Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/6998/1-peter/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me this morning, I would direct you to the first book of Peter, the fifth chapter, and verses six and seven.

[0:30] The first book of Peter, the fifth chapter, and verses six and seven. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.

[0:59] The first book of Peter, the fifth chapter, verses six and seven. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.

[1:26] Friends, we are instructed here in the word of God to humble ourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.

[1:50] And we do not find it easy. We do not find that our flesh is submissive to the Lord's dealings.

[2:07] But, as grace is given, I believe there will be a humbling.

[2:20] As grace is given, the hymn we have just sung will be the language of our hearts.

[2:35] I say, as grace is given, as the Spirit is given, it's not in our flesh. It's not in our carnal hearts.

[2:47] Our carnal hearts wants to rule the day. It wants to go its own way. It wants to be its own master. It doesn't want to be brought low.

[3:01] It doesn't want to be humbled. It doesn't want to be dependent upon another. But grace will bring us low.

[3:14] It will make us, as a little child, when it is in exercise, so that we will fall before God. We will be willing to acknowledge him.

[3:28] We will be made teachable. We will be humbled. Oh, my friends. Oh, that we might have that grace bestowed upon us.

[3:43] That we might be humbled. We are to notice here that we are to humble ourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.

[4:10] Friends, we are, we should consider the pathway that we walk in.

[4:21] You and I have all separate, individual pathways. There are various trials.

[4:33] There are various afflictions. There are various tribulations that we pass through personally.

[4:46] There are those perhaps near and dear to us that pass through these things that perhaps are weak, perhaps aged, need attention, need caring.

[5:06] And there are times when these things are a great burden to us. Yet, my friends, here we have God's word.

[5:21] Humble, therefore, humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.

[5:31] we are to realize first that our times and every event, everything, day by day, is in his hands.

[5:50] He has control. He governs. He leads. He permits. He permits. He permits. He permits. He permits. Afflictions to come.

[6:03] He permits. Trials. He permits. The devil to trouble and perplex and tempt the Lord's children.

[6:17] But, my friends, the devil is a chained foe. He can only go as far as God permits.

[6:30] There are times, many times, I believe, when we are distressed, when we are dismayed, when we are troubled, because we cannot see the evidences that we want to see in our hearts.

[6:51] evidences of his grace. We cannot feel as we would. We cannot desire as we would the things of God.

[7:05] We cannot love the Lord as we would. In fact, we have to admit, many times, there is no love felt at all in our hearts.

[7:20] And yet, friends, why is it? Because there are times when we can look back and we can see, we can remember the Lord's way, the Lord's dealings with us, and what great things he has done for us.

[7:46] And yet, my friends, there are many times when our hearts are cold, they are unfeeling, they are unable to love him and praise him and bless him.

[8:07] No, our friends, we are often mournful, sorrowful, we are often agitated, we are often filled with unbelief.

[8:29] But what a mercy, friends, that our Lord doesn't change. our hearts are ready to say that the Lord has forsaken us, that he will not come again.

[8:51] It may be our flesh, the thoughts of our flesh, it may be the temptations of the devil. My friends, the flesh and the devil will work in league with one another.

[9:06] They do. But my friends, the Lord cares for his people at all times.

[9:21] He sees them when they're in season and when they're out. when they're near to the Lord, when they desire him, when they love him, when they're seeking him, he sees them.

[9:43] He sees them when they're out of season, when they are dark, when they are dismal, when they are despondent, when they are doubting, when they are questioning the work of grace in their heart, when they are looking for evidences and cannot find any.

[10:07] They're blinded. Yes, there are times, friends, when we cannot claim anything. We dare not.

[10:17] We're fearful. Can ever God dwell here in such a heart as mine? Ah, but my friends, he does.

[10:34] He does. And what a mercy it is that he has opened our eyes and shown us our condition, else we would not know.

[10:50] We would not know we was in such a dark and despondent place. Is it not an evidence that we have known him, that we have heard his voice?

[11:05] Is it not an evidence that we have loved him? My friends, I ask you and me a question.

[11:23] Have we ever loved the Lord? Have we ever praised and blessed his holy name for what he has done for us?

[11:35] for how he has appeared for us? For how he has made a way for us? For how he has delivered us from the enemy?

[11:48] I say, has there ever been a time? You know, I believe we are often guilty of sinning against our God in not giving him the praise and the glory for what he has done for us.

[12:13] we are so apt to dwell upon darkness. It is a great trial to the living people of God to walk by faith.

[12:33] Remember what it is to walk by faith. it is to believe but not to see. It is to believe that the Lord reigns, that he lives, but we can't see him.

[12:51] it is to walk by faith. And hence, my friends, in our pathways, in the midst of our trials and troubles and sorrows, is there any grace in our hearts?

[13:14] Do we trust him? Do we trust him? are we still? Are we leaving the matter in his hands?

[13:26] The matter that is troubling us? That is tossing us to and fro? Why, my friends, we look at God's words, we look at the precious promises, and we can't do it.

[13:45] We can't trust him. We can't be calm. We can't be still. Why is it, my friends?

[14:00] Why? It's a proof to us that we have a carnal heart, a carnal heart that is enmity against God, that refuses to trust in him.

[14:12] humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exhort you in due time.

[14:25] We are then to humble ourselves. We are to consider that the Lord does reign. we are to consider that he knows the pathway that we're walking in.

[14:41] He knows the things that are distressing us. He knows the things that are painful to us. He knows the things that have wounded us. And how many questions do we ask about these things?

[14:57] how many times do we say why? Why Lord? Why? Is this the way? It is the way.

[15:10] Humble yourselves then under the mighty hand of God. Why? Why then these paths?

[15:23] Why do we walk in them? Why do we have to walk in them? To humble us? To teach us? To make us dependent upon him? We are to be brought to the end of our own strength.

[15:40] No help in self I find. That is the teaching. That's where the grace of God will work in our hearts and bring us.

[15:55] God's love. But my friends, all the time that we do not humble ourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God, the more painful, the more the greater will get the burden we will do it.

[16:19] And the more distressed, the more sorrowful we should get. We may well get peeved and rebellious, the very opposite to being humbled.

[16:38] you say that I can't do it. I know, my friends, we need grace to humble ourselves, that we might lie passive in his hands and know no will but his.

[17:01] My friends, that's being humbled under his mighty hand. do we know anything of it? I feel we do not know much of it.

[17:17] I believe we shall know something of it, some perhaps more than others. But I do know this, that it is a wonderful place to be brought.

[17:34] I do know this, my friends, that it's not of the flesh, it's the fruits of the spirit in the heart. And I do know this, that the burden, the cross, the mountain, will be made light.

[17:55] it will be, I was going to say, there's nothing, I can't think how else to explain it.

[18:12] It'll still be there, but there'll be a humble submissiveness. why there are many things, friends, that we have to come into and pass through, and they hurt, they're painful, and our flesh, our flesh is not willing.

[18:38] but my friends, all to have his blessed spirit, that we might be willing, willing to commit everything into his hands, willing to part with those things that the Lord takes away from us, willing to be denied, those things that we seek after.

[19:14] There are many things, friends, that we will have to part with for Christ's sake. And these things come very, very close, my friends, because sometimes these things are, idols.

[19:36] They are things that we hold very dear, and we don't always realise it, but they stand in our way.

[19:47] They come between us and our God. And my friends, there comes a time when the Lord takes away these idols.

[20:04] they do not do not do not do not do not do not do not do not. And they're solemn things. But my friends, I believe, as the Spirit works in our hearts and reigns, that we shall say, thy will be done.

[20:29] you say, I never will, I could not, part with that precious thing, but you will. Yes, I've known those that have told me that the Lord has taken away something precious that was theirs.

[20:54] and they've said it was because it was an idol. They knew it. And what can we say, friends, when the Lord so works?

[21:10] Why? It is in love and mercy to our souls. Because our Lord will have all the honour and all the praise.

[21:20] and he will have us seek him with all our hearts, with all our soul, with all our strength. Oh, friends, perhaps as we look back over our life, we wonder whether there's been any times when we have sought him with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our mind.

[21:56] But my friends, can we remember, can we look back to a time when our heart was seeking the Lord, when it wanted nothing else, when it could part with everything else, but not him.

[22:24] Ah, my friends, they are precious, they are sacred moments. And I believe, I know, that some of us at least know something of that.

[22:41] when the dear Lord weaned us from the world, and everything in it, and everybody in it.

[22:57] And these things come very close, friends. They're very sacred, they are very precious, because it's in that pathway when the Lord will be the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely.

[23:17] And I say, friends, that is the work of the Spirit, it's not of the flesh. The flesh won't part with this wall. No.

[23:28] well, friends, the Lord speaks to you and I in our pathways, that which we are walking in today, that which we are passing through.

[23:50] We are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We are to realise that he has the hearts of all men in his hands.

[24:04] Yes. Not only the hearts of his children, but he controls the wicked. They cannot go beyond what the Lord permits and appoints.

[24:22] There are times, friends, when they will trouble us. But we are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

[24:34] We are to realise that our enemies are in his hands. We are to realise the devil is in his hands.

[24:46] to humble ourselves. And my friends, we are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

[25:05] There are times when we must be tried, we must be tempted, we must be proved. what is it to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God?

[25:25] I believe it is to trust him. I believe it is to be submissive to his holy will.

[25:41] I believe it will be the very means of drawing us to the throne of grace where we shall cry out unto the Lord in our trial that he would deliver us, that he would hold us up, that he would keep us, that he would help us.

[26:11] Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. You see my friends, there must be, there will be a casting down, there will be a, we should be brought low, we should feel our emptiness, we shall know our darkness, but that's not the end.

[26:52] or you say if only I had faith, if only I could believe that the Lord will come, that he will deliver me.

[27:05] We have here the word of God that he may exalt you in due time, in due time. But first friends we must walk through this pathway and that we might consider it, I hadn't thought of it, but it comes to the mind in two ways.

[27:32] First, here below, in our pathways, there are those seasons, there are those trials and tribulations that we pass through and there will be a walking out of this word, a humbling yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God, and then there will be the realisation of his blessedness.

[28:09] He will exalt you in due time, he will lift us up, he will lift us up out of the horrible pit, he will raise us up to a hope in his mercy, he will shed his love abroad in our hearts, he will give us the witness and the evidence that he cares for us.

[28:37] The second thing, friends, is that he may exalt you in due time.

[28:49] I believe that will be at the end of this life. During this life, there are many ups and downs, many trials, but the child of God, he looks forward.

[29:16] He looks to that time when he will be delivered from this body of sin and death, when he will be taken out of this vile world, when he will enter glory.

[29:40] There will be that he may exalt you in due time. Yes, my friends, he will bring his children to that place where they will be forever with him.

[29:59] They will put the crown on his head. They will crown him Lord of all, forever and ever. But my friends, there's no escaping the first part, the humbling of yourselves under the mighty hand of God.

[30:26] This is the way that the Lord leads his children. It's the way he instructs them. He leads them in paths that they have not known.

[30:42] Strange paths. We read, did we not, in that fourth chapter, beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you.

[31:04] But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings.

[31:14] and so friends, that is the pathway that his children will have to walk in. There will be the fiery trials.

[31:31] There will be an entering into the sufferings of Christ. we will be partakers.

[31:47] In a measure, we shall walk in the same paths as our masters walked in. And he was hated.

[32:00] He was spit upon. He was falsely accused. He was hated. They accused him of many things that he was innocent of.

[32:20] And you might think it's strange why you should walk in some pathways. You might wonder why you should be accused of something that you haven't done at all.

[32:37] but think upon this world, that the Lord's people will have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings.

[32:52] And I believe that is the experience, the walking out of it. And it will be in many ways. The Lord Jesus was rejected.

[33:09] He was tempted by the devil. And my friends, we shall walk in that pathway. The Lord Jesus came to that place where he felt deserted.

[33:28] Deserted. Deserted by the people of his own children, his own people. They all forsook him and fled.

[33:47] Deserted of his heavenly father. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

[33:59] dear friends, there'll be those times when you and I will have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings.

[34:18] There'll be those times when we fear that we are forsaken, forsaken of our God, when we shall feel the devil has us in his clutches.

[34:36] Yes. my friends, there is great teaching in these things. We are to have fellowship with Christ and his sufferings.

[34:52] And there'll be those times, I believe, when he will open our eyes and he will show us that that is the pathway that we have walked in sometimes or are walking in.

[35:09] Sometimes we may feel we are going to come into those things. The Lord is a sovereign, he works as he pleases. Sometimes he prepares us, sometimes he shows us.

[35:27] We expect a certain thing to take place. And sure enough, it comes, it takes place. The Lord prepares us for it.

[35:50] My friends, I never forget it. when I was 14 and I never, I didn't think there was anything of the grace of God in me.

[36:09] I do not claim there was, but I do believe there was a look into the Lord at times. times. But the Lord brought me into an affliction where I had to go in hospital at that time when I was 14.

[36:36] And my friends, I knew it. Before ever I went, the Lord prepared me. it didn't come as a surprise and yet there was no evidence that it was to take place, no reason why it should.

[36:57] There was no indication that there was anything wrong with me. It came along, it came suddenly upon me in the night and I was rushed away.

[37:11] but my friends, I believe the Lord had prepared me, he had showed me.

[37:23] Not by any special word. It isn't always by a special word. Don't let Satan rob you if you have a persuasion of something that dwells with you.

[37:39] Don't let Satan say, well that hasn't come from the Lord, he hasn't given you a word. My friends, there are times when the Lord doesn't give a word, but he gives a persuasion and it rests with us.

[37:55] It's a power, it's an influence. Yes, well the Lord knows my friends, perhaps one of you are there, I don't know.

[38:09] perhaps you have a persuasion of something that it seems imminent. Well, my friend, you watch, you'll see his hand, he will appear, and my friends, you'll prove that your times are in his hands, you'll prove you can't stop it, and you can't water it.

[38:42] But my friends, where do these things bring us? I believe they often bring us to his footstool, and I believe it brought me there at that time when I was 14.

[38:56] it made me cry to the Lord, because I wondered, I feared, that it was because of my sin, my guilt, that he had put me there.

[39:10] That's where it brought me. Yes, my friend, the Lord does know, he knows, blessed be his name, how to humbler, break us down, bring us to book, bring us to question, bring us to repentance.

[39:37] Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God. Are you kicking? Are you fighting against God, against the pathway, against the God, are you not willing to walk in the pathway that the Lord has shown you you are to walk in?

[40:04] Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. He will exhort you in due season. He will make all things work together for your good.

[40:18] That will do. God will do it. Yes, but my friends, our biggest enemy is our flesh.

[40:31] In effect, our flesh says it will not have this man to reign over us, but he makes all things work together for our good.

[40:45] Yes, he does. well, the Lord knows, my friends, how it is with you and I.

[40:56] He knows the things that we are walking in, and he speaks to us. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, or that we might consider these things, and that we might be humbled, and be brought to that place where we might be enabled to say, thy will be done.

[41:30] Amen. Amen.