Murray Keene – Second Testimony – Rochedale, Greater Manchester, England Convention – 1978

[Sunday Morning] The first day of the week, and the gathering together of God’s people. In gatherings great or small, God will be with us. A woman’s testimony 21 years ago, “I was born and my parents rejoiced. Six months ago, I was born into the family of God and all Heaven rejoiced.” God has a perfect work to do in all our lives. Our needs are so varied here, but God knows the condition of our hearts. Gives us things that will be as guide-lines to help us on the way. I knew a man that would buy a block of land, build a house and sell it, and then build another and that way it was more economical. On some, he had the foundations laid, then on another, the framework up, and others, the finishing work going on. Sometimes, the finishing work is very important and a very slow part of the work. If we continue, God gives us fresh visions of Jesus and also what is needed in our own experiences.
 
Corinthians – what Paul wrote of fellowship. The Corinthians were not lacking in words, but they needed something deeper and that was explained in the first chapters. The love of God that is so essential – Chapter 14, “Follow after charity.”
 
Prophesy – a lot that was not profitable. It was not a matter of speaking in other tongues but that they could speak profitably in their own tongue. Paul thank God that he knew more than just languages, even five words were better than an unknown tongue.
 
To edify, or exhort. To prophesy, he wanted to have a part in the meeting that would be profitable, speaking to edify and build up.
 
Extortion and comfort. Time is when a child needs different treatment, not all feeding or correction, that is part of it, but not the whole story. The only girl in a large family with many brothers. All she had was an old rag doll that had gotten very dirty. One day, they bought her a new doll, and she was and willing to let the old rag doll go.
 
Verse 15, pray with the spirit, pray with understanding, also. Singing in the spirit and sing with understanding, also. What does it mean to be in the spirit? The spirit is in us if we are God’s children. John was in the spirit on the first day of the week. In our home, Sunday was a special day even before my parents decided to live for God. My parents respected that day. The first day of the week should have a special meaning for us.
 
Praying in another spirit would not be profitable to others. Other people should be listening intently to prayers. Praying in the spirit – we always feel the need of learning more about prayer. “Pray Thou through us by the Holy Ghost.” Seek ye my face.  God prompting him and he would be moved to pray, sometime during the day and not only in the morning and evening. I will sing with the spirit and think about what I am singing – not just repeating the words.
 
“In the spirit on the Lord’s day.” A painter was once asked, “Can you work all the time?” He answered, “No. To do my best work, every other thought must be put aside but that thought that centres on the painting I am doing.” Put everything aside on the Lord’s day and He can bless us, and speak to us.
 
Meeting in Luke 22, as they ate the Passover. “Where wilt Thou that we prepare? In Jesus’ life on earth, He had fulfilled all the will of God. The Scriptures concerning Him had been fulfilled from the time He had been about His Father’s business – all been accomplished.  Now the slaying of the Lamb was to be accomplished in the life of Jesus.
 
The Master saith, “Where is the Guest Chamber?” They went as Jesus said and found, as Jesus said – in everything they found it true, “as Jesus said.”
 
Bearing a pitcher of water – have we a little of the living water that would help to cleanse and refresh another?
 
The Master saith, “Where is the Guest Chamber?” Christ was Master in that household. Jesus recognised as the Head or the House and Master there, and where the interests of the Kingdom come before everything else. Recognised that whatever the Master wants to do there would be gladly done, and done completely.
 
The upper room – considered the upper most thing as far as we are concerned. The couple that said, “We did not know it would mean so much to us to have a meeting in our home,  and have a room for workers to stay in and let Christ be the Master of our home.”
 
“Then the hour was come.” Jesus was there and His disciples were there. Be punctual and on time.
 
Consistency – neighbours set their clock by the time people went to the home for a meeting. Be constant and be on time. Serious thing to be missing from meetings and not notify people. People are part or a little meeting and there place is empty if they are not there. Are we part or a little church and are we regular or are we away so much and feel no responsibility?
 
“Eat it before I suffer,” Luke 22. Jesus trusted them all except Judas, and He Knew Peter was going to show His weaknesses. Jesus trusted them because God had begun a work in their lives. It was to strengthen Himself for the agony in the Garden, and giving His life on the cross.
 
The last Passover feast. “This do in remembrance of Me.”
 
Memorial Day – a wreath here and there, because someone is lying there that has lost his life for them.
 
Quoting the poem, “In Flanders Field”
 
In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
 
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
 
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
 
If we break with the one that has done all this for us, what then? “This do in remembrance of Me.” This part of the covenant is very binding upon us.