Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/14438/reality-in-religion-quality-good/.

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] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I would direct you prayerfully to the book of Revelation, chapter 2, and reading verse 13.

[0:12] I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is, and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

[0:40] As we read through these articles, dear friends, these messages to the churches, we see here that we need the Lord to make us very conscious, to realize there is no perfect church here in these seven churches.

[1:07] Likewise, down through the ages, there's some that walk closer than others, but that he says, I know. Solemn thing when we consider that the Lord knowest our works.

[1:26] Whether those works are the lust of the flesh and pride of life, or whether they also are mingled with this working in us of the Spirit.

[1:40] We know that the just a remnant that shall be, according to the election of grace, shall have a chart change. But still there will be the working.

[1:54] There will be the working of the flesh. There will still be the temptation of Satan that we see very common here. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest.

[2:07] You see, we can't hide our sins under some sort of cover-up in our lives. We do need the Lord in his mercy to grant that the open, the eyes were understanding, that we might understand the solemnity of this precious book of the Revelation.

[2:32] Everything in there realises there's no perfect body as a church. But if we're chosen vessels of the Lord, he will work in us.

[2:50] Do you and I turn a deaf ear to the Scriptures? Do we want to pass it over, gloss it over? And say, think about that another time.

[3:02] But if you and I are truly conscious of our soul's welfare, we realise that the angels of the church had a sharp sword with two edges to cut you and me up root and branch from our smooth, easy passage.

[3:22] We know that life isn't easy. There'll be afflictions, there'll be trials, there'll be temptations. Sin entered the world and death by sin.

[3:33] And sure, it must come to pass with a siege. But oh, has the Lord quickened your soul and mine? The angel of the Lord was indicted by the Spirit.

[3:52] And if we walk in faith and not by sight, we should want a spirit of grace and of supplication to show that the angel of the church might visit your soul.

[4:06] The angel of light is Jesus. And the angel, dear friends, so-called of Satan, will do everything to hinder you and me in pursuing that way that we know and believe to be right.

[4:24] And so we see the effects of Satan in the world. We don't have to look far, do we? Man deceitful above all things, a heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.

[4:36] Who can know it? Only those who have been trained up, I believe, to fear God. And so you may say, well, I may dispute that because there are those men in the world, women in the world, that are honest, only as far as they go.

[4:58] But to realize that I know thy works. Jesus then, as the angel of the new covenant, knows where these angels are, that are sent to the churches, ministering spirits to minister to their needs.

[5:17] And so it goes on down through the ages when those are led by the Spirit to preach the gospel. And oh, how searching it will be and has been, I believe, to some of us in their lives journey.

[5:35] As though the Lord might use his word to say, I know thy works. And he's known your evil works, your sinful lusts of the flesh, your pride of life, as well with each one of us.

[5:51] But it will only be Mark in the perfect realm and behold the upright when he comes to the end, when the soul departs from the body, if he has been born again in the water of the Spirit.

[6:06] And he says, yes, dwellest, thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is. And thou holdest fast my name.

[6:18] These steps then that you and I will pass through will know something of Satan, know where his seat is. And oh, you want to say so, do not I for the fear of the Lord that turned away from these things.

[6:34] We've known and we have to acknowledge our sins with past offences and we still see the fruits of Satan in this dark world that we live in.

[6:46] Evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse to see and mean to see. But oh, this very, these, let us hear, I know thy works.

[6:59] It should really be heavily laid upon us. I know thy works. Nothing hidden from the Lord God omnipotent that reigneth, from his dear Son of God and these ministering angels that minister to his people.

[7:18] He sends them down. He gives them what to speak. He gives them what to receive as he opens their heart to receive them.

[7:32] And yet, whereby we've been born again by the water of the Spirit, we've been given that living faith, then, you'll want to hold fast to his name.

[7:47] But since so many things come into your life and mind suddenly, don't they? And take your attention away. Take maybe your interest away from this vital necessity of holding fast the name of Jesus and to seek that he would guide you and manifest himself to you, speaking a word to you and saying unto your soul, I am thy salvation and thou holdest fast my name.

[8:23] In your right determination of faith and exercise, you want to hold fast to the form of sound words, my name.

[8:37] That name is above every name, whereby every knee shall bear and every tongue shall confess. We need then to draw near to God.

[8:50] We need him to draw us then, don't we, firstly, by the bounds of his love and bids you come. And so he says he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

[9:07] Oh, may the Lord in his mercy enlighten and liven us in our souls to be faint yet pursuing as the ancient Jews of old did.

[9:18] They were faint but pursuing. They had an object. And you and I will have an object in view to be looking to the Lord Jesus God, deliver me from the gin, snares and traps that Satan lays for my unwary feet and help me to hold fast.

[9:38] I will not let thee go, says one, was his prayer, I will not let thee go unless thou bless me. Importunity at the throne of grace is a wonderful gift.

[9:51] I get very tired myself as to whether my importunity is one of God's elect, whether I'm deeply exercised about the salvation of myself.

[10:05] You see, there's so many hindrances that poor old nature has to pass through. But I am the Lord, he says, and has he not thus far led you on and made his truth and mercy known to you, and now hold as fast my name, and has not denied my faith.

[10:31] You see, you won't seek any denial, will you? I will no denial take when I plead for Jesus' sake.

[10:45] And so we see here in his word, we know it's print on paper, we know it's God's word, and it endureth unto the end, and so does the gospel, and so does his word.

[10:58] And you pray, Lord, do grant me that keeping power, kept by Almighty God, kept by the power of God through faith, under salvation, ready to be revealed the last time.

[11:14] God's name, yes, even in those days where in Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you. There are those, dear friends, that may be on the edge of believing, and then something comes in the world and spites them and they turn back and walk no more sometimes through mercy and for his grace they're only permitted to backslide and then the Lord meets with them and commands them to come back and they do come back with broken hearts and contrite spirits and then they plead Lord work in me both the will and do of thy good pleasure give me true repentance give me godly sorrow for my sin and grant me a fear not when I'm so tempted and tried as to my standing

[12:20] I'm waiting Lord upon thee and for thee to speak some word that shall stick fast in my soul oh that I might know the joyful sound of this gospel and though he goes on to say but I have a few things against thee because they're them that hold the doctrine of Balaam Balaam appeared to be religious until the Lord turned him around and showed him because Balak wanted him to destroy to curse I should say which would ultimately be to curse the Jews but you see and Balaam had to go but he had to go in the strength of the Lord ultimately because he gave him what to speak in the hour and as we know about the the ass the dumb ass had to speak because there was the angel with the sword and only this ass saw what was and also what was hindering and what was meant to hinder and that was the ass turned into the wall and crushed his feet against the wall of Balaam as you probably know and so you see in these things

[13:56] God's working and even even then they saw when the dumb ass saw that that saw among the angel of the sword so so he he fell down on the ground and cursed was he by Balaam but you see Balaam had to realise that he was God's servant on that occasion the spirit came upon him and he was able to go and not curse the Jews but Balaam had to listen and then he was angry you see the spirit of the world in Balaam but what a mercy if you and I know something of this and it became a stumbling block that Balaam did that case but oh we go back here as I say to to this faithful martyr was slain among you where Satan dwelleth

[15:11] Satan is ever our greatest anxiety if we're a sinner because because he has so many subtle ways and means of causing you and me to truly turn back and walk no more with him but not if he's God not if he's a chosen vessel he said I've chosen thee in the furnace of affliction and my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest what a mercy so Jesus knows the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them and teaches them to fear God and keep his commandments he says the devil shall pass some of you into prison in the previous visit to the churches but our mercy is to know this that I am the

[16:13] Lord I change not and so you and I get buried tempted and tried at times our mercy is hold fast the form of sand words do send out thy light and lead them and guide me to thy holy hill and to thy tabernacle that I might know more the truth that I might be steadfast ah that's the word isn't it be steadfast unmovable always aboundly in the work of the Lord because we need to be upon our watchtower for the subtlety of satan and only God can drive out the buyers and the sellers in our pathway and so satan dwelleth satan dwelleth and so we need the Lord to be enabled to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life and so to be given that true repentance the godly sorrow for our sin as we consider our latter end and behold these wondrous things out of the churches that are able to grant you and me the felt presence of your

[17:39] Lord my presence shall go with thee yes you may say well that's the word would do me good but I need it to be applied you see it's to be able to overcome the devil's subtlety and power in this sin state world tempted to give up and call no more upon his name because we don't get the answer that we're so lucky for that real grace of being begotten again by a lot with a lively hope to see Jesus we press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and so you see we need the Lord in tribulation to try though he tries us yet we shall come forth as gold as last I know thy works seems to stick fast with me friends this message to each of the churches

[18:41] I know thy works but I have a few things against thee you see we're not perfect sadly because of their nature the hideous monster sin what a curse has thou brought in all creation groans through the pregnant cause of misery you make you feel you're not what you were you're not what you'd like to be you want to know the truth you want to know this great salvation you want to know that you're holding fast to what he has given you speak the word Lord and I shall be healed restore unto me the joy of salvation I want to be saved I know my sins deserve an endless hell there's no hope for me being saved without the speaking to my soul revealing thy love to me speak the word only heal me Lord of this dreadful malady of sin waiting to feel thy touch deep wounded souls that they repair saviour we are such yes

[19:50] Lord my works my natural works don't bear inspection but the word the Lord as applied will endure forever and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you and unto me and you pray Lord help me to hold fast make thy name more precious by Father and earth and all its comforts we like our comforts we seem to hover around them don't we and murmur when we can't get them but you see we need to come here and realise we are in an enemy's land and he's as subtle as the serpent is as well as the roaring lion but blessed be the Lord you know to overcome we overcome we need that grace to endure unto the end and be saved at last yes the wretchedness of vile sinful men but what a mercy this man receiveth sinners and suppeth with them and he comes into them and supps with them as my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and none can pluck them out of my hand and that's the sort of language that you and I are longing for and praying for and we don't have to feel to be on our knees or sitting on a chair or lying down it's that wherever the situation arises when the

[21:34] Lord touches your spirit and that's when the Lord exercises your prayer prayer prayer can just be with words of thought in your mind you think upon these things and these are lovely things and precious things that the Lord bestows upon your soul from his works and you bless him and thou holdest fast my name this name then that is his ointment taught forth to heal you from the malady of sin your sins are often reminded you or you say I wish that the Lord would block all my sins and my transgressions out that the son of righteousness would arise with healing in his wings and cover me with the mantle of his forgiving love or we keep getting reminders of our sins don't we as we're travelling along this path but still we want to uphold the righteousness of Christ and want him to truly bless us with his spirit upon our soul for he says when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth and you shall know the truth and that truth that makes you free from

[23:07] Paul's condemnation there's therefore now no condemnation than Christ Jesus hold fast his name the name of Jesus sweet it sounds in the believer's ear as soon as his sorrows heals his word drives away his fear when he changes your heart you'll know it and you'll bless him for it and he'll come again because you get into such a darksome place and a dry place and a cold place and a hard place but is there anything to huddle he knows he knows thy works good or evil you've got to give account of them all one day when we get to the judgment seat and so few you look around the people in the world so few are worried about that all they're worried about is what they can get and buy and purchase for the money that they have earned we know that we need things to maintain us in life's journey but always this maintaining your faith that faith which is a substance things hoped for the evidence those things are not seen and reminding again that the things that this angel had the sharp sword with two edges and we do need the

[24:42] Lord to cut us up root and branch and make us more conscious of the reality of our religion how much do we have at times at times very little but you can remind the Lord I believe I know thy works I know the way that you are taken when you are tried you come forth as gold that's it the object of our hope isn't it come forth as gold bought with a price eternally loved therefore with loving kindness has he drawn thee and he will ever leave thee or forsake thee for he boldly say the Lord is my shepherd like David did and I shall not want and he maketh me to lie down in green pastures that's what you want you want to draw water you want to make you to lie down in the grass or truly to flourish and bear fruit in the courts of your

[25:53] Lord or to have this ear or to illuminate mine ear Lord open my heart receive the word that I may be more and more conscious of the angels messages to the seven churches give me a true token Lord show me something that shall stand in good stead in my life's journey and help me to truly be steadfast and unmovable always abounding searching the scriptures finding rest for my soul to rest in thy love because he said having loved his own that were in the world he loved them to the end and if he's begun that good love in your there will be a performance of him until he comes and keeps in you and me and makes you wise unto salvation through faith in him and so we need to keep his works not the works of the devil but to keep his works

[27:01] Lord give me grace and work in me both the will and do of thy good pleasure that I might have a living testimony of what they have done for my soul and you will feel unworthy of it but blessed be the Lord the love of Christ will constrain you to follow him if he touches your ear and opens your heart to receive the truth and you'll know it and the truth shall make you free but I see the time has gone friends may the Lord bless our few remarks may he pardon all the mess and trust that we're not weary of your friends but to know these truths should ultimately and pride will make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Amen Let us conclude with hymn number 728 the tune is Stella 797

[28:07] Strange and mysterious is my life what opposites I feel within a stable peace a constant strife the rule of grace the power of sin too often I am captive led yet often triumph in my head I prize the privilege of prayer but oh what backwardness to pray though on the Lord I cast my care I feel his burden every day I seek his will in all I do yet my find my own is working too 728 28

[29:13] Thank you.

[29:43] Thank you.

[30:13] Thank you. Thank you.

[31:13] Thank you. Thank you.

[31:45] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[31:57] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[32:09] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[32:21] Thank you. I ganz dreams I ever they leave me Hell in Christ and cold One hour upon The truth I spread One extra No, not what I believe

[33:29] The Spirit may pass With this life And grace and sin My turns prevail I grave rejoice In my pain And victory And sin now Who scale But Jesus

[34:32] His promise Christ And grace Shall Overcome At all May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ The love of God the Father The fellowship of the Holy Spirit Rest and abide with us each Amen Amen Amen Am

[35:36]  A