THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT - "Come Thou Fount"

 THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT - "Come Thou Fount" - 1-17-21

INTRODUCTION

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ."

2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3-5‬ NIV

The importance of understanding the Word

"And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected."

1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭25-27‬ ASV

‘I "buffet" my body’

Give me more

Come Thou Fount

Come thou font of every blessing 

Tune my heart to sing thy grace 

Streams of mercy never ceasing 

Call for songs of loudest praise 

Teach me some melodious sonnet 

Sung by flaming tongues above 

Praise the mount 

I'm fixed upon it 

Mount of thy redeeming love

 Here I raise my Ebenezer 

Hither by thy help I'm come 

And I hope by thy good pleasure 

Safely to arrive at home 

Jesus sought me when a stranger 

Wandering from the fold of God 

He, to rescue me from danger 

Interposed His precious blood

 O to grace how how great a debtor 

Daily I'm constrained to be! 

Let thy goodness like a fetter, 

Bind my wandering heart to thee 

Prone to wander Lord I feel it, 

Prone to leave the God I love 

Here's my heart, O take and seal it, 

Seal it for thy courts above

I.  OUR RESPONSE TO GOD'S GRACE

A.  Give me more

1.  Blessing

2.  Grace

3.  Mercy

B.  Sing a song

Sing by The Carpenters

Sing, sing a song 

Sing out loud 

Sing out strong 

Sing of good things not bad 

Sing of happy not sad. 

Sing, sing a song 

Make it simple to last Your whole life long 

Don't worry that it's not 

Good enough for anyone 

Else to hear 

Just sing, sing a song. 

Sing, sing a song 

Let the world sing along 

Sing of love there could be 

Sing for you and for me. 

Sing, sing a song 

Make it simple to last 

Your whole life long 

Don't worry that it's not 

Good enough for anyone 

Else to hear 

Just sing, sing a song.

When Paula said, "Yes."  First date, proposal, marriage, my heart sang 

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭15-20‬ NIV

1.  Psalms

2.  Hymns

3.  Spiritual songs

Hannah's song of praise 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Levite's song of praise  1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Hezekiah's song of praise  Isaiah 38:10-20

Completion of the temple  Ezra 3:11

Mary's song of praise  Luke 1:46-55

Zachariah's song of praise  Luke 1:68-79

The Angels song of praise  Luke 2:14

C.  We are commanded to sing heartfelt songs of thanksgiving to God

II.  OUR RESPONSE TO OUR NEED

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭1-16‬ NIV

A.  God is our refuge

B.  God is our deliverer

My Deliverer is Coming by The Ragamuffin Band

III.  OUR RESPONSE TO OUR DILEMMA

Wandering "heart"-itis

A.  A Decision 

1.  "Set our hearts"

"For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances."  

Ezra‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬ ASV

B.  A Commitment

Joshua leading God's people into the promised land

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭7-9‬ NIV

1.  Know God's Word

2.  Do God's Word - Do What You Know

3.  Teach God’s Word

CONCLUSION

Ezra knew, practiced, and taught God’s Word.  We should do the same.

CHALLENGE

“Keep Kenwood Connected” - over the month of January our challenges will relate to connecting with one another.  This is "phone a friend" week.  Call and speak with 3 people from your Kenwood family this week.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.