love my soul still ponder, love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my awe, awe that we could feel these truths, dear friends, in our walk, awe to feel that closer walk, awe to feel to be led by the

[32:27] Spirit, guided into all truth, and to have the truth applied, you know, there'll be some sweetness in the gospel truth from time to time, the name of Christ might even melt you and me down at times, what a mercy, you reflect a little upon the pathway of Jesus, whose way was much rougher and darker than mine, did Christ my Lord suffer, shall I repine?

[32:55] Oh, you know, we are very often prone to repine, aren't we, with our lot, and yet, through mercy, still cling to something that the Lord has revealed to us, your faith clings to the promises of God, faith that is the gift of God, you put your trust in him, that he might speak to you, the sheep of Christ, that hear his voice, he is the good shepherd of the sheep, giveth his life for sheep, oh, we ponder this love, we ponder not to try to in the way, the love of Christ, dear friends, God sending his Son in the likeness of flesh, sin accepted, oh, the blessed gift of God, we would be thankful unto God for his unspeakable gift, unspeakable gift, this, and all this gift, dear friends, is the gift of eternal life through his meritorious sufferings, what a saviour, what a mercy that he's mighty to save, able to do far more exceeding abundantly for you and me, above all that we can ask or think, oh, this love, this love of

[34:22] Christ, in that, the word which was sent, God sent, his only begotten Son, the word made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and your heart and mind, when he shines through the gloom, when he reveals to you and me the angel Lord that campeth round them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant, this is not mere print on paper in the Bible, this is what the Lord will fulfill, in the pathway I believe of every believer, he or she will have something to lay claim to, of the work of the Spirit, not man, endured with righteousness, endured by the Spirit, imputed to you the righteousness of Christ, or what a great need there is for you and me to have that knowledge that he is the judge of the quick and the dead, when thou my righteous judge shall come, shall I among thy people stand so such a worthless worm as

[35:30] I, whom I am afraid to die, be found at thy right hand, there is a natural fear of death, but the Lord is able to remove that fear of death, and present his perfect and imputed robe of Christ's righteousness, unless the shadow of a spark should on my soul be found, he takes the robe the Saviour wrought and cast it all around, what a robe, dear friends, woven without seam, covering all your sins and mine, all the glory of it, and so this is where you'll obtain peace, the peace of God, my peace I leave with you, not as the world giveth give I unto you, let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me, in my father's house and many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you,

[36:32] I will come again and receive you unto myself, and where I am there shall ye be forever, all the prospect of a tried child of God, maybe here today, or amongst us today in hearing, all blessed be his holy name, he preached peace by Jesus Christ, this is Peter, he opened his mouth, and all we as poor feeble instruments need the spirit to open our mouth, and to preach unto you Jesus, because other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee, leave, I'll leave me not alone, still support and comfort me in the house, he said when he was leaving his disciples, I will not leave you comfort less, what a blessed comforter, holy comforter to descend, oh how we need him to descend and reveal to us the

[37:34] Lamb of God that taketh away our sins, and these are the glorious things that are spoken, who Jesus is and will receive unto them in glory at last, the word which God sent, oh there's so much in that isn't it, Christ Jesus came into the world as the word of God, the word made flesh, dwelt amongst us, we beheld his glory, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and full of truth, there is the sufficiency for you and me, is of God, his truth, known and felt in your soul, and we are to preach unto you, Jesus, oh may he abundantly bless you, friends, as we enter another year, may you prove him to be your guardian, your guide, that friend that sticketh close to the brother, sticketh close to the brother, the word which God sent, and unto

[38:38] God shall there be all the glory and all the praise, may he bless our few remarks, may he pardon all of this, for his name's sake, amen.

[38:48] Amen.