His Love Never Fails

Last night we continued our study through the fourth chapter of James. It was not an easy passage. Be miserable, mourn, and weep; turn your laughter into gloom. Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord that He might exalt you at the right time. [James 4:9-10]

Have you ever been miserable and sorrowful over your own personal sin? Can you recall times when your own sin brought you to tears like one grieving over the loss of someone close?

Most people do not take much time to reflect on the ugliness of their own sin. It is so much easier to never contemplate sin in our lives though it is there and it is destructive. Before preaching last night, I stayed behind while the rest of the camp went tubing. I spent much of the afternoon in repentance as the Lord brought sins to mind.

I stood before Him in humility to preach last night. I know I am not a big deal. I know that He must increase and I must decrease. [Jn 3:30] I have nothing to boast about except the cross of Jesus Christ. [Gal 6:14] The only reason I can come with confidence before His throne of grace to find mercy and to obtain help in my time of need [Heb 4:16] is because of God's grace. Jesus Christ paid my debt to make me righteous in Him. [II Cor 5:21]

There is no room to boast for any of us. We are all sinners. Our sin should cause all of us to be miserable and to mourn the fact that we do not live consistently. Sin is offensive to the Lord. Sin is ugly and many people do not understand the nature of repentance. The prophet Joel told people to return to the Lord with fasting, weeping and mourning rending their hearts and not their garments. [Joel 2:12]

Now there is a danger here. Some people never get past the mourning and weeping over their sin. They do not understand the true measure of God's grace nor the joy of being restored. These people live in condemnation and camp out in shame. I love the truth in Psalm 3:3, God is a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Have you have ever blown it in sin and hung your head in shame as you repented. Have you gone beyond that and felt God putting his fingers underneath your chin to lift your head to behold His love, forgiveness, and restoration.

This is what I preached last night. I called hard for repentance and for the lost to be saved. I also called all of us to remember His love never fails. I don't deserve that love anymore than you do. For His redeemed His love never fails [Rom 8:38-39]. It is that love that never fails that moves my heart to want to love Jesus all the more.

We sang that song "Your Love Never Fails" last night. God moved me to tears as I reflected on His love despite my sin. God moved in me to remind me that though I fail, am flawed, find myself in the very sin I hate, His grace is sufficient. His love never fails. I am not saying that He is always pleased with me. I disappoint Him often. O, but what liberating truth in that His love never fails. NEVER! He always deals with me in perfect love, perfect patience, perfect willingness to forgive, and the perfect chastisement over my rebellious acts.

Have you known the joy, peace, and relief of being restored to God? Like David after his sin with Bathsheeba and like Peter after denying Christ? Have you known the tenderness of a holy God lifting your head out of shame and condemnation back to fellowship with Him. Beloved we are declared righteous in Jesus. We did not earn that. Our sin is covered and we are granted access to a holy God because of Jesus Christ and His redemptive death on the cross. HALLELUJAH!

I have long held the hymn It Is Well With My Soul as my all time favorite. Every verse seems to build on truth. There is a line in that hymn that stirs me deeply. O the bliss of this glorious thought - my sin not in part but the whole - is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more - Praise the Lord - Praise the Lord O my soul. Yes, I am a sinner and my sin makes me miserable. But that is not the end of the story. Yes, I am a sinner. The whole truth is I am a redeemed sinner, forgiven, declared righteous in Christ. I have been given the right to be God's child [John 1:12] all because His love never fails.

What truth. I don't know if God moved people to repentance last night. I don't even know if anyone felt the love and grace of being restored last night. I just know His love never fails. PRAISE THE LORD!