Show me a token for good (Quality: Good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I will direct you prayerfully to Psalm 88, beg your pardon, Psalm 86 and verse 17.

[0:15] Show me a token for good, that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed, because thou, Lord, hast holpened me.

[0:31] With much prayer and praise in this psalm as in the other psalms, but how he was in a low place, and was pleading, Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me, for I am poor and needy.

[0:55] Preserve my soul, for I am holy, O one whom thou favourest, is the margin. In some Bibles, O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

[1:09] There's faith there, friends. There's faith in God. And without faith, we're told, is it impossible to please God? What a privileged soul you are, if you have faith to believe in God, as the one alone that can turn unto you, as he says here, and have mercy upon me.

[1:37] We need faith, we need hope, we need love. We need to be shown. It's not you and me trying to show one another the way.

[1:51] It's seeking the Lord to show you divine direction, to bring you and me into such places where you need him to look upon you, to teach you to pray with reverence and godly fear.

[2:10] After all said and done, he's our maker and our creator. It's only he can teach you and me to plead with him to turn unto me.

[2:24] And to have you and me turned and directed to the throne of grace, where the Lord sits and waits to answer prayer, and prove that he's full of compassion.

[2:42] You see, we know what it is to have compassion one to another in our trials if we know something about them. We want to commit them to the Lord at the throne of grace and pray for him to deliver them.

[2:58] But it comes back to this personal exercise of your soul and mine here tonight. The desire to be shown a token.

[3:10] As the hymn writer says, a token of thy special love. We're living in a dark world. We're living in dark places and spots ourselves.

[3:23] And we need him. As he only can loosen, dear friends, the shackles of the devil or the shackles of this world from us. And bring us into his banqueting house and his banner over us is love.

[3:40] And oh, what a mercy to have this desire. Show me. A person of experience that a poor sinner needs. As true believers, they need some evidence is that the Lord has spoken to them, spoken to you, spoken to me, to have some token.

[4:03] He won't be swallowed up, dear friends, with the promises, but he passes by. He passes by, does the Lord Jesus. And he hears the groans of the prisoner.

[4:18] And you are a prison, dear friends, with many things in your life. Bring my soul out of prison that I might praise thee, Lord, to feel but a mere token.

[4:30] They're passed, they're passed by. He reads, he passed by the blind man. Couldn't see Jesus. We had a persuasion that he was there.

[4:43] And Jesus stood still. You know, sometimes you stand still. He stands still with you in the pew. Sometimes I felt he stood still in the pulpit next to us.

[4:59] These are very rare visits, but they are real. They're tokens. His favor towards you. And will visit you and me ultimately with his salvation.

[5:13] And we well bless him for it. And this is what we seem to lack in our day, but it's here a little. Tokens. Here a little.

[5:23] He read tokens in providence. Not multi-millions, dear friends, but a little token. He favors you and me with a token.

[5:36] And it's for good. And he says, all things work together for good, as Paul said to the Romans, all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the called, according to not your purpose, but his purpose.

[5:55] His purposes will hold fast, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

[6:07] And so he says, show me a token. And these are great things, really, but little, small things. But what a mercy to know that your sins have been cancelled.

[6:22] Blotted out with the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin. Blessed Jesus, that they which hate me may see it.

[6:34] And you know, you'll get them say, hate you, you get them hate you. They hate your religion. They knife you in the back to try and do everything against you, to get you out of the way of seeking for a token for your soul's profit and good.

[6:55] Those that hate you may see it. And he goes on to say, be ashamed. Ashamed. You won't be left to be ashamed of Jesus because he's your only hope in this evil world and evil day that we live in.

[7:12] And it's very solemn, really, the state of the world, the Antichrist, the very thick and fast growing, dear friends, in the world. But oh, what a mercy.

[7:24] You know, you see, these enemies of the truth will be ashamed. They won't get their own way. The atheists want to do this denial of God, don't they?

[7:39] But nevertheless, they will never succeed. They may seem to be gaining ground with sin on every hand.

[7:51] Evil men seducers, we're told, makes worse and worse, deceiving being deceived. But this man, Jesus, cannot be suppressed, cannot withhold his blessings to his dear people.

[8:06] As he said, they, them that honour me, I will honour. They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. We don't need to hold fast to these words.

[8:17] We have to ask the Lord to strengthen their weak hands of faith to believe it. Poor and needy seek him more and there is none. And the tongue finally for thirst.

[8:30] You see, it gives you a thirst, it gives you a hunger, it gives you that desire to seek the Lord and to be given diligence to make your calling and election sure.

[8:43] Show me a token. Oh, that the Lord would draw you by the cause of man, by the bands of his love, to look to him. Pour not on thyself too long, lest it sink thee lower.

[8:57] Look to Jesus, kind and strong. Mercy, join with power. We do tend to limit the power of Jesus, the power of God, don't we?

[9:09] Limit it. His works, his power, his answers are limitless. It's almighty grace that causes this and that sinner to repent and believe.

[9:23] And he knows the way that you take and he knows the set time that he's going to show you this token. And oh, what a humbling fact it would have. This will drive out the buyers and the sellers that seem to try to quench the spirit in yourself, but they never will.

[9:41] They may seem to cause you much hatred, but they never drive out the buyers and the sellers, only Jesus.

[9:53] And they never stop Jesus favoring you and me with a token of his love. And he goes on to say, because thou, Lord, has helped me or helped me whichever way you want to put it and comforted me.

[10:08] And there will be those comforts dear friends because he said, I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. And it's tarrying, isn't it? It's waiting the Lord's good leisure to come and bless you and me with a token of his love and assurance that he has begun that good work in you and will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.

[10:34] Christ. Or to feel a little hope in your soul tonight that, yes, you felt those that hate you for your religion, but they will be ashamed and they, and because, the very reason because that they, they will be ashamed because where man is, God is greater.

[11:03] And we want to hold fast to these doctrines of free and sovereign grace. my grace is sufficient, my strength made perfect in weakness. You glory in your infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon you.

[11:18] What a mercy to feel Christ. Draws near to you, comforts you, stands still and shows to you this great salvation and you won't neglect it.

[11:31] He draws you by the cords of a man, by the bands of his love. He makes your enemies to be at peace with you at times. Because they become ashamed.

[11:42] But you're not ashamed because you know that he is the one thing needful to you and me to help you to press on in the journey, favour you with a token of his love.

[11:55] And all you say, Lord, do bow down, O God, I am poor and needy. And so the psalmist knew this. And the psalmist sets out a wonderful pattern, doesn't he, in his book of the Psalms without anything else in the scripture.

[12:14] We know the whole counsels of God are in the scripture, all things work together for good. To these that are seeking the Lord, what he may be found, he gives them diligence to make their calling and their election sure, and never mind the enemies of the truth.

[12:32] behind you, they may laugh you to scorn, they may laugh you to scorn to your face, but what a substance, what a hope for you and me, built upon nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, ne'er dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name, for I am the Lord, I change not.

[12:56] Privileged soul then that has faith to believe in Jesus, here bring you through, here keep alive your soul, here make you ultimately to be prepared for those prepared mansions in the sky, all that the Father giveth me shall come.

[13:17] And this is God's word and what a privilege to have it open and what a privilege to believe in it and trust in it and the way that he applies his word to yourself, you go on your way rejoicing, this is the Lord's doing.

[13:32] It is marvellous in our eyes. I'm sure you can trace out the steps that you walked in the fear of God at times and other times you seem to be so selfless and hopeless and helpless.

[13:49] But you come again. He is determined that you and I should receive his voice and his word to be a lamp to your feet and lie to your bar and you may take a little comfort and hope when you plead that he shows you a token because other refuge have you none.

[14:14] Hangs your helpless soul on Jesus, object of your soul's desire. You're not always in that frame, of course, but there are those sweet moments when you consider him that endure such contradiction of sinners against him, yet lest you be faint and weary minds.

[14:36] But back comes the prayer, show me a token for good. Bless me, O Lord, that I might bring me out of this dark path and confirm my soul.

[14:50] And you go in the strength of that meat, all the sincere milk of the world, that you might grow thereby and grow in grace and the knowledge of him, because thou Lord hast helped me.

[15:05] And you ponder your path or your feet and you ponder your sins and you have to say, can God dwell here? Yes, in the time the tempter's power.

[15:18] But you see the Lord will fulfill even this text in your life, I believe. Yes, you want the Lord to abound where sinners abounded.

[15:31] He might much more abound as he stands still, as he breaks the bread of life, as he gives you a sip from the wells of salvation in your path.

[15:44] And they'll be ashamed as yet, ashamed. And you have to say, Lord, don't mean me to be ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend on whom my hopes of heaven depend.

[15:57] What a mercy, what a blessed exchange that will be one day when you get the victory over this body of sin and death. Here be your helper. Here be your refuge and strength.

[16:10] Here be a present help. What more can we expect with a present help in our time of need? Yes, never mind the enemies of the truth.

[16:23] They cannot destroy the word of God. And though they do their utmost to drive in the wedge of unbelief, blessed Jesus, that living faith that lives and labours under low, though damp, it never dies.

[16:40] And so they that which hate me may see it and be ashamed. You won't be ashamed. you might be ashamed of your darks and paths, of your doubts and your fears, but at that set time he favours you with a real token.

[17:01] And you've gone your way rejoicing for the day the Lord has made. And sometimes you can feel the nearness of the Lord. You're made nigh by the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin and no other refuge you want.

[17:17] You don't refuge on your earthly possessions. You bless God for the supply of them. But how much more do you bless God for sending his dear son to suffer, bleed and die, to redeem you from the curse of the broken ball.

[17:33] And it's all because the Lord has done it, has opened you, that he has sent out his light and his truth and let them lead you and guide you to his holy hill and to his tabernacle.

[17:48] The word of the Lord has been such a comfort and hope to our souls and has kept us alive in humbly following him. Yes, the wretched enemy will come in like a flood, but the Lord lifts up a standard against him, and the standard is his word.

[18:08] The exceeding great and precious promises that he says, fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy God. What more can we want and desire than the promise of God, yea and amen, to bring you and me through a token of his good.

[18:27] He shines into your heart to lighten your darkness and said, peace be still, my peace be unto you, not as the world giveth give unto you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

[18:43] Oh, and we bless God for this gospel. Some word comes unexpectedly into your soul, and you have much to rejoice and bless him for, that he has kept alive your soul, made a crooked thing straight, a rough place plain, and darkness light before you, for I am the Lord I change, not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, or in spite of your enemies that hate you and mock you and despise you, remember they will be ashamed, and oh, what a mercy to see some of these prodigals brought back that are not ashamed to own and bless the Lord, but what he has done for their soul, he's made them wise, he's taught them to number their days, to apply their hearts unto wisdom, because he makes you wise, by your heart unto wisdom, whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, what a pathway, what a pathway, crooked things straight, rough places plain, darkness light before him, and before the enemies of their that comes in like a flower, the Lord will lift up a standard, his word is a standard, his promise is a amen in

[20:13] Christ, and you bless the Lord, he speaks peace, and he has mercy upon you, and he gives you strength, and he will save you as the son of his handmaid, oh, we bless the Lord then for these favours, and you praise him with all your heart, a new heart will he give you, a heart made tender in the fear of God, why you were such a rebel once, you wouldn't have him to reign over you, you wanted to do your own thing, you wanted to go crazy in the world, and to join all the others, but he stopped you, he stopped you in your mad career, and in spite of your enemies that would still be against you for your turn around to follow him, oh, bless the Lord, you say, oh, my soul, let all within me join, aid my tongue to bless his name, whose favours are divine, here drive out these buyers and sellers, here bring you into his banqueting house and his banner over you will be love, and you will see it, you'll see it, and you'll bless him for it, as to the very, purpose of

[21:30] God in your life and mine, that he turns you around, that he favours you to have that increased spiritual appetite for the truth, and he says you should know it, and the blessing of the Lord shall make you rich, he doesn't add sorrow with it, but you'll have the trial of faith, because you're following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered blood and dying, for the salvation of his dear chosen people, he bought them with a price, he'd eternally love them, and you bless the Lord for what he has done for your salvation, you've had to cry day and night, you still don't get answers, you don't get your trials subdued, you don't get your trials stopped, seems to be endless, doesn't it, it goes on and on and on and on, and you have to say sometimes,

[22:40] Lord, when will you come, when will you bring me out into a place where I can look back and see all the way that was led me to prove me to know what's in my heart, whether I'll keep his commandments, answer no, and he'll make you willing one day, he'll make you willing to take up the cross and follow him, because here silence your critics and mine, in spite of the enemy comes like into your mind sometimes, what's the use of religion, what's the use of going, oh I get these fearful things sometimes say to me, I felt tempted today, tempted today dear friends, about it, what am I doing preaching, what am I going and acting in a holy way, when I feel to feel so full of sin and the Lord has reflected upon my life in showing me my sins, and why these trials come upon me, but trials make the promise sweet, and have done, but I want them to come again with another token, oh Lord drive this enemy out of my soul, to grant that I might be more peaceful and alone in my walk and my conduct, it doesn't seem as though it's my lot here below, because I have to pass through tribulation to be following in the footsteps of my

[24:16] Lord and Saviour, that's it, isn't it, you've got to know something of his sufferings, you've got to know something of the shedding of his blood, you've got to know something about a cross, I must expect a daily cross, you'll sanctify the pain, you think sometimes, will it ever go away, will I be confirmed, will I be found lost at last, I'm not worthy by notice, but to whom else can me go for, though it's the words of eternal life to give, oh, do give me a token, do speak peace and pardon, assure my conscience of its part, in the Redeemer's blood, and bear witness to my heart, that I am born of God, talk about being born, but have I been born again, have I been created anew in Christ, am I following on to know him, am I building upon

[25:18] Christ, the solid rock, because all other ground will be sinking sand, sinking sand, or I trust Lord, I say sometimes in my mind, I don't tell anybody, perhaps, but you sometimes trial in your mind, am I made a real Christian, have I fellowship with him and he shed blood as he bought me with a prize, and so you cry the more, show me, show me a token, speak peace, assure my conscience of his part in the Redeemer's blood, and bear witness to my heart that I am born of God, where we need the Lord in his mercy, don't we, to truly turn unto us, take me by the hand and lead me forth by the right way, that I might go to a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is

[26:20] God, it's a sure foundation, to have one day been able to raise an Ebenezer to his praise, and I do hope we have been enabled to, but then all things become black and dark again, where is the blessedness on you when first I saw the Lord, where is that so reviving view of Jesus Christ my Lord, he says the enemies will be ashamed because thou Lord hast opened me, this is a promise, because thou Lord hast opened me, and you have to acknowledge it, you have to acknowledge it, because the Lord did it, the Lord showed you, you sowed in tears and yet reap in joy, for the blessings of the gospel, and he has helped you, and he will help you ever to, and raise your Ebenezer to his praise, sing his praises, his worthy praises, for what he has shown you and taught you to truly be abundantly blessed with tokens and evidences that you are born of God and that your treasure is above, a little treasure, what a little word is dear friends, not great things, big things, but sins whole cancelled, some will be bestowed upon you and me from time to time, and your blessing that he has not failed, that sweet hope that you had, that you will get the victory through the merits of

[28:04] Jesus, no other refuge but in the merits of Jesus, he's that friend that sticketh closer to the brother and he comes when most you need his friend, he comes and reveals to you these tokens of his love, he manifests him love to you, you see him now through a glass darkly, but one day it will be face to face, the refuge of your weary souls, and you have gone your way rejoicing, show me a token, or may we ever plead this language, to be shown a token of his love, Paul knew what it was, he tempted and tried, sworded, Tarsus became Paul, he had to be revealed, he had to kick against the pricks, as you and I may do at times, kick against the pricks, and those pricks are sharp thorns, dear friends, but he had a crown of thorns, you might have one here and one there, but the crown of thorns, dear friends, was the pathway of the Son of God, he suffered, bled and died on account of your sins and mine, and all that wonderful power that he gives to you and me as faint-hearted sinners, oh, blessed

[29:33] Jesus, you know your enemies will be ashamed, but you won't be ashamed, ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend, on whom my hopes of heaven depend, blessed Jesus, you want a closer walk with him, don't you, calm with him, defraying a light that shines upon the road that leads you to the land, he'll never leave you, and you'll say he's helped me, he that has helped me hitherto will help me all my journey through, and give me cause to raise new Ebeneezus to his praise, this is the dear Son of God, this is Jesus, the friend of sinners, almighty power, arrest that man, that woman, that child, and make them willing in the day of my power, he says, I make them willing in the day of my power, his track I see and I'll pursue the narrow way to him I view, show me a token, you won't resist it, you may have done in times past, you may have felt you wouldn't have him to reign over you, you took friendship with the world, and friendship with the world is enmity to

[30:49] God, oh that we might feel that more at times in our life, we seek that narrow way, striving to enter in the straight gate, the few that be to find him, but my grace, oh this is the privilege, all of his free and sovereign grace, made you hear his voice, made you follow him, and in the day of his power, you're ready to fame, but nevertheless, as thy days demand, so shall thy strength be, to seek ever these tokens of his love, and he will never leave you, and he will never forsake you, once in him, in him forever, thus the eternal covenant stands, blessed Jesus, ever mindful, ever faithful, to such sinners as you and me, always so at times, doubting and fearing, but my grace is sufficient, strength made perfect in weakness, glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, show me a token for good, that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed, because thou

[31:58] Lord, thou Lord, oh, I must emphasize, thou Lord, hast opened me, and comforted me, amen. Let us conclude with hymn number 736, the tune is Brookfield 310, show me some token, Lord, for good, some token of thy special love, show me that I am born of God and that my treasure is above, my supplication, Lord, is this, that all my sins may be subdued, that all thy precious promises may be to me and for my good.

[33:07] 736, Amen. Sure may that I am born of God, and that my treasure is of love.

[34:03] My application, Lord, is this, that all my sins may be conquered, that all my precious promises may be to me, and pour my good.

[34:59] And fill my burden to my soul, and then for me my peace within.

[35:25] Thou strength my wound, then suction soul, and that will be for good to me.

[35:51] Let thy good spirit rule my heart, and govern all my words and ways.

[36:19] Let grace abound in every heart, and in thy joy, let you see thy grace.

[36:45] Thus may I say that I am thy, and fill my heart, and fill my heart to thee ascend, then shall I know that thou art mine.

[37:27] my God, my Father, and my prayer.

[37:40] 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.

[37:57] Amen.