Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/25911/gods-care-for-his-children-quality-average/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] I ask you to turn with me to the psalm we read, Psalm 37, and at verse 5.

[0:13] Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, that he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37, verse 5.

[0:27] Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, that he shall bring it to pass. The psalmist here, David, was found in that same frame as Asaph was in the Psalm 73.

[0:57] David was fretting himself because of evildoers, because of the workers of iniquity, because, like Asaph, he looked around and he could see how the world lived, and how they seemed to have everything going their way.

[1:27] That's how it appeared to him. And Asaph said, they do not have the troubles that other men have.

[1:39] They do not seem to have the things that the Lord's people do have to bear. But, you see, they looked around and they began to fret because they thought their lot was harder than others.

[2:03] And it is so, isn't it, if we look around the world and we view our own circumstances and compare them with the world and we are left in a carnal state, we begin to fret, complain, to murmur.

[2:29] And we are not alone in this, are we? Because if we go back into the word of God, the Israelites murmured and they complained.

[2:42] It is a sad thing, isn't it, when we are left to fret and to murmur and to complain.

[2:58] But that was the malady. That was the sickness. That was what rose up out of the flesh.

[3:10] But there is a remedy. A remedy for the sickness. And it is in this word which I have read before you. And, of course, in the other four points, four words, which the Lord has given.

[3:31] He says, Trust in the Lord and do good. Delight thyself also in the Lord. Commit thy way unto the Lord. and rest in the Lord.

[3:45] See, when the Lord is in it, when the Lord is there, and there is that sweet spirit, isn't there?

[3:56] Spirit that flows forth, which enters into the heart. And there is a drawing near of a poor sinner unto the Lord who says to him, Trust in the Lord.

[4:14] Trust in me. Put not your trust in man. Put not your trust in anything in this world.

[4:25] Because all things in this world are passing away. All things in this world will one day be no more forever. But trust in the Lord who lives forever.

[4:40] The eternal Lord. The Lord of heaven and earth. the Lord who is above all things. Who has all things in his hand. The Lord reigneth.

[4:51] Beautiful word, isn't it? The Lord reigneth. And you can put your trust in him for life and for eternity.

[5:03] For providence and for grace. To trust in him at all times, ye people. Trust in him at all times, ye people.

[5:14] Pour out your heart before him. However, there's something that's joined to this. And we read in another place, They that know thy name will put their trust in thee.

[5:30] Those that do not know his name will not put their trust in him, will they? If we look at it in this way, you have a valuable item.

[5:46] You have something which is priceless. You would not put it into the hands of someone you did not know, someone you could not trust.

[5:56] trust. You and I have a soul, my friends. The apostle Paul I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

[6:14] To trust in the Lord for life and in death. To trust in him for your salvation.

[6:24] trust in him to provide for you in life in the providential way. To trust him because he will not fight you.

[6:39] Will never fight you. Faithful is he. Faithful is he that calleth you and also will do it. God is faithful by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ.

[6:54] a faithful God. Oh says the word trust in him. Trust in the Lord. Trust him because of his faithfulness he will not fail you.

[7:09] And you look back over the pathway over the years of the past you have to acknowledge this. He has not failed.

[7:22] We may have set our heart on something and been so disappointed when this has not been realized when we have set our heart on a certain thing a certain possession and the Lord has denied us.

[7:43] But you see he knows what is good doesn't he? Like a good father knows what is good for his children he does not let his children have everything they cry for because that would not be good.

[8:03] Like as a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him trust in him delight thyself also in the Lord.

[8:15] there are many things aren't there to delight in in the Lord. Can you delight yourself in the things of the world?

[8:31] They may give a certain pleasure to the flesh but those pleasures do not last do they? Uncertain pleasures the pleasures that the worldling seeks after which gratify the flesh only these delights are spiritual aren't they?

[8:59] Delight thyself in the Lord his love his mercy his grace what delights when he spreads before his people a sweet banquet and he brings them to his banqueting house and his banner over them is love when he opens the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing upon them and like David their cup runneth over they flow down before him to his goodness and like David they have to go in before him when the Lord had spoken to David of all that which was to come and his sweet promises and making known to David the Lord's goodness and David went in and sat before the Lord and he was so broken down wasn't he before the

[10:04] Lord who am I Lord what am I that thou brought me hitherto why me Lord the thou brought me hitherto David raised up from the sheep coat at humble beginning looking after the flock David remembered the Lord's goodness to him when he went out and slew the bear and the lion who come to pray upon the flock and his great goodness to him when as a youth he went out before the giant Goliath of Gath he went out didn't he not in his own strength not in his own ability went out as a poor weakling didn't he armed with a sling and five stones

[11:09] I come to thee in the name of the Lord God of the armies of Israel David went forth didn't he then and he continued to go forth in the strength of the Lord to make mention of his righteousness and of his own the Lord was with him the Lord began with him and the Lord continued with him that the Lord has begun with you he'll continue with you I will never leave thee nor forsake thee lo I am with you always even unto the end the Lord spoke to Jacob didn't he in the wilderness where Jacob was alone he laid himself down and in his sleep he had a vision a ladder which reached from the earth into heaven the angels the

[12:12] Lord was above it and the Lord spoke to him gave him a word lo I am with you behold I am with you behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places with enough going I am the I am with his people and will be with them with Jacob yes with Jacob right through to the end his very life and experiences things did not always go right did they and they didn't always go right for David not as they viewed it but things were going right according to God according to God's plans and purposes everything was in order wasn't it everything was going right because the

[13:13] Lord knew the end from the beginning he himself knew what he would do what I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter the Lord has worked in his purposes out day by day God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform he plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm Jesus himself knew what he would do commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him he shall bring it to pass then the fourth point is this rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him rest there in him when we are resting we are reclining aren't we leaning and it's leaning upon him isn't it rest in the

[14:19] Lord leaning upon him and waiting patiently dear David in a psalm just two or three psalm 40 he says this I waited patiently for the Lord God enabled him to wait patiently for the Lord it was the Lord who gave him grace to wait patiently he gave him grace the grace of patience to wait to wait patiently upon his Lord because you see the Lord has said they shall not be ashamed of wait for me wait on the Lord wait on him he will perform that which pleases him he will perform that which concerns you wait upon him it's a daily waiting is it blessed is the man that waited for me said he blessed is the man that waited for the house and my door he shall be blessed the

[15:32] Lord given him patience to wait and he leaves everything with his Lord Lord undertake for me Lord I do not know what to do come to a place like that and often you come like to that place frequently Lord I do not know what to do what shall I do Lord children of Israel they came forth from Egypt the Lord by his almighty arm brought them forth didn't they raised up a leader Moses went before them they were being set at liberty liberty from those years of bondage hard labouring under that adversary coming down to the

[16:37] Red Sea there was no turning back they couldn't go forward could neither turn to the right hand or to the left fears came upon them what were they to do what was the command stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and so there is a being still isn't it a standing still like Ruth sitting still and be still and know that I am God be still and know that I am God there is a watching and there is a waiting praying and continue in praying continue to pray Lord help me

[17:38] Lord undertake for me Lord do appear for me so we come to this word commit thy way unto the Lord thy way commit thy way it's not the way you've chosen not the way I've chosen the Lord had left us to choose our way where should we be where would we be this Sabbath morning wouldn't be here in Henley Chapel would you if the Lord had allowed you to choose your own way and now there's a way my friends a way it's not in man that walk it to direct his steps but the Lord chooses the way for his people he chose the way for his ancient people

[18:39] Israel if you read that account they weren't left to go their own way the route was planned for them and they had to walk that way and they had to walk around about the wilderness 40 years if they'd crossed over the Red Sea and headed for the land of promise they could have reached that land in a short time they must walk around the wilderness they must go to Sinai they must receive the law there and the Lord led them and the Lord went and they you know were provided for in the wilderness in a remarkable way manna manna from heaven and the water from the rock which followed them they did not lack did they there was a sufficiency for them and now they murmured they complained they rebelled and the Lord dealt with them and solemnly because of this you see the Lord made a way a way of escape when the fiery serpents came among them and bit them and many perished and many were dying and Moses was commanded to make a brazen serpent and set it upon a pole and they were exhorted to look that was all they had to do was to look many of them couldn't raise themselves they were so sadly afflicted that they were to look and those that looked were restored as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up and he is lifted up my friends he is to be lifted up lifted up in the midst of the congregation and lifted up in the hearts affections of his dear people to Jesus isn't it

[21:16] Jesus first and last Jesus the Alpha and the Omega and in all things he will have the preeminence Jesus have you a friend have I a friend if you have Jesus as a friend you have a friend indeed you have a friend who sticketh closer than a brother you have a friend who knows all about you and reminds your friends you ever thought of this we have friends we're thankful we have friends friends in life who are our friends you say my friends are found in Zion they are his people God's people my friends but there's a friend isn't there a friend in heaven when most we need his helping hand this friend is always near with heaven and earth at his command he waits to answer prayer commit thy way how are you going to do this how do you commit your way unto him as you draw near unto the throne of grace and plead for that help from on high plead for the

[22:57] Lord himself to be your helper he was David's helper he helped David and we have a record of it how wonderful it was David was a praying man wasn't he David was no stranger to the throne of grace and mercy saint place of prayer how sweet are those prayers that we have left on record flowed forth from his heart and as you read them do they find an echo in your heart you see in the language that is used the very language that is found in your own heart David was in when he was in a great need when he was in trouble when he was brought down very low when he was distressed

[24:02] I think of that time when we read of when he came to Ziklag and a little company of followers and the enemy had invaded the city and carried away their loved ones and their possessions everything had gone those men who were with David they laid the blame at his feet and they spoke of taking up stones to cast at him what shall I do Lord what shall I do give me a sign give me a word shall I pursue these Amalekites I'm so weak I'm only a few followers and they speak of stoning me what shall do pursue said the

[25:10] Lord pursue and thou shall surely recover all see how the Lord appeared in a remarkable way in providence when David went down along that way and found one who was lying there dying with hunger and thirst was able to tell him where his enemies were and David came down and found his enemies and God fulfilled his promise he recovered all but a life was lost brought it all back may have seemed a strange pathway and sometimes our own pathway seems very strange doesn't it why should this happen why should this come upon us what is the purpose ah if everything was plain and smooth and easy how frequently would you visit the throne of grace be honest when those troubles come great and sore troubles

[26:32] David speaks of them thou which has shown me great and sore troubles shall quicken me again you see it's committing one's way unto the Lord you have a burden a burden ah and the Lord's people have burdens don't they sometimes the burdens are obvious to others and sometimes they are not others do not know what their burden is but this one burden which all the Lord's people have and it is this with my burden I begin Lord remove this load of sin let thy blood for sinners spilt set my conscience free from guilt what a burden that is the burden of sin we do not look we do not look at our neighbor we do not look at another because the

[27:36] Pharisee did that when he stood in the temple you remember began to relate to God how good he'd been how generous he'd been all the good things that he thought he'd done looked upon the publican poor sinner bowed his head could not so much as lift his eyes to heaven but poured out his heart before his God God be merciful to me a sinner which one was blessed which one was pardoned which one went down to his house justified which one sought mercy and received mercy why the publican the publican have you ever stood with the publican had to bow your head cry out

[28:39] God be merciful to me a sinner years ago I was at a prayer meeting and there was an elderly gentleman there in his 80s he was called upon to pray he said a few words and this prayer was in the few words that he said God be merciful to me a sinner man man man had been in the way 60 odd years he hadn't ceased did he no that's how poor sinner begins and that that's how he continues right through to the end mercy through blood I make my plea oh God be merciful to me thy mercy oh it's a theme of thankfulness isn't it thy mercy my God is the theme of my song thy mercy when the poor sinner venturing forth and seeking to commit all everything everything that is upon his heart you see it can hold nothing back it's a burden it's all wrapped up in that great big burden commit thy way unto the

[30:11] Lord and in the Bible that we have where we have a margin it it speaks like this rolling rolling the burden rolling it upon another rolling it upon the Lord analogy is this isn't it where one who is weak and frail with a great burden upon his back he can he can hardly stagger along with it and one comes along so strong so powerful and tells him I'll take that I'll carry that it's not your burden it's mine from now on you know that's the gospel isn't it that's the gospel think of the prodigal son who went off to a far country and wasted his substance wasted that which his father had given to him we have a picture of him away in that far country with the swine feeding the pigs all the filth and the uncleanness he was in not a friend he had plenty of friends when he had a full money bag but he was gone not a friend now and he thought of his father's house he thought of the provision there everything that his father had to give him and faith began to work in his heart

[32:02] I will arise I will arise I can stay no longer in this place I can stay no longer in all this filth and uncleanness I will arise and go to my father and I will confess I will say I'm no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants yes and you know where faith is working there is that unbelief also and the one working against the other in every believer there are two armies the new men of grace and the old man of sin and there's that warfare that conflict but what a mercy that grace prevails grace subdues grace subdues and he arose and he came he went back to his father and his father was watching for him saw him coming and ran and ran out to meet him and fell upon his neck there was a time of love time when the son was received by his father the kiss of peace kiss of pardon kiss of peace and that's that's the gospel isn't it as I view it one coming with nothing nothing at all just his uncleanness all his sin commit thy way unto the

[33:47] Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass commit thy way there's burden oh the burden of sin there is a provision isn't there a provision in Christ come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest come to me said Jesus do not go anywhere else come to me I he is the burden bearer bears the burden of sin I thought you know earlier on of the sacrifice no dispensation and the the lamb that innocent little lamb that was taken and slain and the blood was poured out innocent lamb and that was the way wasn't it in the old dispensation the lamb was and it had to be of course a lamb without spot without blemish had to be the very best and how it would affect one's heart to see that lamb slain and sacrificed we have a sacrifice to end all sacrifices the lamb of God behold behold the lamb of

[35:33] God which taketh away the sin of the world behold him when john stood with two of his disciples remembering jesus came walking towards them john spoke to them indeed spoke to them concerning jesus the lamb behold this is the one this is he the lamb of God which taketh away the sin carried the sin away carried the sins of his people away there was a way along which he went a pathway before him and he went along that pathway right through to the end he did set his face as a flint toward Jerusalem and continued right through to the end why in love having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end loved each one the apostle

[36:49] Paul you know he felt oh and it was it was shed abroad in his heart wasn't it by the blessed spirit who loved me and gave himself for me commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass you may say well yes I've got this great burden of my sin but I've got other burdens the burdens in life the personal burdens family burdens burdens in my daily calling my business the burdens in the church there are so many burdens aren't there so many burdens so many things that are in our pathway but here is a word ah it's a word for all cases isn't it a word for all commit thy way unto the

[38:03] Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass I'll leave off now may the Lord add his blessing pardon that which is pure I see a mess amen amen let us conclude by singing hymn number 277 277 now I say whate'er betide all is well if Christ be mine he has promised to provide may he teach me to resign hymn 277 Amen.

[39:18] Amen. Amen.

[40:18] Amen. Amen.

[41:18] Amen. Amen.

[42:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. May the grace of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, communion, the Holy Spirit abide with us, now and evermore.

[42:43]  Amen.