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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/murray-mccandless/keeping-our-focus-in-deteriorating-conditions/
Psalm 11 and verse number 1. In the Lord put I my trust. How say ye to my soul flee as a bird to your end to your mountain. For lo the wicked bend their bow. Bend their bow and make Ready their arrow upon the string and they make privily that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart if the foundations be Destroyed.
What can the righteous do. The Lord is in this holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold his eyelids try the children of men the Lord triath the righteous. But they're wicked and him that love of violence his soul hated upon the wicked.
He shall reign snares and fire and brimstone and horrible tempest. This shall be the portion of their cup now over pleased to Isaiah in chapter 6. Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 1. Isaiah 6 verse 1 in The year that King is I had died.
I saw also the Lord Sitting upon a throne high and lifted up his train filled the temple of it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings with twenty covered his face with twain he covered his feet with twenty did fly.
One cried unto another and said holy holy is the Lord. The whole of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I Woe is me for I am undone because I'm a man of unclean lips. I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the king. Now there's another king that he'd been looking at but he says mine eyes have seen the king.
The Lord of hosts and so on finally in Revelation chapter 4. Revelation in chapter 4. Revelation 4 and verse 1. After this now I take the after this is what's gone in the previous chapters with the churches that have been brought before us after this I looked.
And behold the door was opened in heaven. The first voice which I heard was as it were the trumpet talking with me and said come up hither and I will show the Things which most must be hereafter immediately.
I was in the spirit behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat upon the throne and He that sat was was to look upon like a Jasper the sardine stone. There was a rainbow round about the throne in his sight like unto the emerald.
I'm not sure if you would pick up a connection in the three passages that we have read together. But I think I think it's very simple and I want to make it very obvious to you today. What we have us deteriorating scenes.
Deteriorating conditions, I mean we cannot be living on the same planet if you wouldn't hardly agree today. Whether it is in the world commercially economically socially morally and unfortunately. Even into local churches there is deterioration.
There is failure and I wouldn't stand here this afternoon with pointing fingers and saying well. It's because of our oversight. We don't have leaders. We don't have this. We don't have that that we don't have the other.
I do remember a number of things that Brother Larry Steer said to me, but one thing he said to me. I will never forget and it is this. He said I would be hard put to Criticize overseers because I had the answers for all that they should do until I was one.
I've never been an overseer never had that challenging task of taking care in that Capacity no, it's true. We seek to shepherd people. We see say seek to guide them. But to actually take that responsibility Has never been Mine, I don't expect it ever will be that but nevertheless brethren and sisters we live In deteriorating conditions.
I want you to notice how these people responded to deteriorate deteriorating conditions. What do we do? That's really what the psalmist is asking. What am I gonna do? What are you gonna do? What change will you make as a result of attending this conference here in the cross?
Because I wouldn't nobody's been feeding into my ear and nothing going on in any particular local company or that. But I just know enough that I've lived long enough and I've been in assembly fellowship over 50 years to know.
That doesn't matter where you go who you speak with and it isn't that they're crying blue and on your shoulder that. But we're losing ground. The only answer was this. Was a right focus focus. Will go before vision always.
I went into the Automotorist office a while ago. Good thing. Dr. Brandt isn't here, but My automotorist when I went in sat down and had all these screens up his computer the latest of everything, you know.
And first of all, he said to me in this darkened room. He said mr. McCandless. I have a student here. It's not gonna bother you if I have a student here when I'm doing the examination. No, I'm gonna buy me a dog so he introduced me the student young girl and Proceeded and brought up my the eye on the screen and he's now, you know, he said really.
You're a I don't like to say this but for your age healthy eyes. But I went out there with an increased Prescription for glass from my lenses of my glasses, but he said healthy eyes. I said you're quite a thing.
To think that for 11 years of my life. I was totally blind. Well little miss student goes. She's just trying to digest that and finally Mr. Doctor said, you know, he does some preaching. Answer the questions, but we've got to remember be reminded brethren sisters.
We came from a dark past not only were we in darkness. We were darkness and we could not see. Like the blind men already referred to at the conference. We were given sight. Spiritual sight and that's exactly what is happening here in these passages.
I want you to think that in the 11th Psalm We've got a man that is a resident in Deteriorating conditions and we'll come back to that. He's a resident there and he's reflecting. He's got to reflect and decide what am I going to do?
He's telling us what others are going to do and what others have been doing. But what am I going to do? Secondly and Isaiah chapter 6 we got a man that is remembering Not necessarily a resident in it, but he's remembering deteriorating conditions even in the Golden Age of a man like King Uzziah that inaugurated the Golden Age for the nation.
Brought inventions and gave it the name gave progress a name amongst Israel but nevertheless It was a deteriorating scene and here we have a man that is remembering that Revelation chapter 4. Dear John.
There he is on that isle of Patmos exiled for the cause of Christ. Given a vision of those churches. What was taking place in those churches and This man here is not necessarily a resident in deteriorating conditions.
Although he's given a vision of those churches He's not necessarily remembering them. He's raptured from them raptured from deteriorating conditions. The first man will reflect. Isaiah will refocus. As good a prophet as he was you were to happen got his eyes on the wrong King.
He's looking at Uzziah everybody else was. So was this nation? So was people over our Country and further afield. You say when was that that was when you had a president by the name of John F. Kennedy young brilliant Quick-thinking president now.
I'm not going to go into his personal life in that but just for the minute I'm a good friend of mine a Dutch man that moved here from Holland and During the presidency a short presidency of John F. Kennedy when mr. Kennedy spoke Mr. Geelan insisted Silence in the house because he had to listen to what that man had to say and the eyes of this nation.
Were focused on a youthful president leading the country. They're very proud of him. He made some good decisions. Whether it was the top of the Bay of Pigs, but the Cuban Missile Crisis and sort of things.
I remember one time when he was meeting with Nikita Khrushchev. Mr. Khrushchev leaned over the table to an interpreter and said he said Mr. Kennedy, you don't understand. The Soviet Union is a young country.
Oh Said Kennedy youth. He says you're looking at it, but all that changed. On November the 22nd in Dallas, Texas number of years ago. When that presidency and that man's life came to an end now who are the nation gonna look to.
Now who are they where are they gonna go? Well, I know vice president Johnson was ready to take the offense and so on. But that was a moment when there had to be a refocusing and you know, that's nothing wrong with that when it comes to Christian Experience in many many ways and that's refocusing you say I'm what your priorities.
Your commitments. They are first cousins. My priorities in Christian life is Linked with my commitments. So let's come back and let's look at them. You see the answer in all three of these scenes the answer in all three of these scenes is Get your focus on something that is unmovable and unchangeable.
And that was the throne above. It Didn't matter whether it's the psalmist of Psalm 11. It's the righteous Lord. He says those three times. You've got the righteous in that Psalm doesn't matter whether it's King I whether it's Isaiah and Isaiah chapter 6 or John and Revelation chapter 4.
There's a throne. Just in our home reading the other day. My wife and I are reading in the Psalms. Just came into the 24th Psalm those delightful words. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.
I just read the night before were your president Obama said about the earth and Preserving it. You know what? He said that's a true statement. He says we're a few hundred years too late. It's not gonna happen.
He's right. It's the Lord's. That's the fullness. He created it. He sustained it and he'll conclude it. And once we get a refocused on it because it's very easy. Because people today are living in great quandary if not great fear, maybe not so much this country as other countries.
But there's great concerns they're concerned about who's gonna be the next president of this country and There's a human cry for change and all this. But you know, isn't it nice as believers to realize there's something that's never going to change and That's the one that is upon the throne and will reign eternally.
Foundations are as strong as the person in whom they are found. Okay, you notice that foundations will come to this in a minute is a plural word here. Now we think of foundation. We know things times when foundation is used in the singular.
When it comes to the church when it comes to even New Testament truth, but these are foundations in other words. What are the foundations? What are the foundations in your Christian experience or really?
Foundations in Assembly testimony. First of all is a sound conversion. I Love it listening to testimonies like last night and you come away and say yes sound conversion. There's others and you know, I even people have maybe professed the meetings I've been involved in and they tell me how they got saved.
I go. Oh I just glad I'm not the brethren got to decide whether they're gonna baptize this person or not. But I've lived long enough to learn that it isn't by their story. They're saved is by their fruits.
I've listened to people tell a story that you could write in a track. They didn't have life didn't have it. That's the foundation you could broaden out as much as you want. The truth of baptism the truth of gathering to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
These are foundations Today that unfortunately the enemy has successfully started to erode. For example, how dare some overseer Asked my boy Where he was on Saturday night or my daughter where she's been for the last month.
Excuse me. Isn't that their work? Isn't that their care on the other side of it, so nobody cares about my boy. I asked a young man one time. I Did consider his smiles from me. I did consider his father a friend.
I Asked me if he is saved. Well, I'll tell you I'll tell you that did not go well. Now that father came to me and I could tell he wasn't just too pleased that I asked him. The reason I asked him was because of evidence that was lacking in his life.
And from that day to that moment that man will hardly speak to me. I asked his boy if he was saved. Come on brother. I'm not speaking out something to pass coin with the brethren so we can baptize them or receive them into assembly fellowship.
I'm talking on heaven or hell forever. That's what we're talking about the reality. Of where they're going to be forever. That's what matters. But here's the psalmist. He's got a challenge. Right away.
He gives you the right thing. First statements the best one. He says this in the Lord put I my trust. Know what he's saying. Say what you like have already made up my mind. Isn't that nice to have believers like that.
Doesn't matter what they've already we've already settled that isn't that the Hebrew children there. We don't need to have a huddle of the discussion as to what we're going to do. We've already decided that.
How about it with you and Christian experience. Already been long ago decided. I'm staying with this. Because you see what was happening here is the result that we're fleeing. I'll point out to you the singular in the plural words that are used here.
That's why he says how say ye to my soul singular. Flee which is plural as a bird to your mountain. Mr.. Jim, Flanagan has a very good comment on this on his book of the Psalms when he comes to Psalm 11.
He says it's one of two things. You with me one of two things flight or faith. Either you flee. Because you don't believe and don't have that faith and confidence in God or you'll stand by it. So the psalmist has said and the Lord put I eat my trust.
In other words you already say you don't even need to ask. Isn't it nice to have Christians like that in the assembly, and there's no second. There's no second guessing them. You know they'll be there.
They're lifers good for you brother. That's the kind of be good for you sister. That's kept your husband likely in the assembly when times when he felt like taking off because somebody offended him or said this something wrong.
But you're there for life. What a reward waits the coming day. Whether those that will stand by it. Remember this psalmist could have well bore the language of a man. Nehemiah in chapter 6. You know what Nehemiah says since should such a man a man as I flee.
Nehemiah 6 somewhere on there said such a man as I flee. See they're telling him here lo the wicked bend their bow. They make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privilege shoot at the upright heart.
In other words. You're in the crosshairs of an enemy you always are. You always are 24 -7. The enemy is not only determined brother to take you down, but take you out. I'm reminded of a story that My preaching partner mr. Peter Orszag used to love to tell of a series of meetings that he had in the assembly in Unionville, Ontario, Canada and Up there Markham, Ontario and that we on this particular on this particular day, it was a storm drenched wind swept lot where the tent was.
Brethren have made a decision is they have to at summertime a lot of older people there that were coming from the home into the Tent and younger people too, but there's no way they could have that meeting in that tent that tent was gonna make it.
They didn't want anybody get hurt. So they just Announced that everybody should exit the tent and go over to the hall. And people were doing that and the rain was just coming pouring just sweeping across Second Avenue there.
My father's I had a series of meetings there with John Dennison number years ago. My father's in the home there now I know exactly the lot. They watched the storm from inside. Not a bad place to be. But sometimes you're in the storm and that storm came down and grabbed the corners of that tent was whipping it around and the side poles had gone flying and Everything that was up was going down.
Brother Wow boy that Tent gets damaged or whatever. They just had rented the tent. My boys are in the tent riddle business. I know I hear them there's pictures in the paper some of some big ones. They've had good out like I'm talking 80 feet wide maybe 200 feet long.
This wouldn't have been that big. 30 by 60 was this tent? Amazing thing was now on a corner. You've got four corners. Usually you have what they call anchor poles double plate stakes. So instead of having one stake you'd have three on each side, but they'll still come down in a bad enough storm.
And the brother looking out here is this one stake and the tent wrapped around it almost. It was just sitting there. It was moving just a little bit, but it's still standing. Somebody's you won't let that stay down.
They said you know if it comes loose and that stake Pops out to the roof. It's gonna really rip the end out of this tent and we'll have a tent meeting tomorrow night. So they start looking at each other.
By the way, the younger men there was a volunteer. He said hey, it's all go. I'll take the stake down. They said we'll be careful be careful. I mean you're still raining. The winds were high so we went out and he started to lift the canvas.
It would be vinyl up, but he started into that corner. And we got there. Here was an old man of 90 years of age. As long as he had life that stake wasn't going anywhere. Otherwise it was taking him, too.
He just tapped him on the shoulder. Put his arm around him. He says Gerald. He says it's not safe. Which says I know that you see you've got to come inside Gerald. He literally had to peel. The arms of that dear old gentleman off that pole.
Here if you like that the assembly sometimes brethren are you prepared to do that? Wrap your arms around it's worth it. The sidewalls may flap and snap. Thunders may break and roll. But whatever you do.
Having done all to stand. There's a man that didn't know a lot more hardly than his own name. Love the gospel. One of the first there. They weren't counting his they didn't know who was missing. As far as they were concerned everybody had gone back into the.
Into the hall itself or over to the home. The Bethany Lodge there, but here's one man just a one man. No tent got torn. I'm sure the tent went down. You know something went back up the next day. If they were to let him he would have come out and help put the tent up.
Do you know something that character of individuals? What's preserved testimony to this day? We have buried those kind of men. Right where I come from an Ontario. Canada Southwestern, Ontario. If we didn't have those kind of men in Wisconsin.
We wouldn't have a conference here today. Are we clear on that? Somewhere somehow somebody has stood. One of their assault and attack. Somebody has kept the focus and they realized like the psalmist say what you like.
I'm not leaving. I mean the safety of any bird is in flight take off. You know they're saying others are doing it. You're gonna stay. Yeah, I'm gonna stay. I can speak of this in a personal way. It's gone on record other places.
They'll go on record again. Why did your grandfather and I do respect him. I took his funeral. But along in life after he'd raised a family his sons were overseers and in the assembly decided he was going just let me say somewhere else five boys in the family.
My father being one of them. One girl name was Jean never married. No driver's license. Most David comes she ever had was teaching music. My brother Tim and I such big smart Entrepreneurs, I can remember one day sit in the living room.
We must have been all of ten. And we were saying and Jean how many students do you have and she said a few? She wasn't gonna let us know how much she was making a week because she's charging two dollars a lesson.
Here's a lady. That's how she existed lived with her parents looked after them rolled with the meat. No driver's license. Granddad makes the announcement where he's going. He said you're coming to G. No no coming.
Oh. She says oh, he says you don't drive. She said there's a bus. And she took the bus. That's not easy in your own house. Dad mom are going that way and you're staying this way supposedly. The other place to which my grandfather went I think there were seven people from it attended his funeral.
Likely 120 there, maybe 140 there from what we know to be the gospel halls because they respected his sons and Jean and A Jean's funeral was even larger such respect. For someone said Not going that's the psalmist.
That's the language here. He says he said the Lord is in his holy temple. This is what's going on. I'm staying Brethren it's having done all to stand, but it's having done all to stay this let's get it clear.
Somewhere along the line every one of us have or will be more than once maybe. Tested as to how much you really love the place to which you gather. Circumstances will come in. Where you may feel totally justified and packing up your bags and going come on you've been there.
You thought it over again. Your dealings with God and a result of that you stayed, but they're telling Dave you don't David. Look, I mean David had problems. He knew that there was an internal problem right in the family.
I take it this likely could be the time of the absolute rebellion and everybody in Israel, of course. They knew about it like today. They had all the answers. They just didn't know what the questions were.
What they know about it. David knew about it. Wasn't easy didn't have it easy with some of his children. Chapter 42 he will say or Psalm 42 rather you say why aren't thou cast down on my soul? Why aren't thou disquieted within me?
62nd Psalm he will say my soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is of him that settled internal questions. I speak to someone today, and there's internal problems. Listen. Those of us that do do gospel work those that are saved who are the hardest to deal with family members.
Family members as a believer today. When things come in who's the hardest to deal with? Hasn't changed family members. I Salute a man like Moses. Don't know how he did it. When he took the family cap off and left it at the gate and went in and dealt with his own sister and his own Brother and later will deal with two nephews not easy.
What's been hard to ascend that mountain that day and literally? Disrobe an older brother Aaron and take Elie's you're up with you. There was internal pump. There was external external problems as well.
Unfortunately the men that should have stood by him. Had forsaken him of all. The elders of Judah, and they were the last minority to bring the king back later. But the very ones that should have stood with them.
We're leaving him in the lurch. Do you know you say what you like about Samson? Samson could knock those Philistines flat in a second. You can put it all on Delilah if you want, but you know who else weakened the hands of a Samson his own brethren.
When they came to him to but said a Samson you know we've come to bound to bind you. I must have quite a shock his own brother working against them, so there were internal problems or external problems.
I Love the hem of Dear, Mr.. Henry F light. The hymn that was sung at the opening of the 2012 Olympics the Summer Olympics. Mr.. Light was a pastor a minister. He battled with tuberculosis. He died at a young age of 54 he literally Used all the strength he had to get deliver his last message.
He wrote a hymn. This is the hymn they sang. It's but no one almost as your second to amazing grace spiritual anthem. You know these words abide with me. Fast falls the even tide. The darkens darkness deepens.
Lord abide with me. When other helpers fail and comforts flee. Help of the helpless or abide with me. Help of the helpless or abide with us. Come friend of sinners thus by with me. Through cloud and sunshine.
Lord abide with me in life and death. Oh, Lord abide with me. You know I'm telling you that a couple wanted that to be sung at their Marriage at their wedding. The people convenient their family said that's a funeral hymn.
No they said that's a wedding hymn. They sang it. Too bad we didn't sing in a few more weddings today. Abide with me. Divine presence, that's all that's all that David. That's all it would it would take really to Settle him in other words.
He's just simply said these folks my heart if he's saying I just will be sometimes saying my heart is Archie Stewart's favorite old him my heart is fixed eternal God fixed on thee. Where's yours today?
Need to get refocused. Don't lose your focus. Very quickly. Isaiah chapter 6. We've got a man. That's remembering deteriorating conditions. This was the this this was the Golden Age economy was never better the nation was never stronger.
I mean they were going they were they were a power and they are today to to be contended with obviously. But for a number of years the eyes of the nation have been upon a great king Josiah what will he do next?
What will he bring in next? Then we know the latter part of his days. And I take it this is a grave that Isaiah is standing at. He says in the year that King Isaiah died I saw the Lord other words. I know if the king to look to when the only one left to look to I Look to the Lord in other words forget all that's happened here and The big name the age that the nation had.
I saw Isaiah saw an earthly throne that was suddenly vacated and a heavenly throne That was solemnly filled never changed. That's why that Isaiah 6 is based on that premises. In view of a death that has taken place.
But in view of the fact That there was One he could look to losing our focus now. I am NOT into golf. I'm not a golfer never played. It wouldn't know how to play it. Okay. Not not against those that are playing it but I do remember a story that Arnold Palmer told who used to be the golden boy of golfing Won millions of dollars that was back when they didn't make that like they do today.
I remember reading just a quick blurb and it said The 1 .8 million dollar swing. You wonder why golfers are under tremendous stress and pressure. One swing. You would win or lose 1 .8 million dollars.
One swing. Arnold Palmer was playing the what is known of course is the Augusta and You know, he just hit a very satisfying tee shot and of course it was. He was in good shape and he was being applauded by the people standing back behind the barriers where they were and in the stands and that and a Friend of him of his motion to him a personal friend well-off man a good friend.
Good for you motion for him to come over. Want to shake his hand. Palmer said I just left the caddy and I went over and I shook his hand. He says I had no sooner shaken his hand and I thought I've lost something.
I Have lost my focus. I've lost this game. He came back Next two shots. He hit the ball first of all into a sand trap. Then he put her over the edge of the green. As a result he was beat out by one stroke.
All because of the loss of focus. Now, we're not playing golf. We're not playing games. Money. Earthly monetary monetary things cannot be put on this brethren sisters. The value of that local company gathered to his name so precious every believer in it Purchased with his own precious blood.
And here's a man and Isaiah. And he took this death to change that man not the first time this happened. I Know a man today. I just saw him last weekend personal friend. You know what took to change him.
It was the view behind a hearse. With his grandson in it. Those that don't have grandchildren. Maybe don't know what we're talking about. I Want to tell you that must be one painful luck. Hard to lose a child, but there's something about grandchildren.
We had two of them with us their mother and father gone away and Of course when grandma's there, it's the Millennium because there's no law. Okay, but when grandpa's there, it's the tribulation because there is a law.
We have them at the table the other night I looked across at him. I said, you know. This is a wonderful privilege. You're having hope you enjoy it. They're looking at me what's coming kind of suspiciously.
I Say you understand when I was raising your father. It was on the job training. I was an apprentice. I was flying by the seat of my pants in the fog and in the dark. I didn't know where he's going. By six grandpas had years of experience now.
I've been a lot of homes. So think of what you're benefiting from the nine-year-old granddaughter. I'm sure yet. She's rolling her eyes and the boy. He's 13. He says Oh grandpa. Wasn't so impressed.
How about it? Took a death here. I want to be careful because I don't know anything that's taking part in these that's taking place in these parts. But I know people have wrote me some painful letters of some very painful experiences.
When everybody else had left. And finally, they're the last vehicle out of the cemetery. There's two ways they can go. They go down the road of bitterness. Or down the road of restoration. That doesn't mean that that when that happens anybody's life.
That's because they're away from the Lord brethren. Don't sisters. Don't take me wrong. But I want to tell you we want to be careful and we want to keep our focus right you see if my focus is on What's up there?
Then my focus is going to be on what's down here. That's his interest up there. I just goes to show Whereas it's so easy today. There's so much going. It's just like we're talking about conferences and it's just wonderful to see so many people here.
Especially yesterday and a recent conference out in the East Coast where there was an increased number nice to hear of that. Because I'll tell you something brother and sisters. Brethren convening Congress Christians are gonna go somewhere this weekend.
Why not a lacrosse conference? What better place could they go? Really really. Did you ever brother go home from a conference to say I wish I hadn't gone. No. It was likely I rebuked you at times when you didn't go keep your focus.
Finally we have the last one in of John in Revelation chapter 4 a man that is raptured from Deteriorating conditions. It's interesting the outcome of both of both of these. Isaiah will say I am unworthy.
Okay, I am unworthy. John will say he's worthy. So you see there's there's a counterbalance there when I start to understand a little of just how unworthy I am not worthless. I know we sing at the hymn Poor weak and worthless not worthless never wear worthless.
But I was never worthy. I was never worthy. He's worthy. John could have gone into deep despair as he thought of the conditions of these churches. Because remember the last mentioned church is not Philadelphia, unfortunately.
But it's Laodicea. But they both look at the same throne all three of these will look at the same throne and the same throne sitter different ages different stages all at the same Conclusion and the same answer.
That is this focused Upon the unmovable and the unchangeable Christ God help us as people in this conference for me to Just help me to kind of refocus. There's no one listen to this. There might be on your iPhone 6 or your Android.
Of the automatic focus there's no automatic focus. This is something you do yourself. It's handwork brethren sisters. It's hard work. It's it takes the confession of sin and in his presence and before him a Refocus on that which really matters that will be eternal.