Waiting upon the Lord (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I would direct you prayerfully to Psalm 40 and reading verse 17, the last verse.

[0:12] But I am poor and needy, and yet the Lord thinketh upon me, and thou art my help and my deliverer. Make no tarrying, O my God.

[0:27] What a mercy. As the psalmist commences, I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

[0:42] This is the case with true seekers and believers. They are patiently waiting. Something in their lives has changed their heart, and that something, of course, is being born again by the water and the spirit.

[1:02] They have been brought back to hear what God the Lord will say through his word. We are very often accused of being fools because of our diligence in seeking to know the truth personally and have an experimental religion.

[1:27] There's much religion in their day, and we come across those that would say, all you've got to do is believe. Others will be critical of you and me.

[1:41] Why do you keep going to hear the Bible read and also that addresses given or sermons given, whichever you like to call them.

[1:56] But they see nothing in them. And they will see nothing and hear nothing unless the Lord opens their heart to receive the truth, as you are very conscious of that yourselves.

[2:13] But you know, it's not being somebody and full of pride of the flesh, is it? To be an achiever in something and look on with pride.

[2:25] Know when the Lord so touches your heart, whatever abilities you've been given in life, you're brought to fear God. And that, as you know, well acquainted, that fear of the Lord is not, dear friends, a slavish fear, as you're conscious of, but it is a filial fear.

[2:48] To wait upon someone whom you see not, but whom you are persuaded span this sin-stained earth in the Middle East in particular, and did many things of healing nature, nature's troubles by reason, which came upon them by reason of sin.

[3:14] Those experiences, they had to realize they were troubled on every hand. And they needed the healing touch of the physician of the earth.

[3:31] But they needed this physician. And they come with that desire to be healed of the malady of their sins. And they want to know the truth as it is in Jesus.

[3:42] And to feel that he alone can deliver them. And for him to be inclined unto you and hear your cry.

[3:56] And sometimes we seem to be so formal in our cries. But then on our occasions, you're brought to feel as a poverty-stricken sinner in need of something real and solid and lasting to eternal life.

[4:13] And your waiting is not being in vain. They that wait upon the Lord, we're told, shall renew their strength. And this, not necessarily strength of body, but strength of faith.

[4:30] We are very poor and very needy. we cannot get that that we so long for, the evidence that we are born of God. But, you know, when the Lord has thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you, you'll be persuaded that he thinketh upon you.

[4:53] He touches your heart. He gives you a promise. grace. And that witness and seeing of the Spirit upon your soul encourages you to go again.

[5:07] This is a wonderful blessing, grace. You go again. You look unto him from whence has come your heart. Very often commences, as you know, and will acknowledge in your providential path.

[5:25] God, he's made a way for you where you were not concerned about a way. He brought you back from the brink of disaster.

[5:37] You were so very much Satan's tool, Satan's slave, sporting with death. But he brought you back. You began to realize that you were missing out on hearing the gospel preached.

[5:55] and you began by being given a new heart. And you have brought your ear to the doorpost for something real and solid.

[6:05] You read the experience of another. You began to desire that sort of religion, God's elect, that one that's left on record, maybe an obituary, maybe your forefathers that have died in peace.

[6:22] and your inquiring mind began to inquire, what is this? What is the preaching of righteousness? What is the blessing of the Lord to enrich my soul?

[6:37] Because you had been accompanied about with innumerable evils. They've compassed me about, my iniquities have taken hold upon me so I'm not able to look up.

[6:50] And those things that weigh heavily upon you and me in our lives experience, suddenly trouble comes upon you and me and you know not what to do.

[7:01] And though your eyes are up to heaven, whence cometh you'll help and you'll know you have a formal outburst, I should say, in the right sense, of muttering prayers before God.

[7:17] And you know not whether they reach the ear of the Lord God omnipotent of Reigny. And so these evils, they keep coming back about going into your soul and you begin to doubt and to fear whether you're out of the secret.

[7:34] it. But you see the psalmist knew this and he said he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God, many shall see it in fear and shall trust in the Lord.

[7:48] And oh what a blessed gift is faith to put your trust in the Lord at all times. And sometimes your hopes and your fears are dashed to pieces because you find this opposition that you come across in the world because few understand the secret of the Lord which is with them that fear him and he has said he will show them his covenant.

[8:17] So this makes you poor, not in circumstances necessarily, but in your soul's understanding of the scriptures, poor and needy.

[8:29] yet the Lord thinketh upon me. Here's a little balancing of the clouds of darkness and bondage and fear. Yet the Lord thinketh upon me.

[8:43] He says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. And oh what a mercy to be humbled in the dust and realize your nothingness, your emptiness and your poverty, but he alone you need.

[9:02] The poor in spirit. And you want to be a soul that has the spirit of truth watching over him or her and waiting and you patiently waiting for the Lord to incline unto you, his ear unto you, and heard your cry.

[9:24] And this is the substance of the psalmist, is it not? Psalm of David. He knew what our sin was. He knew what it was at times to betray his God in the way he walked and the way he did it, his activities were marred with sin.

[9:46] And so will you and I realize our best is staying and dying with sin. Our all is nothing worth. We've got to be stripped to think that we're worthy of anything.

[10:01] We're unworthy of the least of his mercies. But blessed be the Lord because you'll be brought here to realize that thou art my help and my deliverer.

[10:14] God's love. And some of you know what it is to need deliverance and to know what it is and have been dependence upon God.

[10:25] Thy whole dependence on me fixed and there entered down a thought by worthless schemes with mine to mix but venture to be not. Think of it what we are in the sight of a holy God.

[10:38] Men, women try to think they are unequal with God. What a delusion. God sends them a delusion. They believe a lie. But their unworthiness, their unfitness, even sometimes unfit we feel to dare to get in this pulpit for instance let alone come into the house of God.

[11:00] But what a mercy the Lord still works in us. If it's his will to be here, for us to be here, he brings us here.

[11:11] Though we have afflictions and things that try us and torment us in our walk and conduct, he is a strong deliverer. And he will come and deliver you because he exercises you to think upon the Lord and you want to know more of him.

[11:32] I might know him, the power of his erection, the fellowship of his sufferings, and be made conformable unto his death. Now by nature, we know not what he might put upon us, and sometimes it will break your heart, you feel sometimes.

[11:49] And then he touches you and revives you and comforts you with the word and blesses you. No helping self I find. That's walking these hymns out, you know, beautiful hymns, remarkable, experimental hymns that these chosen people of God have been able to pen of their experiences.

[12:12] Would to God we knew more of them, the trust we know a little here and there, a little line upon line, precept upon precept, and so they want my help.

[12:25] He's a helper of the helpless. All the while we think that we can assist him, you won't get the answers you want. It's committing thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.

[12:42] Now some of our trials are so stretched out, you wonder, can God hear my prayers? Can he come? Can he deliver me? You know we have to learn that we can't rest upon men, can't rest upon an arm of flesh, although there are those there that can be made useful of the Lord if it be his will, but for the most part, it's dependence upon him.

[13:08] Thy whole dependence on me fix, nor entertainer thought, thy worthless schemes with mine to mix, and venture to be no. Or where we have to pass through some vacant scenes, don't we on life, where nothing seems to be working for us.

[13:26] But he says, there's a time to work, there's a time to work, his word says, we need to consider it, he will work in you, both the will and do of his good pleasure, it will be through a fiery trial.

[13:42] He said, beloved, think it not, think it not, dear friends, concerning this trial of faith. In other words, bring that hard things to me and I will hear them.

[13:58] we pray sometimes bring that word forth concerning the, when you, your heart and your flesh fail, God will begin with you.

[14:15] And if he's begun with you, he will perform for you that which he has determined to bring to pass. But a way sometimes to drive you and me to despair, O everyone thirsting, come you to the waters, and he that hath no money, come you buy wine and milk without money, without price.

[14:38] Wherefore, spend you that, for that's not. You can't buy the truth, can you, in the sense that we think that we can buy the truth by buying a Bible, by buying some portion of Scripture.

[14:55] No, the Lord will buy the truth and bestow it upon you, if we wait patiently for him. And we are to tarry his leisure, then wait to the bridegroom of their souls, reveal his love with power.

[15:12] He's not going to leave you, he's brought you back, he's brought you in the pathway of the just, that you live by faith, and if you are, you know, if your soul draw back, he'll have no pleasure in you.

[15:27] We have to keep going on, waiting, pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And, as the psalmist says here earlier, be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me.

[15:42] O Lord, make haste to help me. You seem to be at the uttermost ends of the earth in getting a promise. But like we spoke about the man on Sunday, Jesus reached forth and said reach forth an arm.

[16:02] He was given strength and reached forth an arm. And he healed him. And so we need that set time when the Lord is going to meet with us and touch our heart and reveal to us that he has redeemed us from the curse of the broken law.

[16:24] Yet the Lord thinketh upon me, thou art my help and my deliverer. Make no tarrying, O my God. He tarries off, we say sometimes, till men are faint and comes at evening late.

[16:42] But you're sure of this, if he's given you a desire, a prayerful desire, a time of deliverance will come. And now there's no deliverance, see yet still this man, by peace of being.

[16:56] Jesus manifested, God manifested in the flesh. How wonderful is this, you know, the humanity of Christ denied by some foolish preachers, that's all you can call them, their eyes are hold and they couldn't know that he's the Son of God.

[17:21] He was a spirit contracted in the womb of Mary, human birth, as a child, and grew in stature and wisdom. And oh, what a mercy.

[17:35] He suffered, bled and died. Can a spirit suffer, bleed and die, friends? Never. it is this Christ in whose glory we would praise and bless him for it and ask that he might favour us to glorify his name with the promises that he gave him in Christ.

[18:01] Yes, you'll be brought to nothing for all the times, nothing in my hand I bring, but you'll be looking for his grace, the unmerited mercy and favour of God.

[18:17] We've come across some so-called believers recently in the pathway, but they don't know anything I fear about the spiritual side of the gospel.

[18:32] people. It's a solemn thing to have a name to live and be dead. Think they're doing God's service, but one thing is needful, the spirit to lead and guide them into all, to acknowledge that God is in divine control of all the souls of his chosen people.

[18:56] And if they have not a spiritual religion, then it might question the reality of the religion. It's just in the flesh.

[19:09] And so we need the Lord to grant us the reality of this patiently waiting for the Lord and the Lord God omnipotent that reigneth, that he might be inclined, unto you and hear your cry.

[19:25] Because at times you seem to be so despondent to hear anything of the Lord. But believe me, he does come and he does touch your heart and he doesn't need dear friends to use instruments, although he will on occasions, but he's able to come direct into your soul and melt you down and you bless him for those tears of godly sorrow and repentance that he's touched your heart and you rejoice in the merits of Jesus to who you are, an unworthy sinner, unworthy, dwelling, glorious guests, and still favour, astonishing, divine.

[20:16] Now under the influence of the spirit, we go back to our hymn writers and realise how favoured they were and how favoured are you and I if you're attracted to some of their language because you feel these visits are remarkable.

[20:36] people that the Lord God omnipotent liveth, blessed be the Son of God that sends the message of comfort and hope to your soul and mine and you see if you are poor and needy, you will have a sympathy and consider those that are poor and needy and thirsty sinners and you'll bear them up at the throne of grace because what you have received, you will desire that they will receive, tokens for good.

[21:11] And so you see the Lord will reward those that mock you and despise you and reject you. Oh, and you often wonder, I think, in your pathway as to why you were made to hear his voice and enter one other's room when thousands make a wretched choice and rather starve and come because he has chosen you and he has chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

[21:40] My presence shall come with you and I will give thee rest and you rest in the love. Oh, when the Lord visits you with a love touch, dear friends, you will bless him for it.

[21:55] He's delivered you and me from your doubts and fears for a little season and you realise and believe he will deliver you. He has delivered, does deliver and will yet deliver you.

[22:08] These are the promises to the Lord's dear chosen people. You've not chosen me or chained you, but I've chosen you and ordained you that you go forth and bring forth real fruit like David had to.

[22:22] Yes, he had those enemies around him wanting to destroy him. Saul was anointed for a season as king. But oh, what a dreadful character he proved to be when the spirit left him.

[22:38] So, he was like an animal almost trying to destroy David whom the Lord had favoured with grace in spite of his sins, that they were blotted out.

[22:53] So, we realise though your iniquities and mine seem to have taken hold on you at times, but the Lord has been good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

[23:11] And so, you have to say, bless the Lord my soul. Let all within me join and aid my tongue to bless his name whose favours are divine.

[23:25] They're divine favours. These are not just fleshly favours in providence, these are divine favours. He's thinking upon you.

[23:38] Thoughts of peace are not of evil to give you unexpected end. It's to wait upon the Lord for renewed strength. You might truly be favoured above all hope that you have at times, but what the Lord has bestowed upon you, he will surely bring you to pass in his own time away.

[24:06] The time is set to heal up your woes, the season most fit, his love to disclose, poor and needy. Seeking warner is none, the tongue fighteth the first, I, the Lord, will hear you.

[24:21] You see, you cannot but cry unto God, you cannot give up praying, and hear, draw out prayer, he squeezed it out.

[24:35] You have, you're determined to know nothing among men save Jesus Christ and crucify him. And they crucify you and me to the world. You're in it but not of it.

[24:46] You separate from it. it's been your means of the Lord supplying providential needs. But my God should apply all your needs, spiritual and providential.

[25:04] He's a God of providence. And he's able to do far more exceeding for me above all that we can think are ours. My grace.

[25:15] Oh, it comes back to that, doesn't it? The sufficiency of his grace. Paul had a messenger from Satan to buffet him.

[25:28] And that was to prevent him getting exalted above measure. And he could come in with the psalmist here, could he not? That he was poor and needy.

[25:39] Make no tarrying. Oh my God. And that's where we come in often, don't we? Make no tarrying. But tarrying here. tarrying at the throne of grace.

[25:52] Tarrying at the Bible. Tarrying at the hymn book even. As we prove today, God's goodness. When the poor and needy seek water and their tongue for the thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them.

[26:10] Oh, I trust you're not weary of our poor old messages that will come out, but we do need to know the truth, don't we? The Lord to help you, deliver you, and deliver you from the wicked, he says here, and save them, because they trust in him.

[26:25] Oh, what a mercy to trust in the Lord at all times. Lord, increase my faith, my hope, and my love, because you do desire to love the Lord with heart, mind, and soul, and the love of Christ will constrain you.

[26:44] You'll be the object of your soul's desire. Nothing, nothing but Jesus, and his abundant love to my soul will keep me waiting upon him for that strength and for that faith, the faith of God's elect.

[27:03] We don't want the faith of those that believe just the Bible. We want the Lord to apply the word, the application and entrance of his word giveth life and light and understanding.

[27:19] Poor and needy sinner seek water, living water from the wells of salvation. He said, I would never leave thee nor forsake thee. We can boldly say the Lord is my helper.

[27:30] I not fear what man should do unto me. We fear man, don't we? Man can become a snare to us, a snare to us. Oh, we need to fear God and keep his commandments.

[27:45] He'll never forsake you. Them that honor me I will honor, they that despise me shall be like this thee. Oh, may the Lord strengthen our weak hands of faith.

[27:57] Confirm our feeble needs. Say unto us of a fearful heart, fear not, thy God will come with vengeance. Why should he? Why? To drive up the enemy of your souls, to drive him out.

[28:11] And all his filth or vile language and accusations and the blasphemy of Christ's name, even out there in the world. But oh, what a rush for you, other refuge.

[28:24] Hangs my soul, hangs my helpless soul on thee. Leave, oh, leave me not alone. Still support and comfort me. He says, I will not leave you comfortless.

[28:37] I will come to you. Oh, wait upon him, friends. Give him no rest until he establishes you and me a praise in the earth.

[28:49] Blessed be the Lord. I am poor and needy. Yes, you have your rifts in your butts, poor and needy. But oh, what a mercy to be like the previous word.

[29:02] Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee. Let such as love thy salvation say continually, the Lord be magnified. Yes, unworthy, dwelling, glorious, yes, we said, favour astonishing divine.

[29:18] May he favour you in due time with sweet deliverances from your trials. Trials, make the promise, sweet trials, give you life to prayer.

[29:30] Trials, lay me low and keep me there. May the Lord bless our few remarks and pardon all the mystery's name's sake. Amen.

[29:47] Let us conclude with hymn 812, the tune is Denfield 127. Whene'er I make sudden stock, for many such I make, and cannot see the cloud cleared up, nor know which path to take, I to my Saviour speed my way, to tell my dubious state, then listen what the Lord will say, and hope to follow that.

[30:18] sing it to all friends, 812.

[30:37] door. Amen. Amen.

[31:37] Amen. If Jesus sinned, I decis, What access hyvä I universal?

[32:28] But if we ain't to whisper peace, I let thee all be well.

[32:50] From the Bible's own sacred prayer, I be saved by the night.

[33:13] But for if we ain't on my own, by faith and not by sight, of friends and counselors be read, I often hear him say, Take thine eyes to the right o'er, But on the hill is the grave.

[34:17] Wake in himself, in him I'm strong, His spirit's my desire, The way I walk cannot be wrong, If Jesus be but there.

[35:01] He is my helper and my guide, I trust in him alone.

[35:23] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, Love of God the Father, The fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Rest and abide with us each.

[36:03] Amen.