Is there a word from the Lord? (Quality: Good)

[0:00] Let us pray, give us glory, give us glory, give us glory, we will live and we will live Amen.

[0:37] With the Lord's help I would direct your attention to the chapter that we read, the prophecy of Jeremiah chapter 37 and a question and answer in the 17th verse.

[0:54] Jeremiah chapter 37 and a question and answer in the 17th verse. Is there any word from the Lord?

[1:11] And Jeremiah said, there is. Is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, there is.

[1:26] The history which surrounds Jeremiah and other of the prophets makes sad reading because through the medium of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and others, the word of the Lord, the counsel of God was expressed but was not heeded.

[2:03] And therefore much distress came upon many of the people of Israel and Judah. And this was all because of a complete rejection of a word from the Lord.

[2:23] This, of course, is not confined to the days of Jeremiah and the carrying down into Egypt of the the children of the children of the children of the children of Israel.

[2:52] But it was, it does continue to take place today. How many people have a design in their mind and they seek the Lord from it, for concerning it.

[3:18] They expect the Lord to say yes. But the Lord may sometimes say no. And then these people will say, I have no word from the Lord.

[3:41] God has spoken. Yet, they have rejected what God has said. God has said, I have no word from it.

[4:19] God has said, I have no word from it. There was, and our hearts were hardened, and the word was rejected. Now, where the fear of the Lord is, would you desire to hear what the Lord has to say, and hope to follow that?

[4:39] But there are many that are not so governed by the grace of God, and yet they follow a profession of religion.

[4:56] So, is there any word from the Lord? This is not the first occasion that Zedekiah had inquired about the counsel of God he did not accept.

[5:16] The counsel of God was rejected, not necessarily because he would not accept, but the fear of man brought a snare.

[5:27] And has God spoken to you relative to certain matters, and the fear of man has brought a snare, and you have therefore discredited the word of God which has been clearly set before you.

[5:51] And is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, there is. We find Hezekiah saying on another occasion, good.

[6:09] He is the word of the Lord. And that occasion, he was listening to the prophet speaking about the future, and the future, had a very solemn prospect.

[6:31] And yet, intermingled with that counsel of God, that prophecy of God, and there was mercy to Hezekiah. And the fact that he had obtained mercy, caused him to feel that the word was good.

[6:50] And these words cannot but fail to have an entry into all our spiritual experiences.

[7:08] Is there any word from the Lord? Now we take a different view, and that is, there is a fervent desire in our hearts to know what God has to say.

[7:27] Have we come to the house of God this morning desiring to know what God has to say? Certainly there are times when it is not easy to come to a decision about certain matters which strangely arise in our hearts.

[7:56] And God uses very strange means sometimes. not always is it a word from the Lord that God sometimes speaks by actions.

[8:19] My mind goes back now to many years when our children were quite young. and a friend that worshipped with us in the chapel in London suddenly appeared on our doorstep.

[8:44] Well, we always welcomed him. But he said, well, I thought I upset you with something that I said yesterday and I felt I must come and sort it out.

[9:06] He hadn't said anything to upset us. So he had nothing to sort out. But there was a purpose in his coming.

[9:17] because in the course of a conversation he referred to the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides.

[9:34] And he didn't know. But we were wondering whether to allow one of our children to join one of those forces.

[9:51] But what he said and he said it without knowing surely it was a word from the Lord made it very clear to us that we were not to proceed.

[10:07] Now this of course is quite a different view of things. is there any word from the Lord? God sent his messenger. That man was not a minister but he was a messenger of God that evening.

[10:24] And so we saw what was the right thing to do because he quite unwittingly highlighted some of the pitfalls.

[10:39] Now is there any word from the Lord? It's some time ago now so I can't readily remember the details but were we looking for this word from the Lord to come perhaps through the preaching of the gospel perhaps through the reading of God's word which we may say were usual courses.

[11:11] God sometimes takes an unusual course and we can see that God has clearly spoken. We find some very telling words in the prophecy of Amos where the prophet says the Lord hath spoken shall we the Lord hath spoken shall we not obey what he has said I just can't light upon it but it's in the book of Amos and is there evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it and so on so the Lord hath spoken now in order to give some orders

[12:16] God may help to these words is there any word from the Lord well very clearly this word will tell us there is now whatever your situation may be this morning and it could be that there is no word that you think will ever be suitable again my mind just quickly goes to one of my members when she joined the church some years ago she referred to an incident on a Lord's day morning when she was very much troubled and everything seemed to go wrong and eventually she got late for chapel and she thought there's nothing nothing that I can ever expect to alleviate my situation or speak to me this morning

[13:38] I'm too ruffled she was late for the service and then the deacon got up and he gave him out which fitted her case I believe it was this him compared with Christ in or beside no comeliness I see the one thing needful dearest Lord is to be one with thee and is it so that any of you have come this morning because you're turned upside down and you feel that there cannot be a word but the word is to Christ the word is to reveal if ever my poor soul be saved that is

[14:38] Christ must be the way is there any word from the Lord to meet the hopeless case to meet the most distressing case to meet the most rebellious case sometimes we think of a hymn which says rebellious thou hast been and art rebellious still but since in love I took thee in my promise I'll fulfil I've bound thee up secure midst all the rage of hell the curse thou never shalt endure for I'm unchangeable is there any word from the Lord to shift the down cast there is counsel from God lift up the hands that hang down there is encouragement from

[15:43] God when we read about the woman that was bowed over for I think thirty and eight years and she was healed on the Lord's day you may not necessarily have your back bent but you might have been bowed down many years and could in no wise lift up yourself is this a word from the Lord to you will this be the day when God will touch your heart will lift you out of yourself will make your back straight so then it will be a word that fits your case I would judge from the reading of the scriptures that that person's physical condition was unusual you didn't go down the street seeing ever so many women that were bowed over and we certainly shan't see so many men and women for the bowed over because they're burdened with their sin you'll see

[17:05] John Bunyan depicts his pilgrim as having a burden and it was on his back and of necessity so to speak he had to bow bow partly forward in order that this burden might rest upon his back and what's more he could not remove it from his back somewhere or other there was no possibility of him getting rid of it now if your sins are on your back and you are incapable of getting rid of them is there any word from the Lord just two words follow me and where did the spirit of God take that poor pilgrim he took him to the sepulcher he took him to the cross of Christ and there he saw that man the cross was wonderful but the man that hanged on it was much more wonderful because here was salvation here was desire satisfied any word mine's indeed a hopeless case such it had been but for grace now to consider a few points relative to the word of the

[18:53] Lord in contrast to man's word it is stable we live in very solemn days at one time an Englishman's word was his bond and if he said he would do something and help you in one way or another then he would perform it alas it is not so today and we may be very uncertain very often in our dealings with other people but at the same time the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the fear of the Lord will have in a person's heart the words of the

[19:58] Lord we recall to mind Nehemiah when he was promoted to his high office the person that preceded him had been an oppressor had taken more than he should have done from the people and lived a life of luxury beyond what he should have done when Nehemiah assumed the position came to it he said that did not I because of the fear of God and that was a word from the Lord undoubtedly God spoke into his conscience we may sometimes say when a thought comes into our mind you cannot do that this is not a word from the

[21:02] Lord because it's not in the scripture but is it the outcome of the fear of the Lord working in your heart so that you listen to this word I cannot do that the fear of the Lord prevents me from doing that and so Nehemiah was a very different governor from the man that preceded him and also the man that followed him the word of the Lord in the case of Nehemiah was in his heart it is good for us to read the word of God and to be familiar with the word of God but let us remember what the psalmist says psalm 119 thy word have

[22:03] I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee so is there any word it may be that God will speak a word sometimes actually sometimes by circumstances sometimes from a most unexpected source but we shall say the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesy now let us look at the word of the Lord that I have just strayed slightly from what I said a few moments ago the word of man can never be trusted now you may say oh but this is terrible do you mean to say that what I say cannot be relied upon there are certainly occasions when with the best intentions we have given our bonds so to speak that we will do this we will do that we will help we cannot tell what will come tomorrow and therefore something may come tomorrow tomorrow which will be which will quite prevent our being able to carry out what we intended to do now this of course is fair and above board there was this willingness to do and yet there was a failure to acknowledge our own possibility of weakness or the possibility of circumstances of rising which would completely prevent our doing that that we desired but these things sometimes only serve to emphasize the word of the

[24:23] Lord the word of the Lord it shall come to pass there are several instances in the Old Testament where we read it shall come to pass and following that we have the word and it came to pass we cannot read a single instance in the scriptures where God said it shall come to pass and it didn't the words of the Lord are positive words and they are words that cannot be overthrown they are words which God will perform in the face of impossibilities what a blessing to have that faith which laughs and this is not a not a worldly laugh at impossibilities and says it shall be done we have only to look through the scriptures themselves to see many occasions when the impossible was performed so then is there any word from the

[25:55] Lord and I shall know whether it's a word from the Lord because it's a word that will stand it's a word that will be performed we find Job saying he performed the thing and that is appointed for me and would you remember that any word from the Lord is an eternal word forever it's not something that has been arrived at a local committee meeting if I can use that expression but it's a word that was settled in eternity eternity and that word can never be altered with all the vagaries and changes in time.

[26:53] And this brings confidence into our hearts. Is there any word from the Lord? Will it be right?

[27:06] Will it be performed? Now, it is important for us to weigh the matter very carefully because I remember one minister who I knew saying in his pulpit on one occasion this chapel will be filled with people in 12 months.

[27:33] And there was a young girl in that congregation and she looked to see this property fulfilled.

[27:47] And at the end of 12 months you said that man is not a prophet I can't stop and listen to him he doesn't tell the truth. And by that lack of wisdom she left the chapel.

[28:05] And why? Because a man had said that it was a word from the Lord and it wasn't. So we need to be very, very careful that the words that are spoken are words from the Lord.

[28:25] And they are certain words. Now when the Lord was sending forth Moses to lead the people he said certainly I will be with thee.

[28:47] Now I will be with thee with thee is one thing but to the trembling soul certainly before it will mean another thing certainly who can dispute this is the word from God it wasn't the imagination of the mind so that we can venture with a rather feeble faith but God says certainly I will be with thee.

[29:20] is there any word from the Lord? And God does wonderful things. Thinking of that particular text I knew a person who was deeply concerned about giving her testimony before the church I believe she had made application and the night before she was to go before the church she had a dream and there wasn't much to the dream but as she dreamed there was a piece of paper that came down to where she was and as it landed it opened up and these words were on it certainly I will be with thee the paper folded again and went up back from whence it came but that put strength into that woman and she was assured that all would be well now maybe some of us have proved the substance of that even in similar circumstances so is there any word from the Lord yes a word from the Lord is a substantial word faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen so therefore there must be substance in the word for faith to take hold of it now again the word of the Lord oh we think of one or two of the of the of the of the remarkable healings that the Lord

[31:26] Jesus did when he was here upon the earth we read of one man who came with his son about his son who was great I think it was his son who was greatly afflicted and the Lord said to him thy son liveth go thy way and he had about 24 hours journey when he got home he said about what hour did my child begin to amend and they said about the seventh hour and then the man knew that that was the very moment when God spoke the word you see so is there any word from the Lord no doubt there was an exercise of faith in that man's heart for 24 hours and maybe there were the enemies of unbelief saying you you know your child will not be healed but his faith held when he got home at the very hour is there any word from the

[32:47] Lord thy son liveth and it was so came to pass so this is a way another way in which God's word is realized as being a true word and that indeed must be another point a true word we should never get a line word from God there are plenty of lies in the world deceptions are multiplied lied every day but we shall never get a lying word from the Lord and neither shall we get a lying word in whose mouth the Lord has placed his word a lying word or are we afraid are we afraid that the word that we are thinking upon is a lying word after all well God is able in answer to this question is there any word from the

[34:05] Lord is the word that I have which I'm thinking upon which I'm holding to is it a deceiving word well if it is you can be assured it's not a word from the Lord any word from the Lord it will be a word of truth the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life and again other words will be a living word and therefore they will find an echo in a living heart are our hearts alive unto God as the spirit of God quicken our hearts thy word quickeneth me revives me says the psalmist a word any word any word it is good in looking at these this word any word from the

[35:14] Lord just to think about all the aspects that we can look at in regard to the word any word now the Lord sometimes will speak one word one word and sometimes a sentence sometimes just a phrase have you sought God even today for one word remember I do not want to keep introducing experiences my own I don't usually do so but it just comes to mind so perhaps there's a purpose in it I was engaged to preacher to Hanover Tunbridge well some years ago now and I took one word for my text and that word was

[36:21] Jedi Dyer which is the name that God gave to Solomon and it means loved of God and there was a woman came to me after the evening service and she said I was awake praying for you about three o'clock this morning and I said Lord if you give him one word now that was a remarkable request wasn't it one word and so I came up with that particular text any word from the Lord it doesn't say any words it says any words and yet you see any word may also be a sentence have not been precious to many of

[37:24] God's people that we read of in the 41st chapter of Isaiah fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness when I read these kind of verses dear friends I always like to put the emphasis on the word I a knot of difference of expression can so to speak remove the emphasis from one thing to another fear thou not but what's going to be the support of your soul is it if I say for I am with thee or if I should say for

[38:25] I am with thee the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms be not dismayed for I am wherever we read the scriptures of truth and we read I am is that not the name of God is that not the name of Jehovah is not that the name that is above every name the name that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think and just to read on in that particular verse chapter behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they shall strive with that that strive with thee shall perish this may take us back indeed to the occasion when

[39:34] God had said you'll see all your enemies that is the Egyptians dead upon the seashore and it came to pass and is there any word from the Lord well of course when I look at various descriptions we might be perhaps more attracted to a comforting word have you come this morning is there any comforting word but you know dear friends it's best if we come with is there any word oh is there any word now sometimes and I'm not being critical when I put this point forward there have been some of the

[40:46] God's dear people who have precious promise laid upon their heart and they have pleaded that promise before God in this kind of context that the minister might be led to repeat that particular promise during his sermon and undoubtedly God has heard those prayers on many occasions but it isn't always so we're not going to the circumstances and about there was an occasion where I was going up to the house of God with that kind of idea in my mind I wanted to do something to take a certain course and it all figured itself out in my own mind that if the minister should mention this particular verse which I told

[42:00] God to do that I should feel I should go forward with the matter supposing he doesn't say so and it threw all of my nicely laid plans to the wind and I had to say this Lord speak whatever it is and you know we have to discover this that

[43:03] God's word is sometimes signalized by an humbling word when God's servant gave out his text I didn't need any more humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God and he will exhort you in due time so there was not the time but without any question is there any word from the Lord and if I've set the wrong course if I've asked the Lord for my own gratification and bolstering up my own religion on something that I myself had suggested to God yes it had to go to the wind and what a blessing that was in my case and maybe you might have had similar circumstances when it's not been what

[44:09] I will ask God to say but what he will say to me humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time under these kind of circumstances is there any word from the Lord and you will have to say and I will have to say there is my God has spoken there is a word from the Lord and it's been such a different word from what I expected because instead of elevating me in the pride of my heart enabling me to throw out the shackles and proceed with what I wanted to do God said now get down get down on your knees now get down and humble yourself before the almighty we can often come to a right judgment in respect to the word from the

[45:16] Lord by the effect that it has upon our spirits we are certain from what the scriptures declare generally that God's word does not lift up Satan's word using the scriptures sometimes will lift us up but if we are God's children oh how wonderful it is if he should speak the right word and we feel under circumstances whatever the word is it's always a loving word and you can say when God speaks to you a loving word as well as a living word that there is a word from the Lord because the word he has spoken it has humbled me it has poured me down it has laid me in the dust but it's given me a right spirit we find well known words in the epistle to the

[46:35] Hebrews in the 12th chapter where we read for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth and how do you think this will take place in your experience sometimes God may speak of water perhaps he may simply say be not high minded but fear but on other occasions God may speak not without an actual word but by his action now we read here in this chapter if he endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom is the father chasteneth not but if ye be without chastisement where are all our partakers then are ye bastards and not sons we come down to this word now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby is there any word from the

[48:10] Lord which has chastened you which has been very grievous to you which you couldn't hardly bear it and yet subsequently it proved that it was a word from the Lord because it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby and so we may take so to speak another stance is there any word from the Lord and Jeremiah said there is we can perhaps stand back and say there was a word from the Lord one woman said I think it was concerning Elijah Elijah I think it was the word in thy mouth is now

[49:13] I know that the word in thy mouth is truth on how good that is if by the mercy of God his ministers are able to preach the preaching that God gives them to preach not what they think they will preach so that the same thing can be said now I know that thou art a prophet from the Lord for the word in thy mouth is truth so is there any word from the Lord yes a comforting word oh how desirable that is but even a chastening word may be a comforting word eventually we shall think how kind God has been that he should have taken us in hand and not let us go along with the wicked and the ungodly this is the one of the things which distinguished the possessor of grace from the professor which has a name to live and is dead so then for any word from the

[50:43] Lord God's word shall stand God's word shall stand some of God's words are so to speak for the moment whilst other of God's words are the whole of your life God says that he will be with you I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and we do have to give full weight to the meaning of the words I will never leave thee nor forsake thee if that is true whatever we may feel God has not altered his word there is a word which says I feel forsaken and alone

[51:45] I hear the lion roar and every door is shut but one but that is mercy's door but has the Lord forsaken he will not forsake his people whom he foreknew we read of the children of Israel going into the wilderness and many of them fell in the desert because of their unbelief and so what are we going to say the Lord forsook his people but it is good to read I think it is in Jeremiah's lamentations he will not forsake his people whom he foreknew now there is a wonderful chain mentioned in the scriptures which I'm sure you will be familiar in the eighth chapter to the

[52:51] Romans we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose under any circumstances moreover whom he did predestinate and so on is there any word from the

[54:12] Lord this is a foundation word this is a word which will stay through the ages which will stand firm throughout your life and whilst you are saying what should we then say to these things if God before us who can be against us what are you thinking about are you looking at the circumstances or are you looking at the God of the circumstances who is able to declare the end from the beginning is there any word from the Lord and Jeremiah said there is maybe we shall continue this afternoon God willing Amen So we conclude this morning by singing hymn number 402 to the tune

[55:28] Locket 173 hymn number 402 my soul lies cleaving to the dust Lord give me life divine from vain desires and every lust turn off these eyes of mine I need the influence of thy grace to speed me in my way lest I should loiter go 종ами hide love you pas to about