what a Friend we have in Jesus

At times we think we are making it in this world alone. And that the Lord doesn't hear our prayers in our cries of need and desperation. God tells repeatedly to His faithful children that He never has left them nor forsaken them. We must look to Him for comfort and strength.  Those that are in the bible, and those we hear today telling their stories of faith in trial, are living examples of how God has worked in their lives, and proved His love for them many times. All that he does is out of pure love, and He waits for us to call and seek Him, to help us in our time of need.

 

Here are examples:

A.) David's cry for help--His prayer for security and assurance. Wherever we are, we can trust that God will be there to answer our cries for help.)--

Psalm 61:1-3

"Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead my to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."

Psalm 103:1-7

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth my mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."

 

B.)Job Kept His integrity

Job 2:10

"But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish woman speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips."

 





**Many people think that believing in God protects them from trouble, so when calamity comes, they question God's goodness and justice. But the message of Job is that you should not give up on God just because bad things happen. Faith in God does not guarantee personal prosperity, and lack of faith does not guarantee troubles in this life. If this were son, people would believe in God simply to get rich. God is capable of rescuing us from suffering, but he may also allow suffering to come for reasons we cannot understand. It is Satan's strategy to get us to doubt God at exactly this moment. Job shows here a perspective broader than his own personal comfort. If we always know why we suffer, our faith will have no room to grow. **

 

 C.)Hosea- A man whom God told to marry a woman would be an adulteress. This would illustrate and give us an understanding of God's love for his sinful people, and how He is always involved in our lives. He is never too far from us, even when it seems like He is.

Hosea 3:1

"Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who took to other gods, and love flagons of wine."

*God is asking Hosea to do something almost unthinkable-to buy back his adulteress, unrepentant wife and continue to love her! when those who knew about Gomer's adultery heard Hosea say that God loved Idolatrous Israel as much as he loved Gomer, they must have been amazed. The people had heard God's words many times, but they felt the impact of those words when they saw them acted out in Hosea's troubled home life. *

 

((Here is someone that wasn't in the bible- but had an experience of hopelessness/desperation, and how it turned to faith and trusting and loving God no matter what. This is how the song (what a friend we have in Jesus) came about.))

D.) Joseph M. Scriven (1819-1896) was 25 years old, in love and to be married. The day before his wedding his fiancé died in a tragic drowning accident. Heartbroken, Joseph sailed from his homeland (Dublin, Ireland)(What a friend We have in Jesus)

 to start a new life in Canada. While in Canada working as a teacher, he fell in love again and became engaged to Eliza Roche, a relative of one of his students. Once again, Joseph's hopes and dreams were shattered when Eliza became ill and died before the wedding could take place. Although one can only imagine the turmoil within this young man, history tells us that his faith in God sustained him. Soon after Eliza's death Joseph joined the Plymouth Brethren and began preaching for a Baptist Church. He never married, but spent the remainder of his life giving all his time, money, and even the clothes off his back to help the less fortunate and to spread the love and compassion of Jesus wherever he went. Around the same time that Eliza died, Joseph received word from Ireland that his mother was ill. He could not go to be with her, so he wrote a letter of comfort and enclosed one of his poems entitled

John 15:13

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.