Separation and restoration (Quality: Good)

Norwich - Zoar - Part 37

Sermon Image
Minister

Pont, Philip

Date
April 11, 1999
Time
18:00

Transcription

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.

[0:00] I again ask you to turn to the book of Psalms, Psalm 80 and verse 19. The 80th Psalm and the 19th verse.

[0:16] Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.

[0:36] I thought at the end of this morning service that there was nothing more to say. Seems concluded in my spirit, and that's where we would have to leave it.

[0:47] But it's not gone away, and neither have we anything else to turn to. So venturing on his help, we continue a little longer in this 19th verse.

[1:03] Just to remind you, a psalm that we spoke a little of this morning. In the dealings of the Lord.

[1:16] I felt as we read it, and indeed it would seem so, that this was not the enemy of the truth. This was not false brethren or unbelievers.

[1:30] This was the Lord's dealings with him. How often has Asaph had to be brought to see it? So if you remember the 73rd psalm is the psalm of Asaph.

[1:43] When he envied the foolish. When he saw the prosperity of the wicked. And the Lord told him in his house something of their destruction.

[1:55] And blessed be God, something of his consolation. And now here in this 80th psalm, his cry is, Unto his God, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.

[2:11] And he mentions, as it were, lays out before his God these dealings of God. And those low times and distressing times of which he had come into.

[2:25] And the people of God. And we said there was an application here to the people of God today, personally. And indeed for the cause of truth, the 14th verse and the 15th verse.

[2:43] Speaks very much of the sanctuary. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts. Look down from heaven and behold and visit this vine. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted.

[2:55] And the branch that thou madeest strong for thyself. If ever there was a time, my friends. And I was going to say, I suppose, in every time.

[3:07] If you go back in the history of the house of God. How the Spirit's work seems to ebb and flow. And the cry in far off days, I'm sure, in this house of God.

[3:22] Is as it is today. Look down from heaven. And behold and visit this vine. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted. And so the cry three times in this psalm concludes the psalm.

[3:37] Turn us again. A very sweet word. We said this morning, the dear man was troubled by the... And distressed by the way.

[3:48] By the pathway. By those things that have occurred in the way. But he looks to the God of all grace. The God who chastens his people. Although he chastens them in love.

[4:00] Teaches them by hard things. The psalmist speaks about terrible things in righteousness. But he looks to the same God. To his gracious God.

[4:12] And pleads this word. Turn us again. Do you know one of the most solemn evidences of the fall, you know. Is when the pathway being opposite to old nature.

[4:25] It brings us into rebellion. And there's such a need of a contrite spirit. Such a need of a submissive spirit. Such a need of grace to bow before the Lord.

[4:38] To acknowledge him as... That he rules over and overrules all matters for us. Both in soul or circumstance. And so the good man is praying.

[4:50] Good prayer, my friends. As if you and I find it written upon our heart. Turn us again. It is a great mercy if you can trace when he turned us once.

[5:02] I believe when grace enters the soul. That's the beginning of the turning. It's the turning of the soul away from the world. And its destitution unto the things of the gospel and of Christ.

[5:17] But this turning here, I believe, could be called restoration. That's another word that lies upon my mind as we look at this word.

[5:28] Turn us again. Restore us. We sang this morning. Where is the blessedness? I knew when first I saw the Lord. That dear hymn writer Calper wanted the Lord to return.

[5:41] Return, O holy dove, return, sweet messenger of rest. I hate the sins that made thee mourn and drove thee from my breast.

[5:53] Turn us again. But there's something that we might say here that should be, if the Lord should be pleased to use it. To be for our instruction as well as for our comfort.

[6:06] Though the matters that may be with you, deep and distressing and dark and so on, as it was with Asaph. Yet he had a God to go to.

[6:16] And he saw in his God the means and the way of restoration. And this which was my comfort as I looked at these words.

[6:28] However sinful you may feel to be. However dark the pathway may appear to be in your eyes. However low you may feel cast down by reason of soul troubles or circumstantial troubles.

[6:44] My friends, this is the mercy that the Israel of God has to rejoice in. That their God has not turned from them. He is still their God.

[6:57] He is still to be inquired of. And he waits to answer prayer. Oh turn us again. Restore.

[7:08] Bring us back to thee. Bring us to the footstool of mercy. May we be found like the man who was possessed with seven devils.

[7:18] May we be found there. At the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind. May we be found where Mary was in the tenth of Luke.

[7:29] Sitting at Jesus feet. Hearing his word. You know sin separates. It always does. My friends. It always will. Sin but thy sins.

[7:41] The prophet said. I've separated thee from thy God. This dear man knew it. And he sought the Lord. It is not from him there is to be a turning.

[7:52] It was from his God. And it is by the way that he shall turn them. And where shall he turn them? Whom shall he turn them to? You know my friends.

[8:04] When the Lord deals with you. And deals with you in his mercy. And yet in his goodness. It is to this my friends. It is to teach us to profit.

[8:16] But oh hell sadly. Does our old nature receive this teaching. And there is this need of the Lord.

[8:26] To turn us again unto him. Turn us again oh Lord God of hosts. Turn us unto thee. May we look once more. Towards thy holy temple.

[8:38] May it please the Lord. That though it be a look. A feeble look. May it be a faithful look. Unto him. Fresh sin you know. Will cause distress and darkness.

[8:50] Fresh times when. There is a sense of sin again. In our members. Indwelling sin. Creeps in.

[9:01] And it brings darkness. And it brings a separation. My friends. The Lord enable you to plead this word. That he will turn us again. Not we will turn to thee.

[9:13] Many preachers if it was able to do so. Many would try to point out. That it's with them to do it. It's with these sinners. To turn to the Lord.

[9:25] My friends you will never turn. Unless he turns you. Jesus draws the chosen race. By his sweet. Resistless grace.

[9:35] That's how you will turn. You know. We sang that hymn. I purposely felt the need of it. Rebellious thou hast been. And art rebellious still.

[9:46] But since in love I took thee in. My promise I'll fulfill. Here is the change. Not with our God. But with us. And here is the mercy.

[9:58] A faithful God. I bound thee up secure. Mids all the rage of hell. The curse thou never shalt endure. For I'm unchangeable.

[10:09] This is the God. Asaph looked to. An unchangeable faithful God. This is the God that first began with Asaph. This is the God that first begins with all his people.

[10:22] And this is the sinner that in his rebellious nature. His sinful nature. Would turn away from this gracious God. Would have no more to do with him.

[10:32] But blessed be his holy name. My friends. Everyone is a covenant. Everyone's in this blessed covenant is secure. Turn us again.

[10:44] Bring us back contrite. Bring us back humble Lord. Bring us back submissive. Like we spoke this morning of the dear prodigal. There was a turning again.

[10:59] He began to be in what. I believe my friends. That's how you and I must ever be brought. Ever be brought. Do you know it's only in these low places. Sanctified to the soul.

[11:11] Made profitable. These low places. These dark seasons. These distressing times. Even our sins. Even our iniquities.

[11:22] And may the Lord so sanctify these ways. That we are brought to see him again. And to seek him again. Turn us again. O Lord God of hosts.

[11:35] I said this morning that. He also uses. His chastening hand to do so. His chastening hand. My friends.

[11:46] It is by these things. Hezekiah. Remember that. That wasn't his chastening hand. But that was a means in the Lord's hands. Here he was.

[11:57] In a state of. Siege. From. Rabshaker and Sennachery. And in the midst of it all. At that time. I believe. The 38th of Isaiah commences.

[12:09] At that time. Hezekiah was sick unto death. As if he said. As if it was said. You know. It's one thing more. Apart from the outside troubles.

[12:20] The inside troubles. But the poor man was blessed. Delivered from his affliction. Pardon. For all his sins.

[12:31] And he looked at the trial. And he said. By these things. Medley. My friends. How the Lord turned him. Turned him again. Turn us again.

[12:43] As thou hast turned in the first place. We would never turn to the Lord. It's not in our nature to do so. We have an old nature that's opposite to God and godliness.

[12:56] But the Lord will turn his people towards him. They shall seek his face. And they shall know a need of him throughout their pathway.

[13:07] And in these times of correction. And in these times of teaching. And in these times when. Well there seems nothing profitable. There's a turning.

[13:19] And God will turn his people. Turn us again. The need of it. Turn us again. Oh Lord God of hosts. Now. You may obviously know why I read the book.

[13:32] Why I read those two chapters in the book. Of Jonah. The prophet Jonah. It shows my friends. That there's.

[13:43] In every heart of even of a believer. There's this rebellious nature. Jonah was commissioned of God to preach. Not a comfortable text.

[13:55] Nor a comfortable subject. He was to go to Nineveh. Preach his destruction. My friends. Who wants that commission?

[14:07] Who wants that solemn responsibility to preach? The justice of God against sin. But it's got to be preached. So what do we read?

[14:18] He took a ticket. He bought a ticket. And he was going to Tarshish. Wherever that was. In respect to Nineveh.

[14:28] I don't know. But it certainly wasn't in the direction of Nineveh. And the Lord dealt with him. Solemnly. I've often said my friends. When the Lord gives his people.

[14:41] Or appoints a way for his people to walk. Their pathway does he not give to. He does not give to another. To him. It was given the responsibility.

[14:54] Of preaching the truth. And he would have ran from it. He did run from it. And the Lord brought him back. But oh what a way he was brought back.

[15:06] If we first know. That desperate condition that he was put in. He knew he was wrong. And the only means of saving the boat.

[15:18] And the people in the boat. Was that he would go overboard. And to be swallowed by a whale. My friends. Who ever heard of such things. That God has servants.

[15:30] Omnipotence has servants. Has servants everywhere. But what was the purpose of it. My friends. To turn him. To his God.

[15:40] Having run away from his God. Having turned him. Having rejected his appointments. And his will. And his way.

[15:53] Having flown in the face of God. As it were. In the opposite direction. The Lord brought him back. Brought him back in a hard way.

[16:04] I know we preach from these words. In times past. But. They remain. My friends. And he prayed. From the whale's belly.

[16:14] The depths of the earth. The bottoms of the mountains. Who could conceive. Who can imagine. What it must have been like. I cried by reason. Of my affliction.

[16:25] Unto the Lord. And he heard me. My friends. There was a beginning. There was a beginning. Of a coming back. Turn us again. There was a turning.

[16:37] And prayer was the way. That was the hinge. Of the door. Of mercy. My friends. Then Jonah prayed. Unto the Lord. His God. Out of the fish's belly.

[16:50] That was the beginning. Of the turning. And without going down. That's a second chapter. Which is full of. Solemn experience. But it is those words.

[17:02] That remain. Then I said. I am cast. Out of thy sight. Yet I will look again. Towards thy. Holy temple. My friends.

[17:14] His God. Was chastening him. But his God. Was. Unchangeable. You read again. At your leisure. This second chapter.

[17:25] Never mind his sin. But then. Let me say this. My friends. Where does rebellion. Get you. You know.

[17:37] Disobedience. Is rebellion. That man. Was disobedient. The Lord knows. The Lord knows. His disobedient people. My friends.

[17:48] Because rebellion. Is in their heart. They oppose. The truth. And they oppose. The way. And they oppose. The will of God. And he solemnly.

[17:59] Taught him a lesson. There in the whale's belly. But he also. Taught him something else. They never lose sight. Of the blessings. In the whale's belly. There was this beginning.

[18:10] This turning. This restoring. This reviving. Prayer was made. He wasn't cut off. For his sins. He didn't deal with him.

[18:20] As his sins deserved. He dealt with him. With mercy. He had compassion. On him. Though he was out of the way. As it were. In a sinful.

[18:31] Rebellious way. Yet the Lord. Was compassionate. And out of his heart. Came this. These prayers. It was the beginning.

[18:42] Of the turning. Turn us again. Oh Lord. God of hosts. My friends. These wonders. Of wonders. People don't believe. The whale's belly.

[18:52] Was a place. Where Jonah. Was to live. For three days. And three nights. But it's in the word of God. And I believe it. And it was used of God. Dark places.

[19:03] Dark seasons. Disobedience. Brought it on. Chastening. Applied the truth. And it had its. Had its effect. Upon the spirit.

[19:14] Of Jonah. And in that. Whale's belly. He learnt this. Salvation. Salvation. Is of the Lord. My friends. You won't learn. These things.

[19:24] Out of textbooks. And if you understand me. Right. Reading them out. The word of God. Without the application. And the power. Of God on them. My friends.

[19:35] Will not teach you. As indeed. The path of experience. Will teach you. Turn us again. Oh Lord. God of hosts. You've got to walk. In these ways.

[19:46] We wouldn't walk. In rebellion. You say. My friends. You know. Your own heart. You have to beg. The Lord. To keep you. From rebellion. We wouldn't be disobedient. To his word.

[19:57] And way. My friends. When you count the cost. You would be. Left to yourself. You count the cost. Turn us again. Oh Lord.

[20:07] God of hosts. Cause thy. Face to shine. Now. I want to just remind you. Of one other person. Who. Was to know this. In a very solemn way.

[20:22] If I can find it. I want to take you. In your mind. To the judgment hall. The Lord Jesus Christ.

[20:33] Was being. Was accused. Of blasphemy. And they wish. To crucify him. And there was.

[20:43] An apostle there. That watched all this. And listened to it. And that apostle. Was Peter. And in his fearful state.

[20:55] He. Denied. His Lord. And master. Three times. He was the one. That said. That we will go. Even unto death.

[21:06] That he was the one. That the Lord. And the only one. As I. Say it. Whom the Lord Jesus. Said. Satan.

[21:16] Hath desired. To have you. That he may. Sift you as wheat. That I have prayed. For thee. That thy faith. Fail not. And when thou art. Converted. Strengthen thy brethren.

[21:28] The judgment hall. Remember. The judgment hall. Remember. The denial. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the apostle Peter. Now we come to those words.

[21:43] Cause thy face. To shine. And I feel. My friends. This. That if you only knew. And if you only know.

[21:53] As well. The shines. Of his face. You know. We read this morning. Or we. We remind you. This morning. What's written. By David.

[22:04] In the 34th Psalm. The face. Of the Lord. Is against. The wicked. But what about. The righteous. What about. These poor sinners. That keep falling.

[22:15] What about. The Asaphs. And the Peters. And the Davids. What about. You and I. My friends. Who have to confess. That but for his mercy. We would be where hope.

[22:27] And mercy. Can never come. What about. All these valiant. For the truth. Characters. Who in the time. Of opposition. Fail miserably. You know.

[22:37] My friends. These apostles. The Roman Catholic Church. Highly thinks. Thinks highly. Of the apostle Peter. They misconstrue.

[22:48] The word of God. I read it yesterday. For my instruction. Upon this rock. Will I build. My church. And the gates. Of hell. Shall not prevail. Against it. Would you build.

[22:58] Your hope. On a man. Who denied Christ. Well that's what they say. My friends. It could not be so. But I must come back. To the judgment. Or. The denial.

[23:09] Of the Lord. And Savior. And the effect. Of it upon Peter. And what do we read. Peter said. Man.

[23:19] I know not what thou sayest. And immediately. While he yet spake. The cock room. And the Lord. Turned. And looked. Upon Peter. Peter. There's the blessing.

[23:32] Not. Shut his face. Against him. Not turned his face. From him. You would say. What a man. Deserved it. Well. My friends. Are not picking up stones.

[23:42] And the Lord. Turned. And looked. Upon Peter. And Peter. Remembered. The word. Of the Lord. How he had said unto him. Before the cock crow. Thou shalt deny me thrice.

[23:53] And Peter went out. And wept bitterly. Cause thy face. To shine. And that face. Was a look. I'm sure. My friends.

[24:03] It was a look. Of mercy. It was a look. Of consolation. It wasn't a look. Of condemnation. It wasn't. And I told you so. Turn.

[24:14] Us again. Oh Lord. God of hosts. Cause thy face. To shine. If you want to know. Whether you're right. If you want to know. Your pathways.

[24:24] Are pointed of God. If you want to know. The deep things. That you're walking through. Are pointed of God. For the soul. Your soul's blessing. Seek his face.

[24:35] Seek his face. My friends. Cause thy face. To shine. Do you know. The smilings of his face. Do you long. For the smilings.

[24:45] Of his face. If you want. Approbation. Paul wrote. To Timothy. And he said. Study to show. Thyself approved. Unto God. If you want.

[24:56] Approbation. You'll see it in his face. My friends. Look again. We must look again. The Lord. Show you the truth. That we have.

[25:07] In his holy word. The face of the Lord. Is against them. That do evil. To cut off the remembrance. Of them. From the earth. But that's not written.

[25:19] For the child of God. Cause thy face. To shine. That's the desire. Of Asaph. That's the desire. Of the people of God. The trials. And the troubles.

[25:30] The sins. And iniquities. The slips. And the falls. My friends. Are all part of the. Pilgrimage journey. You can't condone. David's sin. Or Peter's denial.

[25:40] Or Asaph's. Unfaithfulness. Of course. Of course. You can't. Condone it. But you can't. Condemn it either. Because it's all. It's all. It's in all of us.

[25:52] And but for his. Keeping power. But for his. Preserving spirit. Where would we be found. My friends. But here is the healing. Of the. Matter. Here is the. Restoring.

[26:02] Of the confidence. And the comfort. Of a child of God. And it is found. In his God. And it is found. In his ways. Cause thy face. To shine. You know.

[26:14] When a person. I said this morning. The. Face of a person. Would determine. To those. Who watch. In what spirit.

[26:24] He's in. Calls thy face. To shine. My friends. When the Lord. Smiles. When he smiles. On his people. When he. When he reveals.

[26:35] His face. You know. We. Long for the Lord. To show himself. To us. To reveal himself. To us. To show us. The way. We're in. We should walk.

[26:46] To speak to us. To uphold us. By his grace. And mercy. Speak for his face. Cause thy face. To shine. And you know.

[26:57] What's in the face. Of the Lord. Jesus Christ. My friends. His first love. That's found. In his face. There's mercy.

[27:08] There's compassion. And calls thy face. To shine. Lord. Show thyself. Reveal thyself. Show me. Well.

[27:19] My friends. That well-known. Episode. Or. Part of the knife. Of that. Young man. In Scotland. We spoke of him.

[27:30] Or we spoke. The words. He spoke. That destitute. Young man. Of anything. And everything. This world. Goes. Good and great. Not even.

[27:40] As we might say. The. Mentality. A normal mentality. Of mind. But he went. To the. House of God. And he sat. At the table.

[27:51] Of the Lord. And he saw. Young lovely man. My friends. That's in his face. Cause thy face. To shine. This blessed. Person. Who was crucified.

[28:02] The smile. Of his face. Is worth more. My friends. Than anything. This world. Can possibly give. Cause thy face. To shine. It is him. You can see.

[28:13] The. Asaph's desire. You can see. Where he has to. Leave his matter. With the Lord. He can. He can only. Ask the Lord. To do. What he needs. Do you need.

[28:24] His face. To shine. Do you long. For his face. To shine. Upon you. And. Indeed. My friends. It must be so. I looked at those.

[28:36] Words. I don't know. If I can find them. When I haven't got. My own Bible. For some reason. It becomes difficult. To. Find the words. That I want to. Yes.

[28:47] It's in the sixth chapter. Of numbers. Never spoken from them. But they. They often written. Aren't they. By people. The Lord. The Lord bless thee. And keep thee.

[28:58] The Lord. Make his face. To shine upon thee. And be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up. His countenance. Upon thee. And give thee peace.

[29:10] My friends. That's what comes from his. Face. His countenance. We said it was more. Marred than any man. According to the. Prophecy of Isaiah.

[29:21] But. Oh the look. The blessing of that look. The sweet smile of his face. Turn us again.

[29:32] Oh Lord. God of hosts. Cause thy face to shine. Asaph was in. A very distress. In a dark place. But he knew where his refuge was.

[29:44] And he knew where his comfort lay. And it was as if he was to say. Lord if thou only turn us. That thou would restore us.

[29:54] That thou would draw us. Nearer to thee. That we might be found. Gain in thine ear. Oh how often we have to say. Lord that we might gain thine ear.

[30:05] That we might have access. At the throne of unchanging grace. This is turning again. A drawing us nearer. All that the father giveth me.

[30:15] Shall come to me. And him that cometh to me. I will in no wise cast out. But do we not need turning. What do we need turning away from?

[30:27] Everything but Christ. My friends. There's a list as long as that. Isn't there. That we need turning from. But anything but Christ. You look at the world.

[30:40] Is there any comfort there? The world go about its business. All for gain. I thought of this. Lord's Day. I often do as we.

[30:51] Travel into this chapel. The world of gain. People spending their energy. And time and resources. To gain a little more of this world.

[31:04] And yet the day is going to come. They're going to all leave it. No matter whether they've got a fortune or not. They're all going to leave it. Death will overtake them. As it overtakes the people of God.

[31:15] My friends. What have they got there? What have they got there? In trifles of ears. A kingdom yours. You know. If they've got this precious.

[31:26] God of his. If you've got this precious. God of Israel. If you've got this blessed. Shepherd of Israel. As he called. As he's called. In this first verse.

[31:38] And you know him. And you've been brought. To turn from self unto Christ. And you've known the shinings of his face. I feel my friends.

[31:48] That's descriptive. Of his love. That's descriptive of a union. Isn't it? He won't shine on the wicked. He can't shine on the wicked. He doesn't approve of the wicked. He can't.

[32:00] Accept the wicked. In their unregenerate state. As they are in Christ. They are accepted. Cause thy face to shine. The smile of his face.

[32:12] A word from his lips. The felt sense of his presence. Where you are tonight. The Lord knows. I don't know. But the Lord knows.

[32:23] But this is what will do you good. This will lift you out of. Out of the darkness. And distress of soul. Or circumstance. My friends. This will bring. Peace.

[32:34] And prosperity. To the soul. Turn this again. Oh Lord. God of hosts. And cause thy face to shine. Make thyself known once more.

[32:45] The blessed Lord Jesus Christ. In contemplation of the. Sufferings and death at Calvary. Though he had and did often remind his dear disciples.

[32:58] He spoke to their comfort. He acknowledged his dear distress. You now therefore have sorrow. But I will see you again.

[33:09] And your heart shall rejoice. And your joy. No man taketh from you. This is what they would. This is what they were to anticipate. This is what they lost sight of.

[33:21] After the death of Christ. They seem to have forgotten his promises. And being absent from Christ. Wrote distress and darkness. But he fulfilled the promise.

[33:34] And in fulfilling the promise. He saw them again. He calls thy face to shine. The resurrection day was a blessed day of revelation.

[33:44] And these dear disciples. Once in the dark. Once in distress. Often cast down. Wandering away from the ways of God.

[33:55] Was restored. Revived. And blessed. By his presence. Turn us again. O Lord God of hosts. Calls thy face to shine. Then you know you're in the right way.

[34:08] Then you know my friends. That whatever lies in your path. Now or for whatever's before you. That it is well. If his face shines upon you.

[34:20] If you hear his voice. My friends. You have to be near someone. To see their face. Don't you? It's not a far off blessing. This is a blessing.

[34:30] That is near to the people of God. Calls thy face to shine. And we shall be saved. My friends. I know it concludes the psalm. But.

[34:41] Oh the depths of those few words. And we shall be saved. Having Jesus. I have an immense store. We shall be saved.

[34:51] My friends. This is what the people of God pray for. All their salvation. All yours and mine. Is in this blessed person. Nothing of self.

[35:02] No merit. You can't lift a finger. That would give you any consolation. In salvation. But he was crucified. And died. He opened a fountain.

[35:14] For sin and uncleanness. And the precious blood of Christ. Flowed at the cross. We shall be saved. Saved by his death. I said the other day.

[35:27] I think it was. I don't think it was here. But. My friends. What did he say. In those. Deep. And sacred truths.

[35:37] Before his sufferings. I am come. That they might have life. And that they might have it. More abundantly. You know.

[35:50] Unless you're a child of grace. You don't understand the ebbs and. The ebbing and the flowing. Of experience. The times of darkness and distress.

[36:02] They that know no change. Fear not God. The psalm it says. My friends. These make for the pathways. For the people of God. These are the ways in which they should walk.

[36:16] But. These restoring mercies. These blessings that flow. From this person. O shepherd of Israel. You know.

[36:26] When the Lord answers the prayer of Asaph. Your petitions and mine. If they are in this text. My friends. The salvation. When his face shines.

[36:39] The salvation. When he brings us closer to himself. There is salvation. There is salvation. You know. In him. There is our heaven. When his face shines.

[36:51] It is. As if it is heaven. You know. There's been sometimes. There has been some sweet seasons. You know. In the experience. Of the Lord's dear people.

[37:04] When. He speaks. And breaks their heart. With his love. When he shines into their pathway. And they see him. And they hear his voice. The voice of their beloved.

[37:16] And you know. That's just a token of heaven. That is. That they know it. And they hear it. And they feel it. And they. Indeed remember it. The rest of their days. And we shall be saved.

[37:28] Well. The Lord knows. My friends. What you and I have. Sought for this day. Whether it is found. In these words. And the Lord. Do what he's.

[37:38] Inquired of Asaph. To do. Turn us again. Restore us. Restore unto me. The joy of thy salvation. You look at that. Psalm of David.

[37:49] In the 51st Psalm. I almost read it. This night. It was after sin. Was made. After he was made aware. Of his fallen state.

[38:01] When the prophet Nathan. Went to him. And said. Thou art the man. Sin was charged home. And out of that. Acknowledgement. And depths.

[38:11] Of distress. That his poor soul was in. Came the 51st Psalm. And what was he seeking for. My friends. One word.

[38:21] Could be written across. The whole of the 51st Psalm. Restoration. Make me to hear. Joy and gladness. That the bones. Which thou hast broken.

[38:33] May rejoice. Hide thy face. From my sins. And blot out. All mine iniquities. Create in me. A clean heart. O God. And renew a right. Spirit within me.

[38:43] Cast me not away. From thy presence. And take not thy Holy Spirit. From me. Restore unto me. The joy. Of thy salvation. And uphold me.

[38:54] With thy free spirit. And so on. My friends. There was. The cry of a poor. Penitent. Repentant sinner. What he wanted was this.

[39:07] He wanted restoration. He knew in restoration. His salvation was secure. Well we sang it didn't we. In that second hymn.

[39:18] I bound thee up secure. Mids all the rage of hell. The curse thou never shalt endure. For I am unchangeable.

[39:31] My son give me thy heart. Let me thy sorrows bear. Tis not thy caution. Power or art. Who can save thee from despair.

[39:42] Lord captivate my soul. Subdue the power of sin. My vile corruptions. O control. Let faith the battle win. Turn us again.

[39:54] O Lord God of hosts. Cause thy face to shine. What a day that will be soul. Do you know it's only sinners. That will rejoice in salvation.

[40:07] Holy Spirit taught sinners. The children of God. Are taught their sinnership. The Holy Spirit will take. Back of the things of Jesus. And reveal them unto you.

[40:20] And you are no salvation. Turn us again. O Lord God of hosts. Cause thy face to shine. And we shall be saved. God willing.

[40:33] There's a prayer meeting Wednesday. And I hope to be here next Lord's day. Shall we close with hymn 343?

[40:43] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[40:54] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[41:11] If Jesus is ours, we have a true friend. Whose goodness endures the same to the end. our comforts may vary our frames may decline we cannot miscarry our aid is divine though God may delay to show us his light and heaviness may endure for a night yet joy in the morning shall surely abound no shadow of turning in Jesus is found in 343 joy in the baby minds joy in the music jesus is ours with all friends i love but good joy

[42:16] Wooster Te vaisちゃう الله o Sorrach Eleanor en Suicide How comes theirynamics His Thank you.

[43:12] Thank you.

[43:42] Thank you.

[44:12] Thank you. Thank you.

[45:12] Thank you. Thank you.

[46:12] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[46:44] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[46:56] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. for every mercy Lord only thou knowest these things Lord these mercies that we are often in joy and Lord we have to wade through the time Lord before we know the blessings but do pardon and forgive what's been wrong own and bless thine own word and our Lord take us under thy care bring us to our homes in safety and in peace and abide with us may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit remain with us both now and forever amen you