Please turn to our second reading, 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1, considering verses 6 and 7. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it has tested by fire, may be found in praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Today, In the Church of Jesus Christ we face many, many questions from an unbelieving and secular world. So often the world who doubts the very existence of God, she looks around the world and sees what the world is and they're dumbfounded. They cannot answer why things are so. And one of these questions is usually, if God is real, why is there so much evil in the world? The world doesn't understand how this can be. And the church, the Christian, we can give an answer for the hope that is within us. We can give a reason why there is evil in the world. There is evil in the world because of sin, because of the fall of Adam. And therefore, ever since that day in Genesis 3, evil and wickedness has been in the world. Another question that the world asks of the church As if God is good, then why does he permit suffering? Why? And as Christians, we can give a theological answer to this. We could go to the life of Joseph, and we can see a man who truly suffered. He was hated of his brothers. He was thrown into a pit. He was put in prison and through it all he truly was afflicted. And at the end we can go to those beautiful words of Genesis 50 verse 20 where it says his brothers meant it for evil but God meant it for good. saying that suffering is in this world, but because God is sovereign, and he is active in providence, that he weaves this evil for good, that there is a purpose, and so there is suffering in the world because of sin, and because God is good, and because he is sovereign, he will direct all the evil for good. And in the realm of suffering, it is easy to give a theological answer. But how is it we react and how do we answer when we ask the questions, why do Christians suffer? In the world we can understand it, there are rebels against God. They're worthy of no food, no warmth, no clothing. They deserve nothing but hell, just as we do. But we have been touched by grace. We now have a loving Heavenly Father. We are now children in His eyes. And if God being our loving Heavenly Father, why then does He allow us to suffer, to be afflicted, to even be in torments in this world? And it can be hard to answer because so often we as Christians, we have been in that valley of affliction. We have suffered. And when we went through these trials of sufferings, how quick so often we have been like the church in the wilderness. When they came from Egypt and God provided things for them and they were afflicted by scorpions as we read in Deuteronomy 8, and how did they respond? They doubted. He had unbelief. They were even angry at God because they suffered and were afflicted. And so maybe you have had the same experience. You went through a trial, you struggled, and you even doubted the love and the goodness of God. And the questions arised, why God? Why is this so? Why am I in this situation? Why am I facing these men or these people? Why in providence has this happened to me? Why God, am I suffering? And it's this question Peter answers in verses six to seven. As he speaks to a church who knows a lot about suffering. This is visible suffering because they're Christians. They're hated. They're deplored and they are being afflicted by all areas of society. The government is rounding them up and putting them in trials and trying to put them to death. The people look at them as strange, peculiar people and they mock and they revile them. And many Christians here, the majority of them, in fact all of them, are first generation Christians. And as they have professed Christ as Lord, Their mothers, their fathers, their sisters, their brothers, they have reacted against that and have been thrown out the family home for Christ's sake. They truly are suffering at this time. And Peter tells us there is a purpose to these things. He's saying you can even rejoice in your suffering. He's saying in the midst of your affliction you can have a happiness that transcends the deep anxiety of your soul because God is in your suffering. God has chosen your affliction for good. And this is what we shall see, a church that is persecuted, Christians who are afflicted, and see how we can come through this rejoicing. And Peter tells us that these things will happen. He speaks first of all of the reality of trials, the reality of trials, and that's what he calls them in verse six, that we will come through various trials. And a trial simply means to put to the test, an examination. We have time trials for sprinters and athletes. They're tested to their ability and how fast they can go in a race. In school, we're given tests and examinations to understand where we are in our education. And in the spiritual life, it's the very same. We are put to the test. We are examined. We go through trials. And the word trial here is very neutral. It's a word that can be meant for good or for evil. When it's meant as a trial to entice for evil, it's translated temptation. That does not ever come from God. For James 1.13 says, let no man say when he is tempted, he, I am tempted of God. Why? Because God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. So when there is a trial so that you would do evil, that there is a sign before your eyes so that you would go through the trial and you would commit a sin against God, it is never by God. It is Satan tempting you for evil. But there are trials and there are testings that God and His sovereign power puts upon the Christian so that we can go through it, I will say later, for good. So God sends trials to the Christian. And we saw that in Deuteronomy chapter eight, where the people of God were in the wilderness for 40 years. Why? To test them. To test them in their faith. And as we briefly discussed a few weeks ago, as these trials would do bring us afflictions, suffering, harassments, they are expected in the Christian life. Peter speaks in chapter four to the people and he speaks of such tenderness, he says, beloved, beloved, Think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which are to test us, as some strange thing has happened to us. What he's saying here, you are experiencing these difficult things. You are finding it difficult, but don't think it's strange. It's normal in the Christian life for you to suffer and to be afflicted. Don't think it's strange that you're going through a test right now. It's normal. Don't think it's strange that you are being tested. And it's not strange, because we are Christians. followers of Jesus Christ. And Peter says in chapter 2 and in verse 21, he says that Christ himself has been given as an example for us. For he says, for to this you were called. because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. We have the Lord Jesus Christ sent from heaven, a good, perfect, righteous man. He was meek and he was gentle. He was kind and gracious. He never said a word that was wrong. He always helped people. He always cared for people. And what was the response of the world to this? They persecuted him. They mocked and reviled him. He suffered in this world. And if you are a Christian, Peter says, he is your example. You will follow in his steps. You will walk as he walked. And because you're not of this world, because you are a pilgrim, you will suffer and you will be afflicted in this life. And that is the Christian life. If you are a Christian, you will experience tests and affliction in this world. Spurgeon gave the illustration of a rose. A rose is beautiful. It is splendid. But when you pick a road, it always comes with thorns. And so it is in the Christian life. It is a beautiful and splendid thing to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. But there are always thorns in the roads of our faith. Always thorns in the Christian life. And Peter helps to understand the nature of these trials in verse six. He gives us a few descriptions. He says that this trial, these acts of suffering, he says they are but for now and for a little while. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, these afflictions are but for a moment, a moment. Some Christians, it is only for a moment, it's only seasons they go through. Throughout other times, there's not a trial, there's not a deep test. They have such a glory, it's walk with God. They are walking with Him and it seems providence is helping them along. They are walking with Christ and they know His love and His guidance. And when seasons of trials come in, it's hard, it's difficult at the time, it seems like forever. But when you think about your own trial, it was just for a day, a few days, a few months even. And what is that compared to eternity? Many Christians suffer their whole lives. Disabilities, physical stigmas, They have problems they have to endure from the day they're born to the day they die. Physical sufferings, they struggle. But even if they live for a hundred years in this suffering, it is only for a moment. Because for a thousand years, a million years, billion of billion of years into the future, they will have that inheritance, they will have that pleasure, they'll have that sinless perfect experience and be in the presence of the blessed Lord. Though it is difficult, these afflictions are but for a moment. And he says that these trials are if need be, if need be. The word here is literally, if necessary. If necessary, you'll be given a trial. And that is a comforting word. If necessary. Because who is it decides that it is necessary for you to have a test? It's not me. It's not yourself. It's not any man. It is the God of heaven and earth. Which means he is sovereign. He chooses when it's time for Job to have a trial. He chooses when Abraham should have a trial. He chooses when you should have a trial. Which means it's all done in his wisdom. It means he is wise when he makes that decision, and he carries out that decision. But when you have experienced trials in your life, or when you will in the future, God has given you it because it is necessary. We'll see what's necessary about it in a moment. But then describes these trials as various. Literally, it is multi-coloured. The trials are of every nature, every spectrum. Of a kaleidoscope, when you see multi-coloured, red, green, blue, yellow, you see them all at once. And that's what it's like with trials. There are many different kinds of trials. Some Christians have the trial of illness and sickness. Others have trials because their family have rejected them for Jesus Christ. Christians can suffer at work because they are Christians. When they take a stand for truth as pilgrims, when their law is the constitution of heaven and not the constitution of this earth, and they will not work on the Sabbath day because it's not a work of necessity. And they will lose their jobs. They may lose their homes, they may even lose their freedoms. There's Christians at this very moment who are in labour camps. They're being beaten, tortured. They are truly being tried. And we know the history of the church and persecution. 75,000 Christians were persecuted and put to death during St. Bartholomew's Massacre in France. People who were simply loving Jesus Christ, 75,000 persecuted and put to death. There are many different and diverse trials that the Christian suffers. And when we think of all these, we can panic. We can fear, I can't take that all. What if this trial was to come, or that trial? I couldn't take it. But Paul comforts the saints in 1 Corinthians 10, when he says when we are tempted, when we are put through tests, He said these tests are as such as common to man. Because God is faithful. Who will not suffer you to be tempted above than you are able. God will never give you a test that another man has never experienced himself. There is not a unique test given to you that you alone have ever experienced it. Some other Christian has experienced the same. And when you do suffer, and when you do go through the trial, He will never give you more than you're able to bear. You know at times when you do have these things, it's as if you can't bear them. But you notice you never fall. Do you notice you never completely deny God? You always got through it, why? Even though it was difficult, even though you found it hard, you got through it because you could bear it, because God was helping you every step of the way. And then finally he describes the affectionate experience of these trials. He says we are grieved. We are grieved in this trial. And the word grieve, it's not speaking of body pain here, though that may be the truth of your trial. It's speaking of an inward spiritual grief. It's the exact same word that's used of Jesus Christ and the guardian of Gethsemane. That deep, deep, difficult trial of the Son of Man. When it said, He began to be sorrowful and very heavy. It's the same word for very heavy. And when that knocked our trials, we find them very heavy. We're grieved. We're saddened. Even as Hebrews 5, 7 tells about Christ in Gethsemane, He was weeping and full of tears. And that is trials and there's nothing wrong with being grieved at trials. It doesn't mean you lack faith. Jesus Christ never lacked faith. He was obedient and yet he was sorrowful and very heavy. And if you have experienced your trials, you know how hard it was to bear. inwardly, just the sadness, the grief and the heaviness that was upon you because it is difficult to bear and endure a trial. Truly, we are given trials in this life and it's not strange, it's in a way it's normal. And God has ordained it. God is sovereign and wise, and if it's necessary, he will give you your trial when it is due. And it will be hard, and it is difficult, and you will be grieved by your various trials. But Peter goes on. He doesn't just give a real view of these things. He gives comfort. He gives encouragement. Because secondly, there's a purpose to these trials. For it says in verse 7 that... And it's an important word, that. It means the purpose. Why do you suffer? Why, you afflicted Christian, why you grieve through various trials? So that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise and honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. There is a purpose to your trial, he is saying. There's an objective to it. It's not random. It's not chance. There's a real purpose to what you're experiencing. And we have to understand this because the world has no purpose in its life. It's senseless. Maybe you are not a Christian here. You are like the world out there. That when things go against you, when trials come your way, you lose your job, You lose the love of a lost one. You come and you experience deep anxiety. And the world asks, why? Why did this happen? And they may query you if you're a Christian at work, well, why did this happen? Why did such tragedies as France happen? Why? Why? And they don't want an answer. It doesn't matter what you give them. They just can't have it. But you should ask them a question. I can tell you because God is sovereign. There's sin in the world and God uses things for good. We may not understand it, but it's for good. And you may tell them the story of Joseph and they say, no, no, I don't want to. Put the question to the world. What's the purpose of cancer, death, murder, terrorism? And the world doesn't have an answer. It's just evolution. It's just the process of millions of years of time. It's simply chance. It's simply animalistic activity. There is no reasonable rhyme. There is no purpose. But a Christian doesn't have that attitude because it's not true. There is a true purpose to suffering. to the Christian trial. And we have that blessed word in Romans 8, when the church in Rome is suffering persecutions and tribulations, and Paul says, all things work together for them that love God. All things work together, the cancer, the tears, the burial of a loved one, terrorist attacks, deep anxious trials, they're all working together for them that love God, for you who are Christians, to you who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they're working for your good. And it's easy when we're free from trials to think of doctrine and truth, sovereignty of God, His activity in Providence, sanctification, it's easy when we're outside the trial to think of these things. And that's when we can counsel Christians who are suffering, you say, trust in God, trust in Jesus Christ. But do you know how hard it is to actually do that in the trial? You can have all the knowledge in the world, you can have all the systematic theology in your head, but when something comes your way, the trial seems to blind it all, and it's hard, and Christians tell you, keep at it, trust in God, all things work together. And we can just reject it, we can struggle to be comforted, because in the midst of trial and affliction, we truly, truly find it hard. But when we do that, and many of us do that, we deny God's sovereignty and sufferings. We don't deny Him altogether, but we ask Him, we question Him. At the end of the day, we do so. We struggle, we doubt God in trials because of unbelief. At the end of the day, that's what it is, unbelief. And in Christian circles, we can end up elevating unbelief as a mark of grace. Oh, I'm so unbelieving. I'm so lacking in faith as if it's a mark of grace. Now, we are to be humble and we are to be meek. We are. But doubting or lacking faith is never anything else in the Word of God but sinful. Because it's doubting God. And so when we experience trials and we find it difficult and we seem to forget all the passages of Scripture and the theology, it is just unbelief. And it's faith alone that will get us through trials. Because it's trusting in the promises and God's goodness that will get us through it. That's why in Psalm 27, David is struggling with these things. He's struggling with trial and he said, I had fainted unless I had believed. I would have fell from the faith. I would have denied God. I would have never have got through this trial unless I had believed. And that's why God, in Peter's words here, says that we have a purpose to this. What's the purpose of your trial and your affliction? So that your faith is strengthened. And that's why he compares it to gold here. Because gold, to be proven as a true, genuine 24-carat gold, it has to be put in the furnace. And as the fire comes to the gold, it proves it's real gold or fool's gold. And that's the purpose to these things. And if gold is 18-carat gold, we know it's not the full article yet. It needs to be 24-carat gold. And that's the purpose of trials. So your faith is first of all proven to be true and second of all refined so that it is mature. To be proven that it's true and to be refined so that it is matured. And God does this because he works all things together for good. Why? so that we would be conformed to the image of Christ. We would be faithful, obedient, meek, gentle, loving, full of joy. That's the purpose of your suffering and your affliction. And gold may be precious in this world, but faith is so much more. Gold is valued because everyone loves it. Gold is the foundation of money and currency. It's all determined by the value of gold. But gold is valued by stocks and shares in man. It's an earthly valuation. And gold will one day perish. When this world is eaten up by a fervent heat, gold itself will perish. Nothing will endure but the kingdom of God. But faith is not from the earth, it's from heaven itself. And if faith is more precious than gold, and gold goes through the furnace to be refined, how much more should your faith, and mine too, be furnished and be on fire to be proven as true? So that's the purpose of faith. First of all, so that it will be found to be the genuine article And that's why it says the genuineness of faith here. It needs to be true. Because you can say I am a Christian, I have faith, I trust in the sovereignty of God, you can say that, but how do you really know unless you're actually tested? You can have someone who can build the most beautiful and wonderful boat. They can put it in the water and they can tie it up in the dock. But how do you know how good and what a boat it is? Unless it's tested. Unless it goes out into the open sea. Someone can build or buy a car and they can say and they can describe its speed. It goes from 0 to 60 in a certain miles per hour. It endures all types of weather. But how do you know the car does that if it's simply sitting in the driveway? You need to drive the car to find out. if it is what you say. And so it is with faith. It must be tested to see if it's genuine. Abraham could be in the land of his fathers, in the land of Ur, and he could say, I believe. How would you know? God said to Abraham, go. Where? He didn't say. There was a test. Abraham believed, and he went to a place he did not know. Genesis 22, Abraham is given a test in verse 1, it says, by God, to go up and to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham would say, I believe, I'm a Christian, I have faith. And what a trial that was, to give up his own dear son. How much do you love your children? How much do you cherish them? And if God was to test you by giving them up, how hard and grave would you be it? It's one thing saying you have faith, but it must be tested. And that man Job, he could say, I am a man who believes. I have my wife, my family. I am truly blessed by God. But it was tested. God gave permission to Satan to tempt him. He was tested in his faith. And so it is at the end, That only when we go through the furnace, the illness, the mocking, the scorning, the providential afflictions of this world, can then we know if we're truly Christians or not. Because once God see Abraham being faithful, and when he had that knife just about to take his life, God says, stop, do not do it. And the exhortation and the declaration of the angel there is, now I know that thou fairest God. No, I know you have true faith. It has been tested by fire like gold, and it's not fool's gold. It's not false. It's 24 karat gold. You have a genuine faith. Yes, you were grieved. Yes, you may have struggled along the way. Yes, there were even moments of doubt, but you had true faith. You believed in me and my promises. You believe in me and my promises and the word of God. You were faithful. And you came through the trial. And that's what we need to do. Because if we're not true Christians, we will fall by the wayside. In the wilderness experience, thousands, thousands denied Jehovah. At the end of the day, they did not have faith. Melons, garlics, onions, the things of this world was what gave them comfort. And so it is for a false believer. It's a hard and difficult thing, but how many people do you know who professed the name of Jesus Christ, but when a trial came their way, they fell? And it was unbelief. It was faithlessness. There are some who backslide and come back, of course, I'm not speaking about that. I'm speaking about those who deny the Lord and just go away, that's them. Because when it came to the crunch, when it came to the test, they failed. They had no saving faith and they fell. And if you're a Christian today, and you have been tested, and you struggled in your test, but you're still here today as a Christian, be thankful. God was in the furnace of affliction, and you have 24 karat faith. And you should be thankful for it as Job was in Job 27. He says, when I have been tested, I shall come forth as gold. I'm not perfect. I have my seasons of doubt. I struggle. But I am a Christian. I do have faith. Because I have been tested and I endured. And the second part of this testing is so that gold would be refined. Because gold often has impurities and dross with it. It doesn't just have gold, it may be an alloy with zinc and copper and all these things. And when it goes into the furnace and the fire, they're burnt away. And what's left is gold as it matures and refined. And that's what faith is like. How much dross and impurities we have with our faith. Doubt. Anger. We have nothing but self-reliance and pride at times. And God gives us tests to get rid of these things. It's easy to say, you know, I trust in God. It's even to say, if a Christian could possibly say it, I do not have pride. But the fire will come and it will prove if you're really trusting in God or trusting in self. It's easy for a Christian to say, you know what, I don't struggle with anger. Well how do you know unless someone provokes you? It's when someone provokes you, how do you react? Because when you're free from a trial, it's easy to say, I don't really struggle with that. But when someone provokes you, calls your name, reviles you, mocks you in public for your faith, whatever it is, how do you react? And when you strike out in anger and harshness and you don't love your enemies, what happens? It's sin, dross, mixed with faith. And so God will put a trial in your way so he'll refine your faith. He'll get rid of the dross of your self-reliance, your anger, your pride, these things. And he'll strip it away so that you grow in faith and maturity. And this is a hard thing to do. Think of Peter. A man full of pride. A man full of zeal for Jesus Christ. If anyone comes, Lord, they may deny you. I will not deny you. A test came his way. Once, twice, thrice. Are you of Jesus Christ? Are you a disciple? No, I am not. He denies him three times. He failed in that test. But he was grieved. He was hurt. He was a broken man. But the faith was still there. It was refined. It was naked. It was flattened. But it was still there. And he came to Lord when he was resurrected. And we know that do you love me three times. Another test. Yes Lord. I've been humbled. I was so prideful. I was so arrogant. But I trust you. I love you, you know that I love you. And you see a changed man in Peter, do you not, in Acts? He still fails at times when he doesn't sit at the seat of Gentiles, but he's a changed man. Listen to his preaching, listen to his suffering. He goes through the fire because he's got a mature faith. And it's hard to bear it, is it not, when we go through sufferings, but we have to keep at it because it's for good. Because there's a pride in your life and God will burn it until it's gone and you've matured. Think of the woman of Canaan. When she was suffering and afflicted, her daughter was demon possessed. How hard that would have been to her. And she came to, Lord, son of David, heal my daughter. Jesus answered her, not a word. That's what it says. He didn't answer her prayer. the affliction, the trial, but she endured it all. And read that passage in Matthew 15, it's beautiful. She came to the end and he said, woman, how great is thy faith, how mature and abundant, even though there was silence in your prayers, you endured, you endured, and this trial was for good, to mature your faith. And that's the purpose for us. If you're a Christian and I am, there's a purpose. And that's why in this passage, Peter can say we do this with joy. Joy and grief, is that not a contradiction? No, absolutely not. There's a grief because it's hard to suffer, but there's a joy because you know the sovereign purpose and plan in it. You know God is using it for good. You may struggle, you may have seasons of doubt, you may really, really find it hard, but you must come and trust in God. And if you are experiencing these trials now, or if you have and you will in the future if it's necessary according to God, what will you do? Where will you go? It's easy to have the theology in your mind. What will you do during that trial? You must come to the Word of God and have a real, daily, living fellowship with Him. Because then you'll read these words of Peter, you'll see I'm being refined as gold. You will see with Joseph, God is meaning this for good. You will see with Paul, all things work together for good so that I am conformed to Christ. How am I to do that? I must have faith. Lord, help my unbelief. Increase, strengthen me so that I can endure this trial. And I can because I know it's been doing for good. But then finally and briefly, this faith, this trial, this affliction is rewarded. because it may be found to the praise, honour and glory. Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that beautiful? And here it's not speaking about our being found, instead of us praising God and giving Him the glory through it, though that's true. We praise God, we give Him honour and we give Him glory. We should then always do that, like Psalm 66 as we'll sing, we praise God for our afflictions. But it's not speaking about that. The word found here is passive. And this found is given to us. And it's at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It's at His second coming. He will come down and He will praise and honour and glorify us. There is a reward for these things. The difficulties of these light afflictions that are momentary. All the illnesses, the disease, the mockings, the scornings, the death. The death of suffering. They all have a reward for the Christian. For Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4, speaking about judgment, speaking about the second coming, they, it says the Christians, they will receive praise of God. That's what he says, 1 Corinthians 4-5. We will receive it. He will commend us. Well done, good and faithful servant. Well done. That's what he'll say to the afflicted and to the suffering if they endure. He will come to him, that woman of Cairn, you found it hard, you suffered, you really suffered, but great is thy faith. And he will honour us, because when Christ comes, he says, behold, I come quickly in Revelation 22. And what does he come with? My reward is with me, to those who work. My reward to give you, as Revelation 3 says, He that overcomes. He who overcomes suffering, persecution and harassment. He that overcomes, I will sit on my throne. I will give you a throne and set you over many things. And I will give you a glory. A glory. And Peter speaks later how those who receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. You receive an honour, a reward and a blessing of God. You receive an inheritance that's incorruptible and undefiled and fadeth not away. You receive a love. You receive a comfort. You receive an inheritance where you will never suffer again. And we don't know exactly what the rewards are, the scripture doesn't tell us. All it means is that you will be rewarded. Greater joy, greater experiences, who knows? But there is a reward for your suffering. And so Christian, there is a purpose. When you go through trials and you doubt, go to these words. Come, the promises are there. He that overcomes. And we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus, are we not? You may struggle. You may feel grieved, very heavy, sorrowful, sad. You may say with Jacob, all these things are against me. You may be in the attitude of Naomi, bitterness. The Lord has dealt with me bitterly. Don't act in unbelief. Act in faith. Remember why you're going through these things. For God's purpose. So you may be conformed. Your self-righteousness, your pride, your arrogance will be refined away. And your faith, your faith will be a 24-carat faith. And you'll receive the comfort. You'll receive the joy. and you will do these things not grieving only. Paul says, sorrowful, it's the same word, grieving, yet always rejoicing. I counted all joy to suffer for Christ's sake. Because when you will shed a tear, you will be heavy, you will find it hard, but somehow there's a peace. There's a joy. Why is that? It's because you're trusting in God. Do that, Christian. Trust in God. And if you're not a Christian, you'll have no joy, you'll have no purpose, and you will suffer because you're a sinner. But if you turn to God and you turn in Jesus Christ, you'll have the salvation of your souls and there'll be a purpose to your suffering. Joy forevermore in heaven. Amen. And may he give us all the faith to endure affliction. Let's sing his praise now in Psalm 66. Psalm 66. Psalm 66, singing verses eight to 12, and then, verses 16 to 20. So Psalm 66, eight to 12, and then 16 to 20. You people, bless our God. Allow the voice speak of his praise. Our soul and life, who safe preserves, our foot from sliding stays. So he knows that it's gonna be preserved by God. For thou didst prove and try, or test us, Lord. as men do silver prime. Brought stars into the net and maged bands on our loins would lie. They suffered, they reflected as it says. And then they worship him and then in verse 16, all that fear God come here, I'll tell what he did for my soul. We read that and we simply speak about general Christian experience of salvation. It's what God did in the midst of suffering for my soul. That's what it means. And if you're a Christian and I'm a Christian, we can tell of experiences when we suffered But God did something for our soul. He encouraged us. He gave us strength. He gave us joy. Psalm 66, eight to 12, and then 16 to 20. May people bless and honor the voice and all his praise. Our soul and body will stay preserved, Unmoved from sliding stairs. O'er the vast blue and bright stars, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, Trust us in true love, may it have bliss, once on earth, once to life. Our hearts was made plain o'er our heads, and no one with it passed. Smooth mine and water's edge, Thy broad stripes through the perilous fight, O love me, O love me, I'll tell what He did for my soul. I lift my mouth unto Him, Christ, my founded King exult. Heaven, my heart, I send regard, the Lord be well, O dear. But truly, Lord, me heaven and earth, my prayers always give thee. Let's pray. Oh Lord, our God, Thou art the one who has deemed it so, if necessary, and but for a little moment, that we would come through and endure trials. O Lord, we give thanks for them, and we give thanks for our afflictions, for they have surely refined our faith as gold is tried in the furnace. O Lord God, give us the joy, give us the comfort, and give us the trust in Thee to continue in them. O Lord, be with thy saints as they go through the valley of affliction. Be with them and give them the strength to endure. And Lord, we give thanks in Christ Jesus, because he is our example, and he suffered all things for the joy that was set before him. O Lord, may he, our great high priest, comfort us this day. Bless us in the Sabbath, And Lord, give us remembrance that those who are faithful will be found in the rest of eternity. In Christ's name we ask. Amen.