welcome to this evening's worship service. We are again grateful to our own pastor who will be leading this time and bringing to us God's word. Just a reminder to everyone this coming Wednesday at 10.30 in the morning is the ladies prayer meeting and we have our midweek meeting at 7.30. Following the midweek meeting there is a Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God, for it is pleasant and praises coming. The Lord hath built up Jerusalem, he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel, he healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars, he calleth them all by their names. Let us come now to the Lord in prayer. O gracious God, thou dost tell the number of the stars, and thou dost know all their names. How great thou art! And we come before thee, we thank thee that thou art God, the living and the true God. Thou art sovereign, O Lord, we bow our hearts before thee. Thou art our Maker, we come, we acknowledge thee. Who are we to come to such a God as thou art? Thou art so great, we are so small. Thou art so holy, we are so sinful. But we thank thee for our mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, and we thank thee, dearest Axis. O, we thank thee for what he did for us here upon earth, that we might know the privilege now of Axis. Hear us, O Lord, tonight. for the sake of thy beloved Son, beloved of thee and beloved of us. And oh, as we worship thee tonight, may our hearts be stirred, may our affection arise. Remember the words of the Apostle Seth, thy affection on things above, and Lord, help us to do so tonight. We come to thee, oh, draw near in a gracious way, touch our hearts, for Christ's sake. Amen. If you would turn with me to the first praise, number 8 in the Psalter, number 8 in the Psalter, and we're singing verses 1 to 5 of the Tudor's Glasgow. Number 8 in the Psalter, and how excellent in all the earth, Lord, our Lord is thy name, who hast thy glory far advanced above the starry frame. Number 8, verses 1 to 5. How excellent in all the earth, Lord, our Lord, is thy name! Who has thy glory far advanced, Above the starry frame. From infants and from sucklings now, Thou didst reign for day. For thine was wars that startled our minds, The avenging cold which reigned. When I look up unto thy hands, Which thy warm fingers frame, Unto the moon and to the stars, Which love by thee ordained. And say, I was his and that he, Remembered his by thee. Oh, what a son, oh, man, that thou so kind to him shouldst be! For thou, a little lower half, In man the angels play, With glory and with dignity, How proud their past is made. If you would turn with me for our Old Testament reading to Psalm 27, Psalm 27, and we're reading from verse 1 through to verse 14. Psalm 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though wars should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. From the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion. In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies wrapped about me. Therefore, when I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy, I will sing. Yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy upon me and answer me. When thou saidest, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, would I seek. Hide not thy face far from me. Put not thy servant away in anger. Thou hast been my help. Leave me not, neither forsake me. O God of my salvation, when my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies, for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as grieve out cruelty. I had fainted, and thus I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Lamb of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Amen. May the Lord add the blessing to the reading of his precious word. We turn to our second praise, number 46. He is well-known words, the tune is Stroudwater. Verses 1 to 7. And you'll notice here the strength of the Lord's people, known from the Lord, even considering it in our Old Testament reading. Number 46 verses 1 to 7, God is our refuge and our strength in straights of present day, therefore although the earth remove, we will not be afraid. God is our refuge and our strength, His grace our present day. Let moral love be our trigger, we will not be afraid. ♪ The hills are rich, the seas becast ♪ ♪ And waters roaring may ♪ ♪ And travel be, yea, o'er the hills to the sea ♪ ♪ By swelling streams to shake ♪ ♪ A river is to streams to grant ♪ ♪ The city of the Lord ♪ The holy place wherein the Lord, much high, hath built the world. God in the midst of earth and hell, Nothing shall help remove the Lord to her, and help her will, and that righteously prove. The heathen rage tumultuously, the kingdoms move and blur. The Lord God uttereth His voice, The earth did melt for him. The Lord of Hosts, upon the sight of constantly remain, the God of Jaders, our refuge, Our new testament reading is to be found in Ephesians, the third chapter, and we're reading through verse one. Our consecutive reading in Ephesians, the third chapter, and we're reading through verse one. For this cause I implore the person of Jesus Christ, Jesus Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you, but how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore him few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge and the mystery of Christ. which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fair-wears, of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel, whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God, given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. through the intent that now and to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that she think not of my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Let us continue with prayer. Almighty God, we have heard those words and we will give thee the praise. None to thee be the glory, unto him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. And we in our generation would give Him the glory, our blessed Saviour, for He is King and Head of the Church. And Lord, those words bring us comfort, because we know as we look to the future, there will be others to come. Until He comes again, that we'll be found giving Him the glory, and then forever. Lord, as we consider tonight the final state, how blessed we are. We shall be there, we won't, be there because of anything we have done. It's all of thee. We don't deserve to be there, but we will be there, and we will give him the glory forever and ever. We will bless thee, our triumvirate, and say worthy thou art. O Lord, help us to look beyond this spell to heaven and to eternity, and may we know that comfort and peace in our hearts. May we view that time when time shall be no more, but yet we will be there with thee. Oh, what a prospect we have. May we remember home on the journey, and do strengthen us on the journey with these promises, with these wonderful thoughts, O Lord, which are in thy word, how we need that strength. As we have read in Ephesians, do strengthen us in the inner man, And oh Lord, we pray for this strength in the inner man as we think of the context there, that we would focus on our beloved Saviour and we would come to understand more of Thy love which passeth knowledge. Lord, eternity is too short to get to the end of Thy grace, love and mercy. We'll never come to the end of it, we'll always be learning We'll be so aware of thy love, may we be more aware of it here below, Lord. Surround us with thy love, grasp us with thy love, support us, O Lord, and may we know a little more. Oh, to know more of Christ. Oh, we pray that we would this week, on our own, spend time thinking about his person, his excellencies, his love and care over us. Oh, to think more of him. We don't think enough of thee, Lord. Oh, to think more of him, maybe whilst we're driving the car this week, or on the way to work, on the way to work, walking. Oh, to think of our beloved Saviour. Oh, to know that warmth within in thinking of him, we pray. How we need thee, O Lord. How blessed we are, we're a pilgrim on the way to heaven. But Lord, we need thee on the journey, as we considered last week, we need that direction. Apply the word to us tonight, and each and every day, may the Spirit take the word we beseech thee, and help us, may we know that little revival, In our own lives, oh Lord, we pray for church revival. Will Thou not revive us in the midst of the years? We pray for personal revival. We know what it is to have personal declension. We know what it is to be weak. Oh, may we know that reviving, that's quickening, that's strengthening within. We wait on Thee. Renew our strength, Lord. We bring the promise to Thee in our weakness. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Fulfil thy word, we say it with utmost care. Fulfil thy word and strengthen us for this week, we pray. We do thank thee for the freedom we have to come and worship thee. We remember tonight so many. Our hearts go out to the true believers in Nigeria. Oh, we pray for them. Those who cannot meet because of fear, Oh, we can't really take it in to be fearful of the authorities and not able to worship thee together. Be with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Nigeria, in North Korea, parts of China, vast countries. We pray for those in China who cannot, from a human point of view, get to a church. Oh, we pray for them. May it be that they would hear a recording May it be that in quietness could read thy word tonight. We pray for those in China, North Korea, many other places. We thank thee that everyone who is so suffering is seen by thee now. O send strength, send grace, we pray this night. Be with the persecuted church in this world. O Lord, support, we pray. All who will live Godly shall suffer persecution. Some are suffering and have done to such a measure, but we all do to some measure. Give us grace to be faithful to thee, a light in the darkness, a faithful witness, salt and light. Use us, Lord, we pray. We beseech thee. We pray for those who know the frailty of the flesh. We remember Dorothy here. Be her refuge tonight and her strength. For those who are here who are struggling in the flesh, be with them. We pray for them. We pray for John and for others. We pray for those who face other burdens, we pray for Lance and Jennifer, and we do commit them today as they mourn the loss of Jennifer's mother. Undertaken every way, we fall tonight at the one who heals the broken in heart. broken in affliction, O may there be that touch from the physician, that help from above, that consolation from the consolation of Israel. Draw near, go before them, may they know that peace and that strength. We pray for others, O Lord, we pray for wrath not here today, we pray for her, we commit her unto thee. We do pray for a great work of the Holy Spirit in the nation. How we need Thee, O Lord. How we need Thee in the Church. O come, may there be never-storing, may there be such a hunger for the Word. O, we pray for these things. Conviction in a day of revival. Lord, this crying out for mercy. O, hear us in these things. We pray, hear our prayers in these things. We thank thee for thy mercy towards us throughout another week, for thy care over us. We think of those disciples in their fear, they cry out to Jesus, Master, careless thou not that we perish? They took their eyes off their Master whilst they were looking at him. May we not take our eyes off the Master, for thou dost care. And may we bring our care and lay it down at thy feet, Lord, for thou dost care for us. all go before us, build us up here spiritually, add others to us, Lord, we pray for this in the community, we thank thee for the opportunity yesterday, for those who came in, we thank thee for the fellowship that was known here, amongst thy people, continue to bless that, Lord, and for those who came in, may they continue to witness the love O Lord, as Jesus spake unto them, we pray, draw people to thyself. We pray that the shepherd will be going into the homes of this community until he finds lost wandering sheep. O may the shepherd be going forth and further the field May many young people be drawn to the Saviour. Children, Lord, what a day for children to grow up in. A measure of peace, unlike those days of war eighty or so years ago. But oh, what has happened to us as a nation. We pray for the children. Oh, may the tide turn. We pray many children will be drawn to the Saviour. The shepherd will gather up so many lambs in his arms. We pray for those that are strangers to grace in our families. We pray for a while now. We pray again. Lord, if it be thy will, open their hearts even tonight, Lord. We think of the Apostle Paul. Suddenly he met Jesus. Oh, may it be so even tonight. Maybe on a journey they are like Paul. May it be that thou does intervene, O Lord. O hear our prayers, then, we bring them to thee, and we bring our hearts to thee. When thou saidst, Sheekie, my faith, my heart said unto me, thy faith, O Lord, will I see. We bring our thanksgiving, thou hast been so kind to us today, and over this past week, and throughout our lives, so very kind. We give thee our praise. Blessed be thy name, for Christ's sake. Amen. Amen. Number 68, number 68, we're singing from the third verse to verse 6 and then verses 10 through to verse 11. If you go through this cycle, you'll note the relevance of these words tonight. We choose contemplation, number 68, verses 3 to 6 and then verses 10 to 11. But let the righteous be glad, Let them before God's sight be very joyful, yea, let them rejoice with all their might. Then notice verse 10. The congregation then did make their habitation there of thine own goodness for the poor. O God, thou didst prepare. The Lord himself did give the word. The word abroad did spread. Great was the company. of them the same who publish it. We think the Apostle Paul had the law called and he preached the word of God. Numbers 68 verses 3 to 6 and then verses 10 to 11 and the Church's contemplation. but let the righteous be glad, let them behold the sight. Be glad, rejoice, all ye heathen, Rejoice with open eyes. To God sing, to His name sing praise. Exult Him with your voice. That rise again by His manger, Here for His face rejoice. because the Lord our Father is unto the Fatherless. Lord, it is the widow's charge within His place of holiness. God doth the solitary set In families and from bands. The shade doth bring the meadows dear, In hand with potted plants. Thy concregation let it make, their habitation there. Of the iron goodness of the poor, O God, how dear is repair! The Lord himself did give the Word, the Word approved his praise. Great was the company of them, the Savior and Publisher. There's just one more notice to add tonight, and that is the special meeting in Totten this coming Saturday. I haven't got the time, but I know the notice is on the notice board. The November Bible ministry in Totten this coming Saturday. So I do commend that meeting to you, at least for your prayers, if you're not able to attend. So let's do remember that meeting. The details are on the board in the vestibule. Well, we continue in our series, The Pilgrim's Journey. If you recall, the first most evening in the series, we considered the beginning. Then last week, we considered direction for the journey. Well, tonight, the third in the series, I'd like us to consider from Psalm 27, strength for the pilgrim, strength for the pilgrim, and how needful this is. We are so blessed, we don't belong to this world, we belong to Christ and we belong to heaven. We're making our way, our journey to heaven, but we're so weak. We need the Lord's help. You remember those words of the Lord Jesus Christ, without me, ye can do nothing. And I begin with myself, how often I forget those words. Oh, to pray more. Oh, to see our need of him more. And you know, when we see our need of Him, when we feel our weakness and we pray for strength, that, at that very moment, is an evidence of growth, that we're growing because we see our need of Jesus. We need to lean on our guide through this world. Blessed are the times when we lean on Him feeling our weakness, we're growing at such a time. Well, tonight then, the theme is strength for the pilgrim, strength for the pilgrim. If you attended me to Psalm 27 verse 14 tonight, Psalm 27 verse 14, wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen my heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Dear congregation, are you waiting tonight at the beginning of this week? Wait on the Lord. Now in a moment, but consider it was a word for the psalmist himself, but also it was a word for those who were listening. We need to speak to our own soul to wait on the Lord before we can encourage anyone else to do so. Are you waiting on the Lord? You need Him this week. You need that strength from Him. Don't look with Him. Look out. Look up. Look to Christ. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage with me so strengthen my heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Do you notice he says it twice? Wait, wait, are you waiting at this very moment? Well, the text is, wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen my heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Dear congregation, the believer, the Christian, on the journey towards the heavenly city, enjoys certain privileges in which they rejoice. It's not all tears, is it? It is a veil of tears. And there's many a tear that flows down the cheek, but it's not all tears. You look back in your life as a believer, there's been times when you've been in the feet of Jesus, doing what? Rejoicing in Him. That's your experience, isn't it? It's not all tears. There's certain privileges in which the Christian rejoices. There are the green pastures. Certain times on the journey, one can consider, how much more can I bear? The shepherd then leads them to a green pasture, because the shepherd knows that they need that green pasture, and they enter the green pasture, and what does he do? He causes them to lie down. You can't do it of yourself, can you? But Christ can make you lie down, and blessed are the times when the green pasture is before you, and you not only see it, but you enjoy it, because the shepherd makes you lie down, and then he leads you to the still waters. I've said this many a time before, you know the contrast now, don't you? In Psalm 23, to the valley and there's still waters. In the valley, the root of the word, which is translated as valley, there's flowing waters. We think of a gorge, a deep valley, and at the bottom of the valley, from the Hebrew, is flowing waters, and it's hard work, isn't it? Going through a valley, against the tide, against these flowing waters, Not easy walking, but the Lord brings you to the still waters. There's the contrast in the psalm. It's not all flowing waters. The promise is he is with us in the flurts of the fires of the rivers, but in his mercy he brings us to the still waters. That we might know refreshment for our soul. Well, we know these blessings, privileges in which we rejoice, however, Having said these things, the blessings we enjoy because the Lord knows our need, we can be weary on the journey. Our Lord on a certain day was weary with his journey. John 4 verse 6, now Jacob's well was there, Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. Just consider it, he who was God, here upon earth, knew weariness in his human nature, in his flesh. Just think of it, your saviour who upholds you tonight. You're in his hands, you're supported by him. He knew what it was to be weary here upon earth. And his interesting words, being weary, being wearied with his journey. It was a long journey. He was weary on the journey and in the prospect of the Miles he had yet to walk. He was weary and he sucked us on the ground. He understands. He was making a journey. You're making a journey. You're making the journey towards heaven. There are times when you get weary, when you feel your weakness and so you cry out to the Lord. The psalmist, feeling his weakness, cried out to the Lord. Psalm 119, verse 28, My soul melteth for heaviness. Strengthen thou me according unto thy word. My soul melteth. It's one thing to know weariness in the flesh. That's not easy. But weariness within. This melting within because of heaviness. My soul melteth for heaviness, says the psalmist. Christ knew what it was to have a heavy heart. Well, you read of it in the Garden of Gifts, and he understands what a soreness his soul is melting. And he cries out, strengthen now me according unto thy word, and so do we. We cry out because we need more grace. Every day you need more grace. Sometimes our trials make us recognize we need more grace. Sometimes, not always, but sometimes when things are a little smoother, we don't recognize always as much the need we have of strength as we do when things are hard. We cry out to the Lord, here we have this word for us tonight on the journey as we think of the pilgrim journey wait on the lord be of good courage and he says strengthen my heart wait i say on the lord now just pause it begins with the lord doesn't it we consider that The beginning of the journey begins with the Lord. We need direction on the journey, so we're to look to the Lord. Tonight, we need strength. And where are we to look? We're to look to the Lord. Wait, wait on the Lord. Be of good courage and He shall strengthen my heart. Wait, I say on the Lord. You notice, it has to be said again. And I begin with myself. The Lord has to tell me again. Does He have to tell you again? wait the psalmist is speaking but it's the lord speaking through the psalmist wait on the lord and what do we read at the end of the verse wait i say come again speak to me draw my attention remember the disciples the lord came peace be unto you what happened the following week peace be unto you he said again let not your heart be troubled he said to his disciples in john 14 and later down in verse 27 let not your heart be troubled they knew a measure of calm but trouble came in the lord needs to keep coming and say the same thing and on the journey the lord needs to come and say this wait wait Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen my heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Wait. You know, when I was a boy, I found my mother having to say the same thing every day. Our Heavenly Father will say the same thing every day. Are you listening? Wait on me. We have here the word wait. It means to expect, to look, to tarry, There will be the exercise of faith, there will be a prayerful spirit and humility arising within because one knows they need the Lord. Do you recognize that tonight? Wherever you are on the journey, you need the Lord this week. So there's humility. One looks up. Well, we haven't got time to look at the whole psalm as much here. We come to the end of the psalm tonight. And we consider this word waiting on the Lord. What are we waiting for? Well, we're waiting for the Lord to come and strengthen us particularly. For we know that in the middle of the verse, he shall strengthen thine heart. Just briefly turn with me to Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 40, and the final part of the chapter. Isaiah chapter 40, you know how that chapter begins. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. There needs to be the ministry of warning, but there needs to be the ministry of comfort. God's servants need to bring messages of comfort as well. Their commission to do so begins with a word of comfort and then ends with a word of comfort. Notice verse 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Are you weary tonight? Are you tired tonight? Are you going to wait on the Lord? And we say without much care, here's the promise, Lord. I'm weary, I'm worn out, but here's the promise. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. You keep looking, for strength is on its way. Yesterday, I looked out from the beaches of Normandy towards England. What a vast channel it is. And there were many in Normandy waiting for help. Are you waiting tonight for the Lord's help? It's sufficient, my grace is sufficient. So, Sir Lord, are you waiting for it? You've looked to the Lord. Well, for the remainder of the time, time has passed already so quickly. First of all, strength our need, and then secondly, strength we receive. Firstly strength our need and then secondly strength we receive. What do we need tonight at the beginning of this week? It's not a bigger house is it? It's the Lord and his strength. That's what we need, isn't it? Strength, our need. Now just consider the context here. The psalmist, he was in difficulty. He considers his enemy. Now he's so thankful for the Lord and his help thus far, but he's aware of those who still were around who were his enemies. Notice verse 12, deliver me not over into the will of mine enemies, for false witnesses are risen up against me and such as grieve out cruelty, deliver me not over into the will of mine enemies. And then notice verse 13, I have fainted unless I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He's facing a battle, he's thankful for past deliverances but he's facing a battle and he feels weary and he knows left to himself here faint I had fainted unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He was in need. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Now just pause, we touched on this earlier. Notice verse 13, I had fainted unless I believed. He was at such a point, he was nearly at the point of fainting afterwards. He was at the point of weariness. Such exhaustion! And have that in mind. And then in verse 14 we read, wait on the Lord. So first of all, as many of you old preachers have pointed out, it was a word to himself first. Wait on the Lord. And there's a lesson. If we are to be a help to another by encouraging them to wait on the Lord, we need to wait on the Lord ourselves. Let's wait on the Lord. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage. It's a word to himself. Now, let me just open this up a little, go to Psalm 103. Psalm 103 and the first verse. What does the Psalm say? Psalm 103, verse 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Now, how many of the Lord's people through those words have been helped to praise or bless the name of the Lord but you notice it begins with the psalmist first of all bless the Lord oh my soul and there's times when we need to have a little talk with ourselves first bless the Lord bless him though he slay me yet will I trust him bless the Lord Oh, my son. We're here. Wait on the Lord. It was a word for the psalmist first, but then it's a word for those who would read and listen here to the psalmist. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. I've known strength. I need present strength, and so do you. That's the background here. The context. There was the need of strength. The psalmist needed it. There was the battle, and so do you. We face a battle with the evil one. Finally, my brethren, put on the whole armour of God, says the Apostle. We'll come to that in our consecutive readings. We're in a battle. Now the Lord Jesus Christ is the victorious one, and he will defend us, but we need to battle. How important that is. We need strength for the battle. The fiery darts can come, the whispers, and we can be weary in the battle as the darts come. We need strength. You need it, I need it, and where do we so need it? We need it within. Tell me to Psalm 138, the third verse. In the day when I cry, thou answer'st me, and strengthen'st me with strength in my soul. We're so thankful for strength, aren't we, in our bodies, that we can go forward a little, may have been ill or been in hospital, and the Lord in this Mass, he revives a little, and he sends strength. We're able to go forward a little bit, and we're thankful for that, aren't we? Strength, maybe you've been in hospital, but You came home and you were able to carry on doing certain things, returning to church, so on and so forth, and we're grateful, aren't we? But where do we most need strength? We need it within, don't we? Strengthen us, me, with strength in my soul. Our souls can be melting at times. The psalmist knew what that was like. Our souls can be heavy. That's where we need strength, isn't it? Strength within. You know there is a connection, isn't there? There is a connection. When one is physically weary, that can have an effect, can't it? And you can feel weary within. Sometimes, not the case, one can know the frailty of the flesh, but inwardly there's strength, but there is a connection at times. One can be burdened as they're working hard, they're struggling. Oh, we so need strength. And where do we so need it? It's within. It's true, isn't it? You think of those disciples in the upper room. They were troubled. Their hearts were agitated. Let not your heart be troubled. What a word of strength. They would hear it again because they needed more strength. We need it within. Now we have the promise of it. Isaiah 41 verse 10. I will strengthen thee. That's the promise. You may feel weary within. You say to the Lord, Lord, thou hast promised to help me. Thou hast promised to strengthen me. You know, sometimes a child will go to their father or mother, you promised. The father or mother didn't do what they promised, but you'll never have that with your Heavenly Father. You'll never have that with your Triune God. He keeps His word, you need a strength tonight, I will strengthen thee. And He will do so in a gracious and merciful way because He knows your weakness. Why does He strengthen us? Because we get weary and weak. He knows our frailty, so in His mercy He comes, He knows. Psalm 103 verse 14, for he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are thus a frame, he knows everything. He knows all the struggles you face in your body and also within. Every part, he knows the struggles in every faculty of the soul. In your memory, your affection, your will and so on and so forth, he knows. He knows us all together. He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust. From the dust to the dust. That our lives are so short. Our bodies crumble. He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust. He knows the struggles in our body and he knows the struggles in our mind and our heart. He knows He remembers. He knows if that's mercy or freedom. He remembers that we are dust. He knows tonight. You may be thinking here, well, the person next door to me, or the person at the back or the front, they don't know, but he knows. I visited a number of tombs this week. No name inscribed on the tomb, but just this at the bottom. Known unto God. And I went to one of Sharon's uncles. Did you see this? And he said, yes, I've seen them all around the graveyard, the cemetery, here. Known unto God. We don't know their name, but God knows. And you may have struggle or burn. No one else knows, but God knows. He knoweth our frame. He knows that we need strength. He knows how weak we get. You know how it is, you can be working long and he's just exhausted. Last year I was asked to cut down a tree. Sharon's uncle and auntie asked me to cut down this tree. It didn't look too big until you got up to the top. For hour after hour with the chainsaws and rugs, cutting, lowering a branch so not to damage anything near to the garage. Hour after hour, I stuck at it. The next morning I was so exhausted. Sharon contacted her auntie. So was her husband. Though he didn't go up the tree, he was on the ropes and he was helping moving logs. We get tired, don't we? We get tired within. We get weary. There's exhaustion. We get tired, do we not? Remember the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Lord was in agony. He was back laying. He came and found his disciples asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. Our eyes get heavy, don't they? We need strength. We need physical strength, but we need strength in our minds. What did the psalmist say in Psalm 73, verse 26? My flesh and my heart faileth. You been there? my flesh and my heart faileth, the word faileth from the hebrews translated as faileth means be completed and then finished accomplished i am nearly at that point i've got no more strength that's when the lord comes and it's precious isn't it sometimes we find ourselves at such a point And in Providence we've been brought to that point where on the ground and then we look up to him and strength comes. My flesh and my heart faileth, says the psalmist, but God is the strength of my heart. What a point he had come to. My flesh, my heart is failing, but then strength comes. God is the strength of my heart and he comes in. A heavy heart, a great burden can bring exhaustion and make you feel weak. Let's go back to the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26, verse 37. Remember the Lord Jesus. He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Very heavy, full of heaviness, trouble. He was so burdened, so heavy. Oh, what he experienced in the garden of Gethsemane, and it would just increase. You remember, he struggled on the way to Golgotha, and they compelled Simon Cyrene to bear the cross. They didn't want the Lord to fall to the ground and die there. They wanted a public execution, so they compelled Simon Cyrene. Remember this? He was so burdened, our Lord, carrying the cross, so Simon came, but he took another burden. Oh, what a burden was in his heart, he felt so very heavy. Go back to the Garden of Gethsemane, what are we told? In all his heaviness and sorrow, Luke 22 verse 43, and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. His heart was so full, it was so heavy, but the angel was there, strengthening him. Oh, what heaviness he knew within his human nature. He felt so weak there in the garden, particularly within his heart. He was brought so very low. We experience times of lowness and weakness on the journey. Remember Jesus again, he sat by the well because he was weary with the journey. We need strength. It's not easy at times, is it? There's some blessed times. Coming together to worship the Lord. The Lord's days can be the highlights, can't they? Times of fellowship. Times when we know the love visits of Christ. Let me ask you, when did you know a special love visit of Christ? When you were so aware of him. It doesn't happen every day. But there's particular times I remember I was studying in the office one Friday afternoon a few years ago, and I just came through a love visit of Christ. I was so aware of Jesus. I found him and would not let him go. Oh, there are those precious times, but we get weary on the journey. There's battles we face, storms we encounter, perplexing situations which surround us, and we just are drained, we're burdened, some burden lays on the mind. Go back to Psalm 119, verse 28. My soul melted for heaviness, this melting, strengthen thou me according unto thy word. There's this melting through the heat of affliction. If you leave a chocolate bar, I did this the other day, a couple of weeks ago when it was a little warmer. I left it outside. I suddenly saw it, so I picked it up and put it in my pocket. And then I brought it home and put it in the fridge. And I had it later. I wasn't going to undo the packet. The chocolate melted because of the heat. Some affliction, like the heat of the sun, melts the soul. and we're weary, we're tired. Listen to Matthew Henry the Puritan. Heaviness in the heart of man makes it to melt, to drop away like a candle that wastes. The penitent soul melts in sorrow for sin, and even the patient soul may melt in the sense of affliction. We can know strength one day, but the next day we're melting. You know, it's cold, isn't it? We're not melting in here, are we? If the Lord spares us in six months' time, we may be melting again. It's amazing, isn't it? We're sat here tonight, not over warm at the moment, outside is it, but a few months' time we'll be saying, it's so hot, it's so hot. It was so cold in France yesterday. I got to Portsmouth and I didn't realize how warm it was here. You've been enjoying the warmth yesterday. In France, it was bitterly cold. Oh, there comes the times of winter, but then also we feel the melting through this affliction. There can be the broken heart, the shattering within, and it affects the mind, and it's hard to focus. Turn with me to Psalm 69 verse 20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. Two things there, reproach hath broken my heart, my heart is broken, shattered, and I am heavy now. And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found not. I was looking, where are they? I looked for some, my heart was broken, literally from the heathen, to burst, to break, to crush, to hurt, to tear. Is your heart torn? Well, it's clear evidence you need more strength, isn't it? One can have a broken heart, one can have low thoughts, like the fog, it comes. One can be anxious and there's the struggles. Many believers suffer in the mind and feel weakness. Oh, we need strength. We can be weak and heavy because of our enemies who speak against us. Nehemiah 6 verse 9, for they all make us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work that had been not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Those that oppose the work, their hands will be weakened. Look at that small congregation. What can they do? They can pray. Their hands are weak, but not too weak to put them together to pray. Are your hands too weak to put them together to pray? What can these feeble Jews do? The enemy said to the Jews and the empire. Well, they can pray to God who strengthens. Oh, we need strength, do we not? Oh, look to Him. Rest in Him. And remember your sympathising high priest, we've touched on this already tonight, he was weary on the journey. When he made his way into the Garden of Gethsemane before he went to the cross, he knew a heavy heart, he knew such a heavy heart. Oh, we have a high priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities. We will never know such sorrow that he did, and are we not thankful for that? But he is touched. I was reading again in France the book, quite fascinated with the book, over 30 reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ came, and I read that chapter again, that he might have a fellow feeling. We read a bit in Hebrews, he's touched, he understands, he knows what it was like to be weary on the journey. I will turn to him tonight. He understands you. What of old roads? Are we weak and heavy laden? Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour stood at our refuge. Take it to the Lord in prayer. You take it to him. What do we read here? Wait. You need more, don't you? You need more grace. You need more light. You need more strength. You need more help. Take it. yourself to the Lord, and take the situation to the Lord. You're weak, you're heavy laden, you're cumbered with care, bring it to the Lord. Cast all your care on Him, for He careth for you, He cares for you now. Are you going then? Are you waiting? Are you looking? I need strength, Lord, so I'm looking in the right direction. We must close. Strength we receive. Strength we receive. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Wait! Here's a promise. He shall strengthen thy heart. And let me pause. Look back tonight. It's true, isn't it? You've learnt it by experience. Strength came. You know the promise, but you've learnt it by experience. He cannot lie. Titus 1 verse 2, in hope of eternal life with God, thou cannot lie, promised before the world began. He cannot lie. He's going to strengthen you. Do you believe that? Or are you not exercising faith? Are you like Peter? You're sinking. You relocate. You were exercising faith. You were believing you were going to be strengthened. But then what did you do? You went and looked at the storm. We've all done it, haven't we? The way back last night, you sat here enjoying your pizzas. I could hardly walk straight down the corridor. I had had a meal a little earlier than you had your pizzas. I wish I'd never had the meal. Thankfully, I kept hold of it. Oh, we struggle at times. We go sinking like Peter. Oh, refocus. Strength will come. He shall. What do we read here? You read it. He shall strengthen thy heart. You love the Lord. You have faith. You have grace within. You will have strength in your hour of need. You think of those in Normandy. They were waiting. And some of them never saw the light of a better day. You're waiting. You're going to see the light of a better day in your life. The wait will be over. Here upon earth may be suddenly a death. The wait will be over and strength will come. Strength will return. How quickly it's got dark tonight. I was taken back by that. Coming back from Glyncourt, came here, came inside. It's getting dark, it's half three. Soon it's winter again. And we feel the cold, but the spring warmth returns. In the far north of Sweden, for a little while the sun does not rise above the horizon. For about a month, we're told, in the depths of winter. Imagine that, in the north of Sweden, not seeing the sun for a month. That would be hard, wouldn't it? But it returns, and so strength will return. Do you feel weak tonight? It will give way to strength. It will give way to strength. Turn with me to Isaiah 40, time is gone, but I'll read again verse 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Sometimes we just can't think, running again? Knowing such a skit as it were, knowing what the psalmist said, my soul followeth hard after thee. That's running, isn't it? In our weakness we feel, how can I do that again? Through my beloved Saviour I come. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Strength renewed, or there be the need of eternal, who will get weary again, but there's strength renewed as with knowing. Isaiah 41, a change, a springing up, a sprouting. You think after the cold winter, the grass sprouts up again in the field and it appears through the snow. A change for the better, a turning of the corner. They shall renew their strength. Do you feel weary tonight? Because of your covenant God with another Savior, a change for the better is coming. He shall strengthen thine heart. Now in closing, consider you may know much weakness in the valley, but a change for the better is coming at the end of the valley. He will renew your strength and in a greater change you'll be perfect and your souls see him. and you'll consider his hands and the nail prints. Ah, there were the hands that held me. Oh, there will be a change for the better. I want to wait on the Lord. For a change for the better. Wait on the Lord, be a good courage. He shall strengthen thine heart. You look at yourself, You won't get very far. You look at the situation, you won't get very far there. You look to the Lord. There'll be a change for the better. You may say, but what about the next day? And the next day? And it seems a long time. It will come. You still have life tonight, don't you? There's been His strengthening grace, supporting you. You may have felt weak, but you haven't sunk to the bottom, have you? Your soul hasn't melted totally away, has it? No! He's been supporting you. And then there will come the renewing of strength. Oh, what a blessing that is. It will come. Let us pray. And Lord, we will go waiting. Help us to wait more in our lives. Help us to trust in thee and lean not unto our own understandings. Lord, we've done it and we've learnt by experience how weak we are. O Lord, help us to trust thee. Help us to wait. We bring the promise of the text tonight. We thank you, O Lord, on our way to the celestial city. We're uphill, we don't belong to this world, but we're weak and weary at times. Lord, renew our strength for tomorrow. Renew our strength to take another foot forward in the Christian journey. Help us in the battle, help us in the barriers, help us in the storms. Renew us there for the strength within us. Oh Lord, we pray, how we need thee. We dare not take one step to night without day. Forgive us when we don't pray about everything as we ought to, every junction, every crossroad. Lord, hear the groanings of our hearts in our weakness. Hear our prayers. Help us, O Lord. And may we remember when we are heavy, cast down, weary with our journey, there was once one here upon earth the one who supports us now, the one we're going to see at the end of our journey, our beloved Saviour. Blessed Saviour, we thank Thee that Thou dost understand us in a special way. May our eyes be drawn towards Thee. Hear our prayer, Lord, for Christ's sake. Amen. Well, let's conclude that by turning to the final praise, number 130, the Tudor's humility, the psalm, Lord, from the depths of thee I cry, and particularly note the words and might of what we consider tonight, I wait for God. You're waiting for God. That's amazing. But it's also wonderful, is it not? Number 130. Lord, from the depths to Thee I cry, my voice, Lord, do Thou hear? Unto my supplication voice, If I love them, is it fair? Those who shall stand in vow for the Lord, should not iniquity But gently forgive their sins, that with Thou mayest be. I wait for God, my song awaits. My hope is in His word. More than they can or more need watch, ♪ My soul waits for the Lord ♪ ♪ I say more than they've had to watch ♪ ♪ The morning light to see ♪ ♪ Let Israel hear my call ♪ Hope in the Lord, for with him mercy's free. And plenty of redemption is ever found with him. And from all his iniquities, he is well shall redeem. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Amen.