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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/dave-hunt/a-changed-life/
My thought is wondering in a company like this and a group of people like this today if maybe there might be a young man or a young woman and Would look back to the stout Conference and be able to say that that was the conference in 2013 Where my life was changed.
But the direction of my life was changed for God. And that's really what I'm thinking about and Just a little thought on that and then I'll be done. So I'm speaking for maybe a young man or a young woman today.
Psalm 51 and verse 12. Psalm 51 and verse 12 and it says restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and Uphold me with thy Free spirit. I'm just thinking of the first part of that verse actually restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.
As we read through this chapter, I would guess that maybe The psalmist is has a little regret there's probably some regret in his life as he looks back over his life and he thinks of The way his life has gone and some of the things that has happened in his life and Maybe has some regrets and as I look over this company today I wonder if there's anyone here in our company and maybe you have regrets.
I'm sure if you have children. If you had to do it all over again. Most often we think we might do it a little different one man said well I might make a bigger blunder of it all. But you know, there are regrets as we look back.
With most of our lives. Anyway, it's the Lord's people. We're human. But I was thinking there's the words of a hymn that came to my mind yesterday. And you would know them a sure maybe you sang them at the hymn sing last night.
I'm not sure but They say if I could live over the years or days that are past I'd live them for Jesus the first to the last. I'd heed the old Bible that points me the way and kneel by my bedside and fervently pray.
But I think it goes on to say but I can't live over those years. So guess what? We can't change what's past. It's impossible to change our past. But it is possible to change our future. From this day forward from today we could change today our lives and for those of us that are younger or those that are younger a Young man or young woman may be in our company from this day from this stout conference if your life was to be altered.
If your life was to be changed you would look back with joy to this conference in 1970. I was a young man about 20 and for about a year of my Life, I was struggled. I really struggled. You know when when God saved me, I was really happy.
I there was joy in my soul. I rejoiced that my sins were forgiven that God had mercy on me that he saved me that I was ready for heaven. That I'd never be in hell and you know joy flooded my soul. But there was something that I struggled with maybe there's someone here today and there's something in your life that you struggle with.
1970 at a Pugwash Junction conference most have heard of that one. I suppose. Well, I look back to 1970 the conference of Pugwash Junction and God changed my life. So that was a good conference. You know, I don't remember even who was there at that conference.
I remember one man that was there. I don't even remember what he preached on. Really, but I do remember an expression that he made and as I sat in that conference. My problem wouldn't be your problem sure and you mightn't believe this and I hardly believe it but my problem was smoking.
It's great when a person gets saved and everything falls off. That's wonderful. And I suggest that's the very best thing to do when you first get saved. Get rid of all those hang-ons get rid of them as as soon as possible.
But that hung on in my life. I couldn't shake it and so For a year or so after. That old thing was a real problem. You know, what did it took away my joy? Took away the joy in my Christian life and that's actually the expression that that man used that day.
He said he spoke about joy in the Christians life. And when he mentioned that I knew exactly that was something that was missing. I was struggling with that and it was killing me. It was sapping my my life as a believer as a Christian and I fought with that.
I threw it away and I take it up again, and I heave it away and down and determined never to touch it again and. And then it's back again worse than ever. Maybe there's something in someone's up. Maybe some of our young men or young women today.
There's something you're struggling with and you know that it's it's sapping your Christian life. It's taking out of your life a joy that the believer has that's possible. So at that conference I drove away in the car between speakers, you know to have a puff.
I Can hardly believe that now, but anyway, but you know, I noticed a few others were doing the same thing. Strange anyway, I stopped the car on the side of the road and As I lit that old thing up and was looking at it and that's no the smoke curling Thought came into my mind.
And that thought was this David Joy in the Christians life. The thing that is taking your joy is right here and You can have a choice right now. You can get rid of it or You can keep it and it's up to you.
What would you do? Well, I just rolled the old window down and I Flicked that out the window and you know what never even had a craving for it after. Never even had a desire for it after. And you know what happened after that the next day?
We that was on a Sunday afternoon and the next day we went to work in the woods. I was using the horse here in the logs and the other fellow was there. He was he was a Sawyer cutter. So we sat down as we usually did for a little break in the mid-morning and so he lights up his cigarette and he says to Me you're not smoking.
So I said to him well, you know, I'm a Christian. That was the next day after I'm a Christian, you know, I had the privilege of telling him how God saved me. I Couldn't do that before it used to condemn me as I was sitting there with that other fella and I was just thought you know There's young men today as I look over this conference young men and young women.
I don't know if you have any struggles in your life. I don't know if you're if there's any difficulties. I don't know if maybe the joy the the Lord fills your soul today if there was one person one one person that I Could just reach your heart this afternoon.
There is the possibility from this conference that could change your life. Your Christian life from this day forward for remember the years go by so quickly I look back to 1970 and it just seems like they've gone by so fast.
I have lots of regrets even since that moment since that conference, but I'm thankful. I've never forgotten I've never forgotten that at that conference just that little expression joy in the Christians life.
Do you have that today? Maybe your whole life would change whatever it is. That's Taking that joy away. You have the chance of Doing doing that from this conference. And so the psalmist said restore and I can almost see the cry of his heart.
It was a problem. He needed restoration and we all need restoration from time to time the old preachers used to say keep short accounts with God. And that's so vital to keep short accounts with God every day.
So that's the problem. I So it's personal it's a personal thing that we need to make personal and as young men and women, you know There's a whole future. I thought here, you know tremendous here and stout.
It really is. I was impressed this morning as I saw those four men as they made their way to the to the table. You know, what a what an honor what dignity that is connected with the assembly and I thought to myself in ten years from now I was gonna say 20, but 20.
I don't know what the age these men would be in 20 years. But in 10 years from now, who's what men will be to take their place? What men will have the dignity of Carrying on the assembly the responsibility of the assembly and the care of the assembly.
Well, you know, it starts now starts right now. Learning from our older brethren taking examples from our older brethren. I thought yesterday when Murray Murray was speaking about his dad and There's a lot of things excuse me a lot of things.
I remember and the last few days of my dad. He'll be gone soon a year almost. But there's a lot of things I remember about my dad and One thing he could hardly is having a difficult even get to a meeting at the end and his mind wasn't.
So some mornings he couldn't get up and worship. He couldn't thank the Lord some mornings. He could but one morning after not taking part for maybe two or three Sundays, but he was there he got up one morning gave it to him and So going home I said to my dad I Said, you know, I said I really enjoyed that him you gave out this morning and I did but I wanted to encourage him, too and he said well.
He said I wanted to show the devil who sighed him on and I thought. So I learned a lesson right there. I wanted to show the devil who sighed him on. I Wonder could we show whose side we're on as young men and young women and we have that opportunity.
To honor the the older our older brethren to learn from those that are going before the flock. Because our turn comes our day is going to our day is going to fall into your lap. It's going to be your responsibility.
As young men because the years pass so it's personal the purpose of course is that there might be that joy that fellowship enjoyed and The possession Of course restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.
So if we go back and thought to that moment when God saved us. When we appreciated and enjoyed what God had done for us. You know what? He wants to do today from this conference. I don't know if I'm speaking to someone or not trust trust that might reach your heart from this day.
You can't go back. You can't change the past. You can't even change yesterday. Unless of course you need to say you're sorry to somebody someone. And that I can remember that but I'll leave that but you could start today from this day today With the Whatever it is in your heart, whatever it is that maybe is taking your joy From this day get rid of it to cut it off to change it and To move forward for God from this day forward not much one to the psalmist said preserve me.
Oh God. That's what we need every day preserve me. Oh God for indeed. Oh, I put my trust anyway I just passed on these few Rambling thoughts that the psalmist made on that day and I think he from that day I think he appreciated the forgiveness of God in his life when he said restore unto me the joy of thy salvation he is able.