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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/john-meekin/acquaint-thyself-with-god-and-be-at-peace/
Let's turn to the book of Job, please. This book has already been referenced just earlier today by our brother Scott, and I'm going to use a text in the Gospel. Job chapter 22, please. Job chapter 22, and let's read together at verse number 21.
Job 22 and verse 21, and it says, Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee. Now let me read that with you again. That's the only text I'm going to read in my part of the Gospel meeting, so I'll read it with you and to you again.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee. The Lord blessed to us this reading from the book of Job. We were told today a little bit of background from the book of Job.
We were reminded that there was a particular day in Job's life when there were almost what we would call tremendous happenings, cataclysmic happenings. There were things that happened in Job's life that was unexpected to him, there was a messenger came running on this day, and the messenger, when he reached Job, he said that there was a group of people called the Sabians, and they had raided down into the lands where Job was keeping his flock, and the messenger said to Job, he said, they have stolen away all the oxen.
Just when that messenger left, there was another man came running, and he said there was fire, it came down from heaven, and he says, Job, it has devoured all the sheep, and Job is left reeling now, as he considers these messengers and the message they brought.
Just when that man left, another comes running, and he says the Chaldeans have come, and they've raided down into the land, and they've taken away all the livestock, the camels are gone, and you think, could it get any worse for the man Job?
It was just then he heard news that fire had come, there was a great wind had arisen, and it had smitten a house in which his children were found, and the walls had tumbled down, and he lost seven sons and three daughters.
Of course, you know from that, having received that, the man is found sitting in the dust. You will see Job, as he's sitting there in the dust, he takes some of that dust, and he puts it upon his head, and the man is in mourning, he doesn't know what is happening, and three friends come to visit.
These are the words of one of these friends, a man called Eliphaz the Temanite. Eliphaz says to Job, he thinks now that Job has done something wrong, Job has displeased the Lord, and Eliphaz the Temanite, he says this, acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.
That's what I'm going to speak about in this gospel meeting. You say, this idea of acquaintance, this isn't the way we would use the word acquaintance. You know if you're walking down a street at times, sometimes my wife and I are in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and we're walking down one of those main thoroughfares, or one of the main arterial routes in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and I see someone, and tentatively I lift my hand, I'm sure you're all familiar with this, tentatively I lift my hand, and I go like this, and I smile, and the person on the other side of the street, they do the same, tentatively, they lift their hand, and my wife frequently has said to me, do you know that person?
And I say, he's an acquaintance. Now that's not the idea here from the book of Job. I want to speak to you first of all on these words, acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. I want to speak first of all on words of preparation.
Really what Eliphaz was saying was this, you are out of touch with God. He says, Job, you're at a distance from God. He says, you need to be reconciled with God. Now he says, acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.
You see, there's people in this gospel meeting tonight, and they're at a tremendous distance from God, because of sin. You will remember what happened in the Garden of Eden. There was a man standing. He was standing in perfect surroundings.
He was standing where everything was fair. He was standing, admiring the creation, the handiwork of God, and he sinned against God. And between that man that once walked with God, and enjoyed God, there was a tremendous distance.
And from that day, every person that has been born into this world, by natural generation, every single one of us, we are born at a distance from God. There have been people who have told me, you know, I'm trying to let my spirit soar to worship God, and I look at them, and I almost fail.
You know I wouldn't do this in front of them, but I almost feel like shaking my head, and I almost feel like crying out, dear man, you've got it all wrong. You're at a tremendous distance from God. And so it is in this Gospel meeting now.
Make no mistake about it, folks. You need to be acquainted with God, because you're at a distance from God. Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace. In this very chapter, there's actually something that the words almost send a shudder down my spine.
You see, in verse number five, listen to what it says. Is not thy wickedness and thine iniquities infinite? Can I repeat that for you? These are words of such power. These are words of such force, that I would hardly dare to preach such words.
Is not thy wickedness great, and thine iniquities are infinite? And you say, what is that telling us? That is telling us what are inside of ourselves. And more than that, that is telling us what we have done.
Our iniquities are infinite. And you say, what is iniquity? Iniquity is an inward thing that is twisted out of sort. It's twisted, it's bent, it is wrenched. That word wrong that we have in the English language, it actually comes from the idea to take something and to wrench it.
And once you wrench it, it's never the same again. It is wrong and it's wrong. You see, you and I, we have been so affected by sin that there is something inside every human breast that is twisted and out of sorts.
And you say, what about wickedness then? Is not thy wickedness great? I'm reminded of my brother-in-law. I hope he never hears this, but I'm reminded of my brother-in-law. He and his wife were favored by the Lord to have a little girl.
And of course she's growing up in the home and they're trying to teach her just as we have tried to teach our children and others here have tried to teach their children. Eventually she reached an age where she knew where the cookies were.
That's always a very interesting thing. And there came a day, supper is approaching and little Ella Rose, she went forward to where the cookies were kept and her father said to her, no. And she looked at him and he left the room.
And when he come back into the room, you've guessed that part of the story. She had opened the fridge or the drawer and she had taken out the cookies and he reached forward very gently. I don't want you to think he would be given to something that would be condemned.
He tapped her hand and he told her no. The next day, same thing happened. And he went through the same process, tapped her hand again. It was just a few days later, same thing again. And she's approaching the drawer and he said to her, Ella Rose.
And she looked up at him and she reached out her hand and she reached for the cookies. You know, folks, you really think I have raised children in my home? Inside every one of those children, inside my breast, inside my heart, there is something and it is out of shape.
It is wrenched. It is iniquity. And my wickedness is great. And you see everyone who has not saved here, as I'm preaching to you in this gospel meeting, make no mistake about it. You need to be acquainted with God.
Is not thy wickedness great? And thine iniquities are infinite. Words of preparation. You need to be right with God. I would tell everyone here, get right with God and do it now. Get right with God before a bow.
But whatever you do, friends, get right with God. Words of preparation. The next thing I want to speak about. Words of poignancy. Listen to what Eliphaz says now. Acquaint now thyself with him. Did you catch that now?
It is not get right with Scott Colbeck or Scott McLeod. Acquaint now thyself with Scott McLeod. No, no, that's not what we're learning. Acquaint now thyself with John Meekin. Get right with John Meekin.
No, listen to it again now. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace. You see, in this gospel meeting, your sin is against God. Make no mistake about that. All sin primarily is against the God of heaven.
And you need to be right with him. Well, you say, who is this God? Don't forget, this is the God of creation. You see, this creation in which we are found, it all came from the very hand of God. Creation itself bears the stamp and the very imprimatur of a divine hand, a divine being, the divinity of God.
I can recall one night, I might have told this in stout years ago. If so, I'm sure you can pardon me for telling it again. My wife and I, we were coming home from our weekly Bible reading. And as we were coming down the road in which we lived, there was a car that was parked by the side of the road.
And there was a neighbor, quite a rich neighbor that lived close to us. And my wife and I thought he's maybe scoping out the place. Who knows what's going on here. And so she said to me, you better back up and we'll take that license plate just in case.
And so I backed up the car and I got the license plate. And just when I got the license plate, there was a gentleman stepped out of the car and he started to talk to us. Turned out he was a school teacher.
He wasn't a thief. He stepped out of the car. He said, he said, you know, the Aurora Borealis is going to be seen tonight. I'd never heard of the Aurora Borealis. So I said to him, what is that? Oh, he says the Northern Lights.
Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? And we said, no, we've never seen it before. Have you ever seen it? It's like something you've never seen before. It is absolutely amazing. He said, you should put your car in beside mine.
He says, it'll just be a few minutes and you'll see it there on the skyscape in front of us. So we pulled the car in behind his and we stepped out and in the darkness, the darkness of the night, suddenly the sky above us, it began.
And there was a flow of color like nothing I have ever seen before. Over the darkness of the night sky. It was, it was green and it was purple and it was moving and it was shifting and you could see it right across the skyscape.
And as I was looking at it, the only thing I could think was this. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The very handiwork of God. Mind you, as I'm preaching tonight, this is the God that you have to meet.
As I'm standing here, please don't forget beloved people. This is the God and we will stand before him in the person of the Lord Jesus. He is the God of creation. He is also the God of revelation. Mind you, he is the God that has spoken.
The God of revelation. And you say, how did he speak? Sometimes he would use dreams. Sometimes he would use men. He called them prophets. Sometimes he used preachers, but there was a day he sent the ultimate revelation.
And you say, what day was that? I couldn't tell you the day, whether it was a Monday or whether it was a Thursday. I couldn't really tell you the date, but I do know what happened. There was a babe that was born in Bethlehem.
Blessed be his name. And he revealed fully the heart of God. There wrapped in swaddling bands, the shepherds found him. Whose word of power the heaven of heavens controlled. That helpless babe that Simeon held before him was acacia wood overlaid with gold.
These things so vast made Mary's heart to ponder the great creator in a human frame. God manifest in flesh. We bow and wonder and marvel at the savior he became. There in the babe of Bethlehem, God revealed his heart.
The God of creation is the God of revelation. The wonderful thing is I'm preaching tonight. This God is the God of salvation. Oh, it is a wonderful thing. You ask this man for the privilege of standing here and preaching to an audience of people, salvation in the name of Christ.
There is nothing quite like it. You run through the golden grains of Holy Scripture. Those texts, there are so many of them that tell us about salvation. You remember what Peter said, Acts chapter 4 and verse number 12.
Neither is there salvation in any other. There is none other name under heaven given among man whereby we must be saved. You remember John 3 17. God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
You remember Hebrews chapter 7. It says about the Lord Jesus, wherefore he is able also to save. You remember first Timothy chapter 1. Christ Jesus came into the world. Why did he ever come? He came to save.
You remember Romans chapter 10. Romans 10 says, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be. I hardly need to say it, do I? Shall be saved. Romans 10 verse 9. I better stop. Remember Romans 10 and 9.
That thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus is Lord. And shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. Just in case you've missed everything I'm trying to communicate.
We believe tonight with absolute certainty from this book. We believe there's sinners in this meeting and they could be saved tonight. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace. Words of preparation.
Words of poignancy. You will notice these are words that are personal. Take a look at the text again. Acquaint now your brother. No. Make sure your children get saved. No. Listen to what it says. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace.
Mind you, when it comes to salvation, I'm not telling you that sinners got to be selfish, but I will say this. This is the time in a sinner's life when they understand this is I have to go for. This is something I need.
This is something that affects me and it affects me alone. And if I don't get this, I'll perish in my sins. If I don't get saved, if I am not saved, I will perish. And I'll be on the reach of mercy. I'll be down in the depths of a burning hell.
I need to be saved. And it's a very personal thing. You go through the scriptures of men that put it first. You remember David, Psalm number 51. David says this, and he says it twice, wash me. You remember Peter, Matthew's gospel chapter 14.
Peter says, he says, Lord, save me. You remember the thief upon the cross, the thief upon the cross. He says, Lord, remember me. And I could go through the variety of scriptures, but it ultimately comes down to this, that there comes a moment in a sinner's life when they understand it's between me and God.
I need my sins forgiven. I need to be right with God. I need to have what these men are preaching. I need salvation through the blood of Christ. And it affects me and me only. And I say to everyone tonight, acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace.
Words of preparation, words of poignancy, words that are personal. These are words of priority. Look at what the text says again. Acquaint now thyself with him. It must be now. I would say to everyone in this meeting, whatever you do, friends, please don't put it off.
Our brother Brody Thibodeau, who was here yesterday, he and I were having a series of gospel meetings on the Labrador coast. Labrador and Newfoundland is our most easterly province in Canada. There was a dear man that was coming to those meetings.
He was a beloved man. One of those people in life, you just couldn't help liking. And he came to the meeting that night. And around that little village, there's really only one place that you can go after a meeting if you want to meet folks.
And it's a bakery. Brody said to me after the meeting, some of the Christians said, they said, you want to go down for a cup of coffee to the bakery? And I said, sure. There Brody and I pulled up in whatever car we were driving and we reached the door.
And just when we reached the door, there was a man came out. He'd been in the meeting that night. He came out through the door as we were about to go through into the little building. And he looked at the two of us and he said, Meekin, he said, that was a powerful meeting tonight.
I have to be honest with you folks. I'm not even sure if it was a powerful meeting, but there was dear guests and he was standing right there in the doorway and he looked at me again. And he said, Meekin, that was a powerful meeting tonight.
And I looked at Gaius Earl and I said, Gaius, whatever you do, don't miss this. Whatever you do. It was just a few months later, I got a message. Someone called and they told me Gaius Earl is in hospital.
He's taken a bleed on his brain. Would you pray for the man? We started to pray for the man. It was just about two weeks later, the news come through that Gaius had left this world for the world to come.
The saddest thing about that story is this. I went back to the Labrador coast for their conference and I got to the prayer meeting on a Thursday night. Just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat in the prayer meeting, when the prayer meeting was done, his dear mother left a seat up here and she rushed down to the back of the hall and she opened her arms to me like this.
And I took her into my arms and I brought her close to my chest and I held that woman in my arms. And the thing that I was thinking was this, I did not dare tell it to her. I thought to myself, this woman has a son on the other side and I wonder where he is.
This is real stuff folks. This is just not about preaching now. The reason why we preach the way we do is because there are people here and it could be you in the world to come. No hope. I hope tonight that you take this.
I hope you understand it that this is personal and this is priority number one. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace. The last thing I'll mention and I'll give my brother Scott his time. These are words of preparation.
These are words of poignancy. These are words that are personal. These are words of priority. You need it now. Can I just say these are words of peace. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace. I didn't do this the night that I got saved but I sure felt like it.
I told you last night here I was standing right in my bedroom door. I didn't do this. But you see the moment when the Lord saved me, I almost felt like going like this because I knew right then that I had received something I never had before.
You know what the Bible calls it? You say the Bible calls it salvation. It does but it calls it more than that. It says it's peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Wouldn't you like to have this peace tonight?
It's a wonderful peace. Peace like a river attendeth my way. Songs like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to know. It is well. It is well with my soul. Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace.
Thereby good shall come unto thee.