Depending on the Word of the Lord (Quality: Good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I will direct you prayerfully to Isaiah's prophecy, chapter 59, and reading verses 20 and 21.

[0:16] And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

[0:26] As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, my spirit that is upon thee. And my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

[0:56] We get very tempted and tried as to the low state of Zion. But we see here that they may raise a little hope in us, as we have seen and witnessed over their years of falling away.

[1:11] But the words, he said, which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, seed saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

[1:30] While the earth remaineth. There will be the harvesting, dear friends, of the incorruptible seed of the word of life.

[1:42] That seed sown in weakness by poor sinful man. But under the influence of the Spirit, it will take root and bear fruit.

[1:53] And dare you deny it, some of you, dare you deny it. But henceforth, it has been from the seed basket.

[2:04] As the sower went forth to sow. So that seed, dear friends, will come into that broken down of the heart.

[2:17] That seed, dear friends, will come into that broken down of the heart. But it might flourish and bear fruit in your souls.

[2:28] It may lie dormant for a season, for seasons and seasons, until the Lord blesses it. That his doctrine might drop as the rain.

[2:40] His speech should distill as they do, and you meditate upon that seed. Because he is determined to save you from death, destruction and despair.

[2:53] We reflect often in our early days. And we mourn over our sins. And what a mercy, if you're made a mourner. Because he says the Redeemer shall come.

[3:07] And when the Lord says the Redeemer shall come, he means it, and it will come. You and I come and go, sometimes feelingly like the door upon its hinges.

[3:21] Though we come into this corpid and speak words, and we speak, we trust the truth in faithfulness to our God that sent us to endeavor to preach the gospel.

[3:35] We're not satisfied with our preaching, friends. God forbid that any man that preaches the truth should be satisfied with his preaching. But we realize, dear friends, that it is a divine appointment.

[3:51] And it's an appointment for you to be here as hearers. And you come and we believe in loving support at the throne of grace.

[4:02] That we might be used by the Spirit to the extent of being found in your souls as an experimental religion.

[4:14] And so blessed inhabitant of Zion. And this is something you want the Lord to give you an evidence of it.

[4:28] You're born of God. You know so much of temptation and try. You know what it is to be lawfully amongst the ungodly.

[4:39] And you cannot convert any soul. Least of those of your own. But the Lord can. And he does. Because, you see, it's this word of God.

[4:52] Out of the mouth of thy seed, seed, saith the Lord. And so, he says unto thee, The Redeemer shall come to Zion. Ye be the object of faith.

[5:05] And ye'll be, Lord, do redeem me. Thou hast paid the price for sinners to be redeemed from the curse of the broken law. And there's no soundness in the flesh.

[5:17] You never will be. But there's a spiritual mind. It's life and it's peace. It says, My peace I leave with you. Not as the peace of the world, dear friends.

[5:30] But the peace of God. The part of the knowledge of understanding. Is preparing you and me. For those prepared mansions in the sky. Is a hope. It might be a glimmer of hope.

[5:40] It may be like a dim candle, dear friends. To your soul and mine. But there's a little ray of hope. A little ray of hope for this candle.

[5:51] Might be a light in your darkness. And favour you and me to know. The Redeemer shall come. He has come. He's no doubt over the years.

[6:03] He's been through our courses of truth over here. And Lord, many have been brought to the light. And the eyes of the understanding have been opened to see Jesus as the light of this dark world.

[6:16] And he's rested upon your soul by his spirit. The spirit of truth that has come down and revealed the things of God. And made you to feel that you turn from your transgressions.

[6:31] From your sins. You see, we're so led captive by the devil in the day and age that we live in. That he says, look unto me. He unstops your deaf ears.

[6:43] He opens the eyes of your understanding. And you look for help. And you look for deliverance. And you have to wait for patience to be given you.

[6:53] To tarry his leisure. Yeah. It's not airtime. It's always ready. But there's a set time, dear friends. When the spirit works. Enlightens your soul and mine.

[7:04] And makes you realize. He is the one thing needful. He brings there your heart with labor. You fall down. There's none to help. Oh Lord. And you go.

[7:14] You call upon his name in the day of trouble. And he fulfills his word. Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will hear you and deliver you.

[7:26] Oh, don't we long for deliverances in our pathway. When we're cast down. But still, hope thou in God. For I shall yet praise him. Is the health of my countenance and my God.

[7:39] We get very much cast down, don't we? And we're not full of the laughter and the clap happiness, dear friends, of some religious circles.

[7:49] No. We feel, Lord, so solemn at times. And how stands the case with my soul? Because the Redeemer's touched you.

[8:00] He has revealed himself to you as the only begotten Son of God. Full of grace and full of truth. And you pray, bow down thine ear.

[8:12] Oh Lord, I am poor and needy. Oh, it is looking to the Lord then as the Redeemer. One that redeems you pays the price.

[8:24] Pays the price for your souls. You stand in despair sometimes. You're cast down. But still you're hoping in God to give you reality.

[8:37] You want divine guidance. Often, in our early days of experience, it's in providential things that we learn to seek the Lord.

[8:48] But then we're brought to feel our transgressions and our iniquities. And he says, they are multiplied before thee.

[8:59] Multiplied before thee. Transgressions. Breaking God's holy law. Every jot and tittle of the law we've broken. But see the mercies.

[9:10] Oh, the mercies of a covenant-keeping God who brings you into Zion. A blessed inhabitant of Zion. That is looking for the Redeemer to pardon their transgressions.

[9:29] All that catalogue of sins against you and me. And sometimes they're brought to your remembrance with great pain and severity upon your soul. He's a severe God in the way he deals with his sons and his daughters.

[9:46] And they wonder sometimes, where's the scene going to end? But, mercy, that he comes to you and meets your case.

[10:00] And he'll give you that need of patience. That after you've done the will of God, not the will of you or me, whatever our names are.

[10:13] But the will of God to realize he empties you and me from that self-righteousness and pride, that satisfaction of religion's services, that brings you down.

[10:29] And you've got nothing to plead but God's mercy. And those mercies that are new every morning, as great is his faithfulness. And so unto them that turn.

[10:42] You see, it's turning you and me and our minds, gurning up the loins of our minds, then put it that way. That you might be humbled in the dust.

[10:52] Your hope is in the merits of Jesus. Without me, he says, ye can do nothing. What a sad state we're in by nature. But what a mercy when he touches your heart and you turn from your transgressions.

[11:09] You turn from the guilt and the burden of your soul. The Lord has quickened you and made you to cry, give me Christ or else I die.

[11:22] You know you're a favored soul if you have a meditation in your mind of the Lord Jesus. He tarries off to men of faint to give deliverance.

[11:35] But he comes at evening late. It might be morning, noon and night of a day and you're in darkness and bondage through that day. But at evening time, when you get through the day's demands and you get to his word, or you lay down on your pillow and pray, Lord, save me.

[11:59] Save this wretched sinner, Lord, from death, destruction and despair. Save me, my spirit cries. Because the Lord has led you to consider him and to consider your ways and mine, to forsake these transgressions, the multitude of them.

[12:22] They're more than you and I can number. Some sins you have passed, offenses, pain your eyes. Others you've forgotten. But he brings a specific sin to your remembrance.

[12:37] And oh, you feel so guilty and so burdened. And he says, cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee. Oh, we don't need much reminding of what wretched sinners we are, do we in the sight of God?

[12:54] And the truth doesn't seem to come into your mind as you would have it to come. But he waits to be gracious. Always proving us.

[13:05] Proving all things and holding fast to that that's good in your soul and mine. Oh, you wonder, look, you wouldn't have him to reign over you at one time.

[13:17] I can do without him. I can manage my own affairs. Until you've come to a sudden stop. And the Lord reminds you how guilty you are.

[13:29] Guilty, weak and helpless worm on thy kind armor for. You see, we're so foolish and slow of heart to remember the Lord Jesus in our troubles and situations that have come upon us.

[13:41] All in the wise purpose of God's dealing with you and me as a son or a daughter of God by blessed adoption. And we cannot understand some of these situations that come into our lives.

[13:53] But God knows. But God knows. Jesus knows. And he still waits to be gracious. And the Redeemer shall come.

[14:05] He becomes the one thing needful. The object of your soul's desire. Jesus crucified for you. To pay the price. What it cost him to lay down his life for one of our sins.

[14:20] Let alone the whole covenant of grace. All those that have been loved with an eternal love. Yet to be manifested and will yet be manifested in Zion.

[14:34] Though, as I say, we often speak about that falling away first. But there's a time. And a set time. For each of his sons and daughters to hear his voice.

[14:45] And to turn from this transgression in Jacob. Because you're the seed of Jacob. Jacob have I loved. Esau have I hated. And ever will hate.

[14:56] Hate the seed of the other one. Esau. Oh, what a mercy to be delivered from the seed of all Esau.

[15:10] Both, dear friends, from the same womb. But see the seed of Jacob. Jacob have I loved. And Esau hated.

[15:22] What a division. What are two ways, dear friends. One way is to be of the seed of Jacob. The other is to be the seed of Esau.

[15:34] Never to be loved. Never to be delivered from their sins. And they perish in their sins ultimately. And some have had an active religion.

[15:45] Without the words of the Spirit upon them. And so. He said, as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord.

[15:56] My Spirit is upon thee. And my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart. You see, you may be looking for words and you don't get the words you want.

[16:07] Because this is the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus. The sovereignty of the Father. And as revealed by the Holy Spirit. And we bless the Lord for his Spirit.

[16:18] And sometimes it's a very short season when the Lord does visit yourself. It's almost a flash before your eyes, as it were.

[16:31] The word comes and is gone. But what he has given you, you know, he'll bring to your remembrance. And we do need him to be our remembrancer, don't we? And what we have handled, tasted and fed.

[16:44] A sweet moment. And then it's gone. And this is because we're of the earth earthy. And we're in the world. And the world has forsaken him for the most part.

[16:56] But there is a people that will know the joyful sound of this gospel. There is his servants are led by the Spirit into the truth. And you're led into the truth in your homes when you study the word of God.

[17:11] And something is made very precious to you because it surrounds the Lord Jesus. The Redeemer. He comes. And that blessed inhabitants of your home and mine, when Jesus himself draws near.

[17:27] And especially in the sanctuary, through the gospel. It's the blessed means that the Lord has brought up for sinners to meditate upon Christ.

[17:40] He should be the sum and substance of their hope in the sanctuary of God. And he will be a sanctuary to your soul and mine. As you lose sight of your sins.

[17:53] Because through the mercy of God, he's blotted out your sins and your transgressions as a thick cloud. And he says, return unto me. And so, you turn to him.

[18:07] This is not nature. This is the spirit of the truth upon your soul and mine. As he leads you and guides you into all truth. And you meditate upon a word. A portion of the scripture that he's laid upon your soul and mine.

[18:20] And you look to him. Jesus, my friend, had hung on the tree that opened the channel of mercy for me. And he says, look unto me, all the ends of the earth.

[18:33] And you do get to the ends of the earth with your trials. You seem to be centered upon your trials. You seem to look upon them. What hope have I have of you delivering me, Lord?

[18:45] I'm supposed to be a believer in thee. But, oh Lord, increase my faith and my hope. And give me patience to tarry thy leisure.

[18:56] Because, Lord, we trust that we have been turned around. We trust we have been given a clean heart and renewed a right spirit within us on occasions.

[19:07] Sweet moments. And there are moments in your life when the Lord touches your heart and mind. And it strengthens your faith. To seek to serve the Lord with reverence and godly fear.

[19:22] The Redeemer. And he says, fear thou not, for I have redeemed thee. Think what it costs the Lord Jesus. We don't come there much, do we?

[19:34] Sometimes he'll lead you to Calvary. You look upon him. Not whose others have pierced, but you pierced. Pierced him through and through.

[19:47] With your evil intent, see your wicked heart and mind. Because the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. You begin to learn that. O wretched man that I am, who should deliver me from this body of sin and death?

[20:01] And you dare to see him saying, I thank God. Because he's applied his word with power. And you bless him for these tokens of his love.

[20:12] And you go on your way rejoicing. And he may be pricking you in the conscience. You might be guilty of withholding what the Lord has spoken to you of.

[20:27] In coming before the church. And acknowledging that this is the Lord's doing. He may not give you peace until you do step that further step forward.

[20:40] Honoring him. Serving him. And though you feel so guilty and unworthy. And so unfit for the task of following Christ. He'll make you willing.

[20:52] You see, he turns you from your transgression. You see, your transgression is that you're withholding what the Lord has spoken to you of.

[21:02] Instructing you in. You've kept it locked up in your heart. And he makes you willing in the day of his power.

[21:13] And though you feel unworthy. Yet, as you go through this ordinance of baptism. The Lord so favors you to feel that peace.

[21:25] That peace of God that passes the knowledge of understanding. And maybe it's because you have, you're still holding on to this sinful habit of holding back.

[21:38] In your pathway of honoring God. And then, you see, the love of Christ yet so powerful on you. Moves you to take up your cross and follow Christ.

[21:51] And your Lord would abundantly bless you in it. Though you feel unworthy. You never will feel unworthy. What a mercy. The Lord's worked in your heart.

[22:03] Both the will and the will of his good pleasure. You look back and see all the way the Lord your God has led you. In seeking to serve him with reverence and godly fear.

[22:14] And unto them that turn from this transgression. This sinful withholding of what the Lord has done for your soul. And the sinfulness of withholding it.

[22:27] And not be made willing in the day of his power. Well, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. A horrible woman. And he delighteth to do his will.

[22:41] Oh, they could see more of the fruits of the Spirit. In the day and age that we live in. Because is anything too hard for the Lord? My Spirit that is upon me.

[22:54] Making you willing. The Spirit of truth comes down. Reveals the things that God makes to us salvation known. And witnesseth with the blood. And so turning from the transgressions.

[23:08] The multitudes of these transgressions. Which he says in the 12th verse. Which are multiplied before thee and our sins testify against us.

[23:21] Oh, you know we need the Lord. We need him to come. To show you a token of his special love. And he will withhold it until you are willing in the day of his power to do it.

[23:38] And what a mercy. Those tokens of his love. That when his light is come upon you. The light in your darkness. I will go in the strength of the Lord.

[23:49] I'll make mention of his righteousness. And he's only. He's in only. Yes, it's nothing in self. Nothing in sinful self.

[24:01] But all that the Father giveth me. He says, shall come to me. And him that cometh unto me. I will in no wise cast out. My Spirit is upon thee. And my words.

[24:13] And you say, yes Lord. But I seem to be destitute of words. I'm longing for words. The entrance of his word. That giveth light and understanding.

[24:25] To your poor simple soul and mine. Lord, so me it oh. I seem to be so surrounded. With the world. I'm in the world. I trust I'm not of it. But you can't get away from the.

[24:38] From the fruits of Satan. Can you in the world? Satan is so. Subtle. So powerfully. And withdraw so many. Oh, it grieves me dear friends.

[24:50] When you see these young children. Being given free entrance. To the football grounds. On a Sunday. On the Lord's Day.

[25:02] You know, it's mockery to God. Mockery to God. Let them have their football. If they want it. But not freedom. Of entrance, dear friends. On the Lord's Day. This is a great mark.

[25:14] Against this country. Great mark. It's idol. It's their idol, dear friends. And we must not. Let sport become an idol to us. We want the Lord.

[25:28] To come again. And he will come in righteousness. And devastation. To be upon the face of the earth. When his judgments are brought to the land. We've been privileged as a nation.

[25:41] Because it is all through the word of God. And it is but a few, dear friends. It is because of the remnant's prayers. That right might prevail in this land.

[25:55] Preserve unto us our Protestant heritage. Our religious liberties. It's God's goodness and mercy. His arm is lengthened out. But the time will come.

[26:07] When he will judge the world in righteousness. Where shall you and I stand? If we're of this remnant. We shall have witnessed the Redeemer's prosperity in our very soul.

[26:22] To preserve unto us this liberty. An open Bible still. We know not what the future may hold. But we do believe this. There will be a remnant till the end of time.

[26:34] Here below. What a mercy of your heart. Of the seeds. Seed, dear friends. Because he says it's from henceforth and forever.

[26:46] My spirit. And we have to plead, dear friends. Lord, in spite of all my sins. Shine through the gloom. Unto you. Shall the sun of righteousness arise.

[27:00] With healing in his wings. We do need healing. We need bodily healing sometimes. He must bless the means of the surgeon or the physician.

[27:12] And those means, dear friends. Have been a preserver. Preserver to some of us who are older. And come down to these afflictions. The outer man decaying.

[27:22] But the inward man renewed day by day. And the means, Lord, of keeping us alive. Is through the goodness and mercy of the Lord. And as we know that he deals also with those of the world.

[27:37] But, you know, we need to be brought here to know his words. His words were found. And I did eat them, says Jeremiah.

[27:50] And they are for the benefit of my heart. A heart made tender in the fear of the Lord. Oh, what a mercy to have his words.

[28:03] His words were found. And I did eat them. And they were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. What a mercy to have a desire in your young heart.

[28:15] Old heart. Media. Media. Media. Media. Time of life. To have this heart. Made tender. To realize there's something in religion.

[28:27] Although I don't feel to know much myself. But you see. His people shall be made righteous. As he imputes to them the righteous robe of Christ.

[28:41] The Redeemer. Paid the price. He says, fear not, I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. When thou passest with the waters, I will be worthy.

[28:52] And through the rivers they shall not overflow thee. And the flames shall not hurt thee. Through fire and water we have to go. As those two things in life.

[29:08] Floods and flames. What's one destruction gives another one will, dear friends. And so we have to prove it.

[29:18] Burning up, dear friends. All the evil and wicked devices and devise are you on my soul and yours. And brought to understand the scriptures.

[29:32] And this covenant. That has been sealed with the blood of Christ. An everlasting covenant. Ordered in all things and sure. Though David said, my heart seemeth not to grow.

[29:46] But he knew the covenant. He had the witness and sealing of the spirit upon his soul. That he was born of God. Though a sinner. Saved by grace.

[29:58] And you and me. By the grace of the Lord. We shall know what it is. The Redeemer has come. He came amongst his own. His own received him not.

[30:09] We saw all of the Jews. But as many as received him to them. Gave he the power. To become the sons of God. The daughters of God. By blessed adoption. What a saviour.

[30:20] We keep seeking him. And what a mercy. He said. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. And you bless the Lord.

[30:33] You fear his name. He said. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west. And his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood. The spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

[30:48] The standard dear friends is in the truth isn't it. He says ye shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you free. From the condemnation. The broken law. Blessed Jesus.

[31:00] Whoever hold fast to him. Don't let him go dear friends. At the throne of grace. Keep on praying without. Without.

[31:11] Turning back. That faith of God's elect will bring you and me through. Faith is the substance of things hopeful. Those things that are not seen. And you bless the Lord for this covenant of grace.

[31:25] And my grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. I glory in my infirmities. That the power of Christ. Oh may we prove dear friends.

[31:38] That our infirmities. Sanctified will bring us closer to the Lord. As he comes. Always tarry his leisure. Then wait the appointed hour. Wait till the bridegroom of your souls.

[31:50] Reveal his love with power. And the redeemer shall come. The shells of wells of Jehovah. Must come to your poor soul. Or press toward the mark sinner.

[32:03] As you're unable. Press toward the mark. For the favor that he bears unto his people. And visits you yet with his salvation. Time of love.

[32:14] It will come. Must come. Because thus far he's led you on. And made his truth and his mercy known. To your soul and mine. Look to Jesus. Kind and strong as your redeemer.

[32:27] He's paid the price. And what it cost him. And you'll look on and see. What he has done for yourself. And you'll acknowledge it. He says. In all thy ways acknowledge me.

[32:40] And find. And you shall find. That he is the way. The truth and the life. And all that the father given me. Shall come to me. And him that cometh unto me. I will in no wise cast out.

[32:52] The redeemer shall come to Zion. But I see the time has gone. I must leave it there friends. May the Lord bless his own word. And pardon all the mist. For his name's sake.

[33:05] Amen. Let us conclude with hymn 337. The tune is Tuam 76.

[33:17] From Egypt lately freed. By the redeemer's grace. A rough and thorny path we tread. In hopes to see his face.

[33:29] The flesh dislikes the way. But faith approves it well. This only leads to endless day. All others lead to hell.

[33:55] 337 A rough and thorny path.

[34:26] On a black great trail. In hopes to see his face.

[34:43] The flesh dislikes the way.

[34:54] A digital path.

[35:15] Thank you.

[35:45] Thank you.

[36:15] Thank you. Thank you.

[37:15] Thank you. Thank you.

[38:15] Thank you. Thank you. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.

[38:45] Amen. Amen. Amen.