A TRIBUTE TO ELDER RAYBON LORD
Raybon Benjamin Lord was born on Nov. 9,1929 in a “little square-topped house” in Pulaski County to Jack Benjamin (Ben) and Clara Knighton Lord. Very soon the family moved back to the Dexter-Dudley area.
After a hard struggle with his burden for the ministry, Ben submitted to ordination in 1934. Raybon grew up in the extended “Lord community” and attended Trail Branch P B Church all through his childhood. He learned the meaning of hard work, and the fun and companionship of a big family connection. There was always something to do and
someone to do it with.
In Raybon’s teen years he began to feel a call to the ministry, but tried to keep it hidden, as he had seen the hardships his father endured because of his burden for the churches he served. In August of 1949, he offered himself to Trail Branch Primitive Baptist Church and was baptized in September.
He very soon began speaking “from the floor” and in home services. In July 1951 Raybon married Margaret Jean Barlow of Cochran, who proved to be a wonderful help mate. He was ordained to the full work of the ministry in June, 1954, without having been “liberated”. The day after his
ordination, he baptized his wife Jean, and his older brother Dovard.
In November of 1954, Raybon was called to pastor Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church Church near Cordele in the Pulaski Association. He lived in his home community, worked with
his Dad on the farm, and started a family (Dennis in 1956, and Jim in 1958).
In 1959, he moved his family to Irwin County and began pastoring Eureka Primitive Baptist Church near Irwinville, where he had a very prosperous ministry for 33 years. In 1960 he became pastor of Christian Hope and Sycamore Churches in the Pulaski Association. Working odd jobs and pastoring churches kept him busy.
In 1962, he moved his family to Hapeville, near Atlanta, and tried his hand at selling insurance with his dear friend, Elzie D Speir. They both soon realized this wasn’t for him, and he began working with Fred Lee in heavy construction. He
really enjoyed the work, but traveling down to South Georgia every weekend was rough on all concerned. He also filled regular appointments in the Atlanta area, but was still very burdened with the churches of the Pulaski Association.
In 1965 Bro. Raybon brought his family back south with a brand-new baby, Paul. He bought an old house and a little land in Turner County between Ashburn and Sycamore. He began farming and growing livestock with the help of friends,
church folks and a hard-working companion. He did well raising hogs, cows, peanuts, cotton, and a few other crops. The youngest son. Bob, was born in 1966. He remodeled the house a couple of times and bought a little more land to make a nice little homestead.
Over the years he pastored Emmaus Church about 45 yrs.. Eureka Church for 33 yrs.. Christian Hope for 40 yrs. Sycamore Church for 10 yrs., Mt. Pisgah for 10 yrs.,
Salem Church 2yrs., Oak Grove Church 3 yrs. And is currently [at the time this was written] pastoring New
Providence near Rebecca and Cedar Creek near Cordele. He had a local radio program for several years. The churches he pastored and his home were well known as places of hospitality. He has not kept records, but over the years, he
has had numerous funerals, weddings, and baptisms, and has touched many lives with his willingness to serve and assist any way he could.
At different times his home has been a refuge for neighbors, friends and family members. His devotion to the church and jovial nature have been his trademarks .
From his earliest years in the church, Bro. Raybon has traveled among Primitive Baptists far and wide. He has visited and preached in at least 23 of the United States and has come in contact with and gotten to know many outstanding
preachers in our country in this era of the church. He has always been willing to go where-ever and when-ever he was needed in service to all who asked.
Over the years he has studied diligently and has stood firm for the faith and doctrine that is taught in the Bible. He is also widely known for his sense of humor and love of good clean fun.
In February of 1998, Bro. Raybon’s beloved companion of 47 yrs., Jean, died of stomach cancer. She herself had been a devoted church member and a staunch supporter of her husband in his duties in the church. The next several months
were very lonely and trying for him, even with the strong support of family, friends and church folks.
In December of that year, he providentially crossed paths with a fellow sufferer. Sister Ginger Bryant, widow of Elder E. D. Bryant. They soon began dating and were married in July of 1999. They recently celebrated their 15th anniversary.
Bro. Raybon has continued to serve churches, travel to churches in California and several Southeastern states, and maintain the homestead. In the last five years, declining health has taken its toll on him. But, with the help of his wife and others, he is still able to go and tell the wonderful story of God’s love toward His children. His greatest joy is still to be able to sing the old songs of Zion, meet with his church family and preach the Glorious Gospel of Christ.
Ginger Lord
MY OWN TRIBUTE
Brother Lord died on March 10, 2016, after spending sixty six years in the ministry. His devotion to the ministry, and to the Primitive Baptist people, was total, as total as it is possible for any man to be. If ever anybody immersed himself in the ministry he did.
He died on Thursday, March 10, 2016. On Saturday before he died on Thursday, he preached at New Hope Church at Abbeville, and on Sunday he preached at Providence Church. I would say that he all but walked into his grave preaching, but that is not right. He had been long since unable to walk. He was in a wheelchair and virtually blind. He was unable to get into the stand, and he preached sitting beside the communion table.
Over the years, I have had a long list of faithful friends, friends who stood with me when I needed a friend, but I never had a better friend than Raybon Lord. I really miss him. A lot of us do.
I have sat for hours listening to him tell of his experiences in the ministry. Things were not always easy for him; perhaps, I should say they were hardly ever easy. But he was steadfast. He stood firm when people were lauding him; and he stood firm when fair weather friends were not kind.
You did not have to quiz him about any fundamental question. If your own position was sound, you should already know what he thought. There was no foolishness about him when it came to the ministry. He was always in dead earnest.
But as serious as he was about the ministry, there was nobody with a keener sense of humor. I have often thought he could have earned a living cracking jokes. If Jerry Clower could do it, why not Raybon Lord?
The Primitive Baptists in Georgia and over the nation owe a debt of gratitude to Brother Lord and the Lord family. I mentioned that Raybon virtually walked into his grave preaching. It was no different with his dad, Ben.
Ben had taken sick to die, and just before he died, Elder Randy Metzinger from Colorado, and I were invited to preach at the a three day meeting at Cool Spring Church. On Friday some of us went to visit Brother Lord. He had gotten up out of bed and was sitting in a recliner. I had an appointment on Saturday night in Mississippi, so I had to leave at noon on Saturday. Elder Metzinger had to be in Colorado on Sunday morning, but he was flying, so he stayed for the Saturday night service. That left them needing a preacher for Sunday morning. Brother Ben literally got up off his death bed, and came to church to preach the final sermon for that meeting.
Our people do not pay our preachers a salary; but no amount of money can buy that kind of devotion.
I was in Georgia filling some appointments, and Brother Raybon took me around to see some sick folks, and some in nursing homes. We had just visited one old brother, who did not appear to be long for this world. As we walked back to our car Raybon said, “Brother Hunt, I have followed so many of my friends to the graveyard, it seems that I have more friends over there than I do down here.” I realize more and more all along what he meant. He is another of my friends who are already over there. I really miss him, but I don’t expect to miss him much longer. Every day I realize how short my time is. I do not expect it to be long until I can sit down with him, and once more talk about old times. And I expect to laugh with him as he tells some of his experiences and observations.
You may be one of those people who think we will not recognize anybody over there. You may think we are going to sit around on a fluffy white cloud strumming on a harp.
But I believe heaven is going to be more real than that. If you don’t think so, I hope you will not feel hard at me for believing that heaven is going to be one grand reunion of the saints of all ages. And I expect to enjoy hearing Brother Lord talk about his love for our Maker as much as I always did down here. Farewell, brave warrior, I expect to see you soon.
Elder Harold Hunt
THE LAST WORDS OF DAVID
A sermon by Elder Raybon Lord
Preached April 28, 2013, at
Irwinville Primitive Baptist Church
Transcribed by Bob Lord as a tribute to my father
I appreciate Brother John putting this chair for me so I could sit down. I am afraid I couldn’t stand for very long because, as many of you may know, I had some work done on my left knee, and it’s still bothering me quite a bit. But, I am thankful to be able to come to church. There are many people confined in the nursing homes and various places and are not able to come that would love to be here or somewhere in the house of the Lord to render praise and adoration to His great and good name.
I appreciate the prayer, Brother Earl, and I hope that each of you will continue to pray for us as we try to speak in His great and holy name.
The last time I was at Cedar Creek I sat in a chair and preached. Someone told me afterwards that I preached so good sitting in a chair that I ought to sit in a chair all of the time to preach, but I am afraid that doesn’t have much to do with whether we are blessed to preach or not. It’s good to be here, and I will say this for the church: that we welcome each one that is here that has come out to worship with us today.
I got up this morning thinking about a text that I haven’t used in quite some time and it seemed to be resting more upon my mind, more than anything else this morning. It is found in II Samuel chapter 23, beginning at verse one.
“Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2Â The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 Â The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 Â And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5  Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”
To me, David was one of the most colorful characters that we find recorded in God’s blessed word, and there is much said about David and his life . . . . even the bad and the good that transpired in his life. Jesus is referred to in many places in the new testament as being the son of David, so from a natural lineage, Jesus came through that lineage. When it speaks of the last words of David, importance is based upon the last words that people speak.
I remember reading in the book of Genesis in the fiftieth chapter where Joseph died. His last words were; that God will surely visit you and bring you into the land which he promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Now I believe that the person had to have the Spirit of The Lord to predict and to know when to prophecy what would come to pass later on after he was dead and gone.
I think about others in the scriptures, what their last words were. I think about Sampson, who was a mighty man. He was one of the strongest men from a physical standpoint that you read of in the bible. His dying words were, let me die with my enemy as he reached for the pillars that was in the arena where so many of the Philistines had gathered and he said, let me die with them.
I remember Stephen, his dying words were, “Lay not this to their charge,” and he saw the windows of heaven opened, and he saw the son of God standing at the right hand of the throne of God. I believe that’s the only place where we find He was standing.
In the affairs of the world, great athletes, movie stars, and politicians, often when they come in the presence of a congregation, the congregation stands up and gives them a standing ovation. But here was one that gave one of his children, one of his servants a standing ovation. The Lord Jesus Christ, when he stood up and welcomed him into his glorious presence.
We could think of others. We find where the bible says that by faith Jacob died leaning upon his staff. He was a cripple. He was made cripple by an experience he had with the Lord when he was fleeing from his brother. That staff of faith is something we must have to lean upon, to support us, to guide us, and to help us through this life. What would we do without our faith . . . . the faith that God has given us? It’s a gift from God. It’s a fruit of the Spirit that comes when we are born of the spirit and the power of God.
I believe the greatest last words that were spoken by anyone was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His dying words on the cross were, “It is finished.” What he came into the world to do was finished. It was complete. There is no one that can take anything away from it and no one can add anything to what He had done. What he has done has stood forever, stood the test of time in all of these centuries down through time. It still stands today.
I have read about people . . . . what their dying words were.
I haven’t read lately but I used to read Fox’s Book of Martyrs. You have to have a strong stomach to read that book to see the punishment that the enemy placed upon the church and upon God’s children.
There was a man whose name was mentioned. His name was Polycarp. It’s generally believed that he was baptized by the apostle John, possibly one of the last of his converts. The enemy told him, “Old man you’re eighty five years old. You don’t have much longer to live anyway, and if you will denounce, or refuse to believe, or confess that you have been wrong, we will let you live. We won’t put you to death.”
But Polycarp said this . . . . he said, “The God that I have served for these eighty five years of my life . . . . He has not denied me in all of the eighty five years, and I am not going to deny Him in my death.” And so they put him to death. I believe that God would give the Spirit to one like him.
My grandfather Lord was married to three different women. The first two died and he remarried. One of his wives . . . . they said her last words were, (she would smite herself on her forehead and say over and over), “God be merciful to me . . . . a poor sinner.”
So we think of things like that in our lives that people have said that has been so meaningful to us.
One of the best women that I have ever known in this world was my daddy’s oldest sister. Her name was sister Nannie Barfoot, and she was a wonderful, good person. Just before she died, the last days that she lived, it was as though she was looking into the portals of glory, and she began to talk to her dad. She began to talk to her husband as though she was right there with them. I believe God gave her a glimpse of what was waiting on the other side for us, and what a wonderful blessing that is.
David here is referred to in the bible as a man after God’s own heart. Now he was a sinner, and we have recorded in God’s blessed word some of the terrible sins that he committed while he was here in the world. So that gives us encouragement when we look at our lives and see that we are poor sinners, that Christ didn’t come to just save the good, and the reason he didn’t is because there was none good, but He came to save poor sinners.
And if he could save David, he could save someone like you and me. Isn’t that a wonderful thought to know, that regardless of the sins that we may have committed, he’s given us a good hope through grace, through him, that in his righteousness we are saved by his amazing and his marvelous grace.
David is spoken here as the son of Jesse, and he is referred to here as the sweet psalmist of Israel. The psalms used to be sung and they are sung some today, and I thought a lot of times about David. He must have had a beautiful voice. He must have had a great talent to sing the psalms and sing praises unto his God.
He was the keeper of sheep. He kept his father’s sheep, and incidentally I have never read where he ever lost one of his father’s sheep as he was watching over them, which is a beautiful figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will never lose one of His sheep, one of His little children.
When He bowed His priestly head on the tree of the cross and said, “It is finished”, and gave up the ghost, every heir of promise, everyone that he came in the world to save, they were saved and they were saved forever. Nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He says, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” Isn’t that a wonderful thought to think about? That we shall never perish though troubles, and sorrows, and trials, and disappointments, and even death comes in our families and in us here, after a while. But yet, He has promised us that we will never be separated from Him.
God, in the bible when He refers to men like Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and different ones, He speaks as though they are still living. In His mind and in His heart they were still living and are still living. Abraham today, his spirit is just as much alive as you and I are sitting in this building today. So, He’s not the God of the dead, but He’s the God of the living and what a wonderful blessing that is.
David refers to a reign, and when I’m talking about a reign I’m not talking about a natural rain. I’m talking about reigning as a king or as a person here in the world. He describes what a perfect reign would be. He describes it as a morning without clouds. When there are no clouds in the sky. Oftentimes clouds are referred to as troubles that come in our lives. The clouds of trouble, but he says this reign would be without clouds on a clear morning and as one shining after rain. You know when the natural rain has come down upon the earth, especially when it has been dry, and the grass has began to wither away, but after a rain it flourishes and springs forth. We can see it and it’s beautiful to look upon.
I have said this about my mother. We had a place in our yard and it was fenced off to keep the chickens out, and in it there were flowers. She was a lover of flowers. This time of year when the flowers were blooming, she would get up early in the morning, and in her housecoat she would go a lot of times into her flower garden because she said that it’s more beautiful in the morning than it is at any other time. Because the dew is on it and it is like diamonds sparkling, and David compares that perfect reign as one being like this.
I’ve said a lot of times that I would have loved to have been around a mountain or around a hill when David was watching his father’s sheep and heard him sing. I’m sure that it was beautiful to hear his voice. But there will be a time and is a time when it will be more beautiful than it was here on the earth. No matter how beautiful we may sing here, I’ll tell you there’s a place where we’ll not miss a note. If you feel like you’ve never been able to sing, I can encourage you and tell you that one day you’ll be able to sing . . . . when we leave this world of sin and sorrow and go to that place of perfect rest, where our blessed Redeemer is.
David, after he describes what would be beautiful compared to the natural elements, to a life that would be without sin, a life that would be without troubles and trials, he concludes by saying, “although my house be not so with God.” Can you say that your house is in perfect harmony with the things that God would have us do . . . . the kind of life that He would live? I believe if you answered me truthfully, you would say . . . . no, my house has not been so with God. I’ve made mistakes along the way. I’ve sinned and I know that I have come short of the glory of God, but one day, thank God, through His amazing, and His marvelous, and His wondrous grace, that we’ll be with Him in spite of our sins, in spite of our troubles, in spite of our trials here in this world.
Just a few more days that the hymn writer says that we have to wait, and we’ll then be at rest.
You know, when we begin to have afflictions like I have had lately, and spend a week in the hospital, in pain and having treatments, I think as we get older, we begin to think more about death than we did when we were growing up, or in our life when everything is going smooth and we are getting along fine, when our health is good.
But when the problems begin to come in our lives, we begin to think of something better. The hymn writer says that it’s better farther on. Aren’t you glad today that it is better farther on than this world? With all the joys, all the blessings that we receive here in the world, is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us, is what the Apostle Paul says in the book of Romans.
John said, “Little children it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see Him as He is.” However, Jesus is, and He’s there in a perfect body in that glory world, and we are going to be like Him. The way we’re going to be like Him is, free from sin and not any problems or any troubles whatsoever. The hymn writer says, “There I shall bathe my weary soul in seas of heavenly rest, and not a wave of trouble roll across my peaceful breast.” Isn’t that wonderful to think about today? That we have a God that has provided for us. Not only for us here in time, but for eternity as well. He made all the provisions.
David said, “Although my house be not so [yet, in spite of this], He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure.” He says, “This is all my salvation and this is all my desire, although he maketh it not to grow.”
I believe David is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ here when he said, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant. It’s ordered in all things and sure. And I believe before the foundation of the world, that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit entered into covenant agreement one with another to put into that covenant, the promises in that covenant was to take care of every one of the elect family of God, and finally land them safely on heaven’s peaceful shore where we’ll know no sorrows, know no trials or know no tribulations. I’ll tell you that when this body begins to get frail, and the aches and pains begin to come, it begins to cause us to think about heaven and want to go on and be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I have told this experience, that when I was growing up, when I got up big enough . . . . well, I don’t know if I was big enough or not, but my dad would send me with a bale of cotton to Dudley or to Dexter, which both of them was five miles away, to have it ginned. A lot of times you’d go and there’d be a hundred wagons on the yard waiting for the cotton to be ginned. Sometimes it would be in the wee hours of the night when I would leave there and head for home, and me being just a teenager, scared you know, and wondering what was going to happen, and had to cross an old wooden bridge with those mules, and sometimes they didn’t want to cross that bridge. I would be scared to death, but when I would come up out of the swamp and come up on the hill, I could see the kerosene lamp light in the window at home.
I knew that they were waiting on me. My dad was waiting for me to get home to help me with the mules and take them into the barn. When I saw that light it made me want to speed up and get home quicker you know. I think life is that way. As we begin to suffer the afflictions and the troubles and trials of this life, when we can see the light and the glories of heaven, it makes us want to speed up and go on and be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He says, my house be not so, in other words he’s saying I’ve missed the mark. What about you this morning? Question yourself. Has your house been so with God? Have you lived a perfect life? Have you done things that you are ashamed of? And I know that I have. There’s not a one of us in the building today that would want to have a moving picture of our life and look on the screen. I’ll tell you that if you had one of me, I would run out the door. I wouldn’t stay in here because I couldn’t stand to look at it.
So the point is, that none of us have lived a perfect life, but there was one that lived a perfect life for us, and that was the Lord Jesus Christ. We, being represented in Him, whatever He did, we were represented in Him. When He went to the cross, we were with Him in His mind and in His purpose.
There is a gospel song that says, “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind,” and how true that is. We were on His mind. When we went to the tomb where He was buried, we were there with him my friends. Not only did we go there with Him, but when He arose the third day, we were raised with Him. He says, “as I live, ye shall live also.” I believe that with all the powers of my being.
These old cemeteries where we’ve planted our loved ones . . . . where we’ve said our good byes for the last time . . . . where we’ve stained the ground with tears from our eyes, instead of it being a place of sorrow, one day it’s going to be a place of rejoicing, when Jesus comes the second time without sin unto salvation. He says, “I’ll say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: I’ll bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth”.
I’m telling you friends, that there is no circumstance that we can be in . . . . we can be burned to ashes, we can be blown to the four corners of the earth, but when Jesus comes in the glorious resurrection, we are going to come forth in His likeness and the good thing is, that we are going to be satisfied. Aren’t we? It’s hard to reach perfect satisfaction here in the world…maybe just for a few moments at the time that we are satisfied. The hymn writer says, “When my soul is resting in the presence of the Lord, I’ll be satisfied”.
I believe with all the powers of my being that were are going to be satisfied. And I’m satisfied now, with His work. I’m satisfied with what He has done.
Those disciples that John sent to Jesus when he was in prison asked the question, “Art thou the Christ or shall we look for another?” Now it looks like John never would have had a thought like that doesn’t it? Because he was the very one that baptized the Lord Jesus Christ and said, “There’s one that cometh after me, who’s preferred before me, whose shoes latchet I’m not worthy to unloose.”
But John, as much as he was blessed to see personally the Lord Jesus Christ, and to handle Him, would doubt. You know sometimes we are like Thomas. We are doubting people, aren’t we? Jesus said to go and show John again these things, how the dead are raised, the blind are made to see, and the lame are made to walk, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them and blessed is the man that is not offended in me. How could we be offended in the One that loved us so greatly, that loved us with an everlasting love? How could we be offended in the One who has provided for us, not only in this world, but in the world to come? It’s a wonderful thought to think about.
David says, “This is all my salvation, this is all my desire”. What else could we desire, when He has come and done that which is perfect, that The Lord required, a perfect life? And that perfect life, that everyone of us is represented in Him and we are made perfect through what He has done for us. The God of heaven looks upon us now, not directly to us but through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is in heaven now making intercessions according to the will of God.
What if anyone brought up a charge against us? Why, he’s a sinner, or she’s a sinner. Jesus can say, Father I know they have sinned, but where are their sins? I’ve put them away! I’ve nailed them to the cross! They are there no more to be remembered against them. They are your children and I am their Elder Brother and I am their Savior. I am their all in all. All that they need here in time or in eternity. I’ll tell you friends, when I think about the God that loved us with an everlasting love, and the provisions that He made for us . . . . how could we help, but want to praise and magnify His great and glorious name?
He says, “Although my house be not so yet (in spite of that), He hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure.” An everlasting covenant is an everlasting agreement; it’s an everlasting promise that is put in the provisions for us before the world began to provide for everyone of the elect family of God. Whatever was necessary to be done for them, for them to live with Christ in Glory, has all been taken care of on the cross of Christ.
Why shouldn’t we come to church like we have today? Why shouldn’t I get my walker and hobble along and come? I was in the hospital and missed one Sunday, and it seems like when I miss one Sunday, the following week is a month long. It has been my habit for many years to never miss going to the house of God on a Sunday morning to render praise and adoration to The Great God of my salvation. As many times as I have been, and as many times as I hope to go between now, and when the Lord calls me home, I have never praised Him enough to satisfy my mind! I have never praised Him enough for what He has done for a poor sinner like me.
I feel like you are in the same boat, or in the same condition, that I am in today. It’s no wonder we sing the song sometimes, “There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing it’s worth. It sounds like music in mine ear, the sweetest name on earth.” It’s no wonder we love to sing songs like that. The songs like, “Faith in His name forbids my fear. Oh may His presence ne’er depart, and in the morning let me hear the loving kindness of thy heart.”
“Thus when the night of death shall come, my flesh shall rest beneath the ground, and wait His voice to rend my tomb with sweet salvation in the sound.” I’ll tell you, those old songs, those old hymns, mean something to us don’t they? That’s the reason we love to come to the House of God and sing songs like that, to the praise, and to the honor, and to the glory of God’s grace.
Do you feel like you’ve overdone praising Him? I’ll tell you, I have been trying to for more than sixty years. Close to seventy years now, that I have been trying to praise and worship and magnify His name, but I’m still behind friends. I’ve never praised Him as much as I would like to. I’d like to be a better person than I have been and trust that God will continue to bless me.
He says, “Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, and that covenant was ordered in all things and sure.” That means that not one thing was left out that needed to be in that covenant, that was necessary to be in that covenant that was made with the Godhead before the foundation of the world.
You see, God provided the means to save us from our sins before we actually sinned. You say, well how could that happen? What about automobile insurance? Do you buy automobile insurance hoping that you’ll have a wreck? No, you buy it, but you hope you won’t have a wreck, but you can’t wait until after you have had a wreck and then buy insurance, You have to make provisions before hand in case you do have an accident.
So God knew us and foresaw that we would sin and fall short of the glory of God, and therefore made provisions for us before it ever happened. What a covenant keeping Godhead we have! Jesus has kept that covenant and did when he went to the cross and The Holy Spirit is seeking out and finding everyone of the elect family of God wherever they may be, though they have never heard a gospel sermon, though they have never been to church, though they have never seen a bible . . . . friends I’ll tell you, if they were loved of God, if they were loved in that covenant that was made and that choice that He made of them, before the world began,
The Holy Spirit is going to find every one of them and is going to quicken them from death in sin, to a living hope in The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He says. “Although He make it not to grow. Now, God’s family has always been the same. The religious world, they talk a lot about increasing the Lord’s family. If you will just hear the gospel, if you will just listen to and obey the gospel, and give your heart to God, why you’ll become a child of God.
What did you do to become a child of your father and mother? Not one thing in this world. When you knew anything about it, you were already born into the family. It’s the same thing with being born of the Spirit and power of God. We don’t recognize and realize until after the work has already been done.
These have been precious thoughts to me down through the years and as I have said . . . . as I grow older and weaker in the body, they mean more to me now than they did years ago. If I think about how God loved a people with an everlasting love, and be made to feel than I am one of them that He loved, that He gave His life for on the cross of Calvary, that family has never grown by one since God elected them.
By the same token, there has never been one that has been left out, but all of them, all of the elect family of God. Now how can anyone fall out with a doctrine like that? But there are people who are enemies to this doctrine today that would close our doors, that would put us out of business here, if they had the power to do so.
We here in America today, we need to be praying earnestly that God will keep us free. That we may have the freedom of worship as we have today, unmolested by the enemy and upheld by the constitution of these United States, because that privilege has been taken away from some, and some in days past and gone have met in secret to get away from the enemy to worship and praise the God of heaven.
You say, well that could never happen to us, but you know, there is a people in the world today that calls us infidels and believes that all infidels need to be put to death. They are striving and doing everything that they can to do that.
Thank God that for many centuries, this country has had the sweet privilege of worshiping God, as we still do today, and I am glad that we do.
He says, “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it no to grow.” I think a lot about what David said on this occasion. These were his last words and probably some of his most important words that he ever said while he was here in the world.
I don’t suppose there was ever an individual in the bible that lived as close to God as David did. He said, “The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want”. That’s a wonderful feeling. He was having a good day when he wrote that I believe, but what about when he said, “Oh Lord, art thou clean gone forever”? I believe Davis got as close to God as any person ever has and he got as far away from God as most any person has.
We fit in that category too, don’t we? We have been close to Him and we have been blessed by Him in so many ways, but yet, many instances we have gone astray. We have gone away from Him, but I’m glad that although we have gone astray, that He is still going to keep that covenant, and one day we are going to be with Him in glory to praise Him in a world that His word has declared shall never end. That’s a wonderful blessing to me to think about.
May God bless you, and may He sanctify the truth and pardon error as our prayer for His name’s sake.
THE END