Present day needs for God's preservation (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] The word that has been upon my mind for this evening, as the Lord may grant help, you will find in the psalm that we read, the ninth psalm, and the last two verses, verses 19 and 20 in Psalm 9.

[0:20] Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, let the heathen be judged in thy sight, put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.

[0:40] Selah. This ninth psalm is titled the Psalm of David. Those of us that have been under the sound of the truth for many years are well acquainted with the tumultuous experience and trials through which David, the king of Israel, was safely brought.

[1:10] He ultimately was delivered out of the power of all his enemies. My friends, what a wonderful, wonderful evidence is in David's experience of the sufficiency of God to protect and the sufficiency of God to overcome those that would wrong the people of God, those who seek to hide under the refuge of the Most High.

[1:43] Now, I've had this text on my mind in reference more particularly to the prevailing situation that exists before us at this point of time in our national and international situation.

[2:08] because things are very, very delicate in the international scene with these terrible weapons of destruction that have been brought into play in a comparatively short time and they hold over us a cloud of possibility that just didn't exist prior to the past wartime period.

[2:46] Now, we also appreciate the lust for power and ascendancy that exists among the nations.

[2:59] No one can quietly accept the situation that God has decreed and brought to pass but we find especially among the most powerful nations of the earth antagonisms are very easily engendered.

[3:19] bitternesses fly means are employed to make it progressively difficult for one nation to continue while the other appears to rejoice in their success.

[3:38] Now, I'm not going to enlarge I'm not certainly in the pulpit to express political viewpoints but I do see the Lord who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who reigneth over the whole universe brings situations into being that should ever solicit the attention and the prayers of the Lord's people.

[4:12] One never knows in the nations of the earth what deliverances have been wrought by the prayers of what may seem to be a very insignificant minority and surely in this our day we have to look round comparatively upon the prevailing situation and agree that the influence of the church that is the real church the people of God the praying strength in the midst of society we seem to be so insignificant scarcely to be reckoned with in the high positions and councils of state.

[5:01] but my friends the strongest element of society really exists in those that know the throne of grace and what a great benefit what a great influence for good are the prayers of the praying remnant that are yet in the land and as the clouds gather and the storms threaten surely it behoves us as part of this blessed body that have been taught by the spirit to realise where real power and influence exists that is in the hands of almighty God it behoves us to be earnest in our petitions that God will hearken to our cries that he will preserve to us our possessions and give to us a goodly measure of internal peace as we proceed in life's way now

[6:17] David he had his problems we have our problems to David some of those problems seemed insurmountable and to us some of our problems many of our problems today appear to be insurmountable to us nevertheless let us ever remember the Lord God omnipotent reigneth the Lord my friends is able to use the weak things to overthrow the strong the Lord the Lord is able to turn his ear toward the cries of his people who appear to be at the ends of the earth and to hearken to those prayers and bring about deliverances that are not only locally advantageous but universally beneficial now the text starts arise

[7:25] O Lord let not man prevail I sometimes think of man being a terrible adversary to himself you know left to ourselves we're very easily inclined to take up positions and attitudes that are not constructive to our peace and to our prosperity we can rather add fuel to fire than we can quench the threatening flame and it behoves us ever to remember that we need the Lord to take us in hand and to deal with us and to prosper us in the need that obtains both personally and relatively in our circumstances arise

[8:30] O Lord now what a prayer is this just think of the cry of a humble person calling into activity omnipotency he that on Galilee's water caused the threatening waves to sink the ship and he arises in the call of his fearful disciples and says peace be still and there is a great car even the winds and the sea obey him just think of the tremendous influence of him who can command the stormy waves to be still he that can so control the fearful force of the wind that threatens destruction and bring a peaceable situation to bear my friends arise

[9:49] O Lord arise O Lord sometimes as we look into the trouble situation it seems as though the Lord has so forsaken us that he is leaving us to ourselves leaving us to that situation really that obtains in the this 20th verse put them in fear O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men that the nations may know themselves to be but men what of what are we capable if we're left to ourselves man is such a puny creature comparatively his highest attainment is but of little account when we think of the sufficiency of the

[11:04] Lord to do as he will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth none being able to stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou arise O Lord let not man prevail it's a very solemn thing to be ruled by a government that is self sufficient it's a terrible judgment when the Lord suffers the proud in heart to claim positions of authority which have their influence right down through society and we might say when we look at the whole situation that their influence is to be known in every sphere of commerce every sphere of industry every every every accomplishment in the way of schooling and man will assert his proud opinion and think that he's going to bring improvements many and various to pass and in the progression of time so much of his proud arrogant assertion is made to be seen as rather detrimental than any real and lasting advantage let not man prevail arise oh lord let not man prevail there is such a thing in the national interest to pray that the lord will overturn the devices of those that are actuated by purely their own wisdom and I suppose all of us that are of any length of life can mourn the occasions when it pleased god to teach us somewhat of the terrible nature of human pride and the great folly of self esteem we've been left to do something god in the very outworking of that proud approach has caused a scattering detrimental development that we can look back and say well

[14:04] I wish I'd never done that I wish I'd never come to that conclusion I was far removed from wisdom when I engineered that purpose and endeavour my friends all the necessity of divine help well may David in his dilemmas pray and well may we in this prevailing situation in our country and among the nations of the earth pray arise oh lord arise oh lord let not man prevail you know you know and I know and I said I don't want to get mixed up in political matters but you know the the demand of the whole burden of the western world particularly is to unite and in the unity and strength of the

[15:12] European concept they think we're going to be in a position of strength and power that will encourage a high standard of living and freedom from the fear of war and everything as it were to promote peace and prosperity among the western world well my friends man conceives these ideas and sees such promise at the end of the road if it comes to pass and the lord sits upon the throne and in some of these past historical situations the lord has blown upon the whole concept and scattered the nations of the earth in consequence well now arise oh lord arise oh lord our enemies are not only of military might and we may say commercial power but we have things to consider in the spiritual world arise oh lord what a terrible thing it would be if the lord permitted

[16:38] Roman Catholicism again to take over the reins of our country and to dictate the way of worship in so far as their practices require oh the bondage of priesthood the bondage of that misinterpretation of the word of god and the council of the most high our fathers suffered and some of them were willing to suffer even the consequence of martyrdom the way may be made for our country to possess the liberty of protestantism which you and I are enjoying this evening here we meet together and under a goodly measure of protection by the law of the land no other exterior power is sufficient to disturb us you know these are priceless things and we do well to consider them ere we lose them we lose them and we might lose them before we realize what has happened but we want the

[18:00] Lord as our defense arise oh Lord and let not what does it say and let not man prevail all these ways of men in high places that get together and conference and decide and laws are introduced that change out the pattern of our approach and so on and we almost lose our national identity by reason of their concepts let not man prevail all that the Lord would overturn and then we have the threat of Islam again something that I'm not publicly supposed to speak about but my friends to me it's it's an alternative religion that will bring nothing but trouble in its wake it's it's a concept of man that has gained considerable advantage in more modern days and if that religion was allowed to prevail and overcome the government of our country and the rules of our society my friends the face of

[19:31] England would be a different place and you and me would have to suffer some privations that would be hard indeed to experience and in the magnitude I was going to say of the spread of family and responsibility among the youth of our country what what's happening in reference to the future if so be the Lord doesn't restrain some of these proud and ambitious concepts to progress and establish themselves my friends now is the time as it were to take to heart the threat and to plead with God and who God that is able to deal with these things from his throne on high and bring the concepts of fallen humanity into disarray and to nothing we look back do we not historically as a nation upon the days of the reformation and what wonderful days they were because God arose

[20:54] God arose the situation prior to the reformation looked dark indeed but not too dark for God to deal with not too dark for God to raise a situation in our national life that brought the promise of freedom in the worship and the way of the nation and this God lives today let God arise oh let God arise may he scatter his enemies and our enemies for now arise oh Lord let not man prevail let the heathen be judged in thy sight that expression in that 19th verse seems to be the sum of need that presents itself before us in these days we need the

[22:08] Lord to raise up suitable deliverers who see the dangers who as it were have a clear view of the forfeiture of so much that has been our peace and prosperity in the national context these things are under threat and it's a great mercy if the Lord would raise up those in our midst who conscious of the need would exhort the people to commit the situation to him who's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think for now arise O Lord let not man prevail let the heathen be judged in thy sight what we're saying really in essence is oh may true practical godliness have an influence yet again in our national life that produced a situation in former generations when we became the envy of the world when the

[23:30] Lord took as it were these little islands the British Isles under his blessing and gave promotion in such a way and to such a degree that the greater nations of the earth look to us for examples in conduct and in government and in law and so many many other ways let arise O Lord let not man prevail let the heathen be judged in thy sight and the heathen will go on from strength to strength seeking to further their own interests and to establish their alternative modes of worship except the Lord deal with the situation there seems no interest in high places to recognize what is happening to recognize the inevitable consequence of the road now we are taking but my friends it's a great mercy if the

[24:48] Lord has opened our eyes to see and to call upon his name and you say well who am I what influence can I exercise in my little sphere and so on my friends don't try and win the day by your own energies and activities in communicating to other men take it to the Lord in prayer take it to the Lord in prayer praying souls have wrought miracles of deliverance in days that have passed and the same God lives today the same power is to exercise among the nations of the earth and he can overthrow not only nations but denominations as denominations may seek to introduce various religious dogmas and practices that are inconsistent with the spiritual welfare and peace and prosperity of our nation let arise

[26:00] O Lord let not man prevail let the heathen be judged in thy sight what David is praying Lord take over Lord take over it's a matter it's a time for thee O Lord to work the situation is out of hand as far as men are concerned it needs the interposition the power the grace the mercy of the most high to bring about a deliverance well now you notice in this prayer there is a confession that the proud heart of man shall be laid low the Lord God is a very jealous

[27:00] God he's jealous of his own glory and we should desire that the Lord will exercise his power to promote such things as ultimately will bring honour and glory to his own name there's a terrible urge in our hearts by nature to support things which we consider will give us an advantage man is a proud creature I am one I am one you know in coming into a pulpit I've got an awful burden that I'm not going to try and say things that will as it were commend me to the hearts of my hearers I want to be delivered from an exercise of human pride that would as it were seek to gain advantage in the congregations to which I speak by what

[28:15] I am led to say I want the Lord to be exalted I want his name to be honored I want the instrument to be as nothing as the great apostle says though I be nothing well now let's just look at this put them in fear oh Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men I wonder when we hear and read of the great councils of state I might say the international gatherings together of those in high places rulers of the world as we may unite them together and label them you know there's there's an awful amount of greed to gain for personal advantage to be as it were famous in the end result of those things that are accomplished or decided and

[29:41] I sometimes think of the gatherings in our own government if you like and then when we go overseas to consider the international situation and we appreciate that men are there delegated maybe a very democratic way to hold office but how much of their contention is not particularly focused on the general well-being of those they represent but on their personal position personal fame that the nations may know themselves to be but men but men you know real humility will embrace that standard that we shall know ourselves to be but men who are we who are we the most able person as it were is very very limited by the restrictions of manhood we are but creatures with gross limitations our thoughts we don't know what a day may bring forth we don't know what tomorrow will hold for us we live as it were waiting to learn what the will of

[31:41] God will produce in the way of life that we're called upon to tread and what a mercy it is to have no confidence in the flesh to have that approach commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he will bring it to pass man is so dependent man is so inexpressibly small the nations of the earth are but as a small dust of the balance in the eyes of the Lord God on high and when we come to individuals when we come to personal considerations oh how we should approach the situation that we are what we are that is poor ignorant limited creatures that need the

[32:47] Lord who knows all things about all things to guide us and to keep us and to prosper us in those ways that shall be for his glory and also for our good it's a wonderful thing when we're brought down to this principle to know that we are but men that we are but men conferences exist in the hope of gathering together the opinions of a number of people and between and among themselves they will sort out the situation and come to a conclusion which shall be to the advantage of the contributors to the talks but my friends look at the whole band of them look at the whole company of them and left to themselves they're only but men and you know as I know how easily man can make mistakes man can arrive at false conclusions man can think that things will work this way and instead they seem to work diametrically in the opposite direction all to know ourselves but men to know and for the nations of the earth what a prospect of peaceable outcome there would be if the rulers of the universe could but humble themselves and acknowledge the absolute supremacy of the creator of the universe and bow and seek that he would direct he would overrule he would make a way where there appears to be no way peace is so valuable isn't it peace the gospel is a gospel of peace because peace is allied to true real prosperity and we do appreciate what is necessary to the bringing to pass of a peaceable conclusion in so many areas and so many incidents in life's way that the nations may know themselves to be but men national pride can be a curse it can be a curse because it seems to set fire to an idea that because we are in a preeminent position therefore we can dictate what we think to be advisable although if we all could come to this conclusion our dependency upon the

[36:24] Lord in every area and every responsibility and every decision seeking what is exhorted to us praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit not as it were crediting ourselves with the attainments we have gained but rather looking with thankfulness to the Lord for that measure of prosperity that he has given and realise that by his giving we haven't acquired any satisfactory sufficiency in and of ourselves we need to go again and again and again to the same one who is able to guide us is able to keep us is able to uphold us is able to protect us and able to feed us and clothe us and give us every requirement in our course through life it's a wonderful thought consider the lilies how they grow they torn up neither do they spin yet

[37:49] Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these our father in heaven is acquainted with every need that obtains in our lives here below and there is that beautiful word in Philippians 4 19 that I believe is written on my heart by the Lord himself that my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus and the great prophet Elijah could go to the widow woman who was just about at the end of everything she was gathering of two sticks and she was going to make the last meal for her and her son and the Lord by his sovereign goodness directed the great prophet Elijah to the situation and he says to her the barrel of meal shall not waste neither shall the cruise of oil fail until the Lord shall send rain upon the earth what happened well the barrel of meal never wasted and the cruise of oil never failed because the

[39:10] God of Elijah and the God of the dear woman that was brought to the end of everything was sufficient to multiply everything needful for the continuation of the feeding of both the widow woman and her son with that extra requirement of the prophet he said but make me a little cake first and the barrel of meal not only was sufficient to supply the need of the two she was laboring for a meal but also to satisfy the hunger of the great prophet of the Lord Elijah and my friends yes sometimes the future seems providentially dark and difficult and they're telling us we're coming into times of more stringency in our standard of living well what have we to fear what have we to fear you say but there is such a thing as hunger and thirst in the world there is such a thing as poor people with an insufficient supply to meet the needs of their families as well as themselves that does obtain well my friends

[40:41] I don't want to sit in judgment but I wonder how many that are in those straits really knows the truth of the gospel knows where to take the problem to whom to commit that situation dire and extreme as it is from a natural viewpoint into the hands of him who is able to supply all the need of his people as that need arises let not man prevail arise oh lord let not man prevail let the heathen be judged in thy sight put them in fear oh lord that the nations may know themselves to be as men what a wonderful conclusion we have in our meditation no confidence in the flesh no confidence in the flesh but a sufficiency of faith to believe that what god has said god can do my friends there is a responsibility which I reiterate in the situation as it confronts us now generally speaking there is much need of the intercessory prayers of the lord's people through the name and for the sake of jesus christ to plead with the god of heaven that he will come and save us save us from the enemies that exist toward us in the world to save us from those enemies that are within the very midst of us and to save us from having any confidence in an arm of flesh but looking with single eye and humble spirit to him who is all sufficient to meet every need of his people seek and ye shall find ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you

[43:08] I leave these few remarks exhorting you personally not to leave it to everybody else but to seek to cast your might into the heavenly treasury by seeking the help and deliverance of god at this present time of need amen