E-Message Bible/Commentary

 
Hope in the Midst of Destruction
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed because his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

We just completed the Book of Lamentations in our Poetic Literature class at The Way of Life Bible Institute. We clearly saw that in the five chapters of laments by Jeremiah over the destruction of his beloved city, Jerusalem there in Chapter 3, right in the midst of destruction was HOPE. Jerusalem had been destroyed, the city was in mourning, people had died, babies killed, and others were in captivity in Babylon. In spite of all this grief, mourning, defeat and destruction, there were still new mercies every morning. And Jeremiah could boldy proclaim to God, "Great is your faithfulness."
 
The life application for us centuries later is to see the glimmer of hope in the worst situations. There is absolutely no circumstance where God is not. And where God is . . . there is HOPE.
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It is our custom to give a morning greeting by saying, "Good Morning!" I have just completed teaching a computer course at a local college. Each morning I greeted the computer technician with my enthusiastic "Good Morning!" He replied with one better: "Great Morning!" After a few weeks, I decided to beat him to it and greet him with his own words: "Great Morning!" For the remainder of the semester that became our usual greeting. Yesterday was the last day for the semester, and as I left that computer lab I decided that each day I would continue to give my morning greeting as "Great Morning!"

When we do that we call forth the greatness of the day. When we greet each other not only are we calling forth our own blessings for the day, but also we bless the recipient of our greeting. So, the next time someone greets you with just "Good Morning!" go one better...say, "Great Morning!" and watch the great things that will happen for both of you during the day. Believe me...it works! So, to my many E-Message Subscribers . . ."GREAT MORNING!"
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Some people wonder why I greet them with "Great Morning!" when most of the world says, "Good Morning!" I wrote an E-Message about three or four years ago with the explanation. Some of you might remember it, but since hundreds of new subscribers have been added since then, here is "Great Morning" revisited . . .

It is our custom to give a morning greeting by saying, "Good Morning!" I have just completed teaching a computer course at a local college. Each morning I greeted the computer technician with my enthusiastic "Good Morning!" He replied with one better: "Great Morning!" After a few weeks, I decided to beat him to it and greet him with his own words: "Great Morning!" For the remainder of the semester that became our usual greeting. Yesterday was the last day for the s emester, and as I left that computer lab I decided that each day I would continue to give my morning greeting as "Great Morning!"

When we say "Great Morning! we call forth the greatness of the day. With that greeting not only do we call forth our own blessings for the day, but also we bless the recipient of our greeting. So, the next time someone greets you with just "Good Morning!" go one better and say, "Great Morning!" and watch the great things that will happen for both of you during the day.

Believe me...it works! So, to my many E-Message Subscribers . . . "GREAT MORNING!
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God's Bailout Plan
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,  for his mercies never fail. They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

"Bailout" in economics is a term used to describe a situation where a bankrupted corporation or bank is given a fresh injection of money in order to meet its short term obligations. Often bailouts are by governments or investors who demand control over the entity as the price for injecting funds. What to understand about a bailout is that it is only a temporary and insufficient fix.  Getting a bailout today does not guarantee never needing another bailout or another injection.
 
God has the best bailout plan. In the midst of bankrupted finances and bankrupted spirits, we need to see what Jeremiah saw. Jeremiah saw a ray of hope in all that was happening during his day. We would be wise to embrace Jeremiah's view concerning today's circumstances. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his mercies never fail." (Lamentations 3:22) Jeremiah knew about God's faithfulness from personal experience.  Like Jeremiah, we should know that God will keep His promises; that His promises are Yea and Amen. It is easy to trust God when everything is going great; when the stock market is up and finances are coming your way. But can you trust God during these times when large corporations are failing and banks are going bankrupt? Trusting God's faithfulness day by day makes us confident in God's great promises for the future.
 
We respond to what we see. Therefore, let's see things in the spirit. Let's not see political leaders running around chasing their own tails. Instead, let's see what God sees. Let's see what Jeremiah saw. Let's see that God's steadfast love and mercy are greater than any bailout the banks could ever have. Let's see God's bailout plan because God's bailout plan is permanent and God's bailout plan is never failing. 
 
Depend on God's mercies that are new every morning.
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Not Just Another Day
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. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Do you get up every morning and declare, "This is just another day"? Do you dread going out into the world because you think "This is just another day'? Do you refrain from embracing new endeavors because you are convinced "This is just another day"?
 
If you think "this is just another day" you will act as if "this is just another day." If you think "this is just another day" people will treat you the same way they have treated you on other days. If you think "this is just another day" it will be "just another day."
 
HOWEVER, if you treat each day as a new day to do new things in a new manner, you will be amazed at how many new opportunities will come your way. The most beautiful thing about this concept is that you don't have to do it on your own. It is the Lord's mercies that are new every morning. (Lamentations 23:22-23)
 
These new mercies are available for us to make miracles happen. These new mercies are freely given so we can change the world. These new mercies go unused and neglected when we falsely accuse the day of being "just another day!"
 
Use your new mercies TODAY! They have already been given to you. And they have been given to you for a reason.

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Are you pleased with the growth that has taken place in your life so far this year? Take inventory and begin to make changes in those areas where there are deficiencies. The followings are some questions you should answer in order to begin to take inventory of your life:
 
Upon awakening in the morning, do you thank God for that miracle? Do you love all people — the unlovely as well as the lovely? When you eat out in public, do you bless your food? Do you share your faith with others without being ashamed?
 
Do you pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Do you study the Bible to show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15)? Do you praise the Lord with your whole heart (Psalm 111:1)? Do you worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23)? Do you belong to a community of faith (Hebrews 10:25)? Do you give unto the Lord as He has given unto you (Malachi 3:10)? Are you a doer of the word as well as a hearer (James 1:22)?
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Have you ever come to a fork in the road and wondered which way to turn? You wondered if you should turn right or if you should turn left? Sometimes you don't know which way to turn, so you make the wrong turn. Then you have to turn around and turn back.

So it is with life. When trouble comes into our lives, we sometimes make the wrong turn first. We turn to the doctor to heal us. We turn to the police to vindicate us. We turn to politicians to change laws. We turn to parents to advise us. We turn to friends to console us. We turn to our rich uncle to give us money. We turn to counselors to make us feel good.

Turning to the above people might be the right thing to do for temporary help; however turning to God first will help the doctor, the police, the politicians, your parents, your friends, your rich uncle, and the counselor to help you. God may use any of them on a temporary basis, but only God will provide lasting results.

Why not turn to God first for everlasting help, salvation, deliverance and comfort? Don't make the wrong turn first. Make the right turn by turning to God when you come to a fork in the road.
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