Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/6929/isaiah-quality-average/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] The End Depending upon the help of the Lord, dear friends, I invite your prayerful, your prayerful attention this evening to Isaiah chapter 54. [0:42] And I want to look at that portion commencing at the 7th verse. We start reading from the 7th verse of Isaiah chapter 54. [0:53] For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In the little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer. [1:15] The 7th and 8th verses in particular, and one or two other points in this portion that we've read have settled on my mind. [1:27] I do hope and pray that it may prove to be of the Lord. We read, as we read in that sacred chapter, the prophecy concerning the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1:41] And how, as it were, it searches our hearts, how it reminds us of the awfulness of sin. And how deep the sins of his church have stung him. [1:58] The dear Lord Jesus, stricken, smitten and afflicted. And yet, in all this, we see in that great humiliation and suffering of Christ, which is prophesied here by the prophet, yet to be witnessed, and yet the accuracy of the prophecy is such that one could be quite forgiven for thinking it was written following the event. [2:27] And that proves to us, my dear friends, the wonderful light of the Holy Spirit in the Word, in the written Word, and how it is the living Word, when the Holy Spirit comes to our light upon the sacred page, that it becomes life and light and healing to our souls. [2:49] And the people of God, they find themselves with a desire to follow the Lord, and yet they feel oft times so much hindrance within and without, and from all quarters against the Christian path they're trying to walk in. [3:09] And it seems sometimes as if it's laid with snares and tripwires and brambles, and all to trip us and to bring us to pain. And then in it all, it seems as if we cannot feel the presence of the Lord with us as we would. [3:31] Now, perhaps there's some here that don't feel like that. I hope there is, because it's not a constant feeling. But my friends, it's a real one, and it's quite a regular one, if I know anything at all about it, in the pathway of a Christian, in the pathway that we're called to walk. [3:50] And yet, here we have this wonderful word before us, for a small moment, have I forsaken thee? You see, it seems as if the Lord sees us in our state, lost and ruined in the fall, yet, love does not withstand in all. [4:15] And he brings his purposes to pass, as he brings us on in the journey, and it seems to us that he's forsaken us, from time to time. [4:27] We go on, perhaps, days, sometimes, months, and sadly, sometimes, in the experience of the believer, some long time, years sometimes, before we get the renewing, before we get an oasis in the wilderness, and we feel the wilderness, pressing us, burning us up, burning the soles of our feet, and it seems as if he's left us for a small moment. [4:53] It's a small moment in God's plan of events, it may be a long time in our experience. You know, I believe we need to remember, when we read the word of God, when we read the word of God, that God sees everything in eternity's light. [5:12] And we only see what we see, what we remember. Some of us can look back 60-something years, some of you can look back 30, some of you can look back 20, and so on. [5:24] And your experience of events, and of the passage of time, is relevant, as it were, to that experience, which you've lived. But, perhaps, that's why, as we get older, it seems a year gets shorter. [5:41] But, my dear friends, in the passage of time, it's but a small moment, that God deals with his people, and for a small moment, he says, I have forsaken thee, but, here's the but, the gospel but, so I'm so thankful to the Lord for. [6:00] You see, but with great mercies, will I gather thee. Here's your promise, friend. Suffering, yes, suffering does take so many forms, doesn't it? [6:13] Some suffer great temptations, you know. What temptations, come into the mind of the believer? Hath God said, the old serpent? [6:28] Whispers, unbelief. What a hindrance it is, to our peace, my dear friends. And we need him to say, but with great mercies, will I gather thee. [6:42] Gather thee from thy doubts and fears. Come and confirm your soul, with a little sweet kiss of his lips, to your soul. Spoke, I think it was our Sunday, I can't remember, which occasion it was, but recently, but recently, to my people, regarding the wind, where the prophet went and stood in, the man for the cave, there was a great wind, a great wind, how great that was, when we read it, broke the rocks up. [7:14] Some power in the elements, you know, friends, man, this is just a bypass, but man thinks he can do this and that, but God can put him to pieces in a moment, with one command of the elements. [7:27] The rocks, they were broken up, before Elijah, with God's power in that wind. What does that represent? [7:41] The wind of God's spirit, breaking up our hard hearts, convicting us of our sin. You know, we're born with unbelieving hearts, and we go on, however long, until the Holy Spirit, begins to deal with us. [7:57] And then, the wind of conviction, blows. And what a strong wind that is, and what a strong wind, with some of us friends, it needed to be. For we're rebellious by nature, oh, I'm so thankful for the Imrider's words, there rebellious thou hast been, rebellious thou art still, but since in love I took thee in, my promise I'll fulfill. [8:20] But, you see, here's your but, but with great mercies, when I gather thee, it's his work. You think of the apostle, when he rode, he's going to do great things, the destruction to the church of God, Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle Paul, God put his hand on him, you know the record of it, you know, turned him round, made a servant of him, who was an enemy, made a servant of him. [8:50] Friends, for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies, will I gather thee. In a little wrath, God is angry against sin every day. [9:02] sin. You see, God cannot look upon sin, with any degree of allowance at all, my dear friends. But in his great mercy, but, you see, in his great mercy, he has made a way, that he can look upon sinners, as sinless, as he views them, in his beloved son. [9:25] The apostle Paul's ambition, I believe it's mine, and I think it's yours, that I might win Christ, and be found in him. [9:40] Oh my friends, that's a good ambition. Be found in him. We said, we know to just as we came in, to the service this evening, and the mentor was made of Noah. [9:54] God. I said, God, shut him in your ark. You see, 120 years sin raged. The gospel was preached. [10:07] God was preached. The power of God was preached by his servant. All those years, 120 years. I fell on deaf ears, apparently. And yet, for eight souls, the Lord withheld the wrath of his judgment against sin, until the ark was ready. [10:28] Until they were in the ark. And he then shut the door. And then came the deluge. What happened with the ark? It rode up on the deluge. [10:40] It rode up on the floods. And they were safe in the ark. My friends, are we in the ark? The Lord Jesus Christ? If we are, we are safe. [10:51] If we are in Christ Jesus, in that, in that precious side, you think of that other example I love, of Moses, when he saw God, that he might see his glory. [11:04] And God said, you can't, he could not look upon his glory. But, there was a place by me, God said, and I will put thee, in the cleft of the rock, electing love. [11:21] I will put thee, in the cleft of the rock, the security of the saints follows, I'll put my hand, over thee, while I pass by. You see? [11:31] And so, once in him, in him forever, thus the eternal covenant stands. For a small moment, I have forsaken thee, but with great mercies, will I gather thee. [11:46] In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee. For a moment, these things, my friends, they bring us to him. What makes us cry, to the Lord, when we feel his absence? [12:04] What brings us to true prayer? When we feel that, desolation of the desert, of the wilderness journey, in our soul, I speak spiritually, friends. [12:18] What brings us to prayer? Trouble. What do all these things do? Sometimes, my friends, the old enemy brings it on us. [12:30] Sometimes, it's our own wicked heart, bubbling up within us, that brings us into these places. But what is the remedy? What is the remedy? [12:41] Look unto Jesus. The author and finisher of your faith. The author of it, he that has begun a good work in you, what does it say? [12:52] Might perform it? No, it doesn't. It says, will perform it. Precious promises. Will perform it. Unto the day of Jesus Christ. It's his work, not ours. [13:04] But all my friends, it benefits ours. And the glory is his. All the glory, all the glory, Lord, be thine. Yes, for a small moment. [13:16] In his wisdom, in his sovereign wisdom, he knows what we are. And he knows our weaknesses. Though they are tried, and yet, he makes a way of escape. [13:32] You know, in that record, which we read of in the New Testament, when the Lord, after his baptism, he went into the wilderness, led the Spirit into the wilderness, 40 days, and 40 nights. [13:50] I used to puzzle over that a bit, because, you see, you think, well, it says the Spirit led him into the wilderness. Yes, I now believe I see why. [14:03] Because the contest, between hell and heaven, needed to be fought. And the Lord Jesus Christ, as man upon the earth, in his humanity, and God, in that mysterious divinity, God and man in one, Emmanuel, God with us, needed to do, battle, with Satan. [14:32] That he might be defeated. Now you think, what happened? In every one of those temptations, that Satan brought against their dear Lord, he answered him with scripture. [14:46] Look it up when you've got time, I won't dwell on that aspect, because it's not my thought tonight. But, there, in each case, he answered Satan, with scripture. [14:58] And at the end of that time, Satan slung off, can I put it that way, a defeated foe. The Lord was triumphant, though weak, and though needing the angels to minister to him, to strengthen him. [15:14] But my friends, it just shows us, how great, a demand, can I put it this way, reverently, there was on the humanity of Christ, in fulfilling, the work that his father gave him to do. [15:31] But my dear friends, the reason I mentioned that event, and that record, that we read of, is this, that he, having been tempted, is able to succor those that are tempted. [15:45] And so, you poor tempted soul, can go to Jesus, in your temptation, and pour it your heart to him, and his human heart, he still retains to him, right as that is, though thrown in highest bliss. [15:58] He knows their temptations, he knows each tempted member's pains, each afflicted member's pains, each bereaved member's pains. Why? Well, he's walked the pathway, my dear friends. [16:12] If you want, in a natural term, to, to have a particular job done, on your car, for instance, you don't take it to someone, who's just, trying out, to learn the job, you try and get someone, that's got some experience, in the matter, and, likely is, that you'll be successful. [16:34] Well, think of that, a thousand times, a thousand times, a thousand more, when we come to the Lord, with all our troubles, and all our difficulties, and deep in affliction, and we don't know what we're going to do, because it all seems up this height, to our eyes, and we cannot see our way, what do we do? [16:55] Cry it to him. Oh, down further, my friends, I can light on it. Oh, they were afflicted, and poor people, I've got the wrong chapter, oh, they were afflicted, and tempted, I can't quite quote it correctly, I can't find it either. [17:20] Ready? Yes, here it is. It was a, no, sorry, that's the wrong, wrong quotation. Oh, there, here it is, oh, they were afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted. [17:34] You see? Afflicted, people of God, tossed with tempest, and not comforted. They can't feel their comfort. Behold, what does it say? [17:46] I, I, will lay thy stones, with fair colours, lay thy foundations, with sapphires, I will make thy windows, of agates, and thy gates, of carbuncles, and all thy borders, of pleasant stones. [18:03] It's the Lord's work. work. And as we come into these difficulties and troubles, my friends, there's only one way, that we shall find any relief, any deliverance, is come to him. [18:16] It's the Lord's work. Pour out your heart before him, O ye people. They were afflicted, tossed with tempest, not comforted. [18:28] Oh, my friends, is that not the experience of the people of God? Well, for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. [18:43] Promise? Will? In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness. [18:55] Love with an everlasting love. The covenant people of God, my dear friends, as I said, they can't fall out of the covenant because God's hands, once placing them in, holds them in the covenant. [19:08] They can't fall out of the covenant. And the work I said before, he has begun, he will perform. Unto the day of Jesus Christ, he has begun a good work in you. [19:20] The thing is, has he begun? Has he begun? That question. Tis a point I long to know. Am I his, or am I not? Yes, my dear friend. [19:32] For a small moment, he says, have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee, for in a little wrath, I hid my face from thee. For a moment, that's time, he's a pointed amount of time, but the outcome, with everlasting kindness, will I have mercy on thee. [19:56] I love that word, mercy, friends, and the more, older I get, the more I love the word, mercy. Do you know, it's not a word the world uses, and understands a lot, is it? [20:08] Around us. You don't see a lot of it about, do you? Mercy, and there is some, here and there. Seems pretty merciless, state of affairs, and it's got worse, in the last 50 years. [20:22] But, the mercy of God, it's not temporary, it's everlasting. It's on those that love him, those that fear him. [20:34] Oh, I love thee, with everlasting love, and everlasting love, the, Jeremiah says, doesn't he, the inspiration of the, pen of the Holy Spirit, he writes. [20:46] Yes. Everlasting. I like to think of that, from everlasting, to everlasting, and time is but a speck, in the midst of it. [20:57] All our affairs are but, for a moment, in the everlasting, eternal plan, of God, for this world, for his covenant people, is but for a moment. [21:11] I remember, one of the first texts, I've, preached from, when I, after I've been here, and I started back, to preach again, and, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory. [21:36] Our light affliction, you don't feel, it's light, it's a friend, do you? I didn't. I don't. We don't. How can we view this, and understand it? [21:50] It's but for a moment. Where, light affliction, is but for a moment. Well, if you view it in eternity's light, it's but for a moment. [22:05] Might be 40 years, 30 years. Might be many, many years, you suffer with that, thorn in the flesh, as the apostle Paul did, perhaps. You have to learn to live with it. [22:17] You have to learn to live within, within the, confines of your new limitations, and that, don't go well with nature, does it? All that is a hard lesson to learn. But my dear friends, it's but for a moment. [22:35] It's only temporary. In eternity's light. Now come to the affliction. It's affliction, whatever it might be. As I said, we have various afflictions. [22:49] It's light, in comparison, with the affliction of the dear Lord, Jesus Christ himself. Think, my friends, and we can never begin to enter into it, but my mind is, is along this line of thought. [23:09] Think of those, sacred words, which I often read, for ordinance, in Matthew, 26. [23:19] Then said he unto them, my soul, is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. [23:35] Sacred portion of the word of God, if ever there was one, dear friends. We get the insight here, just a little glimpse, as much as our poor, mortal minds, can begin, to understand, just a little, the exceeding sorrow, of his dear soul, at that hour. [24:00] the weight, of the sins, of the souls, of all his people, from Adam's day, down, to his coming again, weighed upon him then. [24:13] and his soul, was exceeding sorrowful. Think of it, my dear friends, who was it, that said this? [24:24] The Prince of Heaven, the Son of God, the Son of the Almighty God, the Creator, the Giver of Life, the Creator of all things, the One who laid at His glory, one side, to come to this earth, with a purpose, to suffer, bleed, and die, in a sinner's place. [24:57] Can't look upon sin lightly, when we consider these things, can we friends? Solemn thoughts, aren't they? Our sins. In writers, this is all, the hideous monster sin, what a curse, this is all, all creation, groans with thee, pregnant cause of misery. [25:18] And in the next verse, and I can't quote that correctly, but, memory won't, bring it to mind, but, it speaks of the suffering, of the Lord, in, in what sin, brought upon the suffering, of the Lord. [25:31] Not his own sin. He died to atone, for sins, not his own. the Father, as punished for, can we say us? [25:43] I mean in reality. And know it to be so. Punished for us, his dear son. Well, it's a wonderful word, if we can come in with the us, my dear friends, and know the truth of it, by the witness of the Holy Spirit, on our spirits, and that is to be known. [26:02] And I trust some of you know it, here, if not all of you. I hope you do, all of you know, something about the witness, of the Spirit of God, upon your spirit. You can't explain it to the world, the world wouldn't begin to understand it. [26:17] But you can, mention it to the ears, of the Lord's people, and they know what you mean, even if you can't explain it. You know what I, how I mean that? I think you do, some of you, I hope and pray you all do. [26:30] Blessed peace, to be numbered, in that us. Yes, now another amazing thing, that always strikes me, in this portion, I've just alluded to. [26:45] My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. [27:03] Nevertheless, not as I will, but as they will. And he cometh, to the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and said unto Peter, What? Could ye not watch with me, one hour? [27:15] Oh, my friends, how the Lord, he trod the winepress alone, didn't he? I speak very reverently, but he proved vain, as the help of man, or an arm of flesh. [27:30] You know, there was nothing, at all, that the disciples did, toward this, at this time, then or now, down through the ages, my friends. [27:40] It was all of the Lord's own work. He trod the winepressure alone. It was the sorrow of his soul, that redeemed the souls of his people, and brought eternal life to them. [27:56] Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now this amazes me. The Lord, in his hour, of deep suffering of soul, in the garden of Gethsemane, in the full knowledge, of all that he must need to suffer, remembers his poor disciples are weak. [28:24] Remembers that their spirit is weak. Their spirit is willing, but their flesh is weak. And friends, I don't know about you, but I have enough to, with my own experience, to know very well, that the flesh is weak. [28:41] And the mind is weak. The flesh and the mind are weak. We cannot direct them as we would. We have to pray, when we come into the house of the Lord, for the grace of meditation, for how to leave outside things outside. [28:55] And how many times, we sit down with the word of God, to meditate and find, our mind is somewhere else. And he knows, that the spirit is willing. Why? Well, because it's his spirit given, you see. [29:10] But, we need that spirit, as it were, reinforced and strengthened, by the Holy Spirit, when we come to our better things, in prayer, in praise, in worship. [29:25] For, the flesh, has no ability, in these things, my dear friends. And so, that word, watch and pray, that you enter, not into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. [29:39] All these things, come together, for a small moment, have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies, will I gather thee, in a little wrath, I hid my face from it, a little wrath, because his, judgments upon us, in this life, are, measured. [30:03] Rutherford, the words of Rutherford, in mercy, and in judgment, my web of time, he wove. And very true, that is, I've thought a lot, about that, you know. [30:15] In God's dealings, with us, if we're the people, of God, there is, can I put it this way, and a mixture. There's mercy, and judgment. [30:28] There's judgment, for, our instruction, and teaching, and direction, and there's mercy, in it all, that the Lord, brings us, to a knowledge, of himself, drawing us to him, in that, which we can term, a judgment upon us. [30:49] Now, my dear friends, I would, lovingly, issue you, a little warning here, because I've heard this, a few occasions, and that is, it's some, friend, is afflicted, don't think you know, what it's about. [31:07] I heard, and I've heard, on a few occasions, oh, so and so, so, that's because of so and so, oh, is it, who said so? Not in anger, not in anger, but in, my dear covenant love. [31:19] Remember that bit, that's the important bit, of it all, my dear friends. The Lord, deals with his people, that person, alone, knows the lesson, that God, will teach him, or her, in whatever, trouble, or affliction, he brings upon them, in what, hiding for a moment, his face, is about, they will know, but no one else knows, that's between God, and that soul. [31:47] Do try and remember that, dear friends, because I believe, we do much damage, when we jump to conclusions, that we think we know, what the Lord's purpose is, for someone else. I just make some exception, to that, and that is, in the, golden side of it, I'll put it that way, sometimes, we see the Lord, dealing with the soul, and we are pleased, and we see the grace of God, and we are glad, that's not what I'm talking about, I'm talking about, in the judgmental side of it, we must never jump, to the conclusion, that we know, that a certain person, is afflicted, for a certain person, or this troubles come on, because of that, or something else. [32:27] Just a, draw bold adventure, my dear friends, because I, I know this, that, when the Lord, deals with the soul, that soul knows, what its sin is, that soul knows, what its omissions are, God knows, and God deals, with that soul, that it's in mercy, and in judgment, my web of time, he woe, and even the deals, of sorrow, are lusted, with his love, my friends, we see that as well, the deals, of sorrow, are lusted, with his love, you see, I sometimes, have stood, by the grave, of one and another, and there's been, a natural sorrow there, and yet, there's been, the presence, of the Lord there, in a way that you, I've, I've experienced, in this, chapel yard here, and so, and others, my dear friends, the presence, of the Lord, at such occasions, and you know, there's something else, [33:38] I never thought, of coming into this, at all, tonight, but there's something else, that just comes to my mind, and it's this, that you know, when we, have a dear friend, and fellow church member, fellow believer, and they're in some difficulty, and we pray for them, we see they're upheld, and they're upheld, through a time, of affliction, and bereavement, the church, comes to prayer, and you don't realise, just how much, that prayer is answered, until you go, to a funeral, where it's a complete, unbeliever, that some of us, have had to do, on odd occasions, when it's been, a near neighbour, or something, out of respect, oh my dear friends, what a difference, you then see, how much support, is given, to the people of God, in their grief, and in their afflictions, and in their trials, and pathways, when you see, the world absolutely, dissolves, such a thing, in these sorrows, and these deep troubles, for a small moment, have I forsaken thee, but with great verses, will I gather thee, in a little wrath, [34:54] I hid my face from thee, for a moment, but, with everlasting kindness, a moment, to prepare us, for everlasting kindness, a moment, to teach us, that he is preparing, that everlasting kindness, for his people, through mercy, my friends, it's all mercy, isn't it, thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue, thy free grace alone, from the first to the last, has won my affection, and bound my soul fast, now my friends, how can we take comfort, in these words, well, who said them, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, you say, the everlasting kindness, I will have mercy on thee, if a man says it, it would be much comfort, would it, but my friends, when the Lord says it, when the Lord speaks, thy Redeemer speaks, there's comfort, you're on the rock, on Christ, the solid rock, to stand, all other ground, is sinking sand, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, you know, [36:25] I love that, record in scripture, of Boaz, and Ruth, and Naomi's, affairs, how, he could redeem, he was a man of wealth, of honour, of honesty, he had the wealth, to redeem, he had, the position, to do it, above board, can I put it that way, it was all done, at the gate, that was equivalent, to the court, of the land, it was all done, in the open, all in honour, he redeemed, everything, that was Ruth, and Naomi's, and my friends, he did it, because he, would do it, he did it, because he, loved Ruth, the Moabitess, he took her, to be his wife, go back a minute, to the beginning of Ruth, [37:33] Ruth, was put through, great testing time, wasn't she, but what, did she come, thy people, shall be my people, and thy God, my God, and she went, steadfastly, with Naomi, you see, and then God, honours them, that honour him, and those, set their face, to follow him, will find, that he, is that, heavenly bowers, he, he is the heavenly bowers, he, will provide, your every need here, the moment, they got, to Bethlehem, the timing, was right, it was barley harvest, the timing, my friends, they needed, provisions, so God, brought them back, at the time, there was provisions, for the gleaning, he then, made that wonderful way, and I won't go into that now, because you, you know it, but, think of the Lord, the heavenly bowers, he's redeemed his people, he's, bought them, with his own heart's blood, at Calvary, so they're his, by rights, he's purchasing, but my friends, they're also, a gift to him, from the father, so there, he has a double, ownership, can I put it that way, we're not our own, we're bought, with a price, you see, there's a double, ownership, my friends, on the church, to our Lord, they're the gift, of the father, to the son, and they're the sons, by purchase, of his own heart's blood, and the church, collective, his bride, will be brought, at length, to that eternal, state, of eternal praise, there is, the passing, through the valley, of the shadow, of death, there is the passing, of death, and the grave, when, the body, is laid, in mother earth, it's under God's, almighty eye, keeping eye, that the spirit, returns to God, who gave it, today, they shall be, with me, in paradise, the Lord said, to the dying thief, on the cross, there's no such thing, as purgatory, or, halfway houses, as the Catholics, would say, my friends, nonsense, total, totally erroneous, the Lord's own, lips tell us, that, my dear friends, some of you, dear friends, of lost loved ones, you know, what bereavement is, you wouldn't, wish them back, to die, they shall be, with me, in paradise, think of it, my dear friends, forever with the Lord, the redeemed spirit, no more Satan, no more this unbelieving heart, which sins, in its unbelief, against God, in his faithfulness, day by day, with their doubts, and fears, and that's Satan, who comes along, and he says, in your ear, ah, this time, you sin once too often, you sin beyond, the ear of sovereign grace, he says, [40:52] I tell my people, nearly every Sunday, he's a liar, he's the father of lies, I'm coming to a close, but, you know, dear friends, you take the eastern shepherd, a minute, the eastern shepherd, he walks along, with his sheep, slightly, front, and centre, to them, usually a smaller flock, than you might have, in big fields, in this, part of the globe, in comes, the wolf, he circles, the sheep, they look out, at the wolf, and they take fright, and they do everything, except look up, because if they looked up, they would see, that out over their heads, there's a big crook, with an iron end on it, and that wolf, dare not come any closer, and not lose his head, so he can frighten the flock, and he can't destroy them, and having these shepherds, watching over all of his sheep, my dear friends, day and night, another thought, [41:59] I hadn't thought of bringing in at all, but you know, we live in dangerous days, safety alone, is with the Lord, the Lord, the Lord keeps, every one of his people, safe, until that appointed time, a minister that visited me, when I was, soon out of hospital, laying flat on my back, I couldn't hardly do anything, I was so weak, and he said this, he said, you know Ray, that you're never going to die, until, you've done the last duties, that the Lord will have you do, I'd never thought about it, that way before, never thought a word about it, but when you think of it, you know, you see, think of scripture a minute, David was anointed, to be king, I must be quick, think it through, when you go home, David was anointed, to be king, look, what the enemy brought against David, in Saul, and the enemies, he was hunted and hounded, in the wilderness, in the caves, in the En Gedi, and so on, and he said himself, [43:11] I shall one day perish, by the hand of Saul, but he never did, he never could, why, because he'd been anointed, to be king, that's why, it was an impossibility, for anything to happen to him, because the Lord's protecting, hand was over him, you think, it was in close compass, when we read that scripture, he threw that javelin, close enough, that it's stuck in the wall, but he gave young David, that speed of muscle, and movement, to dodge it, and he was safe, and you think of David's life, in all that preservation, he'd been anointed, my dear friends, if the Holy Spirit, has anointed your soul, and you've been called by grace, and been born again, you will come to that desired haven, to heaven, and to him, not through anything of your work, or mine, but through, that keeping, faithful, all powerful, almighty arm, which brings his people, unto himself, and that, with an everlasting, love, and that, with everlasting kindness, and that, with everlasting mercy, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, now my dear friends, is he your Redeemer, the all important thing, isn't it, him rightly says, it is a point, [44:41] I long to know, am I his, or am I not, it is a point, but my dear friends, do you know nothing, about a little sweet, oasis, of his love, at times in prayer, I've been sometimes, driving in the middle, of the lane, of a motorway, in the midst, of the holy, burly, and chaos, and thought, of the danger around, and yet, somehow felt, such peace within, such peace within, and I thought, about Peter, and the disciples, in the ship, tossed with those waves, peace, peace still, and there was peace, winds and the waves, stopped, immediately, the command, of the dear Lord, all my dear friends, a little talk, with Jesus, how it smooths, life's rugged road, how it cheers, and helps me onward, when I faint, beneath my load, a sweet communion, with him, in prayer, he says, [45:57] I will be inquired, of our house of Israel, of you, to do these things, we cast, all our care, before him, the words, I was given, with my dear one, as we were baptized, as we received, into the church, casting all your care, upon him, for he, careth, for you, that was in 1964, and my friends, I've lived, to prove, time, and time, and time again, there's only one place, to cast your care, and that's upon him, and you'll go on, to prove, he, careth, for you, amen, amen, let us close, by singing hymn number 667 to the tune of Immortal Honours 768. [47:35] In number 667, Immortal Honours rest on Jesus' head, my God, my portion, and my living bread. [47:54] In him I live, upon him cast my care. He saves from death, destruction, and despair. [48:05] Oh, that my soul could love and praise him more. His beauty's trace, his majesty adore. [48:19] Live near his heart, upon his bosom lean. Obey his voice, and all his will esteem. [48:29] In number 667, All his voice, and all his will. [48:42] To the heaven of the Lord, the daddy who cares and equals, kept high, like a child, who shall have long stayed? [49:07] In the完全 way upon thement, God, my hand, somehow just like cálculo Dereich The age that Vocês acect stare at Deus Mate O time! [50:23] as his comfort God made you so as the Lord I am free that he richly went God bless you. [51:16] God bless you. [51:46] God bless you. [52:16] God bless you. God bless you. [52:28] God bless you. Amen. Amen. Amen. [53:07] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. [53:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. [53:29] Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you. [54:05] Thank you.