Introduction

We drift away from the Lord. We turn from Him and His ways in rebellion. This brings on His chastening hand. We feel that there is no way back. But God gives a way. Come home. Come back to your Saviour and God.

1. THE CAUSE
1. Our Sins (Isaiah 64:5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
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2. Our Uncleanness (Isaiah 65:6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
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3. Our Iniquities (Isaiah 65:6Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
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2. THEIR CONDITION
1. Experiencing the Wrath of God (Isaiah 64:5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
   See All..., 9; Hebrews 12:5-6 [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
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2. Faded as a Leaf (Isaiah 64:6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
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3. Taken Away as by the Wind (Isaiah 64:6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
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4. Consumed because of our Iniquities (Isaiah 64:7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
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3. THE CURE
1. Wait for the Lord (Isaiah 64:4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
   See All...; Psalm 27:13-14 [13] I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
   See All...; Isaiah 40:28-31 [28] Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. [29] He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. [30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: [31] But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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2. Rejoice in Righteousness (Isaiah 64:5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
   See All...; Psalm 68:3But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
   See All...; Isaiah 61:10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
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3. Work Righteousness (Psalm 15:1-2 [1] Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? [2] He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
   See All...; Romans 6:13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
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4. Remember the Ways of God (Isaiah 64:5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
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1. Ask for the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
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2. There is continuance in those (Isaiah 64:5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
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5. Call Upon the Lord (Isaiah 64:7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
   See All...; Psalm 105:1-4 [1] O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. [2] Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. [3] Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. [4] Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
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6. Stir Up to Take Hold of the Lord (Isaiah 64:7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
   See All...; 2Timothy 1:6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
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7. Behold the Lord as your Father (Isaiah 64:8-9 [8] But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. [9] Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
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1. We are the clay (Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
   See All...; Jeremiah 18:1-6 [1] The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, [2] Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. [3] Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. [4] And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. [5] Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [6] O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
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2. We are the work of His hand (Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
   See All...; Psalm 100:3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
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3. We are His people (Isaiah 64:9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
   See All...; Psalm 79:13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
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Conclusion

Published Sermons of Charles Spurgeon – “The influence of Spurgeon’s published sermons at times seems almost unbelievable. On one occasion, Spurgeon counseled with a woman whose husband had left home, and fled the country. The Metropolitan pastor dared her to believe that her husband would be converted, and even become a member of the Tabernacle church. At that very time, on board a ship, her husband stumbled upon one of Spurgeon’s sermons. He read the story of the Gospel and accepted Christ immediately. He returned to home and wife, and a few months later, his wife introduced him to Spurgeon. The couple were happily reunited in Christ and the church.” –from Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Lewis Drummond (p.325). See Matthew 17:20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
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