just how you can meet our needs in so many special ways. And it is a privilege to be back here once again. As Dave mentioned, we were originally slated for early April. And now here we are in mid-August.
And it's just a privilege to be able to share your word in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, this is a little bit dated, but I want to thank very, very much those who prayed for our loved ones over the years over on Chapel Street. And thank you very much for those who came to Laird's funeral and your smiling faces were a real blessing.
I can assure you because the majority of the people at that funeral were political people who I really don't know. And it was a privilege to see some of my Northbrook family there. Just a note from Miriam, she sends her greetings to everyone. And there has been a delay in Kota-Nu.
They finished their isolation time, but the blood work has to be processed. And apparently the man who was doing the processing went on vacation. So they're waiting until this coming Friday or Saturday to get back up to Paraku and then over to the project where the kids are. And Miriam is, I can assure you, very, very eager to get back with what we refer to as her children once again.
Test trials and tribulations. Certainly there have been a few of those. We've been through a period of testing trial and tribulation with worldwide pedemic. And it's certainly, if you feel like an expert on communicable diseases, you likely are.
If you watch the news every night at six o'clock, they've gone through every aspect of this thing from a worldwide perspective. And certainly we've learned every aspect of it that we possibly could have presented to us. You don't have to turn here, but I'd just like to read quickly two references from Job, 5'7 and 5'8. And certainly this is not a message on prosperity gospel.
Prosperity gospel is a terrible enemy of Miriam's work because they tell everybody, just pray, never mind those medicine, that those white people are giving you. And the black members of the clinic up there, just pray. Of course, what happens? If you don't take your medication, you die.
When you have AIDS, particularly when you're a child, and you already have a compromised immune system to a certain degree in this context. And so it's a very, very tragic thing. What these prosperity gospel people are presenting. And I'm sure they're doing it very sincerely, but they're sincerely and tragically wrong.
And it's a real shame. Yet man is born under trouble as the sparks fly upward. Now I'm sure that verse doesn't get quoted very often in a prosperity gospel situation. You want to get rich?
Become a Christian. I don't think so. And the last I heard about Paul, he wasn't necessarily wealthy. He spent too much time in jail.
And in Job, 5'8, and this sounds like it comes right out of 1 Peter. And today I'll be referring a great deal to the book of 1 Peter, because I think it really has a message for us during this time of pandemic. This verse, once again, sounds like it comes from 1 Peter. I would seek unto God and unto God what I commit my cause.
One day, one day, and we are judged in this world, in this incursed world, if you're a Christian and really standing for your faith, you're going to be attacked. Whispering, backbiting, and slander. I call them the evil Trinity. Whispering, backbiting, and slander.
And you're going to encounter that. And yet one day there'll be a judgment that is perfect, pure, righteous, and true. And that is the judgment of God. And of course, all judgment has been placed in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I would seek unto God and unto God what I commit my cause. Paul helps us with who God is as he faced incredible challenges and trials. If you turn, please, to 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, 2 through 7. 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, 2 through 7.
And I want you to remember, before we start reading there, down in verse 9, but we had the sentence of death in ourselves. Now, for Paul to say that, they were going through very, very difficult and painful times. That we should not trust in ourselves but in God, which raised if they did. And starting back in verse 2, and we see the God that he is praising and giving thanksgiving to in this time.
Grace me unto you in peace in verse 2, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and listen to this. The Father of mercies, beautiful description. The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
Paul wasn't in a comfortable place. When he says the sentence of death in ourselves, he's talking about very, very difficult times. And yet he says, the God of all comfort, who comforted us in all our tribulation. Now we're getting down to where he said, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounded by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings, which we also suffer. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye also of the consolation.
This word consolation is a very beautiful word. Two words begin with SS, I was thinking, if you're a student of Second World War history, SS is not what you associated with this. And that was that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble. That's the purpose of these sufferings from Paul's perspective, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble.
The word consolation means to soothe or bring solace. How's that for a different meaning from SS a few years ago? To soothe or to bring solace to someone who is in a time of need or suffering. So Paul not only had the comfort of fellowshiping with God as he's writing some of this, but he also says, this is the purpose that I went through this.
It wasn't just for me, it isn't just all about me, and that's a very dangerous place to be when you're going through a real valley. But it's that I might be able to comfort others because I have been comforted. I have gone through this thing. And you know, it's a great comfort when you're going through a real valley to be with someone who can look into your eyes and say, brother, I've been there.
I know what you're facing. I know what you're enduring. I sense the pain because I have experienced that pain myself. And this is the reason if you and this morning are in some kind of really deep valley, some real time of testing and tribulation.
God has a purpose in that. And sometimes you won't understand all the purposes. But he has a purpose in it. And money those purposes have nothing to do with you.
They have everything to do with your ability to reach out and touch others. And be able to look into their eyes and say, yes, I know. And sometimes we've just heard of a young lady who's in horrible, horrible crisis. And a man can't really fully understand where that lady's at this morning.
But a lady who has been through deep trials and has a sense and a sensitivity and an empathy for what a lady can go through, what a perfect opportunity that would be for somebody who has faced very challenging and very difficult times. He's the father of mercies and the God of all comfort and the God of consolation. Paul not only found comfort once again in his fellowship with the father, but he also found a purpose in his trials to truly appreciate the beauty of first Peter and the scriptures. We have to go back to his early days as Peter was a brand new follower of Christ.
And if you turn please to Matthew 4, Matthew 4 18 through 20. And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for they were fishers. And he said unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. And they straight way, notice that word, straight way, just right away.
They left their nets and followed him. And we see that Peter, and this is a very positive situation, but he responds quickly. And we don't know exactly what happened in this situation, but I'm assuming that Andrew followed his brother and the two of them immediately went into full time missionary work, if you will. I was a rep for many, many years.
And I'll tell you, it's not very often the response was as quick as this one. This is a sort of a record. And we see that Peter's greatest strength could also be his greatest weakness. Here it's very, very positive that he reacted quickly and he reacted decisively and he stepped into the will of God and followed the Lord Jesus Christ in surrendering to Christ's will for his life.
That was a blessing. But later in his ministry, he responds very, very quickly. And sometimes that is a problem. If you turn over, please to Matthew 26, 51 through 55 or 56.
And behold one of them, which were which Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword. I guess who that is. And struck a servant of the high priest and smote off his ear. So he cut his ear right off a pretty messy situation.
Then said Jesus unto him, put up again, thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father, and he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels. That's a lot of power. But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled?
That thus it must be. And that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes. Are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for it to take me? I set daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on me.
So once again, Peter reacts very, very quickly. And he gets a bit of a rebuke from the Lord in this as well. When a list of the disciples, though, and this shows the compassion and the patience and the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ. But if I ask you to say without thinking, but just very quickly responding, who are the first three disciples that come to your mind?
What's the list? Brother, what's the list of the first three? Peter, James, and John. Yeah, Peter's always at the first of this list.
He's always seen as a leader. And but there were rough edges in the beginning, very rough edges indeed. So the use of the sword brings about a rebuke from the Lord in Matthew 26, 72 through 75, very at the very end of the chapter. And after a while came unto him, they that stood by and said to Peter, surely, they'll also art one of them for thy speech, betray thee, then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man and immediately the cock crow.
And David and Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him before the cock crow, they'll shall deny me thrice. And now you see an other side to Peter. And that is his tenderness, his sensitivity. And he went out and wept bitterly.
He was deeply wounded by his own actions and that impulsiveness that got him into so much trouble on occasion. And yet he was a leader. And as one man said, yes, he got into trouble in the waves, but he was the only one who stepped out of the boat. We see in Peter a very deep sensitivity, but also the same impulsiveness that got him into awkward situations.
And yet at the time of the writing of first Peter, we see a far more mature and seasoned follower of Christ. And as you read over the book of first Peter, it continues to surface and it's hinted at, but it obviously is on his heart and on his mind is that these trials that he's gone through, these times of testing, these valleys are the things that have refined his testimony. And he could not, Peter could not have written first Peter in the early stages of his following of Christ, but he writes this beautiful book with the intention of really comforting those who are going through deep trials and deep testings and real struggles of their faith. In first Peter, one, six through seven, if we could turn their place first Peter, first Peter, one, six and seven.
We're in you greatly rejoice. So now for a season, if need be, year and heaviness through manifold temptations. And I'm sure many people could share testimonies here of times. They've been through valley times, one lady referred to them as tunnel times and difficult times they've gone through.
And there is a heaviness. You're not full of sparkle. You're not full of sunshine when you're going through some of these really heavy times. And once again, it's one of the revealers of how mature we are in our faith, we're in you greatly rejoice.
So now for a season of need be year and heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that parishes with, so it would be tried with fire might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. And notice up in verse six, three little words that are very precious and very important, we're in you greatly rejoice. So now for a season, if need be, you know, we have needs that the Lord's very aware of, but we're not really aware of Lord, why me? Why?
Why me? Why do I have to go through this trial? And it's almost like the Lord could say, Oh, there are lots of reasons. This is very important.
This is very vital to your ministry and your outreach to other people. And I am allowing this for that purpose. Certainly the words, though, now for a season are comforting as we're in this worldwide pandemic. And one of the things we really missed in our 19 years in Africa were the seasons, and especially the fall season, the fabulous colors.
And over in Africa, we only had two seasons. We called it the wet season and the dry season. But you know, it's the same as our four seasons here. It was always a start and it was always a finish.
No, sometimes when they was drought, it was a little slow starting in the wet season, but they both had a season and you and I can be comforted this morning. When it says a season, this pandemic that you and I are involved with right now and the thing that's making you all look quite guilty, you know, it isn't long ago. If you walked in a bank looking like you look this morning, you get arrested and it'll be very serious indeed. But for a season and there are seasons for these things, and I can only hope, although the Lord might come back before then, that that it will come to an end.
And we'll go back to the freedoms that we had in the past. The illustration of fire is very appropriate when we're comparing the refining of gold and the refining of believers. The trials the Lord permits in our lives are often very painful, but they're also profitable. The question is asked, when does the goldsmith, and I'm sure you've seen this in devotional books, when does the goldsmith know that the refining of this precious metal is completed?
And you know, it's when he sees his own reflection coming back. And I wonder if the Lord, as he allows us to go through the valley, he allows us to go through tests and trials. I wonder if he's looking for his own reflection coming back in our testimony and our daily walk with him and trusting that out of that heart, that suffering, that difficulty that you've gone through, that it's drawing you more to his likeness. And he can see his own reflection coming back from your person.
As we consider the sufferings that come into our lives, we need to meditate upon the sufferings of the one, the Lord Jesus Christ who led by example. If you turn place to 1 Peter 5 1, 1 Peter 5 1, the elders which are among you, I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the suffering of Christ. So we actually saw so much of Christ suffering. That must have been painful for Peter because keep in mind he was rash at times, but he was also very tender, very, very sensitive and also a protector of the glory that shall be revealed.
When we're in the midst of personal suffering now, you know, in the word, we're told those who compare themselves among themselves are not wise. In other words, they're not too bright. And yet we all do that on occasion and we shouldn't. I know I compared myself with my dad for many years.
He was a born leader. He had 110 men working for him and it was just natural for him. And I tried to be just like him. I wasn't.
I wasn't the leader that he was. And for many years, I'd hate to tell you how old I was before I realized, hold it, that's not me. That's not who I am. That's not who God made me to be.
And of course I didn't get saved till I was 30. So I didn't have the advantage of God's wisdom in realizing, no, don't go there. That you're trying to be somebody you're not. And that is not who you are.
When we are in the midst of personal testing and trial, yes, it is unwise to compare ourselves amongst ourselves, but to compare ourselves with Christ. Now, that's a different thing. And I think that there is wisdom in that. Do we ever think about the extent of Christ's sufferings?
And you know, this could sound a little bit flippant, but it isn't, it isn't meant to be flippant in any way. It was something that as I studied this book of first Peter, it kind of came to my mind. But you know, Lord Jesus Christ, he suffered from top to bottom. The very, very top of his being, the thorns that were crushed into his head and the very bottom of his being, his feet and his side and his back and his face was some commentators say, they really believe that he was so distorted after all the pummeling that he took that you could hardly recognize him, that his face was horribly distorted.
He was pierced with that sword, his hands and feet were pierced by the nails and his whole body was crying out with thirst in this area of suffering. And this is very important to think about this when you're going through a real valley time. And that is that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered more greatly than anybody else ever has. You know, there are other people in this room with gray hair like I have.
You've likely worked for five, maybe 10 people in your lifetime. And you know which leaders had the most impact on your thinking. On your motivation and on your ability to perform. And that is those who led by example, they were ready to roll up their sleeves and get in there.
And it's something that I always admired my dad and I didn't always get along. Just a very great, as we weren't super close. He wasn't a super close individual. And but boy, the thing I really admired about him is when the plant that he was the manager of, when there was trouble with one of the big machines, my poor mum had to wash all those white shirts.
But when there was trouble, his sleeves were rolled up and he was right in the middle. He disappeared inside these huge machines and work and work and work and didn't matter a bit when five o'clock came around. He worked until he got those men working again and that machine functioning. And it's men who lead by example, who really have an impact on their followers and the people who they are responsible for.
Once again, Christ was second to no one as far as suffering and hurt was concerned. Second to no one. Remember that when you're going through deep, deep trials. There should be a comfort to all of those who've gone through deep hurts for the name of Christ, Black Lives Matter, so do Christian lives.
You know, we talk about all the skin tones of people, but we never mentioned red. We mentioned it in some of our singing this morning, but those can be also suffering who are stand for Christ. This is a synchrest world. Satan is still on the loose and his demons are still on the loose and they're eager and willing to try to discourage you with injustice.
Another theme that comes out in first Peter over and over again is injustice. Happy are ye if you suffer for the name of Christ and for the purposes of Christ. All of these thoughts lead up to words that leap off the page. And this is, you know, when you read through a book on number of times, two or three verses will jump into your mind as something that really had an impact on your thinking for even here on two where you called because Christ now, listen to this carefully because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example.
And here's six little words. But I'll tell you, if this isn't food for thought for the believer, I don't know what would be that ye should follow his steps. We're to follow his steps. Now, how does that line up with prosperity gospel?
I don't think so. I don't think they use that verse very much that ye should follow his steps. There is a verse that immediately comes to mind as we consider the words of first Peter to 21 and that is in 412, the love of thinking not strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you as though some strange thing happened on you. Whoa, was that ever where it wasn't weird?
Remember Watchman knee? He wrote a book called the normal Christian life and this is reality. This is the life that God has for us. The danger of falling into self condemnation is very real when our focus is on comfort, pleasure and ease.
If I told you today, everything's going to be just perfect. It's just going to be smooth and easy and comfortable as a Christian. You become a Christian this morning and everything will work out great. But what about when it doesn't?
What about when you when you're in that valley, when you're in that testing time? And I told you that everything was going to be easy and comfortable and all the rest of it. And now all of a sudden, where are you going to go? More than likely you'll go exactly where Satan wants you to go.
And that is in the self condemnation. I'm a lousy Christian. So therefore, that's why I'm in this trial. That's why I'm in this test.
That is not truth. It may be chasing. That's all possible. But 99% of the time, I think the reason is going to be that you can comfort others with the comfort or with you or comfort of God.
God wants your life multiplied in the lives of others. Not all of us have a gift of mercies, but all of us have to be merciful. All of us will have opportunities to reach out and care for those around us. Often our immediate family desperately needs us to be tender and sensitive towards our hearts over and over and over again.
I've seen Christians who had superb testimonies and yet they've gone through very, very difficult times. People who've been wonderfully used of the Lord. I was just at a funeral. I'm an amazing lady, not far from here.
And I believe she's worshiped here on occasion and a lady who gave her life to missions both in Central America and in our country of Senegal. And it was interesting because it's really caught my attention because I've known this lady for a long time, but I certainly didn't know these things about her. And it was her husband shared some of the physical disabilities that she faced during her lifetime. And the last nine months, we watched her battling with cancer.
I'm watching it over here at the VG and she went through a really, really difficult time. But at the funeral, which was just in the last two weeks, her husband mentioned that she'd been bitten by a poisonous snake over in Africa. And she also had leprosy. I had no idea that she had leprosy.
But you know, this was a lady who really counted for the Lord right up to the end, just about two days before she went unconscious. She phoned me and said, hi, Neil. And is this grace? Yes, this is grace.
Just want to thank you for everything you've done. Goodbye. And she hung up. But here's the lady in the last two days of consciousness.
She was reaching out to others to try to be a blessing to them. And what a thing that's left with me and that's something that's very precious indeed. In 1 Peter 3, 1 Peter 3, 14 and 16. But if he suffered for righteousness sake, and I'm sure there, once again, an opportunity, if this was an open meeting and we were open sharing, many people could share that they have suffered for righteousness sake.
Happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. And that's what they are. There's certainly people who are terrorists who aren't members of any organization. And down in 16, having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you, as if evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
And once again, it reminds me of the evil three whispering, backbiting and slander. And you say, well, how do you how do you decide when something slandering? It's very difficult to be ripping into somebody and not exaggerate. And as soon as you exaggerate, you're slandering because you're not telling the truth.
You use shiger, purple and just exaggerating in that way. You know, there are two things that really stood out in this study. And there were all kinds of ways of trying to deal with the dangers of a trial and tribulation. But in Romans 828, these are very well known verses.
And we know that all things work together for good. All things? Yes, that's what it says. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.
There is definitely a place for thanksgiving and praise, even when you're hurting. Even when it's really what we would say is a tough road to walk. We need to remember that there are things that God is doing that we may never understand in this lifetime. And I'm not sure, as I thought about this, once we get to heaven, do we get answers to all these questions, not necessarily?
You know, once you're glorified, I'm sure that some of these answers aren't very important to any longer. We may be never fully understand all the reasons. In Hebrews 13, 5, in the second part of that verse, he says, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. You know, he was in the lion's den and he's in your lion's den too.
You are never alone if you're a believer, if you're a believer. You are never alone in that time of trial. I remember I knew a very special lady and she said, and by the way, what made her special was her first husband was one of the first five, what used to be called a new tribe's mission. The first five missionaries were all bludgeoned to death by the Iori Indians and the jungles of Bolivia.
And she was married to one of those men very, very recently. They were still newlyweds. And she said, you know, Neil, as long as you can see the hand of Christ in the middle of every situation, Satan loses all his thing. Now I'll tell you, when this lady said that to me, I'll never forget it.
And it was precious and it was times in Africa when we were serving over there and going through some difficult times that that expression, those words came back to me and were such a comfort, such an encouragement and just a real challenge. Neil, stay away from self-pity, stay away from self condemnation, keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you're going through a difficult time, go back in the second Corinthians chapter one, read those nine verses or seven verses and consider them and meditate upon them and remember the God that Paul talked about when he was in very, very difficult times. Do not let the two big enemies rage in anger or self condemnation take a hold of you.
And as long as you can have victory over those two things, you should be able to really sense that Jesus Christ didn't live on that. He was in the lion's den and he's in your life every step of them all the way. He leads by example. He suffered from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet and oh, yes, one other God thought he loves you perfectly.
You know, I realized as I say that, I don't understand perfect love, totally unconditional love because I don't practice it as well as I should, but perfect, pure, he understands it perfectly. And that's kind of love he has for you this morning. I have no idea how many people there are here who are in a valley and I know it's hard and I know it feels terrible. And yet the reality is God loves you perfectly and he has a purpose.
He has a purpose for allowing you to go through those things. He leads by example. He suffered from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet and he loves you perfectly. And if you placed your faith in infant baptism, and I did for 30 years, infant baptism, confirmation classes, membership books, givings and all the things that man can do takes me right to the verse that I love to share in regards to the gospel for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves.
If I'd only understood those few little words, I got saved a lot younger for by grace. Are you safe through faith in that? Not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, not of works, not of works.
That's any man should boast. You know how many churches within 10 miles of where we're standing right here this morning or sitting, how many are teaching works, teaching works, what a tragedy that is, because it isn't our works. It's his work, his perfect eternal and everlasting work on the cross of Calvary on Mount Calvary. And that's how we get saved as we put our trust and our faith in him and his perfect work.
And then his resurrection, which we sound about this morning, his resurrection at conquered death. And for some of us, we're getting older. We've got the same coloring in your hairs I have and what a comfort, what a joy to realize that the resurrection conquered death or death where is I stay and praise God. That's the eternity.
That's the destiny that's waiting for us this morning. Let's pray. Father, heaven, you know that as a guest this morning, I have no idea what people are going through. There may be people, well, I didn't hear from one person who's has a loved one and a terrible situation right now, a mother to be and not really sure how that's going to turn out, but it could be a whole lot of hurt and suffering that I can't really understand as a man.
But when a lady loses a baby, which may be the case here, it's, it's deeper. It's just more profound than anything as a man. I can truly appreciate and we pray for that lady father. We pray that your hand would be upon her and we pray that a miracle could happen and the baby will survive and the mother will survive.
We thank you for your love and care and I pray father for those two things. If anyone here is in a deep valley this morning and first of all, that you're always with them, that you're always present that they could become aware of that even through their pain. They could become aware of the fact that you are in that line, stand with them and that there is always a place for praise and thanksgiving because we don't understand everything that's going on. We are very, very limited.
And I pray father that where our understanding stops, that we could trust you, that you have purposes, you have goals, you have a way of doing things. Yes, heat refines gold and it refines believers too. In Jesus name, amen. Thank you.
And it is good.