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[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall continue with the morning subject, Psalm 25 and the 14th verse.

[0:14] The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant.

[0:26] Psalm 25 and the 14th verse. The greatest mercy that you and I can be the subjects of is to have some indubitable evidence from God that we are indeed the character referred to in the text.

[1:00] The first, them that fear him, do analyse your life as you are living it, and let your consciences tell you, as they will tell you the truth, let your consciences tell you what you are indeed living for.

[1:25] Are all your concerns to do with this life only? Are you living for time alone?

[1:38] Or, are you concerned, first of all, last of all, to have matters made right between your soul and God, and be fitted for eternity?

[1:58] When all is said and done, each of us is hastening on to an eternal state.

[2:11] Either to be lost or saved. And when a sinner is born again, it becomes an all-important matter. A matter of eternal moment.

[2:27] And such an one will be living his or her life, that I may win Christ and be found in him. And that you might have the inestimable mercy to enter into the secret of the Lord.

[2:47] And now, I want as the Lord to help me to continue with this subject, not to go over the ground again.

[3:00] I remember long years ago, when I used to sit in the pew and listen, I very much deprecated when the preacher took up quite a deal of the time, going over the ground he had already gone in the morning sermon.

[3:18] And I try to think on those things. You will remember that I did say just a little to you as to what the secret of the Lord was in varied aspects of it.

[3:35] And the outstanding characteristic is to know God aright. And I do want you to lay to heart, especially you dear young people, that people who are taught of God do not learn the things of God like schoolboys learn their tasks.

[3:57] In earthly knowledge, you can get the needful books, setting it forth, and by dint of intellectual study, gain some knowledge of it.

[4:17] But even then, you might live to learn there is a secret in it. And your knowledge might be just technical knowledge, and you're not gifted enough to put that knowledge into practice to earn the bread which perishes.

[4:40] And you might weigh that up. But when it comes to the things of God, God never meant that man should scale the heavens by strides of human wisdom.

[4:55] No. God has ordained that the Holy Spirit shall lead all his people into the truth and make it a blessed reality in their soul's experience and thereby make them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.

[5:23] The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. And now, looking at the secret of the Lord from yet one or two more aspects, here I come to open up the subject from the second viewpoint of it.

[5:44] There is that secret of the Lord referred to in the Thessalonians. Ye did receive the love of the truth.

[5:59] And now, that is a wonderful hallmark of being born again. Ye did receive the love of the truth.

[6:10] Have you received it? As you listen to the truth, do you love it? Sometimes, the truth is very searching to you.

[6:24] And you listen and you weigh things up and you wonder where you are and what you are in things divine. Because you have to conclude sometimes in listening, marks of grace I cannot show.

[6:40] All polluted is my breast, yet I weary am I know. And the weary long for rest. And now, there is this secret of the Lord as you listen to the truth.

[6:54] There is a word I like much that the Saviour proclaimed. He that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.

[7:09] And now, there you get deep down into the secret of the Lord. Every sinner born again wants some religion with that hallmark wrought in God.

[7:22] Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. So that even while you may be searched by the truth and sometimes feel to be stripped and you cannot see your evidences that you desire to make you manifest as being in the secret of the Lord, yet you will come again to the light.

[7:51] Lead me in thy truth and teach me. Make me right at whatever cost it is. Keep me right.

[8:02] Give me some religion to live by and die by. and thinking about the power of truth, sometimes when you listen to the gospel that is preached, you will come into the secret of the Lord in listening.

[8:27] You might go on your way and say, what a good preacher he is. But if you do, you are only standing on the bank, on the fringe, and not getting down into the secret of the Lord.

[8:45] But if you say, what a good gospel that man was helped to preach. How he did set forth Jesus Christ and how my heart did glow in listening and how I said inside before God, be this religion mine, you are getting down into the secret of the Lord then.

[9:11] And you are receiving the truth in the love of it. And I say this as a passing comment. You were told in the word of God to esteem them that preach the gospel to you, very highly in love for their work sake.

[9:31] But you must remember if ever you get any good, any help, any profit, any power, if ever you can say the watchmen that go about the city, they found me, you must give God the glory of it.

[9:49] Because when all is said and done, the watchmen are just said to be in Zechariah, golden pipes through which the golden oil flows.

[10:00] And sometimes they seem to be just pipes. And you do not receive the golden oil, beaten oil, for the sanctuary.

[10:14] And you go on your way, cast down and disappointed. But that experience, you can only know as you are shut up in the secret of the Lord.

[10:30] The dead know not anything like that. It is the living who will lay these things to heart. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.

[10:47] And there is this secret of the Lord. And a very blessed secret it is. Our sinner is made righteous and made fit to be the guest of God.

[11:07] And that secret is opened up first of all when that sinner is brought before God as he is to be seen on Sinai's Mount.

[11:23] When that sinner is brought before Jehovah's Bar and made to know what a sinner he is, when he hears the Lord's loud thunder, pay me that which thou owest.

[11:39] Righteousness to full perfection must be brought lacking no fearless of rejection. And the sinner is in earnest to have matters right between his soul and God.

[11:54] But what the Lord demands do this, do that, do not do this, do not do that. Or with all his striving, his earnestness to be better and do better, he finds that he can do nothing.

[12:12] And he has to put his mouth in the dust of self abasement. yes, accept the punishment of his iniquity and confess if my soul is sent to hell.

[12:27] Thy righteous law approves it well. As yet, he is not let into the secret of the Lord. But the Holy Spirit will now lead him into it.

[12:43] Convince us of our sin. then lead to Jesus' blood and to our wondering view reveal the secret love of God.

[12:55] Yes. And now the sinner is brought from being under the law to be under the gospel. And there he sees the secret of the Lord unfolded.

[13:11] Oh, that beautiful doctrine of substitution is opened up. The scene of matchless grace is Jesus in the sinner's place.

[13:23] And he learns Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone which believe it. God is And now the secret of the Lord is unfolded to this sinner born again.

[13:43] And he understands what one hymn writer sings about. What wisdom and what mysteries in this appointment shine.

[13:54] My breaches of the law are his and his obedience mine. Wonderful transfer. Yes. And thus the sinner is made righteous by the imputation of the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ.

[14:14] Oh that is a blessed secret to be opened up to them that fear him sooner or later.

[14:26] And then the name of Jesus is seen to be Jehovah Sid Kinu the Lord our righteousness. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.

[14:41] And now there is one more aspect of the secret of the Lord I want to touch on. And that is sanctified trials.

[14:56] It is well if you can enter into what one hymn writer says. But the flesh dislikes the way in which what the hymn writer sets forth is fulfilled in our soul's experience.

[15:14] trials make the promise sweet. Trials give new life to prayer. Trials bring us to Christ's feet. Lay us low and keep us there.

[15:27] Some of you I believe can journey along into the past and discern that God has wrought in your soul's experience.

[15:42] Some sanctified trials. When trouble like a gloomy cloud has gathered thick and thundered loud. And you at the onset of it had many misgivings.

[15:59] You were just ready to join with Jacob. All these things are against me. things are good. And you wondered how things would work out in the dealings of God with you.

[16:13] and your biggest wonder was in the trouble as it came upon you was whether your religion would stand up to such a crucial test and you be just made manifest as one who had a name to live and underneath dead.

[16:36] And yet you look back to those times of trouble and you can remember you found grace to help in time of need.

[16:50] And you enter deeper down than ever before into that beautiful scripture the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him.

[17:07] And now you think of some of those sanctified trials and you feel with the psalmist it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes.

[17:24] Oh it is a blessed secret of the Lord to have some sanctified trials to look back upon in life's way. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law that thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity.

[17:49] And here is the secret of the Lord opened up in those sanctified trials whom the Lord loveth he correcteth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

[18:05] as many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent. Yes sanctified troubles are opened up in the secret of the Lord the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and there is this secret of the Lord to realize the Lord is with you as you journey on people round about where you live look on you and they know that you have trouble upon trouble at times and the world in wonders and looks on and does not realize that there is a secret source of strength whereon you draw grace to help in time of need the secret of the

[19:24] Lord is with them that fear him and this blessed secret the presence of the Lord if thy presence go not with us carry us not of hence said Moses long ago in thy presence I am happy in thy presence I am secure in thy presence all affliction I can easily endure can you look back on occasions when you could say with the Selmist the Lord of horses with us the God of Jacob is our refuge to the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and now I want to look at this subject from a second viewpoint of it the secret of the

[20:29] Lord is with them that fear him and that is worded in the present tense and now he will show them his covenant and that is in the future tense the margin is very helpful his covenant to make them know it and that is to know that you are in it you would be glad some of you if you possess that knowledge and you could say as the dear Selmist did he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure the wonderful mercy the covenant of Christ and them that fear him each one every one a number which no man can number all shut up in it all to do with them as they journey on through life ordered therein for their ultimate good that there shall be light after darkness strength after weakness yes gain after loss crown after cross yes and we know that all things work together for good to them that love

[22:05] God to them who are the called according to his purpose and he will show them here you get back to the bedrock truth I showed you a little about in the morning sermon revelation and he will show them his covenant show them they are in it show them that all their cares all their concerns are being ordered that they should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then in this word the Trinity is referred to the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and now there is a secret of the Lord concerning the Father and there is a lovely scripture in the

[23:10] Galatians epistle which tells us what this wonderful secret is and it tells us that when the fullness of time was come God sent forth his own son made of a woman made under the law that we might have the adoption of sons yes and that means to come into this secret of the Lord our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name oh you would be glad some of you if that spirit of adoption was granted you my God my father blissful name oh may I call thee mine may I with sweet assurance claim a portion so divine he will show them his covenant and to all them that fear him he will show them in his time his way your father in heaven know what things ye have need of and there are some things ye have need of which as yet you do not altogether realize as you will do later on remember that

[24:46] I have many things to say unto you the saviour said to his disciples but ye cannot bear them now but he did say them later on the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him there is that blessed secret to do with Jesus Christ dying in the stead of poor sinners like you and me what a secret that is to be unfolded when a poor sinner undeserving and hell deserving finds living faith well enough within and he beholds the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world and deep down in his soul can feel for me oh miracle of grace for me the saviour bled he will show them his covenant and that mercy is laid up in the covenant of grace pardoning mercy for them that fear him as yet some of you have not tasted that mercy but you are on the stretch for it the

[26:15] Lord bless you Jesus will not your cry forget you shall obtain the blessing yet he will show them his covenant the word of the Lord is and then in this covenant of grace not only is the father to be seen doing that which he alone could do and what did he do God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoso ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and the dear son of God came down into this poor troubled world Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and the work he came into the world to do blessed be his name he did it love's redeeming work is done fought the fight the battle won and now there is the

[27:27] Holy Spirit in the covenant of grace has a specific work to do and you read in Isaiah and they shall be all taught of God and the Holy Spirit is the teacher none teacheth like him or you must have the Holy Spirit for your teacher or whatever knowledge you profess even though it be religious knowledge may be sound doctrine too if you have not the gracious experience within whereby something must be known and felt you will have tico stamped upon you and whatever you profess to be weighed in the balances and found wanting alas oh you do need to plead spirit of truth come down reveal the things of

[28:32] God the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant first of all as to his covenant he will show them the plan of it and remember God works to a plan it will help you to think to think on that what do you sing do believe it the fictious power of chance and fortune I defy my life's minutest circumstance is subject to God's eye and he says concerning them that fear him

[29:32] I will set mine eyes upon them to do them good and your life as you live it if you belong to the people in the text them that fear him is planned even when you see the cloud lifting up as it were and moving elsewhere and you have to follow it in the order of God's always providence and if the choice were left to you you would like to remain where you are but you have got to learn when we cannot see our way let us trust and still obey he who bids us forward go will not fail the way to show think of

[30:32] Israel of old in their wilderness wanderings and there were some encampments where they could say Lord it is good for us to be here when they came to Elim where there were twelve wells and three score and ten palm trees oh that was good to dwell at Elim but there dawned a morning when the Israelites looked into Israel's camp at the center and saw the cloud was lifting up off the tabernacle and on the move and they had to go on into the wilderness and some encampments were very desolate unlikely places to settle down and find any happiness mess but the cloud moved there and the cloud moving there meant that on the morrow they could go out and gather manna and they could drink of the rock that followed them living streams in the desert waste think of that scripture think of the miracle of it he opened the rock and the waters gushed out and they ran in the dry places like a river and now you little ones when you are down at the seaside on our dim church outing day you play on the sands and the grown ups the pastor included look on and we delight to see you and you dig your little trenches in the sands and constrain what sea there is to be had to run along but you find it sinks away it does not stop long in the little trenches that you dig but this water that followed

[33:13] Israel of old ran like a river ran in the dry places like a river did it for nearly 40 years and never sought away in the wilderness sand as it was so it is as you journey on what God has done for your soul remains a reality your religion does not soak away and you lose the blessed influence and effect of it whatever God has done for your soul remains whosoever should drink of the water that I shall give him it shall be in a well of water springing up to everlasting life but I want to emphasize the point here which comes to my mind and he will show them his covenant and now go back to Israel in the wilderness wanderings when they did not dwell any longer at

[34:27] Elim or at Rephidim which means a couch of rest and other places where it was desirable to make a long stay but when they moved on to where there were difficulties to meet and it was not at all desirable to dwell there long and the hope was the cloud would soon be on the move that they might get a better encampment elsewhere what then the word of the Lord comes he will show them his covenant and you and I have got to learn this if we are taught of God do listen when all created streams are dried thy fullness is the same with this I would be satisfied our glory in thy name you see you and

[35:29] I have got to be shut up to God in all his dealings with us and when the streams seem to dry up to remember there is still the fountain head and you are welcome to draw water there he will show them his covenant you see you and I if we do belong to them that fear him we do like our past to be in pleasant places and we look round sometimes in our circumstances and think how congenial they are and we see the Lord is good in how he is prepared for us to be where we are and we see his plan for us he shall choose our inheritance for us but if the cloud should move and you should be in another encampment where you look this way and that and wish things could be improved and rearranged more for your comfort and what comfort comfort for the flesh yes you have got to come to this then then to have recourse to God and pour a prayer in time of need and feel the balm of Jesus blood this is to find a friend indeed he will show them his covenant he will show them the plan of it he will show them the power of it and what is the power of it and as thy days so shall thy strength be they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength when I am weak then am

[37:37] I strong every moment be receiving strength and yet be always weak he will show them his covenant I say he will show them the power of it and also he will show them his covenant from this viewpoint he will show them the provision of it and what a provision it is it would need a thousand sermons to begin to tell you just a little of it and then it would need ten thousand more and it will need eternity to enter into it as it is to be known what are the provisions in the covenant I will make all my goodness to pass before thee and you and I them that fear him I hope to learn to live like this and the angel did wondrously and Manoah and his wife looked on yes the secret of the

[38:49] Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant he will show them the plan of it the power of it the provision of it yes and the last thought as I come to the Amen is this he will show them his covenant he will show them the peace of it when it is made plain to you as it will be if you are taught of God the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way when the word of the Lord comes to you this is the way walk ye in it when the dear good shepherd says to you follow me and you find in your heart a welling up of desire remembering herein are ye called

[39:56] Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow in his steps if any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there also shall my servant be he will show them the covenant of grace is said elsewhere to be a covenant of peace and it means that you feel within the peace of God regarding all his dealings with you and you can believe deep down in your heart the Lord gave the Lord has taken away blessed be the name of the Lord and that he is good when he gives supremely good nor less when he denies peace perfect peace be still

[41:05]  God and know that I am God he will show them his covenant and you will find it is based on this never failing foundation peace on earth and mercy mild God and sinners reconciled the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant may he show it to you and to the preacher also amen well the love is having no than he