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[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me to direct your prayerfully to Psalm 65 and reading verse 11.

[0:13] Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. And so how true we prove it, don't we?

[0:25] He goes here, and as we look at it spiritually, that thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, thou settlest the furrows thereof, thou makest it soft with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof.

[0:45] And we do know in the seasons the time of sowing and the time of reaping. And so we look at it spiritually. Thou crownest the year.

[0:59] And what, as we look around us, it has been a solemn year in the earth, in the world. But still we are favoured to approve the Lord's made his goodness to pass before us.

[1:17] Who amongst us can deny it? He has supplied our need. He has been better to us each and all our fears. And in spite of all our sins, we believe we can say, He has heard our voice.

[1:35] He has sent us answers to our petitions. And he is that same prayer here in answering God, that we shall go into the new year.

[1:47] We trust us, spare. And we shall be. And we shall be. And we shall still hear and answer prayer. And we shall seek that grace, especially year after year, as we know it's a nearer step to eternity.

[2:02] We shall be. We shall be. We shall be. We shall be. We shall be. Be mindful of the outer man decaying. But through mercy, the inward man being renewed day by day.

[2:16] It is then that one day we trust we shall be. Given a crown that we should put upon his head. If by the grace of God, we have been saved with this everlasting salvation.

[2:33] But while you and I sojourn here below in Meshach, in this world of woe, their desires will be to praise God for his grace, for his unmerited mercy and favor and love of God to your soul and mine.

[2:52] And so, he will lead you forth by the right way. There's only one way we can go.

[3:03] And that's in the way of peace through the merits of Jesus. And so, he is the way, the truth and the life. And he alone can crown the year with his goodness.

[3:19] He makes his goodness. He sets before you an open door. He makes those crooked things straight that we've touched on in prayer. He has been better to us than all our fears and all our just desserts.

[3:35] We can look back and through the year. We can see how favored we have been. We may have been cut down. We might have had afflictions. We might have had trials.

[3:47] But the profitability of trials is to draw real prayer out of your heart. And when most we need his helping hand, his friend is always near.

[4:02] In heaven and earth, his command, he waits to answer prayer. And so, you see, we read here, the blessedness of God's chosen by reason of benefits.

[4:15] Oh, how we have to praise him for his benefits, his blessings, his privileges to us, his faithfulness.

[4:26] Oh, the blessing of the Lord, then, is the suitability of your soul. We long for his blessing. Oh, that would bless me indeed, that would enlarge my toast.

[4:38] That would show me what I have to do. And every hour, my strength in you. It's going. It is going in the strength of the Lord as we continue, realizing he's given you power when you've been ready to fight.

[4:55] He's maintained you in your providences. He's maintained you with grace in your heart. He's called your soul to be concerned about the welfare of it.

[5:08] He's called you to come unto Zion. And how you have you not handled, tasted, and felt a little of the goodness of the Lord, which he has revealed to poor sinners in the land of the living.

[5:22] And he says, because I live, shall ye live also. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness. They don't crown it with a lot of great show of fireworks, dear friends.

[5:35] Oh, what a state mankind's got into. He must have something to excite his flesh. These things are spiritually discerned.

[5:47] Oh, you may see an attraction in these things, but this is what we want. The suitability for a sinner is Christ and him crucified. And all we do look at this thing, he crowns the year.

[6:01] Another year we've just witnessed the Christmas season. All very much abused. But here we see, dear friends, this is a faithful and acceptable saying that Christ Jesus came with the word to Satan.

[6:18] He crowns the year. Still we speak of Christ. Still we read of Christ. Still the old Bible reveals the same blessed truths of how Mary pondered these things in her heart and how you and I as a believer will ponder the things in your heart and you'll say, why was I made to hear his voice?

[6:41] Saying, yeah, but I haven't heard it. I'm waiting to know. I'm waiting for him to show me the way. I'm waiting for him to speak to my heart. Bless God for having a desire to wait, a desire to wait, a wait upon him, wait for him, tarry his leisure.

[7:01] You won't find him in the city, you won't find him in the movie house, you won't find him, dear friends, in the public house. You might have to go, you might have been forced to go to one of those places for refreshment, but you won't find him there, dear friends.

[7:20] you'll find him where he says he will be. I dwell with him as a humble and a contrite that trembleth at my word. And you will tremble at his word when it's a word of judgment to you and me, or maybe an event which is a judgment in your life.

[7:40] Oh, but bless God, thou crownest the year with thy goodness. why haven't you been unable to look on even for that measure of health and strength given, and you can say with the hymn where you say, hitherto, hitherto hath the Lord helped me.

[8:01] And could you put your trust in his name and thus far he brought you to put you to shape and never will if there's been a slight inclination in your heart to come.

[8:14] And hear what God shall say unto you. Hear what his word says and as you read it and you look to the Lord to take it and seal it.

[8:26] You want that religion, don't you? You want that religion of God to be given unto you, to have that inspired living faith that looks at the Lord and venturing, venturing on him, venturing only.

[8:44] going in the strength of the Lord, making mention of his righteousness and his only. Thou proudest in year. What a year, dear friends.

[8:57] If the Lord will so bless you and me in the coming year as he has this last year, do we dare deny it? We might not have had everything we wanted to receive.

[9:10] I'm speaking spiritually now. But there's been a desire. Has it gone away? Has it been forgotten?

[9:21] Why do you keep coming then? Well, I believe you come because you have the desire to walk in the fear of God, for the desire to be kept by the power of God, the desire to, yet above all, desire to honour him.

[9:36] Honour him. Because he said, them that honour me, I will honour, they who despise me shall be like this too. The sad day we live in when few seem to attend the solemn feast, or they've got their other interests which are all perishing with the using.

[9:55] You have interest in things that are perishing with the using, but you see, we're not to be slow for all in business, not to be slow for in their daily lives, but ever looking for that heavenly wisdom to teach us, to number our days to apply our hearts unto wisdom, thou crownest in you.

[10:18] I say, what a wonderful God we have to do, and what great cause we have to praise and bless him for his benefits, his benefits, dear friend. You have to say, oh, bless the Lord my soul, let all within me join, and aid my tongue to bless his name, who's pavious, our divine, divine favours, dear friends, that God sent his only begotten son into the world, and to save your soul and mine, all to have this blessed assurance, that you and I are amongst these sons and daughters of God, by blessed adoption, and so you'll cast your every care, and your burden upon the Lord, that he would truly order your footsteps around, that he would guide you by his counsel, and who counsels like the Lord himself, counsellor, oh, what a mercy that he does counsel you, he takes his word, drops it into your heart, it's locked up there until he brings it to fruition, a time, a set time to favour you, a set time to encourage you, to still trust him for his faithfulness, and thy powers drop fatness, oh, what a mercy then, when these powers drop fatness, they drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, when the

[11:56] Lord drops a precious word into your soul, when he says to your soul, I am the one, when he says, come, follow me, when he says, look unto me, oh, you are the mercy, look unto me, all the ends of the earth, and this is the experience often of the believer, he's tried about his standing, he's tried about what he is to do in his life, and what does he say, come unto me, bring those hard things unto me, I will hear them, as powers drop fatness, he softens your heart, he makes that blessing come into your soul, you hear his voice, you seek to follow him, you want to do that as God honouring, and acceptable in his sight, in your walk and conduct, and you have to pray,

[13:02] Lord, do make it very plain, I'm a very ignorant, and foolish person, and I hate to make a mistake, and I want to do that according to thy will, and only thou canst make it plain to me, do remember this, God moves in a mysterious way, you see sometimes our way is hedged up, and then there seems to be a little ray of hope, a little light shining, and you want the Lord to show you, is this the way, is this the step that I'm to take, am I to take up this opportunity, and shall I be blessed in it, because Lord, I'm fearful of bringing shame or reproach upon that dear head of thine, upon that dear saviour

[14:03] Jesus, whom I hope I love, for the true sake, because thou hast caused me in times past to hear thy voice, I have followed in thy footsteps, I have sought to do that, that it was acceptable in thy side, and now Lord, I know not what to do, you see, you're brought like those, those that we read of in the scriptures, they were halting between two opinions, or they knew that they were fearful of serving mammon, but they wanted to serve God and do that that was right in his side, and so if he's the Lord follow him, and so this blessing as these paths drop fatteners, drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, the doctrine, the drops of the rain, the speaks, the stills of the view, you feel a little dew in hearing the word of the

[15:11] Lord preached, the old head serpent, and you feel that was good, that it's done myself good to hear the Lord's name be exalted in the midst, and all how I do feel, Lord, to be with me at all times, and keep me from the love of sin, so you see in it all, this is how you and I will be, seeking to serve the Lord, and you know you've been able to sing that hymn that we sung in the afternoon, that all power is given unto him, and crown him, crown him Lord of all, when he stops by the way, but when he says to you, what wilt thou have me to do, Lord, those blind men, and we sometimes like that in this life's journey, you know not what to do, and you want the

[16:16] Lord to give you sight, show me now thy way, lead me and guide me into all truth, and teach me, because who teacheth like thee, Lord, and so you're brought to those crossroads, show me what I have to do, every hour my strength in you, you see, removing the fear of man, that becometh a snare, as for God, his way is perfect, and he will perfect that concern you, they drop upon the passion of the wilderness, his path, they drop, they drop happiness, they drop blessings, your soul shall be flourished, and your soul shall be truly revived, and you'll flourish and bear fruit in the course of the Lord, as you seek to know and do his will, and you're praising for his grace, oh, what a blessed gift is grace, and all the sufficiency of it, strength made perfect in witness, you glor in your infirmities, and don't their infirmities, when we think of infirmities, what a great cruddle of things are come under the canopy of infirmities, all those things, dear friends, that you have fears of, you tremble, and are fearful, ah, but you see, these are your infirmities,

[17:56] Jesus speaks, and speaks of these, say, poor sinner, lovest thou me more than thee, yes, Lord, I do, but I still, as I am spared here, need that divine guidance and help, because I want to do that that is right and pleasing and acceptable in thyself, so this is how we look, don't we, looking unto Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him and due at the cross, despising the shame, is now set there at the right hand of God the Father, there to make intercession for you, he's there, he's interceding for you, poor sinner, that needs to know how to pray and for what to pray in your experiences, you don't want to do anything, you don't want to run before the Lord, he says, come, follow me, you see, he makes a way for you me where there seemed to be no way, no hope of a way that I am the one.

[19:06] Oh, however, to look back, I've heard news recently of a builder that's just died, was used as a graven to feed me, from about 84 till we came out here, oh, what a blessing, dear friends, it was that the Lord led me to that man, he wasn't altogether honest, but he was with me, but all you see now, the Lord, he's gone, and you contemplate, well, there was never any fear of God in his heart, and yet here he is in eternity, and I'm still spared, and I hope, I've got a greater hope than he had, satisfied with his life, seeking to make more and more and more of this world's good, a raven center fever, well, we remember these things and they stick past in your soul, friends, you see, the power's got fatness, and these were supplied, we're able, dear friends, to receive more than we had hitherto in their little business that had been struggling,

[20:21] God's goodness, when his people have need, his goodness, will find it away, and I say, what a God, what a God we have to go to, what a God that is merciful to you and me, what needs he has supplied to another year, and certainly thou crownest the year with thy goodness, or may we ever enter into another year, going in the strength of the Lord, ever mindful, that he's able to do far more exceeding abundantly for you and me, above all that we can ask or think, oh, keep close to him, friends, keep pouring out your heart before him, he is our refuge and strength, he is a very present help, he's omnipresent, I know, but he becomes a very present help, a personal present help, dear friends, you think upon him, you ponder the path of your faith, you want him to make it plain,

[21:28] Lord, give me guidance, keep me from evil, keep me from murmuring and complaining with my love, but give me grace to be content with such things as I have, for he said you need a patience, after you've done the will of God, you might receive the promise, what's the greatest promise you can I receive, why the part of our sins, the assurance that we shall have those credentials cleared to the heavenly mansions, to know that he is now preparing a place for you and me in heaven, and will come again receive it unto himself, we don't boast about it, God forbid, God forbid, I wouldn't want you to have that impression of oneself, that we're boasting about, we're saying, it's a hope, the trust, we have those things that we can reflect upon, whereby the Lord has revealed himself to us, and oh how he's crowned those years with his goodness, and his powers have dropped back, yes, he's opened the windows of heaven, he's poured out a blessing, this is not, dear friends, something imaginary, this is something truly that we've known and found, he's sent answers to prayer, he's made us to pray, he's granted us delivering mercies, we can stand amazed at the wonders God alone has done for us, oh truly, we can raise those stones of hell, between

[23:11] Misper and Shem, where the Lord has in his mercy, abundantly favoured us with those tokens of his love, oh would to God we could live in that sweetness, and those spots and places where he's the powers have brought fatness, it's been here a little and there a little, line upon line, preset upon preset, we have to say Lord, if thy presence go not with us, cares not up, hence, but my presence, what are you to fear, sinner, my presence shall go with you, is that the answer of what you want, my presence shall go with me, and I will give me rest, yes, the blessed token of the Lord in your soul, will teach you and me what to do, to number your days, as you looked in your head, he said, I pass off at my sickness army, he knew where his strength lay, he knew the mercy of a covenant keeping

[24:16] God, and this God, this God is our God, and he will be our guide under death, oh, the love of Christ, and that love of Christ constrains and compels you and me, to humbly cast all our care, all our burden upon him, and his promises, he will sustain me, oh, may the Lord give us access into his holy ear, may he lead us forth by the right way, may we have from time to time those little touches, it's pressing through the crowds, crowds of doubts and fears and unbelief, oh, when the Lord shines into your heart, you'll know the way to take, because he has said that he will show you know his way, the appointed time, divine instruction and teaching in the way you and I will go, and do remember this, he's a sovereign protector, and all my times in his hand, all events in his command, and so yours, psalmist said, my times, in his hand, and the psalmist was a sinner, and you and I are sinners like sinners, but oh, have we found grace in his sight, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy work, he will, as you honour him, and you'll find that sweet surprise at times, that there is a way, and he's leading you in it, and teaching you in it, that he alone is your glorious captain of your salvation, and he has stood the five tests, and we shall stand you through him, we shall not have a smooth path through this world and this world, we shall find this, if through much tribulation, but as he gives you that grace of patience, tribulation works patience, patience experience hope, and hope make it not a shame, because the love of

[26:35] God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, our crown is to near with thy goodness, and thy paths drop patterns, you see, mention me to lie down in green pastures, lead us beside the still waters, and restore your work, you see, you're like a sheep in a sense, we know the beast is not as a human being, but the similitude is this, this sheep light angry pastures, and you're like the green truths of the gospel, and you're like the still waters, dear friends, that the Lord draws from the wells of salvation, how are we to receive this water, Jesus draws it, Jesus applies it, the Holy Spirit then, takes the word and seals it upon yourself, and applies the word, and ye shall know the truth, oh, what a precious gospel it is, may it be preserved unto us, may it be made a blessing to you, through another year, may we each be given strength to continue, strength dear friends, to oneself, to keep talking, and speaking, as we trust, inspired by the Holy

[28:04] Spirit, dear dear deacon, to be given strength to continue in the reading of the services, while we are absent from time to time, it is right for, and all may he help others too, who are called upon, to take part, all we do need, the Lord to appear for us in Zion, but he says, he says here, thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy power is not fabulous, this past is in the wilderness, it's a wilderness world, but you see, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst, separate all, may he bless and keep us faithful to his word, may we not be left to try to introduce anything that is contrary to the teaching of the word of God, and may that word, his word, be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto our path, may he watch over us each and preserve us, and may you above all, bless us with those crumbs from the master's table, that we might go on our way rejoicing believing that we have had a visit from the son of man, the son of righteousness, who has that healing in his dreams, may he now forgive all of this and bless his own word, as we ask it for Christ's sake alone,

[29:35] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.