Mindful of His Mercies

Introduction:

Series Rom 8 6

Jeremiah witnesses Jerusalem destroyed by Nebuchadnezzer, king of Babylon

Jeremiah had prophesied it, they people had scoffed at it, and then he had to witness it.

Though he had told of it, and was now vindicated in his message, Jeremiah was emotionally distraught over the destruction of Jerusalem, over the chastisement of God, and earned his nickname — the weeping prophet.

Jerusalem is destroyed.

Her walls are torn down.

Every house was burned.

Her temple is levelled.

Her priests are dead.

Her people are taken captive.

The remnant is left starving.

So awful was the event, that to this day the Jewish people still mourn its anniversary — which this year falls on the sunset of July 29th.

Transition

You’ve seen it and heard it, people all around us declaring 2020 to be the worst year in a long time.

A year of pandemic. A year of fear. A year of confusion. A year of pandering and politics. A year of violence and division. A year of chaos…and yet we have far to go to reach the level or horror that Jeremiah witnessed.

The chapters of this book are rightly called laments — the prophet laments, weeps over the atrocities that surround him. Line after line he describes terrible circumstances, poverty, grief, and pain.

And then, like a hidden gem, these verses rise out of all of that sorrow:

Lamentations 3:18–26 KJV 1900

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I 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.

Proposition

No matter who you are, life can weigh you down. Trouble finds you. Trials surround you. Stress overcomes you. I don’t know what it is in your life, or what it has been

Health

Relationships

Betrayal

Family

Career

Finances

Grief

Loss

Yes, 2020 definitely has been a unique year — or “unprecedented” as we hear over and over again. But the Bible makes it clear to us in Job 14:1 that Man that is born of a woman Is o few days, and full of trouble.

Yet, if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, trouble can only bring you as low as you let it. When bad times come, and they will, the Bible reminds us here in Lamentations 3 that we must be mindful of His mercies, in order to maintain our hope in God.

What exactly are you running to for strength, for help, for deliverance from your troubles? What is the crutch that you tend to lean on, and how many times has it crumbled and let you fall into discouragement, depression, or even despair?

Organization

This morning we are going to examine the mind of the prophet Jeremiah, to discover how to be Spiritually Minded in the midst of Terrible Circumstances:

[PRAYER]

Anguish (18-20)

Lamentations 3:18–20 KJV 1900

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

Without Strength

Strength = “nesah” — strength, endurance

Have you ever faced a situation that just robbed you of the strength to go on?

You wake up tired every morning

You hate the idea of even facing the day

Every problem is magnified

You just don’t know how you can face another day

Without Hope

Hope = “tohellet” — hope, expectation

There was no end in sight

There was no easy solutions

Everywhere he looked things were bad

Ever been in the situation like that?

No way out of it, no way through it

No idea how it could ever improve

No one can offer you any solution, no one can say the words you want to hear

You just cannot expect anything good to come

Without Peace

Affliction = “oni” — affliction, poverty, frustration

You can’t even think straight

The frustration, the despair just consumes your thoughts

The stress affects you in terrible ways, some you realize, some you don’t

You just cannot get over it

Without Joy

Misery = “merud” — misery, restlessness, wandering without a purpose or plan

The troubles you face have just sucked the joy out of life

You find no pleasure, no purpose in the days ahead

You feel restless, wistless, tired.

You just feel low

Without Relief

Still in remembrance = “zakar” — remember, recall, call to mind, think of or on

No matter what you do, you just can’t escape the thought of it

It’s always on your mind

It’s always coming back

You focus on it, meditate on it, and just when you thought you were over it, the memory floods back again like an unwelcome visitor

It’s still with you, and you cannot seem to let it go

STATEMENT — All of this anguish, all of this anxiety, this is the state of mind that the prophet Jeremiah was in. A state of mind that you can probably identify with, perhaps you’ve been there before, perhaps it’s a state of mind that you are dealing with even now, we know what that feels like —

And I submit to you this morning, that if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, all of that anguish is completely unnecessary, and with the right discipline of mind, avoidable.

Because, if we know the Lord and believe His Word, we can have the state of mind that Jeremiah came to in faith — we can move out of Anguish, and into Assurance:

Assurance (21-23)

Lamentations 3:21–23 KJV 1900

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Bring to Mind

Recall = “shuv” — to return or go back, bring back, to go back to place you departed from”

STATEMENT — Just as the prophet did, you must return your mind to the place it should have been dwelling on all along — the Faithfulness and Mercy of God.

Philippians 4:8 KJV 1900

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Psalm 73:26 KJV 1900

My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 46:1 KJV 1900

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Isaiah 26:3 KJV 1900

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee.

Statement — What you focus on is what your thoughts and emotions and behaviors are founded on.

Proverbs 23:7 — For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

STATEMENT — This “bringing to mind” was something the prophet had to do himself. He returned his thoughts back to where they should have been all along — the Faithfulness and Mercy of God.

You do yourself no favors by allowing your mind to dwell on your pain, and your sorrow, and your hurts, and your troubles, and all that anguish.

In doing so you lose your strength, your hope, your peace, your joy, and you find no relief from the vicious cycle of agony you are allowing yourself to be in.

Instead, put your thoughts back to where they needed to be all along — discipline your mind to think on the Mercy and Faithfulness of God!

ILLUSTRATION — Bob Anderson Death Bed

Transition — Let’s consider God’s mercies:

Baseless Mercies

Romans 7:18 — For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.

Psalm 14:3 KJV 1900

They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: There is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Isaiah 64:6 — But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

(Baseless Mercies)

Bountiful Mercies

Though we deserve nothing but hell — God is full of mercy and compassion.

Psalm 86:15 KJV 1900

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Though we were dead in trespasses and sins, God’s bountiful mercy transformed us through Jesus Christ

Ephesians 2:1–10 KJV 1900

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

And though left to ourselves we would earn and deserve eternal damnation and death — God in His love provided the gift of eternal life

John 3:16 KJV 1900

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.

1 John 5:11–13 KJV 1900

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

(Baseless Mercies)

(Bountiful Mercies)

Boundless Mercies

There is no end and no limit to the mercies and faithfulness of Almighty God.

Psalm 36:5 KJV 1900

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Psalm 89:1 KJV 1900

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:5 KJV 1900

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.

Transition — Instead of dwelling in anguish over our troubles, we can rest assured of the Faithfulness and Mercy of our God — all the while awaiting His work around and within and through us.

Awaiting (24-26)

Lamentations 3:24–26 KJV 1900

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

The Lord is My Portion

Psalm 73:26 KJV 1900

My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 142:5 KJV 1900

I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge And my portion in the land of the living.

God gave Aaron, the high priest of Israel, no portion, no inheritance, no land to call his own, but instead offered him a greater treasure saying — I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel

And in Revelation chapter 1, verses 5-6 we discover that Jesus Christ, the One that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

In Christ, we have a greater treasure than the world could ever offer us, we should focus our minds on that!

Luke 12:34 KJV 1900

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

HYMN:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely and long for Heav’n and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.

(The Lord is My Portion)

The Lord is My Expectation

Psalm 62:5 KJV 1900

My soul, wait thou only upon God; For my expectation is from him.

STATEMENT — There is nothing else in this world that can give you the confident hope that the Lord can give. Why bother placing your hope and trust in anything else? But we do...

ILLUSTRATION — Vance Havner told a story about an elderly lady who was greatly disturbed by her many troubles—both real and imaginary. Finally, someone in her family tactfully told her, “Grandma, we’ve done all we can for you. You’ll just have to trust God for the rest.” A look of absolute despair spread over her face as she replied, “Oh dear, has it come to that?” Havner commented, “It always comes to that, so we might as well begin with that!”

Psalm 42:5 KJV 1900

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him For the help of his countenance.

Isaiah 40:30–31 KJV 1900

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.

(The Lord is My Portion)

(The Lord is My Expectation)

The Lord is Kind

Psalm 107:8 KJV 1900

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 34:8 KJV 1900

O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 103:2 KJV 1900

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:

When was the last time you stepped back for a moment, and just counted all the ways in which God has been good to you?

(The Lord is My Portion)

(The Lord is My Expectation)

(The Lord is Kind)

The Lord is My Pursuit

Where do you run to when times get difficult? Where are you running to for your daily dose of joy, purpose, hope, fulfillment?

The best way — the Christian way — is to pursue and seek the Lord.

Psalm 27:8 KJV 1900

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Psalm 63:1 KJV 1900

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, My flesh longeth for thee In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Isaiah 55:6 KJV 1900

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near:

James 4:8 KJV 1900

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hebrews 4:16 KJV 1900

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

(The Lord is My Portion)

(The Lord is My Expectation)

(The Lord is Kind)

(The Lord is My Pursuit)

The Lord is My Salvation

Micah 7:7 KJV 1900

Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: My God will hear me.

Psalm 62:1 KJV 1900

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: From him cometh my salvation.

Conclusion

I have no idea what you have been through. I do not know what has been done to you, or what has been taken from you. I do not know the idiosyncrasies of how 2020 has affected you, and I certainly could not tell you what it is like to feel your pain — but I know someone who does, and who can...

Hebrews 4:15 KJV 1900

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Quote — “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.”— Oswald Chambers

INVITATION — HEADS BOWED, EYES CLOSED — #818 — GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

Life is full of trouble, but our response to that trouble is completely and totally within our control.

Maybe you are here this morning, and you’ve been at the end of your rope, and you’ve realized through the message this morning, that you don’t have the hope of heaven — you are not sure that if you were to die today, that you’d spend eternity in God’s heaven. If you aren’t 100% sure that you are saved from the penalty of your sin, I’d love to pray for you — SLIP UP YOUR HAND

Maybe you are here this morning, and you know that you are saved, but you’ve been in that place of anguish. You’ve been focused on your misery, focused on the pain, focused on the hurt, and it’s been a vicious cycle in your heart and mind — and God is calling you to return your mind, your thoughts, back to His faithfulness and mercy and love — If that’s you, I’d like to pray for you — Pastor, I need to be mindful of His mercies, I need to break that cycle in my thoughts — slip up your hand

Maybe you are here and God has shown you that you’ve been leaning on something other than Him to get you through the tough times. It could be anything — a person, entertainment, drugs — prescription or otherwise — whatever the case, He’s shown you that He’s not been your portion, or your hope, or your pursuit, and He’s calling you to change that this morning — I’d like to pray for you too — slip up your hand

ALTAR CALL [STAND] — Piano plays #818 — GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS — Randy Leads

If you are here this morning and you aren’t sure you know Jesus as you personal Saviour, it would be our joy to take a Bible and show you how you can know you have eternal life — when we start to sing, you step out from your seat and come forward, and I’ll introduce you to someone who can answer your questions from the Bible

If you are here this morning, and God’s convicted your heart and shown you that there needs to be a change in your heart and mind, or your behaviors in life — it’s time to surrender to Him — when we start to sing, you step out and come pray at this altar, give it over to God, and surrender to His perfect peace today.

As we sing, you step out of your seat, and come.