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[0:00] Seeking the divine help of God, I would ask your attention again to the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians chapter 1 and verse 12.

[0:13] The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians chapter 1 and verse 12. That I would, ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel.

[0:33] That I would, ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel.

[0:46] we did try to speak a little from the first part of the text what need of grace there is because my friends the dealings of God are not always crystal clear to us we don't know always the end from the beginning we often feel and I often feel it is so when you can read the book of Job and you can read start to finish of the trials and troubles of the Lord's servant Job he didn't know it and neither do you at this time know all the conclusions that the Lord will bring you into there is the lack of understanding and again my friends we must remember that God doesn't always tell his people everything but they walk it out day by day and month by month

[1:58] I would you should understand that only as light is given only as the divine spirit's teaching shall a child of God be ever to understand have some knowledge there was only one blessed character you know throughout the word of God as far as I can see that could indeed prove this word of understanding and I was reminded I had to ask but I was reminded what the text was twelve months ago the thirteenth of John what I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter he also said in Luke's gospel but I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightened until it be accomplished my friends he was if we might say perfect in knowledge and his own blessed pathway for the church of Christ was decreed from all eternity and I might say this if you and I are children of God so is our pathway but there's this venturing on day by day sometimes in the dark and sometimes and more often than not without understanding and looking to the Lord for his appearance for his deliverance my friends what a lack of understanding we are indeed the subject of comes to my mind an occasion it would not be unprofitable

[3:38] I hope but the Lord dealt in a matter with us once something quite quite outside of the normal ways of the pathway something occurred unlooked for and it was followed with this you know I there are lots of things that we never will understand I believe fully this side of Jordan but it was followed with a line or two of a hymn nor Gabriel asked the reason why nor God the reason gave and it would be utter foolishness my friends to be able to ever say truthfully that we know the answer to every question but it's a venture on and it's looking unto him the author and finisher of faith

[4:40] I would he should understand brethren just let me pause here for a minute and again we must just remind you of the union between the apostle and the church and it struck me again in reading these words who he speaks to brethren is there something there my friends which mustn't be overlooked brethren I would you should understand brethren that the things which have happened unto me have fallen out who else would understand the ways of God who else would be able to sympathetically pray and support the servant of God in all his pathways of trial trouble and difficulties but the brethren this is what unites the church you know what unites the church to Christ of course is the bond and cause of love but what also helps the unity of the church and indeed the fellowship of the church of Christ my friends is this that our brethren here may I find a settled rest one wrote and who is it for this settled rest while others go and come no more a stranger or a guest but like a child at home these are the brethren the sisters in Christ my friends they and they alone feel in a measure what it is to walk a pathway of trial and trouble they can't always sympathize because you must be in the same place to sympathize but you can feel my friends the wonderful bond of love that unites the brethren and the sisters in Christ and they're the ones that shall we say would understand in a measure what the pathway is for a word you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel people you won't find a professor understand you won't find your next door neighbor can put things straight for you you won't find anybody in the world that can be able to give you one word of advice in the trials of the way my friends but sometimes there's a consolation in brethren sometimes not to lean on god forbid not to lean upon them not to look for my friends but it is that bond of love and as the church of Christ carry a burden and that burden indeed is the fellowship of the church bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of

[7:44] Christ wonderful mercy but then there's something else which is a lot more blessed let me read you a word from the last words of this apostle very sad words they are but they've got a sacred ring about them as well very very sad my friends as a dear servant of God came down to his to the end of his journey when he was relating what I mentioned in prayer I fought a good fight and so on we come down to this at my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me my friends this gracious God honouring apostle of the Jew and Gentile a preacher of righteousness a remarkable conversion a blessed saint of God who by his preaching and by his writings at the church of

[8:44] Christ has been enriched and I don't believe my friends it will be fully told how the Lord has used his servant of God the apostle Paul but there he was walking a path which Christ walked we read of Christ they all forsook him and fled my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me was he alone in all these latter moments of his life about to be beheaded by Nero was he alone not withstanding not withstanding the Lord stood by me and strengthened me do you know that path Christ knew it the apostle Paul knew it believers in Jesus know it a word you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel what a blessed season nature would say well there's your friends for you how it typifies nature there's the falseness of the friendships my friends whatever it reveals it reveals this to the child of

[10:03] God for he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and it emphasizes the wonder of this word also Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever and that's the dependence upon that's the dependable gracious son of God upon the church of Christ is built on can rest on he's the friend of sinners he's the burden bearer of the church my friends that all things work together for good to them that love God I would you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me what profit has been your trials what blessings have come from your cross-handed providences what losses have you incurred as we might say in afflictions pathway that they've not been doubly balanced by his grace and by his mercy

[11:03] I read the third chapter because I walked it out I understand a little in a measure what the apostle meant when he said but what things were gained to me those I counted lost for Christ he turned his back on his false religion upon his standing as a Pharisee and he was some Pharisee you know heaven's shoulders above others for zeal where you couldn't meet a person who had a greater zeal for the pharisaical religion but then the Lord opened his eyes and touched his heart what a description I was going to say of his past existence but then he looked at it and said what things were gained to me those I counted lost for Christ my friends it's a question you want to ask I would ask and I ask it in love what have you lost for Christ what have you been made submissive to be given up for the name and cause of

[12:05] Christ in the earth what is it my friends that the blessed spirit has revealed to you intervene in your pathway shut a door brought to nothing the vain desires of your wicked old heart but long to the things of this world and is content with them and then the Lord come and said thus far and no further those things but what things were gained to me those I counted lost for Christ I could tell you a spot in a place not so far from this house of God not really in a few miles when he dropped these words upon my spirit compared with Christ in all beside no comeliness I see the one thing needful dearest Lord is to be one with thee I wept my friends all the way to work I had Christ in my heart I had such a love for

[13:06] Christ that is not yet abated and I believe if I would humbly say this whatever he called me to do I was made willing to go I learned these things my friends through not the school of man but the school of Christ the Holy Ghost is the teacher I would you should understand brethren the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel now may the Lord so help us to look at these things which have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel which your wicked heart which your natural mind would scorn which you can see no advantage which you can see no sensual reason in them and they have come about because it's the decree and purposes of

[14:07] God the whole will of God my friends embraces the walk and pathway of a childhood grace he does not and he shall not air this is where there is not a way of escape but in the determination and foreknowledge of God my friends the children of God are walking in pathways to God's divine choosing and out of it which shall come to his eternal praise the good of their precious souls a new lady many many years ago that was severely stricken with arthritis very very sorely afflicted she was and I saw her one day after the service in the house of God and she said to me you know if I hadn't got this where would I be where would I be if I wasn't stricken down with this affliction where would

[15:09] I have got to in this world but the Lord so sent it and so made her submissive to it she could see the blessing of it how far she should have got how high would the attainment be my friend she was prevented by this affliction and she was wholly dependent upon the help of others to do anything or go anywhere now let's look at the spiritual then it is the Lord will help us meditate on the spiritual but the things which happened unto me are fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel and I'm sure it is that this dear apostle for a moment could trace back the Damascus road just the same as Jacob you know when he blessed his sons and when he blessed the sons of Joseph and he said and his mind and his thoughts and his meditations went for a moment where did they go to to the place where he wrestled with the angel the angel that redeemed me from all evil my friends can you go back to those places here the apostle no doubt in his mind could go back to his call by grace could go back to that momentous day in his life when his spiritual birthday came when he was born of the spirit when he was the subjects of the new birth when he was born from above when the

[16:49] Lord touched his dead soul and quickened it into divine life made him conscious of his sinnership made him conscious of his need of mercy brought him to prayer everything else faded into insignificance behold he prayeth the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel my friends there were spiritual beginnings there were spiritual prophet and there was eternal mercies in the dealings of God with his people because you know we sometimes sing and don't know what we sing nor do we seem to ever mind what we sing but sometimes we get up and sing this hymn reign or us as king accomplish thy will and powerfully bring us forth from all ill till falling before thee we lord thy blessed name my friends and do we not sing these things ascribing the glory to

[17:53] God and the land reign or us as king my friends God has an eternal purpose you and I were born into this world brought safely into this world and God had an eternal purpose on his people from all eternity time must be the place where such a soul shall be born into this world and that soul that is of Christ that soul that is of his sovereign mercy my friends their pathway should be watched over every step of the way they should be directed led doors should be shut doors should be open they may not notice it they will not notice it just the same as the the apostle went to the church of Philippi might just remind you of what we read because it's good instruction is found in the 16th chapter of the Acts and we read this that when they had gone throughout

[18:58] Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia after they were come to Mycenae they are saved to go into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not hedged up that's the word isn't it hedged up if you ever had your way hedged up people say you know what I want is the words from the Lord my friends one of the words that the Lord will give you is this he'll hedge up your way there's only one way to go and that's the way forward there's no going back in the dealings of God with his people he'll shut doors and he'll leave one open and that's the way to walk so we read there they are afraid to go into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not they passed him by my sea came down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night they stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over into Macedonia and help us the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather divine direction order my footsteps by thy word and make my heart sincere let sin of no dominion

[20:09] Lord and keep my conscience clear oh have you ever been brought to that place a spot of ground my friends was given to the apostle the spot of ground was outside of Damascus Lord what wilt thou have me to do and what he will have his people to do will be for the furtherance of the gospel he decreed the very spot where he will show triumphant grace when he called you by his grace my friends it was for the furtherance of the gospel was to divot your poor soul out of a deserved hell to put you into a lively state where you felt yourself ruined by sin when he put prayer in your heart a holy ghost taught prayer think of the amount of thousands of times what is commonly called the Lord's prayer is chanting deliver me from evil you know the Lord's prayer wonderful prayer my friends but oh hell thousands of people thousands of times chanted like children you learn at pieces but that is the purpose of God in dealing with his people to deliver keep them out of hell to show sovereign mercy and grace to bestow upon the wretches of the human race those amazing mercies and favours through the person and work of the

[21:43] Lord Jesus Christ the things which have happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel go back to the public and again let us just read these words again or look at them again if you had met that dear man in the house of God that day if you had traced his footsteps as far as he walked and he didn't walk very far according to the scriptures he could not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner you ask him how he is ruined he would say condemned he would say totally undone lost he would say how can possibly be that such a wretch as I who and I would assume this is right about him exploited the people of the of the

[22:44] Jews that took that which was not mine how guilty was the publican of exploiting his own people my friends where was he looking for mercy God that's where he looked God be merciful if he found all those that he had ruined by his financial wrongdoings my friends he would find there was no mercy from them but he looked at the God of all grace that's where the prayer of the publican went into glory at the footstool of mercy he was appealing not to the God that is out of Christ but the God that was in Christ you know the Pharisees prayed unto a God out of Christ and out of Christ almighty power could do nothing but devour but the publican prayed my friends to that glorious and wonderful person that stood in the breach that shed his blood that mercy might be known by sinners that offered himself a ransom for many the furtherance of the gospel when you felt condemned sinner when you looked at the hopelessness of your case mine indeed is a hopeless case so it would be but for grace and so it would be but for

[24:09] Christ which happened unto me fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel let me ask a question you that hope in the mercy of God where did you learn that mercy where did you get it from where did you obtain such relief that mercy brings where did you find that peace of God which passeth all understanding him who dealt with the burden of your prayers who took your sins in hand my friends who spoke peace to the soul peace and prosperity my friends Zion shall know and the children of Christ shall know it peace and prosperity but the prosperity of this world the prosperity of the truth as it is in Jesus known and felt and realized by sweet experience by the gracious holy ghost teaching applied to such a soul that things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel and it fell out too didn't it sinner to your knowledge of the gospel now this draws a line between professors and possessors because I've always said my friends that a person with reasonable attention reasonable intelligence and with all the books at his command could know all about the doctrines about the articles concerning the salvation of sinners and there's plenty in the pulpits of this land my friends have got nothing more than a very great head knowledge of the gospel blessings and favors others

[25:58] I'm sure this my friends that a person with most intelligence could ever get in a pulpit and take from the word of God the letter truth of all this but oh that go back to the publican go back to the publican Christ said this man went to his house justified he didn't take his sins home with him I'll tell you that he went justified who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification that poor old Pharisee you know all he could mutter was a few words about what he did I give tithes that all I possess I fast twice in the week God I thank thee I'm not as other men are I'll tell you what the Holy Spirit will teach you you're worse than the rest the heart that is open to the knowledge of one standing my friends is worse than the worst he's black in his own eyes now not a cry of mercy the furtherance of the gospel there's a hymn isn't there in our book

[27:16] I saw one hanging on a tree which is a sweet and sacred hymn we sing sometimes at the ordinances the ordinance table my friends what a precious hymn it is when such a sinner could view it an evil long eye took delight and awed by shame or fear till a new object struck my sight and stopped my wild career I saw one hanging on a tree in agonies and blood who fixed his languid eyes on me as near his cross eyes stood the furtherance of the gospel and what you've learned by letter what you've learned by listening what you've learned by attending the house of God it's given you some understanding of the gospel truths until he puts you into the school of Christ until he stripped you took away all your props took away all those things that you thought you assuredly believed showed you and applied to you the ruin of the fall brought you in guilty for the power of

[28:23] God's justice and there you was as a publican and you had one ground to play the play of mercy the furtherance of the gospel oh my friends the knowledge of the gospel isn't what you get in your mind your natural mind you can absorb all this you can read chapter and verse and argue chapter and verse you can believe in the doctrines of the denomination so far as they are right of course my friends but it's what God whispers in your heart it's what God teaches you in your own precious soul it's this night work that the Lord sometimes brings his people under times when all around is quiet and peaceful and everyone's asleep but your poor soul is being taught by the Lord I'll tell you a place I came to once in this blessed teaching I thank God for it and the remembrance of it

[29:24] I could take you to a spot I probably told you before because we were working in Kent and this was a word that God applied to me what things were no it was a word from the psalms if thou oh lord should mark iniquity oh lord who shall stand and this poor soul was driving home from work with three other people in the vehicle nobody knew this went on if thou oh lord should mark iniquity oh lord who shall stand and I fell under it and I said within my soul before God that evening as I was coming home lord I would not stand but you see the furtherance of the gospel is here the furtherance of the gospel was this if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness that's the furtherance of the gospel oh my friends when he shows a sinner his ruined state he'll show you the remedy he'll teach you the poet's words sins within thee all about thee but the remedies without thee see it in the saviour's blood he'll teach you that my friends he doesn't do half the work this precious

[30:50] God this glorious God he sent his only begotten son into the world to save sinners and to use the apostles words as he wrote to his son in the faith Timothy of her my chief he'll teach you that you won't argue the point of whether you're the chief of sinners in comparison to the apostle my friends it's what you're brought to feel and what you're brought to mourn over and groan before the throne of grace but the remedies with him there's a lovely verse you know very short verse very very to the point is this verse my friends if the Lord should so please not only to remind you of what the verse says but also of the preciousness of that verse if I could find it it was this and when they would come to the place which is called Calvary and that's where my friends the gospel will exceed in your soul that's where the furtherance of the gospel will be have you been to

[31:58] Calvary have you seen that glorious place where the son of God stood in your room place and stand have you seen the burden bearer bearing the sins in his own body on the tree have you had a face view of his sufferings the head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now his son my friends but have you seen the crown of thorns have you seen him groaning sighing burdened downed with sin the son of God who's sinless harmless undefiled separate from sinners cannot look upon sin in any degree of allowance but he was made sin for us who knew no sin my friends when you're brought there it's for the furtherance of the gospel that's where you'll learn what mercy really means that's what it means my friends it's Jesus Christ in the sinner's place I've often I wouldn't for a moment discredit the scriptures of truth but you know Pilate put on the cross the king of the Jews my friends the place of mercy the place of mercy the furtherance of the gospel

[33:13] I would that you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel he teaches like no man can teach you can sit in God's house under a faithful ministry all the days of your life you know and hear the truth the Lord bless it to you but I tell you this my friends five minutes at Calvary five minutes at Calvary we think of the dying thief the furtherance of the gospel once he was equally as vehement against the son of God if they'll be the Christ save thyself and us but then a change came over him we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom today shalt thou be with me in paradise the furtherance of the gospel within one's own soul my friends when he begins to teach you he won't teach you he won't rest he won't build my friends on some other foundation the apostle writing to the church of

[34:42] Corinth as you know in chapter three speaks about that foundation we find if for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ now if a man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones would haste double every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what salt it is my friends he doesn't build on another foundation it is right to say this that a servant of God might build upon another man's ministry I mean this because there might be a going before in your experience through the work of the ministry and so far as that ministry was used it was for the good of your soul and it might please the

[35:42] Lord that you might come under another ministry which shall bring you into the time of deliverance not the ministry but Christ does not work on somebody else's foundation my friends the Holy Ghost will work on a foundation that can never be moved for the furtherance of the gospel and what a blessed day it is my friends if you suffer under the justice of God justice that is in the condemning of sin in your own conscience and then he brings you into the mercy that is in Jesus when you know a little of the atonement we have we had my friends at Zora dear saint of God she's gone to glory and one day we she told me this two or three years before she died we had that beautiful hymn at the ordinance 170 the fourth verse reads oh my

[36:47] Jesus let me know what has brought this heavy woe swords are piercing through thy heart whence arose the torturing smart sinner thou hast done the deed thou hast made the saviour bleed justice drew its sword on me pierced my heart to pass by thee and then these words oh thou bleeding love divine what are other loves to thine there's a drop and thine a sea ever full and ever free if I loved my lord before I would love him ten times more drop into his sea outright lose myself in Jesus quiet was to her a seal for glory the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel when he condemned you brought you under his bar of justice when he brought you as a perishing sinner at his footstool of mercy and you waited for condemnation that was sent like justice to your soul and instead of that he brought you into the sweetness of the gospel the preciousness of the surety then you understood what it is that

[38:11] Christ is the substitute and then you felt sinner and this is where all sinners called by grace will come my friends to feel the peace of God in the soul and peace can only come when sin is removed what a prosperous time for the soul remember Mr.

[38:32] Wood preaching somewhere once and he was talking about a minister and he said you know I've never been to college he said but I've been to Calvary my friends that's the place where the furtherance of the gospel should be found but it's found in one's soul it's the knowledge of Christ my friends it's the fullness the freeness and the blessedness and the eternal favours of this mercy this gospel which is suited for sinners my friends the gospel's not altered he'll suit the gospel to his people but he'll bring his people that find the gospel suitable to them a word you should understand brethren the things which happen unto me but if the Lord will give you this gracious understanding if the Lord will teach you by his spirit this wonderful mercy my friends an interest in Christ oh how the spirit will teach all things he said in

[39:36] John 14 he shall teach you all things in John 16 he said he shall take up mine and shall show it unto you I would that you should understand brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel Amen let us close by singing hymn number 758 the tune is Olivet 681 hymn number 758 sons of

[40:51] God in tribulation let your eyes the saviour view he is the rock of our salvation he was tried and tempted to all to succour every tempted burdened son to his church his joy and treasure every trial works for good they are dealt in weight and measure yet how little understood not in anger but from his dear covenant love hymn number 758 ch come let

[41:57] He wants rise and iTunes. One on this side, every second world does知道.

[42:19] The End The End The End

[43:49] The End The End The Lord

[44:53] We view these things as a continued work And dear Lord while we live here below It must be so All to make us sick of self And fond of him Oh that he might be to us as the One thing needful The altogether lovely Lord thine own word bless and use But pardon and forgive Everything that thy pure And holy eyes Have seen Amiss Now be with us Lord As we part again Lord be with us each And bring us each to Each that will be in the house of God This night Bring us there Lord And grant us thy presence And thy spirit And now may the grace Of the Lord Jesus With the love of God the Father

[45:56]  The fellowship of the Holy Spirit The Comforter Remain with us now And always Amen