Feed me with food convenient for me (Quality: Very Good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I would again direct you to the book of Proverbs, chapter 30, and verses 8 and 9.

[0:24] Remove far from me vanity and lies, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee and say, Who is the Lord?

[0:51] Or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain. Amen. We tried a little this morning to consider this prayer remove far from me vanity and lies.

[1:27] And we spoke of it as being the language of a sinner taught by the Spirit of God in his blessed operations.

[1:46] And we no wish to go over the ground that we covered this morning but just finally upon that point remove far from me vanity and lies this poor soul that is led to pray this blessed prayer now comes to this Lord remove from me wickedness that is the stain of it that is the penalty due to wickedness it's a plea dear friends for pardon remove far from me my every sin my every sin Lord and remove far from me the old Adam sin everything Lord that will cast me into the pit you see dear friends this is sin here and salvation remove give and that's what God does through his dear son he removes the guilt the filth of sin dear friends he removes it and he removed it through the precious blood of his dear son shed upon Calvary's tree and that's what each and every poor sinner taught of God will come to in their experience remove from me Lord vanity wickedness and give me what?

[3:58] blessed food and that is the body and the blood of Christ Jesus but now we want as enabled give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me what gracious teaching has gone on in the heart of this dear man the teaching of the knowledge of his own heart the teaching dear friends of gracious submission to the will of God that's here feed me with food convenient for me what does that mean?

[5:01] the marginal reference there is of my allowance that which is convenient that which will do me good that which Lord thou hast provided for me that which is my portion I don't know how it is with you dear friends but you know when we seek to come before the Lord in prayer and I must speak for myself perhaps but you know we we map out a path don't we for the Lord to walk in we want this we want that and we ask him for this and that because we think we need it oh what submission there is here feed me Lord with that food which is convenient for me which I need which will be to thine honour and glory

[6:13] I would speak of it immediately concerning the church militant here below and I would speak lovingly to you and to myself you know dear friends I hope and trust that we are not amongst those that feel that the measure of a man's ministry is by the number of people that are baptised into his or his church because dear friend you see God is a sovereign there are the blessed sheep in our congregations and we believe there are the lambs now it may be in this dark day in which we we live what we're looking for is additions to churches and so that our requests that the throne of grace are for increases well now that's good but the Lord may withhold his hand and why is that because dear friends the ministry will feed the sheep as well as the lambs and oh that we may be given grace to seek that he will feed us in our churches with that which is convenient for us better to have five souls in your church who are grounded and settled upon the blessed truths of the everlasting gospel than fifty with airy fairy notions in their head you see dear friends oh what grace is needed to come where the Lord

[9:00] Jesus came and we can only come there by the grace of God not my will but thine be done may we in our churches dear friends not look so much at numbers but the very root the very essence the foundation which is Christ that the dear sheep of Christ may be fed as well as the lambs give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me now dear friends this comes home individually doesn't it it comes home to you and I have we prayed this before God

[10:10] I believe we've known a little of it and we've known a little of it in this way Lord whatever it will cost me now that's not the word of the flesh that's not the voice of the flesh but I believe it is the voice of one who has been taught that without Christ he or she is nothing Lord whatever it may cost me bring me to thyself bring me to thyself Lord don't leave me to be a cast away don't leave me Lord to myself don't leave me to the world and the things of it

[11:18] Lord if it brings me to nothing deal with me in love and mercy feed me with food convenient for me but oh what a blessing it is if we can come with those first two words feed me Lord feed me what do you want to be fed with well we spoke this morning about this soul being an honest soul being a soul that desires living reality now it's to be fed with that which God purposes that we should know that which we should have that which will do us good that's the meaning of convenient now dear friends that may be the path of affliction it may be the path of trial it may be the path of loss it may be the path of darkness and it may be the path dear friends of a patient waiting upon God now this is food dear friends and this food dear friends that will be convenient for you and that will do you good will bring you into this place that you'll feed upon

[13:20] Christ so that you will lose the creature you will lose self feed me with food convenient for me this is how God will deal with you dear friend because he will be everything to you yes he will or effort added to God it's God's work and God's work alone from beginning to end this is why this is a blessed place of submission to the will of God and to the path of God concerning you and all the teaching Lord it's the right way I know it's the right way if I put my hand to it I shall mar it I shall muddy the water but Lord let it be thy way so that it does me good so that it strengthens faith and hope and love and cause forth an obedient walking in thy fear feed me with this

[14:39] Lord and oh it goes further this dear man give me neither poverty nor riches in this what is he saying Lord I've got such a wicked heart such a deceitful heart such a proud heart Lord let it be what is good for me like that so that I'm not lifted up with pride lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord I want to deal with that for a moment I know I'm rambling tonight but dear friends I do trust there's a purpose in it lest I be full and deny thee ah dear friends do you seek for great blessings for wonderful revelations why do you so that you can parade it so that you can stand head and shoulders above others and say

[16:11] I had a wonderful revelation light shone in upon that word and it was opened up to me so wonderfully dear friends the pride of our hearts makes in grace a snare and this dear man of God knew it you see Paul was given a thorn in the flesh those are balancing that he should not be puffed up above measure there may be those here tonight dear friends that feel this that they got nothing they've got no great thing to speak of dear friends can you say this feed me feed me Lord with that which I need that which should be good for me you may hear of those that come before the church and hand in their testimony they may speak for an hour and a half and another poor soul may only be five minutes but oh in that five minutes the very savour of

[17:39] Christ is known and felt they've been given that dear friends which was convenient for them leave the long testimonies leave them oh let's have a bit of reality a bit of life not many years ago in a certain place you know a dear young woman came before the church and she gave her testimony testimony and it was she was a sinner she was a sinner god had shown her dear friends what she was and had blessedly led her on to see a precious

[18:53] Christ if that's old fashioned dear friends let's have more of it don't you worry dear young friends you may have but very little some of you older friends you may have come before the church many years ago and now you look around at some of the others and you think well I've got nothing dear friends if you've got this in your heart remove far from me vanity and lies feed me with food convenient for me this is God's way of bringing you to himself you see not all are shaken over hell dear friends not all are dealt with up by like Saul of Tarsus not all dear friends are left to fall openly and outwardly like some of the saints of old but you see there are the Ruths there are the

[20:01] Lydias God is a sovereign he knows how to teach you how to bring you friends do we know a little of this in our own heart lest I be full and deny thee why is it God withdraws his blessed sensible presence dear friends from his dear people he may have blessed them in their soul and raise their hearts up into heaven feelingly and then he withdraws why is that to keep the sinner low lest I be full and deny thee do you know what it is dear friends to withhold prayer do you know what it is dear friends to be left to a cold indifference why is that you're full of self lest I be full and deny thee you see it's a needy sinner that needs

[21:27] Christ it's not a full sinner it's not a full soul that's hungry it's an empty soul and dear friends if you know what is in your heart and I know what is in mine you'll be fearful of this Lord don't let me deny thee don't let me turn my back upon thee and say who is the Lord I don't need him now I'm out of this difficulty I've been raised up out of it I was helped last Lord's day in spite of all my fears and tremblings I was helped last Lord's day and one or two people came to me and said they'd got on so well dear friends you know what's in our hearts don't you we're a little more proficient now aren't we feelingly in our old nature but you see

[22:32] God will withdraw we deny him we're full of self importance oh that we may be given eyes to see and that this is in our hearts and then he goes on to say oh lest I be poor and still and take the name of my God in vain we spoke about this character being an honest character made so by the grace of God and this character dear friends will not take anything to himself or herself that God has not given them but they fear they might you may hear others speaking of their blessings their helps under the ministry of the word how

[23:47] God has come to them and blessed them and how light has been given and that's true they've had those blessings if they speak out of an honest heart but now poor soul you'll hear that and you've got nothing you cannot speak of great things you cannot speak of helps by the way the Lord is silent to you and you question whether you know anything of the work of grace in your heart now this dear man knew that experience he knew that and he asked the Lord hear give me neither poverty nor riches now this poverty lest I be poor and steal lest

[24:49] I take something from the word of God and call it my own which God has never given me I have stolen it how much religion have we got friends that we have stolen how much in our ministry do we bring forth that we have stolen it comes close dear friend it does to this poor soul anyhow because he knows he knows what is in his heart and there's much more there that's never been revealed we know that but oh that we may be preserved from stealing from the word of

[26:00] God as dear Mr. Offer used to say here that our religion consists only in what God has done what God has given us nothing else and that may be little dear friends but if it's gold if it's a little gold it is of the part of the whole just a few trimmings from the ingot but they're trimmings of gold they're the real thing they're life they're power and if God has given them to you they're yours lest

[27:07] I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain you see this is what it is if we say well the Lord blessed me there that word was made sweet there and it didn't come from God at all we take the name of God in vain you say well how then are we to know how are we to know that we receive anything from God dear friends the blessed effects and this is a triangle of the spirits whether they be of God or now when God speaks with divine power dear friends and makes the word of his grace sweet there is an effect and the effect is this it lays a poor sinner in the dust of self abasement

[28:16] Lord I'm not worthy that's where it'll put you dear friend it'll put you in the dust but you'll put the crown on his head that's where your heart will go it'll go up unto God the giver now dear friends if you had a blessing from God that's been the effect of it it laid you in the dust in self abasement it's brought you to confess your unworthiness and your uncleanness and your sin before him there's a falling down and worship again yes there is and that's the effect of God's blessing upon you now has there been also dear friends in these places where Christ has been precious to you and that's another effect you worship him because he's precious to you and it may be only for a few moments that he's made precious to yourself our dear friends in the ministry here tonight may know what it is to stand in the pulpit and feel the blessed enduring with power from on high and to feel the presence of

[29:42] God with them in the ministry and they could go straight to heaven from the pulpit now that's the effect of the blessing of God our friends there's so much to die where there's the stealing of the word of God I would speak lovingly to you but I must warn you concerning it what effect have these things dear friends in our souls do they live on are they sweet later on in the week you see when there's some gleaning dear friends there's some beating out now where's the blessing in the week that you purported to have on the Lord's day is it gone by Monday have you forgotten it oh we need to question these things and to come where this dear man came lest

[30:58] I be poor and steal and take the name of God in vain our dear friends the dealings of God with your soul and with my soul are holy they're holy they're not to be trifled with you see dear friends when the Lord deals with your soul in this way and blesses you it's not for time that blessing is for eternity it's a sweet foretaste of heaven to come yes it'll help you on your way here it'll give you a little taste of joy to come a sweet taste of worship and adoration in heaven dear friend but it's for heaven that you've been given it it's a preparation these are some of the notes you know that the dear old servants of

[32:02] God used to speak of we learn the notes here below and these are some of the notes oh this dear character and he's a sweet and dear character to this man you see he doesn't want to be deceived remove far from me vanity and lies that which is not real that which is not true remove it from me Lord let me not take anything to myself which is not mine which thou hast not given oh the fear and trembling here to be deceived that God has done something for us when he hasn't done it at all but you see this would be a character a sweet character remove far from me vanity and lies every deceit every conceit

[33:08] Lord take it away from me now you see in the seventh verse he says this deny me them not before I die what's he asking for he's asking for this Lord make my calling and my election sure Lord tell me with thine own mouth that thou hast chosen me before I go hence and be no more confirm my interest in thy precious blood you see he needs that this poor soul and every child of God needs it before they go hence and be no more their confirmed interest in redeemer's blood and this was in his heart remove

[34:09] Lord all that is false remove everything that is of the flesh remove everything that is of the world everything which is mine and Lord feed me with that which is thine give me that Lord that which will stand in the trying hour that which will come through the furnace that which will endure wind and waves and tide that which will come through the deep waters and land my soul safely upon Canaan shore Lord feed me with that give me that Lord and give it me before I die our friends are you some here tonight with this desire in their heart one one more token one more token that you desire from your

[35:25] God your confirming interest in his precious blood and then you can go dear friends if that's in your heart tonight you've prayed this prayer it's been your language remove far from me everything that is of sin everything that is mine Lord give me that which is thyself it is Christ you say well we must leave it the time has gone remove far from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my

[36:26] God in vain dear friends it is my heart's desire that each and every one of us here tonight everyone and those who are not here that are near and dear to us each in the ties of nature may know this prayer in the reality of it in the blessing of it and in the fulfilment of it Amen May we be held to conclude with hymn 301 Well at length I plainly see every man is vanity in his best and brightest form but a shadow or a worm such a shade

[37:33] I am in view empty dark and fleeting too such a worm of nothing were crawling out and in the earth hymn 301 I OF TO KNOW HOWEeh IS JOHN LIKE AND ARE CARE qualifying CHOIR SINGS

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[41:53] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS ZANG EN MUZIEK O Lord, do cast a mantle of thy forgiving love over all that has been amiss in the services of this house this day.

[43:04] Lord, how far short we come. But thou art a sovereign God, and we do pray that thou would bless that which is thine, and may it have an abiding place in the hearts of the dear people.

[43:23] O Lord, do now take us to our homes in peace and safety. Lord, may there still be a little dew, remain on the branch.

[43:36] O Lord, that we may not lose upon the doorstep thy word, but do make it life and power to us.

[43:49] And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with us all.

[44:01] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[44:12] Amen. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, Amen.

[44:23] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Fon im and me. object. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[44:33] Amen. Amen. Amen.