GOD IS FAITHFUL

LAMENTATIONS 3:21-26

INTRODUCTION

Last Sunday we studied that “God is my Everlasting portion”. God is more than life to us. Today, let us look at one of the attributes of God. “FAITHFUL GOD”. The book of Lamentations is a series of dirges or song of mourning that were written against the backdrop of the Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem. The writer of this book is Jeremiah “the weeping prophet”

1. He received an unwanted call to ministry (Jer.1:5-6)
2. He was called to the ministry of preaching nothing but judgement (Jer.1:9-10)
3. He was forbidden to marry- so as to give his whole life to preaching- he was a lonely man (Jer.16:1-13)
4. He was a sad man, He wept openly for the sins of his people (Jer.9:1)
5. He endured depression because no one listened to him (Jer.20:9) 50 years of preaching without a convert.
6. He suffered imprisonment 3 times.
7. He ran away to Egypt where he died.

In all these events of life, Jeremiah found hope in the faithfulness of God. Faithfulness means ‘Firmness, fidelity, steadiness, steadfastness”. Faithfulness pictures God as one upon whom we can depend.

Let us learn:

I.  GOD IS FAITHFUL IN HIS GRACE TOWARDS US (3:22)

• His mercies they fail not
• Mercy is God’s loving-kindness. God is the “divine lover of men”

1. God’s grace saves us- only grace could have reached us in our lost, doomed condition (Eph.2:1-4)

• God is the one who comes to us, we could not reach Him (Phil.2:5-8)

1. God’s grace secures us.

• Grace not only sought us out, but grace keeps us in our saved condition
• We are prone to spiritual failure and wondering.
• Our salvation does not depend upon our ability to be faithful to the Lord.
• We are saved by His grace and we are kept by His grace alone (I Peter 1:5, Psalm 37:23-24)
• Thank God for His unfailing, unchanging, faithful grace.

II.  GOD IS FAITHFUL IN HIS GIFTS TO US (3:22-23)

• “Compassion” means “WOMB” its means “To be moved in the heart out of love for another”
• As we move and pass through our storms and our valleys- we are not alone! God is there in our paths.

1. God’s gifts are faithful.

• God did not promise an easy road, but He promised that His grace would be sufficient for every need (II Cor. 12:9)
• Grace here refers to “the strength of God to face battles and to bear up under times of difficulty”
• You will never face a situation as a believer that God will not give you the grace to help you make it through (Isa.43:1-2)

1. We have the gift of His presence (Heb.13:5, Mat.28:20)
2. We have the gift of His performance (Eph.3:20) “Able”
3. We have the gift of His provision (Phil 4:19, Psa.37:25, Matt.6:25-33)
4. We have the gift of His person (Heb.13:8, Mal.3:6)
5. God’s gifts are fresh (V.23)

• They are new every morning – (No old ugali here!)
• (Matt.6:34) God faithfulness is seen every morning Air to breath, food to eat, shoes on our feet. God is a faithful, wonderful Lord.

III.  GOD IS FAITHFUL IN HIS GOODNESS TO US (3:24-26)

1. He is a satisfier (V.24) He is my everlasting portion

• In the battle of life, God is my reward, my share, my portion (Psalm 103:5;107:9)

1. He is a sustainer (V.24)- God will never fail those who place their trust in Him (Isa.49:23)
2. He is a Saviour (V.26)

• Those who wait upon the Lord- God will deliver them out of their troubles and trials.
• God will deliver them from their “Valleys”
• God will deliver the saint and sinner.
• God’s saint- God knows what you are going through (Job 23:10, Psalm 34:15-22)
• Sinner- God can save your soul today- stop trusting yourself, your religion or your goodness.
• Come to Him, calling upon the Name of Jesus (Rom.10:9-13)

CONCLUSION

• Great is His Faithfulness. Amen.