Ecclesiastes

[0:00] help me again I would direct you to Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1 Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1 to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven Ecclesiastes 3 and chapter 1 chapter 3 verse 1 to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven we tried to speak a few things this morning from this verse just briefly a few moments for those that were not here we spoke of the season particularly when the Lord begins the work of grace in a poor sinner's heart we are all born into this earth we are not quickened into life we are quickened into life when that is those that are chosen are quickened into life in a season when the Lord sees fit to do it there is a time when the Lord begins that work in the heart and then there are many changes that take place in our heart in our affections in our actions in our speech and friends the thing is have we got any evidences that the Lord has begun with us has there been a season when we have had to prove we couldn't carry on doing as we pleased doing what we planned but we had to prove some of us at least

[2:55] I hope all that we were not our own we have had to prove we couldn't go our own way we have had to leave many things and we have had to prove this friends that the Lord has hedged up our way our way has not been his way and his way has not been our way we have had to walk in paths that have not been our choosing and in all these things there is a season and a time which is appointed by God we may we often do go many years in a particular way but there is a season and a time and the

[4:07] Lord knows that time when things will come to an end we may walk in a certain pathway for many years we may think we're going to continue in that pathway until retirement perhaps in business but my friends some of us have had to prove that we haven't been permitted to reach that time we've had to retire before that time we have been stopped my friends what a mercy these things are in the Lord's hands to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven and these things are in the

[5:24] Lord's hands he knows what is good for us he knows what is bad for us and hence friends we will find this that the Lord will hedge up our way we may think very different to the Lord we may think that a particular way is good and we like it and we want it there have been many things friends that I have liked and wanted in my life even in the way of trades and business but my friends I have not been permitted to have any of them I have gone so far in many things and the Lord as it were he has said thus far no father but friends whilst we are passing through these things we often are very troubled we are often rebellious but oh it is a mercy friends when sometimes the

[6:53] Lord will open our eyes and he will show us a little of his dealings the way he's led us the way he's prevented us going into various things the way he's stopped us and sometimes he will give us a glimpse why the Lord's way is not our way and our way is not the Lord's way and that's something we have to prove many times but I believe we shall from time to time be brought to acknowledge that the Lord's way is best best the Lord sees you and me he knows us he understands us and my friends

[7:57] I don't know about you but I can't say that I understand myself let alone anyone else but my friends the Lord does understand us he knows our heart and he knows what we can be trusted with and what we can't be trusted with he knows what will take our hearts and what will not and generally speaking friends when it's something that we dearly want and have a craving for it's generally something that will take our hearts but whilst I say that friends I am not saying that you'll never be able to have what you crave after because you may find you will be able to have it in measure but if you're a child of God you'll prove this that the balancing of the clouds is the

[9:05] Lord's and so you will find there will be those times when there will be those things which come along which distress and trouble you in that particular path why and it will take take us to the Lord's feet there we shall have to spread our case before him it's there friends we will realize that things do not go go just as we hoped and planned they would the balancing of the clouds is in his hands and my friends

[10:07] I believe we shall thank God for it we shall thank God for it there have been a few times in my life when I've seen the balancing of the claims and I've seen the need of it sometimes it's been some most solemn things my friends one thing in particular I may have told you here before I don't know whether I have or not but many years ago I was in the process of buying my first terraced house and my friends my heart did rejoice it did rejoice in more than one way it had been an ambition of mine and I never thought I would achieve it but through

[11:16] God's goodness and mercy the way was made but then the balancing of the clouds came the Lord saw and he saw that my heart was rejoicing and in a way it was right to rejoice but only in what the Lord had done but you know what self righteousness and pride is and how proud we get of our achievements and so on and you may depend that was working in my heart also but then came the balancing of the clouds and it was it make it makes you shudder made me shudder something terrible happened in my life one of the the work mate that I worked with a younger man than me was he was only 16 years old and my friends that young man was one evening experimenting and I would say this in talking together at work one day he said to me prior to this happening he said

[12:51] I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen he said this to me and I thought upon it and he was very keen on cycling he had a lovely cycle and I thought perhaps he was going to have an accident on that however it wasn't long very shortly he was experimenting in his kitchen with the house gas he had been making an air ship and he was trying to fill it with gas to see if he could get it to go up in the air and my friends he was shut in this small kitchen with no ventilation whatever and his parents were out and there was a leak of the gas that he didn't know and he was overcome and dying I never forgot it to me that was the balancing of the clouds it came at a time when I was inwardly rejoicing rejoicing in the how the

[14:13] Lord had gone before and provided for me but lest I should be taken up with those things in a worldly way my friends there was the balancing of the clouds and that's only one thing there are many things friends and there will be those things that you will come up against in your lives if you are walking in that pathway that the Lord has appointed for you I'm convinced of it because our hearts cannot be trusted they cannot be left we need one one that is almighty to teach us and to lead us and so there is to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven a time oh my friends as the

[15:29] Lord ever brought us into a season and a time where the blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has been revealed to us oh my friends there is a time you may say but I've never been there yet I haven't come there I've wanted I've waited for it for many years dear friend you won't wait in vain if you're one of the lords and that is the longing desire of your heart it will come if the visionary wait for it some are blessed with these precious things revelations of Christ earlier in life some in middle life some in when they are aged some at the end of the journey ah my friends with me the

[16:53] Lord blessed me with it just after I was baptized when I was baptized I had a very dark time as I passed through the waters friend I didn't go on my way rejoicing like the eunuch did the eunuch did and my friends we would like to follow the same way the word of God doesn't say we shall all go the same way and it wasn't my lot to go the same way because my friends I believe the Lord had led me in that pathway he had constrained me he had exercised my mind he had spoken his word very clearly and powerfully into my heart that if

[18:16] I tarry till the morning light some evil will be for me that was because I had held back because I hadn't gone forward after the Lord had blessed me and my friends I had to go well after I was received and baptized during the time as I sat with our pastor around the pool waiting for before the service I felt I felt the Lord withdraw from me

[19:18] I felt his presence withdrawn I could never tell anyone what I felt in my heart how to remain there I didn't know I wanted to get up and run away it was his presence I wanted nothing else but my friends the Lord brought me into that season and that time and I didn't understand it it wasn't the way that I thought it would be it wasn't as I thought it would be and my friends I went through the ordinance I don't know how

[20:19] I just couldn't go out I had to go through but my friends the Lord only knows the agony of my mind for the next 24 hours I could give him no rest I wanted some evidence that the Lord was mine I wanted him to return I couldn't carry on without him and I remember the next night as I laid on my bed the Lord drew near he drew near and he gave me a glimpse a glimpse of himself wearing the crown of thorns that was enough he had come he was mine and my friends

[21:52] I say this to show to you there is a season and a time to everything and these things are appointed by God we often plan and have a pattern before us of how we think we are to walk how we think things will go how we think the Lord will work but we have to prove so often the Lord doesn't work as we think he will there is a season and a time to everything and his way is best friends I know the suspense is great I know we need patience

[22:52] I know we lack understanding I know we are often bewildered I know we are often dismayed but his way is best he doesn't come too late we think he does we say sometimes it's too late but it hasn't been ah friends the Lord makes no mistakes I said this morning the Lord was asked to go back to Mary and Martha's house because their brother Lazarus was sick but he didn't go back he tarried he waited purposely he knew what he would do he waited until

[23:55] Lazarus was dead then he went back of course Mary and Martha thought it was too late now as far as Lazarus was concerned it was too late there was no purpose but it wasn't too late the Lord came he returned he did a miracle he commanded that Lazarus should come forth and Lazarus came forth and I said this morning the Lord Jesus had far more honor and praise than if he had come back and healed his sickness before he died but my friends the

[24:56] Lord works as he pleases I say we don't understand his way but it is the best way there is a season and a time to everything well there is a time then friends when the dear Lord comes and he reveals himself to his people the blessed spirit takes of the things of Jesus and reveals them unto us his my friends there is a season there is a time when we shall prove that is if we are his chosen people we shall prove the cleansing power of his blood yes there again friends there's no doubt many that are desiring and waiting for that blessing some may have had it and my friends if you have had it you'll know as I know the sweet blessed power of that blood that that blood that was shed for sinners can take away every sin every stain every stain that is on your conscience every sin that you have committed and when that is taking place friend you will not find one single sin there'll be peace peace in your heart there'll be love to the

[27:19] Lord Jesus Christ peace and my friend I would say this it is it is a taste of everlasting love it's a taste of what will come I do not believe that anyone that no one can have a taste of his love to their souls and be cast away at last it is a foretaste of his everlasting love and there's a season there's a time when we shall come into these experiences the

[28:23] Lord is a sovereign he works as he pleases I said this morning there's a time there was a time for instance with the dying thief he came into the last hours of his life before he was called by grace and brought to know something of the love and mercy of God to his soul but he couldn't be cast away he could not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ neither could Simeon oh my friends there's a season and a time to everything the Lord had promised Simeon that he would come into this time this season when the Lord would bless him and he would see the Lord's Christ but how many years did he wait we don't know but my friends he waited years to see the fulfilment of that blessed promise but he saw it ere long he was led of the spirit constrained of the spirit to go to the temple at a certain time on a certain day and there at that time when he was there

[29:51] Mary came in with Jesus in her arms and it was there that the blessed spirit revealed to Simeon this is he this is the Messiah this is the Saviour this is thy Redeemer what a blessed revelation he had why friends his heart was filled with love and peace now let his thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation it was enough for him he could die then he could leave this world he could leave everyone in it what a blessed place to come to friends we're not often there if we've ever been there but I've been there once yes the love of Christ friends was so precious so real it took out the sting of death there wasn't any sting left in it but it wasn't to be and I've had to come through many things since that night but you know there is a time there is a season and a time to everything and the

[31:28] Lord brings you and I into various spots and places sometimes to prepare us for things that are to follow oh there is a season and a time to everything friends there is there are those seasons and times when we shall come into the pathway of afflictions sicknesses illnesses there are those times when we will have to go sometimes into hospitals have to have operations there is a season there is a time that this is to be nothing can alter it but my friends I say we shall want to know the Lord is in it and the

[32:32] Lord does often use these things friends as the means in his hands to bring us to his feet we often get independent we often get cold and dead in our hearts we need something to revive us sometimes we are aware of it we are praying for the Lord to revive us but my friends we never know what means he may use and sometimes friends it is sickness afflictions illness and many other things it might be things in providence but there is a season there is a time when the Lord will quicken us into life you know friends we often pray things I often pray that the Lord would quicken me into life to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me my friends we don't know what we are praying for we don't know what the means may be but my friends we do feel that it's necessary that it should be done we are dependent upon him to keep our souls alive there is a season and a time to everything oh my friends there are other things in providence that are so sweet to experience especially as we are enabled by through the blessed spirit of remembrance to look back and see the wonder working hand of God how he has led us about in this wilderness way how he has called us by his grace how he has gone before us how he has opened doors in providence in the way of work for us how he has led us and brought us to partners in life absolute strangers sometimes perhaps lived many many miles apart but brought together through the providence of God or where we have seen his hand ah my friends we might have made and some of us have did make various statements some we might we might have said we wouldn't do this we wouldn't do that we wouldn't marry a person that want a strip baptist and many other things that my friends sometimes we have to eat our words but I can tell you this friends there will be much exercise we shall want those tokens that the Lord is in it and it is a wonderful thing when we can look back and see the goodness of God and how he did bring about his holy will oh my friends these things will help you and I in the days to come especially when we come into days of trials and days of trouble and days of afflictions that is why so many marriages today go wrong

[36:34] they go on the rocks they don't last they don't wear they part there isn't a sharing of the burdens oh my friends oh to see God's hand going before us oh to see the season and the time to realise that it is of the Lord ah my friends there will be those things asked for I know there will I know you'll ask God for tokens and evidences and perhaps for specific things ah my friends and you might be put to the test my friends I can't open up too much on these things but

[37:38] I did beg the Lord for something particular that if I was to be married that the one I was going with would ask me to take her to chapel and the time went on and on she didn't ask me and then I was greatly troubled and exercised one day and it came like this you asked God for something and you don't get it you haven't had it but you're still carrying on and my friends they were so solemn so real

[38:41] I had to give her on and in that action as soon as I had done it she asked me to take her to chapel there is a season and a time to everything and my friends they are seals they are freshers but I can tell you this they're not easy to walk out but the Lord my friends he puts his children to the test at times yes there are times let's be honest there are times when we will deny the

[39:44] Lord Peter did he denied his Lord there are other times friends when the dear Lord will give us grace yes and we shall be enabled to stand and honour him well my friends I've wondered about perhaps said more things perhaps I shouldn't have done particularly in my own pathway but I trust it has been for the honour and glory of God there is a season and a time to everything and my friends I would that you and I might prove it right to the end there's a time a season and a time there's a time that you and I must die there is a time when we shall see him as he heads may the

[40:55] Lord bless his word to us amen may the need or would be about know in increased living ang the great cloud of this night and by choices come out and my conditionill comport and mind better tell you all about that CHOIR SINGS

[42:30] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS

[43:32] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS The End

[44:34] The End The End The End