Waiting on the hidden and tried promises of God (Quality: Average)

[0:00] help of the Lord I ask your attention to the 23rd chapter of the book of numbers and the 19th verse numbers 23 verse 19 God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken shall he not make it good God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good one felt the solemnity of this man Balaam this morning and indeed since then as we look again into the character of that man he was under divine control could not speak but what the Lord gave him to speak and yet he was not a child of grace but a false prophet and one that served Satan well any person that Satan right raises up to oppose his Israel shall indeed whilst in that spirit shall be in a solemn place and we said this morning that he spoke some very remarkable words they were not out of his heart they were out of his lips God filled his mouth with truth but his heart with truth but his heart was not affected spoke some wonderful things were things words which the people of God would indeed say amen to but they were not out of his heart they were out of his lips what he said of Israel's God was perfectly true he was taught this he was restrained by God by God we thought this afternoon how solemnly close you can be to be in possession of what is true what is real and what is saving and yet to be devoid of it all and carry as it were a counterfeit appearance of a child of God the conversation of God the conversation of Balaam was the voice as one a stranger would meet him was a voice of one who knew the truth his conversation was what we might say a gracious conversation but the very fact that where he was and who he employed him and for what purpose that he came was a solemn mark against him his heart was not right in these things but there again he was but there again he was the mouthpiece of God wonderful really you know but yet solemnly that it affects one's spirit how close then we can come to the real thing and to be destitute and I thought as we read that 24th chapter something of guided there which abode there upon my spirit which was also solemn 17th verse I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh what's important about those words he was speaking of the Christ of God my friends one of the blessings of glory is the nearness of Christ one of the blessings of the spiritual pathway of God's people is the closeness of Christ because Christ and the believer are one there can be there can be no separation but this man but this man in all his prophetic words in all the way that the Lord led him to speak was to speak the truth nevertheless but he spoke the truth with deep solemnity I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh the child of grace doesn't want that oh as near as near as near as one can get to Christ that is what they would pray for they would seek to know his presence they would long to feel his presence with them as they go on their way. My friends this was the words of a man who shall not see Christ in the saving knowledge of him. Should not see him as the saviour of the lost but rather as the judge at the judgment day.

[5:08] I shall see him but not now all mankind shall see him. But it won't be that they shall be nigh. It would rather that it would be to them that they could be as far off as possible from the judge.

[5:23] So I felt as we read those words what a wonderful prophecy and yet my friends what a solemn thing to be devoid of an interest in such prophecies. There shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Noah and destroy the children of Sheth.

[5:47] My friends in these words this day in this 23rd or 22nd and 23rd 24th chapters what a solemn spirit hung over it all and my friends it is today isn't it just the same as it was in these times.

[6:07] There are those who profess and yet don't possess. Now the Lord help us once more then to take up these words.

[6:19] In the word of the 19th verse there is I felt I felt led to consider and try as I could to meditate a little upon them between the services but oh it seemed but little but it came to me like this as we read the read the words again what a word there is here to the waiting and to the seeking people of God.

[6:46] Those who hope we spoke this morning of those who have promises or exercises in spiritual things in the pathway of the that he set before them the Lord speaks to them speaks to the heart lays the word there it may seem to be dormant it may seem to be buried some of these words and yet this gracious spirit of truth from time to time resurrects the word out of the grave almost now this is a word that I feel we must approach it this night in this way that it is a word to those who have heard the word of truth whose hearts are affected by the word of God who from time to time have been encouraged by the word of God and by the words spoken to them into their heart and it's carried about with them the desire for the fulfillment of those words and promises and exercises which he is the author of and of which they shall indeed behold he said this morning that it is to the people of God a trial of faith often these words and these ways in which the Lord teaches his people and by these words that the Lord shall speak to them that it is to encourage them to raise them up and then there is seemingly a time when they shall feel once more cast down and distressed by the word of his grace that has not come to pass my mind went to one or two characters in the word of

[8:32] God and you may find a familiarity between your exercise if such you have and those dear saints of God in the scriptures first of all is the son of Jacob Joseph a man who was influenced by a vision he was evidently very young at the time and had that vision I said this morning when the Lord speaks to his people through promises or through exercises of their soul he is revealing the will of God to them and he reveals the will of God and the pathway which they shall walk now Joseph was such a one in the visions of the night the Lord spoke to him and showed him of the future place that he would be and the future situation that he would be that there will come a time when his father and his brethren will bow down to him well without multiplying words on that subject you will remember what opposition that came that came upon such expressions and sometimes you know it's more wise to hide the promise as it were rather than to reveal it but

[10:00] Joseph spoke the truth when he spoke of his vision now what was he to prove well he was to prove this 19th verse God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good but consider the years that passed over Joseph consider the discouragements that Joseph was supposed to walk in having been brought into Egypt would you think that was the way the Lord was about to prepare him for that place of honour in Egypt my friends he was taken as a slave into Egypt he was taken into Potiphar's house in the 37th psalm we find this the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighted in his ways but when those good men those gracious men and that is what it means is not good in themselves but graciously led and graciously taught they can't see the outcome of these matters which come into their pathway which seem to be nothing but opposition it is rather than the smile of the

[11:18] Lord rather than the frown of the Lord all seems to be going wrong all seems to be a pathway which deeper and deeper they get into well it seems so contrary to what the promise or the vision was to Joseph in the psalm we have those words until the Lord I can't get it right but you know the promise and it was a word that tried him till the Lord appeared the word did try him he was first sold into Egypt as a slave and then he was put into prison the steps of a good man prison brought into darkness brought into the company of prisoners a man who had done nothing wrong didn't deserve going to prison but was found there because of dishonesty and the evilness of a woman and yet you know those steps were being unfolded wonderful him that is you know 320 in our book

[12:25] God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform he plants his footsteps in the sea rides upon the storm you know we look at the storms and we look at these things that come into our life and we can't see the purpose in it we can't see the reason behind it and we can't trace any hand that has appeared for us in bringing us into these things but the steps are ordered my friends what the Lord has said what God has said must be fulfilled do you know when he speaks his promises and he inclines in the exercise of the soul his dear people heaven and earth shall pass away what did he say heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away those words that are dead and buried in your spirit those whom the Lord must resurrect out of your spirit and bring to your notice in the fulfillment of it to encourage you to say that we are dealing in this text my friends with a

[13:29] God who is faithful an able God a promise giving and a promise performing God God is not a man that he shall lie neither the son of man that he should repent but then again my friends if I'm talking to anyone who seems to have or believes to have some word of God's grace resting upon his spirit a promise yet unfulfilled whether it's for yourself your pathway or for the pathway of others you will always come into the into such things opposition now as Joseph went on just for a moment there's one more character but I must just say this of Joseph as time went on things got worse didn't they and then you know he tried to put his hand to something and when the Lord's people find this out of frustration out of unbelief they put their hands to it you know and it only makes things worse my friends it's the

[14:34] Lord must do it God is not a man that he shall lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good what did he do what did he put his hand to well you remember in the dreams that the butler and the baker in prison was to tell Joseph the baker was put to death as was the dream revealed and the butler was set free and then Joseph said to the butler when it is well with thee think on thee my friends put his hand to it if you read that chapter in Genesis the following chapter if I'm right I can remember correctly the following chapter says this and after two full years my friends that's God's time and not man's after two full years and the poor butler was had forgotten any man called

[15:36] Joseph in prison and had forgotten what he said to him but the day came when Pharaoh himself was to dream a dream and the outcome was of course as you know that they brought Joseph out of prison and brought him before Pharaoh and with the wisdom that God gave him he was to tell Pharaoh what these things meant my friends that's very brief but it is to the point that though the matter with Joseph was of the Lord it was a tried matter many years went over his head I can't remember how many years it was but until the word of the Lord came the word of the Lord tried him but until it did and my friends it will be so with you they were matters of course which were for the providential benefit of not only Egypt but of Israel as well because Joseph was to be the second in the land to Pharaoh and would administer the time and the food in time of famine and everyone should be satisfied but let us speak of one perhaps a bit more closer in the gospel as recorded by

[16:53] Luke we find in the second chapter is it the man called Simeon now there was a blessed character a man who was waiting for the consolation of Israel I said we should get a little closer matters of Joseph and those things as recorded in a certain sense was providential provision and the way in which the Lord brought Joseph to the place and his brethren also and he could say with all humility it was not you that brought me hither but God but just for a moment then this man Simeon the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him what was he waiting for my friends the revelation of Christ that's what he was waiting for he would not see death till he saw the

[17:56] Lord's Christ where are you and I this night in these all important matters it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ he was a waiting one a seeking one a one who was influenced by the Holy Ghost a one who was assured by the Holy Ghost that he should not end his days without that blessing coming to pass that blessing of the person of Christ being revealed to him and revealed in the flesh this was the promises my friends we don't have words we don't know the words neither do we know the way in which the Holy Spirit was pleased to impress upon Simeon's spirit that he would one day see the Lord's Christ but it goes back to the truth doesn't it hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good how have you come to chapel my friends this is the all important it matters not who you don't see or who you shall see but a living soul my friends lives on

[19:16] Christ and desires of Christ that he might have those views of him blessed company you know if you're in a company of people that that desires to see Christ revealed and to your own soul salvation too and for the comfort and the knowledge of an interest in him well that's what Simeon wanted because in seeing Christ do you know there was many in the days of Christ that would see him not for their salvation out of curiosity they would follow the Lord Jesus Christ as it were to witness his deity that is in the miracles that he performed upon the sick and upon the dying but there were a few and there are still a few that would see Christ because of their own salvation dependent on him my friends the promises to the people of God are to this end that he shall be revealed they that wait for me shall not be ashamed now we find there in the case of Simeon then that he came by the spirit into the temple he was led it wasn't just one more occasion to be found in the temple first of all my friends he must be where the truth was you know where you know where Job was in his deep trial in the 23rd chapter he said oh that

[20:47] I knew where I might find him him if you look at Job's case and it was a very solemn case the Lord permitted Job to walk in these deep paths I've often wondered that man's statement you know because it cut across everything of nature Job had lost all his money all his possessions rather Job had lost all his children and he lost his health and strength but the 23rd chapter says this oh that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his sin and so on this was Simeon's lot you know and he came by the spirit into the temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law then took him up in his arms and blessed God and said Lord now let is thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation it would not be wrong my friends to say this sin he had seen his own salvation in that day the son of God incarnate contracted to a span the arms of

[22:07] Mary but there was his salvation my friends this truth that we have tried to remind you of this night my friends is the exercise of every living soul in Zion true religion has this my friends as the sun and substance Jesus Christ and him crucified true work of grace and the true spirit of grace and the spirit the holy spirit of God will take of the things of Jesus and shall show them unto you now the Lord the blessed spirit does this by way of preparation he exercises his people brings them into concern respecting their salvation and their immortal soul and indeed the forgiveness of sins and much prayer and much supplication much exercise much leading of the spirit is going on within and much crying and sighing over sin and unto salvation comes from those such souls to know my friends none that wait for him shall be ashamed none indeed that shall we have these examples with such as

[23:24] Simeon examples in the word of God to encourage the waiting soul to encourage the seeking soul because none and you can go right through the history of the church of Christ and ask the saints of God now my friends none that have waited for him has been ashamed none have been disappointed there's nothing can separate God's people from Christ God is not a man that he shall lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good I thought too you know it came to my mind in my concern with this text this evening the matters of what the Lord says you know we go to the chapel all our days we may have formed a good memory and we might be able to remember this man's ministry and that man's ministry and this text and that text and down the years we can say well

[24:28] I remember when we heard so and so and preached and this such things are important of course and if the preaching had an effect upon your spirit you will remember those days but what about what the Lord says how many times do you come up to the house of the Lord or indeed how often do you have errands to the mercy say can you go to places and spots in your life in circumstances in your life in whether it's in your own home or in the Lord's house or in the watches of the night the silent watches of the night my friends trace where the Lord speaks or can you trace where he has he spoken Jesus speaks blessed be God and through his spirit he does communicate to his people they hear his word and it is like ointment poured forth it is comfort and consolation and blessing to the soul but there again as we said this morning sometimes it is in words of exercise or promise matters of which the

[25:42] Lord's people wait for and just like the man who waited at the pool of Bethesda 38 years passed over his head you know he was still waiting for the blessing still longing for the day when he shall receive the cure it would be profitable to your soul my friends if you should trace through the word of God and especially through the times of Christ the times when he spoke to his people you know I believe there's such a high privilege in hearing the word of God and hearing the word from God that we perhaps do not value it so much as we ought the Lord should speak to his people and he does speak to them speaks through his spirit speaks into the heart times without number you know that the Lord's people could testify if they would or to the witness to the truth that he speaks within places where they might be when no one else can hear a word only their soul can hear and he speaks within my friends that they are gracious evidences the

[26:52] Lord does not speak to the wicked doesn't communicate promises to the wicked he doesn't speak to the world that's left in his unregeneracy he speaks only to those who are his own and he communicates comforts promises and indeed foretells what their future pathway is for them and leads them into those pathways and directs them and brings them to pass you may come up to the house of God and you may ask the Lord that he might speak through the means of grace to your soul but he may please the Lord that he may give you some encouragement but yet not speak how you want it in the ninth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles you find there the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and you'll find there these words Saul is communicating with

[27:53] Christ speaking to Christ and he said Lord what wilt thou have me to do the answer is what and the Lord said arise go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do in another place shortly after that we have another example of the Lord could have well told Saul of Tarsus we would be reverent in such ways to speak him but the Lord could well have told him but there was a man in the city called Ananias and he would tell him what he was to do we read this he went to that house and he said brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost and immediately there fell from his eyes that had been scales and he received sight forthwith and arose was baptized and when he had received meat he was strengthened then we saw certain days with the disciples which were at

[28:59] Damascus and straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the son of God the Lord could have told him you say now in the following chapter we have that account of that gracious man called Elias and he was one that feared God we read with all his house which gave much arms to the people pray to God all the way he saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him Cornelius and when he looked on him he was afraid and said what is it Lord he said unto him thy prayers and thine arms are come up for a memorial before God now here comes the point my friends that those who would hear his word and now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon who surname is Peter he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner whose house is by the seaside he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do hope I'm making myself clear how the

[30:06] Lord is pleased to use the means of grace how indeed the Lord uses any means to speak to his people make good means I of course I would emphasize right means the ministry of the word through the gracious spirit of truth with as we said this morning power and authority into the soul my friends and he confirms his word to those who wait to those who watch because that will be the exercise of such souls who have heard his word hath he said and shall he not do it he speaks my friends to me of the Lord speaking to his people and yet not performing what he has spoken like Saul of Tarsus there is to be a going into the city then he shall be told thee what thou must do like Cornelius in the following chapter send for Peter and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do my friends to those of the people of God who value his word the Lord speaks to his people speaks in promises speaks to his word of truth lies lays them with weight upon the heart thou have to be prayed over watered by the prayers of the people of God often brought before the Lord as it were like we mentioned

[31:28] Jacob this morning in the time of great need he presented the Lord's promise to him at Bethel and pleaded it before the Lord take with you words the scripture says and to remind the Lord what he said hath he said and shall he not do it now between those between the beginning of that sentence and the end of it what is the child of grace to do hath he said and shall he not do it my friends you'll come where Paul wrote to the church of Colossae continue in prayer watching unto the say are there matters are there matters my friends there are if you fear the Lord there are if you fear the Lord there are matters that you will not only have to pray over there are matters that you not only do you have to put it simply present before the Lord in your prayers and supplications promises of which the Lord is the author my friends but there will be a watching for it just the same as

[32:31] Simeon in his day did the Holy Spirit had so worked in that man's heart that he should not see death that he saw the Lord's Christ now those who are favored with a word from the Lord they'll not sit back and fold their arms and say in effect whatever to will be will be my friends they will watch over it they will look for every indication every evidence of the truth of those words coming to pass hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good in the context of course the Lord has said that he will give something to say and he shall speak nothing else but he has spoken good concern in Israel surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel according to this time it shall be said of

[33:34] Jacob and of Israel what hath God wronged and my friends when you see these words coming to pass when you see these exercises coming to pass you will know this and you will fall before the Lord like a gracious soul but surely do and say what hath God ruled wonderful you know I feel it's most blessed when you when you're unable to leave the matter of your soul salvation and the matter of your spiritual pathway and the exercises of your soul whatever that might be that you're unable to leave them in the Lord's hands blessed place my friends I spoke perhaps I perhaps I mentioned it this morning or another time but go back to the book of Judges and go back to Manoah and his wife and look at those exercised people and how the angel came at that time and spoke to the woman and then she then he came again and spoke not only to the woman but also to

[34:41] Manoah and how they offered a sacrifice and the angel went up into heaven out of the sacrifice ascended from the sacrifice and poor Manoah said to his wife we shall surely die for we have seen the Lord and oh that sweet word of Manoah's wife is it not being a comfort to the child of grace often would the Lord have showed us these things if he meant to kill us my friends when he begins a work he never repents of that work we've read that in that word he's not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent when he begins to work when he begins a matter my friends that concerns the blessed uh the blessings of salvation to his people or to indeed the reviving of his church or some matter which concerns your spiritual pathway as yet not entered into steps that are still untrodden by you my friends what he has applied what he has brought to your very spirit my friends whatever comes against it the powers of hell will come against it and unbelief will come against it and your greatest enemy will come against it which is your own nature and he will all speak against it he will all try to take away the comfort of his word my friends it will indeed come to pass what does the how can find it in the time we have there's a word and i always believe in reading the word rather than try to speak out of memory because we can soon leave out the most important part of it but the second chapter of the prophecy of

[36:38] Habakkuk and he has these words i will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me and what i shall answer when i am reproved and the lord answered me and said write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it for the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry now there's a word in prophecy which is in line with this 19th verse and that we are trying to speak of this day god is not a man that he shall lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good well now my friends we have to say this the lord knows what word and what exercise you if any are carrying what burdens your heart above everything else what causes you to wait upon the lord and what causes you to wait for the lord you may have intimations you may have a hope raised up you may come to times when you think well it's almost here this blessing and then you have to wait a little longer remember the word unto thy servants upon which thou hast caused me to hope you have to plead it before the lord but my friends here is a word then of encouragement to the seeker to the waiting soul hath he said and shall he not do it we said this morning when the lord speaks it's with authority it's with power but there's one thing else my friends it is he speaks with ability because he is able to perform what he speaks what he has said and through the lives of the patriarchs of old you know great things were promised and great things were performed the god of all grace my friends is an able god hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken shall he not make it good well may the lord keep the word with you may it be a word in season amen again the notices are as follows there will be god willing a prayer meeting wednesday and i hope to be here next lord's day shall we close the services of his house with singing hymn 628 my soul shall with wonder proclaim the love of my father and god whose promises ever remain and each in its course is made good are great and exceeding great too more precious than rubies by far like streams from the fountain they flow and zion preserve from despair hymn 628 goodnight

[40:36] Paul to Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[41:45] The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[42:15] The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

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[42:59] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[43:13] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[43:27] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[43:41] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[43:55] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[44:09] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[44:23] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[44:37] The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise. The high price of thy singing praise and praise.

[44:50] thank thee for thy encouragement and thy word pray for any Lord that are in this text that they too may be satisfied in that blessed day of revelation Lord do we pray that we pardon everything that's been amiss this day but do own and bless thine own word now be with us as we take our journeys home Lord be with us, take care of us and watch over us abide with us now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit the Comforter remain with us both now and forever Amen