Psalm (Quality: Good)

[0:00] Psalm 20 Psalm 20 Psalm 20 verses 1 and 2

[1:04] The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. The name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

[1:16] Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion. For the benefit of any friends that were not here this morning, we tried to look at this word.

[1:38] We noticed the word speaks to those in trouble. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble.

[1:54] And we noticed that those people, those that are called by God, these will be brought to see and know and confess their sins before a holy God.

[2:23] Their sins will be brought to their remembrance. And they will be a grief. They will be a sorrow.

[2:36] So that they will be troubled in their minds, in their consciences. There will be no peace.

[2:48] And friends, as some of us have proved, until we have found the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and He has heard us.

[3:06] Heard us. Heard us. Confessing our sins before Him, which we must do if we are going to be forgiven.

[3:19] For the word says, without confession, there can be no remission.

[3:31] We are to confess our sins before a holy God. And when they are a burden and a sorrow to us, then we shall have to come to the Lord and tell Him and plead for mercy.

[3:52] The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. It is a day of trouble when we are brought into that pathway. But there are many other troubles, many of them, that cause us to cry unto the Lord.

[4:13] We want to see Him work. Not only in our own hearts, but in our families. We want to see Him work in the church of God.

[4:30] We want to see Him work in the hearts of any that come into the house of God. There will be times when we have to plead with the Lord that He will work in the hearts of one and another.

[4:53] What a wonderful thing it is when one is laid in the hearts of His children so that they have to pray for them.

[5:08] Our friends and those prayers are most valuable. I have felt the power of them in my own heart regarding the ministry of the Word.

[5:20] when one and another that we know prayed for us and we've felt their loss when they died.

[5:36] I remember I used to go to Ponsard Road, London to preach and the old deacon Bill Everett was there in those days and friends he used to pray for me.

[5:59] Not me only but his servants and friends it never seemed the same after he'd gone.

[6:14] And I've known at least two other women that have carried me in the ministry of the Word praying for me.

[6:29] They are valuable prayers friends. I don't doubt there's many more that have not been revealed to me. But friends oh it's a wonderful thing when the children of God are constrained to pray for one and another.

[6:57] Not only those that regularly come but those that may come once now and again or even strangers that might come into the house of God.

[7:11] Friends we are to pray. Pray for the welfare of Jerusalem. We are to inquire of God for these things.

[7:26] He will be inquired of by his people. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

[7:44] Friends the God of Jacob. what a mercy it is we have various ones recorded in the word of God Jacob.

[8:03] Some of these men like Jacob we know were not without sin and we may solemnly know and realise we personally are not without sin.

[8:26] I know we may and do look upon some of the Lord's children and some of his servants and we think well I'm not like them.

[8:44] Not like them. They set such a different example. They seem to walk such a much holier life.

[9:01] Oh but friends the Lord knows them that are his. He knows those that feel less than the least.

[9:16] Less than the least. He doesn't despise them. Friends what a wonderful thing.

[9:27] the ones that are less than the least are just as valuable in the Lord's sight as the most gracious one.

[9:50] So friends there's hope for us all. The Lord the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

[10:07] The God of Jacob. You see the Lord didn't despise Jacob. He didn't cast him off. Jacob remember was a deceiver.

[10:22] He was a deceiver. He deceived his brother. He deceived his father. Friends how amazing these things are.

[10:41] But what does the word say as ye sow shall ye reap. So it was with Jacob he deceived then he was deceived in due time.

[11:00] He was deceived by Laban. We know there are some remarkable things in the experiences of Jacob but there was much much teaching but the Lord loved Jacob and the Lord told Jacob he would be with him in all places with us wherever he went.

[11:30] Ah friends what a wonderful thing if you and I are the Lord's children though we might feel very different to them we might feel to be have nothing like they have and yet friends the Lord sees them that are his and he'll lead them in his paths he'll bring them to his foot stall he'll bring them to that place where his love will be revealed to them you might say well I shall never come there I shall never see or receive the love of Christ in my heart because of my sin and my uncleanness but friend consider this what about the dying thief he was being crucified beside the

[12:44] Lord Jesus Christ and he was still at enmity with the Lord Jesus Christ he cast the same in his teeth as the other thief did on the other side but the dying thief though he didn't know it he was one of the Lord's chosen people and the time came that the dying thief must be called by grace and so the Lord Jesus begun the work in his heart and he was turned right round the same as Saul on the road to Damascus was turned right round he was made willing they were both made willing to serve God they were both brought to confess their sins before

[13:50] God and the dying thief cried for mercy he acknowledged his sin he acknowledged he deserved what he was suffering but he said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom and what did the Lord Jesus say to him this day shalt thou be with me in paradise he didn't cast him off he had mercy friend the devil might say to you there's no hope for you the Lord will never have mercy upon you I tell you if you are able to confess your sins before God God will have mercy on your soul there's not one that you read of in the word of

[14:55] God that cried for mercy and was cast off turned back so friends there is hope hope cry unto the Lord take no notice of what Satan says Satan is a liar and Satan will be cast into an eternal hell but Satan is upon the world he has acknowledged before God that he goes to and fro and up and down in the whole earth and he has a particular hate towards God and his children and he will do all possible to distress the people that call upon

[15:59] God but friends the Lord our God is almighty he is greater than Satan but he will be inquired of this our God will that we to do it for us the God and the God of Jacob defend thee the Lord will defend his children he'll defend them from Satan all the mercy the mercy of God send thee help from the sanctuary friends what a mercy the Lord sends help from the sanctuary he helps the children of

[17:02] God Satan may say to you well it's no good there won't be nothing for you you're not like the people of God but friend God is no respecter of persons he knows them that are his that's what counts and he will help those that are cast down and distressed that cry unto him there's been many many of those that the Lord has called that have gone to the house of God and they have gone to the house of

[18:03] God as I trust we have here to die to come and hear what the Lord will say unto us we want him to speak to us we want him to comfort our hearts we want him to forgive our sins we want him to instruct us in the way that we are to go friends we have to seek the Lord time and time again to show us the way that we are to go his servants have to seek him particularly at this time of the year as we you know it's the time of the year almost here when engagements are made for another year what will the

[19:10] Lord have us do what is his will which way are we to go it's not necessary the same way that we've gone the last three five ten years or whatever not necessarily we don't just have one call per Sunday we can have three four five or more calls for the same Sunday they can't all be of God which is of God that's what concerns us friends we have to cry unto the Lord if thy presence go not with us carry us not our pens that's the last thing we want to do is to go into a pulpit where the

[20:15] Lord is not shut because we know our mouth may well be shut and if it's not shut it will only be empty words there will be no power there will be no application there will be no fruit so what an important matter it is not only to his servants but the children of God the churches it's right they should be concerned and exercised that they have God's choice of man in the pulpit friends his servants each have a work to do one has one job to do one has another one has one strain of preaching one has another and so on they each have the

[21:23] Lord's work the Lord's bidding oh it's very wonderful so you see friends the preaching is not always suitable to everybody far from it but in the course of the Lord's providence he brings his children to the right place where they're going to feed it's very wonderful when we see it when we find it and we shall know when the brook dries up and there is nothing we may have been at a place five years or more or less and we may have profited but sometimes there comes a change and the brook dries up just as it did with the prophet

[22:30] Elijah I think it was I always get mixed up with Elijah and Elisha but I think it was Elijah he went to the brook Cherith where the Lord commanded him in his providence and there he fed the prophet he ate and he drank he drank of the brook the ravens brought flesh for him he was quite happy and contented to be there because the Lord provided for him the Lord's eye was upon him but then you see much to his amazement the brook dried up thus he couldn't stop there he had to move and God directed him where to go he used another unusual circumstance a poor widow woman that had a handful of meal left in the barrel nothing more yet he commanded the prophet to go to that widow woman and that she would feed him and he cried unto her to give him something to eat and drink she said

[24:06] I've only got one handful of mail and I'm just going to cook it for me and my son and then we shall die but he said first bake me a cake she was obedient what a wonderful provision was that the end of the meal no the meal never wasted oh friends the Lord supplies the needs of his children wherever they are but his providence unfolds the book and so it is spiritually there are times when the book dries up the preaching dries up and there's nothing and friends we need to look we need to watch we need to pray that the

[25:11] Lord would show us his will his way the Lord says in his word he will feed his children in famine and he will and there is spiritual famine and I believe we are there to die in some measure spiritual famine I believe there's many many places where the word is preached but God is not there God is not there and it cannot possibly bear fruit ah ah there may be a gathering it may attract the people but friends what we find generally attracts the people is social events they are not the old paths that we are commanded to choose and walk in no the old paths are the paths where the

[26:53] Lord is where the Lord teaches his children and his children are brought to honour him and reverence him you know we hear a lot about new Bibles but you know these Bibles particularly some where they bring down the Lord to our level speak to him as you and so on but friends they're dishonouring dishonouring to our God he is high he is the king of kings he is almighty God and friends his children will reverence him respect him send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of

[28:11] Zion strengthen thee help from the sanctuary friends how many times we have had help from the sanctuary how many times friends has the Lord been a refuge for you and I a refuge blessed refuge when we haven't known how to go any further when our burdens have been too heavy and too great we've had to flee unto the Lord he's been our refuge he has helped us yes he's kept us from sinking into despair he sends help from the sanctuary and strengthens thee out of

[29:17] Zion you know friends I believe the greatest test we have is not in the house of God he's out of it it's when we're having to do with the world and we have to do with the world we have to live in it we're not meant to separate ourselves from the world as it were like Catholics do and go and live in a convent separate from the world God created the world for man we are to live in it but we are still to serve God we are still to respect him he will not condemn us because we live in the world and have to mix with men and even work with worldly men but friends as we are enabled we shall still respect our

[30:38] God and if we are required to do something that dishonors our God or is dishonest God granting to us the grace we shall refuse to do it whatever the cost is but the Lord send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion it's not always an easy matter to serve our God in the world especially at work I remember when I first in the early days went out to preach and I thought well whatever's going to happen if somebody asked me to preach in the week day and I've got to travel in the afternoon

[31:50] I've got to stop away from work how will they receive it will it be will I get the sack French I don't remember ever being brought to the test but I'd already faced it and I'd already felt in my heart that if I was asked I would go whatever the cost if it cost me me job so be it I knew it was in the Lord's hand I could not have refused and I would not have done but friends we are put to the test sometimes in various ways different things

[32:50] God watches us he will strengthen his dear children out of Zion friends when we feel his love and his mercy in our hearts we shall not be able to sin easily against him Joseph couldn't do it could he he couldn't sin against his God he couldn't yield to that woman that pleaded with him again and again to lie with her no because God was with Joseph because God prospered him because he felt the Lord's presence he saw the effects of it and he loved the Lord for him and this was a great strength and a help to him do we know anything about it

[33:59] I know just a little not much but I do know a little I do know when the tender fear of God has been in my heart and I have been subjected to temptation real temptation but it had no effect on me that's not my nature that was God given and I've never forgotten it never ah friends how good the Lord is he does strengthen his children out of Zion even literally send the help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion friends he helps his children in their walk in their profession he helps them to resist sin and

[35:11] Satan and the world if you and I are called upon by the Lord to serve him then we shall have enemies we shall have the world which will be against us look at Saul Saul on the road to Damascus look how he was called look at the effects upon him how he was brought down brought to confession the Lord heard him had mercy on him he sent Ananias to him that he might receive his sight and the the dear man was forgiven he was forgiven and he straightway was baptized friends oh that's the least poor man can do to honour the

[36:26] Lord for all he has done for us Saul was baptized and he preached Christ but look at the opposition that he encountered they sought Dian Knight to slay him but look at God's providence Rahab has used and lets him down over the wall in a basket and he escaped God's providence overrules God's providence will overturn God's providence will make a way where there seems no way the Lord will never file his children they're in his hands and when he uses them and when he has a work for them to do he will look after them he will protect them just as we've already noticed how

[37:47] Elijah was fed he had a work to do Jonah had a work to do but Jonah unlike the prophet Elijah he rebelled he refused he said he wasn't going to go that way he wasn't going to do what the Lord had told him he'd got to do and so he had to suffer for it he was thrown overboard he was swallowed by the whale but that was God's mercy to him God's mercy his life must be spared Jonah must be put to the test to see if he will repent he went down to the bottoms of the sea in the whale's belly it was to him the belly of hell pitch black darkness can't imagine it there we was and it was there that he had to confess his sins before God it was there that the

[39:21] Lord heard him and it was it was then that the Lord delivered him from the belly of the fish he commanded the fish you see friends it's not only man that's in God's hands everything's in God's hands the animals look at Daniel in the lion's den they were ravenous beasts hungry Jonah Daniel was cast in the lion's den they couldn't touch him they couldn't touch him because the Lord had shut their mouths and it wasn't only for a minute or two it was hours through the night the king came early in the morning oh

[40:28] Daniel is thy God continually able to deliver thee to shut the mouths lines he was oh what wonderful things these things are things are recorded for our help and our encouragement you might feel you're almost in the lion's mouth he's waiting to devour you Satan but friends the Lord says from time to time thus far no further that was so regarding Saul on the road to Damascus Saul was persecuting the

[41:29] Lord Jesus Christ and the church of God but he was stopped and he couldn't do it anymore he was made willing in that same hour to serve God Lord what wilt thou have me to do is there one year this afternoon that is in the hands of God as God stopped you as God brought you down to his feet has God shown you the path you have been walking in and what is what the judgments await for sinners but he also has made a way that poor sinners might be reprieved he is the way come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden

[42:39] I will give you rest oh friends what a mercy we have a blessed Jesus a blessed Redeemer one who shows mercy has mercy oh that we might each be brought to this blessed Jesus send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion friends what a strength the word of God is to his children all these things that are recorded in the Old Testament and the New Testament there there for the instruction of those whom the Lord calls you might not be able to say today you're one of the

[43:44] Lord's children but as the Lord called you friends he calls his children yes he calls them he called Samuel but Samuel when he was called in his young days he didn't know God's voice neither do we when the Lord begins the work in our hearts you may be in a position today and you don't know the Lord's voice you hear voices no doubt but as we've said many times whose voice is it that we hear there is God's voice there is Satan's voice there is our own voice and friends it's a very narrow path we need the

[44:48] Lord to show us what is of him and what is right and when we are deceived because we can easily be deceived Satan is powerful he has a powerful voice and friends we can well be deceived when we hear Satan's voice he can use scripture he can quote many things and he knows he knows ever so much about you and I I have been astonished at the things he knows I have also been deceived in his voice I have thought his voice was God's voice but friends oh blessed be the

[45:50] Lord he didn't leave me there he left me there for a time and it was a great distress to me a great trouble I couldn't understand it but the Lord in his own time and way he came and he showed me it was Satan's voice not God's voice that God would not have been grieved in those things that Satan was challenging me in ah friends oh we need then to be found in prayer the word of God says pray without ceasing it is needful friends but who is there of us that do it pray without ceasing we need the Lord to keep us we need him to come again and again and to quicken us into life well friends may the

[46:58] Lord bless these few things to us may he enlighten us and give us a right understanding of his word for his name's sake amen amen