Needy characters that hear and watch (Quality: Good)

[0:00] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

[0:13] Whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. I felt drawn to these words during the night, and in the light of day dawned, it came to me like this, that these words, this book, the book of the Proverbs, was written by a man who God gave wisdom to.

[0:45] And it is heavenly wisdom that is recorded here. Not the wisdom of man, that may be useful and in certain senses great, but this is spiritual wisdom, God given wisdom to Solomon to write such truths as these.

[1:08] Then I had to say to the Lord, well if he gave wisdom to Solomon to write it, that he might give me wisdom to preach it. Because if it is not so, it will be nothing more than the letter of the word this day.

[1:25] How often we have to plead our inabilities and thankfulness, our absolute dependency upon the Holy Spirit.

[1:40] We have his word to plead that he will teach us all things. And it is a mercy today if he will do this with such a word as this. Because my friends, we by nature are devoid of this wisdom.

[1:56] This wisdom which is Christ. Christ. I look to those words in the first epistle to the Corinthians and the first chapter and we read this, that of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

[2:23] Well, it speaks of a man who is blessed. They are the people of God.

[2:33] They are those, if God calls a person blessed, they are because they are his people. They are because they are under divine instruction.

[2:44] There is much need, of course, in your life and mine to seek for the wisdom of God in all our matters. And I don't think we could have got through our working life without that wisdom.

[3:01] Nor even our providential pathway either. But this is a higher wisdom. And this is a most more gracious wisdom.

[3:12] This is concerning the things of God and concerning the things of our soul. You may be wise in this world, but ignorant of grace.

[3:25] We are that all by nature. I looked at that hymn we sang so recently where it begins, Happiness, Thou Lovely Name.

[3:36] And it goes on to say, not the wisdom of the wise. Not the wisdom of the wise. But this is God-given wisdom.

[3:46] This is revelation of the spirit of truth in our souls. And this wisdom, this gracious wisdom, we will look at how it is represented here by the Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:02] And that name of wisdom is surely his. But for a moment or two to stay here upon that gracious wisdom which God indeed teaches and brings his people into the knowledge of it.

[4:19] It is God that maketh you and I wise. It is God that maketh you and I teachable. It is God that can and does bring his people into possession of knowledge and of understanding which is spiritual and which is profitable and beneficial unto our soul and to our walk and pathway and indeed to our eternal rest as well.

[4:51] But out of all mankind, the Holy Spirit speaks of a man that is blessed. Blessed is the man that heareth me.

[5:01] Blessed is the man that heareth me.

[5:31] Watching, waiting. Blessed is the man that heareth me. Oh, my friends, have you got that grace, that wisdom given to you?

[5:45] Is it imparted in your soul? Are you the subjects of that blessed work? Heareth me. No, my friends, you might not be blessed with what the world is blessed with and it's far and beyond the state of mind of the people of God, what the world is blessed with.

[6:08] But if thou are blessed with heavenly wisdom, gracious wisdom, if thou are blessed with a work of grace within their soul, you know, my friends, they'll have spiritual hearing and spiritual understanding and spiritual understanding and spiritual speech as well.

[6:26] They will be taught by the Spirit, the language of Zion. Now, blessed is the man that heareth me. Are you listening? Not to me, God forbid, my friends, that your religion revolves around only what is said in a pulpit, but listening for him.

[6:48] He is wisdom. My friends, that what he imparts is wisdom to his people. It is knowledge. It is understanding. And the Lord speaks to his people.

[7:00] And if you're the Lord's people, you'll want him to speak to you. You won't want to be satisfied with listening to the pulpit and the man in the pulpit that's speaking to you.

[7:12] You'll want the Lord to speak to you. And then it will be spiritual hearing granted. You know what David said, we remind you so often, when he speaks of that necessity of hearing.

[7:29] Be not silent to me, lest that they'll be silent to me. I become like them that go down into the pit. What an awful thing. The last verse says, He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul, or that hate me love death.

[7:47] Well, I don't know where you are, my friends. The Lord knows where I am. But the Lord knows this too, that you would hear his voice. You listen for it. And that voice of love and mercy that cries out from the cross, cried out in his pilgrimage and pathway.

[8:07] Oh, there were some blessed things that were spoken to poor sinners, wasn't there? And surely they flowed from the lips of wisdom, from the lips of Jesus Christ.

[8:18] Blessed is the man that heareth me. And as I see the word, and I hope I've got the right view of the word at least, as I commence this discourse this morning, there seems to be as if they are on the stretch for the appearance, and for the help, and for the word of his grace, to be spoken into their soul, watching, waiting.

[8:45] My friends, it's a blessed exercise, it's a gracious exercise, it's a God-given exercise, and it's what the people of God so long for.

[8:57] This does away with all formality. coming up the road to chapel, I thought, oh, that the Lord would deliver us today from just coming to Zor, because we are here every Sunday or every weeknight as well, oh, that we might be delivered out of this formality, and that we might go to hear what God the Lord will speak.

[9:20] Now, he doesn't only speak in his house, but it does speak here of watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

[9:32] I remember preaching this here once before, and it came like this to me. You know, if you go to a place where there's gates, well, that's just the entrance of the property.

[9:45] But further on, you'll come to the doors. We don't have gates and doors. We don't have gates and doors always, but the sanctuary, the house of God, and the approaching to the house of God, my friends, is through the gates and through the doors.

[10:09] And those things, those places will be where you and I shall be found. Watching and waiting. Blessed is the man that heareth me.

[10:22] Blessed is the man who wants to hear him, and who wants to hear from him. Blessed is that person whose pathway and lot and circumstance and life is in such a condition and place that only he can make the crooked places straight when the rough places play.

[10:46] And there will be a listening. We're all blessed with hearing in a measure, my friends, but are we all blessed with spiritual hearing? Do you come to chapel just to take up the hymns and read the word and listen to the word?

[11:02] Or do you come to chapel to hear for what the Lord will be speaking through the means of grace to one's own soul? Often we've heard people say, well, well, it was such a good gathering.

[11:18] Oh, there was so many there on that occasion. Well, my friends, there's two questions. Really, it must be always asked as we gather in the house of God, was the Lord there?

[11:31] And then did he speak to us? My friends, that is what's all important. Well, my friends, if you've got hearing and if you've got grace, that's spiritual hearing, of course, if you've got spiritual hearing, it is a fruit of spiritual grace.

[11:50] But then again, my friends, if you're a poor and wretched sinner, under that gracious teaching, it will be his voice you want to hear and no one else's. You go back into the pilgrimage of Jesus Christ and you go back to those poor souls that were afflicted with various matters, the state of their own body and mind, the state of their own soul as they were taught their synergy.

[12:21] And all these came and were drawn to Christ and they wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver them from what was their affliction and their trial and their trouble.

[12:35] My friends, in his mercy he sent none empty away. They heard his voice. Never man spake like this man, they said, but if he speaks in your soul, you'll say it also.

[12:51] You're the power that's in his voice, the authority that's in his voice and the consolation and the comfort and the mercy that's in his voice. Oh, this is my friend so blessedly to the people of God that those that would hear his voice would hear him speak in mercy.

[13:09] Those that hear his voice would have him speak personally. You know, when the dedication of the temple was going on, the glory of the Lord filled the house and the praise couldn't go on.

[13:25] They couldn't use their office because of the glory of the Lord in the house. And how the spirit of prayer was given to Solomon on that occasion and he brought before the Lord the needs of the people and the needs of Israel.

[13:44] and he finished every desire that he prayed for that the Lord would in his mercy from heaven hear and would indeed appear.

[13:58] Well, my friends, did you come to chapel like that? You would listen for his voice, that he would speak through the means of grace and that he would speak into your soul.

[14:12] Well, there were some blessed characters there was in the days of Christ and the Lord spoke, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke and delivered them from their affliction and brought them out of their trouble and saved them from despair.

[14:30] Think of those who could look back on the day when he forgave their sins and said so. My friends, it was listening for that. Do you listen to know your sins are pardoned and put away?

[14:43] And then again, my friends, it is too in the, if you've got a gracious soul, you'll need a gracious walk and you may find that the pathway is all shut up and you're brought into confusion.

[15:00] but the Lord through his spirit will speak into the way. This is the way walk in it when you would turn from the right hand and to the left.

[15:12] Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors.

[15:24] Now, my friends, let us use one example in the word of God and that which we very nearly read on Wednesday, very nearly.

[15:38] Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke was the chapter that we read a little from but in that chapter we find a man who was led of the Spirit and his name was Simeon.

[15:50] Now, he was under the influence of the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost had so taught him that he should not see death till he saw the Lord's Christ.

[16:06] We must be very careful when we look at these things because lest we should add to them what is not necessary. But I'm sure of this, my friends, if you were persuaded of the Spirit of truth that the day will come in your soul's experience that you will see the Lord's Christ not of course as he saw him but to see him by faith and to understand what Simeon understood was this his interest in him.

[16:41] You know, many saw the Lord's Christ and had no interest in him. Came to his own and his own received him not but amongst them that did you know there was such a gracious character of Simeon.

[16:54] Oh, what a blessed character he was. But he was waiting and he was watching and he came into the house of God not by chance, not by coincidence, my friends, but by the leading of the Spirit.

[17:13] Oh, how often have we used such words. The Lord forgive us if we were wrong but my friends, we've often had to pray here that it might be a place where a sinner and a saviour came together and it was so in the temple of that in the house of God that day.

[17:30] Though the child Jesus was being brought in to do for him after the custom of the law, there stood Simeon waiting for that blessed day.

[17:43] What a day it was, a day of revelation, a day of consolation to a day of most blessed assurance. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

[18:02] My friends, he was safe, he was under that blessed persuasion of an interest in the person of Jesus Christ, though he was but a child. Blessed is the man that heareth me.

[18:17] Now, my friends, the Lord give you a case in your soul, the Lord give you a burden in your heart, the Lord grants you an exercise spirit, and you'll want to hear this word from the Lord.

[18:32] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. God, oh, my friends, those set times, those blessed seasons of mercy to the soul, those times when you forget who's preaching and go home and rejoice in hearing the Lord's voice.

[19:02] They are sacred seasons. My friends, as one of the most clearest and yet simplest of evidences are being amongst the children of God. For surely that word in John chapter 10 is brought to pass, my shape, hear my voice.

[19:24] Blessed is the man, oh, blessed is that man that heareth me. But what does he hear? Does he always hear comfortable things?

[19:36] Is it always words of comfort? Is it always joy and praise? Not so, not so. My friends, if he should speak into your heart and draw the veil away as it were and make you aware that you are a sinner.

[19:56] My friends, you are just as blessed as those that are redeemed by his blood and in the glories of heaven not more safe are you than they.

[20:07] They may be more blessed but that you are no more safe rather than you. That you might hear his voice in chastening, that you might hear his voice in condemnation, that you might hear his voice in this, that you are made aware of your sad state.

[20:32] my friends, you won't listen for mercy till you know condemnation, you won't cry for the Lord to speak peace and pardon till you find something of his condemnation against sin working with him.

[20:46] Oh, that blessed work of conviction, you know, that convincing one that he is a sinner, my friends, is a voice that's very solemn.

[21:00] Blessed is the man that heareth me. They don't feel blessed. They feel anything but blessed. They feel to be the most miserable souls on the earth, my friends, but they are in a pathway of salvation and such that know the solemnity of his voice in condemnation will hear his voice in mercy and in grace and in comfort and joy to their soul.

[21:31] Well, my friends, many speak of these hearing of his voice but it's eternal bliss when he speaks peace. They brought a man to Christ you know who was sick sick of the palsy and we read in one of the gospels that he was born of four and they let him down before Christ in that multitude of people he was also a sinner you know and they brought him because of his palsy something that they looked to Jesus Christ to indeed deliver him from and make him better so that he was more able and indeed more strengthened but the Lord Jesus Christ in such a sacred and glorious way said thy sins are forgiven thee and of course as you know the

[22:32] Pharisees rose up in distress of spirit that they should ever hear a man on earth speak what words that can only be attributed to God in heaven their eyes were closed that they saw not the son of God in Jesus Christ he was not to them he was no more than a form of a person he was not revealed to him as the Christ of God and so they found fault with his saying thy sins are forgiven thee and then he pronounced deliverance from the affliction of the body as well blessed is the man that here with me I often thought what blessed days they were you know when the son of man in human form spoke to sinners didn't condemn them didn't send them away didn't send them away empty that is but sent them away rejoicing look at the woman caught in adultery what was she expecting condemnation the

[23:42] Pharisees had already passed their judgment on her they were soon to take up stones ready to indeed bring to pass the decree of the commandments of God ready to lay upon her that death stroke because of her wickedness and they brought her to Jesus I think there's something very wonderful that they didn't see it of course but then we find that word of divine power being spoken he that is without sin cast the first stone my friends and what happened well nothing happened because they were all convinced in their mind of their state as a sinner not in their soul there was no cry for mercy for them and there was no evidence of mercy for them they were all brought into a solemn realisation that they couldn't throw a stone and then we read those blessed words my friends blessed is the man that heareth me neither do

[24:56] I condemn thee go and sin no more wonderful words to a sinner I have often said anything and everything that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to sinners must surely be recorded in their soul to the end of their days and what sweet words they were not words of condemnation but words of consolation words of mercy and they fell from the lips of the saviour who in his holy life went to the end of the law for righteousness sake blessed is the man that heareth me well my friends I hope you and I are those who hear him and if you don't hear him I hope you and I are among those who want to hear him because Jesus Christ to his people communicates mercy and grace to them speaks out of his heart speaks out of his love to them blessed is the man that heareth me he speaks out of love but then this exercise that they were in watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors you know one of the things which we have to pray for you know is real sincerity in religion not this putting on of our better clothes on

[26:31] Sundays and weeknights but this is a daily exercise not a time my friends which is put by or put away for another season I believe it was Festus wasn't it who was listening to the apostle Paul giving his call by grace and he said I will hear thee another time and it was Agrippa that said to Paul almost how persuades me to be a Christian there was no such rank in the church of Christ no such position as an almost Christian this is the exercise of a believer this is oh how slothful do we get my friends how ruined we are by sin how lukewarm we are this is the Laodicean church you know we're in that time we're rich and in need of nothing until the

[27:33] Lord so stirs up our soul and stirs up this exercise within watching daily and my friends it is not only in the house of God you'll watch daily blessed is the man that is watching daily at my gates what gates the door of mercy that's the gate here the door of mercy the door of mercy is open in the wounds of Jesus that's where the door of mercy is to be found the door of mercy stands open all day to the poor and the needy that knock by the way watching daily well my friends who could graciously say well that's where I am truly you won't want a moment to go by you won't want to be in that sad place of lethargy and lukewarmness and indifference and carelessness sometimes you know when the things of time and sense so press upon us and we need perhaps such busy scenes at times well there seems to be so little time as it were but my friends the

[28:55] Lord grant you the grace to see the need and that he will make indeed the place where thou art and he is glorious in your desire when you take up the word of God in the morning my friends may it be that you're watching daily at his gates watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors these entrances which are spoken here the Lord puts before his people the door of his mercy and what do we know about the posts of my doors my friends something which a child of God will pray for closer communion closer communion you'll want that oh you won't want anything between the gates and the doors to hinder you this is as it were approaching to the time my friends when you'll find communion with Jesus Christ in his sufferings as in your sufferings watching daily the

[30:01] Lord Jesus in the gospel of Luke gives a clear indication of the pilgrimage of his people you know and the real believers and partakers of his holiness those sacred words whether I can lay upon them lay my eyes upon them but my friends you know them as well as I do when he speaks of those that take up their cross daily and my friends that is where if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and it is a daily cross it's a daily watching or it should be watching daily at my gates this isn't some religion my friends which is as you might say a part time exercise this is not something that we can put on Saturday night in some respectability for the

[31:03] Lord's day and some other time we might go this is a spiritual life which is working within which is exercise burden seeking crying longing desiring watching daily when you pray my friends the Lord enable you to watch when you pray lay the burdens of your soul and those other burdens those other exercises which he burdens you and troubles with may you be enabled in your prayers to lay them at his feet watching daily at my gates that he might impart mercy waiting at the posts of my doors I'm sure my friends that some will say well yes I believe that is where I am but oh waiting you'll need as much grace to pray as you'll need to wait and you'll need grace to watch as well watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors there's ever been a time my friends when you've been able to pray expected there's been a time my friends when the

[32:16] Lord has so communicated to your very soul that there is a day of blessing those words come back to me I say unto you ask and it shall be given to you when the Lord says ask he will give and that's what you'll watch for it will be a try and by this watching and waiting because there will be discouragements in it there will be suggestions of the enemy that you give up watching and waiting because he'll never come to pass and he'll as it were encourage you to believe that impossible things are therefore impossible and that the Lord will not do these things that you cry for oh if you are an exercise have an exercise soul my friends you'll watch and your weight you can't give those things up which the Lord has laid there well you could sooner my friends move mountains and give up what the Lord is so pleased to lay upon you to watch and to wait over what about the promises of God sacred promises glorious promises spoken by the lips of God into your soul that would have an effect upon you or upon whom you pray for and upon those who are near and dear to you what sort of religion my friends what sort of an exercise will it be what sort of a travel over souls will it be if he wasn't watching and waiting over your prayers and over his promises and over his exercises if the

[33:56] Lord exercises your soul you'll come to chapel and watch and you'll come to chapel and wait but you'll also come to the footstool of mercy and you'll carry about with it all day and you'll plead before the Lord that you might be brought into that day of blessing and that time of deliverance and oh the seasons will be trying seasons remember Elijah's servant there is nothing there is nothing we'll give up watching then but my friends the Lord had said to Elijah that he will once more bring rain upon the earth three and a half years have gone by since that chastening hand of God was upon Israel the Lord said I will return rain upon the earth well there was to be a watching for it that wonderful deliverance that Elijah had in the way in which the Lord God so burnt up the sacrifice with fire from heaven there was a token let it be known this day that there were God in Israel and he let it be known because the sacrifice was consumed and then he let it know that Elijah was his servant and that he was obedient servant of God too but when it came to the blessing of rain upon the earth he was to be found with his head between his knees on

[35:27] Carmel and his servant was watching and he was looking out towards the sea and he was waiting and the dear prophet was waiting on the Lord and the first time he looked he said there's nothing and the faith of Elijah said go again seven times and at the seventh time there was a cloud the size of a man's hand and there was the evidence there was the blessing watching daily oh be not surprised dear friends if you've got a satan as your foe be not surprised of unbelief in your heart be not surprised when even godly men will distract you or distress you by as it were calls in their words to be as it were to question your hope and your exercise watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors wonderful mercy my friends it is to be a watcher and a waiter in

[36:38] Zion you think my friends what we have to watch over and what we have to wait on the Lord for oh when we hear blessings elsewhere it stirs up the spirit you know well it does mine I thank god for those times of refreshing in other chapels but it's here we want to see it my friends last night I was told of another baptizing in one of our chapels and I truly rejoiced but it's all that wants these blessings and these favors and it's these in this place that we watch daily and wait daily watching daily at my gates waiting at the post of my doors and we watch and we wait to hear what God the Lord will say what he will do will he work oh how many times I've had to say lately Lord what will thou do with Zor what is thy will and purposes at Zor is it to close the place is it to bring it to nothing is it that the word of his grace has got no blessing of his spirit upon it is there no living soul that longs after the day of blessing that wants to come and tell to sinners round what a dear saviour they have found my friends is watching and waiting as you look to see the

[38:02] Lord's hand and long to see the Lord's hand watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors be not surprised then if you have discouragement be not surprised my friends if you suffer with unbelief or doubts and fears but his guards my friends will ever will ever come into the fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what salt it is and you know at the end of it all there's not much left when fire done its work but if it's silver and gold and precious stones it will remain well these are blessed characters but then of course you can indeed I'm sure you do if you fear God you can come a little closer home those matters which are personal those seasons which are personal my friends the Lord has blessed you with a promise concerning others you can't just say well the

[39:08] Lord said this and that's sufficient because you'll be watching you'll be waiting you'll be seeking in prayer and supplication and for your own pathway and soul and for the fulfillment of it and the deliverances that you seek for you'll watch for it and you'll wait for it oh I feel it's not perhaps wise to go into personal things really but oh I could tell you my friends it was a daily exercise in the in particular times with me watching daily at my gates waiting for at the posts of my doors and yet the Lord calls these people blessed it's very remarkable you know when the Lord speaks of these people as blessed he doesn't speak in the first instance as being in the possession of their blessings but rather in the possession of the need of their blessings you think of the

[40:18] Beatitudes as I call in that chapter in Matthew where the Lord Jesus Christ preaches what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount seeing the multitudes he went up into a mountain when he was set his disciples came unto him he opened his mouth and taught them what did he teach them blessed are the poor in spirit well nature would say well how can you be blessed when you're poor in spirit because my friends it's always accompanied with a promise for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see

[41:22] God blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you forcefully for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad my friends he doesn't say well now you're in the possession of it you're a blessed people but he says you're a blessed people in the preparation of the blessing it's the work of his grace that he is so pronouncing his blessing upon and those dear souls that are called and led and taught by grace i'm sure of this there's been many a time when you felt to be at the ends of the earth in your spiritual experience or it may be that you felt so condemned by your own sin and iniquity there's no picking up stones to throw anyone else in those days and i'm sure when you come to the throne of grace or to the house of prayer that you hunger and thirst after the things of god my friends in that state and condition you are by god's account and by the view of the spirit of truth a most blessed character but you say well i've got nothing only this distressing troubling emptying out situation and circumstance there's nothing blessed in being poor oh there is in the church of christ my friends oh there's most blessed people are in the church of christ those poor souls who venture to the house of god ready to perish rather here as you want to pray for those are the characters my friends that make up a good congregation the indifferent and the lukewarm and the careless and those who come by duty only are no prophet to the minister nor to the ministry either but those who creep in my friends being the worst of sinners being the vilest of the lost my friends these are those who cry out for mercy these are those who are blessed in god's eyes and these are those who shall be blessed too in the receiving of and under the sweet sacred influence of the spirit in their soul oh when you when you feel these times of need my friends it's a voice of mercy it's not against you it's for you you know what the 34th psalm said when he said this poor man cried and he wouldn't have cried if he wasn't poor and the lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles but my friends are blessed characters we must leave the word blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors oh that's only half the blessing my friends

[44:40] I say that very reverently only half the blessing there'll be a time in God's hands and in his way where he shall finish his work and he'll bring his people into that sacred season my friends when it shall be a blessing indeed amen