Cast Down But Not Destroyed

Alright, you just wait to turn
in your Bibles for a moment. I'm preaching this morning on
the subject, cast down. Cast down, but not destroyed. Cast down, but not destroyed. Now every child of God, every
true believer, Everyone who in heart names the name of Jesus
Christ is subject to trials, deep, serious trials and afflictions
in this world. Now do you understand that? The preachers are not being honest
with you in 1988. who come to you preaching a salvation free from trials and troubles. Now, they're not telling the
truth. Trials and troubles in the lives
of God's people are real, and there are many, as many of you
can tell us about today. There are many here who are,
at this present time, going through some very severe severe trials. And I could give you many scriptures,
many scriptures, you younger people, I could give you many
scriptures which would prepare you for such experiences. Our Lord said himself, when he
walked this earth, he said to his disciples, his chosen twelve,
he said, in this world, you're going to have tribulation. Do
you know what he said? You're going to have tribulation,
heartache, sorrow, trouble, troubles in the flesh. And he said again
to them, marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. It hated
me before it ever hated you. And if they hate the master of
the house, think how they'll hate the servant. And he said, one of the apostles
said, all who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer.
They'll suffer persecution, harassment, troubles, sorrows. And then he
said again, it is given unto you, it is given unto you, not only to believe on Christ,
but to what? And then Peter said this, the
Apostle Peter wrote these words, he said, my brethren, marvel
not, do not be amazed at the fiery trials that come upon you. Don't be amazed at these fiery
trials that come upon you. They are to try you and don't
think some strange thing is happening to you. This is not strange. Troubles
are not strange. And don't be amazed. Now, I don't
want us to make the mistake David made. David who, preacher? King David. The man after God's
own heart made a serious mistake in this regard. A serious error.
Did you know that? And he did it. God allowed him
to do it. As an example for us, let's don't
make the same mistake. You want to turn to Psalm 73,
and I'll show you David's serious mistake. Serious mistake. In Psalm 73, verse 1, Truly God
is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But
as for me, my feet were almost gone. My step said, well, now
I slipped. David, man after God's own heart? In such a state of trouble? Yeah. What was his trouble? Well,
start at verse 10. Verse 10. Therefore, his people,
God's people, return hither, and waters of a full cup are
wrung out to them." In other words, waters of sorrow, a full
cup of sorrow, of trouble, tribulation. And they say, does God know? Does God know what's going on?
Does God know what's happening to me? Does God know my troubles? Is the knowledge in the most
high? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in this world. The
ungodly, they increase in riches. They don't have any trouble.
Verse 13, but have I cleansed my heart in vain? And washed
my hands in innocency? All the day long have I been
plagued. I believe God. I trust God. I
look to God. I read His Word. I pray. But
I've been plagued all day and chastened every morning. But if I say I will speak thus,
behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, distressing. Dave is right on the verge of
finding fault with God's providence. That's where he is, right on
the verge of finding fault with God's providence and dealings
with him and with his people. A preacher friend of mine told
Brother Richardson, he did not tell me this, he told Brother
Richardson, and Brother Richardson passed it along to me when he
came down here last week, that his father, who is 57 years
old, 56, 57 years old, and has himself been
a preacher and a missionary for 35 years or more, has found out that he has an
incurable disease, a very serious, serious disease, and he only
has a few months to live. And his son went to visit him,
his preacher friend went to visit his father, who also is a preacher,
has been preaching for 35 years. And he found him sitting on his
hospital bed. He just had surgery a few days
ago and he had his head in his hand. And he was weeping and he was
crying out, why me? Why me? Why is this happening
to me? I'm only 57 years old. I'm in
the prime of life. I've given my life to God. Why
is this happening to me? You ever been there? And a lot of people find fault
with that. And I know it's not right. I
know it's not right. I know he's not doing right. But David was right on the verge
of that very same thing. And that's the question he's
asking, see? Why me? I read this again, and that's
exactly, John, what David said. He's saying, I'm almost slipped. I'm almost slipped. My feet are
about to go out from under me. I'm having more troubles than
I can handle. I'm having more heartache than
I can bear. And I don't understand it. He said, the fellow out there
that hates God, he's not having any trouble. That woman out there
that's given her whole life to glamour and glitter and gold,
she's not having any trouble. And I spend my mornings chasing
and my days playing. I know the right thing to do.
I know the right thing to do is to do what Job did. And that
is when troubles and sorrows and trials come upon us, I know
the right thing to do is to Cover our heads with ashes and our
bodies with sackcloth and worship God. And say, Glory to God. The Lord gave and the Lord taketh
away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Now that's the thing we ought to do. And not charge God with
foolishness. But I tell you, that's not always
what we do, is it? And we need help. And where did
David find his help? Well, turn to page Psalm 73.
Two things. There are two things that will
support a believer in time of trouble. Now please remember,
it's coming. I was riding along with another
preacher one day and some young person, teenager in
the car, turned on some of that music, you know. He said, my daughter will never
listen to that. But she wound up six months old. So before you write a book on
how to raise kids, you raised about five teenagers. And then
you write it. Isn't that right? Yes, sir. We talk awful big when the sun's
shining, but we just got to get in a little rainstorm and find
out where we really stand. And we got to have some help.
And here's where David found it. Two things support the believer
in time of trial. And here it is, Psalm 73. David
said in verse 22, so foolish was I. That's where you start. That's where you start. Take
your place. I take my place before God as very foolish. I'm very
foolish. When I try to reconcile God,
when I try to comprehend his ways. I'm just foolish. Now, just don't try to do it.
David has to admit that he's foolish. And I'm ignorant. I don't know everything. I'm
foolish and ignorant. That's the place to start. I'm
foolish and ignorant. And I was a beast before God.
I was wrong in my attitude. I was wrong. You know, Job was
right. Job didn't charge God with foolishness. He didn't charge
God with having made a mistake. He didn't. And let's just admit
what we are. We're foolish and we're ignorant
and we act like dumb beasts. Where is God? He's with us. He's with us. He's with us on
the mountain. He's with us in the valley. And the good things
that happen to me and the bad things that happen to me, bad
by human standards, are all in God's good providence. He's holding
my hand. He's with me. He never leaves
me nor forsakes me. He's my Father. Isn't that right?
I'm His child. If you know how to give good
things to your children, how much more shall the Heavenly
Father give good things to those who are His children? But what
I call good things are not always good, and what I call bad things
are not always bad for me. That which I think is good for
me may be bad, and that which I think is bad for me just might
be the best thing that could happen to me, to make me more
like Christ. But see, He knows. We're told
in Hebrews that not one child of God is without correction,
chastisement, in God's dealings. He deals with every one of them.
Whom the Lord loveth, He deals with them. We think of that word
chastening as a whipping, but that's not always what chastening
is. It means God just dealing with
us. God's dealing with us. And every child He loves, He
deals with them. He doesn't punish them, go around
beating on them. That's not it. He deals with
them according to his good providence, according to what they need.
Every child of God, he deals with them. God deals with us. And he deals with us for our
good. And we have human fathers who deal with us and who chase
in us and who, but they do it according to their imperfect
wisdom. My dad tried to raise me right. He wanted me to be truthful,
he wanted me to be honest, he wanted me to be a good citizen,
he wanted me to be a Christian, he wanted me to walk, and he
did it, he tried to do those things for me as best he knew
how, but he had imperfect judgment and imperfect wisdom. And I tried, I wanted my children
to be, I wanted them to be honest and people of integrity and truth
and good citizens and believers, and I tried to do it. And I didn't
do a, I just, a lot of times didn't do a very good job. Maybe
I quit when I ought not to and I was lenient when I ought to
have been stronger. I just, but that's, I don't have perfect
wisdom. But let me tell you this, my God has perfect wisdom and perfect knowledge and He
never brings anything in my life that I don't need. Now I brought
some things in the lives of my children they didn't need. I
brought some words they didn't need to hear, I brought some
corrections, because I'm a human being. And you boys and girls
remember that. When mother and daddy feel like
they're unreasonable, maybe they are sometimes. But they're not
perfect. When mother and dad's kind of
hard on you, maybe they are sometimes too hard, sometimes they're too
easy. Sometimes they give you things you ought not give you,
and sometimes they keep things back maybe you think they ought
to give you, but they're limited in their understanding. They're
doing the best they can with what they got to do with. Isn't
that right? They're doing the best they can. Because they've
got high goals for you. But my Father has a higher goal
for me. I'm going to be like Christ.
And my Father never makes a mistake He never chastens me that I don't
need chastening. He never speaks to me I don't
need speaking to. He never withholds anything from
me except for my good. And He never gives me anything
except for my eternal good. Always right. He's always perfect. And that'll help me through the
mountains and the valleys to know that He doesn't make a mistake. And He's with me. He's with me.
That's what David finally realized. He finally said, I was stupid,
and I was ignorant, and I was foolish, and I was like a beast.
And I know this. I know this. And maybe that dear
man sitting there on the bed knows that. But have you ever
complained? Have, haven't we? Have you ever
murmured? Have you ever felt like you was
getting more than you really deserved? Sure we have. Now let's just face it, we're
ignorant, and we know, I know God's with me, and I know He'll
hold me, and verse 24, and I know He'll guide me with His counsel,
with His wisdom, He's got a purpose, and afterwards He's going to
take me to glory. And that's the basis of my strength
and comfort in time of trouble. Everything that happens is according
to His purpose, whatever it is, and secondly, I look by faith
beyond this world till the time that I'll be like Christ. For
after all, look at verse 25, whom have I in heaven but thee? And there's none on earth I desire
but thee. That's what it all comes down
to. I don't have anything in heaven but God, and I don't have
anything on earth but God. God is my portion. Christ is
my life. All right, let's turn to 2 Corinthians
4 for a moment. I want to show you something
else in regard to these trials. 2 Corinthians 4. I'm where we
are this morning. I know you. I know myself. I know your lives. I know some
of the deep waters some of you are going through. I know your
heartache and your loneliness, and I know your fears, and I
know your sorrows, and I know your pains. I bear them with
you, carry them with you, and I'm trying to help both of us.
I'm trying to help those who maybe can store this message
away and be helped later. But here in 2 Corinthians 4,
I read to you a few moments ago, look at verse 6. 2 Corinthians
4, verse 6. Now stay with me. For God, Almighty
God, Father of heaven and earth, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness. You know what Paul is referring
to here? Genesis 1, when the world was without form or void
and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Can you imagine
the utter darkness? Darkness, no light, not a glimmer
of light. Could cut it with a knife, darkness.
And God said, let there be light. And the whole world, the whole
earth was bathed in light. And that's what he's done for
us, these old dark hearts of ours. He had shined in our old
blackened, darkened, depraved hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
What were we? Just like without form or void
and darkness, death, depravity. And God said, let there be light.
We were in the depravity of tradition and religion and foolishness
and all this. And God said, let there be light.
And God had shined in. I know something of God's eternal
covenant and God's purpose. I do. I know something of God's
counsel. I know something of God's redemptive
glory. I know something of God's will.
Not everything. I haven't arrived. I haven't
laid hold. or apprehended, Paul said, that for which I've been
apprehended. But I know something about it.
I've got some light. I've got some light of the glory
of God. I know something of His grace
to sinners. You do too. I know something
of His righteousness, the righteousness of God, of which the Jews were
ignorant. But I know where righteousness
is. It's in Christ. Is it not? You know that? I know
where redemption is in Christ. I know where life is, it's in
Christ. I know that. God shined that in my heart.
I know something of His love and mercy. His Spirit, the Spirit
of the living God dwells in me and in you. You understand that? You realize that? What a treasure. What a treasure. You go over
there to England and go to the Tower of London and go down some
stairs and there's the the crown jewels. Boy, they're protected
by thick walls and guards. I mean, there's the Queen's crown
and old William the Conqueror and all. I mean, there's diamonds
and jewels around there like rocks in the Yucatan. Millions,
millions. Treasure, riches, out there in
that dungeon. And you think that's a pittance. compared to the treasures of
knowledge and redemption and righteousness and of God? Of
God that He's revealed to us? What's this next verse now? Don't
ever forget it. Here's verse 7. But, but, but,
we have this treasure in what? In earthen vessels. That's what
I'm talking about. We have this treasure. We're
not glorified yet. And this is what some of these
preachers today don't understand. I have eternal truth, but it's
in a clay pot. I have eternal treasures. I have
the crown jewels of glory, but it's in an earthen vessel. It
is. I have eternal life. I have the
very life of God, but this vessel in which this life dwells is
flesh. It's flesh. It's temporary. It's nothing but flesh. I have
this treasure in an earthen vessel. It's an indescribable treasure.
It's an unspeakable treasure. It's the very life and knowledge
of God. But, beloved, it's in an earthen vessel. And that earthen
vessel is subject to decay and death and sickness and all types
of frailty. That's what I'm saying. This
vessel is not eternal. The life is, the vessel is not.
It's flesh. Look at what Paul says there
about himself. Look at verse 7. We have this
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power
may be of God, not of us, that God may have all the glory. And
then he says, verse 8, here's an apostle, here's Paul speaking.
I'm troubled on every side. I'm hedged in. I'm pressed. and
oppressed. I'm troubled on every side. There's not a direction in which
I don't have trouble, I'll say. But he says, I'm not distressed,
I'm not defeated. I'm not defeated. He says next,
I'm perplexed. What's perplexed mean? I'm confused. Sometimes I can't find a way
out. I can't see the way out. I'm confused. I'm embarrassed. But I'm not in despair. In verse
9, he says, I'm persecuted. I suffer hatred. I'm pursued. I'm harassed. But thank God I'm
not forsaken. He says, I'm cast down. I fall
to the ground. I'm weak and weary. I stumble
and I fall. Thank God I'm not destroyed.
I'm not destroyed. So I say unto you, remember this. Remember this. Please remember
this. If we go back to Psalm 73, what David would say, I was
foolish. I was ignorant. I was like a
beast. And we have this treasure. This is what Paul is saying.
I'm a child of God. God Almighty has shined in my
heart to give me the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Christ Jesus. I know God. I know Christ. I'm
redeemed. But this treasure, this life,
this glory, these riches, these crown jewels of heaven are in
a body of flesh, an earthen vessel. Dust. That's what an earth is,
what? Dust. He knows our frame. We're dust. And it's a crumbling vessel.
The life is eternal, but the vessel's not. And don't you think
it is? The life is untouchable, but
this vessel's not. The eternal life of God and the
glory of God shall never perish, but this vessel will. And the
glory of God will never wax old, but this vessel will. Can you
see that? Don't expect any more of it,
because that's what it is. And don't find fault with God,
whatever happens to this vessel. It's what happens to the treasure
that's important. Huh? I'm telling the truth. All
right, here's the next statement now, verse 15. Watch this. And
this is what David said a while ago. You know, he said, I'm foolish,
I'm ignorant, I'm like a beast, but God's with me. Now look at
Paul, verse 15. All things are for your sakes.
All things are for your sakes. What does he mean by that? All
these things, listen to me, all these things that have taken
place, all that's taken place in eternity, all that's taken
place now, and all that will take place in the future is for
your sake, is for your good. God is working all things. together
for good to them who love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. All things. Disappointments and
happinesses, sorrows and rejoicing, failures and successes. Here's
a verse I bet you've never looked at in this respect. Turn to 1
Corinthians 3. Now, I know everybody knows Romans
8, 28. All things work together for
good. to them who love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. But I want you to look at this
one. Now, I'm saying everything's for our good. Here's what I'm
saying before we read it. Now, get this. Back counting
before the world began, in the eternal counsel and design of
God, He had us in mind when He made Christ the surety of the
everlasting covenant. He had us in mind. our good,
our glory. Back yonder, when God permitted
man to fall, and permitted life and death to reign, and sorrow
and darkness and death and depravity and whatever God permitted and
designed in this world, He had us in mind. He had this new kingdom
in mind. And then God made every promise
and prophecy and pattern and picture of the Old Testament
in redemption with us in his plan. The Passover, the brazen
serpent, the rock, the tabernacle, the holy of holies, the Shekinah
glory, the mercy seat, the atonement. And God sent his Son into this
world in the fullness of time made of a woman with you in mind.
For He said, Thou shalt call His name Jesus. He's going to
save His people from their sins. His people. Isn't that what He
said? Christ said, My sheep hear My
voice, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life. Other
sheep I have. Them I must bring. All that My Father giveth Me
will come to Me. And then God sent His apostles, and they wrote
the Word, and they brought the Gospel, and He sent preachers
and pastors, and He sent me to this town. To preach the gospel he is. The gospel he is. And this world,
and life, and trials, and actions of men. See, the heart of the
king is in the hands of the Lord turning it with us wherever he
will. You say, who's going to be next president? Hope it's
God's man. It will be. It will be. It'll be God's man.
Who's our next governor? God's man. That's right. His will shall be done. And these
things are all... He said, Pharaoh, I raised you
up. The people of Egypt didn't elect
you. I raised you up to show my power
in you. You see, all these things are... Even death and sickness. You
say, how's this sickness I have served the purpose of God? Well,
it will. He knows how. I don't know how,
I just know it does. I don't know how. You see, I'm
foolish, I'm ignorant, just like all of us. I don't know, but
I know what I've got to learn is I've got to learn that I don't
know and He does know and leave it there. That's what I've got
to learn. I have this treasure, but it's
in an earthen vessel. Now look at where I told you
to turn, 1 Corinthians 3, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 3, Therefore
let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, all things
are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, preachers, pastors, evangelists,
missionaries, seepers, or the world, it's yours, or life or
death, or things present or things to come, they're all yours. They're
all designed for God's elect. And you belong to Christ, and
Christ is God's. And all these things are for
others. You see what I'm saying? All that's going on, all that's
ever gone on, all that ever will go on, all that's going on in
God's entire eternal plan, purpose, and program is for my sake and
for the sake of every believer. See, so that's what that's saying.
That's exactly what it's saying. And I don't have to understand
these things. Paul said and David said, I believe,
therefore have I spoken. Not I understand and therefore
I've spoken. I believe and I've spoken. See,
I don't have to understand all this. I just know it. All right,
let me give you an example. You've got a three-year-old or
a four-year-old. or five-year-old, and you tell
him something, and they say, why? Do they ever do that? Why? Or usually, how come? Well, there's
no way you can make him understand your wisdom. You are, after all,
forty years old and he's four. So what you expect out of him
is this, son, just do what I told you, and trust me, Just do what I told you, and
trust me. I'm not making you go to bed
at nine o'clock because I hate you. I'm making you go because
I love you. I'm not making you get your lesson.
Sit down and get your lesson. Why? Well, I hate you. And this
is my way of showing my hatred to make you learn to read. No, sir, I love you. Those kids
you teach. If they could just get through
their heads, you can't explain why. If they knew why, they'd
already graduate. They don't know why, that's why
they're there. And that's the way our Father is. Not why, just
accept it. Just say, even so, Father, it
seemed good in Your sight. Your wisdom is so high above
mine as the heaven is above theirs, so I'll just accept this and
thank You for it and know it's for my good and Your glory. And
that's where it is, because it is. Believe me, it is. All things
are yours. Okay, one other statement, and
I'll wind it up. Verse 17. And this is, you remember, three
things David said? First, he said, I'm dumb. That's
foolish. I have this treasure in an earthen
vessel. And then he said, I know you're
holding my hand. And I know you'll not let anything happen to me
but for my good. All things are yours." That's
what Paul said. And then David said this, I'm going one day
to eternal glory, and this down here will all be forgotten, not
even thought about. And that's what Paul is saying
here in that verse 17, for our light affliction, whoop, preacher,
hold it right there. Light affliction? I want you
to know my affliction is not light. It's heavy. It's heavy. It's almost too heavy for me.
I know what you're talking about. My heart's broken, my flesh is in pain, and my soul's
bowed down. So how in the world can he call
it light? Well, it's not light. Our afflictions
and sufferings are not light when they're viewed with respect
to the world and to others about us and to this flesh, but they're
light when you compare them with what awaits us. That's what he
said. Would you care to see that in
Romans 8? They're not light. I know they're not light compared
to this pain's pain. A long night without sleep's
a long Easter. almost unbearable. A husband
dead or a son or a daughter dead is not light to this flesh. That's not light. That's heavy.
That's some heavy, heavy material. That's a steep mountain. A rebellious
son, a son or daughter in trouble out in the world, that's not
light. But, not to this world, but it's
light when you compare it. Look at verse 18. Romans 8, I
reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Now that's when it's light. These afflictions are light when
you put them in the light of that glory. For example, I may
live in a rusty, rusty cabin for a year or two. but I can
stand it if I know an eternal dwelling place awaits me. I may
dress in simple cloth, but when I know a robe of glory awaits
me, I may struggle for a brief time in the flesh and with the
flesh when I know that holiness awaits me. I may be dying in
body and may hurt, but healing awaits, immortality awaits, and
really If we could see that long eternity and the glory of it,
we say, well, one moment in glory will make it all worthwhile.
That's what he said. It's light. And go back to the
text now a second. He says, for our light afflictions,
which is but for a moment, but for a moment. Again, watch it
now, but I suffered for years. I haven't had good health for
20 years, preacher. This child has broken my heart
for 15 years. That's a long time. It's a long
time on this earth, but when you compare it with eternity,
it's a moment. It is. It's just a moment when
you compare it with eternity. And that's what he's talking
about. Compared to eternal joy, our light affliction, which is
but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal
weight of glory. a weight of glory. So while we
look not on these things which are seen, let's don't look at
them, let's don't dwell on them, let's don't set our heart on
them. Let's look on what? But on the things that are not
seen. For believe me, everything that's seen, I've stood here
for thirty some odd years now preaching to you. It's not going to be long until
some of you younger ones will come and sit here, and I'm not
going to be standing here. I'm going to be out there on
Rose Hill under the dirt. Because this is temporary. Believe me, it's temporary. And
this building, some of you men sacrificed and you worked hard
and you built this building. But it's not here to stay. Somebody's
going to drive by here one day and say, that's where 13th Street
was. Mahan preached there years ago. I'd like to drive by Spurgeon's
place now and say, well, it's gone. It's gone. And same thing with this flesh,
same thing with these families. Everything that's seen is temporal. And I think we ought to chasten
ourselves for being so taken up with them, don't you? I just
think we ought to be grieved in spirit for being so taken
up with the things of this world. The things which are not seen
are eternal. They're eternal. For me to live
is Christ and to die is gain. Somebody will say, well, Brother
May is not here anymore, but bless your heart, think where
he is. See what I'm saying? Think where
he is and envy it and wish he was there. Let's do what David did. Lord,
I'm sorry. I confess my murmuring and complaining. I was a beast. I was foolish.
I was ignorant. I know You're with me. And I
know Your hand holds me. And I know Your counsel. I know
everything's mine. I know You've designed this for
Your glory and my good. And get my eyes off the things
of this world. This flesh that's so... Lord, teach me to number my days
that I may apply my heart to wisdom. Teach me that. Help me to remember that I'm
dust. But I have a home. Abraham looked
for a city, right? And now let's just straighten
up and walk with the King, give thanks to the King. All right,
let's sing hymn number 10. Hymn number 10, Oh God, our help
in ages past and our hope for years to come.

Cast Down But Not Destroyed

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Cast Down But Not Destroyed

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About Henry Mahan

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Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book