eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw e
Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way,
who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.
Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined,
and who to seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.
Down to the end of the verse 6, Psalm 119, from the beginning of the psalm.
Blessed are they that undefiled.
Blessed are they that undefiled,
but straight are in the way,
who in the arms was holy law,
do walk and do not stray.
Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined,
and who to observe his statutes are inclined,
but who to see the living God with their whole heart and mind.
The endless ways to walk the way,
to know the integrity,
of us, by the Lord's most holy law,
by the peace and fear for thee.
of my stout,
but my stout,
just to your stand,
the wounds,
my wings,
thy legs,
and the light,
then shall I know each day,
when I
thy peace and song be set.
voy
Bw Orthwydw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw
voy
the peace o lord
that we
are partakers of
this night here
that is denied
to so many across our world
tonight
because
of the
dis-peace
that is experienced
in the troubled
and tormented parts of our world
tonight
and we
oh lord our god bring these
places before thee
for there
there is a voice that
cries to thee from the very depths
of human emotion
and experience
as we
see
the upheavals of
natural disaster
and conflict
and we pray oh lord our god
that they would hear the voice
that cries out of the depths
of experience in these places
and that we would recognise
the blessing that we have
that is the peace
that we enjoy here
and how each year
we remember those
who paid the ultimate price
many who left these shores
never to return
in the giving the ultimate sacrifice
in the great world conflicts
with which
that peace
was purchased
and we give thanks unto thee
oh lord for the greater peace
that was purchased
by one
who in the great
conflicts of
Gethsemane and
Gabbatha
and Golgotha
purchased the peace
that passes
our understanding
through the finished work
which he accomplished
as he laid down
his life
for those
whom he loved
and we bless thee
for that peace
that peace of God
and that peace
with God
and we bless thee
sovereign father
that
we can never lose
that peace of God
though we have to recognise and acknowledge that through sin
we bring a breach into the peace with God
Sovereign Father we gather tonight to worship
and we pray for the enabling to do so
and for us individually and collectively to be granted
the spirit of worship
that our minds might be gathered and focused as one
in this place
and to hear what we shall read from thy word
and what they were saying to us
and that they would separate us from everything
that would separate us from thyself
For oh Lord
so often when we come into the courts of thy house
we experience conflict
and the many affections that contend
for the affection that we desire to be singular
and set on the things that are above where Christ is
Gracious God in thy presence tonight
we would ask thee to
draw near to each and every spirit that
in thy presence this night
is going through a time of testing and turmoil
and trial
and may be experiencing that loneliness that can be experienced
when the testing and the trials of a nature that they feel
unable to share with any
and may even reduce them to being unable to articulate words
that they can present before thee in prayer
but we bless thee that thy word reminds us
of a prayer that ascends into thy nearer presence
that does not consist of words
but rather of sighs and groans which cannot be uttered
that remarkable language that is heard
that is heard recognised and answered by thee
and we pray thy nearness to any oh Lord
with us here or joining us
on the live stream
that thou oh Lord would minister to
all who may be passing through such times
the strength that thou dost hold in reserve
for thou dost appoint days in our earthly pilgrimage
that we would never choose
but we bless thee
that thy word reminds us of the great promise
that as thy day so thy strength shall be
and that there is a strength that is held in reserve
and that we may never experience
until we are brought into the very depths
from which we cry
and receive that strength
Sovereign Father we pray tonight
for this congregation
as in its spiritual history
it finds itself at a time of vacancy
and thou knowest oh Lord
the concern we have for it
as the vital place
it plays in its strategic position
of walk and witness
within the confines of our presbytery
and we commit it
and commend it to thee
remembering tonight
the one whom
is appointed over them
as their inter-moderator
Reverend Colin MacLeod
with all the burdens
he has of his own congregation
and back
and now the additional burdens
of this congregation
and we remember also thy servant
in the assistantship of the congregation
as he also experiences
the burden of a vacant congregation
as he performs the duties of interim moderator
in the congregation of Shawbust
and we remember the other vacant congregations
and pray for the interim moderators
for Reverend Ian Thompson
as he takes on the burden
of the congregation of South Hewist
for Reverend Paul Murray
as he takes on the burden
of the congregation of Park
for the Reverend Ewan Matheson
as he takes on the burden
of Barvis
and Reverend Thomas Davis
as he takes on the additional burden
of Calanish
These are days
O Lord of concern
and we pray
that the concern
would be laid upon us
as a real burden
so that we would
be found
as a praying people
petitioning thee
that it would please thee
O Lord
to prepare
and provide
and raise up
those
who called
and equipped
by thee
would be enabled
to
fill these vacancies
that we might
see days
again
of gospel
blessing
and increase
across the pulpits
and parishes
of our beloved island
O Lord
our God
we ask
that they would
remember us
and now
sovereign father
as we come
to
read thy truth
we pray
that they would
be with us
and clear our minds
of every distraction
that thy word
might be lodged
in our hearts
in a way
that
long after
we leave
this place
the power
of thy spirit
would open
and apply
the teaching
of thy truth
to our lives
that we might
walk in it
that we might
know its blessing
and fullness
we pray
to
remember
all who
have been
bereaved
in our town
and across
our island
in recent days
when the voice
of death
has spoken
time and again
almost day
by day
and we ask
O Lord
that
thou would
draw near
to all
tonight
who experience
the sorrow
and sadness
of separation
and that
into the brokenness
of bereavement
thou would
minister
the care
and compassion
and comfort
that cometh
from thyself
in the way
that thou are
alone not able
to access
the inner spirit
and lay
these blessings
there
Father
continue with us
watch over us
take away
our every sin
and love us
freely
for Christ's sake
Amen
we turn
to read
in God's word
in the Old Testament
in the book
of Psalms
and Psalm
86
the Old Testament
the book
of Psalms
Psalm 86
and we'll read
the whole psalm
incline your ear
O Lord
and answer me
for I am poor
and needy
preserve my life
for I am godly
save your servant
who trusts in you
you are
my God
be gracious
to me
O Lord
for to you
do I cry
all the day
gladden the soul
of your servant
for to you
O Lord
do I lift up
my soul
for you
O Lord
are good
and forgiving
abounding
in steadfast love
to all
who call upon you
give ear
O Lord
to my prayer
listen
to my plea
for grace
in the day
of my trouble
I call upon you
for you
answer me
there is none
like you
among the gods
O Lord
nor are there
any works
like yours
all the nations
who you have
made
shall come
and worship
before you
O Lord
and shall glorify
your name
for you are
great
and do wondrous
things
you alone
are God
teach me
your way
O Lord
that I may
walk
in your truth
unite my
heart
to fear
your name
I give
thanks to you
O Lord
my God
with my whole
heart
and I will
glorify
your name
forever
for great
is your
steadfast
love
towards me
you have
delivered my
soul
from the
depths
of Sheol
O God
insolent men
have risen
up against me
a band
of ruthless
men
seeks my
life
and they
do not
set you
before them
but you
O Lord
are a God
merciful
and gracious
slow to
anger
and abounding
in steadfast
love
and faithfulness
turn to
me
and be
gracious
to me
give your
strength
to your
servant
and save
the son
of your
maidservant
show me
a sign
of your
favour
that those
who hate
me
may see
and be
put to
shame
because you
Lord
have helped
me
and comforted
me
and so on
and may the
Lord bless
to us
this passage
of scripture
and we'll
sing now
to God's
praise
from this
psalm
in the
Scottish
Psalter
psalm 86
on page
341 if
you're using
the blue
book
psalm 86
at verse
6
hear
Lord
my
prayer
and to
the voice
of my
request
attend
in
troublous
times
I'll
call
on
thee
for
thou
wilt
answer
send
Lord
there is
none
among
the
gods
that
may
with
thee
compare
and like
the
works
which
thou
has
done
not
any
work
is
there
down
to
the
end
of
verse
11
psalm 86
from
verse
6
hear
Lord
my
prayer
unto
the
voice
of
my
request
attend
dear
Lord
my
prayer
come
to
the
voice
of
my
request
attend
and
draw
on
the
sight
I
call
on
thee
for
love
will
answer
send
for
this
man
the
cross
and
may
with
people
care
and
like
the
words
which
thou
must
tell
not
any
work
is
there
the
ancients
do
the
rich
shall
come
and
worship
and
be
for
thy
and
thy
name
glorify
O
Lord
thy name
glorify
!
thy
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
Cymru.
Can we turn then this evening for a time to the passage of Scripture that we read, the Old Testament, Psalm 86?
Psalm 86, I'm reading again the words of verse 11.
Where we read these words,
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.
When the great reformer John Calvin wrote his commentary on the Bible and he came to the book of Psalms,
He recognised the unique nature of the book.
And of it he said this.
It is, he said, an anatomy of the soul.
Because there is not an emotion which anyone can be conscious of that is not here represented as in a mirror.
The Holy Spirit has here drawn all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities with which the minds of men are agitated.
Quite a profound statement.
And yet one I'm sure that we can all agree that we have experienced in a measure as we ourselves see the preciousness of the Psalms
and how they relate and how they relate and how they are a source of comfort to us in experiences that we pass through.
And for that reason, Calvin gave it that remarkable title, An Anatomy of the Soul.
There are bookshops that have vast, vast amounts of titles on the anatomy of the body.
But here we have the only book for their greatest need, that is the anatomy of the soul.
And so looking at it with that as our backdrop, we come to this great psalm that we have here.
And at the very outset you may notice something if the designation is given in your Bible,
that not only is it a psalm, but it is also a prayer.
A prayer of David.
And it is a prayer where the psalmist is presenting petitions of poverty and praise.
As we look at the psalm, we discern that, the petitions of poverty and praise.
And that comes out very strongly in the boldness with which the psalm begins.
The boldness of the opening petition.
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.
In many other places the psalms open with great declarations of reverence and respect.
But here, because of the poverty that the psalmist is experiencing,
it's as if he rushes into the presence of God and just pours himself out.
In the metrical psalm, it perhaps comes across even more strongly where it says,
bow down thine ear.
It's such a bold petition for a petitioner to come before the living God and make that request.
Because the Bible teaches us that before God, we are the clay.
And he is the potter.
And we have that in the Old Testament prophecies,
where, for instance, in Isaiah, in chapter 64 and verse 8, we read these words,
But now, O Lord, you are our father, we are the clay, and you are our potter.
We are all the work of your hand.
And in another place Isaiah says, does the clay say to whom who forms it, what are you making?
And here we have this bold petition of the clay to the potter saying, bow down your ear to me.
And most remarkably, elsewhere in the book of Psalms, we are told that the petition is answered.
Words that we so often sing.
Perhaps presenters here will understand what I say when it's one of the great weaknesses.
I'm guilty of myself because being a presenter, you get so caught up with the concern about the tune and so on,
that you can almost at times miss the very words you're presenting.
And yet in Psalm 116, the psalmist tells us of what the effect of his petition being answered had upon him.
Because he says, I love the Lord because my voice and prayers heeded here.
And then he tells us the effect that that had on him.
I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear.
It's such a powerful image for us to reflect on God bowing his ear to hear a prayer from the very clay that we are.
And yet before us here, that is exactly what we have again.
The psalmist in his great need.
And in verses 1 to 7, as he comes then to present his petitions of poverty and praise,
from verses 1 to 7, he does that where time and again he highlights his conflict.
Over and over again, the petitions are there.
I am poor.
I am needy.
Be gracious to me.
I cry to you all the day.
Gladden the soul and so on and so on.
His conflict.
And then in verses 8 and 10, 8 to 10 rather, he presents to us as a backdrop to these, to his conflict,
the confidence he has in the character of God.
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things.
You alone are God.
These are wonderful words to read.
When we see the conflict and distress that the psalmist experiences, summed up for us in the very first verse where he says of himself,
I am poor and needy.
And into the poverty and into the need.
We then come to the remarkable petition that he presents in verse 11, which is going to be the focus of our thoughts for our time this evening.
Where he then presents a petition.
And he says, teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Unite my heart to fear your name.
And the three points that present themselves specifically there.
Your way, your truth, and your name.
And so in this petition, in this verse he begins with these words, teach me.
Me.
And there is so much depth even in that two words.
That they would easily, easily accommodate a single sermon being preached on these two words because of the depth that they contain.
First of all, he identifies his need.
In the midst of the conflict and strife and the poverty that he's experiencing, he now comes to God.
And having assessed his need, he presents that need to God.
And he says, teach.
Teach.
And in these words, teach me.
Teach.
He wants to be taught.
And it's himself that he wants to be taught.
And he is the needy.
Teach me.
And he is the needy.
Teach me.
And in these words, teach me, we have an evidence of the change that took place in the life of the psalmist when he was brought from death to life and from darkness to light.
What we call regeneration.
Regeneration.
That mysterious work that is undertaken by God in the spirit of man.
That act of creation that takes place as the desire that the psalmist expresses here was infused into him.
That act of creation.
Because regeneration, being born again, coming to faith is an act of creation.
Because Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
And in light of that new creation, now the psalmist comes with a great mark of that creation, a great mark of regeneration, what we might call a great mark of grace, desire.
And his desire is for grace.
His desire is for grace.
Many people want a mark of grace.
Some of the Lord's people, from time to time in their earthly pilgrimage experience a lack of assurance, even although their conversion at one point may have been very, very powerful.
Yet along the way in the earthly pilgrimage, they can be brought to low places.
And in themselves, they look for a mark of grace.
And I think this is one of the greatest marks of grace.
The mark of desire.
Because as Isaiah reminds us, there was a day when we had no desire.
But regeneration infused desire.
Desire for grace.
And we see that here in the psalmist.
Verse 3, be gracious to me, O Lord.
Verse 6, give ear, O Lord, to my prayer.
Listen to my plea for grace.
Because the recipient of grace becomes a grace-dependent child.
And grace enrolls the child in the school of God.
Where we become grace-dependent children.
And the grace-dependent children.
Exercise the desire they have to be in the means of grace.
Where grace was received and where grace is communicated.
Teach me, he cries.
And then he asks what he wants to be taught.
He says, teach me your way.
Because he knows that there is only two ways.
And for each and every one of us here tonight.
It is either your way.
Or we drop the Y.
And it becomes our way.
It's either his way or our way.
Teach me, he says.
Your way.
And in saying that, he recognizes that it is God alone that is able to teach him.
Some of you here may be teachers.
Some of you may know the burden of teaching.
But the request that has been made here to be taught.
Is to be taught by the only one that can teach this lesson.
Because those of you who are teachers are teaching the head.
But the lesson that is being taught here needs to be taught and received in the heart.
For God alone has access to the heart.
For it is there that God infuses the capacity to learn.
And the capacity to be taught the lesson.
The capacity to learn.
And the capacity to be taught the lesson.
For those of you who are teachers, if there are any present.
And all of us know that in the field of education, there are what we call the three R's.
The three fundamental skills of education.
Reading, writing and arithmetic.
But in the lesson that we are taught in grace.
I want to suggest that there are four R's.
Because the first R is reading.
And the second one is retaining what we read.
And the third one is reflecting upon what we read.
And all of these are of no benefit to us.
Unless what we read and what we retain and what we reflect upon is that which regulates our lives.
And one Bible expositor makes this observation with great solemnity.
And he says this.
We may listen to the best preacher who ever lived.
But unless God shall apply the truth to our heart.
We will not receive it.
We need.
Here is a psalm where the psalmist is saying.
I am poor and needy.
We need the instruction and the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
In the upper room discourse, Christ said to the disciples about the Holy Spirit.
He shall teach you all things.
In the school of God.
We need the instruction and illumination of the Holy Spirit.
But unless we have his teaching, we cannot.
And we will not know the truth.
Therefore, he says, never neglect the means of grace.
And then he adds this with great solemnity.
But at the same time, never get into the condition that some are in.
who feel quite happy so long as they have been to a place of worship on the Lord's day.
And who return home just as if they had done all their duty for the day.
They are, he says, like men who go to the market.
But buy nothing.
Here in this school.
There are lessons that we must learn.
When the capacity to be taught.
And the capacity to receive and retain the lesson is infused by the work of the Holy Spirit.
And of that vast curriculum that there is in God's school.
I want tonight to focus on one particular aspect of the curriculum.
And that is the lessons that are taught concerning ourselves.
I spoke earlier about the four R's, the arithmetic.
In this school, there is spiritual arithmetic.
And here, in the lesson that has been taught to us,
we learn what one writer calls addition by subtraction.
In a Christian context, he says, addition by subtraction signifies that spiritual growth
and a closer relationship with God that can only be achieved.
Not by adding more things to one's life.
But by removing, by removing negative influences and practices.
And what a day we find ourselves in.
Of negative influences that can have such a profound influence upon us.
But even in the psalmist's day, negative influences had an effect on him.
And we'll come to that when he identifies the need for his heart to be united.
Learning addition by subtraction is one of the most difficult lessons that we are taught about ourselves in this school.
It's one thing to say, teach me your way.
It's another thing as we receive the lessons, to put our yea and amen to the outworking of providence in our lives
and say, not my way, Lord, but your way.
Because your ways are not my ways.
Let me illustrate this to you.
By bringing before you one who has a recipient of grace recorded for us.
The profound experience of being a recipient of grace.
Grace that he heard.
And today across the world.
In many diets of worship.
The words that he recorded will have been lifted up in praise.
Where multitudes today will have sung.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found.
Was blind, but now I see.
The effect of being a recipient of grace.
And what it had for John Newton.
And the depth of assurance that he received.
And the depth of inward illumination enabling him to write these remarkable words.
Amazing grace.
And yet, as I said a minute ago.
On the earthly pilgrimage.
As we go on.
In this school and we are taught.
The lesson of addition by subtraction can be painful.
It's almost hard to believe that a man like John Newton.
Who wrote such beautiful words.
Amazing grace.
Could further on in his earthly pilgrimage write this.
It is a point I long to know.
Of that.
Often it causes anxious thought.
Do I love the Lord or no?
Am I his?
Or am I not?
If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly sure can they be worse.
Who have never known his name.
Could my heart so hard remain?
Prayer a task and burden prove.
Every trifle give me pain.
If I knew a saviour's love.
When I turn my eyes within.
All is dark and vain and wild.
Filled with unbelief and sin.
Can I deem myself a child?
And so he goes on.
Being taught of God.
And I think if we had been contemporary with John Newton.
And we had heard him utter these remarkable words.
expressing an extreme lack of assurance.
From having been on the high mountain of assurance.
We would be desperate to ask the question.
What happened?
And remarkably John Newton recorded for us what happened.
Because elsewhere he wrote of what happened.
In the school of grace.
He prayed.
I asked the Lord that I might grow in faith and love and every grace.
Might more of his salvation know and seek.
More earnestly his face.
It was he who taught me thus to pray.
And he I trust has answered prayer.
But it has been in such a way.
As almost drove me.
To despair.
I'd hope that in some favoured hour at once.
He'd answer my request.
And by his love's constraining power.
Subdue my sin.
And give me rest.
And listen to this.
Instead of this.
He made me feel.
The hidden evils of my heart.
And let the angry powers of hell assault my soul.
In every part.
Yea more with his own hand.
He seemed intent to aggravate my woe.
Crossed all the faired signs I schemed.
Humbled my heart.
And laid me low.
The experience of addition by subtraction.
And it wrought out of the very soul of Newton.
A cry from the depths.
And he said.
Lord why is this?
I trembling cried.
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
And back came the answer.
It is in this way the Lord replied.
I answer prayer.
For grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ from self and pride.
To set thee free.
And break thy schemes of earthly joy.
That thou mayest find.
Thy all.
In me.
Truly.
Remarkable words.
From a remarkable man.
As he learned.
In the school of grace.
What he had to be taught.
In the school of grace.
What he had to be taught.
Because each and every one of us.
Must also be taught this lesson.
Teach me thy way.
That voy.
thy way
our former minister
the reverend roddy john campbell
would often
address us on this and illustrate
the work of the refiner
those who
refine precious metal
requiring
great great skill and
deft of hand
where they would take the raw
gold as it came out of the earth
or silver whatever they were refining
and place it into the crucible
where ferocious
heat would be applied
to melt
the metal
and in the
melting of the metal
as the
heat was increased so the
impurities would be brought
to the surface
and then the refiner would come with this
refining pan
and skim the surface
and take away
only the
impurities
but leave
the precious metal
and in our lives
as we are taught
there are impurities
that need to be removed
in the school of grace
for every grace
dependent
child
we need to learn
what humility
is
that humility
that is
where we learn
the plague
of our heart
and having its
abominable
and innumerable
abominations
exposed
to our view
and to our understanding
we need to be taught
and have the
impurities of our lives
come out
through repentance
where we learn
feeling the heavy burden
of our
infidelity
to be made conscious
of that
we need to learn
love
learned
by our personal
sense of the
undeserved goodness
of God
to us
the vilest
of the vile
we need to be taught
what patience is
patience as the Puritans
would say
is only learned
in the furnace
of affliction
and the work
of the refiner
as he refined
the metal
and having
undertaken
the work of skimming
he would repeat
the whole process
as he discerned
the need
for the lessons
to be learned
and the impurities
to come out
and so the process
would be repeated
over and over
and over again
and the refiner
would know
when his work
was complete
when he would
look into the pot
and see nothing
but his own image
no impurities
and our earthly
pilgrimage
consists
of the removal
of the impurities
that are in us
as we learn
in the school
of God's grace
what it is
that we need
to be taught
and he goes on
and he says
teach me
your way
oh Lord
that I may
walk in
your truth
what we learned
as children
here
is the only
rule
to guide
us
and to direct
us
and how we
need to walk
in that
truth
the need
for us
to come back
and remind
ourselves
of the four
hours
the need
for us
to read
retain
receive
reflect
!
and live
lives
that are
regulated
by that
truth
and it's
the great
great charge
that Elijah
brought against
the children
of Israel
in the day
when on
Mount Carmel
he there
restored the
worship of
God
it having
been brought
to such
a low
almost as
in the
observing
of it
one would
easily
conclude
that it
could never
be restored
and revived
and refreshed
and yet
Elijah
there
challenges
the people
of God
and he
says to
them
how long
halt
ye
between
two
opinions
it comes
across
even stronger
in the
ESV
where it
says
how long
will you
go
halting
between
two
opinions
not
walking
but
halting
limping
how difficult
it is
to walk
when
you have
a limp
perhaps
through an
injury
you've
sustained
you know
what it
is
when
you're
trying
to
walk
and
the
difficulty
if
you've
got
a
distance
to
walk
because
of
a
limp
and
some
of you
here
may
recall
a great
sermon
that was
preached
here
by the
Reverend
Kenneth
Stewart
when he
in his
study
on the
book
and in
the life
of
Elijah
came
to this
passage
and the
challenge
that he
placed
before us
that
night
asking
where
we
were
whether
we're
halting
between
two
opinions
because
when we
are
he said
we have
one
foot in
the world
and one
foot in
the church
and the
world
doesn't
know
where
we
are
and the
church
doesn't
know
where
we
are
and
it's
the
necessity
for us
to
understand
what it
is that
the
psalmist
is
asking
here
I
need
to
walk
and I
need
to
walk
in
your
truth
and
in
the
psalm
that
we
sung
in
our
opening
praise
psalm
119
the
psalmist
goes
on
with
that
wonderful
petition
where
he
speaks
of
the
word
as
a
lamp
to
his
feet
and
a
light
to
his
path
and
everything
that
is
contained
in
that
petition
be
strange
if
this
time
tomorrow
night
you
were
outside
the
church
and
you
saw
somebody
walking
up
kenneth
street
with
a
torch
why
do
you
need
a
torch
when
it's
daylight
the
psalmist
is
discerning
the
darkness
of the
day
in which
he
was
found
and
the
necessity
to
walk
to
walk
with
the
truth
as a
lamp
to his
feet
and a
light
to his
path
and
what
about
ourselves
in
the
darkness
of
the
day
that
we
are
found
do
we
not
need
that
lamp
to
her
feet
that
light
to
her
path
that
we
might
walk
in
the
truth
not
halting
not
limping
but
walking
!
because
it's
the
great
outcome
that
the
psalmist
desires
in
his
petition
here
in
this
cry
of
poverty
in
this
cry
where
he
says
to
God
incline
your
ear
and
answer
me
for
I
am
poor
and
needy
and
this
is
my
need
teach
me
your
way
O
Lord
that
I
may
walk
in
your
truth
and
then
he
comes
to
pour
out
before
God
a
great
hindrance
that
he
is
conscious
of
the
need
for
God
to
unite
his
heart
what
about
your
own
heart
tonight
what
about
my
heart
am I
before
God
tonight
with
a
heart
that
is
united
are
you
before
God
tonight
with
a
heart
that
is
united
the
psalmist
here
wasn't
he
was
so
conscious
of
a
divided
heart
and
he
says
unite
my
heart
to
fear
your
name
and
it's
such
a
barrier
to
us
in
our
earthly
pilgrimage
when
the
heart
is
divided
it's
the
very
thing
that
brings
such
dis
peace
into
our
relationship
when
the
heart
becomes
divided
imagine
if you
will
for a
moment
a
teenage
boy
and
a
teenage
girl
and
they
begin
a
relationship
and
they
only
have
as
we've
all
seen
and
experienced
some
of
us
eyes
for
each
other
they
can't
bear
to
be
apart
and
when
they're
together
they
just
want
to
talk
about
each
other
that
depth
of
feeling
and
the
heart
being
united
and
yet
into
that
closeness
something
comes in
that
begins
to
contend
for the
affection
of
one
or
the
other
perhaps
the
boy
starts
to
play
football
and
begins
to
enjoy
his
football
and
spend
a lot
of
time
with
the
boys
who
are
playing
football
and
all
of a
sudden
whereas
time
was
fully
devoted
and
committed
to
the
relationship
now
it's
not
what
it
was
and
how
true
that
can
be
in
our
spiritual
relationship
where
the
heart
that
once
was
united
now
becomes
divided
is it
not the
great
charge
that
Christ
laid
before
the
church
in
Ephesus
when
he
said
to
them
after
having
listed
the
qualities
for
which
they
were
to
be
commended
and
he
did
that
and
they
were
not
few
and
they
were
commended
and
then
solemnly
this
has
to
cut
right
across
the
whole
thing
and
he
says
but
I
have
somewhat
against
thee
thou
has
left
thy
first
love
there's
a
breach
thou
has
left
thy
first
love
oh
how
we
remember
the
fervency
of
the
first
love
how
we
longed
to
be in
the
means
of
grace
with
the
singular
desire
that we
spoke
of
burning
in
the
heart
the
heart
so
sorrowful
when the
benediction
would be
pronounced
here on
the
sabbath
evening
thinking
of the
days
that lay
between
you
and
being here
again
in this
precious
place
to
receive
fresh
supplies
in the
means
of
grace
and
here
the
psalmist
comes
with
his
great
petition
teach
me
your
way
oh
lord
that
I
may
walk
in
your
truth
unite
my
heart
because
it
is
only
with
a
united
heart
that
I
can
fulfill
the
depth
of
my
desire
which
is
to
fear
your
name
and
it
brings
before
us
the
solemnity
of
the
duty
that
we
are
to
engage
in
continually
that
of
keeping
the
heart
the
great
Puritan
John
Flavel
and
if
you've
never
read
it
I
commend
it
to
you
because
I
think
it's
a
book
that's
foundational
for
each
and
every
one
of
us
to
read
as
it
contains
the
very
foundation
of
our
Christian
walk
and
witness
His
book
called
keeping
the
heart
based
on
the
text
from
the
book
of
Proverbs
in
the
Old
Testament
chapter
4
and
verse
23
where
we
read
these
words
keep
thy
heart
with
all
diligence
for
out
of
it
are
the
issues
of
life
keep
the
heart
with
all
diligence
for
out
of
it
are
the
issues
of
life
the
psalmist
hadn't
been
keeping
his
heart
his
heart
had
become
divided
and
Flavel
speaks
about
that
in
the
book
in it
he
says
the
greatest
difficulty
in
conversion
is
to
win
the
heart
to
God
how
obvious
is that
to
each
and
every
one
of
us
tonight
in
the
day
that
we
find
ourselves
possibly
in
one
level
a
day
of
greater
outreach
and
evangelism
than
any
of
us
have
ever
seen
the
fact
that
wherever
the
furthest
point
in
the
world
tonight
is
from
Kenneth
Street
somebody
there
is
able
to
listen
to
this
the
vast
resource
that is
available
in the
world
that we
find
ourselves
tonight
the
Christian
literature
the
Christian
teaching
everything
that is
there
and how
little
do we
hear
in the
day
in which
we're
found
of the
work of
regeneration
and how
profound
does that
statement
of
Flavel
become
in
2025
the
greatest
difficulty
in
conversion
is to
win
the
heart
to
God
but
then he
comes
to
this
perhaps
the
most
solemn
statement
in the
whole
little
book
the
greatest
difficulty
after
conversion
is to
keep
the
heart
with
God
the
psalmist
knew what
that
meant
John
Newton
knew what
that
meant
I
know
what
that
means
and
every
recipient
of saving
grace
in here
tonight
knows
what
that
means
the
greatest
difficulty
after
conversion
is to
keep
the
heart
with
God
and
it
becomes
each
and
every
one
of
us
to
take
this
petition
away
to
retain
it
to
reflect
it
and
seek
that
in
the
outworking
of
our
lives
we
would
engage
with
the
spirit
the
desire
of
the
psalmist
and
each
day
as
we
step
out
into
the
day
that
we
would
do
so
as
grace
dependent
children
recognizing
our
need
of
dependence
upon
God
because
be
assured
of
this
each
and
every
one
of
us
will
step
out
into
tomorrow
of
a
prayer
that
was
offered
up
by
a
revered
name
in
this
congregation
an
elder
by
the
name
of
Murdo
Maccinnon
called up
in prayer
one night
and he
began
his
prayer
by
saying
Lord
I
am
nothing
and
nothing
is
nothing
do
we
step
out
tomorrow
in
that
way
or
do
we
step
out
the
other
way
and
just
say
without
thee
I
can
do
anything
and
there
is
no
prayer
and
how
it
becomes
us
to
embed
this
petition
into
our
daily
walk
and
witness
for
God
and
say
teach
me
thy
way
and
in
thy
truth
O
Lord
then
walk
will
I
unite
my
heart
that
I
thy
name
may
fear
continually
the
psalmist
finally
leaves us
a beautiful
petition
further on
in
psalm
119
and
he
saw
the
value
of
the
word
and
this
is
what
he
said
thy
word
I
have
hid
in
my
heart
that
I
offend
not
thee
Spurgeon
said
of
that
the
best
thing
the
word
in
the
best
place
the
heart
with
the
best
purpose
that
I
offend
not
thee
a
life
that
is
led
and
a
life
that
is
lived
in
this
way
becomes
a
very
distinct
life
and a
very
powerful
and
prominent
witness
when we
enter into
the fullness
of this
teach me
your way
oh lord
that I
may walk
in your
truth
unite my
heart to
fear
your name
I
close with
a thought
from one
of the
Puritans
who said
that
lives
like this
become
very
distinct
lives
that so
many of
us know
as we
recall
a generation
who went
before us
distinct
in their
walk
and their
witness
and this
is what
the
Puritans
said
there is
a life
that
speaks
much
and
says
little
there is
a life
that speaks
much
and
says
little
and how
in the
darkness
of the
world
that we
live
today
is the
need
for that
profound
shining
of God's
grace
in lives
that will
speak
much
and say
little
and so
as we
close
it is
with a
prayer
that as
we leave
this place
tonight
we may
do so
with the
power of
God's
spirit
enabling us
to receive
the word
to retain
it
to reflect
it
and to
live lives
that are
regulated
by its
teaching
let's
bow our
heads
sovereign
father in
heaven we
do give
thanks unto
thee for
the voice
that is
thy truth
and its
teaching
and we
pray oh
lord our
god that
thou would
open our
hearts
and
infuse
the fullness
of it
into our
capacity
that we
would be
enabled to
learn
and that
we would
be enabled
to find
the fullness
of life
that is to
be found
reconciled to
thee in the
finished work
of christ
for this is
man's chief
end to
glorify thee
and to
enjoy thee
forever
and may we
know the
fullness of
that
in jesus
name we
ask
amen
we conclude
our worship
this evening
singing from
psalm 25
from the
scottish
psalter
on page
231
where the
psalmist with
these words
takes up
once more
the very
petitions that
we have been
reflecting upon
tonight
surely
a powerful
evidence of
to us
of his
need
show me
thy ways
oh lord
thy paths
so teach
thou me
and do
thou lead
me in
thy truth
therein
my teacher
be
psalm 25
verses 4
to 9
to god's
praise and
conclusion
show me
thy ways
oh lord
thy path
so teach
thou
be
unto
thy
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
voy
!
Bwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwydwyd
Ychydig.
And I apologise first of all for the mismanagement of my time.
I'm sorry and for that reason I won't go to the door.
I've kept you long enough and we'll conclude with a word of prayer.
Sovereign Father in heaven, we do give thanks unto thee then for our time together
in the fellowship we have enjoyed in the courts of thy house.
And we pray, O Lord, that individually and collectively
we would know the blessing and the fullness of amazing grace.
So that as we are gathered here together as one and must part.
That amazing grace would gather us together once more, never to part.
But to enjoy the fullness of the eternal realm
reconciled to thee in Christ.
And the praise shall be thine forever in him.
Amen.
έ έ έ
voyw voy voy
voy