WEBVTT 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:09.279 Tonight we're going to be in the book of Lamentations in the Old Testament. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:16.719 The title of my message is Encouragement from the Book of Lamentations. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:28.879 And that might be a strange thing to say in the Book of Lamenting and a book full of woes. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.439 But encouragement from the Book of Lamentations. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:38.719 I want to give you a little bit of background about Lamentations. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.520 And we're going to end up in chapter 3. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:54.399 But I want to read a few verses out of each chapter to give you some background before we get into the main point of our message. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:59.200 Lamentations was written by Jeremiah the prophet. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:06.959 And it is a short book of five poems. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:15.280 And it is the whole book is mourning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:19.760 And that occurred in 586 BC. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:29.760 And Jeremiah would have been an eyewitness to the destruction of Jerusalem and would have seen all of this transpire. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:46.799 And so this book is talking about, lamenting or being woeful about his account and recounting of the eyewitness events of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.840 But there is some absolutely beautiful points in this book that come out in the middle of this. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:19.199 It fulfills the name, that it is a woeful book, that he is recounting this terrible destruction of Jerusalem. 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:22.400 And so let's just dive into it. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:27.280 And so he begins there in Lamentations chapter 1, verse 1. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:37.599 Again, and understand he is talking about Jerusalem as he is witnessing, watching it being destroyed, as it were by the Babylonians. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:44.639 How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people? 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.840 How is she become as a widow? 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:55.360 She that was great among the nations and princess among the provinces. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.400 How has she become tributary? 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:04.560 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.919 You understand he's talking about the city of Jerusalem. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:19.919 Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her, and all her friends have dwet dealt treacherous treacherously with her, and they are become her enemies. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:26.719 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:31.439 She dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:38.080 All her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:56.639 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts, all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:13.759 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper, for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions, her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:19.600 So that sets your stage of how this book is going to go. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:25.040 Look at uh chapter two, look at the first three verses. 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:43.279 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion, again talking about Jerusalem, with the cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:50.160 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habit habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:55.920 He hath thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:05:02.000 He hath brought them down to the ground, he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:09.040 He has cast off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel, the strength of Israel. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.360 He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:19.680 He has burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:35.439 So not very encouraging words about the city of Jerusalem in its current condition as it is being besieged and burnt and destroyed by the Babylonians due to the sin and rebellion of God's people. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:37.759 Now, chapter 3. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:44.879 I want to get a few of the first verses, and then we're going to hit our passage of scripture that we were trying to get to tonight. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.000 Lamentations chapter 3 and verse 1. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:54.399 I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:05.120 So this is Jeremiah the prophet talking about the fact that he has seen all this with his own eyes, that he is an eye witness to all these things that have transpired. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:11.600 He hath led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:15.920 Surely against me is he turned. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:19.439 He turneth his hand against me all the day. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:24.079 My flesh and my skin hath he made old. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.399 He hath broken my bones. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:32.800 He hath builded against me and compassed me with gall and travail. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:39.439 He has sent me in dark places as they that be dead of old. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:43.759 He hath hedged me about, and I cannot get out. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.120 He hath made my chain heavy. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:54.319 Also, when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:58.879 Super encouraging words, right? 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:04.720 Oh not a very good picture. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.879 It is the Book of Lamentations. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:10.240 He is lamenting. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:14.240 He is mourning what has happened. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:21.120 The title of my message is Encouragement from the Book of Lamentations. 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:29.839 We're going to now pick up in verse 19 of chapter 3, and this is the section of the book that I wanted to get to. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.959 And we're going to read from verse 19 to about verse 26. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:54.240 So Jeremiah says, Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall, my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.040 In other words, all this is fresh. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.519 It's still on my mind. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:01.920 I'm still affected by this. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:03.680 Verse 21. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:13.040 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:23.519 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:26.560 They are new every morning. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:29.439 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.840 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.480 Therefore will I hope in him. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:43.279 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:51.679 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:53.200 Now we're going to end there. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:09:00.320 There is more to read that are words of encouragement, but we're going to end there and I want to comment on some of these things. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:16.799 Now, this is a chapter 3 in the middle part of this book is a beautiful section in the book of Lamentations, and it is the Lord's encouragement to Jeremiah and to his people. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:48.639 But what I want to do tonight, and what and the reason why I wanted to tell you the history behind Lamentations, is if you and I were to pluck this section of Scripture out of this book and me not give you any context, and if I were to just dive into and say verse 22, it is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not, they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:51.200 You know, those are beautiful verses, right? 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:59.200 But it is even more weighty because of the context that those verses are in. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:37.759 You understand that this is Jeremiah writing to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and he has just been eyewitness to the destruction of Jerusalem, to the city being burned and level, and people being killed and murdered and stolen and pillaged and overthrown, and people losing houses and homes and families and property, and him being afflicted himself, that, hey, the Lord is not answering my prayer, the Lord is not relenting, the Lord's anger is turned against his people and against his holy city, and Jeremiah has been eyewitness to all of this. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:44.559 He himself has gone through and firsthand seen all of these atrocities. 00:10:45.679 --> 00:11:07.759 And then after all that transpires, and after all the loss and the lamenting and the woefulness, then he says, This, verse 21, I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:08.799 Stop. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:23.759 So Jeremiah says, in the midst of all of that that's happened, the thing that I'm about to tell you, he says, I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:42.639 And he's about to tell us where he's getting his hope from in the midst of all this tragedy. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:12:05.279 And so, brothers and sisters, I think it's so very important for us to understand this that Jeremiah is not writing these beautiful words just as he is, you know, living on his thousand-acre farm, you know, being taken care of by servants, and you know, having uh gold in the bank and food on the table. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:29.519 No, he is he is writing this after he has suffered much harm personally himself and the people that he ministers to has suffered great harm, and he has seen murder and loss and pillage and destruction, and this is fresh on his mind, and it's still in his mind, and he's writing these words in the midst of that situation. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:37.200 And he says, This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:47.120 And the reason why I tell you all this is because, you know, Brother Josh, how do I deal with hard situations in my life? 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:51.440 How do I deal with terrible things that happened to my family? 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:57.600 With terrible things that happened to me or my loved ones or my friends or my country or state, whatever the case may be. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.879 How do you and I deal with this? 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:10.480 We're learning right here in the Book of Lamentations how we are to walk with the Lord and deal with this in the midst of a terrible situation. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:18.559 And we're getting insight into the mind of the prophet Jeremiah about how the Lord enabled him to deal with this. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:28.639 So, so first off, I want you to see that Jeremiah says, This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:33.919 So, number one, Jeremiah is being a born-again man. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:42.240 He's fixing to tell us that, look, there is absolutely hope in the Lord, you know, no matter what has transpired. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:44.320 Now, this is what's interesting to me. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:56.080 Again, I know we've set the stage, but the things that Jeremiah is about to say, a lot of people would say, well, Brother Josh, for instance, let me give you an example. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.759 He says in verse 22, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:06.000 But wait a minute, wasn't Jerusalem just consumed? 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:10.480 Then he says, Because his compassions fail not? 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:19.039 Well, some people would have falsely accused the Lord and said, Well, Lord, this is your people, and I'm your prophet, and didn't just we just get destroyed? 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:24.720 I mean, didn't your compassions toward us, your godly people, didn't they just fail? 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.080 You follow what I'm saying? 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:27.200 Look at the next verse. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.240 Uh, his compassions they are new every morning. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:35.120 Well, we just got decimated for not one day or two days, but for a prolonged period of time. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.720 You know, did you forget about us? 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:38.639 Did you did you leave us alone? 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:42.399 Did you completely turn your back on us and ignore us? 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:47.039 And then it says in verse 23, at the end of that, it says, Great is thy faithfulness. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:47.759 Well, wait a minute. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:15:05.360 Some people would falsely charge God, saying, God, you're not faithful anymore because you you promised to be uh you know our God and we're your covenant people, and you've forsaken us, and therefore you violated your word, and you've gone back on your promises, and therefore I don't see or understand the Lord's faithfulness. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:07.759 Verse 24. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:11.279 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:12.080 Wait a minute. 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:15.039 I thought the Babylonians just burned my portion. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:20.399 They just tore down my home, they just burned and pillaged my lands, they just stole me of my wealth. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.080 So I don't have any other portion. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.759 They've taken all my portions away. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:30.480 So all I'm left with is the Lord that apparently has abandoned me and been angry at me and turned his back on me. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.519 Now you understand I'm playing the devil's advocate, right? 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:38.159 That therefore will I hope in him. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.799 Well, Jeremiah, why are you hoping in him? 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.840 Because all this terrible stuff just happened to you. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:49.759 Verse 25, the Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:57.440 Well, why would I want to seek a God that, you know, and you're saying me that God is good that and he allowed all this stuff to happen to me? 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:19.759 In other words, brothers and sisters, Jeremiah, who was a godly prophet who loved the Lord, I want to tell you he had a godly mindset and understanding about how to actually properly look at this terrible situation that befell him and God's people. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:38.960 And the reason why this is so stark or startling to me is that I want you to see that the Lord gave this man wisdom and he gave him the spiritual eye of faith or sight to see truth in the middle of a terrible situation. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:49.440 Where most people would look at this and say, Well, you know, I don't understand this, that God has just abandoned everybody. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.559 No, he hasn't. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:53.759 So let's very quickly break this apart. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:01.360 So Jeremiah did something that you and I need to do in the middle of our terrible situations. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:04.319 This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.000 And he's fixing to tell us. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:20.640 So, in the midst of mine and your bad situation, you and I need to run to God and to his word and to the church and to the household of faith, not away from it. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:34.559 In other words, you and I, in the midst of terrible physical situations, you and I need to run to the spiritual house of the Lord and the spiritual word of God for our help, for our hope, for our comfort. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.880 Well, Brother Josh, you know, it's not helping me. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:42.400 If I need to put food on the table or my house just got torn down, why do I need to go to church and pray? 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:45.200 That's when you need to go to church and pray even more. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:51.039 Because the battles that you and I face in this world aren't just physical battles. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:59.920 So these are the things that Jeremiah chose to remind himself of. 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:06.400 He said, verse 22, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:10.720 Well, I'm confused because I thought Jerusalem was just consumed. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:14.160 Well, number one, it could have been worse. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:18.160 Jeremiah is writing this after the destruction. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:23.200 So, in other words, Jeremiah is a physical survivor. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:32.480 He's gone through a hardship and a trial, a terrible trial, but he has now come out on the other side. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.759 So, in one sense, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.279 So there is a remnant of Jerusalem that is still surviving. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.359 So they weren't consumed physically. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:48.000 They're still alive, even though they've been beaten and abused and hurt. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:56.559 And see, if you and I go read, for instance, like in the New Testament in Hebrews, you read about the household of faith that talks about those people that believed in the Lord. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:01.440 And the Bible even says that some of them did not receive the promise while they were here on earth. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:05.759 In other words, some of them were killed in the service of the Lord, you understand, right? 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:08.480 But you understand that they weren't consumed. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:24.480 And what I mean by that is that there have been many saints throughout the ages that have died by disease, by the sword, by persecution, by all manner of things, but yet the Lord was faithful to them because where are those people today? 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.519 They're in heaven in a mortal glory, amen, right? 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:34.640 They're in a better place than you and I are now, living in the most prosperous nation in the history of the world, amen. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:37.440 And they're better off than we are right now. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:48.880 So those saints of old that were literally killed at the murderous edge of the sword by a terrible heathen nation, the Lord was not unfaithful to them, and they were not consumed. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.480 What do you mean they weren't consumed? 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:59.279 Those people like me and like you, and like King David and Moses, like everybody except Jesus Christ, they were all sinners just like me and you, right? 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:10.480 So those people that were murdered but were God's children, or died of disease or affliction or hardship or starvation, who were still God's children, they weren't consumed. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:11.279 Consumed by what? 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.920 Consumed by hell, and they didn't have to uh pay the price of their own sins. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:17.920 Jesus Christ took that away from them. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:38.960 Uh and so when um Jeremiah is reminding himself of the blessings of the Lord in the midst of his affliction, he reminds himself that it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, even though I'm a prophet of the Lord, even though I've come through the destruction of Jerusalem, praise be to God that I'm not going to hell by the grace of God. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:46.240 Because I deserve to go there, but by God's grace I'm not going there and by the finished work of Jesus Christ. 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:52.000 And oh, even in a timely manner, physically I'm writing this book to you on the other side of this persecution. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:56.160 So even though I live through this tragedy, I'm actually writing you an account of it right now. 00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:14.880 So the Lord has blessed me particularly timely in this matter, and he's also blessed me eternally in this matter, because he should consume me and send me to hell because I'm a sinner and you're a sinner, but he didn't do that, and the Bible says it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:20.480 And the word consume there literally has the idea of everlasting destruction. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:26.160 So, brothers and sisters, let's put that in context. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:43.200 So, no matter what befalls you and I here in this world, hardship, cancer, trial, torment, persecution, it is of the Lord's mercies that you and I personally are not eternally destructed because of our own sins, because of God's grace. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.079 Amen. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:48.079 We always have reason to rejoice. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:59.759 And Jeremiah actually was reminding himself of that after he had gone through and I witnessed physical destruction in this world. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.559 world. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:09.759 He goes on to say, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:16.240 The word compassions the word compassions means tender love. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:21.519 And it says God's tender love fails not. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:27.200 Y'all tell me, has Jesus Christ ever lost a sheep? 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.160 Not one. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:35.680 Not a single one, not ever, through every single age. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:52.319 No Egyptian king, no Babylonian king, no Roman Caesar, you know, no terrible Nazi government has ever been able to tear a child of God away from the Lord, not Satan himself. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:58.640 His compassions, his tender love never fails. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:03.599 Well Brother Josh, what about when I got in that terrible car wreck? 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:06.480 Or what about when I lost my job? 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:09.519 Or what about when my house burnt down? 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:13.039 His compassions don't fail. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:19.759 You and I are suffering in this world and the Bible tells us that we will. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.359 It's not easy. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:27.119 But you and I live in a fallen world because of the sin of man, not of God. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:33.200 And this side of heaven, you and I will have trouble. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:36.079 Period, end of statement, that's a guarantee. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:41.039 But God's compassions fail not. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:42.799 Period, end of story. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:48.240 You and I will be with God in heaven because of his great promise. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:58.799 Now he goes on to say that verse 23 so his compassions not only fail not, they are new every morning. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:23:59.519 Stop. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:00.319 Wow. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:21.519 I was reminded again of what Brother Samuel was talking about that God will bless us today, knowing full well tomorrow that we'll sin against him but have y'all ever just had a terrible week? 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:23.599 Anyone ever had one of those? 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:28.960 Lord I can't get anything right it seems like I just can't get my act together. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.559 I hadn't done my Bible study. 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:46.720 I hadn't prayed like I should have maybe I cursed when I was driving down the road for whatever reason or this or that or just nothing is going my way and just and it's just like you you get to Friday or maybe the weekend or maybe the next and you just like I want to do over I need I need to start over. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:25:09.680 Or maybe you've gone through a season in your life where where your Jerusalem has burnt down and you've just had a terrible season of your life everything has gone wrong the you know Lord I just I want to start over the Lord's compassions are new every morning. 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:15.039 Did y'all know that you and I get a reset with the Lord every day. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:21.680 Lord I'm messed up and I'm I could use more foul language than that to say what I did or didn't do yesterday. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:23.119 And you know what? 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:29.279 I woke up this morning and and you love me. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:33.759 You love me with the greatest love imaginable. 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:47.039 You love me so much that you sent your son to die for me and he went and he died for me shed his blood for me he is literally building a mansion for me in heaven and I don't deserve any of that. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:26:00.559 And then you look at me this morning with fresh eyes of grace and mercy and compassion and you understand and you you and I literally get a do over every day with the Lord. 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.799 Have you ever thought about that? 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:43.680 That's amazing what why doesn't the Lord destroy me personally and you personally today knowing that a day from now a month from now two weeks from you know six months from now that you and I are going to fail him you're going to you and I are going to fail him worse you and I are going to do the wrong thing you and I are going to lie you and I are going to misrepresent him whatever the case why didn't he just go ahead and destroy us today and be done with us and he doesn't have to fool with us old terrible folks because his loving kindness is new every morning. 00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:59.519 And then he goes on to say great is thy faithfulness God has never failed on a promise. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:10.880 Not once not ever well he didn't do what I wanted him to do well in his wisdom he decided not to do that. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:26.319 And I may not be able I personally may not be able to answer the question why he did or didn't do something but it was in your best interest because he is every good and perfect gift cometh down from above from the Father of lights. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:45.039 With him is no shadow of turning neither any variableness he's not affected like you and me that we might get mad at somebody and then don't treat them right or we treat them differently well I you know I'm not going to do anything but I'm not going to visit with him today. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:47.039 He just he said something wrong. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.880 The Lord doesn't do that. 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:53.519 His mercies are new every morning great is his faithfulness. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:28:03.920 He is the same to you and I every day and he looks at us like you and I he looks at you and I like he looks at the Lord Jesus Christ and he says that is my beloved child. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:07.440 Well done thy good and faithful servant I love you and how can he do that? 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:18.079 Because he sees the shed blood of Jesus on us and he said therefore you are one of mine therefore you are unconditionally loved therefore you are forgiven therefore you are coming to see me when you die even though you and I don't deserve it. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:32.640 But you understand these are the things that Jeremiah is reminding himself of in the midst of this terrible situation. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:29:03.599 This is his basis and foundation for his own encouragement of the great fire of affliction that he has just endured this is how he mentally processes it and says Lord this is why I'm good in the midst of all this bad you see that this is how I'm able to have my feet on a rock even though what everybody else wants to be cry you, to be mad at you, to berate you, Lord I don't understand, Lord I'm mad at you. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:12.400 This is how Jeremiah has his feet planted on a rock and how he mentally processes and deals with this terrible situation. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:30:19.680 His compassions and mercies are new every morning great is thy faithfulness verse 24 and he says in verse 24 after he's lost almost everything the Lord is my portion saith my soul well and you know what man would sell his soul to gain the wealth of the entire world Jeremiah I lost everything God but I've still got you therefore I've still got more than everything The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will or I choose to hope in him verse 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him the soul that seeketh him so Jeremiah said Lord I'm going to wait for you I don't have all the answers in this situation. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:31:03.519 I don't know what to do I'm going to wait for you and I'm going to seek your face well how do we how do we seek God through his word through prayer through fellowship with believers we draw near to the house of God we draw near to the word of God that's how we seek him and tonight we're going to close with this verse 26 This is one of the most telling verses Lamentations chapter 3 verse 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:51.759 I love how he phrases this Jeremiah is saying it is good, it is profitable it is beneficial that I would simultaneously do these things that on the one hand that I should hope that I should have faith in my faithful God that I should have faith in my unchanging God that I should hope and put my trust in God even though I just saw my city burnt to the ground in front of my eyes that it is good for me to still put my full faith and trust in Almighty God because he hasn't changed, he hasn't moved. 00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:59.200 Yes, he has absolutely allowed this to happen to the people for the sin of the people this was God's judgment upon them. 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:17.680 But he said it is good for me to still have faith in the Lord and hope in the Lord even in the midst of this after I've been eyewitness to this and simultaneously quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:19.119 What does that mean? 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:35.440 You may put it in modern day English sit down and shut up be still and be quiet and hope in God. 00:32:36.400 --> 00:33:56.559 He's literally saying don't go out there and defame the Lord and run your mouth and say that Lord well you didn't do what I thought you what I personally thought you should have done or would have done or could have done you know I judged that you didn't know instead of going out and defaming the Lord be still seek God seek his word do not well I'm mad at the Lord I'm not going to go to church I'm not going to read my Bible I'm not going to go hang out with them church folks God is saying you need to stop you need to slow down you need to reflect on what just happened and see as Jeremiah did this himself he said you know what I've just gone through the literally through the furnace of affliction and the destruction of all these things and then when I stopped and sat down and I thought about who God is well you know my my God's not a he's not an unjust God and he's a he's a loving God he's a kind God and he's and he and he's going to send in Jeremiah's time he's going to send the coming Messiah to redeem me and he and when he started to actually reflect on the Lord the Lord started to do what? 00:33:57.119 --> 00:34:26.400 Build him up edify him strengthen him so when all these other people were cast down see the other people felt destroyed Jeremiah realized that he was only cast down for a little while and now well how do you get back up after being cast down you run to God you run under the shelter of his wings you run into the mighty mighty fortress because it never went anywhere. 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:45.039 You know I know that y'all heard those statements kind of cliche that you know sometimes God steals the storm and sometimes he'll just calm you in the middle of the storm but you still have to go through the storm. 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:54.880 See Jeremiah went through the storm full force and barely physically made it out on the other side. 00:34:55.199 --> 00:36:51.199 But then when he did the Lord gave him wisdom of mind to say you know Lord could have been a whole lot worse you know I might be dead in the grave right now but not only am I not dead in the grave but Lord I'm I'm I'm going to heaven and Lord and to be honest when I really think about this that you're you're you still love me and your mercies are new every day and you hadn't forsaken us and you hadn't forsaken your promise you hadn't you haven't not met any single promise that you've promised and and this is really the the chastisement of your children to discipline them because you actually love them and you want to correct them and you want to change them and he goes on and talks about that so what do we do it is good that a man should both hope in one hand have faith and quietly patiently wait for the salvation of the Lord let me ask y'all a question will the salvation of the Lord come to you one day yes right might be tomorrow might be twenty years from now but will the salvation of the Lord come to you absolutely without fail isn't that a blessing thought encouragement from the book of woe from the book of lamentation we'll close in a word of prayer for the Don do you mind closing a word of prayer