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[0:00] As enabled let us turn again to the Psalms, the text of the morning, the 73rd Psalm, the 25th and 6th verses.

[0:20] Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

[0:36] My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion forever.

[0:48] We just sung about the holiness of God. And we don't really see much of that as we go through this life journey.

[1:10] Because he is a consuming fire. And he did just confer me a little bit in something I wondered whether I should speak of or not.

[1:28] Because very often I believe that the Lord's servants see lessons in the things that surround them, in their work.

[1:44] Whatever that may be. Sometimes the Lord shows his people a lesson in their work. And a lesson that is easily understood if the Lord gives eyes to see it.

[2:03] And a heart to understand it. Now what I'm getting at is this. Not long ago, I had a job to do. Papering a very large hall.

[2:18] In a house. Papering a very large hall. And all I had to do was to do the papering. The preparation was supposed to have been done.

[2:32] Well, we started. And the first thing I looked at the paper. And I thought this is very demanding.

[2:46] Because it's going to show every fault. It's going to show every pinhead.

[3:00] Such was the nature of the paper that was chosen. Now there was nothing wrong with the paper. And it was lines.

[3:13] Very fine lines. So you see you've got a surface. That will show even a pinhead.

[3:24] And you've got lines that will show the least error from the truth. Or vertical. And it's not the first time that I've seen these things.

[3:39] But it's the first time that it came home to me like this. There's something unusual about this paper. There's a lesson. I wasn't looking for a lesson.

[3:52] But it came home. And I thought what is the lesson. That God is trying to show me. In this job he's given me to do.

[4:07] Well I learnt a few lessons. That one of the first things I thought. Now this demands perfection. In the walls.

[4:19] In my own work. In everything. Because there's only one way this can be perfect. There's everything in absolute perfection.

[4:32] It'll show the least fault. Now I won't dally on this too long. But you see this was what came to me. This is just like the holy law of God.

[4:47] I said to my wife. I said to her. I said to her. You know this paper. It allows for nothing.

[5:02] You see. It's demanding. It allows not one thought. Or a show.

[5:12] And I saw here. It was the holy law. And the holiness of God. I don't believe that was the first time.

[5:25] That I've seen a little. Of the holiness of the law of God. Well of course. It wasn't very long. Before you find a few. Bumps.

[5:35] And that was the fault. Of the one who was supposed to prepare it. Well I did the best I could.

[5:46] But you see. And then presently. We came to. Something very revealing. The two door posts. Built in a comparatively new house.

[5:59] But there were two door posts. Just so far between. Now if one went. Absolutely true to one.

[6:13] What about then. When you come to the other. So immediately. I thought. Here we are again. And there was an inch difference. In the vertical.

[6:25] In either one of those door posts. You see. Now that was revealed. By a straight line. So there were two things.

[6:35] I thought in this. The bumps. The revealing nature of the paper. And when you come to truth. There is.

[6:46] And there was an inch difference. Between the top and the bottom. Between the two. Now we might say. What are you going to do? Take a middle course. Oh. Take a middle course.

[6:57] Half inch on that one. Half inch on that one. So it won't look too bad. Now what about this. Spiritually. Could we sometimes.

[7:11] Be guilty. Saying well. If I take a middle course. It won't show. It won't show so much. If I take a middle course.

[7:21] In my life. It will cover up. Some of these thoughts. Remember. The paper was perfect. And so is the holy law of God.

[7:35] And remember. That it will reveal. Every. Every. Every. Departure. From the truth. Now this paper.

[7:46] Allowed for nothing. Now what does the holy law of God. Allowed for. We may sometimes.

[7:57] We may sometimes. Fancy. That we know. Something. Of the holiness of God. But you know.

[8:10] The real holiness of God. Is a terror. Now this isn't. A. A law text.

[8:23] But we saw. This is the holiness of God. In a hymn. And I thought. Oh just bring this out. What I saw in that. And you see. It shows you. Your own thoughts. And this showed me.

[8:35] My thoughts. Not only the thoughts. In the job. My thoughts. And that holy law of God. Is called by his grace. Will be such.

[8:48] That it will show us. Their thoughts. As we go through. Life's journey. Is it true? Now another thing.

[9:03] To do with the nature of this. I said you remember. That it will. Allow for nothing. That is. In error.

[9:15] Departure from the truth. Or thought. It will allow for nothing. Now is that true.

[9:25] Of God's holy law. Well I know it is. Well you might begin to wonder. However it is. That a poor sinner.

[9:36] Can never get to heaven. Well in the. Part of the act. You will find that. Saul.

[9:48] Afterwards. Paul knew something of this. Before. He was. He was. Before. In his own estimation. As touching the law.

[10:01] Blameless. Now I know. That that is impossible. Because he was a man.

[10:13] He was flesh and blood. He was born in sin. And shaped in iniquity. And in sin. And so on. The mother can see me.

[10:25] That is the point. As no man has not sinned. All have come short. See. Right now.

[10:36] Just a moment. He thought. An only thought. But a thought. Can go a long way. He thought he knew.

[10:48] That he was alright. But what do we find. When the Lord appeared. You find. Oh. Something very different. It brings him down.

[10:59] For us. The power. And the holiness. The brightness. And power of that. Which. Was a very special case. I know. Yes. But it comes.

[11:10] To the Lord's people. In the day. In which we live. In like measure. In a measure. May not come. A sudden. May come more gradual.

[11:23] But this is what I'm coming to. He was brought to this. When the law came. Sin revived. And I died. That is.

[11:36] To all hope in himself. To all hope in keeping the law himself. Now this is where. We see.

[11:46] See. The wisdom and mercy. And love of God. In bringing in. His only begotten son.

[12:03] See. I thank God. Through Jesus Christ. I may not exactly quote it. Jesus Christ. People say.

[12:17] God is merciful. And it's true. God is love. And it's true. But. Only. In and through. His only begotten son.

[12:29] The Lord. Jesus Christ. Now we can begin to see. Where this. Precious son of God.

[12:44] Was brought in. To the life. The religion. And the mind. And the very soul.

[12:56] Of Saul. Of Tarsus. Afterwards. Paul. And this was the point. He knew it. And again.

[13:08] He says. Nothing lightly. Because it's. It's sacred scripture. Penned by the spirit. He doesn't say things. As if any cost. Tuppence.

[13:20] No. These were real things. Boys. A wretched. Man. That I am. You know it.

[13:31] You know it. Who shall deliver me. You know that. Well you see.

[13:41] He was beginning. To learn. The Lord. And save. With Jesus Christ. And you know. We begin. To learn.

[13:54] When the Lord. First appeared. And revealed himself. To Saul. He didn't know it. All at once. He knew a great deal. With that wonderful.

[14:06] Revelation. And if the Lord. Appears to us. Either with his holy law. And afterwards. With his mercy. You won't know it.

[14:18] All at once. You may know it. A great deal. But you won't know it. All at once. You begin. To learn.

[14:28] The Lord Jesus Christ. I may have told you here before. Mr. Tyler once said to me. I don't know it.

[14:38] I don't know it. I don't know it. I don't know it. I don't know it. I don't know it. But I do. John Tyler once said to me. Because under conviction. Of this holy law. This sin. Or so dark. In such an awful.

[14:51] Terrible. Get. Of almost despair. And I went to see. If I'll get any comfort.

[15:03] I've done this. More than once. With the Lord's servant. But you see. He asked me. A very solemn question. He said. Do you know.

[15:13] The Lord Ernest. You think. Do you know him. Now I had to answer.

[15:24] Mr. Tyler. And I had to answer. Mr. Tyler before God. Could I speak. A word of presumption.

[15:35] And say. Oh yes. Of course I do. No. I have. I had to confess. Before him. And God. No.

[15:47] I don't believe. I do. Now. I might have been. Underestimating. But I thought. It's better to underestimate. Than to go over.

[15:57] The top in presumption. And I had to confess. He said. Well I feel sorry for you. I felt sorry for myself too.

[16:09] And the awful. Convincing power. Of the law of God. Known. And put. And marked. In the soul. In the soul. But you know.

[16:20] The time came. You see. All our times. Are in God's hands. As we got in the hymn book. And you read it. And look like a parrot. But when you.

[16:31] When you go through it. But the time came. When. The Lord appeared. Not the law.

[16:44] But to fulfill the law. You see then. For your first time. Your first hope.

[16:54] You know the law. Yes. And that only condemned. But Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ.

[17:05] In the text. Brings in hope. For the first time. You won't. Perhaps give it all at once. Now just go into a little bit.

[17:16] You know. I'll take a soul. Now perhaps there's been one. Under the convincing power. Known in the soul. Of the law of God. Now there's got to be.

[17:27] Something done about this. Now. You might be. Like this. You say. Well I'll make it straight. I'll correct me life.

[17:42] I'll undo all the things. I've done. And do all the things. I haven't done. Oh. I can understand that. I can understand that. Well I'll tell you something.

[17:55] That'll take you to the end of your days. If it were even possible. To do. Undo all that you. Have done. And do all that you've undone.

[18:07] That'll take you to the end of your days. If it were possible to do it. And then. What have you got? You've got self-righteousness.

[18:18] Is it true? Is it true? So you see. This law. Keeps working. And as soon as you begin to mend.

[18:30] And fill in the gaps and holes. And to put this right. And that right. And that's right. Oh yes. The law. The law. Deepens that work in the soul.

[18:43] And you find it's not only this. You see. This law is spiritual. It's the mind. It's the thought. The intent of the heart.

[18:57] See. You might begin to put things. Right outside. So that presently you say like. Saw. Is touching the law. Blame this. No Lord.

[19:07] Now there is. See. No. It's the thought. The law to show you this. When you think of how sinful we are.

[19:19] Myself. I look at. When we consider that law. The very thought. Of foolishness. The very thought of it.

[19:31] The very thought of foolishness. Is sin. There then. The wallpaper was perfect.

[19:43] And the holy law of God. Is perfect. And there's nothing wrong. With the law. It's to the honor and glory of God.

[19:54] Because God is holy. Now you see. In this nation. We're getting into such a state. That the police cannot keep order.

[20:09] The magistrates of prisons are nothing. So. They dispense of the law. You can see it.

[20:20] They legalize sin. Isn't it? Is it true? No. Not God. Not God.

[20:33] Doesn't give an inch. But. Just a moment. There's something else. I mustn't. I want to come into this. He's got a remedy. That God has got a remedy.

[20:46] Sin. The law came. Sin revived. And I died. Said Paul. Died. To all hope. Until the Lord. You see. Comes in.

[20:58] Unless he's. Heirs of poor sinners. Only hope. Underline that word. Only hope.

[21:12] And we have to be taught that. Only hope. Because I suppose. If we look at it like this. I'll get a little bit of hope.

[21:23] At my preaching. I'll get a little bit of hope. At being what I hope. When I'm Lord's servant. I'll get a little bit of hope. At this. And a little bit of hope.

[21:33] At that. Until I've got quite a bit. But no. He's your. Only hope. That's why I underline it. And this will take us a lifetime to learn it.

[21:52] Because otherwise you would gradually establish a righteousness for your own self. And I think that one of the most heinous sins.

[22:06] I think. No joke. I think. I feel sometimes. That one of the most heinous sins. Against the holy God. Is a scrap of righteousness.

[22:19] Of their own. In his children. And you say. Well don't you mean the others? No. In his children.

[22:32] And you know the Lord will deal with it. And. Sometimes quickly. I always. Hoped.

[22:43] I was humble. Right. I know I come out. The real thing. I always hoped I was humble. Always hoped I'd been humbled.

[22:54] As one said. And it was the very text preached in the chapel I'm talking about. Now. Humble ourselves there. For under the mighty hand of God. And I had a duty to do in that place.

[23:09] And I thought. Well there's one thing. I am humble. I stood with the plate. At the door. It wasn't long after something occurred.

[23:21] In church. In the church. And oh. What a rebellion. Came up in my heart. To me.

[23:32] It seems so crooked. As I thought. The way God worked. I thought. I was doing God service. I was doing God. I was doing God. I was doing God. I was doing God.

[23:42] Until I found that God. I was doing God. I was doing God. I was doing me service. Because he showed me. How careful one has to be.

[23:55] Not to say that we're humble. But to think that we're humble. You know. As I stood there. I thought. Well. At least.

[24:06] I'm humble. I know. I was proud of it. Proud of it. And it's a very hard lesson to learn.

[24:18] Real humility. See. And I've heard someone say. There's no such thing in a human being. I don't know if it's right or not. I believe there are.

[24:29] At times. When the Lord draws near. But you know. The old pride comes up. Now in this case. With me. You see. I thought.

[24:40] Has the devil stirred this up? This is. You see. Sometimes. The Lord. Permits the devil. To do his work. To his honor and glory.

[24:50] Some wouldn't like this kind of preaching. But I proved it's true. Who did God's work. With Peter. Think.

[25:03] You say. You dare not say the devil. Didn't he? Can you argue with that? Who did God's work. To God's honor and glory.

[25:14] With Job. You say. Well you're making it. That God is the awful evil. Never. Never. He's showing.

[25:27] What he. Permits. The devil. To do. To his children. And you read it in the scripture.

[25:38] It's true. You stand up. What I say. And the devil. Has to go and ask permission. What did he say?

[25:50] The Lord. Said to Peter. Simon. Simon. That'll make you stop. Satan. Hath desired to have thee. That he might.

[26:01] Sift thee as wheat. God. Wouldn't say that to Peter. Unless that was true. The Lord wouldn't. So there was a kind of a dealing.

[26:13] And there was not the author of evil. But the devil goes to him. And he says. Can I have that one? A little while?

[26:25] Is that true to scripture? You leave him with me. And see what he's made of. Is that true? And God gives permission.

[26:39] If God had said no. He couldn't have done it. He couldn't have done it with Peter. He could only go so far with Job. Now do I preach the truth. I hope you tell me of his error.

[26:56] I think you'll find that. The devil could go just as far as God said. Now you see. One of the things. In poor Peter's case.

[27:08] That I believe brought Peter. Would have loved this text. Whom have I in heaven but thee? Well you've got yourself Peter.

[27:23] You've got yourself. You've got your religion. That God called you by grace. You've got your religion. All he's done for you. You've got that. You see presently.

[27:35] You can't even trust yourself. Can you? Do I preach the truth or error? you can't even trust yourself no more than I can trust myself not a moment but you see so far I sometimes hear people say I was kept from so and so and they should thank God for it I hear many say I was kept from that and I was kept from that now I'm going to tell you the truth do you know what I have to mourn over the things the Lord leads me to I'm honest with you that's what makes me mourn what I was left to do what I am left to do and if God sees fit what I shall be left to do and this makes me tremble it does

[28:48] I know the weakness of flesh I know the power of Satan but there's another side whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever we might say what a text I may not get through it all today this part but I want to just touch on it perhaps I'll go through it all the time as it reads here my flesh and my heart faileth that comes to all men and we get so used to it we get so hardened to it you can hear the world and say well of course we all go the same way ah do we we all go the same way do we ah let's think they mean the natural death that is common you might say to all and in general they do not believe in the life hereafter that's true as you will know that when you're gone you're gone and there's oblivion easy way out isn't it escape that's why I do believe there is so much cremation in the day in which we live because I think if there is a God that cheats him out of the hereafter let alone in not being scriptural what comes

[30:50] I don't know but you see I think this is much of the motive to escape if any doubt there should be God let us escape we're not gone I'm gone what little they know about the power of God and how different if he's caught us by his grace that we believe there will be a resurrection and there will be a judging I didn't say there might be there will be he said you know oh I feel it sinner I know it because it says in the word of God and I hope I believe it but I feel it it takes some believing but I feel it when thou my righteous judge shall come not might come this is a point and what an exercise it is at times where will you stand to call his ransom people home shall I among them stand now this is the line to listen to but can I bear the piercing thought when it says piercing what if my name should be let out when thou for them shall call what if my name should be let out well you know the Lord it was in the text he chose he called he kept he saved some terrible characters and some terrible cases and some terrible places they got in and you think of one ear now this is David and what a place he was in you read this psalm which is 38 for my iniquities are gone over mine head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me my wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness child of God isn't he of course he is my lungs are filled with a loath and disease there's no sadness in my flesh

[33:43] I'm feeble and sore broken I've roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart but as one thing he says Lord all my desires before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee there's a secret the Lord does say some characters why to his honour and his glory and because he is God and his sovereignty think my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart the strength of my heart this you might say does this mean the natural heart this poor soul means the very centre of all life naturally speaking the heart animal or human as you might say but this goes deeper the soul the centre because you see there is a future a future

[35:03] I'm just going to look at that other hymn that we sung I'm not going to fill in time I haven't got enough time but this is the point oh I thought what a hymn which was two five seventy humble souls complain no more let faith survey your future store what a place what a store how happy how divinely blessed the sacred words of truth attached and you know what I've been thinking about all around and myself if left in vain the sons of wealth and pride despise your lot they don't want it they don't want it what a mystery they won't have it if they could buy it for a hepenny they wouldn't buy it no yet it cost them too much yes what do religion cost well your hope deride in vain they boast their little stores they might have great wealth but compared with this you know

[36:41] I was thinking in this I thought what a glum place what a dismal place compared with this is all the wealth of this earth and I want to be careful what I say I'm not always in this place but when I think of the hymn we had and the thoughts I've had and my own heart and flesh naturally is failing I thought what are the prospects what are the prospects we've got it here there's a catalogue of it in vain they boast a little store trifles of theirs a kingdom yours kingdom a kingdom of immense delight here where health and peace and joy unite you know I felt a little joy in singing this hymn with you here to begin in this afternoon service

[37:45] I thought well perhaps a little while I'm home we've got to go back you know sometimes we return to our own sad place don't we always soon but remember this poor soul get as far as you can while the Lord is near as far as you can it may not be many moments may not be many hours before you return your own sad place but remember if you've had a touch that it's for eternity a kingdom is yours not for time well I'll just go through this a little more before I get finished a kingdom of immense delight where health and peace and joy unite unite there's nothing better than feeling a uniting in a service you know they try and mix this all up together and say well united this and reform that no you get a few poor straggling hell deserving sinners doesn't matter how few or how many meet with a longing desire to have something in your soul and God says they unite they unite and they'll sing together well anyway a kingdom which can near decay while time sweeps earthly thrones away the state which power and truth sustain unmoved forever must remain there show your eyes with rapture view the glorious friend that died for you who is the you the lord tell who it is who died for you that died to ransom died to raise to crowns of joy and song some praise what does your religion cost you what is

[40:09] Christ worth what is your soul worth when your heart and flesh when your flesh and heart faileth what is God worth then oh sometimes oh you know I can't always say this but sometimes I think well if Christ is mine let all hell come I'll be careful how I say it if Christ is mine I can lose anything yeah but other times you know you wouldn't trust God with a hapenny oh what a difference does a touch of the nearness of the spirit of the lord make in a poor hell deserving sinner's heart now if you've had a few touches on earth if you had a few moments of the lord's presence in your spiritual home on earth yes and that's a blessed thing to have a spiritual home on earth because you can be very lonely otherwise the world can be a very lonely place and the child of

[41:27] God can find a very lonely place wandering sometimes round about to find a place to dwell in but when the lord says and settles one in a course of truth yes what a place that is and there he visits them and there he touches them from time to time you see they know they are home I'm not trying to fit cap well if I am wear it and it will be alright because let the lord put it on what a place your spiritual home where your soul is fed not on any old thing on the truth pat them time to time yes how many know this and how few and how many or shall we say how few but there are some whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire beside thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever it's a mercy to have him as a portion a little for the day

[42:58] I hope it's been a little bit for some poor sinner and I hope I just a little bit myself but oh this is forever forever you know God doesn't deal in half measures when I say this I tremble almost and yet there's one part that rejoices he doesn't deal in half measures we do and not him there'll be no escape for the wicked and there will be no hell for his children but I'll tell you something poor soul I don't just want to escape hell that's dreadful enough that's dreadful enough if I could escape hell and go into oblivion I think I should be very disappointed because who have I in heaven but thee we are saved to him and that's a great mercy and there you'll see him

[44:09]  I said the one I later buried some time ago I gave her a word when she joined the church or transferred my word to her was this now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face when I buried her I knew that she was with her God face to face we had a vow between him amen