The Holy Spirit in our lives

… In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In verse 5, Ruth, chapter 2, verse 5. The burghess said to his servant, who sat over the reapers, whose mind is this? And the servant that was sat over the reapers answered and said, it is the low-mightish mind who came back with Naomi out of the field of the burgh. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. And she came and continued from the morning until night, thus sitting in the house of the reapers. And then Ezekiel, chapter 47. Ezekiel, chapter 47. Verse 1. He brought me back to the door of the house, and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward. The front of the house was eastward. And the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, south of the altar. And he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round outside, unto the outer gate, towards the gate that looks eastward. And, behold, waters ran out on the right side. When the man went forth eastward, a lign was in his hand, and he measured a thousand cubits, and caused me to pass through the waters. The waters were up to the ankles. And he measured a thousand cubits, and caused me to pass through the waters. The waters went to the knees. And he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through. The waters went to the loins. And he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through. For the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said unto me, Some man must have seen this, and he led me, and brought me back to the bank of the river. When I returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees, on the one side and on the other. And he said unto me, These waters fish around toward the east this day, and go down into the plain, and go into the sea. When they are brought forth into the sea, the waters thereof shall be healed. And in passing through, on our way to Revelation, John, again John's Gospel, chapter 16. John 16, verse 13. John 16, verse 13. But when he is come with the Spirit of truth, he shall guide you into all the truth. For he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear, he shall speak. And he will announce to you what is coming. And he shall glorify me, and he shall receive of mine, and shall announce it to you. All things that the Father announced are mine. On account of this I say that he receives of mine, and shall show it unto you. And finally, as I said, Revelation. Revelation, chapter 22. Revelation 22, verse 17. And the Spirit of the Bride said, Come. Just as I was sitting meditating there, I soon see this link between what our dear brothers have been laboring to bring before us. And the work of the Holy Spirit in his two-fold way, well, very many aspects of it. Considering this particular aspect, that dear brother Derek is bringing before us, how he works in our affections. And like the regular actions in the hearts of the saints towards Christ. Then the work of the Holy Spirit is in us, in the matter of service. And that's why I refer, first of all, to Rudy. In Genesis 24 we might say that the Holy Spirit conveys, well it's an actual canon, the Holy Spirit is conveying the Bride through. And here in the book of Rudy, the Holy Spirit is in control, isn't he? He's in control. The young man that was set over the Reapers, he's in control of the Reapers. And we must appreciate that. In any measure in which we seek to serve the Lord, however humble or mean a way it might be. We must realize that whatever it is, whatever we take up to the Lord, that the Holy Spirit, the blessed Holy Spirit, is in control. And Boaz, of course, is the mighty man of strength. Speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, isn't he? Wonderful, supreme one. In that unique and blessed character as a man of strength. Who was ruined, wasn't he? Firstborn of the dignity, it is in Genesis 41. Excellency of power and excellence of might, the Lord. And Boaz is the mighty one. And there he has this servant set over his Reapers. He's in control of all service. And he administers it all. As it says in 1 Corinthians 12. There is but one spirit that works in us all. And in the whole body, everything's in control by him. Everything's administered by him. So there we see in that passage of Ruth, the Holy Spirit in control. And Ruth, of course, coming in. We know that subsequently she's going to be the bride of Boaz. But in the meantime, she's there serving among the Reapers. Coming to glean. And surely that would speak of our service. Provide food. Which she actually was going to be providing food for herself and her mother-in-law. And presumably, really no presumption about it, this would be one of our first concerns. That we might be providing food for the saints of God. And that we might be seeking as we go out. And teaching in the Sunday school perhaps. Visiting the sick. We might see these dear ones being saved and gathered in. To form part of that vast company. And administering the word of Christ. And serving the Lord in very, very many ways. But it's the blessing of getting it from the word of God. We can only pass on to souls things that are from the word of God. We can't be passing on shit here of Dickens or what we learn from these and these and these. No, it must be from the word of God. That's where we get it. It's the food to our souls. And we must make it part of us. And so let us glean among the sheaves and gather up and beat out. And so there she was, gleaning among the sheaves. As the hymn writer said, I walk for his pleasure. Whilst keeping my eyes in the end of the field. Where standeth the prize. And he too with pleasure his foot may review. As a man in the glory. That's strange to you. The writer goes on to say, George Cutting in that verse. He's speaking of laboring in the field for the Lord. And I'm sure many of you here mature saints. Need no elaboration of these things. You've done it. You've done it on the burning heat of the day. And surely your desire would be that there might be those younger in the faith following on. Whose faith following on in this way. Of freshening out the wheat. Making it fine. Chewing the cart. Ruminating on it. Making the word of God of your own. And enabling you to go forth in service for him. And it's a blessed thing of course to get it in the field. Freshening there in the field. But later on. We read of her. Being at the feet of Boaz. She was at his feet. And you know. She got a lot more at his feet. Than she did in the field. She got one measure. When she was in the field. But when she was at Boaz's feet. And she took it home. The amount that came out there. Was six measures. Sorry I think it was one ephah she got in the field. And six measures at his feet. And I understand that two measures make an ephah. So she got three ephahs at his feet. She got more at his feet. That's the point you see. It's a blessed thing to be out there in service to the Lord. But if we want the real blessing from him. We must spend that time in communion with him. At his feet. Because a dear brother is going out to America. To minister the word of God. For five weeks. He's going to be with that dear brother. For the five days alone with the Lord. In a house. He wasn't intending that. He intended to be staying with somebody. But somehow or other. It's happened that he's going to be alone with the Lord. For five days. And feeding on the word of God. And then we can trust that the Lord leads him here. For that five weeks as he goes to America. To minister the word to the saints there. That the Lord will bring forth something of a bounty. And a blessing. Of what he's had at the feet of the Lord. He hasn't just started sitting at the feet of the Lord. He's sat at the feet of the Lord. From when he was a young man. It's not just something that you suddenly pick up. It's got to be there. You've got to have that desire when you're young. Get into it. That's what we used to say when I was a young believer. Get into it. Get into these things. And get them at the feet of the Lord. So anyway. The great point is that the Holy Spirit is in control. He's in control of our service. And our work for the Lord here. He conveys in Genesis 24. In Ruth. He is in control. In Ezekiel. The Holy Spirit conducts. He conducts through the waters. And there. We see that wonderful picture. I remember as a very young believer. Reading some ministry by a dear servant of God. Mr. Trench. His name was. Not J.G. Trench. But J.C. Trench. He was a minister. And it gripped my soul. As a very young lad of 15. That this. The real effect of it. What it was. Get into these waters to swim in. To be led through. To have the various exercises. The water up to your ankles. And moving on to the knees. And up to the hips and the thighs. And finally into the waters to swim in. Surely that's how the blessing. Holy Spirit of God will lead us. Even in the deep end you know. Often start in our offices or our work. They like to throw people in at the deep end. But that's not the way I feel. With the Holy Spirit of God. I stand corrected afterwards. But I feel the Holy Spirit would. Lead us in depth into these things. Just a little bit at a time. To quite a rapid time. Lead us a bit more on and on. And get into these blessing things. He conducts us through the waters. The Spirit of God does. He conducts us through. When he's conducting us through. He takes the things of Christ. And that's why you know. It's a wonderful thing. These Old Testament types are very blessed for us. But they must be firmly founded on the New Testament. And there we read these verses in John 16. When he discovered the Spirit of Truth. We were remarking this morning. On the importance of this blessed title. This description. Of him as the Spirit of Truth. He is true of course. As being God he is true. But truth is the expression of what is true. Truth is the expression of what is true. And so he is the Spirit of Truth. Nothing that's insincere. Incomplete. Nothing that's devious. And everything is opened above all. Absolutely true. And he shall guide you into all the truth. As that servant of old. Was that man with the measuring rod. Was guiding Ezekiel through the waters. The Holy Spirit guides us into all the truth. Conducts us through these waters. And it says he shall not speak from himself. Blessed subject place that the Holy Spirit is taking in this day. Blessed and wonderful that he is God. But today he takes this subject place. And does not speak from himself. But speaks of the things of heaven. Whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak. That blessed eternal sphere of things. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In divine eternal council. That purpose of God. Every purpose shall be established by council. And there was a brother who used to speak about the council. Chambers of eternity. Where divine persons are. Well I haven't got a proper word for it in English. But it's Godhead persons. Godhead persons. The persons of the Godhead. Were in converse. In a council in that past age of eternity. And all that blessed converse. All that was gone over there. We might reckon to see. Is coming out now. Coming out now in the blessed spirits ministry. How wonderful it is. Isn't it? Coming out now in the spirits ministry. We see I think a little picture of it. In the tabernacle system in that oil. The oil stand there burning. The oil that we put in the air morning and night. And the spirit is giving witness. To this blessed ministry of Christ. And oh dear saints of God. Let us be occupied with that. Not with the tinsel and things of this world at all. But be occupied with the testament. That the spirit is giving to Christ. That our hearts and our affections. Our desires may be on that line. And to hold and maintain things today. The truth of the glorious person of Lord Jesus Christ. The truth of the one body. And the responsibilities that are connected to it. As much of course there is quite a lot of talk about. The truth of the one body. But we very often forget. That although it's a blessed privilege. It carries with it a commensurate amount of responsibility. And we have to hang our heads in shame. How often we let things come in. That we deviate us from this. From the responsibilities that are connected with it. Sometimes even our own natural relationships. Conveniences and things like that come in. But we must remember. That the truth has been committed to us. We must hold it today and take it up. And maintain it. No matter what the price is. We are exhorted of all to buy the truth. And sell it not. And it's very necessary today. In these darker and more difficult days. As things get darker and to be found here. Maintaining instead the truth. And of course being maintained by the truth. That's the great point. Is to hold the truth in love. As it says in Ephesians. To hold the truth in love. It's the only way it can be held. If we try and hold it in a legal way. It's no good. It won't function. It must be held in love. That's how the truth must be taken up. In love. And so. There's all the blessed truth that has come out. And he will announce. Or report. Or show. He will report to you what is coming. And oh you know. It's blessed and wonderful. As the spirit brings before us. All the occupations of today. But it says. He shall announce to you what is coming. Of course from that point of view. The saint of the Holy Spirit himself. At Pentecost. The setting up of the body of Christ. And the saint being gathered in. Now of course we can. Look on to what is coming. And it's not so much. What is coming. It's who is coming. Amen. What a wonderful saint there is Jesus. He's coming. Who is coming? The Lord Jesus Christ. Doesn't that gladden our hearts? That we can leap. The wonderful fact that he's coming. A glorious person. We send to him. We're going to see his blessed face. We're waiting to hear that sound. Where I is my heart. My fellow men come away. The voice of the turtle is heard in the land. The time of the singing of the birds has come. We're waiting that blessed moment. Every heart shall lift up. You know just last Monday. I spent time with some dear saints of God. And we're reading 1 Thessalonians 4. I didn't know as much truth as many of you do here. But at least I knew that the Savior was coming for them. It was a tear to my heart. To think that these dear young ones. Most of them were probably half my age. And they were rejoicing in this wonderful fact. That the Lord Jesus Christ is coming. And at the end we sang with gusto. When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound. And time shall be no more. Yes. What is it? What is it? He's coming. The Lord has got up with him. And of course. He administered this world once. We've been married to him. He comes forth. We're going to reign with him. And he'll administer this world for a thousand years. Then he ushers in God's eternal day. That blessed and wonderful scene. He shall show what is coming. And it says supremely. He shall glorify me. Let us never lose sight of that. Of this point. He shall glorify me. This is the supreme purpose. And what with the Holy Spirit. To glorify Christ. He doesn't glorify himself. He doesn't glorify man or any saints. But he glorifies Christ. For he shall receive of mine. And shall announce it to you. Oh wonderful. And blessed that is too. That the blessed spirit glorifies Christ. If there's any ministry. Anything. Anything that you read or hear. Or see that does not glorify Christ. You can take it that it's nothing to do with the spirit. It's not the spirit's ministry. But if there is an alleged or so-called ministry of the spirit. What is the end of it? Is it glorifying Christ? That's the test isn't it? Does it glorify Christ? Does it make it larger and more wonderful in our hearts? Not of course that that's going to do anything to enhance the glory of Christ. But surely as we. As we are. As led by the spirit. As led by something of the grandeur and glory and majesty. And wonderful splendor of that blessed one. Magnified and glorified in the heart. Surely we know that he is being glorified. But not that anything can be added to. He goes beyond all that we can give. As the hymn writer says. Thou art greater. Glorious saviour. Than the glory of us all. This the greatness of thy glory. Ever blessed. Throughout the sun. In all the uniqueness of his glorious person. John says we beheld his glory. The glory as of an only begotten. With a father. Uniqueness in that glory of the person. That was his. Oh indeed well might we respond. As the spirit would lead to glorify Christ. That we may be ready. To respond to him. He shall take of mine and shall report. Or show it to you. So the spirit conducts us into these blessed things. And we find ourselves in waters to swim in. Beyond our depths. Lavishing in the wonderful love of God. And in the power and freshness of the Holy Spirit. What a blessed wonderful place to be in. Lost in wonder. Love and praise. Even now. Into the enjoyment. The spirit of course. In the Luke 14. Compelled. He compels him to come in. And earlier in this chapter 16. He convinces him. This is the name of sin. To wait for the judgment to come. And what is the conclusion. Of the Holy Spirit. What the culmination. The spirits culmination. We have it don't we. In Revelation 22. The spirits culmination. The spirit and the bride. Say come. And here we come back on to the line. That Derek was on. There they. I would feel you know. On our side. His great work is that. There might be bridal affections. At our hearts we wrote. In pristine affection. Affection to the Lord Jesus Christ. Responding to him. You know I was very glad. Derek stressed that. She sprang off the camel. She didn't take her time about it. And wait for a stool to be put there. To come up easily. Or help of it. Or wait till it went down. To him. That she sprang off the camel. And dear saint of God. Won't that be the case with us. We will arise. We will arise. We are longing to be here with him. We are going to go up. And go right to him. And we know holding us at all. Would be so desirous. To get to him. And the spirit. And the bride say come. You know it's not without significance. The only word that she says. Is come. There's lots of things you know. That you would have thought. We would probably be writing. That we might have put words into her mouth. But no. The only word she says is come. She wants to respond to him. And so. This is the wonderful conclusion. Of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who. Is in control of our service here. And the Holy Spirit who conducts us. To God. And the Holy Spirit who conveys us. To Christ himself. And so here is the end. Of it all. The spirit and the bride say come. Oh that our hearts and our affections. May be to him. Responding to him. Desire to be with him. And to be like him. Oh Lord Jesus come. Well might that be a response. Within one of our hearts. And sure it is. Things can't get any better. But we in the time that we left. Of course it says. Him that hears say come. As in the days that are left for us. We go out with the gospel call. To the needy world around. But our affections are for Christ. And our desire is to meet him in the air. And so we respond. With the leading of the spirit. Come. Even so come Lord Jesus. …