our service this evening by singing hymn number 893. The tune is Grosvenor, number 154. If guilt pursue thee with its cry and would to prison hail, to Jesus Christ the surety fly and he will give in bail. If hope that use thy soul to cheer now leaves the darkest night and neither sun nor stars appear, yet wait for morning light. Still look to Christ with longing eyes, though both begin to fail. Still follow with thy feeble cries, for mercy will prevail. In number 893, June Grosvenor, 154. you. ♪ In His holy image come ♪ ♪ Thy goodness, the praise of heaven ♪ ♪ In Jesus Christ, the King of Kings ♪ The chosen one that we will be. ♪ Behold there is a Son to give you ♪ ♪ A gift with all the stars ♪ ♪ And like a star in the sky ♪ Let there be calm in the night. And all the joys that long in the heart O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Satsang with Mooji of obedience. Yes, in the Lord, and with everyone, He passed it in the pool. He carried off the men of faith, ♪ And come to that healing lake ♪ ♪ He is and will ♪ ♪ Freely from death to life ♪ May we be helped to read two portions this evening. The first is in Ecclesiastes, chapter three, the first 15 verses. Ecclesiastes chapter 3, the first 15 verses. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to get and a time to lose. a time to keep and a time to cast away, a time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made everything beautiful in his time. Also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and to do good in his life. and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God. I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God doeth it that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now, And that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is past. And then if you turn with me to the book of the Psalms, Psalm 31. The book of the Psalms, Psalm 31. In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be thou my strong rock for an house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for thy name's sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they the net that they have laid privily for me, for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit, and thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying in vanities, but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my soul in adversities. and has not shut me up into the hand of the enemy, thou hast set my feet in a large room. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. Mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance. They that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel, for I have heard the slander of many. Fear was on every side. While they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord, I said, thou art my God, my times are in thy hand. Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, save me for thy mercy's sake. Let me not be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon thee. Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for he hath showed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes. Nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, All ye his saints, for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentiful fully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. All ye that hope in the Lord. We leave the reading there, friends. May the dear Lord bless the reading of his own word to each of us. May he help us in prayer. Oh Lord, help us to come now. Our need is great and yet we come to one who is greater than our need and we thank thee for it. Dear Lord, may we be allowed, may we be permitted to plead thy glorious name once more before the throne. Oh, that we could plead, dear Lord, the name of Jesus, really mean it, sincerely mean it, from an honest heart. Lord, we do pray that we might gain access through thy merits, through thy precious blood. Oh, thy Sinatolian blood, that this evening, Lord, as we come before thee, that we might truly, each one of us who are praying, each one of us who have an interest, in thy precious name and worth and blood, having access. Oh, my dear Lord, we be enabled to hear that sweet invitation, come unto me. Lord, we do pray that we might hear thy voice as we come before thee. Thou knowest how we come to thee, Lord, how each one of us has come in this evening. Thou knowest the burdens of our hearts, Thou knowest the troubles of our mind. Thou knowest the confusion that ensues thy people. Thou knowest, dear Lord, where they are and what they have been surrounded by today. Lord, Thou knowest us all together. So we do pray that Thou wouldst draw us away from these things. Oh, may we be like the disciples, the door was shut for fear of the Jews. Oh, but they were safe inside, and Jesus himself came and stood in the midst and said peace be still oh lord whisper that into our hearts this evening that precious peace not just the words but may we be partakers of that peace and may there be something dear lord to still our fears to still all those things that are found in each of thy people we pray for it lord earnestly leave us not on the outside leave us not in the outer sanctuary but do draw us into the inner sanctuary where thy people come and where thou art oh lord do help us then as we gather this evening may there have been much prayer that thy presence might be known and felt in the sanctuary once again we do pray dear lord that they would speak to our hearts and we beg of thee that there might be those here that are pleading with thee as samuel did of old speak lord for thy servant here is. Oh Lord we do pray that we might be used for thy honour and for thy glory and that there might be souls that are being brought out of the world, souls that are being quickened by divine life and those dear Lord to be established in the truth and there might be those who for the first time realise that they are redeemed. by precious blood, oh by Jesus precious blood redeemed. Lord do come then we pray this evening and we pray continually that thy presence might be known continuously in this house of God and wherever we worship Lord that there might be that flowing together. Oh Lord, we do pray for their dear pastor, do remember him, dear Uncle Jay, bless him abundantly, strengthen him once again for the work. We do beg, dear Lord, that there may be much prayer going up for him, that he might return to this pulpit and to others to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. Lord, we do pray that as he has been laid aside, that it might have been good for him, The dear psalmist said that it had been good that he had been afflicted. May Uncle Jay prove it, Lord. May he have had those fresh views of Christ. May he have been enabled to draw near to his Redeemer. And dear Lord, we do pray that he might have heard from thee. So that when he comes, he has that message from on high, once again, to poor destitute sinners, those needing salvation, those needing confirming, those needing help. Oh we do pray then that they would restore him to this people. Be with him and all thy servants, we do pray for them and many are preaching this evening. Lord we pray for each one of them that thou hast helped them to travel safely and take them home in peace and safety. But Lord in the sanctuary may thy name be honoured and glorified amongst the people. Oh may there not be one dear Lord, left out. We do pray, Lord, that all might be partakers of this glorious inheritance that thou hast laid up for the saints. Lord, and may we have those tastes and foretastes while here below, so that we know what's coming, so that, dear Lord, those crumbs that fall from the Master's table fall from the feast that is already prepared. Oh Lord, we do pray, then help us each as we gather around this glorious word once more. Help the deacons here, do be with them and help them abundantly, dear Lord, we do pray. In the time when their pastor's not here, but help them with all the mundane things, all the things concerning the house of God, the fabric, all the visiting, dear Lord, do help them, strengthen them for the work and be with them. and Lord we do pray that their prayers might be heard and answered, we do pray that thou would raise up more to come and testify of thy glorious work in their hearts, what thou hast done for them savingly, what thou hast done for them concerning a never-ending eternity, Lord may there be many to come and speak out this year, oh we do beg, thou hast promised open thy mouth wide and I will fill it, Lord we don't have to come with a great testimony. I will fill it, the glorious Holy Spirit, to fill our hearts, to fill our mouths with praise unto God. Oh, work, Lord, and those places where thou art working in the dark and behind the scenes, Lord, bring it forward. Lord, we do pray. There is a precious word. I, the Lord, will hasten it in His time. And so, Lord, may this work be hastened. We do pray, Lord, that thy spirit might be known amongst us, that there might be those things done, evidence that we are children of God, evidence that we have been with Jesus. Lord, we beg it. Oh, we do plead with thee, dear Lord. These things are so real at times upon our hearts. And so we do beg that thou wouldst help each one to continue in the race, that thou wouldst help each one look unto Jesus, that thou wouldst help each one, dear Lord, to be found on their knees pleading pardon and forgiveness. O Lord, it is not just once as thou hast taught us, over and over again, it is continual, because we are sinners. We are sinners of the deepest die. Lord, and there's only one place that we can ever be forgiven, There's only one place where we receive that forgiveness. There's only one place where we can be washed and cleansed from our sins. There's only one voice that can speak it. Dear Lord Jesus, lead us to thyself. Oh, we do pray. Time and time again, lead us to thyself, dear Lord. Thou knowest how we stray. Thou knowest how wayward we are. Thou knowest how, as the hymn writer said, how backward we are in search of endless life. Lord Jesus, do come. Oh, do come this evening to each one of us. May there be those that are constrained to turn in with us this evening, dear Lord. It is cold outside, but make it warm inside, Lord. Oh, may it not be cold inside as well as out, but may we know the warmth of the glory of God in our hearts. Help us, Lord, as we look once more into thy word. Oh, we do pray that it might make sense to us. Lord, that it might be laid straight. And those crooked things that each one of us have, may we see them in the light of heaven. May we see them through the Redeemer's eyes. Lord, we do beg these real things, these experiences that thy people have, Visit us, visit this vine. Lord, we beg that thou wilt appear. Thou hast promised us the Lord will appear. And so, dear Lord, we hang on to these gracious words. We hang on to thy voice. We hang on to whatever word thou dost say. Bless us, Lord. Be with the dear children and young people that worship here. Remember them and help them. Be with them, dear Lord, in this day and age in which we are growing, or they are growing up. Lord, bless them indeed. It is such a different age to when we grew up. There's so much to draw aside, and Lord, it is such different things. Oh, we pray that thou wouldst help them and be with them, but may they always remember that God is in front. Dear Lord, thou art in front of anything that has been designed. anything that has been worked out anything that has been thought thou art still in the future and we thank thee for it lord we cannot overtake thee as humans we cannot get in front of thee and we thank thee for it oh help us now help with the singing of thy worthy praise and lord we beg earnestly that we might feel thee to be near to us that we might have that fountain in the pulpit and the streams make glad the city of our God. Lord, help us all. Oh, we do pray that there might be one or two prayers, Lord, if not all of them heard in heaven this night, that the answers might come forth. Do forgive our every sin for thy dear namesake. Amen. We now serve this by singing hymn number 600. The tune is St. Raphael, number 689. Truth and mercy meet together, righteousness and peace embrace. Each perfection of Jehovah meets and shines in Jesus' face. Here the Father can be just and saved by grace. What a field of consolation! Here no jarring notes are found. Zion has a full salvation, and shall all her foes confound. Each believer has for hope a solid ground. In number 600 tunes St. Raphael, number 689. Sing to them of righteousness, of peace, and grace. ♪ His direction, Lord, is from above ♪ ♪ His judgment day is near ♪ ♪ In the world to come ♪ O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful and triumphant, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Which God with heaven and high soul may comfort him. ♪ The Lord is come down to earth ♪ ♪ Down in the world to dwell ♪ ♪ And with His cross He gives His own crown to wear ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ With Jesus Christ the Lamb ♪ ♪ Raised to the shoulders of the angels ♪ ♪ Stood with hope in his heart ♪ Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave May the dear Lord help me to say a few things from the psalm that we read, Psalm 31 and verse 15. The first part mainly. Psalm 31, verse 15, My times are in thy hand. I'll read the whole verse. Psalm 31, verse 15, My times are in thy hand. deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Psalm 31 verse 15 my times are in thy hand dear David here we can see really as we read this it's almost like you can see the man and his feelings and he's letting us know just how he feels and how often times friends you and I can enter into these things It's almost like you're reading about yourself. I don't mean all the verses because obviously some of these men were led into it so deeply and so strangely. But the child of God will trace his own steps here. He will trace where the Lord has led him in a similar pathway. And really, dear David, do you think of Solomon? He's got all this trouble around him and he's because this is when he was fleeing from Saul or Absalom but really David was always fleeing he was always on the run until the Lord settled him but even when he settled him he was still an anxious man and really the Lord brought him to that point so that he would rest on the Lord he wouldn't rest on his kingship he wouldn't rest on David himself he would rest on one place and that's the Lord It's a lovely thing if you and I can rest there, isn't it? From time to time, friends, I believe we can. I really believe we can rest on the Lord, and not on self. What happens when you rest on yourself? Well, you know, don't you? You don't have to have me to tell you. So we have this here of Dear David, and what I was going to say was Psalm 121. It said, He shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in. David, you wrote it. he shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in and dear David's here saying now after my life they devised to take away my life now I know it's prophetic and I know it's concerning the dear Lord Jesus as well but David had to walk through it so that he was able to write it and so he's being preserved in Jesus and friend I know you've sung it oftentimes But you know, how many times have you been preserved in Jesus? Some of you might have long life, some of you might have a shorter life. But you think of those times when you've actually been preserved in Jesus. Well, every strike of the clock, every tick of the clock, your time is passing. It is a reminder. We all wear watches. Sometimes it's a good thing. But it's a reminder on your wrist. Time is going. Every tick is one nearer to meeting God. One nearer. We've been here just over half an hour. That's half an hour nearer to standing before God. He's not getting further away. He's getting closer to us. We're getting closer to Him. When you really think of these things, when these men wrote this by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they knew exactly where they were. And the Lord brings his people to these same things, my times, my times. What a sacred word it is. Sometimes I really wonder how the Lord allows a poor sinner to take the word of God. I really wonder, friends, how this treasure book This that has been written in heaven, written on the earth for men to read. And yet, there's preciousness of it. Who's worthy to open the book, they said in heaven? Who is worthy? I wept much. I wept much. There was no one. But there was one. What was his name? Jesus. You think, friends, you and I are permitted. We're not worthy. I don't want to stray, friends, but we're not worthy to own a Bible. We're not worthy to open a Bible. We're not worthy to read it. And yet we've got nothing else. This is what he's given us. So just a few passing comments. My times. Now this is a lovely thing because it becomes personal to us, doesn't it? We've been living through last year. How did you get through? I ask you a question, friends. Does your diary and God's diary meet? Or have you got a separate one to God? Consider that, take that home. Does your diary match God's diary? Because I know last year if you had a diary that said you were going to do this, this or this, your life fell out according to his diary, not yours. Consider it, friends. My times are in his hand, are in thy hand. Think how this brings us, friends, this makes it a reality to us. It's not just something we read, it is a living reality to the child of God, that our times are in his hand. Personal times, times of communion, Times when the Lord has drawn near to you. It's not something you've arranged. It's His times. Isn't it beautiful? Friends, as the Lord opens this and He shows you your name here, you personally. David said, my times. He was saying they're mine, David's times. And that's why the Lord brings us into these things and you and I will be able to say my times. You might look at your life and you think, well, I really am rebellious. And the rebellious, always remember this friends, the rebellious dwell in a dry land. They do. It's easy to say I'm rebellious. You won't get near God if you're rebellious. And when these times come and they go, don't they? And you think to yourself, well, that didn't seem like the time of the Lord. Every single moment in your life is in His hand. I know we get big and we get proud, don't we? And we think we're something. And friends, we actually stand up and we would answer God. Realising that tomorrow is in His hands. Tomorrow. Today's been in His hands. Tomorrow will be. And what's solemn to my heart, I want to get to the centre of this if I can, if the Lord helps me, but what grieves my heart and troubles me at times, and I'm sure it does you if you're a believer, Ahab and Jezebel's times were in the Lord's hand. They were there. They were there. He allowed them to go so far, so far. And then they realised their times weren't in their hands, they were in His. never would Jezebel and Ahab come to the end that they had to come to if their time was in their own hands and what a warning it is to you and I oh it's a lovely place to rest this isn't it for a child of God do you ever lay down your head on your pillow and think my times are in thy hand Lord and not in mine I trouble and I fret and I stew and I get anxious And then look, he's laid this here all those years ago by dear David, through David. My times. It makes your pillow soft, friends. It does sometimes. It really makes that pillow soft. You know what it's like to keep turning your pillow over and over and trouble, trouble and trouble, and you can't get comfortable, can you? My times. Oh, what a difference it is. My times. You know, it's lovely to have a sleep in the arms of Jesus, isn't it? I don't mean eternally, I mean just for one night, to lay your head in His hands and think, He has it all ordered for me. Everything's ordered and everything's falling out just as He pleases. It's a strange thing, but when you do that, you don't want to sleep. I want to speak naturally French, but if you'd really lay your head on his hands and think that all your care is there in his hands, you don't want to sleep, what do you want to do? Well, you want to get up and praise him. So it's had the opposite effect to what you thought it would. My times. Now, these times, you know, whatever we come into, it's a blessed thing if we realize where we are. If you and I actually realize You know, the flesh is so blind and so hard-hearted that it doesn't even see when you're in one of the times of God, it doesn't see it. You're blinded. All you want to do is get out of it. All you want to do is something else to happen. All you want to do is another door to open so that you can get out. David's here, he's saying, yes, it's a beautiful word, my times are in thy hand, but that's the times of patience as well. when he must be patient. Now, I know God gives patience, doesn't he, to different ones, naturally. And sometimes, friends, it's not grace. It's not grace. You can be a patient man and hate God, but when he gives it to you spiritually, spiritual patience, so that you wait his time, there's such a difference, friends, that really is waiting God's time, not your time. Again, I say to you, dear young people, wait God's time. Don't get pestered and anxious over things. Wait His time. And where do you wait? Where have you older ones waited? Do you know that lovely hymn? Though it tarry, wait for it. What is it, friend, you're waiting for? What are you tarrying for? At the throne of grace. That's where patience is, friends, Patience knows its way to the throne of grace, and that's where it will lie at Jesus feet It will friends. I know it does my times are in his hand in my hands And there's all the graces that God allows his dear people to have he will give them to them To bring them back to his own feet You don't go anywhere else with the grace of God in you you don't friends You go one place, to one place alone, to those precious, precious feet, and you fall there and you wait for it. Then you can say, my times are in thy hand. What a lovely realisation it is for the child of God to be found in these things. I don't know what you're in today, or tonight, or will be in, but when you have this, like dew upon your heart, isn't it? It's like sucking honey out of the rock. It really is, friends, when you really have My times, my times. Wait for him, wait for him. It may be a set time to favour Zion even this night, wouldn't it be lovely. I don't just mean in this course friends, there's many other chapels open, many other ministers standing up, may it be a set time for one soul, that's all we look for, we look for hundreds but one soul, just one, to realise that my times, are in thy hand. You know, do you think how embarrassing this is for a sinner? It really is, friends. As we go before God, he says that the crane and the swallow and the turtle dove know the times of the Lord. They know the times when to fly. They know the times when to migrate. They know all those times. And then he says this in Jeremiah. He says, but my people, but my people know not the judgments of the Lord. They don't even recognize me. They don't even see what I'm doing. And yet all these birds of the air fly off. They know exactly what God wants and they do it. The child of God doesn't. You know, just thinking about that, years ago there was a hurricane in one of the little islands, in one of the great oceans. And just before a hurricane came, all the birds left. gone. But the sinner stayed. See friends, the sinner stayed. Can you believe your hard heart? Why didn't they take notice of what God was saying to the fowl? Move! Fly! Flee! This is not your rest! No, they didn't. They watched all the birds go. Then the hurricane came. Then the destruction came. It's going to happen. Then everything was flattened. A few days later, when the wind had dried down, all the birds came back. Where are you, sinner? Where are you? Are you fleeing to Jesus? Has the Holy Spirit warned you? Are you one of those fleeing? Look at them! They've been fleeing from the beginning of the world. From Adam's day until today, at quarter to eight, they've been fleeing to Jesus. And you've been watching them. You actually watched them flee to Jesus! What have you done? Have you been a monster? Friends, I often think the younger generation, and I used to look at the old, I really did. And when it all begins with you, and carries that work on, I believe you watch closer. I used to watch many flee into Jesus, if only I could have done, if only I could have done at that time, I didn't even know who he was. As for reading this work, My Times Are In Thy Hand, didn't know anything about it, nothing about it, yet been brought up to it, been brought up to it friends, could argue it, could debate it, knew nothing of Jesus, nothing. But when you see a soul flee into Jesus, oh it gives you such a desire, have the same thing to have exactly what they've got and many have arrived and I want to speak lovingly and personally a little bit French but I love to get near those people that have fled to Jesus and they've arrived. I love it. I love it. Because if you've actually been there something takes place in you and others can see it. There David's saying, all those times when I fled to Jesus, now I understand that they were in his hand. We don't understand much of the scripture, it doesn't matter how religious we are, it doesn't matter how clever we are, but what we do know is, just a few little nuggets, a few little things that we can hold on to, just a few little things from heaven, And this is one of them. This is one that has been written in the annals of eternity for its people to experience. My times are in thy hands. And where would you have them? Where would you have them? In your own hand? Well, what has your own hand done for you? I'll tell you what your own hand has done for you. The same as these, you have to reach up and take them through. She was willing to reach up and take the fruit. That's what her hand did. And what did Adam's hand do? He took the fruit out of her hand. Do you want your life in your hand, friend? Look at the progress you're going to make towards hell. The only progress you'll make is towards hell, friend. If your life is in your hands, you know the dear the dear redeemer's hands are so precious aren't they in thy hand you know in the lord's hand he's got sympathy and compassion upon his people he really has you've only got to read the gospels and look what he did with his hands he took hold of the children he went to that little girl and he didn't just shout at her he took her by the hands This is the Almighty! This is the King of Kings! The Glorious One! He went to that little mite and he took her hand and he said, Maid, arise, my times are in thy hand. All the accounts that we have of the dear Lord Jesus in touching, holding these people's hands. My times are in thy hand. And often we look at things, don't we? And friends, there's a lot to confess. A lot to confess. There really is. How many times have you let go of the dear Lord's hand? What's happened? What's happened? Absolute confusion. But when is it that you shouldn't put strain? I've said it before, I watch our little children and now our grandchildren doing this. And it's an amazing thing. That they try and, there's a little toy, I know you may have heard me say it, but there's a little toy, a wood toy, with all different shapes that you put through the different holes. They can't do it. They can't do it. They cannot put a circle through a square. Yet they try their utmost to do it. They will not put the circle through the round one. And I watch them and they get so confused with it, they walk away from it. And that's exactly when we try to take over. When we try to take over our lives. There's another word, be content with such things as you have. Do you think, friends, that that is just providence? Do you think that's just a new car, a new house? Do you think that's just clouds? Be content. No, friends. It goes deeper than that. Be content that your times are in my hand. This is what we've got to be content about, friends. Not trying to wrench them from his hand and say, that's not right. That's not the time. Now's the time. How many times have you tried to persuade the Lord that it's now? You won't do it. Believe me, many have tried long before you were born. Many have tried to persuade the Lord to turn His hand for good to them, and not one of them have been able. But at least precious hands of His. You know, Jesus knows how precious He is. It's not something that's a surprise to Him. He knows how precious He is. He is eternally precious. and he desires or i don't really know the word to use but he wants his people to taste the same he does friends he wants his people to taste how precious he really is and he says this i believe it's in the book of john the gospel of john and it says none shall pluck thee friends none shall pluck thee from my hands And then he goes on further and he says, and my father is greater than I, and none shall pluck them from his hand. When we look at our times and the Lord's hand, he is guiding, he is directing, and why is he doing it? This isn't for everybody, this is for only his family. Why is he doing it? Because he loves them. It's the only reason. There's no other reason. There's no other reason that the Lord is doing it, just that He loves His people. I believe the word is in Deuteronomy and it says this, Yea, He loved the people, all His saints were in His hand. And isn't that a wonderful thing for you and I to experience, that my times are in that gracious hand, That nail-pierced hand, friend, when you really think that nail-pierced hand for eternity, it's forever. He will never heal. Never heal, friend, like you and I. You have a cut or something, it heals, doesn't it? Was it in 21 a man who is a real man? With wounds still going wide. Older than what I knew. And friendly rested there because that was where his tides were. there's no other place, it's the safest place on earth to be in the hands of the Dear Redeemer if you're a believer but the Apostle says to us it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God if you're not a believer if you're not friends to fall into those hands that can crush a 10,000 worlds and yet the hand of their Dear Redeemer puts He puts them under the head. His right hand, his left hand embraces and his right hand is under the head. Oh, it's dear Jesus. And each one of the souls, if you're not learning this, we will be learning it in our lives, won't we? Because whatever character you read of in the scriptures, they learn them, my times. All of them. in his own friends of the time. That's why I read Ecclesiastes. If ever they observe their lives laid out before us, your life is in Ecclesiastes chapter 3. My life is there. And it'll always be there. And all the generations to follow us will be there. A time to be born. A time to die. Where do we stand? My time. I wonder how many really could say that all my times are in his hand, in thy hand. You know, these things are so vast, aren't they? Because before we were born, he had taken up the case of his people, and he was willing to bear them right through. Every single one of them, all day, every day, until that eternal day, he was willing to put their times in his hands. you know that number 64 that we're going to read is it's just such a precious precious here isn't it it says sovereign ruler of the skies ever gracious ever wise i want to read it all but take it home with you do read it again friends quietly in your bedrooms or in the kitchen or wherever you sit quietly just read it through, ever gracious, ever wise, all my times are in thy hand, all events at thy command, and it just goes through every time in their life, all of them, all the times are laid out, your life's laid out for you, it's not something that's going to be a surprise to you is it, when the Lord's already told you over and over again, What a wonderful thing, friends, it really is that His hands embrace us. And really, I believe that the hand of faith goes out towards the Lord. I want to say this rightly, but the hand of the Lord, if you're a believer, is already on its way. It's already on its way. So when faith takes your hand, and you put your hand out it goes straight into the hand of God because it's already on it's way to you it is never could he never friends could he give his life never could he give his life for a people and then not look after them never you've done some great things for people haven't you and people do some great things for the human race but nothing like Jesus nothing at all like Jesus. I think that we've grown familiar with these things, and it's sad, we shouldn't grow familiar with them. We hear it, we've heard it all our lives, but friends, when the Holy Spirit brings it fresh to you, like it's just being done now, He is literally just being crucified now, this is what faith does, takes you 2,000 years back, and it shows you as though it's being done now, then you'll understand the love of God in Christ. You'll have a taste of what it is, dying love. You'll understand then that He took your times in those hands. Isn't it a wonderful thing, friends, because you know and I know what sort of times we come into, don't we? I don't know whether you're in the time today, but believe me, whatever it is, it's in God's hands. It's in God's hands. It's such an encouragement. It is such an encouragement, isn't it? Look, if we take this and apply it to ourselves, I know we can't apply it to ourselves, but the Lord does, but if we apply this to the dear Lord Jesus, we read it didn't we? I couldn't lay my eyes on the verse but it said into thy hands I commit my spirit the thing is you see each one of us have got to understand that we must trust Him with all our life we must trust Him with our soul we must so that during life we can actually trust Him when we can't see Him. We can step out, when He said step out, He stepped out. And you can't see where you're going. Abraham did it. He said leave the Earl of the Chaldees and go and he didn't know where to go. But he didn't question God. He believed Him. He stepped out and went. What about you? Is your trust that great in God? Is it that great? that you could venture in faith. Is it that great that you know, you know of a surety that your tithes are in thy hand and you venture with him? It's all right, I want to speak right, friends, because I know what it is just to be head knowledge and have these things and not really know what it is to venture in faith. Not really know. That's why, and I wouldn't say it now in defence, but many start off and they turn back. Turn back. Why do they turn back? Because they're times. Yes, they're times in His hand, but not by David's hand. No. David waited every single time for the Lord. and i want to encourage you dear young people about partners in life wait the lord's time wait the lord's time and then those that are older with their children wait the lord's time just wait the lord's time and then us that are older you know i look at joe and look what he said I thought this for many years, you know, because of David's death, of David's birth. It was an untimely birth for him, because of how the Lord was dealing with him. And yet, Job, my times, my times were in thy hand. His birth was accurate. At that time, he should have been born. At that time, Job should be in the earth. And it is the same, exactly the same for you and I. It is this time that you and I should be here. Oh friend, as the dear Lord draws close to you and you really realise that all those things you've been through were God's timing, they were accurate friends, they were His times. And all those things that you will go through but his times every single one of them but his times again the dear lord lord spoke through joe when joe said this he hath appointed the thing for me and many such things are appointed unto me or something like that and you look at the lord jesus not one of his times did he change he didn't change one of them If he should be found in the judgment hall, he should be found in the judgment hall. If he should be found carrying his cross, he should be found carrying his cross, my darlings. The eternal clock was set, and Jesus fulfilled every minute, every second, every hour, every day. Are you rebelling? Surely the Lord's going to work, isn't He? Surely He's going to do something? Surely the Lord will appear? Surely! And how do we get? How do we get grace? Surely He'll do something! Might I ask? Do you know, this really quiets your spirit down, doesn't it? Doesn't it quiet you down? if the Lord was to come and whisper and I think people don't believe it when they when you say that the Lord comes and whispers into your heart but he does come and whisper and in a moment he settles everything done in a moment just like he was on the oh the water wasn't he we thought the water was coming in he would have drowned as well he would have done friends he was laying asleep Never would he go to the bottom. Look at the times there. They run and get him. Do you know, I like reading these accounts because how many times have you run and got Jesus? Do you really run and get him, friends? Lord, we perish, we perish. We're going down, Lord. We're going down. This is it. The place is filling with water. All we can see is the wind and the rain and the storm and the darkness. Nothing else. What were we going to do? Run and get Jesus. Think of that dear one that ran back. The others were watching on the storm and the waves. That one that ran back saw something glorious. He saw Jesus. And this is what I want to come to Francis for a few, shame it's a few moments, but my time is in thy hand. Have you seen Jesus? Have you really seen Jesus by faith? Look at him, what does he do? It'll be alright, don't worry about it. No, he didn't. Do you know what he actually did? He got up. He got up. He could have sorted it all out laying asleep. But he didn't, and this is our God. He got up, and he went to his disciples, And he stood out on the bow of the ship. Isn't it beautiful? And he could have said, disciples, brethren, friends, your times are in my hand. And he lifted up his voice and he said, please be still. Please be still. He was done. He was done. my time was in my hand the Lord taught them that there on that sea everything became calm everything this is what the Lord does for his people and I say if you ever see him by faith friends you'll see there the calmness there is with him he doesn't get pestered like us God is never pestered friends he is never confused or emotional like we are he's not mate please be still he's gone you know I remember as a little lad I know I say these things about Mr Tiger at the dicker but it comes back so fresh to me he used to say this go home and prove it Isn't that a lovely word? Now I think, yeah, I know what he means. Go home and prove it. He used to preach a beautiful sermon, and as he'd come back to his text, he'd say, now go home and prove it. You prove this, friends. Wait on him, and you'll see your times are in his hands. Just keep waiting. Just keep watching. just keep praying it's not an idle thing to wait it's not it wears you out it really does crying unto god wears you out and yet if you prove that it's one of the lord's times if you enter into anything make sure it's one of the lord's times make sure it's rent whatever it is make sure make sure of it because if it isn't you take it on your own and you go along whatever it is but if you make sure that it is a time of heaven you know i uh just before well just after i started preaching i had to go to the dhikr to preach uh towards christmas And all the Christmas sermons have been used up. I know you probably don't understand that if you're not a minister, but if you're a minister, for instance, all the texts have been used up. I want to speak this in glory to God. And I turned over and read, and I went to get out, and the Lord spoke. He said this, in the fullness of time, he sent forth his Son to the world. My times in his hands. and the times of eternity for his son the time came there is no time in eternity there's no time friends you can't measure anything in eternity but in the fullness of time God sent forth his son oh the beauty I saw in that and the other thing I want to say is God made time He made it. You didn't make it. You carried it. You watched it. You do everything by time. God made time. He actually made it. Did He make it for you? Did He really make time for you? So that all the way through your life there will be those times when He appears to you. when he's the most precious thing there is to you in your life and that's because the time of love will come the time of love will come when we shall clearly see not only that he shed his blood but each shall say for me that's one of the times that are in his hand in thy hand there's many more and it's a shame I often say but it's a shame the clock keeps ticking Isn't it? Because once you get on to the precious Lord Jesus, we lose time, we lose self. And this is the most precious thing in the world. So I know that at times, you look at Lazarus, he was dead. He was actually dead, laying in the grave. He'd gone. His sister said by this time, Lord, you're stinking. but Lazarus was to know the time of God and this was how he knew it two words it made you know come forth come forth that was it Lazarus proved his time was in the Lord's hand go home and think about these things won't you the apostles said think on these things because these are the better things aren't they in their lives I'm saying this to my own self because I'm preaching to my self friends, these are the things that should encourage us and all those things that discourage you and twist you up and get you in a knot, my times are in my hand. Just one illustration about that, I always think about it, we used to do a bit of fishing when we were young and we were obviously around this great big pond and there was some older chaps there and they were good fishing and us younger ones would get in such a mess with the line it would tangle up, it would be all knotty, completely and you couldn't use it my time, they did quite that didn't they do you know we took it to the older ones They took hold of it, and they got hold of one end, and they got hold of the other end, and they just pulled it, straight like that, and the whole thing just came down into a straight line. My time here at Nighthand is best to have on their frenzy. It really is when the Lord untangles things for you, and He shows you. He shows you that this did happen because I said it did. You've been waiting a long time for this appointment, but I brought it to pass. All the way through your life, and I believe mine, we will see that there is only one way, Winston, only one way, and that's in the hands of Jesus, friends. No other way. Isn't it beautiful to be found in those dear hands? Well, I'll leave you with it. I was going to try and speak on the rest of it, but it's This is enough, isn't it? It's really enough, isn't it, friend? To go home and rejoice that my time is in my hands. May the dear Lord forgive anything that's been said of me. conclude our service this evening by singing hymn number 64 the tune is Melchizedek number 483 Sovereign ruler of the skies ever gracious ever wise all my times are in thy hand all events at thy command his decree who formed the earth fixed my first and second birth parents native place and a time all appointed were by him in number 64 to Melchizedek number 483. ♪ To be nearer ♪ Of the dirt ♪ Ever greater ♪ Ever wise ♪ O my kind Oh, it is a fine woman Oh, it is a fine woman Jesus Christ, Lord God If I were sent back on earth, I would stay to bless them, too. Chosen by Him, or appointed by Him. The acolyte of man, He shall guide me to the tomb, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? and of January and of tomorrow Santa Claus is here! Santa Claus is here! I'm the David that you grew. I'm the David they adore. O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? you. Days and months around me fly, Till he is a man of kind. Not a single ♪ Alphabet ♪ ♪ Stereo ♪ ♪ Positive ♪ ♪ Stereo ♪ ♪ Stereo ♪ ♪ Stereo ♪ And now, dear Lord, we thank Thee so much. Fearing to be so unworthy and undeserved, we thank Thee, Lord, that Thou art still faithful to Thy people. And do, dear Lord, encourage us by the Word. Oh, may we receive it by the Holy Spirit to do us good, to help us on our way. Lord, this is what we need. Be with each one here. Do bless them indeed, dear Lord, and be with them. and do encourage them, we do pray, in the pathway that they walk. And now may the grace of the dear Lord Jesus and the love of God and the sweet fellowship and communion of thy Holy Spirit rest and remain with us each now and always. Amen.