I will never leave thee or forsake thee,...The Lord is my helper. Quality: Very good

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, friends, I will direct your attention to Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 13, the latter part of the fifth verse and into the sixth verse.

[0:16] For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[0:40] The fifth and sixth verse is the thirteenth of Hebrews. For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[1:06] The precious promise, friends, and it belongs to you. How quickly the devil says, are you sure?

[1:21] Does he? It is good to examine ourselves. It is good not to be left to take without a right.

[1:32] Oh, I remember in days gone by, often people have said to me, religious people, why do you worry?

[1:44] There are plenty of promises in the Bible. I remember a woman one day, some years ago now, telling me there was no need to fear at all.

[2:00] Because if we belong to Jesus, we don't need to go and tell him, and everything would be all right. It isn't so easy as that, is it? To you who believe.

[2:14] It is to believers that unbelief is so strong. Believers in Christ, through the Spirit of God, in and of themselves, can do nothing.

[2:30] And unbelief at times rages. Believers in Christ, through the Spirit of God, in and of themselves, can do nothing. But where do you stand, sinner? You got a hope? A good one?

[2:44] If it comes from God, it will never change. Only in you. It will never come to naught. It will ultimately end in everlasting peace.

[2:59] And dare you give up your hope? You know, my friends, so many people do seem to rest on little hope.

[3:11] I've got a little hope. But you know, if the Lord has done anything for you, that hope is anchored in the finished work of Christ.

[3:24] And it will never perish. It's a sure hope. A sound hope. It comes through that precious gift of God, His grace.

[3:38] There's nothing in you that will ever satisfy your God in yourself, in your flesh. It is all His own work. But surely you don't say your hope is a bad hope.

[3:58] Well then, friends, if you've got a hope, and you can say that hope is in Christ, in what He has done, this word speaks to you this afternoon.

[4:14] It's the promise of God to His people. And what is the foundation of it? Everlasting love, found in Christ, seen complete in Him, united to Him in the ties of precious blood and everlasting love.

[4:37] Hence the word, for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. But, oh, there is such a blessed foundation, and that foundation, friends, is His own glory, and it is in our text.

[5:00] For it is followed by, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. It's to give Him the glory. It is from time to time to say to man and devil, my God lives.

[5:17] My God will help me. Oh, I remember once, tis only as the Lord helps, I know, friends, that we stand in this place.

[5:28] But I remember once when one accused me of something, and endeavoured to make a real case out of it, I said, and it seemed to be automatically, I've got a God.

[5:43] What a place to stand in. When one feels that support, the Lord God omnipotent, He who dwells in the highest heavens, who has heaven and earth at His command, who is able to do all things, all things, friends, without the help of man, the Almighty God, this God who says, I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

[6:19] This God then speaks to you. Why do you fear? Because you've got a case, haven't you? The children of God, all of them will have a case.

[6:33] A cross of some sort. Why? Because it must be a following in the footsteps of the Master, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

[6:48] The word of God records, shall the servant be greater than his Lord? Can we expect to be any better then? There will be something you'll have to carry.

[7:01] It is a mercy to have this God as our God, for He has said. This word was given to me 21 years ago, in the words, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[7:23] And then some three years afterwards, in the time of distress, darkness, the Lord confirmed it with, for He has said.

[7:37] The unchangeable word of God, this God who promises and will ever fulfill, this God who cannot deny Himself, this God who is able to fulfill every promise He makes, for He has said, Who is He?

[8:03] The Almighty God who dwells, one God in three persons, God the Eternal, Father, Son, and Spirit.

[8:15] Three glorious persons engaged in one great work, the salvation of the people. A people loved with an everlasting love, chosen in eternity past, out of the mass of humanity, as yet unborn, uncreated in Adam.

[8:38] This people loved with an everlasting love. God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, continues to follow them, in the time state.

[8:54] God the Father, loved them, gave them to Christ. Christ, the Eternal Son, died for them, redeemed them, with an everlasting salvation.

[9:06] God the Eternal Spirit, God the Eternal Spirit, keeps His eye upon them, as they come into the time state, and watches over them, throughout their time here, until they're received, into glory.

[9:22] This God, who is able, to do all things, for His people, He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[9:38] There may well be, someone here this afternoon, under temptation, with regard to this word. For the enemy, from time to time, sees the people of God, in strange situations, and makes accusation.

[9:59] You can't belong, to the right people. You don't belong, to the people of God. You haven't, the living God, in Christ, as your God, else, your state, wouldn't be, as it is now.

[10:15] This, oft times, is the situation, a child of God, finds himself in. You need, then, the underlining, of this word, needed to be emphasized.

[10:32] The emphasis, is in the opening, of the word, for, He, has, said. He cannot, deny himself, how shall my name, be polluted, he says, I will not, give my glory, to another.

[10:51] He has, declared again, I will work, and who shall let it? Pure circumstance, then, whatever it is, that lays you low, and causes the enemy, opportunity, to attack.

[11:09] The Lord says, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He'll hold you up, poor sinner. The children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt, and were found in the wilderness, Moses was the one to lead them, until they came to a certain place.

[11:33] Then Moses was to be taken home, and Joshua was to follow on. And the Lord said, through Moses to Joshua, as they were still to continue, through the wilderness, be strong, and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord thy God, he it is, that doth go with thee, he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[12:02] And that word is allied, to our text, of today. It is the same word, be strong, and of a good courage.

[12:15] You who pass through darkness, you who are in the midst, of difficulties, you who have something on you, that you can't deal with, and from time to time, feel it will crush you, can't see the end of it.

[12:30] The Lord says, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Oh, how wonderful it is, my friends, that this God condescends, to meet the concerns, of his dear people, though they be sinners, worms of the earth, those who, unless he kept them, would turn back, right out of the way, not just once, but for good, except they are kept, and they are kept.

[13:06] This great and mighty God, gave his poet to say, with heaven and earth, at his command, he waits to answer prayer.

[13:17] Here's the pathway then, sinner. Give him no peace. Call upon him, with unceasing prayer. Tell him he is your God.

[13:28] Tell him he can, if he will. Like that poor man, with leprosy, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

[13:39] Like that poor blind man, when Jesus asked him, what he wanted him to do, he wanted him to open his eyes, Jesus said, I will.

[13:52] Do it for you. His name is in it. I will not leave thee, never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[14:03] But we need a foundation, don't we? A truly sound foundation. And the foundation is Christ Jesus. In that he came into this lower world, and I again and again emphasize, the personal matter that is in it.

[14:24] He came to save you, sinner, you. Not as a company, but you individually. The individuals who make up a company, the individuals who make up his one church.

[14:40] Oh, how few seem to know, or how few do know, the reality of a risen Christ. A personal saviour.

[14:53] His eye is upon his people individually. He knows them individually. He loves them individually. He cares for them individually.

[15:05] He waits for them individually, against that great and glorious day, when he shall gather each one, and make up one glorious, triumphant church.

[15:17] this precious man came into the world to save you. It must be this way, friends.

[15:29] For unless we have a personal religion, a personal saviour, what can we go to when in deep stress, real trouble, at the ends of the earth, when the enemy's on your back, when the enemy's on your back, he won't let go.

[15:47] And he plays upon those things that belong to your wicked heart, and you know are true, because he brings them out at times, if not in open practice, in the mind.

[16:00] He moves these things in the heart. Where can you go, unless you know a precious Christ? And so the dear Son of God, in full agreement with the Father and the Spirit, came into this lower world to live, to die.

[16:23] He came to suffer those dreadful things laid upon him by infinite justice, taken to that cursed tree at Calvary, to be nailed to the cross by wicked hands.

[16:44] For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God for you.

[17:00] It is this precious man's life and death and resurrection that has brought forth the validity of the power and the life that is in the promise.

[17:14] For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. What need is there of it?

[17:26] Oh, my friends, what need there is of it? Can you keep your soul alive? Can you keep yourself in that narrow way?

[17:39] Can you withstand the assaults of Satan? Can you follow hard after Jesus in your own strength?

[17:50] In your own strength? Oh, how sweet again the love of God has manifested in some of our hymns. He saw me ruined in the fall, yet loved me notwithstanding all.

[18:07] He saved me from my lost estate. His loving kindness, Oh, how great. The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous.

[18:20] His ear is open unto the cry. This is the pathway, sinner. You'll have to walk it out. There'll be a trial again and again.

[18:30] What for? To keep you looking unto Jesus. It is so easy to say loved with an everlasting love, but there's got to be a manifestation of it.

[18:43] I say again and again the people of God have got to come into that place to be able to say to man and devil, I know that my Redeemer liveth.

[18:54] Not, I believe he does. I know he does. And it is from time to time to be able to say, I know he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him, for I've been there, I've proved it.

[19:13] My friends, this God is a God who will have his people united to himself in Christ.

[19:25] It'll be a real walk. It'll be a walk of living experience, but isn't it worth it? what a favour, friends, to be able to say to the Lord when at the ends of the earth to shut yourself up with him and say, Lord, thou hast said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

[19:56] it is to take up the same language as we had this morning in Job. Job knew what he would say to his God and he knew that his God would put strength in him not cut him off.

[20:12] And as the Lord brings his living family into this place of need, he enables them with the right and that right is in their Jesus to say, Lord, thy name is in it.

[20:27] Thy faithfulness cannot fail. Thou hast said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. And you've got a case this afternoon or a case yesterday that still remains or one that you carry about with you continually.

[20:47] What does it matter with such a God as this? Oh, it does matter. I know, friends. I know what it is to have a heart of unbelief.

[20:58] I know what it is to come to that place. Whatever shall I do? Whatever shall I do? Ah, this morning before I came into the service I said, Lord, no man cares for my soul.

[21:12] It's the way, friends. But it brings you to that place where you roll your burden upon the Lord. You've got nowhere else to. You can't go anywhere else.

[21:23] You'll be delivered out of this place of unbelief. It will be to come to him and tell him he is faithful, the promise. it will be to take hold of him as that poor woman did, Lord, help me, and then to graciously argue with him if he doesn't reply, Lord, thou canst not leave me nor forsake me.

[21:47] As that poor woman said, even the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master's table. it's a blessed way, friends. But I also know, as I said a moment ago, what it is to fear, to feel the trouble will surely swallow me up.

[22:08] I can't go on and there's no one to help me and the Lord has shut me out. But God says, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

[22:22] And do you know why, friends? Not because you're worth it. Not because you pray about it. Not because you've got nowhere else to go and you have to come to him.

[22:35] Because he sees you hidden in Christ. Because there he sees all the perfections his holy soul requires.

[22:46] complete in Jesus. Was there ever such a God as this God? The Lord brings it into practical things.

[23:04] He says, For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper.

[23:14] And he gives his people such deliverances that they are able to openly declare, this God is my God.

[23:26] He is the living God. He's made a way where there was no way. He's lifted me above my fears. Ah, there will be the fulfilling of that word.

[23:41] God, I must speak or the very stones will cry out. What is it for the glory of God? What a foundation is here, friends.

[23:55] If this God is indeed your God, you can trace his hand in your past life and experiences of mercy.

[24:06] mercy. For this God will bring you right through every changing scene in spite of your fears.

[24:18] Again, he gave the word to the poet, for you, for me, for I've proved it. Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain.

[24:32] God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain. That word to me is a living word for I remember over 20 years ago that word given to me in the middle of the night, in darkness.

[24:52] I'd travelled in darkness for some three months. In the middle of the night, the very bed shook to my feelings. and the words rang across the room.

[25:06] He will make it plain. He will to you. But again we come back to that which we spoke of this morning, the sovereignty of God.

[25:22] His ways are past finding out and your reason, my reason, blind, empty reason, that cannot understand the ways of God.

[25:35] At times we say why should these things be? Wouldn't Peter have said it when he was put in prison? How Herod was permitted to take him and put him in prison and had in his mind to kill him?

[25:55] But the Lord knew what he would do. It was to be for his glory, for God's glory, and what a wonderful way he brought him out.

[26:06] Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Though there were those men either side of him, and he was manacled, and there were the keepers at the door, what are these things to God?

[26:22] Your case too hard for him? No matter how hard it seems, no matter how great the mountains, every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill brought low, the crooked made straight, and the rough place is plain, and the Lord says, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

[26:47] With Peter he sent his angel, broke off the manacles, opened the doors, and took him out into freedom.

[26:59] Why? Because the Lord had determined that should be done, but he also had ordained the way. Prayer was made for him.

[27:13] Wrestling prayer can wonders do, bring relief in deeper straits. Prayer can force a passage through iron bars and brazen gates.

[27:26] How prayer was answered there. What a dreadful end Herod came to. How the Lord will take revenge upon his enemies, the enemies of his people, your enemies.

[27:47] How dreadful to fall into the hands of the living God, being one that's battled against him. Better to be the oppressed than the oppressor.

[28:03] For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. God, it is a wonderful place to come into, friends, to be able to say to the devil, this God is my God, have you never been there?

[28:24] Never felt that help that the devil had to flee? Never rejoiced in your God, the almighty God?

[28:36] can't he do the same today as he did yesterday? For with him there is no change. This God is the eternal God whose thoughts toward his people are, I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

[29:03] your case then, too hard, you can't understand it, continuing to ask yourself why, listening to the enemy, your sins are the cause of it.

[29:23] I'll tell you something friend, a little personal matter again. I like to walk out, I'm ever so thankful the Lord that permits me to walk out the things I speak about.

[29:38] The flesh doesn't like it very often, but it is wonderful to be able to say again and again, I know, I've been there. Last week, last Sabbath, I wasn't able to preach, I wasn't well enough, but on the Saturday night, the devil told me the reason for it was, I wasn't fit, the Lord had cut me off, it was why I shouldn't go to preach, and until I came here today, my friends, there's been a lot of fear in my heart too, because the enemy is a powerful foe, and he told me before I came here this morning, the Lord would shut my mouth, he's a great enemy, but the Lord God is the living God, and what he hath said he will surely perform, and the

[30:48] Lord gave this promise to me, and I've pleaded it many, many times over the years that have passed, and proved him to be faithful, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, I is going to bring you poor sinner into that place where he brought me a few weeks ago, and I woke one morning, and he was full in my heart, the Lord was my God, and I was able to say, the Lord is my God, blessed be my rock, I well remember that welling up in my heart, early one morning, blessed, the Lord liveth, that's the way it came, it's in one of the Psalms, the Lord liveth, blessed be my rock, he'll do it for you, this God will have his people rejoice in his infinite mercy, and love, and faithfulness, he'll bring you through, poor sinner, he'll fulfil his word, he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee, and he's going to bring you into that place, to be able to say with full assurance, the Lord is my

[32:30] God, to man if need be, to devil if need be, to bring you into that place of strength, standing in the faithfulness of your God, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[32:59] What a wonderful place to be brought into. For the people of God, when they come into trial, those trials are deep, aren't they?

[33:12] Some of yours have been. trials that you can take to man to be delivered from. Sometimes those trials are such you can't take them to your nearest and dearest.

[33:29] lost. There's only one place to go, to shut yourself in with the Lord. Lord, help me. Lord, help me.

[33:42] Lord, help me. The word says, I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[33:53] sometimes it is man the cause of it. There's no one can help you. Man has raised up his hand against you.

[34:07] Perhaps some of you here know something of this way. No deliverance. Can't perhaps go to law about it.

[34:21] You can't take your case. to the court. Man has raised up his hand against you. What a place to be in when found also and often it is the way walking with Job as this morning.

[34:42] Oh that I knew where I might find him. It seemed as if man was against you and God was against you. He shut his face from you.

[34:56] The word must be fulfilled. I will not leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say to the glory of our God that the precious Christ may be exalted the crown put on his dear head that the enemy shall be shut out that his voice shall be quietened the Lord will work he will make a way it may well be then be able to tell man the Lord has done it.

[35:40] What a good place to come into it's a wonderful place when everything seems to be against you and then in the twinkling of an eye peace flows the Lord appears the difficulty is still there but he has taken the curse out of it he has given you to commit your way unto your God and he brings gracious submission and peace he works he will make a way he will open that door in such a way that you won't fear what man can do unto you my God liver he is able to do all things he will make a way for me you got a case this afternoon my friends the greatest case of all is sin men may not like to hear it but it must be set forth again and again while men live sin will abound the mercy of it all is the

[37:01] Lord says where sin abounds grace doth much more abound maybe someone here this afternoon knows what it is the weight of sin fresh sin that too hard for you fresh sin how solemn it is my friends how deep it is sin in light the Lord hath shown us the way yet sin again in spite of light I remember I look back again I remember once seeking to do something that was in my heart though

[38:05] I was a member of a church determined to go that way the sin was never brought into the open the Lord stopped it but it was in my heart in light the knowledge that these things are wrong the Lord having set them set it in the heart the right way given one to know what sin means and yet there remains the old man it is again that word I will not have this man to reign over me what infinite mercy the Lord controls his people kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time there is no alteration here the purpose of

[39:09] God toward his people is everlasting love if there is one here this afternoon feeling the weight of sin the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin ah but listen to this friends and I delight in the declaration of it but before I make it I'm going to tell you this the first year of my ministry it was in the first three months actually I made this same declaration not with the same knowledge as I make it today and a woman wrote to me and disputed because she said I gave men license and the word is this sins put away through the blood of Jesus Christ past present and future that poor woman so fearful as she wrote to me that I was giving license in saying future sins as well but oh the blessed foundation of it all the dear redeemer hung upon calvary's tree and in a voice of ecstasy not weakness but the strength of the living

[40:39] God cried out it is finished the whole work of salvation completed for men as yet aren't born as well as those that were dead and those who were living then it is finished the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin your sins in the future as well as sins in the past and sins in the present there is no license friends the love of God would never permit a child of God to deliberately and willingly rejoicing walk in the ways of sin because he believed the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed him from that sin grace prevails my friends the child of

[41:44] God from time to time will walk in sin in heart if not outwardly because he carries with him a body of sin and death because that great adversary of his soul is far stronger than he is because he has no strength in his old nature to do those things that are right in the sight of God but Jesus lives and he waits to be gracious poor sinner if there be one here then that feels the bondage of sin call upon this great and mighty God pleading again this precious promise for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee come Lord bless my poor soul revive again thine own work shine in the midst of my darkness reveal unto me the power and the efficacy of the atonement come come and bless bless me

[42:57] Lord it will be fulfilled for his name is in it so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper oppresses oppresses the children of God oppresses them for their following the precious Jesus because of their religion because of their hope in God rather than in man and what a wonderful word

[43:58] I will not fear what man shall do unto me it is a great mercy friends to know the throne of grace to be favoured at times when even at the ends of the earth to tell the Lord without thee I must perish do help me Lord he will come he does come his name is in it I will not fear what man can do unto me or may there be something this afternoon that abides the word of the Lord endureth forever and hear the words of Jesus to his disciples heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away hear it again for he hath said

[45:10] I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me the Lord add his blessing his name shall have the praise amen who and bye L to