Evening Message
November 12, 2000
Central Church of Christ
http://members.truepath.com/central
John Dobbs
NEW EVERY MORNING
Lamentations 3:22-24
Introduction:
At the time of the writing of our text, Jeremiah had every rason to be the weeping prophet. Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s enemies mocked at her desolation (1:7). Jeremiah wrote his lament as he sat in the ashes of a destroyed Jerusalem. His mood is bleak, his words are dark and angry. (Pritchard) In complete misery and with little human hope, men and women of faith looked to the Lord. Read Text
Today we still take confidence and rejoice that the Lord’s compassions do not fail – that they are new every morning. What are some of God’s continuing mercies?
I. PHYSICAL BLESSINGS
A. We always need ‘new every morning’ blessings!Yesterday’s sunshine, air, water, and food cannot provide for today! Acts 17:25 “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from
above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,who does not change like shifting shadows.”
B. There is an endless list of God’s physical blessings. God continues to show his mercy to us on an ongoing basis..
II. STRENGTH FOR THE DAY
A. Each day brings new challenges to our faith! We battle the spiritual forces of Satan. Temptation can take its toll! Ephesians 6:16 “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
B. God has not left his people without daily strength.
Matthew 6:25-34 - read. Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
C. New Every day: physical blessings & spiritual strength!
III. OPPORTUNITIES
A. Opportunity is a gift – we just need to see it!
Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers.” Ephesians 5:15, 16 “Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Colossians 4:5 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Titus 3:1 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good…”
B. Opportunities come in all sorts of categories:
Soul winning, Serving, Sharing.
C. God blesses us daily with physical blessings,
opportunities, and …
IV. PROTECTION
A. Satan never takes a vacation! In truth, his temptations are new every morning! (1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”)
B. God, who is greater than all, sees to it that Satan does not have too much of an advantage. He knows how to deliver us out of temptation! Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” I Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
C. Divine protection is conditional!We must cooperate with God in resisting the devil. James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 1 John 2:14 “… I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
D. Every day we receive from the Lord physical blessings, opportunities, protection, and ….
V. PROVIDENCE
A. Providence means to “see before”. God sees before a need & arranges to meet need. God saw ahead that Abraham would need a ram, and ahead of time caused one to be caught in a thicket by his horns (Gen 22:13).
This miraculous instance of the Lord’s providence deeply impressed Abraham. (14)
B. Not everything that happens each new day is good, but the One who sees the end from the beginning so overrules in human affairs that for those who love the
Lord, “all things work together for good” Ecclesiastes 7:8 “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Roman 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
C. God’s providential care is around the clock. Psalm 121:4 ” …indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Every day we receive from the Lord physical blessings, opportunities, protection, providence and
VI. ANGELIC HELP
A. We cannot affirm the existence of angels by sight or feelings or experience. We only know by faith in God’s word that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to do service. (Hebrews 1:14 “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”) Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
B. What angels do is untaught matter, but the reality of their help for Christians is a positive and encouraging doctrine of revealed religion.
C. Every day we receive from the Lord physical blessings, opportunities, protection, providence, Angelic help and
VII. RENEWED FORGIVENESS
A. Daily confession leads to daily remission. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.” We can begin and end each day with a clean record. Psalm 84:11 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
B. Every day we receive from the Lord physical blessings, opportunities, protection, providence, Angelic help and renewed forgiveness.
Conclusion:
1. C. S. Lewis wrote, "He who has God and many other
things has no more than he who has God alone." Most of us have many other things. We have money and security and friends and family. But if you also have God in your life, then the "many other things" don’t matter one way or the other. If you have God, and if you know Jesus Christ, you have enough because our God is faithful.
Resources:
McCord, Hugo. These Things Speak
Ray Pritchard at: http://www.cmcop.org/sermons/990613.htm
