Paul's vision

… I'll put the name of Jesus on the head of every earthly earth. It soothes his sorrows, cleanses his wounds, and hides away his sin. It makes the homeless cheerful, it calms the tired. It is the path to the hungry soul, and to the weary rest. Blessed are all the pits we fill, our shelter, hiding place, our never failing, friendly will, with humblest source always. Jesus, our Savior, Shepherd, Friend, Lover of earth, Priest and King, our Lord, our life, our way, our death, accept the praise we bring. He gives the apple of our heart, and to our warmest soul. But every sinning and scar will praise him as we all. Till then we would like one more day with every fleeting breath, and triumph in unanswered pain, which dwells in our heart again. Amen. We'll just sing 454, four by four. Four by four. It's so sweet. Thy name, blessed Lord, is as I've never known. And we bless thee until it parents not rise. To honor her holy name is excellent pride. It's not just confession in fullness and pride. O name of sweet Savior, our Savior of rest. The name of the living, the Lamb that was slain. O name of God's Son, one in human flesh. The name ever worthy of homage to Him. Blessed Lord, in Thy favor we hope all day long. And praise till we reach Thee on heaven's bright shore. Thou shalt be forever our joy and our song. Lord Jesus, we love Thee, we love and adore. Amen. Before we begin, I wonder if there's anyone who is able and willing to hold the hands up to indicate that they not only hear the sounds, but understand the words that are being said. One or two. That's a good start. Would you turn, please, to the book of Acts, chapter 9. We should be getting to know our way around this chapter. Acts, chapter 9. Acts 9, verse 3. Chapter 22 and verse 6. And it came to pass that as I made my journey and was come unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. Chapter 26, verse 13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. Verse 19, whereupon I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. I'm never quite sure whether or not it's a good thing to distribute handouts at the beginning of the meeting or the end. The danger is that when I'm speaking about page 1, you're looking at page 2 and vice versa. But I'm sure you have the discipline to follow the headings, no more than the headings as we go along, as stepping stones in what we have to say. The statements I make in this subject of Paul's visions, which is my title tonight, are no more than suggestions. The distinctions I attempt to draw may be fine ones and give me better ones, I'll be very pleased. What is a vision? Something special that is seen, a spectacle which is very impressive. Now, we are used in scripture to what we term theophanies, appearances of God, again for a very special reason. Visions are not necessarily the same as theophanies, but there is this spectacular way of drawing attention to things that need to be learned. The second statement I've made is very close to the first. Why were visions given? Almost the same as an answer to the question, what is a vision? Visions were given in order that those who were to act in a special way for their God and master, that their attention would be concentrated and that this would be a commencement to what they had to do. Usually, visions were given when God was going to introduce something new, something fresh that hadn't been seen in that way before. I've noted that well-known, much quoted verse, where there is no vision, the people perish. If you look at the context, you'll find that there's no real attempt to provide a lasting solution or answer to the question. The final answer, the full answer, awaits the revelation of God in Christ that we get in the New Testament, but the question needs to be asked. When were visions given? In the Old Testament, again, when God had something new to reveal, a new statement to make, a change in the ways of God towards men, and it was signaled in this way, communicated in a spectacular way in order that the servant's attention might be concentrated. In New Testament Christianity, in the assembly, truth is communicated by the leading and guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. Using the Holy Scriptures, and that is the norm. The Holy Spirit, who prompted and inspired the Scriptures, using that which he has inspired in order that the truth of God might be communicated to the soul. Normal, fully-fledged Christianity. Now, in the Book of Acts, as we've been considering, in the early days and the early years of Christianity, the full canon of Scripture was not available. Some was available, used where it was available, but much had yet to be revealed. In the Book of Acts, we are in a transitional period, moving out of Judaism into full-blown Christianity, but as in every transitional period, there is a little blurring of the edges, and that's what we notice in the Book of Acts. After we've been taken to be with Christ, which for us will be far, far better, visions will again be seen. When Peter preached at Pentecost, he quoted in part from the Book of the Prophet Joel, and he quoted verses which will have a more complete fulfillment after the assembly has taken to be with Christ. And we get statements here and there. Acts 2, Revelation, more than once we get a vision where God is revealing to his servant John things which must shortly come to pass. Now, we aren't all interested in numbers. Sometimes they're more interesting than others. So far, I've noticed about 80 visions in the Old Testament and about 20 in the New. Many of them are said to be visions in the night. May well be that when there's something new to be revealed, the degree of concentration required is such that when naturally speaking things are calm and quiet and restful and in repose, that the necessary concentration to pay attention to what God has said is such that the nighttime is the appropriate period for the visions to be given. To whom were visions given? In the Old Testament, generally speaking, the patriarchs and the prophets who were used of God to bring to light things that had never been noticed before, the patriarchs and the prophets, generally speaking, are those to whom visions were given in the 80 or so occasions where we get them. I've listed for you in the handout some in the New Testament who received visions. If you have a look at it, paragraph 5, Zacharias in Luke 2, Peter, James, and John in the Transfiguration, certain women, witnesses of the resurrection, Luke 24, 22 tells us about the vision they saw. In Acts, Peter and Paul, now after our Bible readings we can add Ananias who in a vision was made aware that Paul had seen a vision and would be coming to Ananias. The word vision is used. Why Paul? At the moment, I'm merely running quickly down the statements on the handout to collect our thoughts together to concentrate on detail that we will have later. Why Paul? Acts is transitional. The Holy Ghost was present in the church. He had inaugurated the church. He indwelt the church collectively, corporately, and each individual was indwelt by the Holy Spirit in fully-fledged Christianity. And yet, there was a gap. The full canon of Scripture had not yet been made available. The Apostle Paul was to be used in a very special way, as we've heard, to contribute more to New Testament teaching epistles than anyone else and to fit in for that, to give him this spectacular introduction to this tremendous work for God that he was equipped to do. God had a job to do. He formed the vessel. He gave him this impetus, and Paul was made available in this way. I've quoted part of a hymn that some of you will be familiar with. Lead kindly light amid the encircling gloom. Sad to say, the man who composed those words turned his back, eventually, on the light he had already been given and descended into ecclesiastical darkness. Happily, the Apostle Paul, when he was given a vision, he was obedient to it, and it's important to notice that verse in chapter 19. He says himself he was given a vision, and we are now going to look at some of the details. The vision of the Lord that Paul was given was his first personal experience of the Lord Jesus. First impressions are important because first impressions remain. If I'm given a wrong first impression, it grows so quickly and takes such a deep root that if I eventually realise the first impression I got was a wrong one, it's extremely difficult to get rid of it. You gardeners, perhaps, can tell me, why is it, certainly seems to me, why is it that weeds grow more quickly and take root more deeply than the delicate plants we might want to flourish? It's a fact of life, isn't it? It's so spiritually. If we are not in a position where we get right first impressions, they can be very difficult to eradicate. Paul was given the right first impression. Christ, who had died to save him, was raised from among the dead, ascended, glorified at the right hand of God. And that was the first personal impression of Christ that Paul received. So much so that it governed him for the rest of his life and it characterised his ministry throughout. Wonderful opportunity. Personal, constant communication and communion with Christ in glory, which governed and characterised him for the rest of his days. It was vivid, it was dramatic, and it marked him for the rest of his days. I'll just make a general point here. I will never be, as an old man, what I choose not to be as a young man. Conversely, what I am as a young man will tend to govern me as an old man. Very important to make the right start in Christianity. I'm sure it's for that reason that Paul says to the younger man, Timothy, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. The time to get to grips with the word of God, the time to allow the word of God to get its grip upon you, is when you are young and the mind is fertile and alert and can take things in quickly. Again, let our first impressions of the joy of studying Scripture get an early grip upon us, and then when we are old, if the Lord hasn't come, perhaps we'll not need to be disappointed with the way we've used or wasted our youths. Now, let's look a little further at Acts chapter 9. Before we do, we've been floating about chapter 9, chapter 22, chapter 26. So well known, we are afraid to say it sometimes in case it sounds like vain repetition. Chapter 9 we've read, he said, I saw a light from heaven. When he repeats it in chapter 22, it's a great light. When he says it in chapter 26, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. Pardon me saying this, nearly every time this is quoted, it's misquoted. We've had it this week. A light above the brightness of the noonday sun. It's correct. It's not quoting Scripture. He says, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, and it was at midday. Now, isn't life busy? There are many things that if I had the time and the energy, I may well have sampled and enjoyed. Angling, fishing for fish might be one of them. I say that because a cynical reader of chapters 9, 22 and 26 could well make the cynical comment, oh, the story grows with the telling. I'm sure you've met an angler who goes fishing and he catches a fish. He's asked, how big is it? Oh, it was that size. By the time he's got home and had a good meal, thought about it, someone says, how big was the fish? He says, oh, it was that size. Ask him in a week's time. His arms won't be long enough to see how big the fish was, particularly if it got away. Oh, there's a much better answer to what we have in chapters 9, 22 and 26. The more Paul got to know the Lord better, the greater, the more enhanced was his appreciation of the glory of the Lord that had been revealed to him. And as the days went by, he was able to revel more and more in what he had seen in that initial vision. I wonder what my first impression of Christ was. I wonder whether or not the first early impression of Christ that I gained has affected me, marked me, governed me, characterized me ever since then. It's a challenge that each of us must face. Would you look please again at chapter 9? I think there's something very special here. Chapter 9, verse 3. There shined round about him a light from heaven. Verse 8, when his eyes were opened, he saw no man. And he was three, verse 9, he was three days without sight. End of verse 11, Saul of Tarsus, beginning of 12, hath seen a vision that he might receive his sight. Towards the end of 17, that thou mightest receive thy sight. Verse 18, immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith. Now to chapter 22 again. Suggestion was made at some time today, perhaps he was blind because of the brightness of the light. There's no doubt about it. Chapter 22, verse 11. I could not see for the glory of that light. No doubt about it. He was blinded by the brilliance of the glory of the Lord. I was interested in the comment on the three days. It takes time for truth to sink in. I judge one of the many possible reasons for the three days. It wouldn't, the lesson wouldn't have been learned if, as sometimes happened, he'd been dazzled and then within a few seconds he'd blinked a few times and his sight was normal. We speak of baptism. He had to learn that the old life was finished. He had to learn a new life was about to begin. That takes time to sink in. And physically, we've made remarks once or twice, haven't we? There is a moral significance in the book of Acts and other books which marks out spiritual lessons that need to be learned. Paul had to learn that what he'd seen and the way that he'd seen it must come to an end. A new life was to begin. And when his eyes were opened, he'd see things in a new way. When we look at 26 again, please. Verse 17 or verse 16. He learned the lesson for himself. He was in no position to press the moral and spiritual lesson onto anybody else. Physically in his own case first, then spiritually, then in a position to teach others. Common lesson in scripture we have to learn. There's one more scripture which I think is vital. Would you turn please to Galatians chapter 4. Galatians 4 verse 15. Where is then the blessedness ye speak of? For I bear you record that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. There was a time in his life until he met the Lord when he saw and he had good eyesight. He was blinded for three days. He had to learn the lesson. The old life was finished. And then when the depths had been plumbed, his eyes were opened, but he never saw the world again in the way that he had seen it before he had this wonderful vision of the Lord. I think that is remarkably significant. Putting it simply, his eyes were spoiled for the world as he knew it. He never saw the world again in the way that he'd seen it before he met the Lord. Now that was physical and it became moral and spiritual. Now to what extent is it true for you and me that since we met the Lord, it has spoiled our eyes for the world? We never look at the world. The world is never as impressive again as before we trusted Christ as Saviour. To me, that's the answer to these questions we've been thinking about. The statements again and again, he couldn't see. He could not see for the glory of the light. But when he did see again, he saw everything in a totally different way. We have to learn practical lessons as well as matters of doctrine. And in these evening studies, it is the exercise that we learn practical lessons. There are many practical lessons involved in reading about the visions given to Paul. Would you turn please to chapter 16? Verses 9 and 10. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night, there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Come and help us. Special communication given in a vision, a new tack, a new direction, in the service of the apostle. And in order to concentrate his mind and his devotion, this comes to him in a vision. I think I've put in the handout after the scripture, this happened to us, I put in brackets overnight. Probably what we would speak of nowadays as a stopover. On his journey somewhere else, he stops, perhaps, overnight, certainly a limited time, and the Lord used the occasion in order to reveal to Paul something he needed to learn about his service. Some things come to us over a long period, but sometimes the Lord makes known something to us in a brief spell and it's just as vital. But to make sure that Paul understood that this was a special communication for him, it came to him in a vision. As to the text, notice, after he, Paul, got the vision, we, says Luke, we joined him. First time that Luke moves from the third person, he or they, to the first person. And it indicates that when Paul got the communication from the Lord and was obedient to it, there were others who were prepared to join him in the exercise. Now, I think I've said, see the later note. We'll come back to this, but let us just take it in as we pass. There are things we need to learn from the Lord in a personal, individual way. But having learned the lesson, having completed the exercise, we find ourselves in fellowship with other individuals who have trodden the same path, learned the same lesson, and are available to have fellowship with us in what we hope to do. Chapter 18, verse 9. I'll read the verse. Every now and again, certainly in my case, I need encouragement. Carry on. Don't give up. Keep going. And the Lord makes his presence known to encourage us to do just that when everything seems against us. And at this juncture, in Paul's service, he was given this word of encouragement. Irrespective of service, as to Christian life, every now and again, we need encouragement just to keep going. There are many of us, on many occasions, might well be tempted to give up. Is it worth the bother? The Lord knows. Our brethren may not know, but he uses one or another just to give a little word of encouragement, unbeknown to them. The Lord speaks through them and said, keep going, don't give up. It's not only in major matters of service, but even in the matter of keeping the momentum going. That we need the encouragement, and Paul was given such encouragement. Chapter 22. Back again to chapter 22. This time, verse 17. And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance, and saw him saying unto me, make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I am imprisoned and beat in every synagogue, them that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death, and held the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. It's not vital, but I've made a note for you, of the fact that this took place at Jerusalem, and this was not an overnight stop. How long he was there, I'm not quite sure. I've listed verses which tell us when he arrived, things that happened the day following, something that took seven days, on the morrow, the night following, a sequence of timescale. He was there for quite a period. And while he was there, again, he was given a vision. The word here, I was in a trance. Whether or not this is quite the same, as 2 Corinthians 12, where he speaks of a man in Christ, I doubt not, it was Paul himself, but he makes it general to allow for others to have the experience. Twice over, he says, I was caught up. I was raptured. I was ecstatic. Now, here, a similar word. He was ecstatic, he was in a trance, and he saw a vision was given to him while he was in that condition. Now, this is a different message. We've considered the possibility that at one stage, the Lord said, just keep going the way you are going. It's right for you. I'll let you know when there's a change necessary. That point has come. And the message was, get out. Go to the Gentiles. Oh, there's a very important practical lesson here. The Lord never closes one door unless he opens another. We need that encouragement. Keep going. I've met many sad cases of brothers and sisters who've waited for a lifetime for a dramatic vision of something to do for the Lord. And because it never comes in a spectacular way, in a vision, if you like, they're still wondering at the end of their days what aspect of the Lord's work they should be useful in. There's something within a hand's reach of all of us, an aspect of the Lord's work that needs to be done. And if you notice it, and no one else seems to be doing it, it's a good indication that the Lord may well want you to do it. Never let a job for the Lord be left undone. Because you think, well, I'd better wait till I'm quite sure it's the Lord's will. In Scripture, those who notice a small job, an apparently unimportant job, and get on with it and do it well, are led on to something which perhaps is even a more responsible work than where they started. But every now and again, it may be necessary to say, leave that, I want you to do something else. But again, he didn't stop serving the Lord and he didn't wait for 10 years till he got another vision of something to do. The Lord was merciful, he was gracious, he gave him the vision and he said, it's time for a change. It may be a personal application of this when I say, the Lord never closes one door without opening another. I learned this lesson many years ago. I'll be very brief, I won't bore you with overmuch detail. There was a time in my life when I suffered a disappointment. Very minor thing. I had planned to go on holiday with a friend, camping, and at the last minute, he wasn't allowed off work. So we couldn't go away camping together. A local sister, a mature sister, must have seen that I showed signs of disappointment and she said that very thing. She said, the Lord never takes anything away without giving you something better in return. She said, wait upon the Lord, he'll show you something better. I put my mind to it, couldn't spend too long about it, I only had a week's holiday. I thought, ah, I know what I'll do. Now, I'm one of a dying breed. At the beginning of World War II, in common with perhaps some of the older ones here, I was an evacuee. I lived in an industrial area where there might be a lot of bombing, a lot of casualties, fires and the like. And in common with a lot of little boys and girls, I was transported to a different part of the country where the danger was very small. Now, when I'd been at home, Sunday afternoon, I was sent to Sunday school. Sunday night, I was taken to the gospel meeting. It was a way of life. When I got to my destination with the rest of the school, I was allocated to a house. Sunday came round, the people there, my foster parents, they sent me to Sunday school in the afternoon, they took me to the gospel meeting at night. No change. I just took it for granted. Good habits are well worth cultivating. After two years, my school reopened in my hometown. I went back, and again, Sunday school in the afternoon, gospel meeting at night, no change. When I got this minor disappointment that my friend couldn't go camping with me, I wondered what to do. I came to the conclusion, the best thing I can do is to go back that 120 miles because I'd never seen the people since I left them eight years previously. We hadn't corresponded. Neither of us were good letter writers. Didn't have a telephone in those days. I thought, I think they will be interested to know, having sent me to Sunday school, taken me to the gospel, I think they will be interested to know that I'm a Christian. I've trusted the Lord. Of course, I'd been small when I went with them. I didn't know much about the truth of God. So I went back to where I'd been, and I was absolutely astounded. When we got settled in, and they were very pleased to see me, I knocked on the door. They looked hard, then eventually they realised who I was eight years later, but this was it. I'll have to say it slowly. They told me, in those eight years, every morning, every night, they'd asked the Lord to save me. Unless I'd had the minor disappointment of my friend not being available for holiday, I would have gone throughout life without knowing that those who only knew that being a little boy they'd taken to Sunday school and the gospel meeting, they would never have known whether or not their prayers had been answered. An encouragement to pray. But again, I would say it's a very good illustration. The Lord never takes anything away without giving you something better in return. Chapter 23, verse 11. Still at Jerusalem. On the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. He's moved from Jerusalem to Rome. The lesson here is the teaching, an experience that the Lord brings us through is intended to be cumulative. We are not intended to forget any of the lessons we've previously learned. Step at a time, brick upon brick, taking account of what's happened before and certainly everything we do now is in the light of the lessons the Lord has previously taught us. I've added a note for you, 1 John 2. Why is it that the little children have ten verses, the babes, have ten verses of instruction addressed to them? The young men are given three and a half and the fathers merely half a verse and almost word for word repeating what they've previously been told. It's certainly not because the mature spiritual fathers know it all. Certainly not. There may be a good lesson here that we need to spend much, much more time encouraging the babes than we may be inclined to do. But the young men who are given three and a half verses at least in part it's because during their earliest stage of spiritual development they learn the lessons appropriate to that stage of development. They've put them into practice and there's no intention of forgetting the lessons they've learned. They move on and in the light of what they know already they make further progress. And I think the pattern of 1 John 2 from verses 12 to 28 the spiritual progress within the Christian family includes the kind of lesson that Paul had to learn here in chapter 23 verse 11. Lastly, chapter 27 please. The famous shipwreck journey. Again, how long? Minor point. Read it through, work out how long the journey took. Days, many days, much time. Next day, 14th night and so on. It took time. Wisdom cometh with the gray hair. It does not mean, it does not say that all old men are wise and it doesn't even say that all young men are fools. What it does say is there are things that we need to learn that take time to absorb and put into practice. Now, this shipwreck journey if you want a moral allegory see Andrew Lange who can make a very extended one that their family have brought in very, very good. There is an allegory in going through that chapter but that's not what I want to talk about. I'll read then verses 23 and 24. There stood by me this night the angel of God whose I am and whom I serve saying fear not Paul thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee wherefore sirs be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. I have never been in the armed forces but certainly traditionally I can understand that in the early training period what the soldier is as an individual is drummed out of him on the parade ground. Then they teach the soldier how to respond to certain instructions and commands. Why is that? So that in an emergency they will do exactly what the management if you like the supervision wants them to do. They will react in an emergency in the way they've been trained to respond. It was true of Paul. This cumulative experience that he was given this lesson upon lesson that he'd put into practice in his own life meant that when in an emergency in a crisis it needed someone to take the lead in line with the will of God he was there he was available and he did it. It may well be that some of the things we have to learn the discipline in the school of God it may well be that some of the things are irksome distasteful unpalatable but we can rest assured that we are being trained for some future service. When something unpleasant happens to a believer or a servant of God the flesh would raise the question what's he done wrong? What's the Lord punishing them for? We would be better employed to ask a positive question I wonder what future service the Lord is training him or her for. Much more positive much more worthy of the Lord. We discussed the training of disciples and servants let me put it another way the Lord forms the vessel for service long before the service becomes obvious and taken up that's an encouragement one of the lessons in life for the believer is that the Lord is forming us all to be serviceable for him until the Lord shall come. My last lesson tonight we've had it before where Paul was given a vision for himself and when he put it into practice when he responded to it when he was obedient he found there were others similarly exercised to help in the same work. Luke went from he to we. Now there are other valuable scriptures which teach the same lesson that which is individual leads to the collective and unless we learn the lesson as individuals we will never be able to put it into practice collectively there are things we cannot learn in a crowd we have to go through it for ourselves. I've given you three examples Psalm 40 verse 3 I think it's worth looking at the verse would you turn please to Psalm 40 verse 1 begins in the singular I waited patiently for the Lord he inclined unto me and I heard my cry he brought me up also out of an horrible pit out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings now this is it he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God he moves from the singular to the plural now why is that? don't be disturbed at the apparent contradiction of Psalm 69 the psalm of the trespass offering where the psalmist says I sink in deep mire where there is no standing and Psalm 40 the psalm of the burnt offering where his feet are established his feet are upon a rock speaks of course of the Lord the one who went into death because he was fully committed to the will of God God has raised him from among the dead that was a necessary individual experience and because he has died and risen again there are those who are to be associated with him in the joy of the victory that's been won indicated in this little phrase he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God the song of songs chapter 1 the song of songs which is Solomon's let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is his ointment poured forth therefore do the virgins love thee now here we have it draw me we will run after thee alright we are well taught on the dispensational aspect of these things there is a heavenly bride there is an earthly bride there are those who because of their sympathetic treatment of God's earthly people will be brought into blessing he that hath part in the first resurrection revelation 20 verses 4 to 6 takes account of different companies there's just a hint of that here but the point is that which is enjoyed in the presence of God individually leads to a collective celebration draw me we will run after thee now we may not know much about Psalm 40 or the song of songs perhaps we are better acquainted with Romans chapter 7 the last two verses please Romans 7 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord there are things we cannot learn in a crowd we have to go through it as individuals one of the bitter lessons for me to learn is that there's something in me a root of sin which if I allow to give expression to itself will result in the committing of sins actual sins the root will bear fruit if I permit it to a very bitter lesson but the writer says it's an experience to go through and we get through it and we've gone through it individually and we learn to accept the judgment of God not only on what we've done but what we are notice the cry is not for pardon not who shall pardon me the cry is for deliverance who shall deliver me having got deliverance in this way the soul finds itself in fellowship with others who've had the same personal individual experience who shall deliver me I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord these illustrations are helpful of these truths I was asked to speak about Paul's visions and it seemed to me that whichever one I looked at there are necessary practical lessons to learn may the Lord help us to learn them and put it into practice until he come our presence shall our comfort be light of hope our soul desire our presence shall our comfort be light of hope our soul desire our presence shall our comfort be One day thy love would set us free no more How to stop my crying How to stop my pain How to save a life when all else is gone Our life to save Our breath to take Our strength, our shield, our saviour God Our hope in all that's gone awry Our hope in all that's gone awry Unchangeable thy grace shall flow Our hearts with love and sins resume Emerging deep in heart to bloom Thy tender mercy still persists true Ever with us we will abide And love to see of every sign And love to see of every sign …