Lord, help us to commence this worship by singing hymn number 304. Hymn 304. Lord, what a riddle is my soul. Alive when wounded, dead when whole. Fondly I flee from pain, yet ease cannot content, nor pleasure please. Hymn 304. you Oh, come all ye faithful Oh May my days be filled with joy and peace, filled with the love and grace of Jesus. Let us read for our instruction from the word of God out of the book of the prophet Jeremiah in the 30th chapter. Jeremiah chapter 30. The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book, Lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and Judah, saith the Lord, and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. These are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord, We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth prevail with child. Wherefore do I see every man, with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness. Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off my neck, and whereburst thy bonds and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him. but thou shalt serve the Lord, their God, and David their King, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord. Neither be dismayed, O Israel, for lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee. Though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up. Thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee. They seek thee not. For I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased. Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity. Because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore, all they that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity, and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord, because they called thee an outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places, and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving, and the voice of them that make merry. And I will multiply them, and they shall not be few. I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them, and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me. For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord? And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind. It shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it. and until he hath performed the intents of his heart, in the latter days ye shall consider it. May the Lord bless the reading of his holy word. May the Lord teach us to pray. O Thou Almighty Eternal God, how we need much help to come to Thee For, Lord, thou knowest in our hearts by nature there is such a diffidence to come, such a backwardness. O Lord, how we find it so hard. And yet, Lord, under troubles, when burdened, when pressed out of measure, then, Lord, O, we are compelled to come. Yea, Lord, we feel we have nowhere else then to go. Oh, that thou wilt help us now to come to thee. Thou knowest all that in and of ourselves we are full of sin. We cannot, Lord, bring forth anything good. We dare not speak of any fruit of ours, for it is all devoured. and all of our righteousness as filthy rice, for all we would come and plead, now that mercy through blood, we would plead that name of Jesus, we would ask for his sake, and we would humbly beg that thou would yet remember us for God and help, Lord. Thou knowest, Lord, that those who have come this evening who have come, Lord, with a hope, who have come, Lord, with that desire, with that longing that they might receive a portion, that there might be, Lord, some word for them. Oh, they long, Lord, to be fed. Oh, they long, Lord, to partake of heavenly truths and to have that feel upon their heart, that witness of the Spirit, For we pray that thou wilt be pleased, Lord, then to draw near unto such. And Lord, thou knowest, Lord, those who are longing that there might be that crumb, that falls from thy table even down to them, that they might hear then that greatest invitation for them to eat, to partake, to take it up, Lord, Lord, may it please thee to help such. Now knowest, Lord, that such are often times so afraid and so fearful. Lest, Lord, that they should be the hypocrite in taking. Lest, Lord, they should take that which does not belong. But, O Lord, we pray that to such this evening thou wilt give them lot of fear. It is for them. And then, Lord, O may they find their souls satisfied. May they feel, O something, of their hearts greatly humbled before Thee over Thy goodness. That they might, Lord, stand in awe and sin not, as they would reflect on their Lord's loving kindness and the multitude of Thy tender mercies. O how we long, Lord, that Thou would be pleased in this evening to speak through thy word. Lord, we pray that there may be now that application of the word upon our heart. Wilt thou, O Lord, give us by faith the view, something of the truth, that thy word sets forth? And O, may there be that moving of our heart and soul unto it. O, we would seek grace, Lord, this evening, that we may yet worship thee. Lord, what a sacred worship it will be if we may come like those in Thy Word and sit at Thy feet and hear Thy Word, to hear what God the Lord shall say. Oh, Lord, to have that Word opened up, that Word shining as a light upon our soul, into our heart, into the dark places. Oh, if we may feel a little, Lord, of that word purging the temple, cleansing, for Thou would do so by Thy word. And Lord, oh, we do need such cleansing. We confess it. We are the earth earthly. We are carnal. And Lord, oh, we have to confess it as we sung in our opening hymn, such an unsettledness about us. Oh, Lord, what sad creatures we are. O, we do marvel at Thy patience, Thy forbearance, that is continually lengthened out. Lord, O, we pray that Thou wilt come now. Thou surely knowest, Lord, that soul who feels his barrenness and emptiness and darkness. O, that Thou wilt come, Lord, then to turn their state O Lord, how wonderful it is when thou doest that for thy people. And how we long, Lord, too, that we might be favoured to have that glimpse of Christ at Calvary. For that, Lord, surely shall purge us. O, that shall quicken our hearts. That, indeed, shall bring repentance. that shall cause us, Lord, to abhor sin. In all the appearance of it, we might but get a glimpse, a little sight, if that curtain might be opened up, the veil removed, that we, Lord, there may see and look on with holy wonder, and be to be able, Lord, to feel that we have an interest in it that all that was done there all accomplished was even for us oh Lord hear us then in this and help us oh these are the things Lord which make religion real and only this Lord gives that vitality that life everything else Lord comes short All else is of man. The flesh is cursed. And Lord, oh, how much of us is cursed. Oh, come now, we pray. All that thou wilt undertake. That thou wilt be pleased then to speak unto those whose hearts this evening do ache and groan and sigh. And who, Lord, heave oftentimes who long, Lord, that there might be even for them that little help. O come, Lord, we pray. We pray too that Thou wouldst so help the dear friends this evening, many who have been engaged in all the activities of the day, the labours, the duties, the pressing matters, things in the home and out of the home, Thou knowest, Lord, each one. But, O, that Thou wouldst know God. Give them that grace that they may come away, be raised above it, that they may forget for a little season all these things. And, Lord, many things are oppressing, and they are real. It is not that they are sinful in themselves. And yet, Lord, how like Martha, We are careful and troubled with them. We cannot, Lord, forget or lay aside. But we pray that Thou would know and would appeal. And hear us and help. Oh, how we long, Lord, for something real, something true. Something of vital godliness. Something of the Spirit within. that we may taste and see that the Lord is gracious. Oh, that we may be a partaker of that heavenly calling. Oh, that we pray that thou wilt give this evening that we may truly find that the provisions thy house are sufficient. We shall be abundantly satisfied therein. Oh, that thou wilt hear us in this. Surely thou knowest, Lord, those who have their trying matters. In that way we think especially of the young friend in hospital this evening. Thou knowest, Lord, her every need, the need of her body. Will thou, Lord, grant that wisdom and understanding unto the physicians? May there be some relief found and granted. But thou knowest all the fears, O, that thou, God, wilt yet appear. Stay there her mind, the mind of her parents and family upon thee. Draw them near to thee. May they prove, Lord, that in these things is the life of the soul, O, that it could be so for them. What thou sow, come, Lord, and bless. We pray, O God, that Thou wouldst then grant that it might be for them of our help to cast their burden upon the Lord. Others too, Lord, who have their matters troublesome, burdensome. That thorn in the flesh that seems to just keep wearing them down. Oh, how they find, Lord, it weakens their strength in the way. but Thou, Lord, give that grace to bear up, to endure, to press on. Oh, surely, Lord, Thou knowest that path Thou hast walked it. Thou dost understand. Thou canst sympathise. Thine heart is touched with it. Oh, what Thou, Lord, then comforts that How we pray, O God, that Thou wilt bless each of the friends, the little ones, young friends, be gracious and merciful. And how we pray, O God, especially for them, that there may be that beginning work, that tender fear of God, a simple approaching and a calling upon Thee. Oh, that thou wilt look upon such, Lord, in mercy. We pray for even those who have come to old age and all their need. And Lord, they are brought at that time when now surely death is at the door. Oh, may there be a right preparation. Oh, may they be found, Lord, well prepared that they might be found at thy right hand. Oh, we need grace, Lord, continually to pray that thou wilt clothe us in that righteousness. Take away our sins. Make us ready. Oh, we come now, Lord, asking that thou wilt hear us in all these things. Oh, forgive the many sins. Lord, we cannot name them all, but Thou knowest them all. And we do bless Thee for that word, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. Oh, then may that blood be made manifest here and in our souls. We thank Thee then for the mercies, for Thy care, Thy comforts, Thy kindness toward us. O receive us now, as we would humbly ask for Jesus' sake. Amen. Let us continue by singing hymn number 289. Thus far my God has led me on. and made his truth and mercy known. My hopes and fears all turn at rise, and comforts mingle with my sighs." Aum. I know I think of my best love. you you So you can almost help but erect your thoughts this evening over to the 34th Psalm. Psalm chapter 34. And reading The 15th verse. Excuse me, the 17th verse. Psalm 34, verse 17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. And that will be something of a great burden and concern to souls that are taught, souls led of the Spirit of God. For they feel so often that they are missing that deliverance. They feel so much that they are coming short they wonder if they will ever know something of that deliverance that they read of in the Word of God, that they read of in the cases of the Lord's people. Oh, how can it be that they who are so poor, so sinful, so vile, should really receive such deliverances? And if there is something of that in your soul this evening. If there is that need of something of this deliverance. Of many deliverances. You see, it's not just one deliverance that a soul will need. It's not just a single deliverance that they are in need of. They will need many deliverances. Many. Remember this. that Paul, when writing to the Corinthians, speaks, who hath delivered, many deliverance is past, who doth deliver, many deliverance is present, and who shall yet deliver, many deliverance is future. The righteous crowd And the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. For you see, this is the one thing that will mark the family of God. This will mark those souls who are taught and led of God. This will mark you if you are one of them. You will have troubles. Be sure of that. Many troubles. Troubles in various forms. You will know something of outward troubles, providential troubles. You will know something of inward troubles, and those are very cutting troubles. Those troubles which are outward and provident, they may be painful. The flesh, and we've been singing much of the flesh in all its struggles with them. And how the flesh is so uneasy. But oh, when there's that trouble within. When there's that soul trouble. When the Lord brings that down into a person's heart. Oh, he walks with such heavy steps. He can no longer go on in all the happy ways of the world. He can no longer run with the world. He can no longer follow its pleasures. For trouble is pressing him down. We know very well that when one is loaded down, he doesn't run very well at all. Oh, and speaking of those who did run in a race, they laid aside every weight. Oh, but you see, the Lord, He weighs His people down for them to run. How different it is, isn't it? Yes, they must lay aside the weights of the flesh, the world, its pleasures, its vanities. They need to lay aside those weights. For they will only keep the soul back But the thing which the Lord weighs His people down with, which He seems, as it were, to press them right down to the ground with. And so if you have some troubles of that sort, you'll know what I'm speaking of. And you think that those very things are driving you back. But secretly, mysteriously, wonderfully, they are the very things the Lord uses to bring these souls near. Oh, the Lord's ways are so strange, so deep, we do not understand. He He leads his people about in such diverse paths, such strange ways, such crooked paths, so that they cannot see their signs. They complain so much of that. And you will if you're one of them. Lord, I see not my signs. And it will become a wonder if ever you come right at last. Now there's some here tonight that, so do you feel that at times. It will be a wonder. A wonder above all wonders. If you come right at last. If you shall be brought finally to his right hand. a righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." Oh, you see, these troubles, we find that the Lord lays well upon His people. He sees that need for them. Remember how Jeremiah speaks in the Lamentations, in the opening chapters, I think it's once in the first and again in the second chapter, he speaks of how his bowels were so troubled. And you know, when we speak of the bowels, we speak of, shall we say, the tenderest, the most innermost being of a man. It's those bowels that we read of regarding that woman, the mother, whose child Solomon was about to cut in half. And the real mother, her bowels yearned for that child. Oh, it's the most tender of feelings. Those bowels. And Jeremiah felt something of that most tender of feelings. Troubled. So, do you have something of that? All those things which are so deep within you. Which lie so close. No man's hand can touch them. No man's eye can see them. The Lord, He knows them. And He knows those souls whose bowels are in such a place. And maybe there are some here tonight, you look back to some times, you look back at some past seasons, past trials, all the beginnings of grace in the heart, when there was something of those bowels, that were so burdened, as Jeremiah speaks, greatly burdened. So there's that pathway, of those bowels in such a burdened state. Those bowels, as it were, so pressed and bruised. And if that's what it is, you know, sometimes you may bruise your arm, bruise your leg. It's not broke. But the bruising is just as painful, if not more so. It's so tense. The Lord sometimes will bruise the bowels of His people like that. You see, this was something that the Saviour Himself knew. In the Gospel of John, we have three chapters running in which we read of the Lord with His trouble. And we might say, It was the bowels which were bruised. We lay that, we stood at Lazarus' tomb, and he saw Mary weeping, the Jews weeping with her. He groaned in spirit and was troubled. He was troubled. Oh, what a sight to see the dear Son of God To see that one who was able to do all things. Who knew what he was going to do in raising that brother of hers up. And yet, to see her. To see the people. He groans in spirit and was troubled. And that word in the margin, he troubled himself. As it were, he would come into that place, he would trouble himself so he would understand these poor sinners, these souls who themselves are so troubled and distressed. And then again, the next chapter, we find it spoken of him once again. When he speaks, now is my soul troubled. Here, he was now about to go to that cursed place, where he would be made a curse. And therefore, that's what it was. He understood that. And that curse was entered into his soul. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I on to this hour. Oh, now, his soul is bruised and troubled. Oh, if only we could have a glimpse of the precious Saviour in that place. Oh, what an effect it will have upon us if we truly have a sight by precious sight of the dear Saviour there. Oh, that God may grant that to us for His name's sake. Then in the 13th chapter, you see as he's getting closer and closer to the hour, when Jesus has said this, he was troubled in spirit. Troubled. And testified and said, verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. how different he was troubled and not so much that he was to be betrayed though he knew what that betrayal would mean but see he was troubled even for that one I'm not saying it was a saving trouble in essence but oh he was troubled in spirit he knew what it meant for that poor soul. It said unto him previously, let it work for that man never to have been born. Never. He was troubled. Oh, he knew something was part of the trouble that David here speaks of. Their troubles. Oh, but these troubles, dear friend, what troubles we are. We read that 30th chapter of Jeremiah this evening because in it, Jeremiah there speaks of the troubles that Israel were in and Judah. But how wonderfully he puts it. Alas, for that day is great, so that there's none like it. It is even the time of Jacob's come. Now, dear friend, are you one of God's Jacob's? I've asked the question many times of late. I've asked it respecting one of God's Jacob's which the Lord has spoken of. Jacob have I loved. To be one of God's Jacob's there. One of God's Jacob's when he testified, who art thou worm Jacob, thou shalt thrash the mountain. Oh to be one of God's Jacob's there. One of God's Jacob's. Those Jacob's of whom he said, Jacob is my firstborn. Jacob. One of God's Jacob's. Whom he allowed to wrestle with him. and prevail. But you see, those Jacobs, they will know something of this solemn place. The time of Jacob's troubles. But, he shall be saved out of it. Oh, there's the blessings of God's Jacobs. They will have their troubles. They do have their troubles. Those troubles are not lessened because they are God's Jacob. But they will be saved out of it. Truly, this is God's mercy unto them. Wonderful blessing for them. Their troubles. Job, that dear man, he knew of these troubles. How he cried out, Man is born. Man that was born of a woman A few dies and fall of trouble. Now see the comparison. Few dies but fall of trouble. Many dies of trouble. Job knew that. He struggled with it. He complained. So you may feel it and be distressed. These are those troubles that God brings upon his Jacobs, upon his Jobs. And again in the next chapter, the 15th chapter, trouble and anguish shall make him afraid. Oh dear friend, that's the effect of the trouble. It will make them afraid. Are you afraid tonight, son? Do you find fear at times to take such a hold? Again we read in the Psalms of his sore trouble. He said that sometimes that trouble, it may not be quite so sore, but oh when that sore trouble comes, oh that soul reels under it. We read again, that David speaks, trouble is near. He felt it, close at hand. And it may be that some tonight, you say that, Lord, trouble is near. And you're afraid. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Oh, but when the Lord brings his people into these districts and these places, they will cry out as David did in Psalm 25, the troubles of my heart are enlarged. Now you will define bad indeed as what is most grievous. The heart troubles. Troubles in your path. Troubles in providence. Troubles in the home. Troubles among relations. Troubles in the church of God. All are solemn. But as those heart troubles, these are they which hurt the most. And David speaks, the troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh, he felt that he was sinking under them. The more that they grew, the more he sank down. Oh, but you see, dear friend, this is what the Lord does. He brings his people into these straight, these great solemn places. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Well now, we come to the action that is taken by these in their trouble. And God has expressed in that word, cry. The righteous cry. I'm not going to deal with the term the righteous this evening. where you see it in the italics, it's not in the original. It's put in by the translators to make the reading more commendable. You want to know who cried? Who this man is that cried? If you go back to verse 6, David tells us this poor man cried. Are you a poor man tonight? Oh, are you poor in spirit? Do you feel poor before the Lord? Are you poor in Christ? Are you poor because of sin? Are you really poor? So that you have to say, Lord, I am poor and needy. For the need is those poor and needy ones who cry. The more they feel their need, the more they must cry. But oh, it's the poor who cry. Maybe some here tonight might be able to take comfort from that then. You think of the righteous cry, ah, but how dare you to think you're a righteous? When you look within, in its all dark, black, sinful, rebellious. We dare not say that we're righteous, but we can come with that poor one. Do you ever bless God, dear soul, that the Word of God comes down to such, that it speaks of such? And here there is that room then, for a poor, needy soul. They cry. So it's not only a poor man that cries. What do we read in the prophecy of Jeremiah or perhaps in the Sermon on the Ascension? Wherefore doth a living man cry? Now how different that marks these characters They are living men. Oh, they feel death in them. They feel death all around them. Oh, they feel the death of sin. They feel that death in their soul. If one were to ask them, are you alive under God? They wouldn't know perhaps how to answer. But they cry. Their cry tells who they are. They do not need to speak on that ground for themselves. But that which comes out of them, and so that you are one tonight who knows something at times of crying. Oh, do you cry inwardly? It may not be with outward words so much. Oh, that's not to be despised. But these do cry so much within. And oh, how they cry unto Him. And they are living souls. It's a wonderful thing to be a living soul in that way. To have that mark. Oh, that God may grant that unto many. That there might be those living souls. Oh, you remember what happened to Hezekiah when he was in his distress. Under his affliction, that sentence of death sat thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live. What did it do? Oh, it made that man cry so that he would have to write later, the living, the living. They shall praise Thee as I do this day." Now he could see what had taken place. His crying had brought forth the answer of God, the answer of peace, the answer of deliverance. God sent the prophet that with the word, there shall be 15 years added to thy life. And then there would be that Son that's given. The promise would be assured. The hope of yet the eternal life poor Hezekiah and all those that were with him. Are they assured of the living cry? Oh, defender, you have that mark tonight. That you are a living man, a living soul before the Lord. For they do cry. Again, who are those that cry? David speaks that the Lord hears the cry of the destitute. Now if a destitute souls that cry as well. It's not a very comfortable place to be. It's no place a soul can bring himself to be destitute. You know what it is to be destitute naturally when you just have nothing. A destitute one is one who comes with his great debt and he has nothing to pay. He's destitute. So have you something of that experience. Destitute. Oh, when you come before the Lord, have you something to bring? Or are you destitute? See, there are multitudes that die who think they can bring something. They bring something of their goodness. They bring something of their religiosity. They bring something of their association, or what things men will bring. But then they're not bringing a destitute state, are they? A destitute state, dear friend, is one who has to come, as the dear handwriting wrote it so beautifully. Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling. naked come to Thee for dress, helpless look to Thee for grace, foul eye to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die. Oh, these are those souls that cry. Poor, living, destitute. But then, they are those who are afflicted. as that we find here, these afflicted souls. Oh, do you know what it is, dear friend, to cry out of your affliction? That affliction you have. You know, it may be that affliction in a body. Many have such an affliction. I was rather confirmed in my touch this evening when I received the call regarding a young friend in her need. And you know I could only beg of the Lord that He would help her now as she is in the hospital to really cry. To come in this life in her poor, afflicted, destitute sight, and cry unto Him. The righteous cry. Oh, they must cry. But, having looked at some of the characters who cry, We will just consider briefly what is the nature of the cry. For there is a nature in this cry. First of all, it will be a vehement cry. All these who are brought to this place, they are cried if I will be more than just that cry of the daughters of Jerusalem who wept when they saw the Lord going up to Calvary. That wasn't a vehement cry. If the Lord brings us all to this place to find that cry, we'll have something of that nature When something is vehement it's uncontrollable. It's like a flood that comes along and men cannot control it. It's vehement in its nature. It rushes forward. Such would be the cry now of these souls at such a time. That is not to despise those times when they have an access at the throne of Christ and they pour out their soul in some measure. But you see, there's a difference. When there's that prayer, shall we say, that's put up, that prayer that's continual, that prayer that, as it were, would go on. Persevere. unceasing, but then there are those seasons when there's that vehement cry. For the soul, at that time, is not that he can just sit by and wait now. He needs it now. He needs help now. He needs deliverance now. He needs the Lord to appear now. Oh, this cry. And Peter was thinking. Dear friend, if ever that man knew of a vehement prayer, a vehement cry, it was then, when he began to go down, he had to cry, Lord, save me. And that's the nature of a vehement cry. Brief, terse, but prevailing. Oh, what a cry it is. with the vehement hand. He knew it. He needed that help immediately. Oh, that's the nature of this cry. Not only is it a vehement cry, but dear friends, it's day and night at such times. Oh dear friend, when David speaks sometimes that morning, noon and night when I make my supplication, But then there are times when it's day and night. These souls are in at such a time, under such trouble. Oh, they keep crying. Surely this is a cry. It doesn't matter now, it's here this night. The righteous cry. And the Lord hears. Not only is it a cry that is day and night, but then this cry is also put forth in this, is the groanings of the soul. First those inward groanings. Oh, you see, it's not so much the audible cry, but all those groanings which cannot be uttered. For the Spirit maketh intercession for us, we're told, with groanings which cannot be uttered." Here's this cry. And oh dear souls, if you know something of that. You go about your daily work. You go about your duties in the home. But oh, there's this groaning out. Yes, even in the midst of all that you're attending to. And sometimes it becomes such an amazement to these souls that they never got done their labours of the day. They wonder how it was done really. Their mind wasn't there. Their heart was not there. There was a going out. These groanings. All these cries that go forth. They are poured out before the Lord. A righteous cry in the Lord's ear. Now we must come to that precious point. A cry that's heard. Now you know dear friends, God does hear these cries. You turn to Daniel chapter 9. And Daniel makes forth that long prayer. Much confession in it. Much repentance. God heard it. We did hear it. It didn't seem the answer came right away. But God had heard it. It was an urgent cry of Daniel. You may know something of such a prayer that goes up. The Lord hearing. My mind goes to that 91st Psalm. We have a beautiful word toward the end of it. When the Lord speaks, He shall call upon me and I will answer Him. I will be with Him in trouble. I will deliver Him and honour Him. Here is God answering. Here is God speaking to the encouragement of those who cry. Soul, if you do cry, if you know something about it, God tells you very plainly, He shall call upon me. And Lord, if in every prayer that goes up and calls upon Him, He says, I will answer Him and be with Him in trouble. What a precious promise. Can you not venture forth on that? Hope on that? The Lord will be with His people in such times. Ah, but think for a moment of that woman who cried unto Him as He came to the borders of Syrophoenicia. He came up to the border. She came out. And she besought Him. for her daughter. And what do we read? He answered her not a word. Oh you see that goes right against the words of the Texas Evening. Oh that's how you and I think it and see it. She cried and he was silent. Oh, but in His silence, dear friend, there was grace. Ah, you and I can't see it. We're so dark, so vain, so foolish. But there was grace in it. So she comes nearer and pries. And then, His answer, rather than encouraging, rather than answering immediately, it's a rebuke. I'm not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Oh, surely that will finish her off. But no. That would not finish her off. Oh, she. She would hear the Lord speak further. It is not neat to give the children's crumbs to dogs. The children's bread to dogs. Ah, but Lord, she said, the dogs can eat the crumbs. And the Lord, oh, how He then Woman did unto thee even as thou wilt. Her heart was so enlarged with trouble, now her heart was enlarged with the wonderful promise, the provision, the help that she wanted. The Lord hear us. Oh, dear soul, your mate tonight needs something of that. Just to hear it. The Lord does hear. But then, think where he hears. You cry. You cry in your trouble. You cry under your burden. You cry with all your guilt. Well, where does he hear it? In his holy place. Ah, don't look past that soul. For if he hears your prayer in that holy place, then, one day, you will follow that prayer. And you yourself, poor soul, will be in that holy place with him. That is a glorious truth. He hears them in His holy place. Then too, oh remember this, He hears them through that name. That name they venture to take and plead and beg. So do you come and take hold of his strength there. For Jesus' sake. Blessed name. All prevailing name. Whatsoever ye ask, believing in my name, the Father will do it for you. The righteous cry, the Lord heareth. deliverance. Now, this deliverance, all the deliverances that His people will have and need. You know, while meditating this afternoon on this, my mind went to those many deliverances that were granted to His people that were in prison, in the pit Jeremiah was lowered into that pit of mire. He was sinking in it. But the Lord sent Abimelech, the Ethiopian, who pulled Jeremiah out of deliverance. Joseph was to go down into the prison and there remain until the Lord would deliver him. It wasn't the butler who would be Joseph's means of deliverance. The Lord would do it in his time, in his way. Again, John Baptist, he was in the prison. Oh, you say, but he wasn't delivered. Oh, dear friend, what was he? He was delivered in the prison. Because in that prison John Baptist was brought to question, art thou he that should come, or look we for another? Can it be, Lord, that we've been mistaken? Go and tell John that the dead are raised up, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, and to the poor the Gospels preached unto them. John heard that, dear friend, and John was delivered. Oh, he was delivered out of that bondage of unbelief. Peter, in the prison. But prayer was made of the church without ceasing unto God for him. And Peter's brought out. Oh, the deliverances from the prisons. In the prophecy of Zechariah, where the Lord commanded, let my prisoners go forth. Oh, Daphne, are you one of God's prisoners? Bound and shut up. in the pit, the horrible pit that David was in, that pit of unbelief, the pit of this world. Has the Lord come to deliver you out of these pits? The Lord delivereth them out of their troubles. Surely He does. And surely, I think of that deliverance that Jacob needed. When he goes before the Lord and tells Him that, I fear my brother Esau. Lord, I fear him. He's coming. I've heard the report. And ah, Jacob, he for a moment is left to himself. And he divides his family, sends some one way, some another, hoping that some will escape that sword of Esau. And he's left alone. And then wrestling with the angel, Jacob obtains that victory over Esau and deliverance. Now he could go meet his brother. Oh, these deliverances the Lord gives. I must close. Let me speak of one more deliverance tonight. My mind goes to Christian and faithful in Pilgrim's Progress. When they erroneously climbed over the wall to go into that field, that by-path metal that seemed much more easy to walk in. And were then put into giant despair. Oh dear friend, do you know something of that dreadful giant despair? Well how will you be delivered from that? Poor Judas, he wasn't delivered. He perished in Giant Despair's castle. So the king perished in it. You remember when the giant took them out and showed them the yard round about full of the bones, the skulls. By hideous sight, The multitudes were made shipwreck. And that was their fate, their end now. But the Lord delivered them. Christian remembered that he had the key of faith. That precious gift. That gift that overcomes the world. That overcomes unbelief. Oh, that's the deliverance that the Lord gives His people. Oh, may God help us to hear His word, to reflect on it, for His name's sake. Let's continue by singing hymn number 286. 286. Pilgrims, we are to Canaanbound. Our journey lies along this road, this wilderness we travel round to reach the city of our God. you The Lord shall guide us all with the truth. Oh Lord, we do pray that thou would now pardon all that has seen amiss. Take us on to our homes in peace and safety. And may the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God, the communion of the Holy Ghost abide with us. Amen. you. you