I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. (Quality: Average)

[0:00] Lord help me we will turn this evening to the Acts of the Apostles, the 27th chapter, the latter part of the 25th verse.

[0:14] But I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. It's strange.

[0:54] It's a nature and mysterious path the Apostle had to pass through. So it is for every saint of God that he journeys through this waste-hailing wilderness.

[1:10] For it is in these strange ways that of times the Lord is pleased to teach and to lead.

[1:50] And of how the Lord had led them. So that they too were strengthened in their way.

[2:29] And the life and experience of the Apostle which I humbly trust he may trace in our own experience too. And what is that which every saint of God must possess?

[2:47] Faith. Faith. I leave the measure of it. There are those who possess great faith.

[2:58] There are those of whom the word tells us they possess little faith. My friend, leaving the measure of it, let us be concerned about this as to the quality of it.

[3:13] Whether it is a God-given faith, a right faith, this must be our concern. Now if it is a right faith, dear friend, we shall praise things that the Apostle had here which can be seen in his life.

[3:29] As far as we have his life recorded in the word of God. Because true faith has one object. The object of a true and living faith is God.

[3:47] Again, real faith is on a right and a solid foundation.

[4:03] The foundation of true and living faith is the word of God. Again, do we have the life of faith.

[4:20] And the life of faith, dear friend, is divine persuasion. Can you trace this in the life of your faith? The last point here.

[4:34] Faith, my friend, has an end. And the end of faith. Peter it is, I believe, who says in his epistle.

[4:48] Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your sons. As it was here in the ship that they all got saved to land.

[5:01] Brought to their desired haven. Those who possess this precious gift of God. Well then the Apostle possessed this precious gift of faith.

[5:17] The view of faith that comes from God. That looks to him. Need I remind you of that well known and that's a well read chapter in the 11th of Hebrews.

[5:36] See there the faith of some of the saints who are there recorded. Many of them by name. See what things they accomplished by faith.

[5:47] How they were brought through. How the Lord was with them and honoured that faith. That trust. Their belief in him.

[6:01] And such now form a part of that long cloud of witnesses. And all who fall apart of that long cloud, my friend, are recipients of this life precious gift.

[6:16] Have you got it? Have I got it? Have I got it? I don't want to tarry tonight on the life and the history of the Apostle Paul as it's in the word of God.

[6:31] Friend, you look at that faith which he received. What he accomplished. What was brought. You well know his call by grace made manifest on the road to Damascus.

[6:52] How there he was. Remember he had had a good upbringing. There were things that the Apostle himself could lay claim to. Did he not write to the church of Philippi and say unto them that of those things that they might boast in, how that he had more.

[7:12] Friend, he was brought to this point to see that such things would never save his soul. And yet, whilst he was thus going about in such a path that he was thinking that he was doing God's service.

[7:32] See how far the Lord permitted him to go. Even now going to Damascus, to Boeing, to hail men and women and to cast them into prison, to persecute the saints, that appointed time had come.

[7:49] Not to propose, but to call by grace. And how on that road did the Lord deal with him.

[8:00] Deal suddenly with him. I don't lay that down for a pattern, friends. But whilst there are other cases in the word, there may be cases before me here tonight of whom the Lord dealt suddenly with.

[8:14] Others again are led gently on. God is a sovereign. And in this would we bow to all his sovereignty. But my friend, there are things which are common, if I can use that expression, to all the saints.

[8:32] The work must be of him. It is the work of the Holy Spirit of God to convince of sin. And here as the apostle fall to the ground, he heard that voice saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

[8:52] You remember how that? The Lord also appeared unto one, Ananias, to intimate to him in some measure of those things which had taken place.

[9:07] And of hell that Ananias was to be an instrument in the hand of God, in laying his hands upon Saul, that his sight might be received.

[9:17] But this caused Ananias to tremble. And he said, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy saints of Jerusalem. And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

[9:34] I said to the Lord, go thy way. He is a chosen vessel. He is a chosen vessel. But we know ultimately how Ananias went to him, put his hands on him, and said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee, in the way as thou camest, and sent me hither, that thou mightest receive thy sight.

[9:59] But friends, look what followed. that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And this is all important.

[10:16] My dear hearer, what do we know of the work, of the teaching, of the divine influence of the Holy Spirit of God? A so-called religion, without it, dear friend, is worthless.

[10:38] Remember, as a lad, I oftentimes used to hear, a late dear friend of yours, hear Mr. Hammond. And oftentimes in his prayers, he would pray again and again for the Holy Ghost religion.

[10:51] I used to wonder sometimes, what he meant by it. I believe through the grace of God, we know now. And I believe through the grace of God, that desire is oftentimes gone from my heart.

[11:07] I want a Holy Ghost religion, friends. Not that which is of man. Not that which is only revealed by flesh and blood. That'll never profit a soul. May profit a body.

[11:21] May give a name amongst men. May carry you through time to the end of time. But friend, if it does that, it'll fail you then. Or we want that which is of the Holy Spirit of God.

[11:40] Sometimes said to our dear ones at home, when we look at our religion, our profession, friend, you take away from that religion tradition. You take away from that profession emotion.

[11:54] You take away from that profession imagination. What have you got left? You can bless God, dear friend, if you've got something left still.

[12:07] For many of the so-called religions today, are nothing more than traditions, emotions, vain thoughts, and imaginations. I want that which will remain when all such things are removed.

[12:25] Well now when the apostle, the soul of Christ was here, filled with the Holy Ghost, what followed? Straightway, he preached Christ in the synagogue, that he is the Son of God.

[12:43] And you can pray from that time onward, how the apostle was faithful in that service to which the Lord had called him.

[12:54] A faithful servant of Jesus Christ. He loved to preach the glorious gospel of Christ. He didn't weary in it. Why he says in his epistle to the Romans, does he, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

[13:09] For it is the power of God to everyone that believes in it. The power of God to salvation to everyone that believes in it. He wasn't ashamed of it, friend.

[13:20] Are you? Am I? Are we ashamed to preach the gospel? Are we ashamed to hear the gospel? In all its fullness?

[13:34] How the apostle was brought to this when he said, taking leave of the elders of the church at emphasis, he said, I've not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

[13:45] God, you read through his journey. Wherever he was, he embraced the opportunity that was given to him to preach this glorious gospel.

[14:02] Down by the river side, in the prison, on Mars Hill, wherever he was, he embraced the opportunity to preach this glorious gospel.

[14:12] He was willing to spend and to be spent in that labor to which the Lord had called him. And perhaps his greatest labor and where the apostle was made of greatest usefulness to the church of God was following this shipwreck when he was a prisoner in Rome.

[14:31] For the word that he delivered at the riverside of wherein the Lord passed open the heart of Libya, that has been passed.

[14:47] It was owned of God. It was blessed. His dealings with the Philippian jailer and the ultimate building up of that church at Philippi. Or if you come to Mars Hill, to many places where the apostle was used, used in the day for those things to pass on.

[15:05] But when you come to his being a prisoner in Rome, there did he pen many, certainly not all, but there did he pen many of his epistles. And these epistles have been continued to the church of God from that time, and they will be continued to the church of God till the end of time as they have found in his holy word, and which shall not pass away.

[15:30] And dear friend, have you ever been thankful to God for this? For the blessing of his word as recorded in the epistles, to the churches, or sometimes to individuals?

[15:42] This was when Paul was enrolled, a prisoner. And perhaps that great enemy of souls would think that, well, they're silencing him now.

[15:55] He's had his heyday amongst the churches. Now he's a prisoner. His voice is no longer heard. My friend, the Lord used him. No man and no devil will overthrow the eternal work and purpose of God.

[16:14] So, Paul must come to Rome. No Eurocladon is going to hinder Paul coming into Rome. He had the word of God.

[16:26] Do you remember how, firstly, he had come unto Jerusalem? He says, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions befall, abide me.

[16:48] Neither count I my life, dear. He was willing to go into Jerusalem. He must come, as we have in a further chapter, when there were those who besought him not to go, knowing of the dangers that were in the past.

[17:06] But he says, what mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.

[17:19] And when he would not be persuaded, we cease, saying, the will of the Lord be done. So we find Paul coming to Jerusalem. There were those things pertaining to that time, as there were things that pertained to his coming into Rome.

[17:41] Paul didn't say, well, I believe God, that it shall be as it was told me, that these things shall be performed. I can live in difference, I can be unconcerned. My dear hearer, you have no such ground for such a thought from the word of God.

[17:56] After he got the word, he was going to be brought to Rome and testify there, even as he had testified in Jerusalem. For there stood by him the angel of God, saying, be of good cheerful, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

[18:20] But you know how there was that plot to take his life, and how that his nephew was instrumental in discovering, in revealing this plot.

[18:31] But Paul didn't say to his nephew, well, you need me to be concerned. The Lord has told me I'll come, he'll all take care of it. No, he said, you go and tell the governor these things. My friends, don't despise it in any means, any instrument, any means that the Lord is pleased to you.

[18:49] I know his word will stand. I know that will come to pass, which he has spoken. But friends, we are to you for me. well, he got the word that he would come to Rome.

[19:07] But now he comes, he's being brought to Rome as a prisoner, and the chapter tells us of those things that he had to pass through. Now he comes to the point where he says in the word of our text, Sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.

[19:30] the apostle then had got this as the foundation of his faith. He got the word of God. You got the word of God as the foundation of your faith.

[19:52] You look at his preaching again, look through his epistles again, how he brings out again and again the word of God. Things that have been spoken, things that have been revealed in Old Testament days.

[20:10] Again and again as he quotes from the Lord. Again and again as he quotes from the Psalms and the prophets. But each time keeping close to the word of God.

[20:23] As he warned the people, he warned from the word of God. As he sought to comfort the people, he comforted from the word of God. You look at the warning that he gave in his epistle to the Romans, those to whom we have already referred to as he writes to them and as yet he had not visited round.

[20:44] But he wrote to them and said I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Amongst other things did he say then? How that? The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

[21:05] And he warned them in the solemn state and condition that they were in. And my friend the very things that the apostles saw and the things that he wrote to them concerning that were prevailing in Rome at that present time I see them now in this our own beloved land in this our capital city the wickedness the evils that abounded on every tongue that did the apostle hold back?

[21:34] He spoke to them and we need to go through the chapter in the first chapter of his epistle to the Romans of the evils and the vile affections and the wickedness that was done in Rome at that time you see it here today friends.

[21:49] Here we are in a state like as they were when the Lord destroyed Sonnen. But he says until then the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

[22:06] You'll see it again and again as you see the wrath of God revealed look at the flood and the Lord came down from heaven to behold and what did he see? The wickedness that was in the earth and the wrath of God was revealed as he destroyed the earth and all that had breath in its nostrils saving those that were safe in the earth.

[22:29] The apostle never held back. He never said well if I say this I'm going to upset that one I'm going to displease this one. My friend he never preached half true.

[22:41] He preached the glorious gospel of Christ in its fullness. Friend do we hear this today? I'm speaking generally.

[22:54] I would believe that you do hear it here. Do we hear it generally? My friend we have precious truths precious gospel truths to declare.

[23:06] we have such precious truths wherein our faith would anchor. For the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanses from all sin.

[23:20] But friends we cannot just preach this we cannot set these things before the people without showing unto them what sin is. and how desperately wicked the heart of man is by nature without setting before the people of the holiness and the justice of God.

[23:40] these are the whole truths dear friends and where do we hear this today? Are we here of those who would say well believe only those that shall come but my friend none can come except the Father draw those who come by the divine drawings of the Father are my friend they shall come and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

[24:10] You look again at the teaching and the preaching of the apostle with the whole counsel of God he never held back apart so that he could stand and his desire was to stand in that last great day as clear from the blood of all men.

[24:26] God who art I may stand the sound is my concern here. Now the foundation of his faith and the foundation of his preaching was the word of God.

[24:47] Have you got the word of God for him? Have you got a word that the Lord has spoken unto you? faith and exercise to receive and to believe that word for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.

[25:10] What has he told you is that the Lord is told to be David in that 119th psalm but he speaks a word there like this Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

[25:37] have you got such a word dear friend upon which the Lord has caused you to help have you possibly got a word for there stood by him the angel of God whose I am and whom I serve and said fear not for thou must be brought before Caesar the word he hath given you he'll try that word but no storm I say no you're not going to overthrow the word of God the purpose of God as you may look at things today with a natural eye it may indeed be a great wonder to you as however this thing that he has spoken can come to pass I tell you here of what he has spoken shall come to pass there may be many years and many experiences to pass through before that word shall come to pass but his word shall not fail it cannot fail you may know in the walking out of that way what it is at times to be alone think of the word the Lord gave years ago and the way that he had to pass through to Joseph as also to dear Jacob if you look at the trial that those dear patriarchs had to pass through to Joseph had to pass through ere those words were fulfilled

[27:22] I noticed recently and I've never seen it before how there was a long period in the life of Joseph when he was alone and on a soul upon earth to pray for him his father thought him dead no prayers for the dead his wicked brethren there were no prayers in their heart for him there he was in Egypt in the house of Potiphar and then in the prison falsely accused no prayers for him I would believe that Joseph knew what it was to pray himself it's a wonderful thing dear friend if we know what it is to pray in our past and in our matters it's a wonderful thing that we've got the prayers of the brethren with us for us to unite at the throne of grace for a long period nigh 22 years in Joseph's life there wasn't a soul to pray for him yet the word of God came to pass

[28:31] Joseph ultimately could say concerning it he said well brethren ye thought this to me for evil but God meant it for good it could be seen how that Joseph had gone before to preserve life sweet time our heavenly Joseph has gone before to preserve life and I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me praying the word that he has given you the promise that he has spoken unto you you'll know what it is to plead that promise at the throne of grace you know dear Jacob who had the word to go back I don't wonder he feared to meet Esau do you?

[29:27] Jacob's alone Esau's got 400 men Jacob didn't know the heart of Esau at this time we read through the chapter and a few verses we come to see the conclusion of it but Jacob didn't know that and friend we don't know the end of the matter the wisdom of God that such things are concealed from us for friend if we knew what lay before us in our lives of how matters would be unfolded and wrought out for us I wonder how we might continue another hour but my God I would not long to see my lot with furious eyes what gloomy lines are written for me or what bright seas may rise but in thy fair book of life and grace oh may I find thy name recorded in some humble place beneath my Lord the Lamb that for him what he has spoken shall be fulfilled

[30:37] I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me as he told you this dear hearer that you are his that he is yours it shall be ah there may be succeeding things in your pathway while you wonder how the sea will end whether after all you are his whether you've been deceived my friend the eternal purpose of God shall be fulfilled and once in him in him forever we read in God's word that there were those who were solemnly left to backslide I'm giving you no excuse here for sin very solemnly felt in a backsliding path and yet dear friend there is this that backsliding is a pathway that is only known to the people of God the world then can't backslide the world he never had his face heaven warred

[31:49] God warred he can't backslide but all the path of backsliding what grief what exercise this at times causes God's dear people dear David knew it and look at that 51st Psalm that came out of it my friend where sin abound it grazed it much more abound and I believe God I say again I give no license to sin sin for my good may work and win but tis not good for me to sin our friend does sin ever grieve you I say does sin ever grieve you you know what it is to weep before God under the felt burden of your sin like those dear old divines used to speak of fresh contracted guilt is there one in this little assembly tonight who has not been the subject of it today well friend I dare claim it my bible tells me that the thought of foolishness is sin and I dare not claim that what since entering this building tonight there has been foolish thoughts in my mind this is sin in the sight of God after you have to cry out as the apostle did oh wretched man that I am

[33:29] I believe he felt it I feel a friend oh the violent amount of fire but has the Lord told you for the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth from all sin I believe God I believe that dear friends look how the dying thief proved it the word that the Lord gave to him in his dying hours he says and today thou shalt be with me in paradise I believe God it shall be even as it was told me and how that thief went from that cross where he hung beside the cross of his Lord and Master to paradise

[34:31] I know some say that the precious Christ as he expired at Calvary suffered in hell I don't believe it friends he knew the hell of the sufferings of his people but unless paradise is hell he never went there dear friends he went from that place where he said to the thief today thou shalt be with me in paradise I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me where we might bring thought upon thought precious word upon precious word for my friend there is a sense in which every word in the word of God belongs to the saint of God for there are those words which have been specifically applied to your soul to your case by the Holy Spirit of God the Lord may have sealed the word home to your soul to your conscience if he is not sealed to another here tonight our saint you can say and I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me now as we may go from his court this evening may this be with us to remember the word upon which he has caused us to hold that he will bring us through he will never forsake the word of his hands you know dear Joseph he sought to flee from the face of the Lord he sought to flee from delivering that solemn message that he had to deliver but he had to deliver but he had got the word of God and though he sought to flee and things seemed to go smoothly with Jonah as they did with Paul here for in the beginning the south wind blew softly in the beginning with Jonah why the ship was there and passage was available all things seemed favourable for him the Lord caused the storm to come our friends we might well be truly exercised when things go easy in our hearts as it buries you says the more the treacherous car my dread and billows bursting on my head and how the Lord saw fit that Jonah should be cast overboard from the boat and in his wondrous mercy brought that great fish that whale to the side of the boat at the very moment when Jonah should be cast overboard the thought was this what did Jonah learn in the whale of the belly and he learned a truth there dear friends a blessed truth when he said salvation is of the Lord and we learnt that in the darkness of the whale's belly and Fred you may come into some deep water into some dark path to learn God's truth but I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me

[37:55] I don't think Jonah ever forgot that so again we find in our days rebellion in his heart that my friend a truth the Lord has taught you you'll never forget and it may be clouded over may be times when you're unmindful of it but he'll bring it again to your remembrance remember the word upon which thou hast caused me to hold I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me as he told you this I will see you again what a precious promise here I will see you again the Lord never sees his people for the last time remember that there are those times when he withholds his presence from their view from the view of faith he never sees them for the last time though he may in his sovereignty in his wisdom see fit that they should not have a further view of him here in time yet my friend he'll see them again he will see them in that last great day when he presents them for this before his father's throne and then how pleased they'll look how bright they'll shine when Jesus says these these are mine

[39:37] I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me well friend our time's gone you've got the word to plead you've got the word to take before me have you got the faith in exercise but I believe God that this is the foundation of faith I did mention at the outset there will have to be the thought with you there is the life of faith and the life of faith will be to follow obediently to reveal the will of our Lord and Master and this is revealed in his word let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus friend if you are Christ like mind a Christ like spirit it is the life of faith the man that loves the Lord will mind whatever he bid will pay regard to all his word will do as Jesus did is this typical dear friend of your life is it consistent with the word of God with the teaching of God consistent with the life the walk of the Lord Jesus he's the perfect example my friend you could never say of anything that the Lord Jesus did that it was an unnecessary thing an unnecessary path that he spoke any unnecessary word man may squabble today among themselves of things essential and non-essential my friend is it the word of my Lord this should be my concern

[41:21] I trust God it is my concern from this I can leave man for man will never be my judge in that last great day but this word will judge me this word will judge me this word will judge you is your life in accordance with it I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me that our life be consistent with the word of God with the perfect example and pattern of our Lord and Master and the end of faith receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soul there is a sense dear friend in which our souls are saved now there is a sense in which they are yet to be saved the work of redemption is complete but friend we shall never say of our soul that it is fully saved until we are saved in glory of God and then faith will give place to sight and grace will give place to glory what will that be friends?

[42:34] when we who have seen a precious Christ by faith have sought him, have loved him, have heard him all by faith what will that be when faith gives place to sight and we see him as he is alone on the throne in the midst blessed portion may it be ours and it will be the portion of those who endure to the end for such who endure to the end shall be saved they shall receive the end of their faith even the salvation of their souls friend what will that be with him to live with him to reign to never never part again Amen the meille of to the URLs is chance to fight in theision overwhelming