An Everlasting Portion
Having God as a portion provides a Christian with a sure and lasting source of comfort, strength, and happiness.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that God is the ultimate and everlasting portion for a Christian, highlighting that while one may lose everything else in life, they can never lose their relationship with God. He asserts that true happiness and security come from having God as one's portion, and that material wealth or status cannot provide lasting fulfillment. Brooks encourages believers to ensure that God is their portion, as this is the only source of true joy and hope in life.
Text
"The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore
I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24
A Christian may be stripped of anything but his God;
he may be stripped of his estate, his friends, his relations,
his liberty, his life--but he can never be stripped of his God!
As God is a portion that none can give to a Christian but
God himself; so God is a portion that none can take from
a Christian but God himself! Therefore, as ever you would
have a sure portion, an abiding portion, a lasting portion,
yes, an everlasting portion, make sure of God for your
portion!
Nothing can make that man miserable, who has God for
his portion; nor can anything make that man happy, who
lacks God for his portion.
The more rich--the more wretched;
the more great--the more graceless;
the more honorable--the more miserable
that man will be, who has not God for his portion.
Sermon Outline
- The Nature of God as a Portion
- The Benefits of Having God as a Portion
- The Consequences of Lacking God as a Portion
- Wealth and greatness can lead to wretchedness and gracelessness
- Honorable status can lead to misery
Key Quotes
“A Christian may be stripped of anything but his God; he may be stripped of his estate, his friends, his relations, his liberty, his life--but he can never be stripped of his God!” — Thomas Brooks
“Nothing can make that man miserable, who has God for his portion; nor can anything make that man happy, who lacks God for his portion.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Make sure to prioritize your relationship with God above all else.
- Recognize that true happiness and security come from God, not from external circumstances.
- Do not rely on wealth, greatness, or honorable status for happiness, but rather on God as your portion.