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Saturday 27 July 2002 - "Let God always be your strength" - wedding of Klaus & Ingrid

(Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen)

Jer 17:7 & 8

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Joshua 24:15b

"... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

A life that has God's blessing, is truly a blessed life. God is a blessed God. We read numerous times in the Bible phrases such as "blessed be the Lord God ...". Those whose God He is, they are blessed as well.

This blessed man is contrasted with the man that is cursed, in the verses just before these. Here we see clearly the two possible ways that exist in life. Either a blessed or cursed life. There is no middle way.

The man that is blessed prospers spiritually. He will bear fruit and his leaf will stay green, even in drought. We do not know our lives ahead. Difficult times might come, but if we are of this blessed kind, we will continue to bear sweet fruit and prosper. It is a great blessing if this life is your desire, and not on your lips only, but a reality in your life. The fruit of such a blessed person is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, etc.

The cursed man's fruit is hatred, bitterness, envy, etc. His leaves wither and he is like a bush in a wasteland that will not even see when prosperity comes.

The Bible makes it clear who those are that are blessed and cursed. The blessed man makes God His strength and trust. He hopes in God, and not in man. God's children is his delight, and he lives in sweet union and fellowship with them. His life is lived to God's glory and honour. He does not glorify man and put his hope and praise on man.

The cursed man makes flesh his strength, trusts in man, and his heart or thoughts depart from the Lord. We have seen many times how that those that glorified man, and built upon a person and not on the Lord, were the first also to depart from the Lord and fall away.

Never let a human being be the arm on which you depend, even if it is your husband, wife or child. No, make God your strength and put your trust in Him only.

Another curse is to trust in oneself. It's not the sin of someone else that will grieve the Holy Spirit in your life, but your own sin. Just see how Peter trusted in himself, and in the end failed miserably before a young girl. Never build on your own strength, heart, feelings or wisdom.

May these verses be like pearls around your neck, that you will only trust in the Lord. Remember how Paul, after his conversion, did not consult with flesh and blood when God called Him, but made God his strength (Gal 1:16).

Joshua too did not consult the nation of Israel, but chose for himself and his house to serve God and trust in Him alone. It's amazing how he could even speak for his wife and children. Many men say they would love to serve the Lord, but their wife or children run after the world and its lusts - the lust of the flesh and eyes. Can you speak as Joshua did and make God you and your family's strength alone?

May each of us choose today to make God our strength.