From Good Friday to Easter Sunday (2): Out of darkness into light – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

Welcome to the second stage of our journey from Good Friday to Easter Sunday: Out of darkness into light - The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Lamentations 3:1-9 I am one who knows what it is to be punished by God.2     He drove me deeper and deeper into darkness3     And beat me again and again …

The love of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God

Lamentations 1:1-2:6; Titus 3:1-15; Psalm 119:113-120 “The Lord is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command” (Lamentations 1:18). “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). This is the story of …

The School of Discipleship (4): Looking away from ourselves to Jesus and being changed by him

We speak about growing in faith, becoming a stronger believer. We speak about growing in grace, becoming a more gracious person. Is this what we learn about in the school of discipleship? Should we not place the emphasis on the faithfulness of God and the grace of God? What are we to say about our …

When we feel like we’re down and out

"Great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). In our journey through life, we're travelling with God. Sometimes, we wonder where our journey is taking us. Then, we remember this: God is faithful. When we are weak, he is strong. When we can barely sing a song of praise, he puts the song of praise in our …

Suffering and salvation

"I am the man who has seen affliction" (Lamentations 3:1). "Great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). Affliction and faithfulness Between the two - that's where we are; that's where we live our life. At times - we can see nothing but own affliction. Why is this happening to me? Lift up our eyes - Lord. …

Praying through God’s Word: Lamentations

Lamentations 1:1-22 Jerusalem had fallen into hard times - ‘she who once was great among the nations... has now become a slave’ (Lamentations 1:1). Lord, we wonder why this happened. The explanation for this sad situation was not hard to find - ‘Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean...’ (Lamentations 8-9). We wonder, …

Do you feel it?

Very often, our "faith" is based on our feelings. We feel good, and it seems to us that our faith grows strong. We feel bad, and it seems to us that our faith is falling apart. Sometimes, we feel good. At other times we feel terrible. Always, our God is faithful: "Great is Thy faithfulness" …

Everything changes?

We live in a changing world. Everything changes. Nothing remains the same. This is life - as we know it; but what if there's something else, something that's unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable! You may ask the question, "Is such a thing possible?" In the Bible - in the heart of the Old Testament, there's a …

“Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23).

Every day, we stand between the past and the future. We look back. We look forward. We look back and we see the faithfulness of God. We look forward and we see the faithfulness of God. Looking back, we give thanks for God's faithfulness. Looking forward, we put our trust in God's faithfulness. God is …

For Jerusalem, the situation seemed to be hopeless.

Lamentations For Jerusalem, the situation seemed to be hopeless. Humanly speaking, everything looked very gloomy. This was the situation into which the word of the Lord came. Often, our feelings may tell us, “My enemies have triumphed” (Lamentations 1:9). These are the times when we must learn to look beyond our feelings, believing that God …

In our hard times, can things be turned around?

Lamentations 1:1-22  -  Jerusalem had fallen into hard times - ‘she who once was great among the nations... has now become a slave’ (1). The explanation for this sad situation was not hard to find - ‘Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean...’ (8-9). Could things be turned around? Could there once again …

There are times when it seems like nothing is going right for us.

Lamentations 3:1-24  -  There are times when it seems like nothing is going right for us: ‘I am the man who has seen affliction...’ (1-3). In such times, we must remember this: ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end’. When we find ourselves in circumstances of great …

Loved with the greatest love of all

"Why do you continue to forget us? Why have you abandoned us for so long? Restore us, O Lord, and ring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had! Or have you utterly rejected us? Are you angry with us still?" (Lamentations 5:20-22). There are times, in our life, when it feels …

What’s so great about God’s love?

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). What's so great about the love of God? It's more than a feeling. The love of God doesn't come and go. Through all the changes in our moods, God's love remains …

Human Failure – And God’s Faithfulness

Day by day, we learn more about our own human failure. Day by day, we learn also of God's divine faithfulness. "We are faithless. He remains faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13). Day by day, let's praise God for His wonderful love, His amazing grace and His superabundant marvellous mercy. "The grace of our Lord was exceedingly …

The Lord’s compassion never fails.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). When we're hurting, we need more kindness, more compassion, more forgiveness. Where do these things come from? Do they come from within ourselves? Again and again, we fail to be kind, compassionate and forgiving. If we …

Human sadness – and divine faithfulness (Lamentations)

The title―Lamentations ― suggests human sadness. There is, however, something else here ― divine faithfulness. At the heart of this short book, we find this great declaration ― ‘Great is thy faithfulness’ (3:23). Knowing God as the God of great faithfulness involves looking beyond our circumstances and our feelings.Israel’s circumstances were depressing. Jerusalem had fallen. …

Responding to God’s Word (22): Great is Thy faithfulness.

Great is Thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23). When things start to go wrong for us, we start to wonder, "What's going to happen next?" When it seems like everything's going from bad to worse, we need to be reminded of God's faithfulness. However hard our pathway through life may be, may each of us receive blessing …

When the going gets tough, remember this: Jesus says, “I will come again.”

"How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?" (Habakkuk 1:2). "Then the Lord replied: Write down the revelation (or vision) and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation (or vision) awaits an appointed time; …

Link to Rev James Philip’s notes on Lamentations

Lamentations

Some Meditations on God’s Word

Receiving Strength from the Lord (Daniel 10:1-11:13) Daniel came to God in great weakness- ‘I am helpless… My strength is gone…’(16-17). From the Lord, Daniel received great strength- ‘The One who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength… When He spoke to me, I was strengthened…’. Daniel’s strength came from the love of …

Learning from Romans (21): Lord, when we feel like there’s no hope, show us that You are “the God of hope.”

Lord, when we feel like there’s no hope, show us that You are “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13). This is why we believe that “there is hope” (Jeremiah 31:17). Our hope is in You – the God of great faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23). With You as our God, how can we ever feel that we’re …

Travelling Through God’s Word: Lamentations

LAMENTATIONS 1:1-22  –  Jerusalem had fallen into hard times – ‘she who once was great among the nations… ha snow become a slave’ (1). The explanation for this sad situation was not hard to find – ‘Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean…’ (8-9). Could things be turned around? Could there once again …

A Hopeless Situation? Don’t Forget The Faithfulness Of God.

For Jerusalem, the situation seemed to be hopeless. Humanly speaking, everything looked very gloomy. This was the situation into which the Word of the Lord came. Often, our feelings may tell us, “My enemies have triumphed” (Lamentations 1:9). These are the times when we must learn to look beyond our feelings, believing that God has …

Let God’s Love Lift You Up (Lamentations 3:19-33).

Lamentations 3:19-33 Do you want to "become depressed" (Lamentations 3:20)? - Keep on remembering the bad things that have happened to you. Do you want to be lifted out of your depression and into the joy of the Lord? - Remember this: God loves you. God's love is a "faithful love" (Lamentations 3:22). It doesn't …

The Lord’s people must not be afraid to stand up for Him.

Jeremiah 52:1-34; Titus 1:1-16; Psalm 119:105-112 The final chapter of Jeremiah speaks of the fall of Jerusalem, followed by captivity in Babylon. Difficulties face God’s people in every generation: “There are many rebellious people ... “ (Titus 1:10). The Lord’s people must not be afraid to stand up for Him (Titus 1:11). Whatever others may …

Great is Thy faithfulness.

"Great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). I knew the hymn, "Great is Thy faithfulness" before I found the verse in God's Word. It's hidden away in the short Old Testament book of Lamentations. Once you've found the verse, you'll remember it, and you'll say, "This is where the hymn came from." It's a great hymn, …

Let us love another – and show the love of God to one another.

Lamentations 2:7-3:39; Philemon 1-25; Psalm 119:121-128 At the heart of the book of Lamentations, there is this great declaration concerning the love of God: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22). His love reaches us not only directly but also through the love of His people - “Your love, dear …

Keep Christ at the centre of your life.

Lamentations 3:40-5:22; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 119:129-136 Lamentations 4:20 contains an interesting phrase - “The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath.” Christ is the Lord’s anointed. Christ is our life. He is God’s Word to us - “in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:2).  He is God’s Son - …

Out of darkness into light

Saturday in Holy Week: Job 14:1-14 (or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24); Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66 (or John 19:38-42) Out of darkness into light - “Death is swallowed up in victory.” When you don’t really know what you’re talking about, it’s a case of the less said the better. That’s how Job feels …

One Year Bible: Days 274-304

Day 274 Jeremiah 2:31-4:9; Philippians 2:12-30; Psalm 115:12-18 The Lord calls us back from our backsliding: “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding” (Jeremiah 3:22). The returning people say, “Yes, we will come to You, for You are the Lord our God ... surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel” …