[0:00] Let us worship God, let us sing to his praise from Psalm 34 in Sing Psalms.
[0:17] It's on page number 40 of the Blue Psalm book, verses 1 to 10, Psalm 34. At all times I will bless the Lord, I'll praise him with my voice, because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
[0:38] Together let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me. I sought the Lord, his answer came, from fear she set me free. They look to him and shine with joy, they are not put to shame.
[0:51] This suffering man cried to the Lord, from him deliverance came. The angel of the Lord surrounds and guards continually all those who fear and honour him.
[1:03] He sets his people free. Come, taste and see, the Lord is good, who trusts in him is blessed. O fear the Lord, you saints, with need he will not be oppressed.
[1:15] Young lions may grow weak and faint and hunger for their food, but those who wait upon the Lord will not lack any good.
[1:27] These stances of Psalm 34 from Sing Psalms to God's praise. At all times I will bless the Lord. At all times I will bless the Lord.
[1:45] I'll praise him with my voice. Because I glory in the Lord, let troubled souls rejoice.
[2:06] Together let us praise the Lord, exalt his name with me.
[2:21] I sought the Lord, his answer came, from fear she set me free.
[2:36] They look to him and shine with joy, they are not put to shame.
[2:52] This suffering man died to the Lord, from him deliverance came.
[3:07] The angel of the Lord surrounds and guards continually all those who fear and honour him.
[3:31] He sets his people free. Come, taste and see, the Lord is good, who trusts in him is blessed.
[3:53] O fear the Lord, you saints, with need he will not be oppressed.
[4:08] Young lions may grow weak and faint and hunger for their food, but those who wait upon the Lord will not lack any good.
[4:38] Now let us bow our heads in prayer. Let us call on the Lord's name in prayer. Lord, we thank you this evening for this wonderful privilege that is ours, in being able to gather in this way in the courts of your house.
[5:01] Give us to rejoice as the psalmist of old expressed his voice of thanksgiving when he said, I joyed when to the house of God go up.
[5:17] They said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates, our feet shall standing be. And we find that in this particular psalm we have just been singing, that God has so filled the psalmist's heart that he says at all times I will bless the Lord.
[5:41] I'll praise him with my voice. And give us this evening to be like the psalmist of old, to bless the Lord, to honour you in our minds, and to honour you in our actions, and to seek to magnify your great name.
[6:07] You are deserving of all our adoration and praise. And give us this evening unitedly to praise the Lord with all of our hearts.
[6:19] We thank you also, Lord, that the psalmist was able to look back upon his life and to relate to us that he sought the Lord and that he answered him.
[6:36] And we praise you that that is still the case with your people who seek you earnestly and in truth, that they will find you. The Lord Jesus, in teaching his disciples how to pray, directed them to ask and it would be given to them.
[6:58] Seek and they would find to knock and that the door be opened unto them. So may we also, Lord, be able to call upon your name in truth this evening in the secrecy of our hearts or audibly.
[7:17] We thank you that you're able to hear the prayers of your people and answer them even beyond their askings and expectations. We thank you this evening for the word of God, which we have in our possession, the infallible and inerrant scriptures of the Old and the New Testament.
[7:37] And we thank you that this is the rule you have given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy you. And give us to have our ears opened to what the word of God says.
[7:52] And give us to have our eyes opened to behold the glory of the Lord as he is revealed in the scriptures. The entrance of your words gives light and may be so with us this evening as we gather around your word and as we seek to worship you.
[8:11] May we not be left in darkness. And that's the way we are by nature. Sin has benighted us and darkened us in our affections and in our thinking.
[8:24] But without your own intervention by grace, we would remain in that darkened and hopeless situation. But we thank you, Lord, that when you speak and you say, let there be light.
[8:39] light. And you said that at the beginning of creation. And you say it still in the experience of your people. When you command the light to shine out of darkness in their experience.
[8:54] And that they might see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. May that be true with each one of us here this evening. We thank you for this congregation.
[9:06] We pray for your blessing upon them. every individual gathered here this evening and every home represented. Every situation and circumstance. All are known to you.
[9:19] And we pray that you would bless those who are in particular need. Those who may be asking questions and who cannot find answers. We ask, Lord, that you would answer their questions.
[9:31] Those who are in darkness seeking light. That you would command light to shine. scattering their darkness. Those who are weak and heavy laden.
[9:42] We ask that you would come and lighten their burden with a word of encouragement. And by the hand of your Holy Spirit upon them. Remember the preaching of the gospel in this congregation and all of our congregations.
[9:56] We thank you that the word of God goes forth. And we pray that the spirit will accompany it. and as it goes forth into the minds and hearts of our people that will bear much fruit even unto holiness and the end everlasting life.
[10:11] We pray for the minister of this congregation that you would bless him in every aspect of his work in the congregation. And bless all the ministers of grace throughout our presbytery, throughout our land and to the ends of the earth.
[10:26] May the power of the gospel be known. And may the darkness be dispelled. And may a time of renewal and refreshing and revival come into our midst as a people.
[10:40] Lord, remember our own nation. A nation that has to a great extent turned its back upon the Lord upon God's word. We ask, Lord, that you would have mercy upon us.
[10:52] Forgive us this great sin of ours. And come back to us, we ask. Building up again the walls that are broken down and building up your church among us as a people.
[11:05] We pray for your blessing to be upon those who are ill, laid aside during these days. We ask that you would heal them. Remember those who have had bad news over past days and weeks.
[11:19] We pray, O Lord, that you would bless them. And those who have bereavements and heartbreaks of various kinds. We ask that you would remember them in love and strengthen them in the face of all adversity.
[11:34] We pray for your blessing to be upon us as a community during these days coming with the local government elections. We ask that people would vote wisely and that your own name would be honoured in everything that is to be done in relation to local government and national government.
[11:56] That people would seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, knowing that all other things will then be added unto them. We pray for your blessing upon these parts of the world where there is turmoil and strife and where there is war and where there is bloodshed.
[12:14] O Lord, we pray that you would graciously intervene in these situations and that the power of evil would be broken and that righteousness with peace would be established.
[12:26] We pray for your blessing now to be upon us, each one according to our needs. Lead us and guide us as we read your word and as we meditate upon it and as we sing your praise together and forgive every sin we pray.
[12:41] In Jesus' precious name we ask it. Amen. We'll now read together from the Old Testament scriptures and the book of Deuteronomy and at chapter 8.
[13:01] Deuteronomy and chapter 8. I'm reading at the beginning. The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.
[13:33] And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness that he might humble you testing you to know what was in your heart whether you would keep his commandments or not.
[13:49] And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
[14:07] Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son the Lord your God disciplines you so you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him for the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land land of brooks of water of fountains and springs flowing out in the valleys and hills a land of wheat and barley of vines and fig trees and pomegranates a land of olive trees and honey a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity in which you will lack nothing a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper and you shall eat and be full and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
[15:08] Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes which I command you today lest when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied then your heart be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water who brought you water out of the flinty rock who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know that he might humble you and test you to do you good in the end beware lest you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth you shall remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you power to get wealth that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers as it is this day and if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them
[16:30] I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you so shall you perish because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God Amen and may God bless to us that reading from his holy word and to his name be all the praise let us further praise his name this time from Psalm 31 in sing Psalms Psalm 31 and verses 1 to 8 in you I have taken refuge Lord you are my shelter in distress oh let me never be ashamed but save me in your righteousness Lord turn your ear to hear my cry come quickly to deliver me and be my rock and firm defense my stronghold and security you are my fortress and my rock for your namesake be my sure guide preserve me from the trap that's set you are the refuge where I hide redeem me Lord oh God of truth my spirit
[17:51] I commit to you I hate all those who trust false gods I trust the Lord for he is true I will rejoice and take delight in all the love that you have shown for my affliction you have seen to you my soul's distress is known you have not left me to my foe or given me into his hand but you have set my feet within a spacious place where I may stand these stanzas of Psalm 31 from sing Psalms verses 1 to 8 in you I have taken refuge Lord in you I have taken refuge Lord you are thy shelter in distress oh let me never are being ashamed but save me in your righteousness
[19:06] Lord turn good ear to hear my cry come quickly to deliver me and be my rock and firm defense my stronghold and security you are my fortress and my God for your name save me my sure guide preserve me from the trap that's set you are the refuge where I hide redeem me
[20:21] Lord O God O God of truth my spirit I commit to you I hate the Lord who trust us God I trust I trust the Lord on me is true I will rejoice and take delight in all the love that you have shown for my affliction you have seen to you my soul's distress is old you have not let me do to you my soul forgiven me into his hand but you have set my feet within a spacious place when I miss his hand now as the
[22:08] Lord enables us let us turn to the Song of Solomon and chapter eight Song of Solomon and chapter eight and reading at verse five this question who is that coming up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved Song of Solomon and chapter eight and the first part of verse five who is that coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved in Deuteronomy chapter eight where we read together we have brought before us there a summary
[23:13] I suppose one could say of the wilderness experiences of the children of Israel during the days of Moses and many years after that Solomon was moved by the Lord to write this particular song the song of Solomon among others he wrote this song which is the song of songs as it says at the beginning in other words it must be the number one song that Solomon wrote he wrote 1005 songs and he wrote 3000 proverbs songs but this seems to be the number one song that he wrote under the direction and leading of the
[24:21] Holy Spirit of God and it's a song of love the word love is used 26 times throughout this fairly short book of the song of Solomon and there are expressions of love made between a man and a woman in chapter 4 for example at verse 1 he says behold you are beautiful my love and in chapter 5 verse 16 she says that he is altogether lovely and between these two kind of statements there are expressions of love given throughout the whole of the song of Solomon now the song of Solomon has been variously described but as far as we can understand it from a scriptural and spiritual point of view it is an allegory that brings before us the love between
[25:38] Christ and the believer Christ and his people so when we go back to chapter 4 verse 1 Jesus says behold you are beautiful my love Christ is saying of his people they are beautiful and then in chapter 516 she says you are altogether lovely you are altogether lovely and in the middle of all of these expressions of love we find this question asked in chapter 8 at verse 5 who is that coming up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved although there is this marvelous love relationship between the believer and his or her
[26:42] Lord there is also a wilderness experience that is mentioned in this verse what does that mean a wilderness experience well when John Bunyan starts writing his marvelous book the pilgrim's progress he speaks about him walking in the wilderness of this world and by that he describes this fallen world in which we live a world that has nothing spiritually beneficial for us it is a world where sin dominates it is a world that has so many hindrances to those traveling to the celestial city it is a world that's got darkness and animosity and unspirituality and godlessness and the question is asked against that background who is that coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved and just like to say two or three things under three headings as this verse I believe speaks of the believer the church of Christ coming up from the wilderness leaning upon the arm of Christ leaning upon her beloved first point is the church her location she's in the wilderness secondly her heading in other words what direction is she traveling and it says here that she is coming up from the wilderness and thirdly her posture as she travels up out of this wilderness it says that she is leaning upon her beloved just three things her location her direction of travel and her posture her location
[29:18] Solomon says that she is coming up from the wilderness that's where she is she is in the wilderness when you go back to the book of Exodus you find that when the Lord took his people out of the land of Egypt with all the tyranny and slavery they experienced there he led them into the wilderness and they spent 40 years in the wilderness before they actually reached the land of Canaan that was flowing with milk and honey but the church is in the wilderness and what is the reason for that why has the Lord taken her into the wilderness well it says in the prophecy of Hosea
[30:18] I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and here we have the church in the wilderness because the Lord has taken her there why well going back to Deuteronomy chapter 8 we see that there are reasons mentioned in that particular chapter for which the Lord brought the church into the wilderness see for example at chapter 8 and verse 2 you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness that he might humble you testing you to know what was in your heart whether you would keep his commandments or not and he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna and so on the Lord brought the church into the wilderness that he might humble her that she might not be self-sufficient that she might not be focusing upon herself and feel that she is able to make her own way in her own strength no she was in some respects totally impoverished in the wilderness she was taken to realize that she was totally dependent upon the
[31:57] Lord for everything and those of us who have come to realize that we have understood a real lesson about ourselves we have nothing to commend us we have no resources of our own to make our way through this wilderness into the heavenly Canaan we are totally dependent upon the Lord himself they were dependent on him for the manna that they had to go and collect every day apart from the Sabbath day they were dependent upon him for the water from the rock and Moses had to be commanded to strike the rock and the water gushed forth they were dependent upon the Lord for directing them because he gave them a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and they were only allowed to move when the pillar of cloud moved and stopped when the pillar of cloud stopped they were humbled into servanthood and commit themselves to the
[33:14] Lord who was able to do all things for them and they were also tested this is still Deuteronomy 8 verse 2 that he might humble you testing you to know what was in your heart he brought them into that situation to show them their own limitations to show them how sinful they were to show them how unable they were to do anything to extricate themselves from the many trials and afflictions that came their way in the wilderness journey and isn't that still true in the experience of those whom the Lord calls to himself he brings them into a wilderness experience to prove to them how inadequate they themselves are without his grace they are humbled so that they come day by day in prayer begging for grace begging for mercy begging for strength begging for spiritual food begging for everything because nothing in their hands can they bring and also not only does he still humble us but he tests us he shows us the amount of dross that we have in our lives the impurities of our hearts he shows us there are so many things in our secret lives that are of no consequence that are really offensive to the
[35:10] Lord when the word of God shines into our heart he shows us how impure we are when he shows us our motives we see how far they are from being just and noble he proves to us that we are sinners day by day by day we are in a wilderness situation but then he goes on in chapter 8 in Deuteronomy at verse 15 he brings something else before us who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its fiery serpents and scorpions not only is he dealing with us in the inner man humbling us and showing us how inadequate and sinful we are but we are surrounded by various dangers like they were surrounded by fiery serpents and scorpions physically in the wilderness journey as they journeyed on the way to the land of
[36:20] Canaan there are still fiery serpents Satan is still a serpent and he will come and his intention is to sting you with the sting of death and there are scorpions of various kinds you may stand on one somewhere you go and something happens and you are wounded and you are poisoned I'm talking about spiritually speaking sin has been able to enter into your life because of associations and we see this is what happens in the wilderness and Solomon is asking who is that coming up from the wilderness who is that he says it also in chapter 6 and I think it's verse 3 I'm sorry not verse 3 chapter 3
[37:25] I think it's verse 6 I'm sorry what is that coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense with all the fragrant powders of the merchant what is that he says it's as if he has another angle on the people of God coming up from the wilderness surrounded by these dangers and humbled in themselves nevertheless there is a fragrance of them the fragrance of heaven because they have been made fragrant with the powders of the merchant in other words the Holy Spirit is with them giving them grace in the face of every situation and they are witnesses for God in the wilderness journey isn't that still the case that the people of God in the midst of the wilderness experience that I've just described they nevertheless are fragrant with the fragrance of heaven and when you draw near them and associate with them you'll know what I'm talking about they are a people heading for glory so that's the first thing I want to do to mention who is this coming up from the wilderness the church in that place of difficulty secondly the heading or the direction of her travel it says here that she is coming up from the wilderness she's coming up the Lord has brought her into the wilderness to humble her to prove her and so on but as with Israel of old that's not the Lord's final intention for his people his final plan is to have them brought through the wilderness and at last into glory he had promised
[39:42] Abraham long before this that his people would inherit the land of Canaan a land flowing with milk and honey and I believe that's a picture of the glory into which the people of God are taking at last having passed through this wilderness journey they will be received into glory and that's why her direction of travel is so significant it says here that she is coming up from the wilderness she's not happy with the best that this world can offer or there are many people who are happy with that they are happy if their bank balance is healthy they are happy if they have a lovely home and a roof over their head they are ultimately happy when they have a family around them and everybody is well and that means the whole world to them nothing else really matters and all these are blessings but those whom the
[40:54] Lord blesses they aren't really totally completely satisfied with these things of time and sense they are seeking something better and that's why her direction of travel is coming up from the wilderness she has her thoughts and affection set upon the things that are above not on the things that are on the earth she has tasted that the Lord is gracious she has tasted of fellowship with him in a day of grace and that has given her an appetite for the glory that God promises because he gives grace and glory and will withhold no good from them who live up rightly she's coming up from the wilderness and a number of things
[42:00] I'd like to highlight here she has been called with a heavenly calling the Lord from heaven has come into her experience and he has given her a desire for better things even things that are good in this world she wants something even better than that she wants eternal fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ two or three examples of people who are like the church here who are coming up from the wilderness remember the account we have of Abraham's call it says in the book of Acts chapter 7 that the God of glory appeared to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees and he told him to get out of where he was to a place that he would show him and by faith
[43:05] Abraham responded went out of Ur of the Chaldees not knowing where he was going Bible says that and you see that is what the Lord does he calls people to turn their back upon the lifestyle they've had the priorities they may have had in their lives that may have been legal and honorable enough nevertheless he asks people to turn their back upon these things and turn to himself oh Abraham lived among idolatry in Ur of the Chaldees and the Lord called him away from that think also of Saul of Tarshish how dedicated Saul of Tarshish was trying to eliminate every Christian from the scene he tried everything in his power to stifle the work of the gospel until one day on the road to
[44:17] Damascus and the light of God shone not only around him but I believe shone right into his heart and life and he fell and he said Lord what do you want me to do he was resolved to turn his back upon the ways that he had been walking confesses sin forsakes sin and give his life now to the Lord Jesus Christ think also of Lydia the seller of purple the account we have in the book of Acts chapter 16 and she was there down at the riverside meeting with others for a prayer meeting and it says that the Lord opened her heart that she gave heed to the words spoken by
[45:18] Paul and you see also in that same city of Philippi the Philippian jailer who was with all his might scourging Paul and Silas and then put them into the innermost prison and their feet fast in the stocks but when the earthquake came that shook the prison it actually reached his very heart and soul and he leapt in asking to have a question answered what must I do to be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved the church here she is coming up from the wilderness the people of God have turned their back upon the things that have pleased their worldly appetites the things that have pleased their rebellious nature the things that have been embraced by them down through the years things like carnality and sensual activities worldliness of every kind because they have now tasted something better and they have turned their back just like the
[46:46] Thessalonians when they heard the gospel they turned to God from idols to serve the living and through God and wait for his son from heaven who is this that's coming up from the wilderness I wonder what kind of gradient the wilderness journey presents to the people of God I mean if you're going up surely there must be some kind of climbing involved and a gradient to be negotiated well there are certain hills called difficulty according to John Bunyan's pilgrim he came to the hill difficulty and there may be a difficulty in your own life this evening
[47:46] I don't know what it is and you wonder how am I going to be able to put one foot forward and then another one to make my way inching my way upwards it's tough maybe it's some sin or other that refuses to let go of your mind and of your heart and life or maybe it's a hardness of heart that you just cannot cope with when you come under the sound of the gospel and the gospel seems to be bouncing right off your heart it's not going through as it were as it used to you can't remember when you wiped a tear under the sound of the preaching of the gospel that's difficult for the people of God or it may be the gradient of unbelief and the word of
[48:51] God says something and you feel you just cannot embrace it for yourself but you still feel that you need to go on there is no hope if you turn back you need to go on onwards and upwards one of the American preachers I heard some time ago he's talking about the way preachers have to preach into the wind today it's as if the wind of worldliness and the wind that's blowing throughout our society it's so adverse to the things of God that we have to preach into the wind and if you're going to preach into the wind the wind is so strong that you have to shout as loud as you can and that can be applied to the
[50:07] Christian witness ask the Lord to make your witness as clear and as consistent as it possibly can because our day and our age needs it you are my witnesses says the Lord that I am God but the church is coming up from the wilderness leaning upon our beloved that's the third and last point she is leaning upon our beloved one of the commentators James Durham who wrote a commentary on the song of Solomon he goes at length talking about the way she leans that it talks about what she's like herself that she's weak she's weak in herself just like somebody who is ill and weakened by illness weakened by circumstances they're so thankful to have a shoulder to lean on an arm to lean on when they're going somewhere they cannot make it on their own and so the church is here we cannot make it on our own but she has discovered one who loves her and she has tasted of his love and she knows something of his peace and she knows something of his blessedness and she like Peter says when
[51:45] Jesus asked the disciples when some were going away will you also go away to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life and this is the way she is that she is coming up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved have you started leaning upon the arms of Christ yet how else do you expect to be accepted with God except through faith in Jesus Christ that's really the meaning of the word leaning here that she is exercising faith in Jesus Christ that she is trusting him he has said come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest and she has taken him at his word and she has come and leaned upon these arms that are so graciously extended to those who are feeling their need she has discovered him to be a mediator a savior and you remember that the catechism highlights for us that Jesus as mediator exercises the offices of prophet and priest and king and those who are leaning on him as they come up from the wilderness oh they are so thankful that he as their prophet teaches them God's will for their salvation by his word and by his spirit they hear what he says and they are so thankful for the way he teaches them as their mediator their prophet and what about their priest oh surely she is leaning upon him as a priest who gave himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice in her room and in her stead and now who is at the right hand of God making continual intercession for his people what hope do we have apart from a saviour and a mediator like that and then of course he is our king isn't he and she leans on his arm just like
[54:44] Esther went in to king Ahasuerus and he extended to her the royal scepter meaning she was so accepted by him and so it is with the people of God Christ as the king mediator rules and defends them and subdues all his own and their enemies what an amazing saviour he is what a discovery that she has made that she is there leaving upon such a one who says I have loved you with an everlasting love and she readily casts herself upon him oh the wilderness and its tragedy and trials are eased so much when she speaks to us when he speaks to us a word in season sometimes we feel friendless depending on our circumstances but what a friend we have in
[56:12] Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear let us carry everything to him in prayer if you have questions maybe you've asked other people and they can't help you with your question what should I do in this situation should I go or should I not go what am I supposed to say and people sometimes are unable to help you however well intentioned they might be but we have him as our counselor in heaven and his word of counsel is always relevant and ask him to show you what counsel he means for you to follow wonderful counselor the mighty God everlasting father prince of peace what do you do with your hard heartedness
[57:24] I'm talking to Christians what do you do when you feel your heart is so hard well Jesus is the great physician and you tell him about it and he's able to give you advice a word from him will soften your hard heart and what if you feel that your feet are getting so tired and that the journey is too much for you and you have to go and tell him and he says my grace is sufficient for you and my strength is made perfect in a weakness what if you feel a little bit lost and needing guidance well he's the good shepherd who leads his people every step of the way and you keep close to him this is what the church here is doing she's leaning upon her beloved what about his promises regarding the end of the road regarding the end of the wilderness experience what does he say well he said to the disciples
[58:53] I am going to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself so that where I am there you may be also what an amazing promise that is I am going to prepare a place in heaven for you and I will not leave you but I will come again and take you out of your wilderness experience what an amazing saviour he is and he has said to the disciples to the father in the presence of the disciples father I will that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory talk about a transition from difficulty and trial in the wilderness to victory and glory at last and that is true regarding every single one of
[60:11] God's people whom he has effectually called who has he has justified them he will sanctify them holy and at last he will glorify them and take them to where the sun shall no more go down neither shall the moon withdraw itself the Lord will be the glory in Emmanuel's land so these three points then who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved the wilderness difficult as it is is a wilderness through which all of God's people will successfully pass because they are leaning upon the beloved who has from all eternity purposed that they be with him in glory forever let us pray help us
[61:23] Lord to take to heart the promises of your word and may they be words that will encourage and strengthen us in our most holy faith we pray for your blessing upon all that we have sought to do in your name this evening that you would bless us as we once again have met in the house of God bless oh Lord the singing of your praise in conclusion and forgive our sins in Jesus name Amen now we'll bring our worship to our close at this time singing from Psalm 17 in the Scottish Psalter
[62:24] Psalm 17 in the Scottish Psalter and verses 5 to 9 hold up my goings Lord me guide in those thy paths divine so that my footsteps may not slide out of those ways of thine I call it have on thee O God because thou will not me hear thou mayst hearken to my speech to me incline thine ear thy wondrous loving kindness show thou that by thy right hand saves them that trust in thee from those that up against them stand as the apple of the eye may keep in thy wings shade me close from lud oppressors compassing me round as deadly foes 17 verses 5 to 9 to God's praise O God my
[63:25] God will storm be guide and host thy paths divine so that my fruit steps may not slide out of those ways of time I call it up on thee O Lord oct plus than ه woes To my feet, to the even kind, my dear.
[64:35] Thy wondrous love, in kindness show, Thou art by thy right hand.
[64:54] Since then the trust will be promised, Thou art by grace and stand.
[65:13] As the apple hawk, the eye be king, And thy wings shed me rose.
[65:32] From whom the blessed compassing May round us any hope.
[65:51] Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Rest upon and abide with you all, now and forevermore.
[66:03] Amen.