The Lamentations of Jeremiah ch3 vs21 – 26...
21. "This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope.
22. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness.
24. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
The writer deliberately turns from the utter turmoil and
devastation of his situation to God. Despite his own circumstances and that of
his people, he speaks of God’s love, compassion, sufficiency and goodness, summed
up in vs23.
When things turn out well for us, it is easy to praise The
Lord, but it most certainly was not like that in these times for Jeremiah.
However, we cannot measure God’s faithful grace by personal circumstances. Through most difficult times,
King David’s personal trust also remained in The Lord.
So, what does it mean for God to be "faithful”?
The speaker brought out two points:
1) God
is always true to His person. His acts are always consistent with who He is.
Many people still question God’s existence because of the
terrible state of the world. Bad news and evil behaviour abounds, but we know
inside that this is not the way things should be. We all know God is, and that things are not the way He ordered.
Many like the idea of “a god”, but invent and shape their
own views and ideas about what he should be like (often just to suit their own
lifestyle). This immediately reduces him
to one’s own thoughts, and full of limitations.
The Word of God clearly explains much about the only true
and living God - and most wonderfully He desires to have a relationship with
each one of us! This can only be achieved through accepting and knowing His Son, Jesus Christ, as one's personal Saviour.
There are so many excellent characteristics in God!
“And He passed in front of Moses proclaiming, The LORD, the
LORD, the compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness”
- Exodus ch34 vs6
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are
just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he”
- Deuteronomy ch32 vs4
“For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his
faithfulness continues through all generations”
- Psalm ch100 vs5
The true God is holy, good, loving, just and faithful!
No matter how things may look to us, God is assuredly acting
through His purposes out of love. People
are unpredictable each day in many ways, but He changes never!
He is always certain.
“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”
- Hebrews ch13 vs8
Who else could you trust 100% on every single thing through
the span of your life?
We sadly live in a world of broken promises every day,
whether it be governments, contracts, families or relationships. Through this,
we can feel much lasting heartache and pain.
- 2nd Timothy ch2 vs13
In our weakness and failings, The Lord may act in a way that we don’t wholly understand or fully appreciate, but He is always loving and faithful.
Our lives may already have many difficulties, and when we have
personally trusted in The Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we are warned to
expect persecution – such is the world’s hatred of Him and His followers.
God’s promises…
a) He
will one day judge all evil and wrongdoings. God will step in and bring
justice.
We are all sinners, totally deserving of God’s punishment, but He
promises complete forgiveness for all who will repent and put their personal
trust in His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is sinless, and took upon
Himself the sins of the whole world. He laid down His life on The Cross and was
punished by His Father, that we can be forgiven and have everlasting life, instead
of facing an eternal condemnation for rejecting His most costly offer of full and free
Salvation.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
- 1st John ch1 vs9
b) He
is a holy and just God, and cannot ignore our many sins against Him. Yet, He
has made the most perfect provision for our eternal happiness through His
beloved Son. He is ever consistent with His Word. Sin must rightly be punished,
and what supreme love was shown in the giving of His sinless Son as the
sacrifice for my sin and yours!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting
life”
- John’s Gospel ch3 vs16
c) He will be with
His people!
For those who have accepted The Lord Jesus Christ in true
repentance and faith, then the relationship broken between us by our sin, is restored, Whatever
trials of life may come upon you He has promised to be with you through them
always, by His indwelling Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
“… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So, that we
may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do
unto me.”
- Hebrews ch13 vs5 – 6
c) Eternal
life with The Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven!
There are times we all hope that something nice we planned
or wished for ahead will maybe actually happen, but this is our "blessed hope"and another of God’s
promises and certainties!
“… but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to
put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once
to die, but after this the judgement: So Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation”
- Hebrews ch9 vs26 -28
“… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also”
- John’s Gospel ch14 vs2 -3
His own people shall be forever free from sin and struggles,
pain, death and Hell!
The Lord Jesus Christ’s victorious work at Calvary ’s
Cross forever defeated them!
Dear reader, this eternal victory is freely available for
you too tonight – what an incredible gift from God, through His Son! Please
accept and embrace this most lovely and faithful Man tonight as your own Lord
and Saviour.
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift”!
- 2nd Corinthians ch9 vs15
1.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness,
great is Thy faithfulness;
morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed Thy hand hath provided –
great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
2.
Summer and winter, and spring - time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
3.
Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
(Hymn by T. O. Chisholm)
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