Hope for the future

Introduction

Last week we talked about the living faith and how faith works

Testing and Entrusted with the Word

Faith must go on, Gospel must go on

Left with the question of “What hope do we have for the future?”

Book Of Lamentations

Written by the Prophet Jeremiah

Shared the affliction of the fall of Israel, destruction of Temple “I have seen Suffering” this affliction was due to the sin/rebellion of Israel

We are experiencing Death, pain, Sin right now - This is due to sin and our rebellion in the same way

We must Examine Ourselves

We are experiencing Turmoil but we as believers must use this opportunity to examine ourselves

We should test ourselves : learn about ourselves inside (look around, track down, hunt down) GIVE EXAMPLE (David’s Sin 2 Samuel 12)

Lamenting causes us to Test: Analyze, Check, Observe Course of action: Conduct, Behavior, Ways

Looking inward is not natural (All 5 sense respond to external areas we need to look inward to truly examine and test ourselves or seek wise counsel

When we say HERE I am our faith will be tested

Turn Back Towards God

By looking closely at our sinful lives (running the test, taking the inventory) we will see our wrong manner of living and that we should RETURN TO THE LORD.

We say “Return to the Lord” many times and the Prophets have written this many times- We need to hear this message!

Hosea 6:1 “Come let us return to the Lord for he has torn us but he will heal us, he has wounded us but he will bandage us

Some of us are just worshipping backwards- We need to sacrifice for the job but we won’t sacrifice for the Lord, We say we want to get right but then say we have time

How Do we do it? REPENTANCE

Confession: In Lamentations the language points to lifting our hands and hearts- What does that mean- lifting hands (in total surrender- Includes ALL OF YOU)

Prayer: Sincerity- This is our time with God!

Turn toward God- Moving in a new direction, What you turn from is no longer present, you can’t turn away and keep looking back at the same time. It’s a complete 360 turn.

Why?

We do not want the Judgement of God to fall on us. We do not want God to Turn his back on us.

9 Judgements of God’s Anger (This is what it looks like)

He has not pardoned (No exceptions or relief)

He has Covered them with Anger

Persecute Them

Assign them to death without Pity

Refuse to Hear their prayer

Made them the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people (no longer useful, Trash)

Permitted enemies to slander them

Permitted fear and snare to overtake them

Sent Docilation and destruction

This sounds alot like some of what we are facing today.

The Good News (Closure)

The Lord will not reject forever- If he causes grierf we will have compassion according to his love and kindness.

There is a future hope- To receive that hope we must turn back to God.