Address—David Mearns
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Could we begin our meeting this afternoon by singing the 1St 3 verses of #16 in the appendix?
#16 in the appendix.
The first three verses. Could somebody please start that?
Unbelievable.
Nsnoise.
Nsnoise.
We ask the Lord for His help.
We had some things brought before us yesterday.
Which touched my own heart and some of those things I have on my heart.
This afternoon.
And, uh, it's been the exercise of the brethren here in Montreal.
Two in this address, address those who are younger in the faith.
And I would like to read some verses. We had a verse read to us in John 12. Our brother Bob spent some time on this verse, the 12Th chapter in the 25th verse.
And in the morning, our brother John mentioned that this verse is.
Found six times in the New Testament.
I would like to just read those verses.
Umm, before I take up what I have in my heart.
Because those six verses, each of them has a little different emphasis.
In the part of the verse. And so here we have in John.
Chapter 12.
And verse 25.
He that loveth his life shall lose it.
He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. Eternal. The emphasis there is on loving his his life now in Matthew's Gospel chapter 10.
00:05:05
Matthews Gospel, chapter 10.
In verse 38 we read, And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it. He that looseth his life for my sake shall find it. The emphasis being is not worthy of Me. Matthew chapter 16.
Matthew, Chapter 16.
And verse 24.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.
The emphasis being on deny himself. Mark's Gospel, chapter 8.
Mark's Gospel, chapter 8.
In verse 34.
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake. Now here's the emphasis, emphasis and the Gospels.
The same shall save it. Luke's Gospel, Chapter 9.
Lux Gospel, Chapter 9 and verse 23.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross. Here's the emphasis now daily.
And follow me. For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life, for my sake, the same shall save it. And then in Luke's Gospel chapter 17.
Gospel chapter 17 and verse 32 we read Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life, little different wording now shall preserve it.
That's being the emphasis. Now turn with me to Mark's Gospel, Chapter 7.
Marks Gospel.
The 7th.
Chapter.
And we will read.
From verse 24.
And from fancy arose and went into the borders of Tyre, and Sidon then entered into a house, and would have no man knoweth. But he could not be hid, for a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. You know we sparted our meetings.
Umm, on Friday night, by having that scripture before us, how Mary came and sat at his feet, here we have another one. And we find that she came and fell at his feet. And the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by nation, And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. And Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled, for it is not me to take the children's bread as it cast it unto the dogs. I just appreciated considering this dear woman.
That we have before us this afternoon.
And if you have those verses that we read.
Dear young person.
Wherever you are sitting in your chair this afternoon.
If you get nothing else from this meeting this afternoon, get what I'm about to say.
This dear woman, she came to the Lord, She came to the Lord in her need. And perhaps, young person, this afternoon you're sitting here in your chair and you're sitting there in your need.
She came to the Lord in her need, and she made a request.
And the Lord responded to her and then she also responded, young person, the pathway to blessing in my life and the pathway to blessing in your life is found in her response. And let's read it verse 28. And she answered and said unto him, Yes Lord, yes Lord.
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Dear young person, this afternoon, have you said that to our blessed Lord? Have you said yes, Lord?
Is there that in your life that the Lord would seek to speak to you about and there's a reservation in your heart or are like you like this woman who said simply 2 words? She said yes Lord, Yes, Lord. Oh, it's the pathway to blessing for each one of us and you dumb person this afternoon as I stand here this afternoon.
That which I have in my heart is for my own heart, and I trust that you perhaps.
As you listen to that which I'm bringing before my own heart, that you can benefit from too, and what I would like to do this afternoon if we could turn, uh, to John's Gospel Chapter 8.
John's Gospel, chapter 8.
We had a portion brought before us earlier.
And we read in the eighth.
Chapter.
In verse 31.
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word.
Then ye are my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make.
You free? I was considering this scripture in connection with the truth making us free, that in the word of God we find a number of people that we find in prison houses. We find in prison houses.
And it's been my privilege to look at those various ones that found themselves in prison and came to that point in prison where they could say, yes, Lord, and they were set free. They were set free. You know, I was struck by a story I read a couple of weeks ago where there was a young man.
And he had gone off a ship and he was in a harbor.
And in that harbor there was there was a market, there was a bizarre where there was various different vendors that were selling various different things. And one of those vendors was selling wild birds that were in cages. And this young man, he, he bought a cage of birds. There was a bridge there over a Causeway. He took the cage up to the top of the Causeway. He put.
The the cage on the railing of the bridge. He opened up the cage and he let the birds go.
He went back down.
He bought another cage.
And he did the same thing. He came up the bridge, he put the cage on the railing. He opened up the door to the cage, and he let the birds go. He did this cage after cage after cage. Well, you can imagine it drew a bit of attention.
And so someone went up to the young man and he said, why are you letting these birds go?
What is it that would make you let these birds go?
The young man said, you know, I had a desire in my heart to go to sea and I spent some time at sea and when we were, when we were docked in another land, I got off the boat and.
I was with my friends and we got into trouble and I was thrown into prison and I was there for quite some time.
And I was released out of prison and when I got off the boat here and I saw those birds in those cages.
It's so wonderful to be free from prison. I wanted to see and I wanted to experience the very same thing as when I was let out of prison, to have those birds let loose. Well, I have it on my heart this afternoon to look at some of those that found themselves in a prison. A young person this afternoon, you too might find yourself here in some sort of a prison. There are various different circumstances that we find ourselves in and we seem bound.
Perhaps there's someone here and you have ill health and you find it's a prison.
Can there be deliverance?
Perhaps there's someone here and you find yourself in a relationship. Perhaps you're not married and you're in a relationship and you may you may want to be out of that relationship and you find yourself in prison. Is there a way out?
Perhaps there's someone here?
You find yourself in a marriage.
00:15:03
And it's less than good.
Is there a way?
Is there a way?
Perhaps there's someone here and you find yourself in tremendous financial stress.
So that you feel like you're in prison.
Sir Wendt.
Let's look at some of those. They found themselves in prison. It might be prudent to look. Seems we had Joseph before us this morning to first look at Genesis chapter 39.
Genesis chapter 39.
For times sake, we'll look at the seventh verse. It came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast their eyes upon Joseph and she said, lie with me.
But he refused, and said unto his Master's wife, Behold, my Master wardeth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth.
That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, He hath brought in Hebrew unto us to mock us.
He came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her until her Lord came home.
And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us.
Came in unto me to mock me, and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled. And I And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife.
Which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant unto me, that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the King's prisoners were bound.
And he was there in prison, but the Lord was with Joseph.
Now turn with me over to Psalm 105.
Psalm 105.
And I'll turn to this song because we find the facts in Genesis chapter.
39 But we find the feelings that Joseph went through in the Psalm here.
Sum 105.
Verse 16. Moreover, he called for a famine upon the land, and he break the whole staff of bread, and he sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant whose feet they hurt with fetters. He was laid in iron until the time that his word came, the time of the Lord tried him.
You know what? I'd like to draw attention to the marginal reading.
In the 17th verse.
Rather the 18th verse he sent a man before the even Joseph, who was sold for a servant. They heard his whose feet they hurt with feathers, and it says his soul came into iron.
Now turn back with me to.
Genesis.
Chapter 40.
Is in of interest for me to consider the life of life of Joseph.
And the time that he spent in prison.
If ever there was a man that found himself in prison wrongfully.
It was Joseph.
And you know, I believe it rankled Joseph a little bit.
00:20:04
Because we find in the 40th chapter here when he speaks.
To the Butler and the Baker.
We find a little discourse that's much different than when he speaks to his brothers.
In Genesis chapter 40, notice what Joseph says here.
When he's speaking.
To the Butler and the Baker.
In verse 14.
It says, But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee unto me, and make mention of me and the Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. I'm going to read this a little differently, with some emphasis where I believe Joseph put it.
And so we read here, but think on me, when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
Her eye was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews. And here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
You know I believe that the Lord's desire as he looked at Joseph.
And I so appreciated the resilience that Joseph had when he was there in Potiphar's house, you know, when Potiphar's wife sought to entice him.
We read that the Lord was with Joseph, and Joseph's life was such.
That he had spent time with God and it just would seem that there was such a resilience there that as the enemy came and tried to break him down as we see others in the word with Joseph, it just didn't happen. I don't know if you've ever tried this or not, but tried to take a match out of a pack of matches. You take out a couple of matches and I've tried this and take the the pack of matches and dip it in water and then take those dry matches and try to light them on the pack of matches.
You just cannot do it. There just seems to be absolutely nothing to respond to those matches as you strike them on that pack of matches when it's wet. And that just seems to be the state that Joseph was in when he was enticed. Now, how could that be?
Those of you who are here who are young men.
Those of you who are older men.
We know what that takes.
I believe with Joseph there was such a saturation with the word of God that he was able to act in such a way.
That he didn't respond to that which was brought before him, but we find that he lands in prison.
You know the Lord had for Joseph a great work to do.
And I believe after Joseph spelt this out to those that were there in prison, that the Lord realized in order for there to be the fruitfulness in Joseph's life that he desired, that he needed two more years in the prison, two more years in the prison.
You know, sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances.
And they're less than good. And perhaps we seem to be in those circumstances wrongfully, you know, we find in the 105th song.
That which has been very searching to me.
It says whose feet in the 18th verse.
They hurt with feathers. He was laid in iron, or his soul within iron, until the time that his word came and the word of the Lord tried him. The word of the Lord tried him. Here's the man in prison. He's in prison wrongfully, and yet the Lord is seeking to work with his soul.
A young person this afternoon, wherever you find yourself, in whatever circumstances you find yourself.
I believe the word is seeking to try you with His word.
How are you responding?
How are you responding? Turn over to the the the 40 umm, the 44th chapter of Genesis.
Rather the 45th chapter.
When he comes to his brothers and he makes his no his.
Himself known unto his brothers.
Notice what we read.
00:25:01
Verse 4 Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near unto me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor ang with yourselves that ye sold me. Hit her, for God did send me before you to preserve life. Now this is after two years in the prison.
It was gone that sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years have the famine been in the land, and there have been five years into which there shall be neither earring nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you of prosperity in the earth, and to save your lives by a greater deliverance.
So now it was not you that sent me hit her, but gone. And you have made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Oh what a what a change there was between these two little speeches that we hear from Joseph.
And you know what I believe the difference is when Joseph was there in the prison and the Lord saw to it that he needed two years, two more years in the prison, what happened between those two points, I believe was this 2 words? Yes, Lord.
Yes, Lord, let's turn to the Book of Judges.
The Book of Judges.
Judges, Chapter 16.
Simpson.
Was a Nazarite.
Unto the Lord.
And we read that in the 17th verse of the 16th chapter.
I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb.
Now let's go back to the 15th verse.
And it speaks of Delilah here.
And she said unto him, How canst thou say I love thee, when thine heart is not with thee? Thou hast mocked me thee three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him.
So that his soul was vexed unto death, that he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head.
For I have been an unto God from my mother's womb. If I be shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart she sent.
And called for the Lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for ye have showed me.
All his heart send the Lord to the Philistines came up under her and brought money in their hands, and she made him sleep upon her knees, and she called for a man.
And she called him to shave off the seven locks of his head, and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before.
And shake myself. And he whisked not that the Lord was departed from him, but the Philistines took him and put at his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass. And he did grind.
In the prison house.
What a solemn word.
To my own soul.
You know, if we were to go back.
The 14th chapter we would find in Samson's life and Samson did not have good friends and in Samson did not go to the right place to find a wife. We find in chapter 14, the 15th verse.
It came to pass on the 7th day that they said unto Samson's wife, enticed by husband, that he may declare unto thus the river, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire.
You have called us to take what we have. Is it not so?
Can we find an inkling here?
I was struck yesterday when Tim was speaking a little bit about and how the world seeks to take our discernment away.
And we find that what the Philistines in Samson's life and he says here.
Or rather, he's here in this relationship. And this woman says to Samson, enticed by husband. Now let's go back to the 16th chapter.
And, uh, we find a similar umm, expression in the 16th chapter of Judges, the fifth verse. The Lords of the Philistines came up under her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see where in his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him and afflict him. And we will give thee, every one of us 1100 pieces of silver, and delivered some of the Samson, tell me, I pray they were in thy great strength life, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict him. And Samson said unto her, Now you know what Samson should have said. He should have said, no, I'm not going to tell you. This is a secret between me and God.
00:30:01
But no, he says, if they bind me with seven green wives that were never dried, then I shall be weakened as another man.
Well, we find in the 10th verse says unto Samson, Behold, thou was mocked me and told me, flies, now tell me, I pray thee with thou mighty speed bound. And he said unto her, If they bind me with fast, with new ropes that were never occupied, then shall I be weak. You know this is a picture of someone that's just tampering with the world. They know where that line is that they shouldn't cross. And Samson knew where that line was that shouldn't cross. But you know, when we're just approaching that line, what we find is the line is back here. We've already crossed the line.
And we find that Sampson tampered with that. And so we find in the 13th verse the line of seven to Samson. Hitherto thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weaveeth the seven locks.
Of my head with the web, you know, he's getting closer and closer to the truth. Now he's acting with his hair. Now he's saying they suggest that they put the web in his hair. Well, that's still not the answer. But then we find in the 17th first he tells her all his heart.
And the end result is two things.
He lost his eyesight and he's grinding in the prison house.
You know, this afternoon, maybe there's someone here.
And there's been failure in your life.
There's been sad failure in your life.
And like Samson, you're finding that you're in prison and you're grinding in the prison house.
And you don't have discernment, you don't have eyesight.
It's a solemn thing, but is there a way out? Is there a way out?
Now let me turn before we go on here to umm.
First Corinthians, chapter 10.
First Corinthians, chapter 10.
And verse 13.
Read the 12Th verse.
Wherefore let him that thinketh the standeth take heed, lest he fall. There hath no temptation.
Taking you, but such is his common demand, that God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted. Above that you're able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.
That he may be able to bear it.
There's always a way, there's always a path for the believer, regardless of where, when we where we find ourselves or or for what kind of circumstance we've got ourselves into. I was speaking to a brother the other day and he said, you know, we reap what we sow and that's true.
And God will save an alcoholic. He'll give them a brand new life. So he's a new creature in Christ Jesus, but he doesn't give him a new lover.
He does not give him a new liver. And we find here in Samson's life that he lost his eyesight. He didn't get his eyesight back. But was it all over for Samson? You know, we find here in the 22nd verse and perhaps there's someone in here in this room tonight or this afternoon and you find yourself in a similar situation to Samson. And it says here, how be it? The hair of his head began to grow again after.
T.
Was shaving.
You know, here's Samson grinding in the prison house after there's been so many victories in his life and he's grinding in the prison house, and we find his hair starts to grow and it's a picture of the Spirit of God seeking to reach Samson.
And perhaps there's someone here this afternoon and you find yourself in a prison, experience grinding, and there just seems to be absolutely no hope whatsoever. Oh, the Spirit of God this afternoon would seek to touch your heart just as Samson's hair began to grow. And I believe.
That from the time.
That Sampson gave his secret to Delilah.
And to what we find in the end of the chapter, we find that Samson also said those two words.
And so we find here.
In the 28th verse Samson called unto the Lord and said, O Lord God, just picture the scene here. Here he is a man without isolate the Philistines, making mock of him, making sport of them.
Horrible position to be in. Remember Me, I pray thee, and strengthen me. I pray thee only this once, O God, that I may be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood.
00:35:13
And on which it was born up of the one with his right hand, and the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Celestines. And now notice this expression. And he bowed himself.
He bowed himself.
Dear young person this afternoon, are you willing to bow yourself this afternoon and simply say Yes Lord? Yes Lord.
Now, this was the greatest victory in Samson's life. He bowed himself. Oh, might that be my portion? Might that be the portion of someone here? Let's turn to the book of the Acts.
Acts Chapter 12.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church, and he killed James the brother of John, with a sword, And because he thought pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.
Then were the days of unleavened bread, and when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison.
And delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, and tending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him.
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the Angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison.
And he smoked Peter on the side and raised him up, saying arise up quickly and his chains fell off from his hands.
And the Angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on my sandals. And he did. And he sayeth unto him, Cast thy garment about me, and follow me. And he went out and followed him, and wished not that it was true, which was done by the Angel.
But thought he saw a vision when they were past the 1St and 2nd ward, they came under the iron gate that leadeth into the city, which opened to them of his own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street, and forth with the Angel departed from him. When Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a Shorty that the Lord has sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all his all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the House of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
I would like to make a comment in connection with.
Peter being found here in prison.
Because young people.
There comes times in our life.
Where we find ourselves in serious trouble.
And when we find ourselves in those circumstances.
What do we do?
I would like to turn and and see a progression here in in Peter's life.
I'd like to go back to Matthew's Gospel.
Because we find there, there was a time in Peter's life earlier.
Where the Lord made a connection with Peter and Peter responded.
Matthews Gospel, chapter 4.
Matthew 4 and verse 18 And Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee and 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. Luke, chapter 5.
Luke chapter 5.
And we find that.
There's another account here concerning the Lord seeking to draw with Peter, and we'll just read the one verse in the 11Th chapter. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him.
We won't turn to it, but our brother Ron brought before us another time when the Lord Jesus said to Peter, follow me.
And now here we find another time in Peter's life where he's in prison and the word to Peter is follow me. And he responds.
00:40:09
You know, in between the first time that Peter was called and this time, there was much that happened in Peter's life. And I would like to suggest I was just thinking a little bit of what we had brought before us yesterday. Umm, our brother Steve brought before us a little account of a man that put out the garbage. And I'd like to look at umm, Nehemiah the 4th chapter for a moment.
Nehemiah the 4th chapter.
In Nehemiah chapter 4.
We find in connection with building that Judah says in the 10th verse.
Judah says the strength of the bearers of burden is decayed and there is much rubbish.
So that we are not able to build the wall.
I was thinking about accounting connection with Peter's life because there was quite a bit of rubbish in Peter's life that he had to get rid of.
And I would like to ask you this afternoon.
If there's some rubbish in your life.
Or is there some rubbish in my life?
I mean, you can't build when there's rubbish.
I'm a builder.
You can tear things down when there's rubbish, but you can't build very well when there's rubbish.
And we had before us yesterday in Romans chapter 12, the renewing of our mind. And I would like to suggest that when we have the account in Ephesians six of the armor of God.
It says there to take the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation is armor for the mind, armor for the mind.
If you entertain thoughts.
That which is rubbish, you know, I believe that Peter had to deal with those things in his life and the time came when Peter found himself in very serious circumstances and the word to him was follow me and he was able to respond right away. He was able to a young person, if you don't respond in your early life to the Lord Jesus saying follow me if you don't come to the point in your life at the present time.
Where you bow the knee, it's like Samson did.
If you can't say yes to the Lord when you're young, the time will come when there's a serious circumstance in your life and you know you won't know what to do Here. The words of Peter. And this time it's amazing to me that Peter could be in prison here. You sound asleep.
Do you know after he left this, when he left the scene, he came to his grips, He went to it says here, I'd just like to make a little comment. It says he went to the House of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. No person if you attend the prayer meeting.
Do you attend the prayer meeting?
It's been my interest to realize that in our home assembly there's a number of young men that attend the prayer meeting.
And see too many of them there last night.
I assure you, if one of them had been speaking last night, they would have been there.
Do you pray that you attend the prayer meeting, you who are younger?
And when you do attend the prayer meeting?
Are you just there on your knees and spend the entire prayer meeting without any praying? I'm not saying that audibly.
You're in the permitting. Do you pray?
It's been exercised to me, the thought of the prayer meeting.
And how you know it's exactly where Peter wanted to go, where prayer was want to be made.
And I would like to say this as an exercise to my own hearts and those of us who are perhaps a little bit older.
That it's a bit intimidating for a young brother who pray, perhaps maybe has a 32nd petition to make to the Lord, and maybe there's a brother that prays for 10 minutes and he prays for many, many things. It's kind of hard to have a real serious burden for many, many things.
And I would suggest that perhaps.
The reason why there is not so many younger brethren that pray in the prayer meeting is because of the way I pray in the prayer meeting. I would just like to suggest.
That we save perhaps our lengthy prayers for the closet.
And that there would be urgent prayers, perhaps short prayers, that it would be an encouragement to those who are younger brethren, that perhaps just have a short little petition to make.
00:45:06
But what a marvelous thing to see Peter here and how he went where prayer was once to be made. Let's turn now to the book of Jeremiah.
Where we find one other prison experience.
Jeremiah, the 39th chapter.
Jeremiah, the 39th chapter.
And we?
We read in the fifth verse Zedekiah the king said, behold, Speaking of Jeremiah, he is in your hand, for the king is not he that can do anything against you. And they took Jeremiah and they cast them into the dungeon of Malchai, the son of Amalek, that was in the court of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water but mire. So Jeremiah sunk in the mire. Now when he bit me like the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the King's house, heard that they put Jeremiah in the dungeon. The king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin.
Went forth out of the King's house and spoke to the king, saying, My Lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is like to die for hunger in the place where he is, for there's no more bread in the city.
Then the king commanded even me with the Ethiopian, saying, Take from thence 30 men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he died. So even Mila took the men with him, and went into the House of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah, and ebbed me like the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old class clothes and rotten rags under thine our holes.
Under and the iron holes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords and took him up out of the dungeon, and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
I was thinking of this portion in connection of with Jeremiah being thrown into the prison.
And, you know young people.
Sometimes when we've been enjoying the Lord, we find that there are others.
They find themselves in dire circumstances and perhaps find themselves in prison.
The only person I would just like to touch your heart a little bit as the care that you have one for another.
What kind of care do we have? One for another?
No, even Milk here was a caring soul, and he, he.
He cared so tenderly for Jeremiah, who had found himself in the prison.
It's been an exercise of mine in the last little while.
It's been searching for me, rather I should say, as to how little care I have.
I'd like to tell a little story. I was going to take a look at at John the Baptist and maybe a look at the Apostle Paul, who both found themselves in prison. But I'm going to end here with with Jeremiah.
He found himself in prison.
Just before I tell the story, let's go over to the the end of the 39th chapter.
In the 15th verse, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Go and speak to Eben Milik, the Ethiopian saying.
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel. Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished in the day before they, but I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord. And thou shalt not be given unto the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid, for I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword.
But thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord, not because he he worked so tenderly with Jeremiah, because he put his trust in the Lord. You know there was a word that Jeremiah little little bit earlier as he spoke to as he spoke to Barrack and he said seek us out great things for thyself. Seek them not. You know there was a couple of years ago I was driving through the town of Smith Falls.
And there's another pass in Smith Falls, and at the bottom of the underpass, there were some. There was a fire truck.
And there was a couple of firemen there, they each had a couple of of of boots and they were collecting money from people going by for the Special Olympics.
People were throwing change in and they were collecting for the Special Olympics and it sort of tweaked my interest. Well, a couple of weeks later.
00:50:03
When the Special Olympics were taking place.
There were three, there was a race that was being run, a foot race.
By some young girls.
And there was 3.
Young girls that were Down syndrome.
They were running together and they were approaching the finish line.
The one that was in the middle.
Tripped and fell down.
And the one that was on either side of her, they ran a few steps and they looked back and they saw the one that had fallen.
And they went back and they each grabbed an arm and they raised her up.
And the three of them crossed the finish line with their arms locked.
Brethren, when we consider the care.
That even me like had for Jeremiah in the prison.
And I would suggest that there's many in this room this afternoon that find themselves in prison of one sort of another.
How are we doing with this care?
How are we doing?
With this care.
You know, I believe that Jeremiah and even being like both.
Said two words.
They said yes, Lord.
Yes, Lord.
This afternoon, may each one of us here have the grace to say yes, Lord, there was a young ruler that came to the Lord.
And he said yes, but.
There was a man that had two sons.
And the man said go work in my vineyard.
And the one said, I go, Sir.
And he went not.
This dear Saira Phoenicia woman.
She came to the Lord Jesus.
In her deep and her desperate need.
And the Lord tested her.
And she responded.
And she said, yes, Lord.
In your private you look back at that account and see the floodgate of blessing that came into that dear woman's life.
By two words. Yes, Lord, Let's sing the rest of our hymn.
#17.
Or rather 16 in the appendix.
The 4th standard. Somebody please start that.
Nsnoise.
Texas Roadhouse, 919201983865.
Nsnoise.
00:55:37
I was like, I don't know, umm, why?
No, no, no, don't get any better.
Than me, I cry on the floor.
On the street, my friend and the children's Day and everything I don't want to hear. I don't do me.