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[0:00] we pray the Lord will help you help me from the 8th chapter the book of Deuteronomy the second verse we find these words the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 2 and thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 2 and thou shalt remember all the way the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee and to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no what an unspeakable blessing it is that God ever remembers that we are only clay but at the same time he teaches his people they are but clay in the hands of the heavenly potter and you see there is something in these words which I hope will cause us to remember because God has said and it is his word and it is his promise thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness

[2:31] God never makes a mistake in his leading we may sometimes imagine things but God has a divine purpose for every one of his dear children and he has promised to do this to give them a mind that we remember and that's not a natural mind it is a spiritual one spiritual mind which is set on heavenly things hence you see the truth of the word of God that is written more than once but we often quote it the carnal mind is enmity against God and it doesn't like to be found under the hand of God the spirit the spiritual side is the spirit of God that is working in the heart of this person but as long as you and I have a being we shall find this there is a conflict going on in our hearts there is this conflict against God because God is determined you see that every one of his people should be humbled and to be humbled is to be brought down to be laid low and not before we are brought to lay at the feet of Christ will we begin to even learn anything about him and God has promised this by teaching us that we shall remember but it is the way we shall be taught to remember all his doings all his goings some of them that we can't see and trace we have to say well I never thought the Lord would deal like this with me but it's good and he said so many times it's rung in my heart many times and no doubt yours

[4:50] I will by means like these thy stubborn temper break soften thy heart by due degrees to make thy spirit meek humble you you see the old flesh doesn't like it yet God has a purpose in it and when you prayed I hope I have you had many many times you are so miserable in yourself because you cannot see any trace nor any evidence that you appear a little bit like Christ and you want to Lord give me thy spirit let my spirit be subdued by thy spirit let me know what this really is to be humble and brought down and to be laid low at the feet of Christ you are going to remember all this dear friend said on the phone last night dear old lady turned 80 she said you know

[6:07] I can't see my evidences and it worries me so much I can't see them I'm getting so old and I can't see them I can't feel them said you're not alone the dear psalmist said this Lord we see not our signs you don't always remember how the Lord has led you and you want to sometimes it's just as if your mind is filled with confusion no confusion of mind you have to say well if it's confusion of mind God is not the author of confusion but friend he's the author of real true religion and this is what he's giving to you to his people of bringing down and laying low think of

[7:07] Zacchaeus as he climbed up in the tree Jesus said to him Zacchaeus come down come down come down and how many times do we need this for the Lord to say come down my child come down how are we going to be humbled as he humbled you as he humbled me by ways and means that you never thought of show you the promise of your heart that you are prone to leave the God you love you often worry and are confused about the issue of your religion personally how the matter is really going to stand whether or not you will really reach heaven now look God has promised this and in our text tonight there is a sure and a solemn word of promise thou shalt remember all the way and he doesn't say that man has led you that the minister has led you that the church has led you he doesn't say that you've been led by anything else but himself that the

[8:31] Lord thy God has led thee these forty years in the wilderness what do we read in psalm 107 the seventh verse and he led them forth with the right way God doesn't lead it the wrong way he shows us he calls us to us to hear the word his word his voice sinner this is the way walk ye in it these are the means I'm going to employ to bring down that heart of yours why is it that your heart and mine need so much bringing down first of all because it's a natural heart and secondly because it's a heart that is so full of pride and thirdly because it's a wayward heart prone to wander

[9:32] Lord I feel it prone to leave this God I love here's my heart Lord take and seal it seal it from thy courts above Lord I need to be humbled but now do you find that you're in subjection to his will and say whatever means is needed to use it because that's what he's going to do whatever that may be you know he touched the things that you and I have said sometimes it can't be that Lord it can't be that you ever read John Warburton senior when he nursed his dear little daughter when he rocked her on his knee and he was singing that dearest I lie at known what e'er that idol be help me to tear it from thy throne and worship only thee not this one

[10:34] Lord he sent us the Lord took it both hands and took it away from us humble to be laid low and until that idol is to remove friends from our hearts we shall know very little about the humbling effect of the gospel being applied to our heart and conscience when God in mercy teaches he does this he takes a sinner in hand and we will not always be saying yes I believe that my God my father of this full name that he's doing the right thing there sometimes when that contrarial spirit of ours which is so averse to God and godliness and the way that he teaches us we oft times say

[11:35] Lord I don't want this way and I don't want this religion at this cost but you're going to have it and to realize this he's not going to take away our mind and our memory he's going to give us a mind that we're in to remember the Lord and we remember going to hear a man preach a few years ago and I thought well I wonder whatever he's going to pay for this and his text was from the psalm then remembered I the Lord then remembered I the Lord and he showed us a little bit what that was to remember the Lord that God who is rich in his mercy he condescended to remember us and let us remember this as he remembers us he gives us a little grace to remember him and all the way which the Lord thy God has left him just before the service with our friend inside in the vestry we were just having a word or two speaking about the

[12:45] Lord holding our hand that's the way the Lord leads take my hand put my hand in thine Lord bring me away by the right way that I might go to this city of habitation whose builder and maker is God do you look at the end do our young people look at the end do you look at the beginning you ask yourself well has God begun with me you know it would be the joy in my heart to know this one thing that whether we're old or young and here tonight that there's something in our heart toward the Lord God of Israel that he's done something for us something you want something you've asked him for something he's given you and something that he'll bring about to your comfort trying keep asking him and when you say well

[13:50] I can't remember all that I wanted nor can I I know sometimes I go home from chapel Sunday night tired out mentally tired out after often three services and I have sometimes to say Lord what was the text tonight just as if your mind is finished you know in a few hours it comes back like a little sweet oil the Lord drops it down this is how he does it with his making causing his people to remember all the ways he led them now let's go back to it no good say well well the end is alright what about his beginning where was it the Lord begun with us where was it the Lord taught us did he find us in a waste out in wilderness did he lead us about instruct us and teach us and keep us as the apple of his eye because that's what we read again in the word of God close to this one he's he's leading us he's leading us through a place that is known as a wilderness this is not our rest worries me sometimes sometimes

[15:08] I'm just as bad myself you know have something fresh set your heart on something that is of the earth earthy if you well that's just what I wanted and before long the Lord begins to show you you know that's not your idol I'll take it away I'll take it away for I smudge you with sickness and I'll humble you and I'll bring you low and I'll lay you at my footstool now this is good but you're going to remember it from the beginning and it is divine pleasure that you should remember the beginning of your call by grace that the Lord will teach you the way which he will have you go and me too not the way we will go teach us the way he will have us to go Joe was very very strict

[16:09] I suppose the best word is in this teaching he was so often on the way he knoweth the way he says that God knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth as God now he went a little further than that he had to come down a bit more his God brought him down though he slay me he said though he slay me yet will I trust in him ever brought you as low as his when you had to say Lord I don't feel there's anyone understand my case but he does and he's going to instruct you and me in the way that he will have us go and this waste out in wilderness you know the things that you say well there was my heart my heart was taken up with this and that when the

[17:11] Lord began with you where was your heart mine was in the world mine was for the things of the world mine didn't want Sunday it didn't want chapel it didn't want religion it didn't want people God's people it didn't want God it didn't want Christ I couldn't understand anything why there was such a need for Christ why I mentioned preaching but I hope I do now so at the beginning there is a great as it were a hole done in those things that we say well there's the things my heart's affection were set on and the Lord says I'm going to clean it all out they shall remember I'm going to remove it I'm going to bring you the right way and I'm going to instruct you and when we have instruction let us remember this is not the instruction of a college it's not the instruction of a school it's the instruction of the spirit of God see some people don't like the minister say well don't touch about don't say anything about this education business because you know it might hurt someone let me say this quietly and tenderly and lovingly if we're any of us depending upon elementary education for our religion we shall finish up absolutely wrong it's true so surely it can help now I've heard a man say this in the fourth one of their fourth it's a help education is a help to godliness but it's not it can be a hindrance it can be a hindrance it can't even help your praying whereas some of us would say well right from now lord

[19:10] I'll have that spirit of prayer right from now but the lord is not this way what sort of a man is the lord teaching a woman this man says I desire will I look this person will I look who is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembles at my word now the lord begins to be in real business with that man with that person because you see the lord is going to instruct that person in the things of godliness in the things of salvation in the things of eternity and he will cause you and I to remember all the way from the beginning all the way along and I say that I can say to some of you tonight that you're a little advanced more than others you will remember the first time the lord give you a little indication of his love toward you and where he was made to feel there is hope hope for such a one as I you are convinced convicted as a sinner the lord is going to bring you along every step of the way

[20:37] I said a little while ago the teaching of god is done in footsteps just like a person laying a path it's a step at a time pathway at a time little at a time a little here and a little there but he instructs them rightly and he teaches them the way that he would have them to have them now if it was left to you where would you be I could take you to quite a number of people and they would say the same as I would tell you I didn't want this I didn't seek for this religion I didn't want this religion but what religion I got God gave it to me what a mercy and therefore God will make them to remember all the way now it will be the way of love some people say well I can't understand this if God's going to instruct us a good teacher a good instructor is one that will have much patience and affection naturally now when it comes to the things of God the good spirit of

[21:56] God as those blessed wonderful heavenly qualities he is one who has much much love much affection much compassion in the way that he teaches these people of God in the pathway that they should walk it's not this austere rod business all the time there are times when we have the rod there's times when we needed the rod there's times when God has administered the rod but there's times afterward when the Lord is in his love and mercy shown us the need for the rod and afterward the need for his compassion his compassions fail not and his mercies there new every morning great is thy faithfulness this is how he's teaching you and what a mercy is you take a humble person to a proud person look at it naturally you see

[23:02] I've seen sometimes see ourselves I have I look back to the time when I was young and the road was hardly wide enough for me to walk in I was so proud thought you know we were somewhere hadn't got two pound in the world to call their own then the Lord began instead of coming up like a mushroom in the night it was the Lord touching afflicting humbling laying low bringing down bringing down as low as Job's ditch if you want to know anything of humility have a little read up in Job when you are seeing there dear man of God the one that knew what it was though he slay me though he bring the worst on me now yet will I trust in him trust in him he won't give you up and you won't give him up you'll remember all the way and when the first time was that you began to pray you know and a pouring out of your very soul to the

[24:14] Lord you'll remember it you'll be brought to that place and you'll remember the time when mercy was opened up to you because Jesus my dear friend when he hung on the tree to open the channel of mercy for me you're going to remember that friend that'll be a good thing to remember when you come to die and I come to die that channel of mercy that Jesus opened for you and for me you'll remember all of it and your dear spirit the dear spirit of God will sustain you in it support you in it and you will find as you come down to the end that truth of God's word underneath are the everlasting arms I sometimes wonder now when I have been laid low and sick well what is it going to be like to really die am I really going to find that there's everything in Christ that I want a few

[25:32] Sundays ago in Bedford chapel this hymn was made such a sweet blessing to me not we were at the chapel during that Sunday but it was in the deacon's house that it was made a blessing to me and I wondered what it meant and I couldn't lose it and I didn't want and the precious hymn was rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself in me let the water and the blood from thy wounded side which flowed be of sin and the double cure cleansed me from its pure power I went to bed we went to bed that night and I couldn't sleep and this broke in my very heart not just here in here rock of ages cleft for me let me hide my self in me precious rock precious

[26:54] Jesus friend of sinners you know in a few days we both went down sick together and I came back rock of ages rock of ages and for a few days I thought my rock had gone I had that confusion of mind that temptation of the adversary I had doubts and fears or turns of wrongness then here and there just a little hope I will get hope in him I can't forget it now I don't want to precious rock and when I come to a portion of the word of God I read spiritual things when I come to the word rock he is my rock that's what you're going to have when you come to die see some of us can't go on a great lot longer can we say to the

[28:01] Lord well Lord who long is it now how much longer have I got it's a wilderness but oh the teaching the instruction the mercy the blessing the casting down the lifting up the miseries the song in the night the crying in despair the singing unto your beloved which is Christ now what do we think of him the way he's brought us along the wilderness to humble us and I would just make mention here it says here these 40 years in the wilderness some of you are not 40 years of age yes some are turned some are turned come up double that but whatever that may be however long that is or however short it may be if the Lord gives us a little sweet evidence that he has undertaken for us and instructed us in the way that we should go we shall get to heaven presently at last friends he that hath begun a good work in you and dear

[29:20] Paul writing to the Philippians said that we spoke from Sunday night last having been confident of this very thing that he which hath begun the good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ he won't leave it alone it's too precious why your soul my soul and you go on learning instruction chastening what do we think about the chastening his chastening therefore primes the privilege of a saint so yes I know but I look at others they don't seem to have much chastening I thought this the other day about someone the Lord gave me a real correction and I was able to take it what is that to thee follow thou me it's not for us to say to the

[30:23] Lord well look at that brother look at that sister look at that friend they have it's so easy they have all they need some of us have all that we need only it's in a different way we need much tribulation we need much chastening and a mercy that our God has given it to us because presently at last there hasn't got to be a final settlement presently the Lord gives you a final settlement before you come down to die then what's the settlement Jeremiah as it could have told us dropped into my heart this afternoon the Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love and with loving kindness have I drawn thee do you see the

[31:28] Lord still goes on in the old way he still gave Jeremiah the words to the people ask ye for the old past not new ones plenty of people want new religion young some young people want new religion but I would say to them look ask for the old ones ask for the old past that's the only way the old past now the Lord teaches them that this being humbled and to prove them and to know what is in their heart what troubles me is there seems such a lot in one's heart that is a trouble I often say to the Lord quietly and privately Lord what in my heart that shouldn't be there kindly subdue it bring my spirit in subjection to thy spirit then I know I shall finish up well not with it to have that subduing power you know when you realize you view your own bad heart there's not enough time for any of us to view another person's heart isn't there some people try to but we can't afford this our time is short and we beware our own bad heart we see such evils there the sight with horror makes us start and drives us almost to despair can never

[33:16] God dwell in such a heart as this listen to what Ezekiel said I will take away the old heart the stony heart and I will give you a heart of flesh and this is what I'm going to do as he says here in Deuteronomy that I'm going to humble you and prove you prove let's take something material shall we something you want to purchase whatever it might be business or in the home or something you wear or a car or whatever it might be and you want to prove it you want to examine it you want to see if everything is in order and it is that you're just right as the purchaser to say well that's just what I want that's what

[34:19] I demand God says he's going to do the same only in a different way spiritually to his people I'm going to prove to you that it is by grace that you are saved and that not of yourselves because it is the gift of God and I'm going to have a look into your heart and I'm going to show you this what is in your heart and what a mercy this is if the truth of the whole matter is brought to this as we read in the new scriptures God says it will be Christ Jesus formed in our heart the hope of glory inside religion friends nothing besides show inside religion

[35:21] Christ formed there set there the hope of glory is that what you hope your religion is I hope that's mine many many fears there are many many times you have to say well I don't know how the matter is going to finish it'll finish well friends if we know something about the beginning of where God says he'll lead us and has led us these many years through the wilderness he loves his people far too much you know to lose them and I love the words of Jesus when he speaks of the fold and of the sheep he said not one of them shall perish they're a lamb they're a bleeding lamb not one of them shall perish if they cry unto Jesus and cry after Jesus not one will perish he'll lead them and what care and what love and what compassion and affection this dear dear Christ of God shows to his people to know what is in thine heart then just to touch on that last part but I haven't really touched on much of it to know what is in thine heart whether they would keep my commandment his commandment or not we could go back to Moses and begin on

[36:53] Sinai we could make mention of those things that God commanded Moses to bring down from the mountains we could remember those things that the Israelites they again and again rebelled against God and when Moses in his anger he dashed the commandments onto the ground and he broke them in pieces just show what the human heart is against God spiritually you and I are just the same friend just the same what about the gospel commandments what do we think of these the commandments of love the obedience of faith you see it is not to do something grudgingly it is to do something lovingly and affectionately and to have one in view and that's

[37:57] Christ you say well I would love to follow him but it's this and it's that it's something else they all began to make excuse we all do and we all have let's remember this the commandments of Christ are commandments of love and when he says you're my friends if you do whatsoever I command you you know you'll find sometimes in your heart Lord I can lay there and die for the I say not often perhaps here and there what about this when he says follow me here's a commandment we want something deeper friends and just outside form I don't want to just think well Sunday comes weeknight services come and I just get in the car and off I go back home and there it is just like a ring going round and round and round we don't want that that's empty oh to know this

[39:05] Christ Jesus formed in our heart the hope of glory will have an effect it'll have the effect of love and the effect of love is this with the church of old in the song of Solomon draw me and we will run after thee draw me is there anything in Christ that you find attractive is there anything in our young people here tonight that you say well there's something in this religion that I want I was only 17 when the minister knew I knew nothing of him but that afternoon or Sunday afternoon I grew to love him 17 years of age he did this he didn't know me and I only knew his name he preached and I'd heard hundreds of sermons before it never affected me the Sunday afternoon it attracted me some of our young people here you know they say well there's somewhere where I am there's something in the gospel at times that attracts me you make the most of it you ask him to let that precious gospel attract you again well this dear man he preached if my memory is right

[40:42] I believe it is it was from the song of Solomon with relation to Jesus and his church and I sat and I wondered nothing that I really knew had touched me like before that's preaching that man has got real religion and I don't know many like it but I haven't got it but I want it I want it he preached I got up to go out across the chapel in this chapel large chapel at Cranbrook just as if I was stopped I heard a voice you will have this religion one day before you die you will preach that religion one day went right home to my heart 17 didn't tell a soul no one knew anything about it until I was about 33 so you see tonight you have this

[41:55] I have the evidence that I can say to you Christ was preached in an attractive way to my young soul and I was made to realise that his commandments are not grievous if any of you feel troubled about this they're not grievous Jesus Christ is not a hard task master he causes people to order in love and in affection I remember two or three years ago having a Sunday off having a little guilt about it why should I have a Sunday off and preaching Jesus and here we went together and found a little chapel on the Saturday night went to it on the

[42:56] Sunday it wasn't one of ours but if we'd gone to one of ours we should have had about 50 or 60 miles to drive Sunday morning and I said well I have enough driving Sundays all the year round and I'm not going to we went prayerfully I believe to this little chapel and I said to the Lord Lord pardon me if I just want one Sunday to rest I don't feel I ought to have it but pardon me but come and bless us we went into this little chapel about two dozen of us the man began his sermon by giving out this for his text follow me he said and I will make you to be fishers of men he touched it I said Lord I can go back into our with all that spiritual vigour that thou has ever given me before and I felt blessed in the Lord wasn't the same in the evening you've accepted but in the morning

[44:11] I said to the man you didn't know anything about it but you know this was from the Lord follow me and I will make you to me fishers of me what's it mean cast the gospel net praying hoping begging Lord have mercy upon sinners and bring them to the footstool of mercy and then presently one day they as well as us will see what is in their heart and that will be Christ what's the effect do not I love thee dearest Lord behold my heart and see and cast each aided eye of them that dares to rival thee do you really appreciate what he's done for you or do you still cast his honor on his name about it and say well

[45:21] I'm not sure that he's done anything go back go back when you've been on a journey haven't you often thought yourself go back to the beginning sometimes you've made a mistake go back then you come along the journey again showing you where you went wrong so it is with the Lord you will often hear a voice behind you saying this is the way walk in it and love will be the key note of what his dear people want to know more of as they pass along life's journey the nearer we get to the end the more we have to say Lord take the shepherds off I don't want to find this to be my home sad lot were this to be my home but should not cause the same to dear who hopes a better rest to find can't be long can it can't be long a few more years a few more rolling suns at most we hope we'll land us safe on can him's coast

[46:46]  I beg the Lord I hope he's going to answer this one for me he has answered a good many and I beg of him Lord spare my dear one and I to November to October the 15th we've had 50 years together spirits then after that we don't know we hope it'll be like I read on the human stone just now the one that's gone to be with Christ which is far better thank