Watching and waiting for Christ (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] Lord may be pleased to help me. This afternoon I again direct your minds to the book of Proverbs chapter 8 and the 34th and the following verse.

[0:22] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my doors.

[0:37] For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Proverbs chapter 8 verses 34 and 35 If you will remember, my poor remarks hovered this morning around the first part of our text.

[1:06] That is, the man, the man, the women, the child that might hear the voice of God.

[1:22] Saying, what a blessing if we have had her ears opened to hear his voice.

[1:38] That is, with the power, the unction, and the light of the Holy Ghost. There is another thought that seems to strike my mind.

[1:57] Has he heard from us? If we have heard from God, I am sure there has been a response.

[2:11] There will be a turning unto the Lord. And he will, he has, I trust, heard from us.

[2:25] He speaks first, he works first. When the heart is changed a little, then there will be a prayer.

[2:36] And he will hear us. I trust each of us knows something of this experience.

[2:48] I often feel very guilt, as it were, guilt upon one's conscience. As we consider even the words of the Apostle when he said, Pray without ceasing.

[3:05] And the poet has said, If half the breath thus finally spent, To heaven and supplication sent, Our song would oftener be, Hear what the Lord hath done for me.

[3:20] As he heard from us. Some poor soul may be thinking, I wish I knew how to pray. How to pray.

[3:33] Dear friends, it's not for the sake of a multitude of words. The feeblest prayer, if faith be there, Exceeds all empty notion. If it is but a groan, If it is but a sigh, Or a falling of a tear, The Lord understands.

[3:54] You and I are ashamed of it. But he is not. He is not. And how is it a tear can drop bare eyes?

[4:07] Because we have heard from him. That's the reason. He has dealt with us.

[4:18] And therefore her heart goes out in the direction where he is. And what a wonderful thing it is, That God the Father has provided his dear Son for this purpose.

[4:32] As we all know, Outside of Christ, That God is a consuming fire. No way to God, But through Jesus Christ, His dear, Beloved Son.

[4:50] So if we have heard from him, In the way that I mentioned this morning, His voice speaking in mercy, As you have been singing, I feel, I can say, Without any doubt within one's heart, That you have prayed unto him, And you are numbered among this people, Blessed.

[5:23] Blessed is the man Who prays. Blessed is the man Whom thou choosest And causest To approach Unto thee.

[5:39] Blessed is the man That heareth me. And blessed is the man That prays. Unto God. The two go together, Dear friends. Ah, Some poor soul Might be saying, I wish I could pray.

[5:54] Can you walk with the public And God be merciful To me, Our sinner. Has that language Ever escaped Your heart?

[6:06] Has it been The very feelings Of your heart? Has you been So convinced Of your sin? Why, He heareth us. You are numbered Above the blessed.

[6:20] You are in the covenant Of the divine grace. Christ is on the seat In heaven By his beloved Father. To hear thy supplications And thy cries.

[6:32] Blessed people Who Can speak In prayer A prayer That ascends Into heaven. Well, I mustn't dwell Any longer here.

[6:45] Blessed is the man That heareth me. And then we come To this Watching. There's a watching. Watching. Watching daily At my gates.

[7:06] Your thoughts May be, Well, I'm taken up So much With the things In providence The things That daily Come upon me. Yes, Some are lawful And may not be lawful In the sight of God.

[7:24] But there's a watching When we're in a right Frame of mind. What are we to watch? Well, I start at home.

[7:35] Oh, How much There is to watch In our own soul. Oh, How easily, Dear friends, Things come out Of our lips.

[7:48] God-honoring. God-dishonoring. How often We've been left, As it were, To our own mind. Our own thought. Our own words.

[8:01] Well, Might we watch. Well, Might we ask The Lord Give us more grace, More humbling grace, That we might Even watch Ourselves.

[8:17] Not only In our words, But also In our actions. To watch Our steps Before God.

[8:32] Oh, There's much To be watched Here. And friends, Some of us Who have made An open profession Of his name, We are watched By the people Of God.

[8:42] And watched By the world Itself. But oh, How we need Then to watch. Where? Well, Our text tells us. Watching daily At my gates.

[8:56] Not at your gates. But my gates. And thinking a little Of this Caused me To read Those psalms.

[9:08] How amable Are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts My soul Longeth. Watching daily My soul Longeth Yea, Even fainteth For the courts Of the Lord.

[9:22] My heart And my flesh Cryeth out For the living God. Yea, The sparrow Are found In their house And the swallow Her nest For herself Where she May lay Her young Even thine Altars O Lord of hosts My king And my God Blessed are they That dwell In thine house.

[9:47] They will Be still Appraising Her of thee. Watching Daily At my Gates.

[10:00] Let us Mention The gate Of prayer Because I Believe That's one Of the gates Our text Speaks of. I will Look upon Two Gates First Is the Throne Of grace And another Is His word Watching Daily At my Gates Just a few Thoughts Then In Watching At the Word Of God The Scripture Of God The Holy Scripture The Inspired Word Word Of God Isn't That a Gate A gate To enter Into This Word This Truth And be Instructed Thereby I know I hinted Somewhat Upon these Things This Morning But to

[11:01] Watch Daily Daily Pray Without Ceasing Enter Into The House Of God Watching Daily At this Gate Opening Opening In The Word Open To Find Something Suitable And oh What a Gate This Is Dear Friends It Takes Its Gates Yes This Word Will Bring Us By the Blessing Of God Into The Gates Of Of Of His Mercy Of His Love Bring Us To The Gates For Understanding Of His Blood This Is One Of The Gates Will Lead Us Into The Experiences Or The Pathway Of The Lord Jesus Christ Oh What a Gate That Is Watching Daily Opening The Gates Desiring They May Be Opened By The Lord

[12:01] That We Might Have A Wonderful View Of The Lord Jesus Christ In His Pilgrimage Here Below Is At The Gate The Word Of God Pathway The Lord Is Pleased To Lead His Dear People You Say But I Know So A Little Of It True But If We Know A Little It Is No Small Mercy Therefore Watching Daily At My Gates Watching In Prayer That's A Gate Is It Not A Gate I Believe You Been Singing A Little Of The Gate Of Mercy The Door Of Mercy That Is Open Day By Day Night By Night That Gate Is Never Closed The Gate Of Prayer A

[13:02] Gate That Leads To Prayer A Gate That Leads To The Lord Jesus Christ A Gateway That Leads To This Heat His Footstool Watching Daily That's The Only Place Dear Friends When That We Are In A Good Place Good Frame Of Mind To Be At His Footstool Watching And Praying Opening The Gate Of The Bible And Finding As We Enable Jesus In The Letter Of It No In The Truth Of It In The Power Of It In The Sweetness Of His Day No One Of The Poets Said How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds In The Believers Hear Sows His Sorrows Heals His Wounds And Drives Away His Fears Blessed Then Is The Man Watching

[14:03] Daily At My Gates At The Gate Of The Bible And At The Gate That Leads To The Mercies The Throne Of Grace These Are The Blessings Dear Friend And They Are Blessings That The World And World Like Those Nothing Of At All Nothing At All But God Has Pronounced These Blessed Who Will Hear His Voice And Watch Daily Watch Him Daily At My Gates Waiting Waiting There There There's A Waiting The Lord Doesn't Always Open This Gate Even Of His Word To Us Did I Not Speak A Little This Morning Sometimes The

[15:03] Word Is Dry Paral Oh There's Been Times When I've Opened The Word I Believe Desiring To Find Something And There's Been Nothing And I've Closed The Book And Said To The Lord Nothing For Me It Has Been So At Times In The Way Of A Text Seeking A Text Turning Over And Over The Pages But No No Waiting As It Were At The Post Of His Do For A Message For A Wait No Wonder That Dear Man Micah Was It Not The Prophet Of The Lord Says Woe Unto Me And The Poor Man Was So Weary And Worn He Couldn't Find His God And He Tells Us In That Wonderful Chapter Of His How The Ripe Fruit Has Been Removed

[16:04] And Sometimes We Look Back Do We Not Over A Period Of Time And Remember Many Who Were Fully Ripe In The Things Of God Greatly Blessed With Grace But They Been Removed And The Poor Man Felt To Be Left Alone And Isn't It So To Die In Our Measure Those Who We Love For Truth's Sake And Those Dear Servants Of The Lord Who Preach The Blessed Gospel Greatly Blessed Under The Influence Of The Spirit And The Word Blessed Through Them But They Been Taken And Though We Feel Often To Mourn Our Condition And In These Solid Days In Fact There Is But Little In Our Day Of This Experience In The Decks Of Hearing The

[17:05] Voice Of God And Watching Daily At My Gates This Is Most Manifested On The Sabbath Day Is It Not Go By A Seaside And You See Not Many Watching At The Gates Of God Watching The Things Of This Life The Things That Are Passing The Things That Are Perishing Not The Watching At The Mercy Seat To Honour Him And To Exalt Him Waiting At The Post Of My Doors You Have Sung In Your Hope In Him Of One Or Shall I Say Well Many Down Through The Ages Wanted The Cure Oh Waited At The Post Of The Lords

[18:05] Even This House And Waiting For The Lord To Come Yes That Dear Man Who Went Up Into The Sycamore Tree To See Jesus He Was One Of The Waiters He Was One That Was Waiting For A Blessing Simeon Of Old As He Went Up Into The Temple He Been Waiting For A Long Time At The Post Of The Doors He Been Waiting To Hear The Voice Of God He Been Waiting To See Jesus Waiting Then Did He Wait In Bane No No The Babe Was There All Appointed By Almighty God The Father That His Dear Beloved Son As A Babe In The Harms Of

[19:05] His Mother Mary Should Be Handed To Simeon This Dear Old Patriarch And Then His Prayer Was As You Know Let Thy Servant Now Depart In Peace For Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation Blessed Is The Man That Heareth Me Watching Day In My Blades We Can Say Ere With This Dear Man Simeon All Have He Was Blessed Blessed In Taking Up That Babe Dear Friends Have You And I Ever Taken That Babe Jesus Christ In The Arms Of Faith He Took Him In His Arms He Was Satisfied He Got Christ Dear Friends If We Have Ever Taken Jesus In The Arms Of Faith

[20:05] We Shall Be A To Use The Same Language And To Say The Same Things Now Let His Servant Depart In Peace For Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation Waiting At The Post Of Thy Doors And Then Again There's A Waiting I Trust We Know Something Of This Waiting At The Post Of Its Doors The Sanctuary Where We Belong What Has The Sanctuary Been To You To Me Has It Been The Very House Of God Has It Been A Place Of Feasting In Spiritual Things Waiting At The Post Of My Doors Have We Have Had A Real

[21:05] True Love To The House Of God I'm Sure Some Of You Have If Not All I Feel I Can Say Without Posting God Forbid It Should Be But I Well Remember Before I Went There To Speak That Cause At Ted In Was My Sturial Help And There Was A Waiting At The Post Of My Doors And When The Lord I Trust Sent Me Out To Preach Do you Know It Times That I Could Not Pass That Place Of A Sunday Morning I Had To Go In Other Directions To The Same Place As Where Appointed Of Course Engaged But I Could Not Go Past That Place I Found As

[22:05] Tears Rolling At My Cheeks In Leaving That Place On The Sabbath Day Waiting At The Post Of My Do Excuse Me Speaking To Us Another Little Instance Comes To My Mind And That Is To Do With Hawker's Chapel I Believe I Can Say I Worshipped There Over Fifty Years Ago Sixty Years Ago And That Little Cause Was Filled On A Sunday Evening Filled And That Place Was Being Made A Better To Me Many Times No It's More That There Was A Waiting Late Miss West Used To Give Me The Key Of That Little Sanctuary And Asked Me To Go In Saturday

[23:06] Evenings To Open The Ventilators Mondays To Close Them And I Can Tell You Not Most Of Me But Saturday Evenings As I Poured Out My Heart To God In Prayer For The Blessings Of His Grace Might Rest Upon Many That Come That Should Come There Was A Waiting At The Post Of His Do Don't Say it Boast Only God Friends Don't Think So For A Moment I Was Humbled To Think That I Even Possessed A Key Of The Sanctuary And There's A Waiting At The Post The Doors Or If This Could Be More So To Die Die Would Be In A Far More Prosperous Spiritually

[24:07] Condition Waiting At The Post Of My Doors I'm Sure Some Of You Come To The Sanctuary That Sometimes You Come Into The Lobby And You Say Lord Come May There Be A Word For Me May There Be A Promise For Me May There Be A Few Crumbs Scattered May There Be A Few Touches Of Thy Love And Mercy In My Heart Waiting Here Friends This Is God Honoring God Honoring He Loves To See His Dear People Waiting Even Outwardly That Is In The Means Of Grace Or At The Door Seeking His Blessing Or Waiting For A Crumb

[25:07] Of A Table No We Do Not Hesitate Or Doubt In Any Way Respecting This Word Spoken Blessed Oh How Blessed Are These People Than That Hear His Voice Watching Continually Daily At His Gates And Waiting What For For The Blessing Sometimes We We Have To Wait A Long Time For What We Desire Sometimes The Lord Keeps Us Waiting His Time Is Best We Often Think Ours Is Have I A Poor Wasting Soul Here It Comes To My Mind And Our Dear Afflicted Friends Can't Come As it Were At A Sanctuary But They Been Waiting At The Post

[26:07] Of His Doors And His Gates Waiting In The Word In The Holy Scripture Waiting For The Favour Of God Waiting To Hear From Him We Don't Know We Don't Always Know What Goes On In The Hearts Of The Lord's Dear People And Even Some That Are Near And Dear To Us For The Tide Of Nature We Don't Know Things Many Things I Believe Is Hid From Us But They Are Watching Daily At My Gates And Waiting At The Post Of My Do Waiting Have I Won A Poor Soul Been Waiting At The Post Of The Do For May May May Be Years To Receive The Full

[27:07] Forgiveness Of Sin Your Thoughts May Be Well I Hear One And Another They Receive Forgiveness And Here I Am Still Jogging Along Day By Day Trying To Watch Trying To Look Trying To Pray But No No It Will Come Dear First It Will If There's A Deep Desire In Thy Heart For These Rich Blessings Of The Gospel They Come But There May Be A Waiting A Waiting Time Still Wait Still Long Still Wait In The Right Place At The Post Of His Door You Can't Go Wrong Dear The Lord May Come Suddenly Unexpectedly And Give You What You Desire The Time Of Love Will Come When Thou Shall Clearly See Not Only That He Shed His Blood But

[28:08] Thou Shalt Wait Save For Me Waiting At The Post Of His Do Waiting Blessed Place To Wait Dear For Church It's Better Than Waiting At The Post Of Us Place Of Amusement Isn't It Waiting At This Post Of My Do Says Christ We Read Of Many In The Scripture That Had To Wait A Long Time And Not Only We Read Them In The Scripture But We Know Them Many Of Them Who Have Had To Wait And Wait And Wait For Our Blessing Still Knocking Still Waiting The The

[29:10] The Word Of Truth And The Doors Of The Sanctuary You You Will Not Wait In They And Our Text Says For Oso For Oso Findeth Me Findeth Life Now God Has Chosen His Own People As You Have Heard Over And Over Again From This Book He's Chosen His Own People Who So Findeth Me Who So Findeth Who Are They Who Are They Every One Deference Every Gay Poor Sinner

[30:11] Chosen From All Eternity Will Find Life That's Our Text Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life Don't Think That We Can Find God That Is In Their Own Strength And Their Own Ability And Good Behaviour And Self Righteousness Far Far From It No Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life No The Lord He Gives Life And When That Life Is Given This Is Of Spiritual Life Then The Poor Sinner Would Find Him Because There Is Spiritual Life Within That Cannot Do Without Him You Have To Cry With The Poet Jesus Save Me Or I Die

[31:11] Jesus Is The One Thing Need For I Without Him Perish Must Oh So Findeth Me And Dear Friends It's Amazing Sometimes I Don't Know Why It Should Be But It Does Seem So To Be Amazing At Times How The Lord Has Taken Some And Left Others Oh Where We See The Electing Love Of God All Described In The Ninth I Believe Chapter Of Romans Jacob Have I Loved Esau Have I Hated Who So Findeth Me Jacob Found It Not Esau Both Of The Same Family Oh The Mysterious Dealing Of God How He Can Take One Of A Family And Two Of A City And Bring Them And

[32:11] Leave Hundreds And Thousands To Perish But He For Who So Find Find Oh What A Favour To Find Well As I Said First He Finds Us He Finds Us That Is The Lord Jesus Christ Not For What He Do Why All Power Is And Knowledge Is In Him He Knew Where We Should Be Born The Him Writers Speaks Of It So Plainly Every Place Appointed By God For The Birth Of A Child For Us All Appointed By God Who So Findeth Me Well The Lord Jesus Came

[33:11] To Find Portion To Call Poor Sinners To Make A Way For Poor Sinners To Do Good To Poor Sinners To Teach Poor Sinners To Wound Poor Sinners By His Spirit To Heal Poor Sinners Well It's All Couched Up In The Words We Quoted This Morning He Is The Way The Truth And The Life Who So For Who So Findeth Me Every One That The Lord Has In His Mercy Has Come For In This Life Will Be Found And They Shall Find Him Jesus Said I Came Not To Cause Sinners

[34:12] The Righteous But Sinners To Repentance It's Sinners Poor Sinners Vile Sinners And Some Of The Vile That Will Find This Life Who So Findeth Me Findeth Life Now This Life As You Know Is A Spiritual Life It Can't Be Obtained But From One Source Speaking With All Reference This Life Spoken Of In Our Dex Is Of A Spiritual Nature It Can Only Be Given To Them Whom Christ Died For Only To Them Who Have Been Redeemed Now Here's Another Great Mystery Some Of Them Obtained That

[35:12] Life Before Jesus Came Before He Suffered Before He Bled On Calvary's Cross But They Found Him And We Have That In The Old Testament In The Song of Solomon I Have Found We Have A Wonderful View Here Of The Church Of God And The Church Of God Crying Out In Other Words The Bride Here Again It's Recorded In The Song of Solomon Of His People The Bride Coming Up Out Of The Wilderness Leaning Upon Their Beloved And In The Third Chapter We Read On Thy Bed I Sought In O My Soul Loved I Sought In But I Found In Not And

[36:12] The Church Says I Will Now Rise And I Will Now Rise And Go Into The Streets And Into The Broadways Or Arise From The Bed We May Look At That Dear Friends In Two Viewpoints There's A Bed Of Slope He Is Not A Bed Of Exercise Not A Bed Of Prayer But A Bed That We Lay Upon At Times Not Entering Into The Gates Or Waiting At The Post At The Door Well This Church Of God These People Couldn't Find Him On The Bed Therefore They Arose Went Into The Street Into The Sanctuary Do You

[37:12] Know Anything About It I Believe Those Words Somewhat Do-tale With Their Text This After They Arose To The Bed Went Into The The Street Into The Sanctuary Open Why It Speaks Of It Here Whoso Findeth Me Findeth And Shall Obtain Favour The Lord Or In Other Words Watching At My Gates Into The House Of God Into The Broad Ways Think Into The Promises Of The Past No God No No Exercise Of Soul And There The Poor Sinner At Times Journeys Along Still Waiting At The Post Of His Doors Watching Daily But Have I Not Quoted The Time Of Love Will Come And What Do We Read In That Fourth Verse I Have Found Him O My Soul

[38:12] Love For Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life Given By The Lord It's Really This A Spark Of Grace A Spark Of Spiritual Life From Heaven Not From The Earth From Heaven Dropped Into The Heart Into The Soul Simple As That Deerance That's Not Of Man Is It No Earthly Man Can Give You The Spark Or Grace From Heaven It Must Come Through Jesus And The Lord Jesus Is Pleased To Use By His Holy Spirit The Spark Of His Grace To Drop Into One's Heart And

[39:13] There's Life Spiritual Life Within The Soul From That Very Moment There's A Turning From That Very Moment Light Life In The Soul Will Make Us Feel That What We Are In The Sight Of God In Some Measure As Our Sinner And So The Lord Works Mysteriously Yet Most Blessedly Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life

[40:18] Life Compelled To Do It Leaving The Broad Way And Entering Into The Now That Spark Will Give Light That Spark Will Give A Tenderness Of Spirit The Star Of Life Will Turn Our All Course And There Will Be Unhungering For Things That We Never Hungered For Before And

[41:19] There Will Be A Seeking Within Our Heart For Things That We Never Sought For Before Heavenly Nature Heavenly Blessing Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life And That Life Is Eternal Ever Losty I Have Said At Times When We Come To Depart That Is By Death That Life In The Soul Will Return To The Giver Spiritual Life Can't Be Lost The Whole Carnal Nature That Will And We Would Thank God It Is No Wonder The Apostle Said Oh Wretched Man Who Shall Deliver Me From This Body Of Sin And Death That's What He Wanted To Get Rid Of The Body Of Sin And Death But The Sparks The Life Within The

[42:19] Soul That's Placed There Be God By God And That Will Return Unto God At Least I Believe So In The Soul That Is In Nothing That God Has Given In A Spiritual Way Can Be Lost Otherwise Can't Be Buried Can't Be Forgotten As It's The Gift Of God And It Will Return Unto The Giver Whoso Findeth The Findeth Life Now As This Life Is Eternal It's A Life Throughout A Never Ending Eternity It's A Life In Heaven No Sin Pure Life Blessed Life The Thing Is Praises Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life

[43:20] And In The Closing Of Our Text It Says And Shall Obtain And Shall Obtain Favor Of The Lord The Better Part Of This Text And The First Word In It Dove Tells Together Blessed Now What Are The Favors Of The Lord They Shall Just Bear In Mind They Shall It's The Promise Of God God's Promise And They Shall Obtain Favor Of The Lord Blessed Is The Man Well Dear Friends If We've Had A Little View Of The Lord Jesus Christ As He's Travelled Along Through His Pilgrimage Here And Realized

[44:21] What He Went Through Was Forever So Through The Path Of Salvation In That Work Of Salvation For Our Good For Our Eternal Life And Shall Obtain Favor Of The Lord Oh What A Favor To Be In The Covenant What A Favor To Have Our Name In Heaven What A Favor It Is To Have The Blessing Of God What A Favor It Is To Be In The First Clause Blessed Is The Man That Heareth Me Blessed People I Cannot Describe The Blessedness Of It I Come Here Dear Friends Dumb As It Were To Describe The Favors Of God We Can Speak Of A Few Of The Favors Why

[45:21] Was I Made To Hear His Voice And Enter The Wals Of The Room Oh What A Favour What A Favour To Be Wrought Upon By The Spirit Oh What A Favour That One Has Stood In Our Ruined Place Instead What A Favour That One Has Born Our Sins In His Own Body Born Them In In In In Soul That We Might Go Isn't It A Favour Isn't It One Of The Favours Friends That We Shall I Trust Praise Him For Throughout mercy. No, nothing knocking at the door of mercy, nor waiting the both of its doors. What will be the outcome of that?

[46:37] Well, we have it in the last verse, but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death.

[46:52] I think that's very manifest every day of the week. They that hate the Lord, and to hate the Lord is to hate his word, and hate his truth, and hate even the oath of God.

[47:09] They love death. Oh, what a solemn thought to be lost. And to only hear his voice in wrath, not in mercy, but in wrath. Dear friends, what a favour.

[47:26] What a favour. No wonder David prayed, Remember me with the favour that thou bear this other thy people. Oh, visit me with thy salvation.

[47:40] May it be our Lord to be remembered of God. If we know anything of his voice, we have been remembered.

[47:54] And oh, what a mercy if we are found with them above. above. All those whom Christ died for, and shed his blood, for every and what a favour it is to have a fountain.

[48:12] A fountain to be drawn to, and to be cleansed from all our sins. Sins of the past, sins of the present day, and that blood will cover the sins yet to come.

[48:31] Blessed gospel, full gospel, nothing left undone for these dear people whom the Lord has loved with an everlasting love.

[48:42] I'll receive it. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[49:17] Amen. Depending upon the help of God, I would direct your mind this morning