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From the Radio Ministry of the
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, we present Let the Bible Speak. Welcome to our monthly program
of Bible teaching and fellowship. Here once again to introduce
this month's program, the Reverend Leslie Curran. And welcome once more in the
Savior's name to our monthly program. One old Puritan commentator,
speaking on Psalm 31 verse 15, and the words, My times are in
thy hand, made this comment. If our times were in our own
hand, we would have deliverance too soon. If they were in our
enemy's hand, We should have deliverance too late, but my
times are in thy hand, and God's time is ever best. Everything
is beautiful in its season. When the mercy is ripe, we'll
have it. It's true that we're now between
the hammer and the anvil, But don't cast away your anchor.
God sees when the mercy will be in season, when His people
are low enough and the enemy high enough. Then appears the
church's morning star. Let God alone to His time. My soul waiteth for the Lord. brought me weary and sick with
sin, and on his shoulders brought me back to his fold again. While angels in his presence
sang until the courts of heaven, that sought me, O the blood that
bought me, O the grace that brought me to the fold, wondrous grace
that brought me to the fold. I'm sitting in His presence,
the sunshine of His face, While with adoring wonder His blessings
I retrace. It seems as if eternal days are
far too short to sing His praise. Oh, the love that sought me! Oh, the blood that bought me! Oh, the grace that brought me
to the fold, wondrous grace that brought me to the fold. In tenderness he sought me. On
the program this month we have a report on a Romanian visit,
learn about the deity of Christ, hear another hymn story, and
letting the Bible speak is the Rev. John Woods. But we begin
by introducing a new contributor to our program in the person
of the Rev. Ian Brown, minister of our Londonderry
congregation. and he's joining us to commence
a short series of studies in the book of Esther. Esther is
a book in which the name of God doesn't appear but the providential
workings of the Lord fill the whole book and as we study its
pages this will become more and more apparent. In our devotional
journey through the book of Esther we're taking a brief look at
chapter 1 verses 1 to 4 today. Now it came to pass, in the days
of Ahasuerus, this is Ahasuerus, which reigned from India even
on to Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,
that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne
of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In the third
year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his
servants, the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes
of the provinces being before him, when he showed the riches
of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty
many days, even an hundred and four score days." A number of
years ago, a popular fad was to complete the phrase, happiness
is. Some suggested that happiness
is having good health, a comfortable home, money in the bank, a close
family or loyal friends. Others defined happiness as being
a cuddly, warm puppy. Had someone asked the Persian
king Ahasuerus about happiness, he probably would have answered,
oh, it's victory in battle. Ahasuerus was gearing up to wage
war against Greece. It wasn't that he needed more
land. At its height, his Persian empire controlled nearly 2 million
square miles. Nor did Ahasuerus need more wealth.
It took 180 days for Ahasuerus to display all of the possessions
which he had. None of this, however, made him
happy. Ahasuerus later failed in his
attempt to conquer the Greeks. He was defeated at the Battle
of Salamis and retreated home to lick his wounds. It wouldn't
have mattered anyway. true happiness can no more be
found in military victory than in material possessions instead
as the children's chorus puts it happiness is to know the Savior
living a life within his favor having a change in my behavior
happiness is the Lord what are you looking to today for happiness? to family, friends, sufficient
material possessions? well these things are important
But knowing that your sins are forgiven and you're on the way
to heaven is the essence of real happiness. If you haven't received
Jesus Christ as your Savior, do so today. And if you already
have a personal relationship with the Lord, take a few moments
to meditate on all of your blessings. the Reverend Ian Brown. Many
of you will have heard of Romanian pastor Eugene Grosa. Pastor Grosa
has been greatly used of the Lord in Romania in the preaching
of the gospel of Christ and in setting up care homes for the
many orphaned children that are found there. Just recently two
of our ministers and their wives visited Romania and the Reverend
John Morrow, minister in our Oma congregation, filed us a
brief report of the trip. Early on Saturday morning, the
3rd of September, Rev. Stanley Barnes, his wife, Ina,
my wife, and I traveled out to Romania. The main purpose of
our visit was to speak at the pastor's retreat organized by
Pastor Eugene Grosa under the auspices of Mission Link International. The Lord's Day was spent in Senecioara
preaching on Sunday morning and evening in Pastor Eugene Grosa's
own church and in the afternoon in one of the village churches.
Though it was still holiday time, a large congregation had gathered
for all the services, and we rejoiced in the salvation of
two precious souls. It was good to renew fellowship
with Eugene, his wife and family, and with so many of God's people
from the church there in Tunis. Monday morning we set out by
minibus on a six-hour drive to Pantanus Mountain Retreat, close
to the large city of Cebu. Quite a journey! considering
the poor condition of many of the roads. Wherever the countryside
was lovely, we had an opportunity to enjoy many breathtaking views. By 6 p.m. practically everyone
had arrived, and after allocation of our rooms and a lovely dinner,
the conference began. It was encouraging to see around
25 pastors and their wives at the conference. Each day during
the two morning sessions Mr. Barnes and I ministered to the
pastors, whilst Mrs. Barnes and my wife spoke to the
pastor's wives. Everyone then joined together
for the evening session. Though we had the responsibility
of speaking at each meeting, the conference proved to be a
very precious time to our own soul. It also gave many of the
pastors who minister in village churches with very little encouragement
the opportunity to get a little holiday to build up their spiritual
resources. The untiring work of Pastor Groseff
cannot be over-emphasized, whose need and love for God's work
is beyond measure. One of the highlights of the
event, which brought great joy to the pastor's wives and also
to the girls from the Deborah home, was the number of gifts
sent out by the ladies from both Hiddlestboro and Oma congregations.
We would like to publicly express our gratitude and appreciation
for their thoughtfulness and kindness. I am reminded of the
words of the Apostle Paul to the Christians at Thessalonica,
remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love. On our return from the pastor's
retreat, we visited the Debre Gerl's home. What an encouragement
to see what God, through his servant, is doing. Soon the second
home will be ready for opening. Romania is a land that lay for
years under the tyranny of communism, and though that system has been
crushed, Satan still holds sway over the lives of so many. The
need is great, and God's servants are out sparing themselves and
bringing the gospel to their nation. But they do need our
support, both in prayer and in a practical way. We would like
to thank our own congregations for making it possible for us
to be helpers in the work of God and the meaning. Breathe
almighty breath from heaven, On earth's dry and torched plains, Send the windswept clouds before
us, Deluging the earth with rains. Breath of Kaluri, Breath of Kaluri, Let us feel thy quickening power
Cleansing, energizing, filling Every moment, every hour Every Stand among us in my glory Conqueror
of death and hell Till on fire in Him victorious We go forth,
thy praise to tell. Breath of Calvary, Breath of
Calvary, Let us feel thy quickening power
Cleansing, energizing, filling Every moment, every hour Every breath of Calvary. In our Dealing
with Doctrine series, the Reverend R.J. Beggs first drew our attention
to the sole authority of the Word of God, and then in recent
times he has focused on the supreme majesty of the Son of God. And
he's here again to take up this glorious theme of the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having looked briefly at the
eternity of Christ within the Holy Trinity, We now come to
consider His Deity. By this we simply mean that Jesus
Christ is God, very God of very God. Now this important subject
of His Deity is clearly revealed and proved in many different
ways within God's Word. First of all, it is directly
revealed and confirmed in various verses of Scripture. To return
again to John 1 and verse 1, it is expressly declared that
the Word was God, that none of the cults tell you at your door
that this verse does not teach the Godhead of Jesus Christ.
The truth is, the original Greek construction makes it abundantly
clear that the Holy Spirit is teaching that Jesus Christ is
God. Paul again confirms the deity
of Christ in Romans chapter 9 and verse 5. Whose are the fathers,
and of whom is concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over
all God blessed forever. Again, opponents try to argue
that God blessed forever is a benediction and not related to Jesus Christ. Let it be firmly said that such
is not the case. In Titus 2, verse 13, Paul again
speaks of his deity, looking for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Not only is He our Savior, but
as our Savior, He is the great God, the one in whom the two
natures, divine and human, come together in order that he might
be the great mediator of the covenant and the savior of men. Thomas, speaking in John 20 and
verse 28, declares the deity of Christ when he says, My Lord
and My God. But his deity is also established
by the fact that divine attributes are ascribed to Him. You see,
God has certain characteristics which are unique to Him and are
not shared by any other being but God. And yet these same characteristics
are afforded to Jesus Christ, showing His oneness and equality
with God, of being of the same divine substance. We can only
deal with three of those attributes. First of all, we speak of God
as omnipresent, meaning He is personally and entirely present
at every point in space and time. But this attribute is likewise
afforded to Christ when He said, where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. He is
omnipresent with them. He is God. We likewise speak
of God as being omnipotent, and by this we mean He is the Almighty. He is irresistible in infinite
power. But such power is also attributed
to Jesus Christ. In Revelation 1, verses 8 through
to 12, we read of the Almighty as being the Son of Man. The
one who is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith
the Lord, which is and which was and which is to come, the
Almighty, is identified at the verse 13 as being the Son of
Man, as being Christ. So the one who is omnipotent
is God. And again we speak of God as
being omniscient. This is the ability to know everything
with a perfect knowledge. Jesus Christ is also in possession
of this omniscience, as is clear from John chapter 2 and the verse
24. But Jesus did not commit himself
unto them, because he knew all men, and need it not that any
should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. He had a knowledge, an inward
knowledge, of the state and condition of man. And this omniscience
is one of the themes in the Gospel of John. It runs right throughout
the Gospel, and it reaches its culmination in Peter's confession
in John 21 and verse 17, where Peter said, Lord, thou knowest
all things. This establishes, without doubt,
the omniscience of Christ. And we say, he who possesses
all knowledge, as God does, is indeed God manifest in the flesh. These things confirm the deity
of Jesus Christ. the Rev. R. J. Beggs. Stories
behind the writing of some familiar hymns have occupied the thoughts
of the Rev. Noel Hughes in past programs,
and he joins us again this month to reveal the setting for the
hymn, Let the Lower Lights Be Burning. And then, after we hear
the hymn sung, the Rev. John Woods, minister of our Bush
Mills congregation, will be letting the Bible speak. On a dark and
stormy night when the waves roll like mountains, and not a single
star lit the darkness of the sky. A large passenger ship cautiously
edged its way towards the harbor at Cleveland, Ohio. On board,
the pilot knew that on such a night he could only find the safety
of the harbor by keeping the two lower shore lights in line
with the main beacon. Are you sure this is Cleveland?"
asked the captain, who could see only one light in that of
the lighthouse. "'Yes, I'm quite sure,' replied
the pilot, peering into the darkness. "'But where are the lower lights?'
asked the captain. "'They must have gone out, sir,'
came the reply. "'Can you still make the harbor
then?' inquired the now anxious captain. or we will perish,"
said the pilot solemnly, as he turned the wheel again. With
a strong hand, the old pilot steered the vessel onward. But
alas, in the darkness, in the mist, he missed the vital channel. The boat crashed upon the rocks,
and many lives were lost. When D. L. Moody first told the
story of the shipwreck at Cleveland, In one of his great gospel meetings,
he concluded with these words, Brethren, the Master will take
care of the great lighthouse. Let us keep the lower lights
burning. One of Moody's associates, Philip
Bliss, was greatly impressed with these concluding remarks.
He was a songwriter and a composer, and with his imagination gripped
by this sad scene, He soon composed the song, which later gained
widespread recognition in Moody's campaign. Brightly beams our
Father's mercy from His lighthouse evermore, but to us He gives
the keeping of the lights along the shore. Dark the night of
sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar. Eager eyes are
watching, longing for the lights along the shore. Trim your feeble
lamp, my brother, Some poor seaman tempest-tossed, Trying now to
make the harbor In the darkness may be lost. Let the lower lights
be burning, Send a gleam across the wave, Some poor fainting,
struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save." The words of his
hymn convey the truth which the Apostle Paul reminded the church
at Philippi of, that they were lights, shining lights, in the
midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Christ himself is
the light of the world, and he gives to his people the great
and solemn responsibility of holding forth and reflecting
that light of the gospel. It is our task to keep the lower
lights burning, pointing men and women, young people, boys
and girls, to the only Savior of sinners. In the faithful words
of the old Pilate, miss and we perish. If sinners miss Christ,
if they miss the cross, if they miss the redeeming blood, if
they miss the saving grace of God, they will sail on to sure
and certain perdition. It is our task to keep the lower
lights burning. May the Lord give us grace and
help that in whatever capacity He has placed us, and with whatever
ability He has given us, that we will keep the lower lights
burning in the midst of a dark and an evil world for Jesus'
sake. lights be burning. Brightly beams our Father's mercy
from His lighthouse evermore, but to us He gives the keeping
of the lights of our shore. Let the lower lights be burning,
send the gleam of crops away. Some poor fainting, struggling
seaman, you may rescue, you may stay. Dark the night, lost in
that sad tides' hole, Thou'lt be there, there's a whole score,
Eager eyes are watching longing, For the lights along the shore,
on the shore, Triggers evil at my brother, Some forsaith are
his tempest's cause. Trying now to make the harbor
In the darkness may be lost O let the Lord's lights be burning
Send a gleam across the way Facing struggling seamen you may rescue,
you may save, yes, you may save. In 2 Chronicles chapter 16 and
the verse 7 we read, And at that time Hanani the seer came to
Esau king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied
on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore
is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were
not the Ethiopians and the Lubins a huge host, with very many chariots
and horsemen, yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered
them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong
in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein
thou hast done foolishly, therefore from henceforth thou shalt have
wars. The text of scripture which I
want to draw your attention to is found in 2nd Chronicles 16
and the first part of the verse 9. where we read for the eyes
of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward
him. These words are contained in
the midst of words of Rebuke spoken to King Asa by the seer
or the prophet Hanani. Asa was one of the kings of Judah
without a doubt we can say that he was a child of God because
in 2nd Chronicles 15 and verse 17 we read that the heart of
Asa was perfect all his days as we read through the short
record of his life in the scriptures the record of his reign over
Judah we discover other evidences of grace in his life For the
first ten years of his 41-year reign over Judah, God blessed
him with rest from war. We read in those years that the
land was quiet. During those ten years of rest
from war, Asa was used as God's instrument to bring about a time
of spiritual reformation in the land, using his influence as
king Asa saw to it that the altars of the strange gods were removed,
he saw to it that the images were broken down, and he commanded
the children of Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers. After those ten years of rest
from war, the Ethiopians came with an army against Judah, an
army of one million soldiers, almost double to the size of
the army, of Judah and Benjamin. Asa laid his army out to defend
themselves against the Ethiopian army. They went out taking up
their responsibility, yet relying on the Lord their God. Asa's
famous prayer is found in 2 Chronicles 14 verse 11. The prayer which
he uttered on that occasion, praying to the Lord and saying,
it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them
that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. Sadly, when we come to the verses
of Scripture that we have read in 2 Chronicles 16, in the 36th
year of his reign, when faced with another full, Basha king
of Israel coming with his army against Judah. Asa on that occasion,
instead of relying on the Lord as he had done so in the past,
he relied rather on the king of Syria for deliverance. Instead
of relying on the Lord, he turned to an arm of flesh. And in the words of Rupiuk, which
Hanani was sent by God to bring to Asa, Hanani gave Asa some
strong reasoning as to why he should have continued to rely
on the Lord for deliverance. And that reasoning is found in
our text, 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9. For the eyes of the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong
in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Child
of God, as you listen to this message Surely you and I too
have to confess at times that while God does use means to help
us many times in life, yet many times we put more emphasis on
the means than relying on the Lord. And how too we need to
be rebuked at times, how too we need to learn to rely more
and more upon the Lord. And as we think upon these words
in 2 Chronicles 16 and 9, there are two reasons Two very strong
reasons as to why we should always rely upon the Lord in the midst
of our trials, in the midst of our difficulties in life. First
of all, our God is the God who watches over his people. The
text declares that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout
the whole earth. God is the one who sees all things. No one can hide from him. Nothing
can be hidden from him. he is the omnipresent one, he
is the omniscient one, knowing all things and our text declares
that our God, his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole
earth does not this remind us that he watches over us as his
people what an encouragement to think upon these words when
we realise that the scripture also declares that our arch enemy
Satan that he goes to and fro in the earth he walks up and
down in it He goes about as that roaring lion seeking whom he
may devour. But we can rejoice that even
Satan is seen by God. And of course he is also restrained
by God. His actions are overruled by
God. Though Satan would come and tempt
us and desire that we fall into sin and failure. Peter reminds
us in similar words in 1 Peter 3 and 12 that the eyes of the
Lord are over the righteous. The watchful providence of God
is exercised about us for our good. God sees when others would
speak against us. God sees when others would physically
harm us. God sees when trials come to
overwhelm us. How then we have good reason
to rely upon him at all times. In Psalm 121 we read that God
who keeps Israel, he neither slumbers nor sleeps. the word
keepeth and it can also be read he observes Israel he watches
Israel how good to know that our God observes us watches over
us 24 hours a day seven days a week 12 months in the year
and every year indeed what a God we have take heart child of God
maybe you're discouraged at this moment Remember, the Lord is
the one who watches over his people. But there's another reason
why we ought to always rely upon our God. Not only is he the God
who watches over his people, he is also in the second place
the God who works on behalf of his people. Listen to the text
again. For the eyes of the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong
in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Asa had proved this truth. God
had already in the past showed himself strong in the behalf
of Asa and the children of Judah when they went out against the
Ethiopians relying on the Lord. God had showed himself strong
in their behalf. God shows himself strong in our
behalf. The word strong can mean that
God shows himself as a help on our behalf. God shows himself
as a conqueror on our behalf. God shows himself constant on
our behalf. Remember when Samson, towards
the end of his life, asked the Lord to strengthen him again. He knew that God shows himself
strong on the behalf of his people. Nehemiah was able to pray, O
God, strengthen my hands for the task which God had given
him to do. Even in redeeming us from our
God has shown Himself strong on our behalf. He's redeemed
us by His great power and by His strong hand. Let's take encouragement. Let's rely on the Lord. And if
you're not saved, realize you're not one whose heart is perfect
toward Him. You need to come to the Lord
for salvation. much we need thy tender care. In thy pleasant pastures feed
us, for our use thy foes prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus,
Thou hast brought us, Thine we are. Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought the world. Savior, like a shepherd, lead
us. And that brings us to the end of our program for another
time. There are just two announcements,
and they concern two new stations. We hope to commence broadcasting
in the month of November on 747 Country, which is just across
the border in the Irish Republic. And then, in the new year, the
Lord willing, we'll be commencing on a station down in Limerick,
again in the south of Ireland. I ask you to pray that as we
commence broadcasts on these two new stations, that we'll
get many new listeners, and many, many more will hear the glorious
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do continue to pray for the work
of the Radio Ministry as we spread abroad the Word of God across
the airwaves. So, until next time, may the
Lord's richest blessing be yours now and in the coming days.
Let The Bible Speak Monthly CD
| Sermon ID | 101205161725 |
| Duration | 40:19 |
| Date | |
| Category | Teaching |
| Language | English |
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