Good morning,

The third chapter of Lamentations, seemingly a personal confession presumably from Jeremiah, provides a vivid depiction of suffering and despair under God’s wrath. Despite this, the author’s tone shifts mid-chapter, transforming his lament into a testament of hope in God’s mercy, faithfulness, and ultimate redemption. 

Lamentations 3

The Prophet’s Affliction and Hope

The Grief of Affliction (1–18)

I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.² He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.³ Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.⁴ My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.⁵ He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.⁶ He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.⁷ He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.⁸ Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.⁹ He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.¹⁰ He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.¹¹ He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.¹² He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.¹³ He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.¹⁴ I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.¹⁶ He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.¹⁷ And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.¹⁸ And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

Jeremiah speaks in the first person, picturing himself as the representative sufferer for the nation. He feels driven into darkness, walled in so he cannot escape, and pierced with arrows. Physical hardship, emotional isolation, and a sense of divine opposition mingle together. The poet confesses that even prayer seems shut out. Bread is mingled with gravel; peace has vanished; hope is almost gone. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/3.htm)

Hope Rekindled in Covenant Love (19–24)

¹⁹ Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.²⁰ My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.²¹ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.²² It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.²⁴ The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Remembering the bitterness does not crush him; it becomes the doorway to recall the LORD’s loyal love. He famously declares, “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail… great is Your faithfulness” (vv. 22–23). Hope resurfaces as he fixes his heart on God’s unchanging mercy. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/3.htm)

Choosing to Wait on the LORD (25–39)

 ²⁵ The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.²⁶ It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.²⁷ It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.²⁸ He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.²⁹ He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.³⁰ He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.³¹ For the Lord will not cast off for ever:³² But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.³³ For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.³⁴ To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.³⁵ To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,³⁶ To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.³⁷ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?³⁹ Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Patience, quietness, and humble endurance emerge as the right response. The poet urges sitting alone in silence, putting one’s mouth in the dust, and giving one’s cheek to the striker—echoes of Job (Job 13:15) and Jesus (Matthew 5:39). The LORD does not reject forever; He disciplines for a purpose. Human suffering does not happen apart from His sovereign permission, and no one can rightly complain if punished for sin. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/3.htm )

Corporate Repentance and Suffering (40–54)

⁴⁰ Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.⁴¹ Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.⁴² We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.⁴³ Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.⁴⁴ Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.⁴⁵ Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.⁴⁶ All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.⁴⁷ Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.⁴⁸ Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.⁴⁹ Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.⁵⁰ Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.⁵¹ Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.⁵² Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.⁵³ They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.⁵⁴ Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

The call turns outward: “Let us examine and test our ways” (v. 40). Confession of collective sin and a plea for forgiveness follow. Tears stream without relief as enemies mock and hunt them. Yet even in misery the poet acknowledges God’s throne in heaven remains unshaken. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/3.htm)

Personal Plea and Assurance of Justice (55–66) 

⁵⁵ I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.⁵⁶ Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.⁵⁷ Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.⁵⁸ O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.⁵⁹ O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.⁶⁰ Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;⁶² The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.⁶³ Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.⁶⁴ Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.⁶⁵ Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.⁶⁶ Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord. 

From the depths, Jeremiah cries and God draws near: “Do not be afraid” (v. 57). The prophet recounts how the LORD advocated his cause and redeemed his life. He entrusts vengeance to God, asking Him to see the wrong, pursue the adversaries, and wipe them out in keeping with divine justice. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/3.htm)

Teaching Points

The Depth of Despair

Jeremiah begins with a vivid description of his suffering, feeling as though God Himself is against him. I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of His wrath (Lamentations 3:1).

Acknowledgment of God’s Sovereignty

Despite his suffering, Jeremiah acknowledges that it is God who has allowed these circumstances. This recognition is crucial for understanding the nature of divine discipline and sovereignty.

The Turning Point of Hope

In the midst of despair, Jeremiah declares, Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail (Lamentations 3:21-22). This is a pivotal moment where the focus shifts from despair to hope.

God’s Faithfulness

Jeremiah emphasizes God’s faithfulness, stating, Great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23). This is a reminder that God’s character is unchanging, even when our circumstances are dire.

The Call to Wait and Seek

Jeremiah encourages patience and seeking God, The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him (Lamentations 3:25). This teaches us the importance of waiting on God and actively seeking His presence.

Practical Applications

Embrace Honest Lament

Like Jeremiah, we should not shy away from expressing our true feelings to God. Honest lament is a form of worship that acknowledges our dependence on Him.

Remember God’s Past Faithfulness

In times of trouble, recall how God has been faithful in the past. This can renew our hope and trust in His promises.

Cultivate Patience and Trust

Practice waiting on the Lord and trusting in His timing, even when answers are not immediate.

Seek God Daily

Make it a habit to seek God through prayer and Scripture, especially during difficult times, to strengthen your faith and reliance on Him.

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The divine purpose of affliction

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Octavius Winslow

Isaiah 48:10, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction.”

Affliction, in some of its many and varied forms, is the lot of all the Lord’s people. Indeed, if we do not have it, then we lack an evidence of our true sonship, for the Father chastens every son whom He receives. Every believer is refined in the furnace of affliction.

To every follower of Jesus, how strong is the consolation flowing from this truth. God’s afflictions are loving and parental towards His redeemed people; whereas towards His enemies, they are judicial and punitive. God refines His saints in the furnace of affliction, for their purification; but He places the ungodly in the furnace, for their destruction. The believer can welcome and patiently bear sickness, bereavement, and poverty; knowing that God’s fatherly chastisements are not judgments, and His afflictions are not condemnations.

The furnace of affliction is needed in the process of sanctification:
  to consume the dross which adheres so closely to the precious ore,
  to purify the heart,
  to center the affections on Jesus,
  and to wean the soul from enticements of this vain world.

The hour of affliction is the hour of softening, where:
  the hardness of the heart yields,
  the callousness of the spirit gives way,
  the affections become heavenly,
  and the conscience is made more tender.
It is a season of holy meditation, of prayer, and of withdrawal from the world and from creature delights; while the soul is more closely shut in with Jesus.

Through these trials, the Holy Spirit comforts the afflicted soul by unfolding the deep and unchangeable love of Jesus, showing the believer that his sorrow is the fruit of Divine love, sent to draw the soul nearer to Himself. The Comforter opens the believer’s ears to hear the voice of God’s chastening rod, causing the disciplined heart to return from its wanderings and seek the wounded, bleeding, suffering Savior more eagerly than ever. In the furnace of affliction, the believer attains a deeper knowledge of God’s all-sufficiency, and a truer knowledge of his own spiritual poverty and unworthiness.

In each season of affliction, the believer must turn from all creature sympathy, and look to Jesus, who was preeminently the man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief and suffering; making Him able to sustain and sympathize with His afflicted people.

In every stormy wind, in every darksome night, and in every rising fear, the voice of Jesus is heard saying, “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid. Your affliction did not spring out of the ground, but came down from above; a heaven-sent blessing clad in a robe of ebony, sent entirely in love.”

As you grow deeper into the loving heart of Jesus:
  sorrow shall wound you less deeply,
  affliction shall press you less heavily,
  and tribulation shall affect you less keenly.

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx      Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

We have need to use this prayer at all times!

Charles Spurgeon

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

“Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O my God!“ Psalm 38:21

Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation–but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy–in which we can do without His constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion with Him, or in temptation–we alike need the prayer, “Do not forsake me, O Lord!” “Hold me up–and I shall be safe!” Psalm 119:117

A little child, while learning to walk–always needs the parent’s aid.
The ship left by the navigator–drifts at once from her course.
We cannot do without continuous preservation from our God!

Let this be your prayer every day:
“Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O my God!
Father, do not forsake Your child–lest he fall by the hand of the enemy.
Shepherd, do not forsake Your lamb–lest he wander from the safety of the fold.
Great Gardener, do not forsake Your tender plant–lest it wither and die!
Do not forsake me now, O Lord! And do not forsake me at any moment of my life.
Do not forsake me in my joys–lest they absorb my heart.
Do not forsake me in my sorrows–lest I murmur against You.
Do not forsake me–for without You I am weak, but with You I am strong.
Do not forsake me–for my path is dangerous and full of snares.
Do not forsake me–for I cannot travel without Your guidance.
The hen does not forsake her chicks. O Lord, give me refuge under Your wings.
Do not be far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near–and there is none to help.
Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O God of my salvation!”

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskasenions.com

Good morning,

Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean!

Charles Spurgeon, et al.

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Psalm 119:117, “Hold me up, and I shall be safe!“

There is a glorious humility in this brief prayer. It is the cry of one who knows both his weakness, and his heavenly Father’s ability. The psalmist does not say, “I will hold myself up!” or “I will stand in my own strength!” He knows better. He has learned the painful lesson of his own weakness and instability, and proneness to wander from God. Instead, he casts himself entirely upon the Lord: “Hold me up, and I shall be safe!” Only God can uphold His redeemed people, with corruption in their hearts, in a world full of spiritual dangers and deceits.

This verse is a declaration of the utter necessity of God’s sustaining grace. The redeemed are not kept by their own will-power, intelligence, or resolve–they are “kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Peter 1:5). It is . . .
  sovereign grace that chose them,
  grace that effectually called them,
  grace that redeemed them,
  and grace that will preserve them to the end.

Were it not for God’s moment-by-moment upholding grace, no believer could endure to the end. The world entices, the flesh rebels, the devil accuses–and divine grace alone keeps their feet from slipping.

The Lord’s people shall not fall away finally or totally. They may fall foully, but they shall not fall finally. He who began the good work in them, will carry it on until He completes it. The same hand which gave us spiritual life, must preserve that life. Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean–it would be utterly quenched, unless the Lord kept it alive.

Yet God’s sustaining grace is not merely a necessity–it is a comfort beyond all measure. What greater security could the believer have, than to be upheld by God’s everlasting arms! What sweeter assurance than to know that our safety depends, not on our grip on God, but on His mighty hold on us! “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When fear arises, when temptations threaten, when strength fails–may this prayer be our rock of refuge: “Hold me up, and I shall be safe!”

Let every believer pray this daily. Let us not rely on our own wisdom or strength. Let us lean wholly on Him who never fails. And when we are upheld, when we find ourselves still walking with God, still standing in grace, still looking to Jesus–let us give Him all the praise. For it is not we who have held fast to Him–but He who has held fast to us.

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy–to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 24–25)

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This one thought is a fountain of unfailing happiness!

George Everard, 1884

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Ephesians 1:5, “He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ“

Galatians 3:26, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus!“

Here is one of the sweetest privileges of the Christian life. The Christian is God’s beloved child, and shares all the love and tenderness of the Father’s heart!

This one thought is a fountain of unfailing happiness!
“I am at home with God!
Once I was far off–but now I am brought near.
Once I was a stranger–but now I am His beloved child!
Once the thought of His presence was fear and dread–but now it is life, and joy and peace.
He is my Father, and in this Name all heart-joys meet.
He knows me by name, and cares for me in all my cares.
He pities me, and in tender compassion marks each tear I shed, and each sorrow that weighs upon my heart.
He opens His hand, and each day gives me all that I need.
He bows down His ear and hearkens to each prayer I offer.
I have boldness and liberty to go at all times into His presence-chamber, and may tell Him my every desire and ask of Him whatever is for my good.”

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Lamentations 2 is a mournful account of the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Through the voice of Jeremiah, this chapter details the Lord’s fierce wrath, the resulting desolation, and the people’s profound sorrow and mourning. A stark warning and poignant reminder, the chapter carries an enduring message about the consequences of disobedience and the enduring hope for divine mercy. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/2.htm)

God’s Anger over Jerusalem 

Lamentations 2

The LORD Covers Zion in Clouded Wrath (1–3)

How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!² The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.³ He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

Jerusalem, once shining, now lies beneath a thick cloud of divine fury. The LORD hurls down her splendor and throws even His own footstool—the temple—down from heaven to earth. In burning anger He breaks the defenses, swallows up strongholds, and withholds His right hand that formerly protected. 

God Becomes Like an Enemy (4–5)

⁴ He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.⁵ The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

The LORD bends His bow against His people, slaying the delight of His eyes. Palaces and fortresses fall; mourning and lament multiply as the city experiences the full weight of hostility from the One who once sheltered her. 

Sanctuary and Walls Laid Waste (6–8)

⁶ And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.⁷ The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.⁸ The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.

He tears down His tabernacle as easily as a garden shelter, abolishing feast and Sabbath alike. Kings and priests are rejected, and the very measuring line used to build Zion is now used to demolish her—walls and ramparts mourn as they crumble. 

Gateways Silenced, Elders Sit in Dust (9–10)

⁹ Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the Lord.¹⁰ The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

Gatebars are sunk into the ground; law and prophecy vanish. The elders sit silent, heads bowed, while young women hang theirs in sorrow. 

The Poet’s Tears and People’s Ruin (11–13)

¹¹ Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.¹² They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom.¹³ What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

Eyes fail with weeping; bile is poured out on the ground as children faint in the streets. The poet searches for words to comfort Zion yet can find no wound as deep as hers. 

False Visions Exposed (14)

¹⁴ Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

Prophets deceived with empty visions, failing to expose sin and prevent captivity. Their oracles were mere clouds. 

Mockery from the Nations (15–16)

¹⁵ 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? ¹⁶ All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

Passers-by clap, hiss, and wag their heads: “Is this the city called perfect in beauty?” Enemies open wide their mouths, gloating that the day they longed for has arrived. 

The LORD Fulfills His Word (17)

¹⁷ The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

The LORD has done exactly what He planned, tearing down without pity and exalting the enemy’s horn. 

Call to Cry Out Day and Night (18–19)

¹⁸ Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.¹⁹ Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

A plea rises for Zion to pour out her heart like water before the LORD, lifting hands for the lives of starving children. 

Unimaginable Horror (20–22)

²⁰ Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?²¹ The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.²² Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord’s anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.

The closing lament recounts mothers consuming their offspring and priests slain in the sanctuary. On the day of the LORD’s anger, young and old alike fall, and none escape. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/2.htm)

Covenant Background

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 warned of curses if Israel abandoned the LORD. Lamentations 2 shows those curses realized: siege (vv. 11-12), temple ruin (vv. 6-7), exile (vv. 9, 17).

Teaching Points

God’s Righteous Anger

Lamentations 2:1-2 describes the Lord’s anger as He has covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud of His anger and has thrown down the splendor of Israel. This illustrates the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment.

The Consequences of Sin

Verses 5-9 detail the destruction and desolation brought upon Jerusalem, emphasizing that sin leads to devastating consequences, both spiritually and physically.

The Role of Prophets and Leaders

In verse 14, the failure of the prophets to expose sin is highlighted: The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your iniquity. This underscores the importance of truthful spiritual leadership.

The Call to Lament

The chapter is a call to lament and repentance, as seen in verse 19: Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord.

Practical Applications

Reflect on Personal Sin

Take time to examine areas in your life where you may have turned away from God, and seek His forgiveness and guidance.

Value Truthful Leadership

Support and pray for leaders who are committed to speaking the truth of God’s Word, even when it is difficult.

Embrace Lament as Worship

Understand that lamenting before God is a form of worship that acknowledges His sovereignty and our dependence on Him.

Seek God’s Mercy

In times of discipline or hardship, turn to God in prayer, trusting in His mercy and willingness to restore. (https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/lamentations/2.htm)

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

He never lacks an apple for an Eve
(“The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod” or, “The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes” by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London.)
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!“

The devil is . . .
  not a lamb, but a lion;
  not a sleeping lion, but a roaring lion;
  not a lion standing still, but a lion prowling around to devour!
He is not satisfied with the prey he has already gotten, but is restless in his designs to fill Hell with damned souls.

He never lacks . . .
  an apple for an Eve;
  nor a grape, for a Noah;
  nor a change of clothing, for a Gehazi;
  nor a wedge of gold, for an Achan;
  nor a crown, for an Absalom;
  nor a bag of silver, for a Judas;
  nor a world, for a Demas!

If you look into one company, you shall find Satan a-dishing out his dainties to every taste.
If you look into another company, you shall find him fitting a lace to every shoe.
If you look into a third company, you shall find him suiting a garment to every back.

Here, with Jael, he allures poor souls in with milk; and murders them with a nail!
There, with Joab, he embraces with one hand; and stabs with another!
Here with Judas, he kisses; and betrays!
And there, with the whore of Babylon, he presents a golden cup, with poison in it!

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!” 1 Peter 5:8 

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This God is mine, in all His glorious perfection!

(Archibald Brown, “This God Is Our God!” 1896)

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Deuteronomy 32:9, “The Lord’s portion is His people!”

Lamentations 3:24, “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

The above two passages of Scripture ought never to be separated.

God and my soul possess each other.
God finds His portion in His people–and His people find their portion in their God!

This God is mine, in all His glorious perfection!
His heart is mine, for He loves me with an infinite love.
His ear is mine, for I may pour into it all my tales of sorrow, and all my songs of joy.
His eyes are mine, for they keep watch on me from morning until night.
His hand is mine, for it is ever stretched out to uphold me.

He is a God of infinite glory!

Abased in the very dust, and half bewildered by the thought, I yet dare to look up and say, “This God is my God forever and ever! He will be my guide even unto death!” Psalm 48:14

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

A hazardous game!

(Charles Spurgeon, “Flowers from a Puritan’s Garden” 1883)

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

1 Thessalonians 5:22,  “Avoid every kind of evil!“

“If we play around the viper’s hole–it is no wonder that we are bitten!“

An old proverb advises us not to play with sharp-edged tools, lest we cut our fingers.

It is a sin to trifle with sin! If we must play, we had better find harmless toys!

That evil which caused Christ a bloody death, is no fit theme for any man’s sport.

Playing with wickedness is a hazardous game! Sooner or later, we will pluck the lion of sin by the beard, and we shall be torn in pieces!

This is true of indulgence in strong drink: “Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper!”

This is equally true of all other forms of evil, especially of the lusts of the flesh. Lewd words, soon lead to foul deeds. Yet such is the folly of men, that they run dreadful risks in sheer wantonness, as though vipers and cobras were fine playmates, and devils were merry-makers! 

“Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Do not let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” Psalm 19:13

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

An easy Hell!

(Thomas Watson, “The Art of Divine Contentment“)

“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content–whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.” Philippians 4:11-12

Whatever affliction or trouble a child of God meets with–it is all the Hell he shall ever have! Whatever eclipse may be upon his name or estate–it is but a little cloud which will soon be blown over, and then his Hell is past!

Death begins a wicked man’s Hell.
Death ends a godly man’s Hell.

Think with yourself, “What is my affliction? It is but a temporary Hell. Indeed, if all my Hell is here on earth–it is but an easy Hell. What is the cup of affliction–compared to the cup of damnation!”

Lazarus could not get a crumb; he was so diseased that the dogs took pity on him–and as if they had been his physicians, licked his sores. But this was an easy Hell–the angels quickly fetched him out of it!

If all our Hell is in this life–and in the midst of this Hell, we have the love of God–then it is no more Hell, but paradise! If all our Hell is here on earth, we may see to the end of it; it is but skin-deep, it cannot touch the soul. It is a short-lived Hell. After a dreary night of affliction, comes the bright morning of glory!

Since our lives are short–our trials cannot be long!

As our riches take wings and fly away–so do our sufferings!

Let us learn then, to be content whatever our circumstances.

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com