[0:00] In 720, June 494, endless blessings on the land, broken hearts repeat the things, his dear heart is broken too, when he bore the curse of Jesus.
[0:30] In 720, June 494.
[1:00] In the world of peace, the Lord is broken. In the world of peace, the Lord is broken.
[1:17] In the world of peace, the Lord is broken. In the world of peace, the Lord is broken.
[1:31] In the world of peace, the Lord is broken. In the world of peace, the Lord is broken.
[1:46] In the world of peace, the Lord is broken. In the world of peace, the Lord is broken.
[2:10] Medicare National Public Charlottes of rabies Amen.
[3:05] Amen. Amen.
[4:05] Amen. Amen.
[5:05] Let us turn to the Gospel according to John, chapter 14, and the 27th verse.
[5:21] The Gospel according to John, chapter 14, and the 27th verse. Peace I leave with you.
[5:32] My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
[5:51] There are many sweet portions contained in the Scriptures. And the sweetest to the child of God are those which the Holy Spirit has applied to his heart.
[6:08] And it is good when we are able to come to the Scriptures and as we read them, to come across those portions that the Lord in times past, not only spoke to his disciples, but applied with power to our own souls.
[6:31] Perhaps those times when we were in deepest stress or needed guidance and help and how the Lord came.
[6:44] And he came in such a way that we knew beyond all doubt it was him. There were those times when the disciples of old, they were separated from their Lord.
[6:58] And we read where he constrained them to go into the ship. And he remained upon the land.
[7:10] And as they went into that little ship, everything appeared to be all right. But how you see, the wind soon came, the storms came, and they were without their Lord.
[7:22] And they soon began to be afraid. And how the disciples in this chapter, the Lord Jesus having told them that he was about to depart from them, how they became troubled within their hearts.
[7:46] And the wonderful way in which he spoke to them, he said, Let not your heart be troubled. It's quite obvious that they were all of one heart. He didn't say, Let not your hearts be troubled.
[8:00] But let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. And when one is brought under death, the knowledge of death, that is death in the soul because of persuasion of sin, one is brought to believe in God, to believe in his holiness, and also to believe that we're lost.
[8:34] And what a trouble that is. I've never known a trouble like it. There are those troubles, painful troubles, that the Lord has led me into, but never have I known anything so painful, so long, as that where one was brought under deep conviction of sin and hell and eternity before me.
[9:09] And we believed in God. We believed his word was true. But we knew nothing of a precious Christ.
[9:22] There's a very solid place to be brought. But how he comes to his disciples and he says, Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God.
[9:34] Believe also in me. Oh, could we but believe, said one, then all would easy be, wouldn't it?
[9:46] Everything would be so easy if we could believe like some. But of course, some don't have the troubles, do they? And they don't have to prove their God.
[9:58] They have no desire to prove their God either. They're happy as the day is long. But apart from the grace of God, how will their end be?
[10:10] How much better to walk the pathway which the Lord has chosen for his people, however difficult whoever trying it may be.
[10:25] And yet, for the Lord to fulfill those promises and purposes to his people, why, they wouldn't have anything changed, would they?
[10:36] Would you? I know I wouldn't. And then he goes on to speak to his disciples in such a way to explain to them that although he was going, this was not something final, something where they would never see him again, where they would never feel his love, why, that would be something they could never bear.
[11:07] And yet, the awful conditions that we get into at times, careless, unconcerned, can't we see the necessity for the Lord bringing these very things into our experience?
[11:24] Now he says here, peace, I leave with you, peace. Do we know anything of it? Not the peace which the world always seeking after.
[11:37] They think that if they could obtain this and obtain the other, everything will be alright. We're no different. Job thought he was going to die in his nest, didn't he?
[11:50] Haven't he thought the same? I know I have. But how the Lord, you see, is wiser, far wiser than what we are. You see, if we had our way, we'd have everything that this life could afford, all the comforts of it, all the pleasures of it, and we'd never want to die, would we?
[12:13] We'd never want to leave it. We remember as a lad seeing a dear servant of God upon his deathbed, and he was in excruciating pain just a few days before he died.
[12:31] And he said, if I was made whole and made king of England with all the wealth, and no eternity at the end of it, he said, I won't change places.
[12:43] And why was that? Why? Because he'd found peace. Peace to such an extent it lifted him above all his pain, above all his sufferings, above all his trials.
[13:00] You see, he knew the same as others knew that there is a reality in religion, that which is of the Holy Ghost.
[13:13] Peace I leave with you. God has never promised in his word that this is going to be a constant peace. And we never want to misread his word.
[13:26] but there will be those times in the experience of the Lord's people when peace will prevail. And it's a different peace to that which the world seek after.
[13:43] My peace. Not the peace of the world. The peace of God. We cannot enter or understand the peace of God as he was about to suffer even as he spoke to his disciples in this portion.
[14:04] But he knew what was before him. How you see that peace prevailed. He calmly spoke to them and blessed them. Comforted them.
[14:17] Told them what would take place. And it is good when the Lord even in this speaks to his people and tells them those things which he intends to bring upon them.
[14:32] It may be with regard to leadings. People speak so glibly don't they? With regard to their leadings here and their leadings there.
[14:44] But when the Lord persuades a person would regard to certain matters. And then one is able by faith to wait to watch and to see the hand of God going before them.
[15:01] And when the ways the purposes of God unfold then a true peace is realized within their heart. They come to this conclusion.
[15:13] This God is my God. He did hear my prayer these leadings are of the Lord. And how Satan perhaps has come many a time and tempted us and said well of course your leadings were of the devil.
[15:27] They were of your own making. They were to satisfy your own fleshly desires. But there will be certain things that may come into your experience which you would not desire in your flesh.
[15:43] And yet you would ask the Lord for them. Smile me into fruit or chide said one if no other means will do.
[15:55] The child of God he doesn't shun chastisement chastisement not when he's rightly exercised within his heart he doesn't shun it because he knows this that is necessary there's teaching in it and the love of God is manifested in it but the flesh that shuns it doesn't it?
[16:22] But how we need to be brought into that place where we feel the peace of God within our heart so that we can say yes Lord whatever thy purposes may be whatever thy will may be I know it will be for my good his loving times past forbids me to think he'll leave me at last in trouble to sink and where would we be if this God was not our remembrance to bring to our remembrance those things which he had done not only for us but for his disciples of old he said let not your heart be troubled the very center of affection now you see we may be troubled with regard to the affections and the love of a creature but what are the affections and the love and the love of a preacher compared to the love of God shed abroad within the heart
[17:28] I'm convinced of this that when peace prevails when the Lord comes to his people and when he gives them that willingness they can leave everything leave everything in his wise hands knowing that he's too wise to earn and too good to be unkind peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you he was telling them although he was going in person yet this God was so different to any other God so different to any other man that although he was going from them he could still leave his peace he could still leave that with them and not only that the comforter and why should the
[18:33] Lord leave peace why should he leave the comforter why because his children they need it there's not much peace in the experience of the people of God and not much comfort when we come to consider it and balance it perhaps with the so called peace and comfort related to earthly things and earthly people but if you and I have known just for a moment something of that peace some of that comfort just for a moment is far better than any natural peace any natural comfort I'm not saying that we wouldn't appreciate natural comfort natural peace when it's needed of course we do and our nature is such we're always seeking after comfort and peace aren't we but I know what I would prefer
[19:33] I would much rather be in a turmoil even the world in a blaze and to have the peace of God shed abroad within my heart and to have the comfort and the knowledge of the work of redemption which suits my case so well does it suit yours troubled soul you who are troubled because of your sin because of your weak flesh because your inability to do as you would and that when you would do good you find evil present with you and not once or twice but constantly you have to say oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me it's not what people say about you it's what you feel within your own heart and you feel it and you say oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I can't no earthly creature can but peace
[20:40] I leave with you my peace I give unto you is the free sovereign gift of God to his people and this peace although known whilst here below in measure is kept and if you and I know something by experience of this peace however short if only just for a few moments it's eternal because it comes from the giver and the giver is eternal that peace will be realized not only as the Lord sees fit to manifest it in this life but also in death and also eternally if once the love of God we feel upon our heart impressed the marks of that celestial seal can never be erased never will dare some of us say we've never known this peace we've never known this comfort have we not proved the truth of this word that the
[21:57] Lord has left this not only on record but this actual peace whereby we are able to find peace and comfort within our hearts for the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things what teaching there is as this peace has prevailed within the heart how it shows you the emptiness of the things around how it shows you the reality of all those things which God has promised to his people and it will prove this to you that God's word is truth you'll never find anything however confusing it may be to our nature in the scriptures which is not truth and when that peace is prevailing within your heart you'll know it you may not be able to understand it but that peace and comfort will be such you'll say yes Lord well that's sufficient that which
[23:06] I know not here I shall know hereafter my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you no when the world give they may give of their abundance but perhaps there's pride or some self satisfaction in the way in which they give others may give stintingly but the Lord as he gives he gives freely he gives lovingly and what did he give how was this comfort how was this peace brought about there's only one way when we come to consider we talk about the peace we talk about the comfort that we've received but do we ever consider in fact we cannot rightly consider how it was procured how it was brought about that sinner smarting under the law being condemned sin within him all about him the remedy without him and then he sees it in the saviour's blood we can never we can never this side of the grave we may be able to in eternity but this side of the grave we shall never understand the sufferings of Christ the depth the sufferings not not only of that human sinless body but the suffering due to you due to me here we are the
[25:05] Lord's people of that great multitude which no man can number so that this peace could be procured not just for you and for me or for half a dozen but for the whole church of God the whole redeemed church of God and all those sufferings were placed upon him as it were an eternity of suffering due to the church of God and that payment was made by him without which there could be no true peace and no true comfort and I'll tell you this that if there's peace or comfort ever known by you in your heart and I'm speaking now of spiritual peace spiritual comfort and you'll know the difference if you've experienced it well then your sins were laid upon him he suffered in your stead not as the world giveth goodbye unto you would the world give as it were all they had suffer give everything as it were he gave his all gave as it were his righteousness yes he gave his all to the church of God so that his sufferings bring them into that place eventually where they are one with him where they are able to stand complete without sin without reproach without spot before his dear father it's remarkable when we come to consider how we need these things opened up to us as we go along let not your heart be troubled you believe in
[27:09] God believe also in me in my father's house and many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and then he goes on to speak about going to his father and how you see if he had known me he should have known the father but how he would go into the father and yet before he was able to go to the father that work of redemption had to be done and here we see him and as we spoke last evening and as I expect as you were reminded it was the very same night in which he was betrayed he took bread and said this is my body this is my blood the blood of the new testament the very night in which he was betrayed but how could he go to the father with the whole sense of church of the sins of the church of God before him and upon him no it was his work and it was the father's work yes don't let us forget the father's work it is the blessed trinity who is
[28:31] God the father can any father worthy of the name see his son suffer without being touched but how he had to say my God my God why hast thou forsaken me there are those that tell us his God never did forsake him well he says if it was so I would have told you he's not a liar if it were not so I would have told you his father could not this was part of the suffrages could not look upon his son bearing the sins of the church of God until the work was complete he said it's finished and then he could go to the father you and I can never enter heaven until that work the complete work of grace is accomplished within our souls until all the purposes of
[29:39] God are fulfilled concerning us they must and they shall be fulfilled have you ever thought of that Job did and he said therefore am I troubled in his presence when I consider I'm afraid of him have you ever walked with Job in this as you've considered that those things which God has in his purposes seen fit to lay down in eternity for you must and shall be performed according to his way according to his purpose and not according to your way or your purpose peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you now you see the Lord gives these things to his people these purposes these which for the want of a better word we call trials but they're blessings those things which we call afflictions they're blessings they're disguised perhaps because of our evil sinful frame but those things which as Job said which we fear most that come upon us are the greatest blessings and how you see the Lord he says peace I leave with you my peace
[31:09] I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you these things which I give you see the world they will give you the things which they think will bring comfort but they only think so they may do us more harm than good how often perhaps we've seen someone in suffering and we may have some particular medicine and we say well you try this it's done us a lot of good you try it it could do them a lot of harm we give it and we give it believing that it will do them good on the other hand we may try and help a person a person who may be in debt by helping them we may be doing a greater harm than good we may be encouraging them but here you see God says to his disciples not as the world give I give unto he knows he knows that which is best to give he knows the results he knows the fruit of that giving and therefore it must be the best you see when the prodigal returned bring forth the best road nothing but the best and this is what we can't understand isn't it it's beyond our understanding if the
[32:40] Lord accepted us and just accepted us perhaps with the scolding of some of that it would be easier dear man of God Clement Durbage when he left the church turned his back upon it and the Sunday used to go by the little chapel and people came out and they smiled at him and he said that was more painful to him than anything if they'd have turned on him if they'd have railed on him he could have understood it but they smiled at him and he said what a painful experience that was he used to try to avoid how different when the Lord smiles upon his people I said what a poor simile as the Lord smiled into your heart as it caused a pain not a pain because he smiled but a pain because of your sin because of your waywardness because of your wretched nature these are all things which the
[33:52] Lord gives to his people there was Peter and the Lord looked the Lord turned and looked upon Peter broke his heart didn't it why did it break his heart why because his sin was revealed he knew what a wretched he'd been he was reminded of the promises that he'd made to his Lord and the love of God in that look came back to him and all the promises he made under the influence of faith his own weakness was revealed wasn't it all creature merit was just dashed to the ground and he went and he went bitterly have you known what it is to weep bitterly at the goodness of the Lord something which the Lord has given you something which you haven't deserved and never will deserve only through him not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid ye fearful saints fresh courage take the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head oh but how fearful one becomes when they see the clouds before them they can't see beyond they can't see into the future if we could stand where
[35:31] Moses stood and view the landscape all it would be a little bit different wouldn't it but when there's a cloud in between where there's that trial that thing which is before you constantly and where Satan says where is now thy God where is now thy God if this God was your God you'd never be brought into this you'd never be brought into this trouble look at the religious world they're happy they're always able to sing the praises of God always able to do this always able to do the other but as for you you've no thought at times with regard to this God you only go to him when you're in trouble what does the scripture say in my distress I called upon the Lord not when everything was going fine when everything was prosperous do you call upon the name of the Lord when everything is prosperous we need much grace to thank the Lord for prosperity why even the heart uplifts with God's own gifts doesn't it make seem gracious now no the child of
[36:49] God he realises the goodness of his God in times of adversity and how the psalmist has said to the Lord thou hast known my soul in adversity has the Lord known your soul in adversity that's a testing time for your religion isn't it will it stand the test of adversity if it won't it won't stand the test of death will it indeed not let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid if this God is our God why should we be troubled why should we be afraid some years ago when in deep trouble I remember the singing from my very heart why should I fear a pain or woe or be at death dismay I can it could be landed view realms in this day
[37:52] I knew it I believed it I was almost there but how we have to be brought into those places oh and what's happened since how far away we've been and when we're in those places to be brought back and to realize we're in this body of sin and death you know the flesh doesn't get any better in fact the longer we live the worse it gets and it's only subdued under the grace of God and one thing that we lose sight of so often and that is the restraining power of God that restrains us from doing those things that we would do we've left to ourselves have you know something of it by experience how the hand of God has restrained you otherwise where would we be without restraint let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid one of the things which trouble the people of
[39:06] God is this whatever blessings they may have had however much they may have enjoyed the presence of God yet they're troubled because Satan troubles them and says yes but how's it going to be in the end how will it be when you really come down to the end we can be troubled about this one and that one but what about ourselves what about our own soul and our standing before God Paul he had a most wonderful called by grace a most wonderful experience the way in which the Lord went before him he was the greatest preacher that ever walked upon the face of the earth apart from the Lord Jesus himself and yet how he was brought to that place where he feared he might preach to others and prove at last to be a castaway let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid
[40:18] Paul was afraid and it's good to be afraid and I'll tell you why you take a child that's afraid it won't go very far away from the parent will it it'll hang on to that parent's hand as tightly as ever it can and when there's that fear within our heart the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom keep close to me thou helpless sheep ah but what does the sheep say what is it to keep close thy whole dependence on me fix nor entertain a thought thy worthless schemes with mine to mix but venture to be gnawed let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid but the fear that comes into our minds and why does it what is it that brings fear into your mind and into your heart well in a word sin if there was no sin there'd be no fear before
[41:34] Adam sin he had no fear of God there was sweet communion but when he sin he hid himself and tried to didn't he but how this God knew that he was afraid and how he soon found him he said Adam where art thou those words that have been spoken to your heart where art thou and how he tried to cover up his sin but have you ever come before this God not covering up your sin but as it were exposing everything and saying Lord here I am a helpless mass of sinful humanity utterly dependent upon the I'm afraid because of this mass of leprosy unclean unclean let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid ah but
[42:39] Satan says yes but what about death he may even try to tell us well of course and you know we can become so calm and so hard in our arms we were speaking to a friend we've known a number of years although for quite a long time we hadn't seen her last Sunday week we were asked to go and visit her she appeared to be unwell but not all that ill and how we told her how hard we felt when in hospital prayerless careless unconcerned dead she said I felt exactly the same she said the Lord broken upon my spirit softened me we hope to lay that dear soul in the grave in the coming day you know it is good when we're able to realize even those things the hardness of our heart is felt by the Lord's dear people they feared the Lord they spake often one to another they would have spoken about the hardness of their heart they would have spoken about their prayerless condition but they would also have spoken about the softening of his spirit within their heart and how the Lord took all their troubles away neither let it be afraid you see the heart is the center of feeling and sometimes our mind goes out to death in eternity and how will it be
[44:24] I've heard people say well of course I'm not so worried about where I should go but I'm more concerned what will my death be like will it be painful will it be a time of suffering I believe the child of God is more concerned as to whether his soul will be right at last more than how his end will come his natural death whether it will be painful or otherwise whether it will be long or some but how solemn if we have no real thought for eternity for those who are troubled with regard to eternity and their standing before God those who have known something of the comforter those who have known something by blessed experience of that peace of God within their heart let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid you've never had grace to bear a trial before the trial came yet have you and you won't have grace for death until it comes but I'm certain of this the Lord will never leave his people there may not be an evidence to those around but we know not what goes on in the unconscious mind we know not what goes on in that moment in the twinkling of an eye when that person is changed when their spirit leaves the body but we believe the word of God because he says if it were not so I would have told you and he's told us that we shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye there are some so holy in their own estimation they can't see the purpose of being changed but to one who is buffeted by satan one who is buffeted by their own sinful body that will be a glorious change won't it when this mortal puts on immortality then to be free from all these things where there be no more fear and where one will enter into that peace we speak much with regards the peace of God but do we understand it can we enter into it
[47:06] I don't believe that we say this reverently I don't believe it can be comparable to those most blessed moments of peace that we receive here and I'll tell you why on one occasion the Lord so blessed my soul with peace that I felt my very body would burst but to be given that body which is capable of understanding capable of bearing the fullness of the glory of the work of redemption and he says if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you a place where this peace could be fully enjoyed not for a few moments but eternally so what are the trials what are the sorrows when we come to consider those things which God has prepared let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid think on these things those things which God has prepared and the way in which he prepared his disciples as he departed from them and as he prepared them for what was before them so he will prepare us for what is before us we may not think so we may doubt his work as the same hymn writer says blind unbelief is sure to work and scan his work in vain but God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain peace
[48:55] I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid or to have fear taken away we see the world today we see the hearts of men failing because of fear they don't know what to do do they if only they had a God to go to if they had the God of whom we tried to talk this evening all their fears would prove to be groundless but if they haven't those fears which they have would in all probability prove to be greater and more painful even than what they realise or may then the God of the scripture the only true God be our God may we be made willing to be taught to be led to be instructed to be guided and then to be received by him may the
[50:04] Lord have his blessing amen amen for the names to gather in preaching next Monday evening in 976 tune 250 go Jesus to be wise position and stillful and exceeding came through him sinners by remission and enjoy sweet peace in night then understandable 976, June 251.
[51:20] Thank you.
[51:50] The fact that the coming years fill out the Easter Elegit and 201, and then release the Troopa Let's bless you, Lord.
[52:43] Let's bless you, Lord.
[53:13] Let's bless you, Lord.
[53:43] Let's bless you, Lord.
[54:13] Let's bless you, Lord. Let's bless you, Lord. Let's bless you, Lord.
[54:33] Let's bless you, Lord. And now, Lord, may we prove thy word.
[54:46] May we prove the truth of it in our own hearts. May we prove the truth that thou art our God.
[54:57] Give us, Lord, that faith to believe so that we may leave our all in thy wise and thy gracious hands.
[55:10] Do pardon and forgive anything thy pure eyes have seen amiss. Be with us as we separate. Give us journey and mercies.
[55:21] And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sweet communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us both now and evermore.
[55:37] Amen.