Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you for tuning in as we continue on in our study in the book of Lamentations. The book of Lamentations. If you're going through the Old Testament, if you go past Isaiah, as you come past Isaiah, Jeremiah, the very next book from Jeremiah will be the book of Lamentations. If you go past it, it'll be the book of Ezekiel. We'll be in Lamentations chapter three. Lamentations chapter three. In Limitations chapter 1, we talked about the tears of the weeping prophet, and we focused on verse 12. And so, the tears of the weeping prophet was personified as Jerusalem referring to a grieving woman expressing sorrow over the devastation caused by God's judgment. And it highlighted the depth of suffering due to people's disobedience and claimed and call on others to notice and emphasize with the affliction. We also talked about in Lamentations chapter two, the weight of wrath and the call to repentance. We focused on verse 15 of Lamentations chapter two, all that pass by clap their hands at thee, they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying, is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? And so Jerusalem's enemies mocked her downfall. once considered a glorious city, now left in ruins due to God's judgment. But the verse emphasizes between Jerusalem's former greatness and the current humiliation, showing the consequences of forsaking God. And now we look at Lamentations chapter three. This is the longest of the five chapters. It's 66 verses. I'm not sure how far, if I'll be able to read all of them, but I'll try my best. And I'm gonna be talking to you about the cause and comfort in crisis. The cause and comfort in crisis. In Lamentations chapter three, we highlight verses 22 and 23 of the King James that said, it is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Boy, I love that scripture. Because in the midst of the book's lament, These verses stand out as a message of hope. Despite the suffering, the author Jeremiah acknowledges that God's mercy and faithfulness are constant, offering renewal each and every day. And it reminds us that even in judgment, God's compassion is present. And so, when we look at the cause and the comfort in crisis, Lamentations chapter three, Jeremiah shares a deeply personal account of his anguish and suffering amidst the destruction of Jerusalem. Chapter three is the heart of the book with a striking shift from sorrow to hope as Jeremiah reflects on the cause of the suffering, God's judgment on sin, but also finds comfort in God's unfailing mercy and faithfulness. And it serves as a lament over the consequences of sin and an encouragement to trust in God's goodness, even in the darkness of times. And so, when we look, we see the weight of that suffering that it starts out at, amen. But before we go any further, let's open up with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you humbly today, asking for your mercy and grace. Forgive us of our sins that we commit daily, for we know that we fall short of your glory. And as we navigate the challenges of this world, help us to put on the forearm of God each day to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. May we live in your truth, wear the breastplate of righteousness, walk in peace, lift the shield of faith, wear the helmet of salvation, and guide us through your word each and every day as we strengthen our hearts with your eternal promises. Lord, to be about the great commission to reach the lost for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May you receive all the glory and honor in Jesus' mighty name, amen. I remember reading about a woman by the name of Sharon, and she shared how she felt her life was falling apart after a series of personal tragedies. And within the span of one year, she lost her job, she lost her home, and a close family member. Sharon felt as though the weight of the world was crushing her with no light in sight. But in her darkest hour, Sharon found hope in the most unexpected place. A handwritten note from a stranger that read, This too shall pass. Keep your faith. That note became a turning point for her, much like Jeremiah's experience in the book of Lamentations, where hope emerges from dismay. You know, both unbelievers and believers suffer pain and distress during catastrophic circumstances, but there's a distinct difference in the purposes for their suffering. When an unbeliever suffers the calamities of life, the Lord's purpose is always to arouse them to repent of their sins and turn to him for salvation and deliverance. When a disaster is the result of His judgment, God is seeking to stop people from heaping up more wickedness on earth and to prevent them from becoming stumbling blocks to the innocent and those not yet so deeply steeped in sinful behavior. When it comes to the sufferings of true believers, God seeks to use their hardships and painful afflictions to arouse them to turn more and more to Him in righteousness and prayer. God's desire is for all believers to become more conformed to the image of his dear son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord seeks to arouse his people to trust him more and more. When believers demonstrate peace and security amidst their suffering, unbelievers are stirred to ask about the source of their confidence and assurance. And you know what? I think believers, gives them an opportunity to give a strong testimony. to God's saving grace and strength. I'm glad the Lord saved me in 1972 in the month of September when I was eight years old. And boy, I tell you, I have made a lot of bad choices over the years, but one of the greatest choice is when I accepted my call to preach at 16 years old. And through these last several years of trusting the Lord, There's been nothing more pleasant than taking the Word of God on a daily basis. I'm glad. I read through the Bible every year and I'm a vivid reader as well as I visit our library at the college where I'm at. And so it's a tremendous blessing to be a part of the wonderful Word of God and to share the Word of God. And so When the Lord seeks to arouse His people to trust Him more and more, when believers demonstrate peace and security amid suffering, unbelievers are stirred to ask about the source of their confidence and their assurance. And this provides believers with an opportunity to give a strong testimony to God's saving grace and strength. In this present scripture, Jeremiah chapter 3 describes the painful afflictions that he personally suffered when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonian invaders. And he describes the horrors and sufferings of war. And he paints a graphic picture of painful affliction But Jeremiah's description goes well beyond his own personal experience because it pertains to all citizens who suffer the horrors of defeat, most of whom were injured, slaughtered, or exiled to foreign nations. Painful afflictions and great hope that Jeremiah describes can be applied to every one of us experiencing deep agony or severe suffering. And so we see, first of all, the weight of that suffering in verses one through 20. Jeremiah begins by describing his personal experience of grief. He feels like a man who has been afflicted by the rod of God's wrath. He uses imagery to express it. And so as I look at some of the scriptures, I may remember that my highlight was verse 22 and 23, but I may skip around for the sake of time to get through this since it's a lot of reading, but I'll try my best to cover most of it. In verse one, he says, I'm the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. And so it introduces a personal lament. the depth of suffering felt under God's judgment. It can remind us that affliction can feel deeply personal, but also a part of God's correction. In verse two, he said, he had led me and brought me into darkness, but not into light. And here it reflects the feeling of being abandoned by God, struck in spiritual darkness. In verse three, surely against me is he turned. He turned his hand against me all the day. And it conveys the experience of a prolonged suffering, where one feels under constant judgment and adversity, teaching us to endure the trials and the weight of God's chastisement. The King James in verse 4 of chapter 3, my flesh and my skin hath he made old, he hath broken my bones. The physical toll of suffering here is being described with the imagery of aging and brokenness. the physical and emotional and severe suffering that can have on a person, emphasizing the affliction, the mind, the body, and the soul. In verse 5, he hath builded against me and compassed me with gall and travail, and the bitterness of life when God's favor seems withdrawn. Everything feels like a struggle. In verse 6, He has sent me in dark places as they that be dead of old, feeling spiritually dead and abandoned. It teaches us about the depths of despair that can be felt in the absence of God's light and hope. In verse 7, He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out. He hath made my chain heavy and symbolizing a sense of being trapped by circumstances. divine judgment with no relief in sight, echoing the feeling of helplessness and restriction in times of deep trial. In verse 8, he says, also when I cry and shout, he shuddered out my prayer. This verse reflects the anguish of unanswered prayers, a situation we may encounter when we feel distant from God. And it encourages us to keep crying out, even when God feels silent. In verse nine, he hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my past crook. And here, Jeremiah talks about how his path has been blocked and twisted, making it impossible to move forward. There's obstacles and detours and sometimes allowed by God to teach us to correct us. But in the King James verse 10, he was unto me as a bare line in weight and as a line in secret places. Here, God is compared to a wild beast waiting to attack. And the metaphor reflects the terror of a divine judgment. that God's wrath can feel overwhelming and inescapable. In verse 11, he hath turned aside my ways, pulled me in pieces, he made me desolate. And so the verse illustrates the destructive power of judgment, where every aspect of life can feel shattered and hopeless. In verse 12, he hath bent his bow, set me as a mark for the arrow. God has aimed his bow at Jeremiah, making him a target of that divine wrath, emphasizing personal and focused nature of suffering, serving as a reminder of the direct consequences of sin. And the King James verse 13, he hath caused the errors of his quiver to enter into my reins. And so Here, it speaks to the intense emotional spiritual suffering that results from divine judgment penetrating to the heart and soul. Verse 14, I was a derision to all my people and their song all the day. And so it illustrates the humiliation that often accompanies suffering when it becomes public, reflects the isolation and shame that can result from severe trials. And verse 15, he hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. And so, wormwood symbolizes bitterness and sorrow, reminded us of how deep suffering can permeate every aspect of our life. In verse 16, he hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He hath covered me with ashes. And so, the vivid imagery of eating gravel, being covered with ashes, signifying utter humiliation, brokenness, a representation of life's deepest hardships that Jeremiah is expressing as we look at the cause in comfort in crisis, amen. In verse 17, thou hast removed my soul far off from peace. I forgot prosperity. And so here it expresses a feeling of hopelessness where peace and joy seem like distant memories, emotional toil of prolonged suffering. of how it's distance, they've been distanced from peace so long that they've forgotten what it feels like to prosper. In verse 18, and I said, my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. And so the experience of despair in verse 18, even hope in God seems lost and yet the chapter progresses to a turning point from this very low place. And so the way of suffering that we see that he continues on in verse 19, remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. And so Jeremiah reflects on his intense suffering filled with bitterness and sorrow, but also acknowledging it before God as a part of a healing process. And so in verse 20, He talks about, he says, my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me. And so verse 20 highlights the humility that can come from enduring hardship, often through suffering, that we're brought to a place of dependence on God. That is the weight of the suffering that Jeremiah begins describing, his personal experience of grief and suffering under God's judgment. But secondly, we see in verses 21 down to verse 33, a renewed hope in God's faithfulness, amen. Because we see the experience of affliction, amen. And so, in verse 21, when we look, we also see the great hope of salvation in that face of affliction. Because of renewed hope in God's faithfulness, we see the experiences Jeremiah has of a turning point. He recalls to the mind the character of God, and it brings him hope. And so, despite the destruction and the suffering, Jeremiah affirms that God's mercy is still present. His compassions are renewed every day, and his faithfulness endures. And it reminds us that even in the times that we have today, the times of the depths of crisis, God remains good and his love never fails because Jeremiah encourages his people to patiently wait for the Lord, amen. And so I'm glad that as we wait for the Lord to trust that He will bring justice and deliverance in His timing. And so, a renewed hope in God's faithfulness, we see in verse 21, this I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. And so, here is a shift in perspective. It teaches us that even in the midst of suffering, that we can find hope by recalling God's faithfulness. In verse 22, it is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because His compassions fail not. The powerful reminder that no matter how severe the trial, God's mercy sustains us. His compassion is unceasing, even in the times of judgment. In verse 23, they are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. God's mercies are new every day, and His faithfulness is unending. And so, I'm glad. The call to trust in God's enduring faithfulness, no matter the circumstances. Verse 24, the Lord is my portion, saith my soul. Therefore will I hope in Him. And so, the verse teaches us that when all else fails, God Himself is enough. He's our portion. And placing our hope in Him is always the right choice. And verse 25, the Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. and so I'm glad that we look and and we realize that here that god is good to those who wait patiently and seek him earnestly praise god and so uh... as uh... we uh... make our way down the verse thirty three inverse twenty-five uh... that he tells us again the lord is good in a bit but wait for him to the so that's a good thing i mean and so it encourages to be patient to see god in the midst of suffering trusting in his goodness and i mean inverse twenty six it's good that a man should both and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Because the virtue of patience and waiting for God's deliverance reminds us that salvation often comes in God's perfect timing and not ours. In verse 27 of the King James, it's good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. And so, enduring hardship in youth builds strength and character for the future, preparing us for greater responsibilities. In verse 28, he saith, The long keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. And so, the value of reflection and silence in the face of suffering, allowing for ubility and understanding. In verse 29, he putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. That submission and hoping is about restoration, symbolizing humility and repentance before God and acknowledging our loneliness and the hope of divine mercy. And then in verse 30, he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him, he is filled full of reproach. And so this echoes Jesus teaching on turning the other cheek, symbolizing patience and non-retaliation in the face of suffering. In verse 31, For the Lord will not cast off forever. Boy, ain't you glad that this gives hope that even in the darkest moments, God's judgment is not eternal. He will restore those who repent and seek him. And in verse 32, but though he calls grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. And so, this assures us in verse 32 that God's compassion outweighs His judgment and His mercies are always greater than His wrath. Then we finally get down to the end of our teaching on a renewed hope in God's faithfulness from verse 21 to verse 33. It says, In verse 33, for he doeth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. And so it emphasizes that God's judgment is never out of cruelty, but always just and measured, intended for correction rather than destruction. And so here, the cause and the comfort in crisis, in Lamentations chapter three, we see the weight of suffering in verses one through 20. We saw a renewed hope in God's faithfulness in verses 21 down to verse 33. But now we see the call to examine and return to God in verse 34 down to verse 42 because this is a reflection on God's mercy. Jeremiah calls for self-examination and repentance. He acknowledges that suffering has come as a result of the people's sin and now it's time to turn back to God and he urges them to lift their hearts and hands in prayer, confessing their rebellion. And it reinforces that while God's judgment is real, he's always ready to forgive those who repent and seek him. Look with me in verse 34 of the King James. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, to subvert a man in his cause the Lord approveth not. at verse 34, 35, and 36, because these remind us that God stands against oppression and injustice, and His judgment is always righteous, and He defends the rights of the oppressed. Look at verse 37. He tells us, Who is He that saith, And it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? You see, God's sovereignty over all things is affirmed, that it teaches us that nothing happens outside of His will and outside of His authority. In verse 38, out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good. God's the source of both judgment and blessing. and it speaks to the dual nature of God's authority, that he administers both discipline and mercy according to his purposes. And verse 39 of the King James, wherefore doeth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins. You know, why should anyone complain when punished for their sin? Because verse 39 encourages self-examination and humility, reminding us that suffering is often a result of our own sin, and we have no right to complain about God's just discipline. In verse 40, we look and he says, let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. It's a call to repentance, encouraging us to examine our lives, to return to God with humility and sincerity. And then in verse 41, he says, let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. And here the speaker encourages us with a call to be sincere, heartfelt prayer, worship, seeking God's mercy, and forgiveness, ape man. In verse 42, we've transgressed and have rebelled, thou hast not pardoned. And so, the speaker acknowledges our sin and rebellion. Jeremiah's saying he's teaching us the importance of confession. He's teaching us of recognizing that forgiveness is a gift from God, and it's sometimes often delayed until true repentance is shown. But in verse 43, that we get down to next. First of all, that brings us to our next thing, because we've talked about here in the cause and comfort in crisis, amen, that we've talked about the weight of suffering in verses one through 20. A renewed hope in God's faithfulness in verses 21 down to verse 33. We talked about a call to examine and return to God in verse 34 down to verse 42, where we're at right now. that it talks about his reflection on God's mercy, and Jeremiah is calling for a self-examination and a repentance. He acknowledges that suffering has come as a result of the people's sin. We turn back, and he urges us to lift up our hearts and our hands in prayer, confessing, Abraham. And so it reinforces that while God's judgment is real, he's always ready to forgive those who repent. and to seek Him, amen. And so, it brings us to our last part, a cry for deliverance and justice. At verse 43, down to verse 66, where Jeremiah turns his focus to prayer, and he cries out to God for deliverance from his enemies who have oppressed and ridiculed the people. And he pleads for God to hear his cry and take action against those who have caused their suffering. Although Jerusalem has faced Judgment for its sins Jeremiah prays for a vindication and a divine justice against their oppressors and so it reminds us that We can that we can bring our cries to God and trust that he sees and he will act in his perfect timing and so here a cry for deliverance and justice here in verse 43 Thou hast covered with anger and persecuted us, thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. And so the speaker describes God's anger and the severe judgment that he's brought upon them. And it portrays the intensity of God's wrath in response to sin, reminding us of the seriousness of rebellion against him. In verse 44 of the King James, thou hast covered thyself with a cloud that our prayers should not pass through. You see, God's hidden himself, blocking Jeremiah's prayers from being heard. but it conveys the feeling of spiritual abandonment, where it seems as though God's no longer listening, but it teaches us perseverance in prayer, even when God feels distance. In verse 45, Thou hast made us as the offscoring and refuse in the midst of the people. And so it describes humiliation. of being treated like garbage by others. And it reflects the shame and degration that can accompany divine judgment, reminding us of the consequences of personal sin. In verse 46 and verse 47, he says, all our enemies have opened their mouths against us. Fear and a snare has come upon us, desolation and destruction. And so it highlights the reality of an external opposition and fear when we're under judgment. It serves as a reminder of the vulnerability that comes with sin and rebellion. And then in verse 48 of the King James, And so, how the deep sorrow and grief are being expressed for the suffering of others, teaching us empathy and the importance of mourning for the fallen of those that are around us. In verses 49 to 50, he says, mine eye trickleth down and seetheth not without any intermission till the Lord look down and behold from heaven. And so, We see that the perseverance in grief and prayer, that we should continue seeking God's attention until he responds with mercy. In verse 51 of the King James, mine eyes affected mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. And so the connection between what we witness and our emotional response, that it challenges us to be compassionate and moved by the suffering of others. And then in verse 52, mine enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause. And so, it reflects the injustice of being pursued by enemies for no legitimate reason, teaching us about the unfairness that often accompanies suffering. In verse 53, they have cut off my life in the dungeon and cast a stone upon me. And so, It's symbolizing the feeling of being buried or forgotten in the depths of despair, a metaphor for severe trials and abandonment. In verse 54 of the King James, waters flowed over my head. Then I said, I am cut off. And so here's the sense of being completely overwhelmed by a trial, a feeling many can relate to when facing extreme difficulties a man and so I called upon thy name Oh Lord out of a low dungeon verse 55 and it teaches us that no matter how deep our despair we can always call upon God for help and mercy a man and so in verse 56 he says thou has heard my voice hide not by ear at my breathing at my cry And it reassures us that God hears our cries, even when we are at our weakest. It encourages persistence, prayer, and faith. And so in verse 57, thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee. Thou saidest, fear not. You know, here, the closeness of God is a call upon him that reminds us not to fear God, for God is near. In verse 58, O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul. Thou hast redeemed my life. And so, Here, we're reminded that God is our ultimate advocate and redeemer, fighting on our behalf, rescuing us from despair. And then in verse 59, O Lord, thou has seen my wrong, judge thou my cause. And so it reflects a trust in God's perfect justice. It invites us to bring our grievances to him, knowing that he will judge rightly. In verses 60 and 61, thou has seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me. Thou has heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me. And so, it encourages us to trust that God sees all the wrongs done to us, and He hears the mockery and the schemes of our enemies, and assures us that He will act justly. And I'm glad that when we get down to verses 62 and 63, the lips of those that rose up against me and their device against me all the day. Behold, they're sitting down and they're rising up. I am their music. And so we see the pain of being mocked and mistreated by others, teaching us to endure such trials with faith in God's ultimate justice. And verse 64 of the King James, Render unto them a recompense, O Lord, according to the work of their hands. And so here is a plea for divine justice, trusting that God will rightly repay those who have done wrong. And verse 65, Give them sorrow of heart, they curse unto them. And so it reflects the desire for divine retribution against those that cause harm, trusting in God's judgment. And lastly, in verse 66 of the King James, persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord. It calls for God's full wrath to be poured out on the enemies that are there. Amen. And so the seriousness of divine judgment that reminds us that God's justice will ultimately prevail over evil. And so the cause of our dismay that Jeremiah lamented over the destruction of Jerusalem, that he vividly described the weight of God's judgment that caused a deep sense of personal despair, the darkness of dismay, amen, the bitterness of brokenness, the loss of peace and strength, amen. Because if we're true believers, the Lord takes the afflictions of life, uses them for our good, And even if we're caught in the horrors of war or suffering the painful afflictions, the Lord will take the hardships and use them for a good purpose. God always uses the painful afflictions of life to arouse His dear people, to draw closer to Him in prayer and righteousness, becoming more conformed to the image of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God also uses afflictions to arouse us to trust Him more, which we become stronger and stronger in our faith. and our faith becomes a strong testimony of His saving grace and a testimony to the lost of this world. And so, we see that through this, that we have, that there is a comfort, amen. And so, through that comfort, amen, that we look at, that we see the cause of our dismay, the comfort of our dismay because of the faithfulness of God despite the severity of sufferings. Jeremiah recalls that God's mercies are still available even in the worst circumstances. The faithfulness of God, no matter how severe the trial, God's mercies are renewed each day. His faithfulness is a source of hope and comfort and that was the highlight. of our verse that we started out with, amen, the highlight of everything that we talked about was in verses 22 and verse 23 of Lamentations chapter 3, amen, because I'm glad that when we look at the Lord's mercies that were not consumed because His compassions fell not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." And so it's the faithfulness of God, the promise of hope. Hope is a firm anchor during life's storms, and Jeremiah encourages us to place our trust in the Lord, for He alone is our sustenance. The necessity of waiting on God, because it's good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Waiting on God's timing requires faith. In seasons of dismay, the Lord will bring deliverance if we patiently wait for His salvation. Amen. And so, I'm glad in verses 21 down to verse 66, Jeremiah showed the people six ways to respond to painful afflictions of life. Number one, in the face of affliction, Jeremiah pointed the people to the source of salvation, amen. God is the savior, he's the rescuer, he's the deliverer, hallelujah, of all our suffering afflictions that we see. And through those afflictions, I'm glad that the Lord would encourage all of us to turn to Him for salvation and deliverance, because God is love, and He's full of compassion, and God is faithful. Therefore, any true follower of the Lord will be saved, and the very presence of God will save believers, because when believers truly trust the Lord, He becomes their portion, their inheritance, even when believers suffer severe pain, are forsaken by everyone, are stripped of all worldly possessions that they could declare. And so what did I say? There are six ways to respond to painful afflictions of life. Number one, in the face of affliction, Jeremiah pointed the people to the source of salvation. The second thing that he did, that Jeremiah encouraged the people to seek the Lord and His salvation, because I'm glad not only was that in verses 21 through 24, but in verses 25 through 39, that he said that they need to seek the Lord and his salvation. And I'm glad that Jeremiah suggested nine things that people should do in seeking the Lord's salvation. People must put their hope in God in verse 25. In verse 26, people must wait quietly for salvation and deliverance from painful afflictions. In verse 27, people must bear the yoke of God's discipline, knowing that the painful afflictions are for a purpose. In verse 28, people must separate themselves from the world, not joining them in their complaints and unbelief. And in verse 29, humble themselves before God. And in verse 30, endure abuse and insults without retaliating, because when the enemy strikes, we must turn the other cheek. And verses 31, 32, and 33, people must know that God's discipline is temporary and loving. Amen. And I'm glad in verses 34 down to verse 36, people must live righteously and we must never oppress people, not even prisoners or criminals who are guilty of terrible crimes. They must never deny people their rights or true justice. And then in verses 37, 38, and 39, people must accept the sovereignty and the power of God because God has the power to speak and to do as He wills. He's the power to execute judgment by blessings as well. And so we look and we see in the face of affliction that Jeremiah appointed the people to the source of salvation, number one. Number two, to seek the Lord and His salvation in verses 25 to 39. In verses 40 down to verse 42, he called upon the people to repent of their sins, to examine their lives, and to turn back to God, lifting up their hands and hearts in prayer. And then he also showed Judah, the people, why they needed to repent. And that was in verses 43 down to verse 51. Because in verse 43, the people should repent because of God's anger. And the people should repent because they were alienated from God in verse 44. They should repent because God had rejected them in verse 45. In verses 46 and 47, they should repent because of their subjection and bondage to the enemies that are opposed to them. And then in verses 48 to 51, they should repent because the brokenhearted prophet continually cried out to the Lord on behalf of those that were being destroyed. Jeremiah declared that he would continue to weep unceasingly for the people, especially the women who were suffering so much. And so, those are the five reasons Jeremiah used to encourage the people of Judah to repent, amen. And so, when we continue on with those six things, amen, that we talked about, it was the source of salvation that he talked about. Number two, to seek the Lord and His salvation. Amen. And it was also upon the people to repent of their sins for their affliction. And also that why they needed to repent that he talked about those things. And Jeremiah pointed people to the example of himself. Amen. Because I'm glad that he had been hunted down like a bird being pursued by an enemy. And after he was caught, he was thrown into a pit, a Maori pit, left to die. And as he sank into the mire at the bottom of that pit, he thought that he was going to die. He saw no way to escape. But in his painful distress, Jeremiah called on the Lord's name and cried out to God to save him. And in the dark hour of the impending death, The Lord did what he promised to do for all his people. He heard Jeremiah's prayer. He drew near to his dear servant. He gave him great assurance and told him not to fear. And God redeemed, saved Jeremiah's life and delivered him from all of his enemies. And then the last thing in verses 59 to 66, we see that Jeremiah encouraged people to appeal to God for vindication. True justice. The Lord always sees the wrong done to any of his people. He's always ready to uphold the cause for every one of the dear followers, amen. And so the prophet appealed to God to uphold the cause of the righteous for ministry. True justice needed to be executed against the enemies for four clear reasons. They plotted evil against God's prophet. They approached and schemed time and time again against Jeremiah. They started rumors about him and launched a negative campaign about the prophet. And they mocked him in all their activities, even in songs that had been written for the very purpose of ridiculing him. And then we see that the prophet appealed to God to execute true impartial justice. And when Jeremiah requested that, the Lord repay his enemies for the evil they had done. True justice needed to be executed because their hearts were hard, encrusted in sin and unbelief. And so I'm glad All the wicked unbelievers of this world are doomed to face God's justice and judgment. The Lord will pursue them, vindicate the righteousness, and I'm glad that as we see the justice of God, as Jeremiah admits much of their suffering comes from their own sins, he encourages them turning back to God through confession and repentance. And so it's the justice of God and the call to self-examination, the consequences of sin, I'm glad Oswald Chambers once said, God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. And like Jeremiah, we're called to intercede for others and confess our own shortcomings. And so, I'm glad Lauren Daigle reminds us in her song, Trust in You, when you don't move the mountains. Needing you to move. I will trust in you. We trust in God's timing. We trust in his faithfulness That's the key even in the darkest times because in Lamentations chapter 3 in all of these 66 verses Jeremiah paints a vivid picture of a nation under judgment and yet he never loses hope in God's mercy and His cause for dismay was very clear. Judah had forsaken God, but even in dismay, there's comfort to be found in God's unchanging faithfulness. In times of suffering, confession leads us back to His grace. As we turn to God, confess our sins and cling to the hope of His mercies renewed every morning. What areas of your life feel covered in darkness? How do you look to God's faithfulness for hope? Listen. Can you examine your heart? When was the last time you confessed your sins to the Lord? And you know what? When we wait on God with hope, I'm glad that we cannot rush His timing. And so we must remember that God's mercies are renewed daily. And moments of despair reflect on his past faithfulness and trust that he's still at work. Jeremiah encouraged Judah, we must search our ways to return to the Lord. Confession restores our relationship with God, brings peace to our hearts. And waiting on the Lord builds our faith and it's a sign of trust in his plan and salvation will come in due time if we patiently rely on him. Let's close out with a time of prayer. Lord, We come before you asking for your forgiveness for the times that we've turned from your ways and we repent of our sins and ask that you restore us to fellowship with you. For those who do not know you yet, We pray for their salvation. We pray for their salvation, that they would come to know the hope only found in you, Father, that they would pray that prayer. Father Lord, understanding that I'm a sinner, but believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross to free me from the punishment I sinned, I now receive him as my Lord and Savior. And from this day forward, I desire to live to please Christ and in placing my trust in him for the gift of eternal life. Father, help us as believers to daily put on the armor of God, standing firm in your truth, faithfulness, leading us through our trials, reminding us that your mercies are new every morning. Thank you, God, for being who you are. Thank you, Father, for saving us by your marvelous grace and forgiveness of our many sins, even though none of us deserve it. Father, you're everything to us, and we ask all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ that we pray. Amen. you