Revelation

[0:00] I will direct your attention this evening to the word resting on my mind which you will find in the third chapter of the book of the Revelation and the eighth verse.

[0:15] The third chapter of the book of the Revelation and the eighth verse. Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut in.

[0:27] Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut in. This word has rested upon our mind and we have preached from it several times lately and do not feel able to leave it tonight.

[0:49] It still rests with us. This is the word of God himself to poor sinners.

[1:02] This was God's word to the church at Philadelphia. And I thought with this word upon my mind what a mighty obstacle were these gates of iron and brass.

[1:21] These solemn impossibilities which lay in their way. There was that which was solemnly opposed to the spirit.

[1:38] And yet the Lord came to this church and said that he had set before an open door. And we might well say that these unanswered prayers are going to be answered.

[2:03] These solemn impossibilities were going to be miraculously changed. God was going to appear on their behalf.

[2:19] One thing we can most certainly say regarding this open door. That it was everything that was concerned here was within the compass of the holy mind and will of God.

[2:34] It couldn't in any way contravene his purposes. In no way can our prayers cross the sovereign decrees of our eternal God.

[2:50] And yet here are the desires. Here are the cries. Here are the petitions of God's dear children.

[3:02] And we might attempt to look at some of these cries and petitions of God's dear children. If we put together two things.

[3:20] One, their desire to reach glory. And two, their knowledge of their own guilt and ruin and sin and filth and darkness.

[3:35] Now that knowledge must ever be increasing. It can't be anything else. They are God's dear children. Then they are going to enter into the fullest experience of the seventh chapter of Romans.

[3:48] And feel the depths of the ruin that is within them. And therefore they are going to be conscious that they deserve not the least of all his mercies.

[4:02] What do you think Samson felt like in that solemn hall of paganism as they jeered and mocked him? When in his body he carried the solemn chastening, not judgment, chastening of God.

[4:21] Solemn it was. God had dealt. And he knew righteous chastening in his afflicted body.

[4:32] His strength gone. His sight taken from him as the poet Milton describes him. In that solemn and awful language, eyeless, at Gaza. At the mill with slaves.

[4:47] But you know, he had been brought by God to this place. I know thy word. He had been brought to see his own guilt.

[5:01] He had been brought to him. Solemn he had been brought down with nothing. But, a consciousness of this word.

[5:12] I know thy word. And yet, there was, before that dear man of God, an open door set.

[5:25] It was indeed set before him. Sinner that he was. In all his darkness and death. There was an open door. Blessed door.

[5:36] It was the door of mercy. It's what we read of in this fourth chapter. The Lord's servant John the Divine says that the door opened in heaven.

[5:52] He saw it. I beheld. He says. In the lovely language of scripture. After this, I looked and behold.

[6:03] A door was opened in heaven. Why? That was the very bosom upon which he leaned at the last supper. God. The eternal Son of God.

[6:16] Was there. Before his very eyes. A door opened in heaven. And he beheld a throne. And a rainbow. I've mentioned it many times lately.

[6:26] But last year I was in Holland. Listening one Wednesday night. To a dear. Godly. Minister. I can't understand Dutch. Hardly a word. He preached from that.

[6:38] Opening verses of the fourth of the Revelation. And I began to understand. What he was saying. I shall never forget it. The sweetness that had entered my heart in that foreign language.

[6:52] When he said. That there was an open place. An open place. And he said it's for mine. For me. And he said it's for younger and an older. And he went on to say around that throne was a bond.

[7:06] A covenant. Sacred covenant of divine grace. What do you know. Of this door opened in heaven. This open place.

[7:17] Have we known it. Is our. Sweetest place on our knees. At that mercy seat. Seeking.

[7:31] Before this. Open door in heaven. At the footstool. At the footstool of mercy. Pleading. And praying there. Is it our. Favoured lot.

[7:42] To. Find access. Has this. Door been set. Before us. The dying thief. Says to him.

[7:53] Right to rejoice. To see. That fountain. In his day. He. Had that. Door. Set. Before him. There's something.

[8:06] Very. Specific. And. Particular. And. Precious. In these words. Behold. I have set. Before thee. And there's something.

[8:19] Very precious. In this word. Set. Before. You see. It's a particular person.

[8:31] It's a particular. People. To whom the Lord. Grants this. Divine favor. Of setting. Before them. This open door.

[8:41] Bunyan's pilgrim. As he journeyed. Onward. In his. Despondency. Carrying his. Heavy. Load. Yet. Had evangelists. Sent.

[8:52] To him. To set. Before him. That door. Even the. Wicked going. And the cross. To which it lay. When worldly. Wiseman. Tried to.

[9:03] Persuade. To. Pilgrim. To get rid of his load. In that. Ignorant fashion. That he said to him. Well. It's a nuisance. Get rid of it. And pilgrim said. I can't.

[9:14] I'm going this way. There is a door. Set before me. And he came. To the place. Where it was. Sacredly. Set before him. As an open door. In heaven.

[9:25] He. Saw. The Lord Jesus Christ. Upon the cross. Of Calvary. He entered in. You see. Those who have this. Blessed.

[9:37] Vision. That word. Has also been. In our hearts. Of late. We preached from it. From the past.

[9:48] To Sabbath. The vision. Is yet. For an appointed time. At the end. Shall speak. And not lie. Though it tarry. Wait for it. I wonder how many of you.

[9:59] Here. Are. In that place. Where. You wait. For this open door. To be set. Before you. Christ.

[10:10] When he was upon. The cross. Finally. Set that door. Before one of his dear. People. It was the dying thief. He set it.

[10:21] Before his. Very eyes. He. Saw him. The eternal. Son of God. In all his glory. He saw his.

[10:32] Kingdom. And his majesty. And his power. To save. His eyes. Was one. Open. To see Jesus. A door was. Opened in heaven.

[10:43] For him. And he saw it. He viewed him. And. In that. Setting. Before him.

[10:54] Which is a. Heavenly setting. He came. To ask. In the. Sweet simplicity of it. He came to beg. For mercy.

[11:05] At that mercy seat. For. I believe this. You know. That. Where that door is open. The truth of our text. Is here in its. Fullest.

[11:18] Place. No man could shut it. No man could. Stop that. Matey work. That took place. Between the dying thief. And the eternal. Son of God.

[11:28] It was accomplished. In a moment. A. Holy. Ineffable union. And bond. It was done. That came from. One side. And hell like.

[11:41] Samson the dying thief was. Struck down. In the. Iniquity of his. Ruined nature. Condemned. I know thy word. It's to such characters.

[11:52] That God. Opens this door. I know thy word. Vile. And. Full of sin I am. Says thee.

[12:03] Him writer. Thou art. Full of grace. And truth. And when there. Is the work of the spirit. In opening blind eyes. And. Setting. Before the child of God.

[12:15] The. Open door. Oh what a. Sacred entrance in there is. And we see this entrance in. We can see it.

[12:26] Both of those. Dear men came. In the. Inditing of the spirit. To ask. To enter in. They came to.

[12:39] Ask. For those. Precious credentials. To be able to enter in. I. Had to give a talk to the young people. At Chippenham some time ago. The early part of this year. And I.

[12:50] Did what I hadn't done. For many years. I took Bunyan's progress. And studied it very closely. From the city of destruction. To the cross. And all the treasures. That lie there. All the treasures.

[13:02] That lie in that. Early part of the book. And a lovely letter. From a young. A Dutch boy. Regarding it. For I spoke. Recently. A few weeks ago.

[13:12] In Holland. On this same subject. The cross. The city of destruction. The cross. And he wrote. And said to me. I. Can't go any further. Than you went. I can't enter the book. I don't understand it.

[13:24] But he said. I. Do understand little. Of the first part. Of that book. And you see. Bunyan's pilgrim. Came to the cross. And in utter amazement.

[13:34] When he. Was. Had this open door. Set before him. It had. A glorious effect. His burden. Fell from him. Gone.

[13:47] Both Samson. And the dying. He knew exactly that. Guilt. Shame. Everything. Vileness. Blackness. Filth. Remorse. All gone.

[14:00] You see. Until. The Lord. Sets that open door. Before a sinner. Nothing's going to happen. He's got to do it all. He's got to bring the sinner. Into this place.

[14:10] I know thy words. Has to be a humbling. A crushing. A falling down. At his feet. And then. That. Brings the sinner.

[14:23] Into desires. There is seen. This. Open door. And a desire. To pass through it. And you know. There's a passing through it. When the. Load falls.

[14:34] From our back. When that sin is removed. We live in a day where. There's such little knowledge. Of this load. But lately. I've had letters. From one or two young people.

[14:45] Who. Written to tell me. They're absolutely lost. And have been for months. I haven't heard that. Said in our. Churches for years. Lost. What is it to be lost? What is it.

[14:57] To be without hope. I know thy works. This is it. Is to come into that work. Is to enter it. Is to have a sight. That thou. God. Seest me.

[15:08] God. Began with me. In these cities. Of the north here. In the midlands. In Leicester.

[15:18] And Nottingham. As a student. Over thirty years ago. I could take you. Into the city of Leicester.

[15:29] To various spots. And I could say. Like the old Harvey Carr. Of Chippenham. Used to say. There the Lord. Met with me. Was walking in the streets.

[15:39] Of Leicester. In 1954. The Lord. Laid the ministry. In my heart. I. When the Lord. Began with me. Used to go every. Tuesday night.

[15:49] To Peters Lane Chapel. In Leicester. Little chapel. Down a back street. And there. I used to. Hunger and thirst. As I sat under the ministry.

[16:00] Of two men. And only two men. One was your late dear. Pastor here. And the other. Was dear Mr. Pack. Of Earthlingborough. They came alternate. Tuesday nights. To Peters Lane.

[16:13] There were one or two of us. Who went there. And we went there.

[16:25] With. A desire. Which God had given us. It was. In that city. Of Leicester. That I was brought out. Of the world. I came to Leicester.

[16:37] Set. On going into the world. Little did I think. That the Lord. That the Lord. That the Lord. Would. So work in my heart.

[16:48] That after. One year. In that city. When I was nearly killed. In the motorcycle accident. In a head on collision. Taken into the. Leicester city. In general hospital. With a serious virus.

[16:58] And felt I was dying. I was brought face to face. With death. The Lord. Brought me out of the world. Little did I then think. I would count it a. Sweet. Blessed.

[17:10] Hour. To come here. To this city. And spend an hour. With your late dear pastor. And spend weekends with him. And love him. He knew what was going on.

[17:24] He watched it all. What the Lord was doing. He was working. To set. Before me. This open door.

[17:35] And set before me. He did. He showed me. In these cities. The ministry. And he showed me. The right ministry.

[17:46] I shall never forget. In Leicester Zion Chapel. That I came to learn. Some deep truths. As the Lord set before me. The open door.

[17:57] Of the gospel. I came to learn. Three categories. If I can speak rightly. Of ministers. There were some.

[18:08] I heard. That I. Felt. Had never been sent to preach. I could gain. No profit. From any ministry. Whatsoever.

[18:20] They may well. Have been the Lord's people. But I solemnly learned. There were those. I learned. I wondered. Were they knew anything. Of the truth at all. I remember hearing.

[18:30] One man. Speaking about. The supreme deity. I shudder. But there were some. I learned to love. There were some. I would travel miles.

[18:41] I passed a route here today. As I came along by Hinkley. It took me back. Over thirty years ago. To winter's evenings. When I travelled. From Leicester to Coventry. To hear John Green. It wasn't the men.

[18:54] It was the gospel. They preached. God had. Set before me. An open door. The gospel. Now.

[19:06] I remember one night. And I won't speak. Of myself more. But. Let's tell you this. I remember one night. Going back. From a barren hearing. In the city of Lask.

[19:16] A terrible barren hearing. All day. Nothing. Couldn't glean a thing. The ministry was dead. And barren. And I grieved. And groaned. With this door to be opened. And do you know why?

[19:27] So I shall never forget that night. I went into those halls. Of residence. And bowed my knees. And there and then. The Lord spoke. As I opened his word. The precious. Word of truth.

[19:39] Came with. Divine life. And power. And it was this. Thou shalt not fall by the sword. I thought of it only a few Sundays ago.

[19:50] As I was preaching. It came to me again. All the sweetness. I felt in that hour. For thy life. What I give for a prayer unto thee. Because thou hast put thy trust in me.

[20:01] You hear people say. When the Lord opens this door. That they. They utter the expression. Why me? Well dear friend. I'll tell you this.

[20:12] I've only said that once. In my whole life. I said it that night. Such was the. Love of Christ. In my heart. I felt. The sword would not fall on me.

[20:24] That shall not fall by the sword. Thy life. Will I give for a prayer unto thee. Because thou hast. Put thy trust in me. The door was open. And I wept myself.

[20:35] To sleep that night. Under a sweet hole. Never forget it. And I said in my soul. Why me? Why me? Now you see.

[20:47] I know thy word. The Lord. Speaks to poor sinners. In this. solemn manner. I know thy words. We.

[21:01] Cannot expect less. Can we? He is omniscient. He sees us. All together. And as we journey onward. We have an ever deepening.

[21:11] Widening. Growing. Knowledge of. Our poor fallen selves. Our barrenness. Our deadness. Our darkness. And this chapter. It makes us think.

[21:23] Doesn't it? It brings an exercise. As the Lord looked. At some of these. Solemn characters. In this chapter.

[21:34] Or an exercise. It brings into the. Hearts of God's dear children. A word. I will. Spew thee out of my mouth. A solemn fear.

[21:46] Of. Perhaps some of you. Had it. But you will never reach glory. Never get there. You'll never reach glory. Such is the.

[21:58] Double dyed nature. Of your sin. Such is the. Solemn nature. Of that. Sins against. Light and knowledge. Such is the. Conflict.

[22:08] Such is the. Churning up. Of the. Mark and mar. Of your heart. Going back. Over the. Years that have passed. You may feel.

[22:20] Sometimes. That. Those sins. Have. Been repented of. And yet. You still. Have that. Solemn love. Of sin. In your heart.

[22:30] Those. Besetting sins. Why. In the night. Watches. In the day. They're not far. From any one of us. The vileness. And filth.

[22:41] Of our hearts. That we come. To the knowledge. That. Myself. I cannot keep. Myself. I cannot save. It's not an excuse. It is an entrance.

[22:52] Into this. Solom and awful truth. Which is repeated. To each of these churches. To Sardis. Philadelphia. And Laodicea. I know thy word. It is a.

[23:04] Solemn word. And the Lord. Goes on to speak. Of the. Lukewarmness. The coldness. The death. The solemn nature. Of those.

[23:14] Who say they're Jews. And are not. But there's something. Very blessed. And sweet. About this word. To the. Church. At Laodicea. I know thy word.

[23:27] But. Says the. Lord. In. Contradistinction. To. All that that might. Seem. To say. I know. Thy works. You know.

[23:38] It might seem. To say. This. Uh. Solemn. Vast. Catalogue. Of iniquity. Of evil. And failure. And death. I know it. It's all before me.

[23:49] Nothing is. Hidden. Behold. Oh. You see. Do you not see. The. The. Dear. Prodigal. Coming back.

[23:59] I know thy works. And where you've been. At a distance. In a far country. In the world. In death.

[24:10] In rebellion. In defiance. Against light and knowledge. Sin. I know thy works. I know where you've been. I've called. Like I called Samuel. Thrice. That has not answered.

[24:23] I know thy work. A life. And you know. That lies behind. What a. Solemn life it is. God's dear children. Often have.

[24:33] Cause to look. Back on what. They feel to be. A life of. Failure. I know thy works. Behold. All how.

[24:45] The Lord speaks. To such. Behold. I have. Set before thee. An open door. Which no man. Can.

[24:56] Shut. It is the. Lord. Coming over. The mountains. Of impossibilities. In your heart. In your pathway.

[25:09] There was no time. For Samson. To put anything right. The only. Thing. The.

[25:19] Thing. That. Could be done. The only. Thing. Dear friends. That. Blessingly. Had to be done. Was.

[25:31] For the precious. Fountain of Christ. Blood. To be applied. There was no. Rectification. Of what was wrong. There was a removal of it.

[25:42] In its guilt. In its heinous nature. There was only one thing. That could do that. And that. Was the blood. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh.

[25:55] I'll go before thee. To the cross of Calvary. And to glory. There to intercede. At the right hand of my father. For thee. Go before thee. And make. Crooked.

[26:06] Places. Strung. There's something about. A gnarled stick. That only a miracle. Can put straight. It's grown that way.

[26:18] And it's nothing but. A divine. Miracle. And. And God doesn't. Work like that. He comes with a mighty. New creature. In Christ Jesus.

[26:29] The old creature. That crooked creature. Has to be laid. In the grave. And he comes. In his mighty power. To deliver his. Dear children. With resurrection power.

[26:40] Out of all. Their rebellion. And sin. And darkness. And Satan's. Solemn influence. And their own. Fallen nature. He comes to work.

[26:55] I know thy works. Behold. I've set before thee. An open door. No man can shut it. Why when Jesus Christ. Intends to unite.

[27:06] His dear church. As that branch. In the vine. To the living vine. No man can stop it. No man can shut it. This.

[27:18] Opening. Part of the word. To the church. Of Laodicea. Has. This. This. Very powerful. Description. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. He that is holy. He that is true.

[27:30] He that hath the key of David. He that openeth. And no man shutteth. And shutteth. And no man openeth. Here he is. Able. To save unto the uttermost.

[27:41] And to do more. Abundantly. Weeding. Ask or thing. Oh. What a mighty God he is. This is the meaning of this.

[27:53] Word. In this psalm. So. In this chapter. So abused. Behold. I stand at the door. And on. The heart. Of sinners. By the fiery.

[28:04] Furnaces. Which is spoken of here. This gold. Tried in the fire. The heart of sinners. Are going to be open. Dying things. Sin. Was open. Why.

[28:15] The Lord knocks. By. Speaking. This word. With divine power. And all the. Depths of experience. Of it. I know thy works. And when there is an.

[28:25] Opening up of sin. As there was in dear. Bunyan's pilgrim's heart. And there was a. Carrying of that. Solemn guilt. And its consequences. To the cross. There was a.

[28:37] Knocking. At the door. Of that. Dear man's heart. And it was open. Blessedly open. To receive him. As many as.

[28:48] Received him. He comes. To his dear. Children. To. Bless them. He comes to.

[28:59] Heal them. He comes to. Save them. He comes to. Gather them to glory. No man's going to stop that. They're going to meet with some.

[29:11] Solemn opposition. They are indeed. This chapter. Speaks of some. Dreadful religious characters. The.

[29:23] Characters are. Spoken of here. Of those who. Are not God's children. And say they are. These. Solemn characters. I'll make them of the synagogue of Satan.

[29:34] Which say they're Jews. And are not. But do lie. I'll make them to come. And worship before thee. And to know that I've loved thee. Sometimes the.

[29:47] Servants of God. Have to. Suffer from those. Who abuse them. Hate them. Malign them. While some. Refuse to come and hear them. And say they've never been stood.

[29:58] On the walls of Zion ever. Oh. What. Fearful opposition. They may. And Christ did. In his own day.

[30:09] Oh. How he was despised. And rejected of men. A man of sorrows. And acquainted with grief. Oh. The. Solomon awful opposition.

[30:21] That he met with. And God's dear. Children meet with. Opposition. You know. It's the very test. Of the reality. Of the work of God. In their hearts. What opposition are you meeting with.

[30:32] In your home. Tonight. In your family. What path are you. Walking in. Are you walking alone. Utterly alone.

[30:44] Or what a test. It is. In the hearts. Of God's dear children. And you may. Have those. Who are religious. Full of religion. And they say.

[30:55] Oh. Your. Your condition is. Just purely psychological. There's nothing in it at all. You've got no religion at all. You may feel in your heart.

[31:06] Agreement with it. You may feel. Yes. That is true. Is it? The Lord says here.

[31:16] Of these. Solemn. Characters. Who call themselves Jews. And are not. That he's going to manifest. To their very eyes. That. He's love. I've loved thee.

[31:28] This. Tried work. In his. Family. Is going to be manifested. Blessedly. Manifested. I've said before. An open door.

[31:39] No man can shut it. Not all the opposition. You may meet. Not all the. Malice. And hatred. Animosity. Why sometimes.

[31:50] The servants of God. Feel in the congregation. As they're preaching. A bitter opposition. I've seen. Some solemn characters. Who've sat. And almost smirked.

[32:01] And smiled. Under the ministry. Of the gospel. I've witnessed. And felt the opposition. But you know. In some of those cases. I've seen. Radical change. Before the end.

[32:12] I remember. One day. A woman. In a church. Where I'd gone to preach. Who. Wasn't a street baptist. At all. And her dear. Husband. Had married out in the world. And left the churches.

[32:23] And gone right away. And he came back. And. He was a means. Of a little chapel. Being reopened.

[32:34] A place where he had. Attended in his youth. But which he left. Left to godly. Loved ones. Who prayed over him. But obviously. God had heard. Those prayers. Of those who had gone. Long before.

[32:45] And when they were in their graves. He came back. And I read in that chapel. At an anniversary. The 91st Psalm. And I went to see him. On his dying bed. When he had a bad heart attack. A day or two.

[32:55] Before he died. And he said to me. Do you remember. Reading the 91st. Psalm. A thousand shall fall. At thy side. And ten thousand. At thy right hand. It shall not come nigh thee.

[33:07] He died in that. And I have lived. To see his dear partner. A different woman. All the opposition. She didn't want to come back with him. I knew she did. But she's quite changed.

[33:21] Quite changed. All this. Open door. Into these. Impossibilities. I cannot. Measure. In the sanctuary of God. Here this night. What impossibilities.

[33:31] Are lying in your heart. Those prayers. That you have uttered. Perhaps for years. And have not been answered. And you. Know what you want. All there is.

[33:43] Before you. This open door. And you know. Jacob had. An open door. It was this.

[33:56] I will be with thee. In all places. With us. Whoever thou goest. I will not leave thee. I'll bring thee again. To this place. And he carried that.

[34:06] Precious word. To the throne of grace. And there he wrestled. As he watched Esau coming. With the armed men. And then in the. Blessed wrestling. He said. And it stands out.

[34:18] As quite unique. In the scriptures. As a pattern. To the. Children of God. In their wrestling. I will not. Let thee go.

[34:30] The kingdom of. Heaven suffereth. Violence. Violence. Take it. It's taken by force. It is indeed. A wrestle. On toward heaven.

[34:41] As Rutherford said. Mids storm. And wind. And tide. But. There is. Prevailing. It's in this almighty power.

[34:53] And you know. There's something. Pecurely touching. And sweet. About this word. That is before us tonight. God. God. Has a love. To these.

[35:04] Before whom. He sets. This open door. His will. Is. For them. In step. With the desires.

[35:15] He's given them. Therefore. Nothing can stand. In the way. Of those. Prayers. They will. And must. And shall be answered.

[35:25] I have a dear. Friend. In Wiltshire. Who often says to me. Regarding a particular prayer. In his life. It concerns his.

[35:36] Son. Who has wandered far. He says. And he said it many times. To me. I may never see it. But you may. One day. He'll come back.

[35:48] God has set before him. An open door. He showed him. What's going to happen. Oh. The faith. Of his dear. Of children. As they watch. This open door.

[35:59] And what. Has the Lord. Set before us. These. Fast impossibilities. I think of the. Open door. At the Red Sea.

[36:10] A cloudy pillar. Took them to an open door. Think of it dear friend. It was the waters. That parted. It was the beginning.

[36:20] Of the journey. To the promised land. But those waters. Parted. It didn't look like. An open door. No man could shut it.

[36:31] I love the. Account of that. Moment. When Moses stood there. Stand still. He said. In. Greatest act of faith.

[36:41] To see the salvation. Of the Lord. The Lord will fight. For you. And ye shall. Hold your peace. Then the Lord said. To his dear servant. Why cryest thou unto me.

[36:54] In other words. The days. Of wrestling prayer. Were over. It was already. Heard and answered. The door. Was opened in heaven.

[37:06] The prayer. Had ascended. The agony. The agony of his spirit. He had followed. His God. In obedience. And he came. To as it were. A gate of brass and iron. There he stood.

[37:17] And watched. And waited. Just like. Dear Peter did. As he. Came forth. From the prison. Through the first hole. And the second. Out into the street. Heard my lady.

[37:30] Dear father. Preacher Coventry. On one. One whit Monday. Years ago. Now. Over thirty years ago. But the text was this. Gird thyself. Put on thy sandals.

[37:41] Come. Follow me. I never forget it. Never forget it. There were three ministers there. That day.

[37:51] None in the ministry. And one deacon. Had to go forth. The door was open. That day. But there were years to wait. For the fulfillment of it. In my case.

[38:02] Fifteen years. Would have been waited out. I have. Set before thee. An open door. No man can shut it. Now we know. Why. And no man can shut it.

[38:13] Because. It's the work of God. No man can shut. It's what is said in this. Lovely word of him. And we're such. Poor unbelieving creatures.

[38:24] But what he has said. Must be fulfilled. He that openeth. No man shut it. And he that shut it. No man openeth. The solemn truth there.

[38:36] If God shuts the matter. You'll never open it again. It's done forever. What he doeth. He doeth forever.

[38:46] No man can add to it. Nor take from it. He doeth it. It's done. And you know. All we look for. His work. His work.

[38:57] That will have a glory. And a perfection about it. We don't want ours. All we look for. Is his thoughts. I know the thoughts. That I think.

[39:09] Towards you. Thoughts of peace. And not of evil. To give you an expected end. Oh. To be taken in hand. By him. And like.

[39:19] The Lord's dear servant. Moses. In his. Second childhood. In the hour of death. It is his second childhood.

[39:31] I've often looked at it. The eternal God. Is thy refuge. And underneath. Are the everlasting arms. The same arms. That carried him. Into the rushes. But the same arms.

[39:45] That carried him. To the grave. The same God. Who dealt with him. In the court of Pharaoh. In the lovely. Opening up. Of his pathway. In the eleventh of Hebrews. The same.

[40:00] Pillar. That. Guided him. Into the court of Pharaoh. For forty years. Into the backside. Of the desert. For forty years. That prepared him. For the. Work of leading.

[40:11] The children of Israel. Out of Egypt. Into the promised land. You see the. Mighty work. Of God. In the. Life of his. Dear servant. In preparing him.

[40:22] And leading him. And guiding him. He had set before him. An open door. No man could shut her. There's a glory. There's a glory. About the way.

[40:32] The Pharaoh's daughter. Took him into the very. Source of the death sentence. And sheltered him. And sheltered him there. Oh the majesty. Of that. Miraculous salvation.

[40:43] Of his dear servant. For God. Had a work. His life was untouchable. And he had a salvation. For his dear soul. And it had to be. Right in the depths. Of the darkness. Of the court of Pharaoh.

[40:54] There. The Lord worked. So it was with Joseph. It had to be in that. Same place. That. God kept alive.

[41:05] The work that he'd begun. When he revealed himself. To him back. Into the promised land. But there he had to go. Before he could stand. Before Pharaoh.

[41:16] And see his father. And brethren. Bow down. The open door was set. When he was 17. 20 years. Later. It was manifest. Or what.

[41:28] Doors has God set. Before you and me. Are we. Amongst those. That are numbered here. Thou hast. A little. Strength.

[41:40] And has kept my word. And has not. Denied. My name. Or you may feel. To come short of it. But dear friends.

[41:51] Look at it like this. If you have a little strength. Who gave it to you? If you've kept his word. How have you done it? Who is enabled you?

[42:04] If you've not. And that is a mighty work of God. To be kept from denying his name. Joseph Hart speaks of it.

[42:15] Sins against the holy God. Sins against his love. His blood. Sins immense. As is the sea. Hide me. Oh Gethsemane.

[42:26] Sins. Perhaps you feel it. Against his love. His blood. Tim writer puts it. Very sweetly.

[42:36] Endless. Blessings on the lamb. Broken hearts. Repeat. The same. His dear heart was broken too. When he bore the curse for you. Your dread crimes once pierced.

[42:49] His heart. Sank his soul in awful spite. But his sin. Atoning blood now. Procures your peace with God.

[43:00] As a door opened in heaven. Blessed door. It is the door to glory. And it is. Through union.

[43:13] With the. Eternal son of God. The lamb of God. It is through. Union with him. Behold. I have. Set.

[43:24] Before thee. An. Open door. And no man. Can shut it. Amen.