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[0:00] Show delight. Number 25. Your heart, dear brethren, saints, down from the widow's grave, down to the page of Christ our Lord, with every strength awake.

[0:16] Thank you. Thank you.

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[1:30] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[1:43] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[1:57] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[2:09] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[2:21] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The End Every day of death Wait till the bright blue moon grows

[3:28] Live in his love with love Blessed is the man of God Who blinded say on me Who waits for thy salvation, Lord Shall thy salvation see As the Lord shall be pleased to help me

[4:34] I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chapter 13 And the fifth verse Let your conversation Be And be content with such things as ye hath For he hath said I will never leave thee Nor forsake thee Chapter 13 The Epistle to the Hebrews And the fifth verse This is a word

[5:35] Which sets forth a line of things That all sinners born again need to be Continually Reminded of Because if you and I are sinners Born again And I hope many of us are Then our life should be lived according to this pattern I am very much afraid I am very much afraid That when the matter is weighed up before God And in his light You and I see light Oh what failures We all are Preacher and people alike When our lives are measured according to this pattern A pattern Which is God glorifying Let your conversation

[6:38] Be without covetousness And be content with such things as ye hath Dear friends Do let your consciences tell you the truth As to how matters really are between your souls and God And get this matter cleared up When did you last feel content with such things as ye hath You will find that such occasions in life's journey Are very few And far between When you can feel That quietness of mind And that sweet Gracious Holy Holy Peace That comes In being content with such things As ye hath I can remember feeling it

[7:41] Sometimes And on one occasion Especially When the words were given to me When I was ill He who has made my heaven secure Will hear all good provide While Christ is rich I can't be poor What can I want Beside And when you can feel That God is indeed your God You can be content With such things as ye hath Because this word before us Because this word before us Tells us He hath said I will never leave thee Nor forsake thee And now I want us The Lord to help me To work out This line Of things And First of all There is in it A caution Let your conversation

[8:45] Be without covetousness The word conversation When the Holy Bible Was translated Embraced All to do With our character And our conduct And our conversation A like And that is the meaning Given to it By The Spirit Of God Let our lives And acts express The holy gospel We Profess In some things In living the life Of the righteous Actions Speak louder Than words Remember that And when you answer The question What think ye Of Christ It can be answered Without any words

[9:45] In what you do Where you go And the company You keep Oh that will give The answer As to what Think ye Of Christ If you were found Where Christ Makes his Mercy known Found in the ways Of God Following on To know the Lord That will supply An answer Without you Dropping a word From your lips Conversation Let your Conversation Be without Covetousness And now the next Word is Covetousness And that Embraces Many matters To do with Our everyday Life Covetousness Is ingrained In our nature Ever since

[10:46] The Adam Fall took Place When the Serpent Said to Eve Hath God Said Then Covetousness Was lodged In her breast And it Is an Evil That has Worked In the breast Of every Sinner From that Day to This And it Works in You and Me And you Need divine Aid for it To be Subdued Because It is An evil Which If it Is allowed To Permeate You It will Be inimical To you Living the Life of The Righteous And it Will undo The influence Of your Profession Of Jesus Name

[11:47] If your Name is On a Church Roll Remember That Thou Humble Jesus Give us All Humility To know Let Your Conversation Be without Covetousness And now It is Surprising That This Word Was Addressed To the Hebrews Of old At a Time When They Had Given Wonderful Evidence Of Giving Up The Things Which They Had Lived For And Prized For The Cause Of God And Truth As You Read In The Earlier Chapter Called

[12:52] In Which After You Were Illuminated You Endured A Great Fight Of Afflictions Partly Whilst You Were Made A Gazing Stop Both By Reproaches And Afflictions And Partly Whilst You Became Companions Of Them That Were So Used For Ye Had Compassion Of Me In My Bonds And Took Joyfully The Spoiling Of Your Goods Mark That Word In Took Joyfully The Spoiling Of Your Goods Knowing In Yourselves That Ye Have In Heaven A Better And An Enduring Substance I Do Wonder How Many Of Us Under Union Chapel Roof Who Hope That We Are Indeed Taught Of God Could Take Joyfully The Spoiling

[13:52] Of Our Goods For Jesus Sake Think About It Go Back Home In Your Mind And Look Round Your Home Life That You Have Gathered Together Over The Years And Many A Piece Of Furniture Has Got A Meaning To It That You Treasure Up In Your Memory And Then To Think Of The Spoiling Of Your Goods And You To Be Driven Out And Become Persecuted For Jesus Sake Become A Refugee Become A Displaced Person Do You Think You Could Take It Joyfully You Would Need Much Grace To Do It And The Grace Is Obtainable But It Would Make An Amazing

[14:52] Difference In The Church Of Christ If The Day Should Ever Dawn Again When Those Who Belong To It Are Put To Such A Crucial Test It Might Be Many Of Us Would Find That Covetousness Is Indeed Ingrained In Our Nature And It Would Be Hard Going To See That Which We Have Gathered Year In Year Out And Which Is Our Own Taken From Us And Spoiled And That Because You And I Desire To Be Found On The Lord's Side And Yet If You Were Helped To Do It You Would Find In The Doing Of It That The Lord Would Make Up In Your Soul's Experience Much More Than You Had Given As Regards

[15:52] The Things Of This Life Think That Over Prayerfully And Now These Godly Hebrews Had Been Put To Such A Test But The Apostle Paul Was Giving Them A Hint That Another Test Was Coming When They Would Find The Judgments Of God Poured Out In A Terrible Fulness Upon Jerusalem And It Would Be Laid Low And They Would Be Scattered Without Their Homes And Be Homeless And He Gives Them This Warning Caution As I Said Let Your Conversation Be Without Covetousness You Might Let Your Consciences Tell You Where Covetousness Works

[16:52] In You Because It Works In Different Ways According To What One's Natural Temperament Is You Might Have This Covetousness Working Under Your Home Roof So That You Cannot Feel As You Want To Feel About Things Until You Have Got Things In Your Home That Everybody Else Has Got Labor Saving Devices In Such Like Things And Now That Can Be Just Covetousness Or It Might Be In All .

[17:44] All... New underlying meaning of the word here is given to us by the Apostle Paul elsewhere.

[18:05] But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be there with content.

[18:23] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred, margin, been seduced from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. And oh, what good counsel does Paul give to young Timothy?

[19:08] But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. Let your conversation be without covetousness. And now I want to make this plain without fitting any caps on. Wherein you are made guilty of being covetous, it is well for you to remember the word of God gives this interpretation of covetousness, whatever its nature. Covetousness, which is idolatry. And now the thing that you covet and set it up in that you must have it according to what you are by nature, is an idol. Little children, cleanse yourselves from idols, the word of

[20:32] God tells us. Oh, you need much grace to do that. Do you remember that when the ark was taken into Dagon's temple in the land of the Philistines, that Dagon fell down before it? And that is what you and I need. You need the equivalent of the ark of the covenant to be found in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory, reigning on the throne of your affections supreme. Yes. And then Dagon will fall before him. Here then is a very solemn caution. And remember how this works. It is very insidious in its working. It may begin in a very little way and then increase and conquer you covetousness, which is idolatry. So that in your life, although your name is on a church rule it may be, there is an idol. And you spend much time in your life in dealing with it and keeping it an idol. And that is designated idolatry. And the word of the Lord is, thou should have no other gods, no little g-gods before me. I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, and which leadeth thee in the way wherein thou shouldest go. You see an instance of covetousness, if you go back into the early history in Old Testament times with Lot, when he had to part from Abraham. And Abraham gave him the choice to go where he liked. And it says he lifted up his eyes. And he saw toward the south that it was a plain well watered and everything desirable for all the flocks that he had gathered together. And he pitched his tent toward Sodom. And that was the first step wherein he went astray like a lost sheep. Pitched his tent toward

[23:25] Sodom. And the next thing you read is that Lot is dwelling in Sodom. Which he had no warrant to do. The word of the Lord concerning the world is very solemn. Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing. But Lot bought a house in Sodom, and dwelt there. And evidently he became quite notable. Although it is said, and good it is that it is said, that he vexed his righteous soul from day to day when he heard the filthy conversation of the wicked. But then it was covetousness which brought him to be dwelling where he was.

[24:27] And what happened? God burnt him out of Sodom. And he lost all. And if you and I should allow covetousness to rise to that degree in our lives, God will deal very drastically with us if we belong to him and his people. And we shall have some severe chastening come on us.

[25:02] It is well if you and I can seek grace to listen to what God has to say to us. Not only to these godly Hebrews long ago, let your conversation be without covetousness. Lord help us to heed it.

[25:26] And now the next thing is what I judge to be good counsel. And be content with such things as you have.

[25:40] Contentment is a wonderful grace. And there is no words which can really describe what it is to be content with such things as you have. When you can feel, shall I envy then the miser doting on his golden store?

[26:06] Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. Sure I am a good story. I am a good story. I am rich, tis he is poor. Having Jesus, I have an immortal store. And now that is how you feel when you are content with such things as you have in the fullness of it. My God shall supply all your need out of his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And I read to you, having food and raiment, let us be there with content.

[26:44] But then, when the apostle Paul penned this word to the godly Hebrews long ago, and be content with such things as you have.

[27:00] He did not mean just with the things of everyday life. Things to do with our home life. Because I will give you a challenge.

[27:19] If you should be helped to sit down before God, and reckon up the things that you have, as you belong to him and his people, you will never finish what you have, as to the summary of it, inventory of it, as long as you live.

[27:49] Such things as you have. Remember that. And be content with such things as you have. To begin, if you and I belong to God, then there is our Father who is in heaven on our behalf.

[28:19] The Savior said to his disciples, the Father himself loveth you. Your heavenly Father knoweth what things you have need of, before you ask him.

[28:35] And you should learn to be content with having such a Father. The Eternal Father.

[28:46] And the Word of God says, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

[29:05] You have then a Father in heaven, whose ear is ever attend to your petitions as they are offered up in the name of Jesus.

[29:21] In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

[29:33] Much might be said from that viewpoint of the subject. Be content that your Father knoweth all about you.

[29:48] Every detail to do with your life as you are journeying on. The fictious power of chance and fortune, I defy. My life's minutest circumstance is subject to God's eye.

[30:05] And remember to be content with such things as ye have. And now you have Jesus Christ, who is in heaven on your behalf.

[30:24] He came down into this world on purpose that you might be a sinner saved by grace.

[30:40] Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

[31:00] And all the while he was living on the earth as Emmanuel God with us, he was working out a righteousness for you, that you might be made meat for the inheritance of the saints in light.

[31:16] And when he went up Calvary's hill, he died in your stead, that you might forever live, yea, forever with the Lord, when you die.

[31:39] And when he rose again from the dead, it was on your behalf, who was delivered for our offenses, who was raised again for our justification.

[31:57] Yes. And now he is in heaven on your behalf. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

[32:09] Awake, sweet gratitude and sing the ascended Saviour's love. Sing how he lives to carry on his people's cause above.

[32:21] You should be content with such an amazing privilege that ye have, that Jesus Christ ready stands to save you in any eventuality that arises in your life.

[32:36] salvation is of the Lord. And however low you may come in your circumstances, however complicated your life seems to be, the word of the Lord still is, I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight and the rough places plain.

[32:59] And he is able to do it. He has never failed any poor sinner yet that trusted in him, cast all his care upon him.

[33:14] Trust in him at all times. Ye people, pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Be content with such things as ye have.

[33:30] And remember that you have too, not only the Father who loves you with everlasting love, the dear Son of God and the fullness of his grace available for you to draw upon so that you can say, and of his fullness of all we received and grace for grace, you have also the Holy Spirit to help you at every turn in life's journey and carry on that good work which you do humbly hope he has begun in you.

[34:09] Oh, it is a great declaration. If ye being evil, know how to give good things unto your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

[34:25] Some of you, dear young people, are very concerned to know what is truth. And now, the Holy Spirit will help you.

[34:38] He delighted to lead poor sinners into the truth. None teacheth like him. And if you wait upon him like the psalmist when he said, Oh, send out thy light and thy truth.

[34:56] Let them lead me. Let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles. You will be content with such things as ye have because here a little, there a little, line upon line, precept upon precept, he will lead you into his truth as you are able to bear it and reduce to practice what you know of it.

[35:24] And do not forget one word I read to you in the lesson. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

[35:46] Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Here then is a wonderful foundation for poor sinners born again to learn to be content with such things as they have.

[36:05] There is the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Trinity, all engaged in your soul's eternal welfare.

[36:18] Then you cannot fail as you journey on, but the word of the Lord is, I will be inquired of by you, O house of Israel, to do these things.

[36:33] And be content with such things as ye have. Be content with his fullness as you sing about it.

[36:45] A fullness resides in Jesus our head and ever abides to answer our need. Oh, you know, dear friends, we miss the mark very often because we think our own thoughts about matters and we bring our so-called little bit of common sense and acumen in everyday life to bear upon this matter and that and then find at length that mistakes have been made and blunders and you come at length.

[37:25] Lord, help me. O Lord, I am oppressed. Undertake for me. And there is this fullness ever available for you to draw upon.

[37:40] Oh, I see in my latter days where the screws are loose in our denominational life and if God would only put a spanner on them and tighten them up it would make a mighty difference in our denominational life.

[37:58] When prayer is a burden and task no wonder I little receive. O Lord, make me willing to ask since thou art so ready to give.

[38:09] Be content with such things as ye have. Here is the river of God which is full of water. And what did the Savior say?

[38:20] If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. What do you want? more simple regarding the gospel of the grace of God than that beautiful declaration.

[38:35] If any man irrespective of denominational label and no label at all, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

[38:52] drink. Yes. And be content with such things as ye have. And then you should learn to be content with the word of God because you cannot live outside it.

[39:08] And holy scripture containeth all things necessary for our salvation. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable.

[39:19] there is no circumstance, no complication that can arise in your life, but what in the word of God there is light on it and hell for you.

[39:36] And you shall prove thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Therein you find exceeding great and precious promises and beautiful precepts to help you live the life of the righteous.

[39:56] And remember this is a precept. Let your conversation be without covetousness and seek divine aid to obey it.

[40:09] And be content with such things as ye have. Surely you should be content every day, all day to have God to go to.

[40:22] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

[40:33] And when you feel oft times as you do to come so far, far short of living the life of the righteous and being the Christian that you have it in your heart to be, you can still be content in as much as in that day that you feel like that.

[40:54] In that day there shall be a fountain open for sin and for uncleanness. Sinner, if thou art taught to see how great thy guilt thy misery in every thought and act impure the blood of Christ thy soul can cure.

[41:14] The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all sin. You see dear friends you and I are verily guilty before God.

[41:27] Be content with such things as ye have and you have a great deal more in your soul's experience than ever you realize.

[41:40] not only so, be content with the gospel of the grace of God because if God has given you an ear to hear it, if you hear the gospel for your own soul's peace and profit, then there is in the gospel good tidings of great joy for your soul to delight in.

[42:15] Oh, what amazing words of grace are in the gospel found, suited to every sinner's case who knows his soul's deep world. Such is the council.

[42:26] and how the apostle Paul had so lived his life from the time he was born again that he was well fitted, yea, he was qualified to give such counsel as this.

[42:42] Remember what I read to you and he had reduced it to practice. this, I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

[43:18] and now there is one word there I want you to prayerfully think about. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed and now whatever our present experience may be whether it may be that which makes you feel a bit at least discontented because things are as they are and you have got it in your heart that you wish things could be improved a little and if you tell the truth about that it is to do with the flesh that you would like it improved that things might be a little more easy and comfortable and now says the apostle Paul everywhere and in all things I am instructed and now where you are this sabbath morn whatever your present experience is there is instruction in it and what you need is to learn thereby blessed 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 and when sometimes you feel like saying like

[44:54] Jacob did all these things are against me how good it is when a little feeling rises up above it and predominates it and you can feel like the hymn writer when he said rest in the promise God has spoke in all things ordered well for thee his sacred word you ne'er revoke ne'er alter his divine decree be content with such things as ye have the lot is cast into the lap and the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord yes all my times are in thy hand all events at thy command be content with such things as ye have and now looking at the third viewpoint of the subject and that is the consideration for he has said

[45:59] I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and there is another side to that truth trust him he will not deceive you though you hardly of him deem he will never never leave you nor will let you quite leave him and now that is a wonderful mercy to prize even this sabbath morn although you might feel far off from God in your soul's feelings yet you are here in the attitude of worship and you can appeal to God with whom you have to do O Lord thou knowest nothing would delight my soul more than if it should please thee to grant me a token for good somehow by the way and remember me with the favor which thou bearest unto thy people and visit me with thy salvation and so you are asking the way to

[47:12] Zion with your face thither ward and now this word I will never leave thee nor forsake thee comes up in the word of God again and again Jacob heard it first of all when he had his vision of the ladder set up with its foot on the earth and the top of it reaching heaven itself and the Lord standing above it and the Lord said to Jacob and Jacob must have remembered it as long as he lived and behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again into this land for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of and then you find it again quoted by

[48:14] Moses the man of God as Israel came to the end of their wilderness wanderings and the Lord he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee neither be dismayed fear not and then when Joshua entered on to his life work to lead Israel in the land of promise it was said as I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee but best of all remember what Jesus said to his disciples and not to them alone when he said it but to his disciples down through the ages lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world for he hath said

[49:22] I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and this declaration I will never leave thee if you weigh it up in your own soul's experience you will find it has got a meaning like this I will not leave thee without a little hope you are not here this sabbath morn however low you feel in your soul's experience without God and without hope hope you are not left hopeless cold as I feel this heart of mine yet since I feel it so it yields some hope of life divine within however low and now that is a mercy not to be left without hope

[50:23] I will never leave thee hopeless and you must admit if you tell the truth that you are not left faithless either if you were asked this sabbath morn and I do ask you dost thou believe on the son of God and you can supply an answer many of you we believe and assure thou art the Christ the son of the living God Lord to whom can we go thou was the words of eternal life oh you are not left faithless although your faith seems oh so small at times and take heed therefore brethren that there be not in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but be even as

[51:25] Peter was when he followed afar off oh still follow and you will find this word a blessed reality for he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee you have never been left without a who can tell have you you have gone down into the deeps it may be and you have had many ifs and buts and hows to harass you but underneath it all there has been though by my sins deserving hell are not despair for who can tell and you must admit that you have not yet been left prayerless you may have found it hard work to pray and often times it seems to be for there seems to be words words and you cannot feel out of the abundance of the heart the mouth is speaking and yet

[52:33] I have come to this conclusion that there is much more prayer going on in us with God with whom we have to do than we realize when you remember all our desires are before him and our groaning is not hid from him oh you are not left prayer less nor praise less either sometimes you have a sweet feeling come upon you bless the Lord oh my soul forget not all his benefits but I must come to the amen and you must admit this did ever trouble yet before and God refused to hear thy call oh you have not been left to sink in trouble to rise no more but you can look back along life's way and see many troubles wherein you proved the

[53:39] Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him for he has said I will never leave thee and so you and I must come to this conclusion having obtained health of God I continue unto this day and thinking about the future and remember only think of it regarding tomorrow and remember concerning tomorrow when it should dawn and as thy day so shall thy strength be for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and this may sum it all up for the wonders God has wrought let us each our praises give and by sweet experience taught call upon him while we live amen god will be prayer we didn't address on

[54:56] Thursday evening our altar is engaged to be built of next Lord's day and Mr John Jarvis will preach at the chapter we now send him number 10 hundred John Walsh number 260 father whatever of earth we miss thy sovereign will and I accepted as by the throne of race that this petition rise to humble care of and he The End

[56:26] The End The End The End

[57:56] The End The End The End The End The End The End The End The End The End The End The End May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father, the communion of the Holy Spirit be upon us and all who love the truth everywhere. Amen and Amen.

[59:20]  The End