Isaiah

[0:00] A prayerful attention to Isaiah chapter 46 and verse 4.

[0:15] Isaiah chapter 46 and verse 4.

[0:30] And even to your old age I am he. And even to poor hares will I carry you.

[0:51] I have made and I will bear. Even I will carry and will deliver you.

[1:11] Through the sparing mercy of our God.

[1:25] We have entered upon another year of our life.

[1:36] We know not what the future holds for us.

[1:48] My times are in thy hand. Peace.

[1:59] Perfect peace. The future all unknown. Now can you see this.

[2:12] Jesus I know. And he is on the throne.

[2:22] Are we entering this year alone? Without God.

[2:39] Without Jesus. Without hope. Dead in a profession of religion.

[2:56] Having a name. And yet without the work of grace in our heart.

[3:08] Appearing with and outwardly like the wise.

[3:18] And yet without oil in our lamps. My younger friends.

[3:32] How is it with you? My attention. Not long ago.

[3:47] Was drawn in a. To my mind. A remarkable way. To the little word.

[4:00] And. A young person. Was asked. Concerning their progress.

[4:16] School. Then was asked. And then what next? Employment. And.

[4:27] Yes. Maybe. Marriage. And. Yes. Maybe. Old age.

[4:38] Yes. And. What next? Death. And. What next? There was no answer.

[4:51] No. Eternity. Eternity. Forever. And ever.

[5:05] The 24th chapter in the book of Genesis. Genesis. Has 67 verses. And 57 of those verses.

[5:18] Commence with the word. And. And. And. Onward. Onward.

[5:30] Step by step. That chapter. Sweetly. Blessedly. Speaks of prayer.

[5:42] And guidance. And direction. The hand of God. Is so clearly seen. So.

[5:54] As we think of. Yes. 1990. Now. Is and. 1991. Are we.

[6:06] Venturing. Forward. Into the. Unknown. Without. A God to go to.

[6:19] Without prayer. Perhaps determined. To go our way. I pray. God. That.

[6:32] It's such. They are here. And it was. No thought of mine. To speak in this way. That the Lord. In his.

[6:42] Mercy. May. Call you. And. Show you. Your sin. And. Lead you to himself. And.

[6:54] Bless you. With the. Blessings. Of our. Text. It may be said. It may be thought.

[7:07] That this is a text. For old. People. It. Speaks. Of. Our. Old. Age.

[7:18] It. Tells. Us. Of. Poor. Hairs. But. Blessed. Be. God. We are. We are. Also. Directed.

[7:28] To this. In the. Previous. Verse. Of the. God. That. Carries. His. Children. Even. From. Birth. From the.

[7:39] womb. Through. Life. And. Even. To. Your. Old. Age. God.

[8:12] Oh it might be said we do not bow down to idols. Friend any trust in anything outside God surely is looking to an idol for help.

[8:37] Friend we need to be very careful lest we look with disdain upon those that are called heathen and are guilty of sin.

[8:56] God's children will not be strangers to idols and they'll give us much pain, much grief and we shall need much grace.

[9:09] The dearest idol I have known whate'er that idol be help me to tear it from thy throne and worship only thee.

[9:21] Bel and Nebo were gods in Babylon. Names such as Belshazzar Nebuchadnezzar bearing the names of their gods.

[9:39] They could not deliver in the time of danger and God here speaks of these idols as they could not deliver.

[9:52] Were taken themselves these idols into captivity were loaded upon beasts how the beasts groan under their weight to carry them and yet those idols were powerless to deliver and to help.

[10:12] They could not deliver and are gone themselves into captivity. But hearken unto me says God Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel Jacob as we think of a wrestling Jacob Israel thou hast power with God and hast prevailed spiritual Jacob spiritual Israelites which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the womb.

[11:01] O my young friends as well as the older ones are you can you say this as we've read in the psalm this afternoon thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth.

[11:26] Oh what a favour when the Lord begins the work of grace in the days of youth I love them that love me and those that seek me early who shall find me and so as our text speaks here of old age and hoar hairs yet this word stands true for all God's dear children from that time when they were born again that work of grace begun right to the very end of the journey.

[12:11] to my mind there's something very sweet and something very precious here in this word even it comes three times in our text even to your old age I am he even to hoar hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you the compassion of God as much as to say poor sinner I know your fears I know your anxieties I know the path you take I know what is before you I know your felt sense of weakness I know how at times you may feel that all things are against you but even as it were to comfort our hearts to assure us that even in the darkest hours the heaviest trials the loneliest paths the times of testing and perplexity and difficulty and maybe weakness and pain and bereavement and loss even to your old age

[13:55] I am he for God says I have made the earth and created man upon it I even my hands have stretched out the heavens and all their hosts have I commanded the hand of almighty God now that great God speaks to us fear and says for I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee fear not I will help thee even to your old age even when you're beginning to sin even when you are ready to perish even when you are perplexed at the way in which the Lord is directing your steps even if you at times may be brought to a place where there's no way forward the red sea before you the enemy behind you the wilderness on every side but there's something else beloved and that's the pillar of cloud above you the presence of your

[15:28] God though it seems there's no way out stand still and see the salvation of God and God will make the way God will bring his people through God will carry you through your troubles and your trials God I do not preach an easy religion I do not tell you that your trials will lessen through this year I do not tell you that the burden will grow lighter it may grow heavier your need may be greater your path may be more lonely your faith may be more deeply tried you may be more tempted as never before in your life but what I would preach to myself and declare to you that the word of God my friend is this that God is saying even to your old age I am he and my grace is sufficient for thee what a precious word that is in the psalm even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me even there even those paths that are so mysterious so strange so perplexing so difficult but

[16:59] God will bring his people and he'll carry you through even to your old age I am he even to whore hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you oh the Lord again speaking a little earlier in this chapter says I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no saviour now real religion will bring you there thou oh Christ art all I want all in all in thee I find to whom dear Jesus oh to whom shall needy sinners flee but to thyself who bids us come our springs are all in thee is your religion bound up in the finished work and the precious blood of

[18:12] Jesus Christ the saviour of sinners I says God even I am the Lord and beside me there is no saviour but you say oh look at my sin look at the filth look at all my transgressions but what does God say I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins even to your old age what a word what comfort what support this God is our God forever and ever he will be our guide even unto death another word comes now sweetly to mine God speaking

[19:13] I even I am he that comforteth you so friend may our faith be strengthened may may we like Paul thank God and take courage though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day even to your old age I am he have not I commanded you be strong and of good courage for the Lord thy God is with thee with us so ever thou goest all words of sweet comfort and this great word I am he the

[20:16] I am the unchanging God from everlasting to everlasting thou art God God said to Moses certainly I will be with thee who shall I say sends me God says I am that I am Jehovah God and here is our strength the eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms oh love that will not let me go those everlasting arms that have carried us and will carry yea when we look back as some of us humbly believe we may to the work of grace begun in the days of our youth through the changing scenes of life we prove

[21:35] God in his faithfulness God in his goodness my times are in thy hand God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will we not fear though the mountains be removed though all commotions of the world take place be still and know that I am God friend what how firm a foundation is found for God's dear children what more can he say than to you he has said you who unto Jesus for refuge have fled I am he fear thou not for

[22:41] I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will help thee yea I will strengthen thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness well known words a cluster exceeding great and precious promises there are seven clauses there and the center the foundation upon which all rest is this I am thy God and here are three promises for the present moment fear thou not and it's spoken personally fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed fear removed the presence of

[23:42] God and be not dismayed be not paralyzed with fear for I am thy God thy God has never failed thee never will but you say what of the unknown future says God I will help thee yea I will strengthen thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness how precious that word fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine I have often observed these little words in italics they are inserted rightly so by godly translators but really we can read those words thou art mine the little word art is in italics thou mine mine it's so sweet in the simple workings of my poor mind

[25:00] I've seen indescribable beauty in that to me it seems as though nothing could convey it more clearly beautifully wonderfully of the love of god to his people thou mine the nearness of god to his people the very present help that god is to his people we find this in the well known shepherd psalm only two words in that psalm are in italics the lord is my shepherd and it's a little word is now you will not misunderstand me I'm not in any way criticizing the version that we dearly love the authorized version it's right and god honored and I seek none other but I see in these simple thoughts something that is so very very precious take that which I just made the lord is my shepherd the lord my shepherd to me it's the lord god speaking to his fearing one his trembling one and saying my child and I would speak with care nothing more can be said how close your shepherd is he won't fail you no one shall pluck thee out of his hand you're so dear to him he's loved you with such a love he's laid down his life on that cross

[27:05] I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep oh friend how precious this is then what do you think as you grow older whether I speak to the young as I do in the days of their youth and your responsibilities increasing whether I speak as I do to those that bear the heat and burden of the day and your responsibilities increasing or whether I speak to those that are now coming into and have entered upon old age and whilst there may be a retirement from business seeds yet there's increased weakness of body loneliness at times peculiar fears anxieties yet my friend

[28:05] I say here is thy God all that is speaking to thee for even to your old age I am he and to your poor heirs will I carry you the other word in italics in that twenty third psalm is thou art with me and it's again that little word art yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thou with me oh friend what a word what comfort what assurance oh how the dear apostle Paul could rest upon this and may we too for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of

[29:21] God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord take another word here I'm trying to set before you in my poor way that the nearness of God so close when all other helpers fail when you feel to be so alone thy God he hath said he hath said I will never leave thee nor for saving oh friend and what does that well known hymn declare as it partly comes to mind the soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose because he's carrying that one he's bearing you up doesn't he the soul that on

[30:23] Jesus what a friend he is what a loving shepherd he is what a dear saviour my friend I'm not speaking sentimentally I'm speaking from my heart I believe I know just a little of it I want to know much more of it the soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose as you come into older age do you find beloved you're leaning harder than ever like as I have named many a time but I won't go into the details of that dear godly minister Stanley Dells said this I should die clinging to Christ I feel as we grow older the world gradually recedes the things of eternity are very real Christ is one thing made for it's the blood the blood to be found under that blood in that dread moment oh to hide beneath his sheltering blood will

[31:39] Jordan's ice his dream divide and land my soul with God when I see the blood I will pass over you Lord may I see it too oh may I see it yes but the soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose I will not I will not desert to his foes that soul though all hell should endeavour to shake and he will you will be shaken you will be tossed I don't say every day of your life friend but you'll know what it is but you'll never be tossed off that rock that's our mercy like the dear sailor said yes I shook I trembled I was afraid but the rock didn't move the rock didn't shake that was perfect so beloved here it is oh never no never no never for sake

[32:42] Jesus said no I am with you always even there it is even unto the end of the word I do not know whether I'm conveying what is in my mind and heart this afternoon this word has been so precious to my soul but I don't seem to be getting at it as I would desire I do remember it was said of the old Mr.

[33:09] Kent the Biddenden one he'd been so blessed and when he started to preach from it he couldn't get at it and he said friends I've come with a sack full and I can't get the sack open I know just a little bit what he man but I hope there's something pouring out friend I do pray that there'll be a blessing this afternoon and this evening too it's not just to come because it's new year's day we want something for our soul we want something we're going into a year that we don't know what's in front of us war rumour of wars and oh look at the state of this country look at the state of the infidelity and all what we could say and drug taking and immorality blasphemy broken homes divorces and oh much sorrow many burdens and loneliness of the way friend we don't know what we're coming into but oh are we coming into it with the very presence of

[34:11] God that sustaining supporting grace I am he I am changing God the Lord God omnipotent reigneth and this is our comfort my mind now just goes to this the Lord Jesus you know he constrained his disciples to get in the boat to go to the other side he went up the mountain to pray and the multitudes were sent away and what a storm it was what a night it was as I once was led and heard a man say they never turned the boat round they kept trying to go on Jesus Christ your father's son bids you undismayed go on it may be with you the fourth watch of the night it may be so dark you may feel you're alone you may feel that he's forsaken you but he saw them toiling in rhyme he knows just what you're going through poor sinner and in his time when you were brought to your weakness when you were brought to your helplessness when you were brought to your nothingness he came and there the ways beneath his feet and it is

[35:36] I thy Jesus be not afraid or friend as he comes when he speaks a word when he says on the other occasion in the boat and he stood and he just said those words peace be still there was a great calm and I believe we've known just a little of him just a little of him thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusted in thee trust you in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength the rock of ages this is the God bread the thing the hand that formed the world the earth the sky the sea that hand once nailed at Calvary that hand is holding me will

[36:44] I carry you I have made and I will bear casting all your care upon him for he careth for you oh friend what a word that is again cast your burden on the Lord for he shall sustain thee doesn't say that he roll it off sometimes he's pleased to do it it may be a heavier burden to be loaded on the burden already there we've known a little of it when trouble like a gloomy cloud has gathered thick and thundered loud he near my soul has always stood his loving kindness changes not Joseph is not Benjamin is not all these things are against me but he shall sustain thee because though the burden is heavy though you're crushed at times under the low though you feel so insufficient and lack of wisdom and knowledge and neither know we what to do but their eyes are upon thee yet friend there

[38:15] I say is sustaining grace and it may not be such a massive burden it may be something that's small and that is harder to bear than anything I often have thought of the thorn in the flesh of dear Paul we don't know what it was it may have been something physical as it is often thought we can leave that but comparatively when you think of what he went through the shipwrecks the stoning the prisoning and the stripes and so forth but it seemed to me that the dear man just couldn't seem to overcome bear this thorn in the flesh it was painful and he besought the Lord three times to take it away but God says no but Paul there's something greater than your thorn my grace is sufficient for thee and something even greater still that the power of

[39:20] Christ may rest upon me that to my mind is wonderful I will carry carry you with all your burdens carry you with all your trials carry you right the way through and surely the picture here is as we view this world our mind is directed to the eagle a beautiful word in Exodus as the Lord speaks there ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bear you on eagles wings and brought you unto myself what a word carrying you through friend again we read in Deuteronomy of how the

[40:21] Lord leads his people and how the Lord's portion is his people and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance he found him in a desert land and in the waste howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye look at it found laid instructed kept as an eagle stirreth up her nest fluttered over her young spreaded abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him the eagle known for its strength we are told how that when the young may flutter the apparent bird will fly beneath the bear it on its wings friend here is our

[41:38] God and oh here is that support here is our God that will never fail his people I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you another thought just comes to my mind here carried by God born as you think of the eagle as you turn to that 40th chapter of Isaiah speaking of the majesty of God and he shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young he carries them in his arms we are reminded there my mind just now goes to the high priest of old with the stones upon his shoulder

[42:46] God's people carried and the breastplate the stones near his heart the place of love and affection and protection the sheep then the lamb that is gathered in those arms of love never to be lost and never never to perish and will deliver you who hath delivered in who doth deliver in whom we trust he will yet deliver us is thy God whom thou service continually able to deliver thee from the lions perhaps the devil has got hold of somebody tempting you you're in a situation that you cannot see a way out and the devil says now where's your

[43:53] God there's no hope for you and yet my friend the Lord will appear for thee my God says Daniel have shut the lions mouths and the three Hebrew were this and the king says who should deliver you out of my hand who should deliver you out of that furnace heated seven times hotter than it won't be heated but what did they find in the fire they were put in it if it had pleased almighty God he could have made a way where they were not even cast into that fire but no they were cast into it they were bound and mark this the spark of the fire slew the strongest men of those army woe unto those who touch God's people but I say the presence of Jesus the form of the forth was like unto the Son of

[44:53] God delivering him dear Paul could speak later in life all had forsaken him notwithstanding God stood with me and delivered me from the mouth of the lion and when he's in trouble says God I will be with him I will deliver him with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation and even to your old age I am he even to whole hair's will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you friend we read a being compass with songs of deliverance our God will carry his children right through to glory reading reading that most solemn teaching of

[45:57] Jesus about the rich man and that beggar the beggar as he died was carried by the angels into the bosom of Abraham that bosom of Abraham signifies heaven carried carried through death supported brought through to glory at last I close being reminded of that godly man with his dream he saw his life as footprints in the sun two sets god with him but as he looked closer at times there was one and as he perceived it was those seasons when he was in trouble he was perplexed lord did I tread that path alone didst thou leave me there no my child

[47:09] I carried thee I carried thee the lord bless his word amen