But to the truly hungry believer it is a positive comfort to be assured that God knows everything about us; He knows the very worst that can be discovered.
You are accepted in the Beloved. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, Who has loved us and given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17. For you are accepted in the Beloved.
The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3).
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God (2 Cor. 1:4).
We actually have Deity living inside us to lead and to guide – to help and to comfort. The Creator of the universe has chosen to make you and me His personal residence.
Zephaniah tells us: He will be silent in His love. Spirit to spirit communion; yet He answered her not a word… But as we rest in His love; as we sit silently before Him and worship at His feet, He will bring that comfort and peace that only springs from resting in Him.
Comforting Words
And so He comforted them with some precious words of comfort: Let not your hearts be troubled.
Christ did not describe church age doctrine – that was to be Paul’s responsibility, but He did comfort them with the promise of His permanently indwelling Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3).
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God (2 Cor. 1:4).
Channels of Peace
We who have been given the mind of Christ should be peacemakers. We who are called children of God should become channels of His peace – channels of His blessings and peacemaking, channels of our peace to others: finally, beloved, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind – live in PEACE. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Now the Lord of PEACE himself give you PEACE always by all means Amen.
“As the believer grows, and his path becomes more involved, he is taught more about the Holy Spirit’s ministry, for he needs this doctrine increasingly for his comfort and rest in trial.
How often we have murmured under trial only to see later the preparation of the Lord Jesus of our hearts that we might be His ministers of comfort in an hour of need in the life of another (2 Cor. 1:4).
Afflictions, therefore, many times are the advance token of the Father that we are being prepared for a special ministry of comfort to others.
Christ is the answer to each hurting heart, for the spilt blood of Christ alone can address each need and comfort each heart – the shed blood of Jesus alone can calm each cry and heal each hurt.
Spirit of Comfort
Truly Jesus is a great Comforter - our wonderful 'Paraclete'. Wikipedia tell us it mean 'Advocate' or 'Helper' and it generally refers to the Holy Spirit.
No words have dropped so graciously from His lips than His words of Comfort.
Comfort in Sadness
And to the grieving and bereft widow at Nain, His reassuring, Weep Not, is spoken.
To the sorrowing sisters at Bethany, His soothing comfort comes with the word - Thy brother shall rise again.... gently scolding them in doubts and tears... Didn't I say that, if you believe, thou would see the glory of God?.
Oh -and what blessed words of perfect comfort are spoken to the beloved disciple..
when he saw the majesty of the risen, glorified Christ in his awesome Patmos vision, and heard those astonishing words of comfort:- Fear not; I am the first and the last... I am He that is alive, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore.
No words ever uttered could be more full of comfort and reassurance as these - to him who understands them..
Comfort in Fear
It seems that the Lord loves us so deeply, that He would not have us fear, for He tells us:- that fear is not made perfect in love....and that there is no fear in love, because fear hath torment.... but perfect love casts out fear:- 1John 4:18.
He would have us live our lives without fear; without care, without doubt or worry. If we trust Him fully then we must love Him completely.. and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him 1John 4:16. What comfort is this.
He charges us not to fear this life, not to fear death nor to fear what is after death. He has His words of comfort in every walk of life - and in every touch of death - and He would have each of His own living fully in Him... full of that perfect love that casts out all fear ... and care..
We dwell much upon the side of being filled with joy, but let us not forget there are broken hearts all round us, and if we are to be channels of divine comfort to them, we must learn something of the fellowship of His sufferings in our own experience.
Comfort and Care
Exhortation and encouragement is a beautiful aspect of our Christian life. Peter is the apostle that encourages us to care for one another, in Christ. Peter tells us: above all, keep loving one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1Peter 4:8. We should be concerned for the well-being of fellow believers in many ways.
Paul is one who reminds us of our responsibility to comfort one another: wherefore comfort one another with these words..” 1Thess.4:18
We are to comfort each other and help to underpin each other in life: Exhort yourselves together – Heb.10:25 Comfort one another – 1Thess.4:18 Love one another earnestly. 1Peter.1:22
Exhort is the root word of the Holy Spirit as the great Comforter of our souls. This is a beautiful picture of a friend who gently comes alongside, to encourage. We are shown that we should function in the Spirit of exhortation and comfort.
Sometimes it is to offer a word of comfort; sometimes to act as a balance; sometimes it is to be a solace or reassurance; sometimes it is to correct; sometimes it is to lead or to guide; sometimes it is to feed the flock – sometimes it is just to be there.
Comforting Support
How we need to exhort and comfort one another.
It is often that word of comfort and encouragement that gladdens the heart.
It is a part of the calling of saints to show men how to suffer: how, even in the midst of the hard and bitter experiences of life, the Lord Jesus is sufficient to give joy and comfort. -H.F.
STUDY - God, All I Need
Thou shalt comfort me on EVERY side.Psalm71:21
Sufficient Comfort
Let us commit, daily, to resting in Him through the trial of human experience. Let us, in confidence, abide continually in His heavenly comfort, and receive blessing and renewal from our precious heavenly Comforter.
Our indwelling Comforter gives Spirit to spirit comfort and rest.
One result of His indwelling companionship is an abiding comfort; an enduring compassion; a continuing contentment; a deep calm; a secure solace; a perfect peace, which can be obtained from no other but Him.
His Word is the pure principle and standard that God Himself has ordered. Of course, we are all human and we all love to have concrete reassurances, but our comfort and reassurance must remain in His Word of truth.
Chambers continues:- “Are you painfully disturbed just now, distracted by the waves and billows of God’s providential permission, and having, as it were, turned over the boulders of your belief, are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is all barren?
Right Standing
The God of comfort desires to comfort us in all our deeds and distresses; to comfort us by continuously bringing us back to a right standing with Himself – so that He can draw us all into the depth of understanding of Himself that He desires.
Inscrutable Ways
Is not this glorious truth a comfort in appreciating if not in understanding His mysterious thoughts; His unsearchable judgments; His inscrutable ways?
I am sure at the start, in the silence of their company, his friends were a real comfort – but later, looking at the circumstances, they try to analyse Job’s sufferings themselves.
In an attempt to comfort Job, they speak and argue through self-acquired wisdom.
David recognises the Lord’s mercy and David discovers the Lord’s comfort, when he cries, the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
Job2:45. God will expose the roots of the old Adamic nature, with its prideful religiosity, until the old self-life is crucified and the new-life is transformed into His image. He will take your personal ‘seed of affliction‘, turning you into a ‘vessel of comfort’.
An Eternal Ministry
God prepared Job to be His ‘Vessel of Comfort‘ – and you have that same choice.
And Job has been engaged in the 'Ministry of Comfort' – for the last 4000 years or more..
Have you considered what it would mean to you to become a vessel of God’s choice – a chosen vessel of God – to intercede and comfort those who are in need? Have you considered Paul’s 'Job Experience' and his astonishing conclusion?
that uplifting message of comfort; that encouraging word of praise; that heart-warming expression of commendation – that quiet voice which consoles the hurting or gently checks the fault.
Man’s Simple Plea
Ahh but man takes each call, each prayer, each request as an individual plea, Father help me in this straight away”, and “Lord I need your comfort in that, now.” Man separates each prayer and petition as one single application.
come and drink from the living water? Was this offer of comfort a call to the heart to be comforted by the eternal Comforter? For whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones…. shall in no wise lose his reward. Who can forget that great cry on that last day – that great last day of the feast of Tabernacles – Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. John 7:37.
God of Comfort
You are more precious to Him than the sparkling universe and the riches of the world. He loves you more dearly than human understanding can fathom, and He is the God of comfort when a human heart is faint from exhaustion. He loves to place little lighted candles in our dark chambers of pain and sorrow. He delights to kiss away the tears of sadness and replace them with joy.
Great Comforter
He is able to comfort because He is incarnate Comfort – the great Comforter. He gives His own peace to those He delights in. He offers the same peace that kept Him quiet and calm during His own earthly walk: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Spirit of Comfort
From our introduction to this man of faith, he is saved – one whose sin is covered, and his triumphant call is … For I know that my Redeemer liveth… Job.19:25.
And unlike his three religious friends, Job found his comfort in the only Comforter.
This same Spirit of Comfort, warns and beseeches us today to take notice of Job.
The Spirit of Comfort admonishes us and He beseeches us to be like Job.
Why does the Spirit of Comfort admonish us and warn us to be like Job..? Why does He counsel us to put no spiritual stumbling block in our friend’s way? So that, like Job, our ministering service will not be blamed.
This is the 'comfort', wherewith we are comforted..
It will comfort you much to be assured that the Lord is teaching you dependence upon Himself, and it is very a remarkable thing that faith is necessary in everything!
In fact, we ought to be prepared for the dark hour; so that, though it be dark, there is something so blessed, so suited, pouring its comfort and sustenance on our souls, that, after all, the dark and dreary hour becomes a more really festive time to the heart, because of the virtues of the truth now made known, than the time of its reception, which was so happy and exhilarating. -J.B.S.
The Gospel in Genesis
Adam → ManSeth → is AppointedEnos → MortalCainan → SorrowMahalaleel →The Blessed GodJared → Shall Come DownEnoch → TeachingMethusela → His Death Shall BringLamech → the SorrowingNoah → Comfort and Joy Gen.5:1 ff
The blessed God shall come down teaching His death shall bring the sorrowing comfort and joy.
and God uses this inbuilt operative of the human heart, to develop faith. God uses this innate function of man’s soul, to turn him from self to Christ. When others fail us, it is to the open arms of His comfort that we fly. When things go wrong, it is to the one source of His supply that we turn. When life’s circumstances shatter our hopes, we discover our ‘need‘ of Him.
Our sufferings bring forth need, and our need brings forth His comfort and consolation.
Comfort does not come to the light-hearted and merry.
We must go down into depths' if we would experience this most precious of God's gifts - comfort, and thus be prepared to be coworkers together with Him.
It is in this school that we acquire the ability to comfort others; so that our personal affliction or personal comfort work unto the same end, even the profit of others for we are their servants for Jesus’ sake.” -J.L.H. 221
Words of Comfort
These eternal words of the Saviour were the second words He spoke from the Cross.
When the Lord speaks to the penitent heart, He speaks words of comfort and peace.
Though He was draining the bitter dregs from His cup of woe – a bitter cup, given to Him by the Father – for love of you and me… He gave a cup of blessedness and comfort to this penitent, with the words..
No doubt I shall find lovely confidence in the Lord in respect of His government of this world, the comfort of forgiveness, the happy confidence of integrity of heart, and remarkable prophecies of Christ; but where shall I find heavenly hopes, or my union with the glorified Lord Jesus, or even the out-flowings of divine grace, as manifested in His person on earth, or the blessed affection which flows from hearts acquainted with these?
but influence, personality, constitution, diplomas are of no consequence, and Satan happily allows many to play their religious games in freedom and comfort.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God' (2 Cor. 1:4).
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort… Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Trust in Christ
The disciples all loved their Lord, but there was much they did not understand.. and so the Lord Jesus had to comfort them saying, Let not your hearts be troubled – you believe in God – then believe in Me – believe in ME
Guard and Guide
Is this not a wonderful comfort to know that God is ever watching over His own?
His Sovereign Rule
What a comfort that He sees everything that happens, whether for good or ill.
Wonderful Comfort
Is this not a wonderful comfort to know that God is ever watching His own – guarding us from danger; directing the way that we take; listening to our whispered prayer and hearing our humble worship?
Cup of Suffering
To be pinched by poverty; to be maligned by loved ones; to be fettered by some disability. To be stripped bare of loving comfort; to stand alone in the shocks and quakes of life; to be overwhelmed by man's indifference to man and man's hatred of God.
Time of Training
David sought comfort in his Psalms - knowing God's promises are sure and Paul gloried in his thorn - knowing that His grace is sufficient. Present circumstances which press so hard and wound so deeply..if surrendered to the Lord..
Born to Die
He was born to die – that men might live. He was born to be made vile sin – that sinners might be made pure and perfect. He was born to be broken – that sin-shattered man might be made whole. He was born to be wounded – that damaged, traumatised man might be made new. He was born to bring the despairing, comfort, hope and joy that was lost in Eden’s realm. He came to bind up and to heal the broken, bloodied, wounded heart.
Very often it may seem but poor comfort to us in times of suffering, times of trial, times of adversity, times when Satan is pressing hard, to be told that, while we can see nothing of the meaning of all this, God is instructing angels, and that principalities and powers are deriving the benefit of it all.
We do not draw a great deal of comfort from that, but if we understood I think we would realize that, while we may not at such times be fulfilling a very big ministry on the earth, there is a big ministry going on towards principalities and powers through our instrumentality.
The Spirit’s Ministry
In the book of Acts, we discover the Lord Jesus ascending into heaven but the promised Holy Spirit was sent to be an ever-present help and comfort in this church age.
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1,2 NIV)
Picture of Noah, courtesy of www.freebibleimages.org/
A Full Study Of JOB
Comforting Story
The story of Job has been a great comfort to Jew, Gentile, and Christian alike.
Some take comfort that, 'bad things happen to good men', and this is so..
Ideal Versus Reality
Christ is indeed our Consolation, Strengthener, Support, and Comfort – but in dealing in the spiritual, we must differentiate between the ideal and the actual!
Revelation 2:26 tells us: he who overcomes, and he who keeps My works until the end.. Rev,2:26. I take comfort in the following words today – and I hope that you do too.
How blessed to know that He is absolute Master in all things; that even He maketh the wrath of man to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He restrains.' It is the only thing that can give the smallest comfort in the midst of such a scene of confusion all around us. -F.W.G.
He comforts us in our every affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction by means of the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God (2 Cor. 1:4, Wey.).
It is a great comfort to know that everything our Father takes us through - much of which may be hard and heartbreaking - has a dual purpose.
The flesh and the devil pretend to have the answers. Look away from the clamours of life that drowns out the still small voice. Look away from the visual signs that nourish the ego. Reject the things which give empty comfort, but for a moment.
a vessel of intercession – a vessel of praise, but especially a vessel of deep comfort.
A vessel of God’s comfort to others in need of that comfort.
Adamic Religiosity
God wants to use His called and chosen vessels to comfort others in their need.
That we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble. 1 Corinthians 1:4. And when we go through our own fiery crucible, like Job..
we too need comfort.
Their comfort was a pot-pourri of good and evil – a mixture made up of truth and lies.
Oh, how he needed their loving comfort, but how their attitude infected Job’s retort.
God of Comfort
But the God of all Comfort in His goodness turns the crumbling situation to good.
For the Spirit of Christ alone is our Comfort; our Consolation; our 'Paraklesis' – our Intercessor and Counsellor; our Advocate; our Encourager and Strengthener.
And it is through Him that His Comfort becomes a living expression in us – until it is not I that live but Christ that lives in me.
Spirit of Comfort
'Paraklaleo' means:- to encourage; console; comfort; entreat; desire; beseech; incite.
He is the One that makes ALL the comfort of God a living declaration in our lives; a life emptied of the old, prideful Adamic self; a life filled with the Spirit of Comfort.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. by His Comfort. flowing through us.
Blessing in Suffering
Some are blessed to discover the treasures of Christ through the hour of suffering. He comforts us in all our sufferings, so that we can comfort others who suffer -so that we will be able to give them the same comfort that God has given us. 2Cor.1:4 It is as each of his own reaches the extremity of their own suffering and pain..
But Paul also wanted to comfort, encourage and edify these believers, and so often we find that he did this by calling to remembrance all the wonderful things that God has done for us and anticipating all the wonderful things that God has in store for the future.
Paul reminded them that they were called to be holy and enriched by the grace of God, and he also reminds us that our God is a God of comfort, especially in those times of trials and difficulty.
Although the disciples must have been bewildered by the suddenness of this disclosure, Jesus assured them He would be with them in spirit and in truth, and He also promised to send another Helper to guard and guide his children, a Teacher to guide them into all truth, a Counsellor to be with them in times of difficulty and danger, a Comforter to comfort them in their sorrows, a Helper to help in times of trouble.
Paul was a man who was equipped to comfort and encourage other Christians through the difficulties and dangers of life, because Paul was a man who understood the significance of suffering for the sake of Christ.
Paul was also a man that received gracious comfort from the God of all comforts (Who comforts each one of us so that we may be used by Him to comfort other people, who may cross our life-path).
David rejoices to know that in God's timing and in His way, the Lord will judge the world in righteousness, give release to the poor, and comfort to those that are oppressed.
He discovered Him to be a place of protection in the storms of life, and a source of comfort in the trials that surrounded the children of Israel in their pilgrimage through their wilderness walk.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, which was such a comfort and source of protection for the Israelites, gave confusion to their enemy.
And what a comfort for Christians in this dispensation of grace, to know that the promises that God has made to the Church in connection with our own, heavenly inheritance are equally steadfast and sure.
And so, he sent Tychicus to encourage and comfort their hearts in the midst of the difficult times in which they were living, and to embolden them to preach the Word fearlessly.It was through Tychicus that Paul sent his letter to Colossae, for this faithful friend was a man who brought encouragement and comfort to all those he served.
The godly character of this dear man of faith was manifested in his actions, attitude, and commendable ministry.May we, like Tychicus, walk in wisdom, pray in spirit and truth, redeem the time, and give godly comfort and encouragement to our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ.
May we, like him, pray without ceasing, rejoice in the Lord continuously, and in everything give thanks to our Heavenly Father.May we seek to be faithful servants of God and develop the sort of Christlike character that honours the Lord in word and in de, and may we give godly encouragement and comfort to all those who are placed in our path, for the honour of His holy name.
Such knowledge is beyond our simple understanding, but what a comfort this should be to all those that trust in His name, for there is nothing that can separate us from His continuous attendance - nothing can happen which is unknown to Him.
He is the God of all comfort and peace, Who raised Christ from the dead - Whose blood secured the everlasting covenant He promised to His people Israel. He is our Chief Shepherd and Sovereign Lord of all, for He is the Supreme Man and Prince of all pastors and teachers.
Indeed, he even exhorts us to consider our various trials as a joy and blessing from our Father, while Paul warns that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, but that God Himself will comfort us in our suffering and pain so that we can comfort others in their suffering and pain.
These words of comfort were given to Israel after Isaiah's repeated warning of approaching punishment if they did not repent of their evil ways, nevertheless, the Lord is a God of comfort and grace.
Although his writing was not laid out chronologically as one would expect... nestled between his pronouncements of great judgement are little sections of comfort and hope which promise restoration to the people of Israel and a full and final fulfilment of God's promise, to their forefather Abraham.
The rainbow is a simple, visible sign of God's covenant of grace to His creation that is recorded in His written Word, and when we see a rainbow in the sky, it is certainly a cause of comfort.
Should not we who are His children, made in His image, and born of the Spirit, humble our hearts before Him and bow our ear to listen to the whisper of His still small voice, as He speaks to us His Words of comfort and guidance?
What a great comfort this is and no believer should be ignorant of this wonderful truth so that we will not grieve for our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone to be with the Lord ahead of us.
His dealings with Israel is a great comfort to all God’s children, for we know that despite the times when we also wander away from the Lord; getting swept into worldly ways or adopting a careless attitude, His initial response may well be discipline or chastisement, but He is also long-suffering towards us, even when we stray from His path of righteousness and follow our own foolish ways.
Our faithful God is the one who fed the hungry multitude, provides comfort for the broken-hearted, gives succour to the weak, strength to the weary, hope to the afflicted, and salvation to all who trust in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins - for while we were yet sinners, God in His grace provided a Kinsman-Redeemer to save His people from their sins.
There is great comfort for the people of Israel (and for all the children of God) in the book of Isaiah, for despite Israel's rebellion against the Lord and the crucifixion of their promised Messiah, God has declared that He will not forsake His people, their iniquity would be forgiven, and their sin would be remembered no more.
The 27 chapters that follow, deal with redemption and comfort, forgiveness and grace, and joyfully terminate with a new heaven and a new earth, echoing the New Testament.
And amidst Ezekiel's furious warnings of judgement upon the nation that had forsaken their God and broken their covenant with Him, we discover a word of comfort, when the nation will finally have one Shepherd Who will cause the people to walk in God's ordinances and keep His statutes.
BUT GOD Who is loving, gracious, long-suffering, and faithful, pronounced His bitter rod of severe chastening due to their apostasy, which would also prove to be a blossoming staff of sweet comfort and peace, grace and mercy, love, and hope, and joy.
And so, Jeremiah wrote a message of comfort to the Jews who had been exiled to Babylon with King Jeconiah.
But despite their disobedience toward the holy one of Israel, the gracious thoughts God had towards His people, and the future plans He had prepared for them, were designed to prosper them and bring them peace and comfort, safety and success.
This glorious verse of comfort sparkles with reassuring radiance, that the future plan God has for all of His people, both for Israel and the Church, are for our eternal good and spiritual welfare, as well as our temporal and physical needs.
He calls us to sympathize with each other, to have compassion one for another, and to empathise in the trials and difficulties that our brothers and sisters in Christ are going through, to be there to help and to comfort, to support and encourage.
But what Christ said next must have brought tremendous comfort and joy to their heart, (and to ours),Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The Lord knows that only as we commune with Him and obey His new commandment to love as I have loved, will He be able to pour His streams of living water through us, and equip us to be channels of comfort and refreshment to all those with whom we come in contact.
he bewailed, Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.However, God in His grace gave this young man comfort and encouragement for the daunting task that lay ahead: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, were the Lord’s reassuring words to this young man, and before you were born I consecrated you.Jeremiah had been born into a 'priestly' family, from the tribe of Benjamin... but it was not his parentage, his lineage, or the dictates of a board of directors that secured his prophetic ministry; nor was he a self-proclaimed mouthpiece for the Lord, as so often happened in Bible times, and still happens today!He was called and chosen by the Lord... and those that are called and chosen by God for a specific task, are always sufficiently equipped by the Spirit of God, to complete the task before them.Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' Jeremiah was told by the Lord, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.He was not to worry about being too young or inarticulate, or because of any speech impediment.
At the end of Revelation, Jesus reiterates this glorious truth that should gladden and comfort every child of God: Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.
This precious truth that our Lord and Saviour will return in the clouds of glory for us; to take His Body, the Church, to be with Himself, should be of tremendous comfort, glorious encouragement, and an assured hope.
For those who believe, this passage is a great comfort as well as an admonishment towards righteous living and godly behaviour: For IF God did not spare angels when they sinned and IF He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah... and IF He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction and made them an example to the ungodly, but rescued righteous Lot... THEN the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.
There is no more beneficial activity than reflecting, pondering and contemplating the Word of God, which is nourishment for the soul, rest for the weary, peace for the troubled, comfort for the afflicted, and instruction for the man of God.
Paul often prayed for the comfort, encouragement, establishment, and strengthening of the Body of Christ, which is the Church, and in this great prayer, we find Paul's fervent intercession addressed equally to the Lord Jesus Christ and to God the Father.
He earnestly prayed for the Christians at Thessalonica, asking both God the Son and God the Father to comfort and encourage the hearts of these believers and to strengthen and establish them in every good work and in all they say.
Let us be those who comfort and strengthen others by our words and our works, as we draw our strength and hope from the Lord Jesus.
Life often takes us through the weary place and the parched wilderness on this journey through life, where only God can provide the comfort and sustenance we desperately need.
What a blessed comfort this verse has been to multitudes of believers in Christ, down through the ages, who have rested on these words of the Psalmist and had their hearts stilled in the presence of the Lord.
These words of David have been of great comfort to many who have been overwhelmed by the fights and fancies of evildoers who, in comparison with godly man, seem to prosper in the ways of the world.
So many of the sacred words that have been penned by Israel's shepherd-king are prayers that have been rehearsed on the lips of many saints over centuries of time, who have found comfort and grace in his pleadings to the Lord.
Isaiah moved from warnings of imminent punishment for the unrepentant masses of apostates and blessings for a believing remnant in chapters 1-39, to future prophecies of comfort and hope, with deliverance and national restoration for those who believe, in chapters 40-66.
Nevertheless, words of comfort and hope were given to a faithful remnant 'the Israel of God' as Paul calls them: Do not fear, for I am with you in the storm, were the Lord's reassuring words to this tiny remnant: I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'do not hold them back.'
Despite both Israel and Judah being carried away into exile, prophecies of comfort abounded for God's little remnant and later chapters in Isaiah are filled with promises of future deliverance.
Jesus was the perfect example of a Man of prayer, by which He maintained unbroken fellowship with His Heavenly Father, from Whom He received strength, comfort, and direction.
It was to a disparate little group of His faithful followers that the Lord Jesus offered these words of comfort and encouragement: Do not be afraid, little flock, He told the anxious little group who had already started to be persecuted for righteousness' sake: Fear not, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
What a comfort to know that the good tidings of great joy, which spoke of the glorious gospel of Christ would not grind to a bitter halt at His departure, but that the Spirit of truth would come to guide them into the many truths that they were not yet ready to receive; truths that could not yet be manifest before the victory on the Cross had been finally won.
These words of comfort, spoken by God to the nation of Israel, can equally be applied to Christians today: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
Let us not only read these words of comfort but let us meditate on them and wholeheartedly believe them, for the One Who created us in Christ Jesus has also said: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
The Sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing His plan to His servants, the prophets, and Ezekiel was one such servant through whom the Lord spoke to His people, Israel, and disclosed many wonderful and many terrible things.Although this man of God warned of the judgement to come, there is much in this book that emphases the sovereign authority of the Lord, which gives encouragement and comfort to his people, Israel.Although the book of Ezekiel trumpets the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Sanctuary, it also proclaims the great and awesome glory of the Lord and describes, in detail, the future Millennial Temple under the administration of God's anointed King.One aspect of Ezekiel's ministry was that some of his prophetic announcements were to be articulated through drama or mime.
And so, we are called upon to live as unto the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit; to be at peace among ourselves, to warn those who are being irresponsible, to comfort the discouraged, to help the weak, and to be patient with everyone.
And Moses reassured them that the Lord would be with them always, to lead and to comfort, to support and help them, no matter where they went or what they did.
Many believe that becoming a Christian will guarantee a life of simplicity and ease, affluence and comfort, but we are warned in many passages that those who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life will meet with persecution and will be made to suffer because of their stand for Christ.
What a great comfort it is to discover that He will be with us always and will certainly fulfil every promise and pledge that He has purposed towards us: Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, is God's promise to His servant Jacob, Behold, I will bring you back to this land for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
It was by divine design that this Psalm so beautifully describes the Lord God as our great and caring Shepherd, for although it is often used as a great comfort at a time of death or bereavement, it is equally a Psalm that points to the Lord Jesus Christ as our sustenance and support in every season of our lives.
But we can rightly say the Lord is MY Shepherd, for He is with each of us every step of the way, to lead and to comfort, to guard and to guide.
The Lord is long-suffering and of great goodness and He knows that doubts and discouragement can be triggered by so many things that mar our lives, and so He often expands His words of comfort with a beautiful postscript, underlining and emphasising His great goodness and loving-kindness: Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
These words of encouragement and comfort were spoken to Israel through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah: Fear not, was the command they were given, which was accompanied with the most glorious promise: Fear not - for I am with you.
Psalms are often considered to be a collection of religious writings which give comfort in times of loss, help in times of need, or encouragement in times of difficulty.
In times of weakness and weariness, he ran for comfort into the loving arms of his faithful Shepherd and in times of spiritual thirst he cried: Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, for David had proved God’s faithfulness towards His people and that His everlasting mercy is new every morning.
God's message of grace and comfort towards His people, weaves its way throughout the Scriptures like a golden thread.
BUT although Israel broke covenant with God, the silken thread of His goodness, grace, and comfort continued to be woven into the history of Israel – which would finally produce an amazing tapestry of salvation for every human life who would trust His Word.God in His grace, sent His only begotten Son to pay the enormous price for their sin and the sin of the whole world, and in Isaiah chapter 40, this great prophet of Israel begins to write his beautiful, prophetic words of comfort to God's people which would eventually be manifested in the birth, life, and sacrifice of the incarnate Word of God.
Our God is a relational God, and He has made us to be part of a family and members of society, and we see in this verse a contrast between those whose lives are motivated by the futility of envy or isolated by selfish greed and inappropriate incentives, as opposed to the comfort, help, encouragement, and reward, which is gained in trusted friendships or a reliable partner in times of need.
In Proverbs, we read that the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, while in Acts we read that the Church was multiplying because they were walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
These are truly heartening words that have helped to bring consolation and comfort to generations of believers young and old, who have clung to this precious promise as a spiritual lifeline.
Earlier in this Psalm, we are told not to fret about evil-doers nor to be envious of those that work iniquity, for when our mind is correctly focused on the Lord, then our hearts are not weighed down with the troublesome behaviour of the wicked, nor overwhelmed with the continuous influx of evil in the world.Rather, we are instructed to keep the eyes of our heart upon Jesus Who has promised to carry all our burdens and to comfort us in all our affliction so that we may offer solace to others who are also weighed down by the cares of this world and oppressed by evil-doers.As we change our focus onto the Lord, so our faith in Him is excited within our heart and we are encouraged, by David, to trust in the Lord and do good – to feed on His faithfulness so that we may become strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
In this middle section of this Psalm, he changes from talking about his Shepherd Who leads and guides him, feeds and waters him, protects and revives him, to addressing the Shepherd Himself: For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
All the other actors in the story, including the men who came to comfort their friend, are unaware of the conversation that took place in heaven between the Lord and His adversary, Satan.
The drama continues with the entrance of three men, who, having had heard of Job's misfortune, join forces to comfort their friend.
Perhaps they came to comfort their friend but allowed human wisdom and worldly philosophies to influence their counsel.
But Christ’s invitation: Come to Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, brings rest to the weary, comfort for the hurting, solace to the heavily laden, and rest for the soul.
We in turn can comfort others that are in trouble, with the same comfort we ourselves receive from God: The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies and God of all comforts.
It was the gift of peace that Christ gave to His disciples, only hours before He trudged along the road of redemption to Calvary's Cross: Peace I leave with you, were His words of comfort to His confused disciples, My peace I give to you.
What comfort, rest, and reassurance wash the hearts and minds of believers when reflecting on the overwhelming love of God and the depth and height and length and breadth to which His grace extends.
As Paul draws his second, lengthy epistle to the Corinthian Christians to a close, he reiterates his earlier exhortations to seek after unity within the Body of Christ, to be of good comfort to one another, and to remain encouraged in the truth of the glorious gospel of God.
They will support and encourage us, help and counsel us, comfort and warn us, and they will love us no matter what happens.
He is the One who will always support and encourage us, help and counsel us, comfort and warn us - and He is the One Whose unconditional love will be poured out upon us without measure, through time and into eternity.
What a stupendous change the diseased leper experienced when Christ's spoke those words of comfort and said: I am willing; be cleansed, for immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
And so He sent two men, dressed in shining white to comfort His people and remind them that this same Jesus Who had been taken from them into heaven, would one day return in the same manner that they saw Him go into heaven.
Paul also understood that in the measure that we suffer for the sake of Christ, so also are we given abundant comfort and sufficient grace, no matter what we may have to face.
Paul knew that the God of Comforts is the supernatural Comforter Who comforts all His children in this world of woe so that through Christ our Comforter, we can offer comfort to others who also are in need of loving comfort and godly support.
Like Paul we need to come to a deep understanding that willing submission to suffer for Christ's sake is the singular path to real strength, true joy, and a peace that passes human comprehension: For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation and comfort also abounds through Christ.
We are exhorted to have clean hands and a pure heart, and we are to be people who hate evil and grieve over sin so that we can receive His gracious comfort and be a channel of God's solace to others.
It is here in verse 50, that the Psalmist reveals the great consolation and comfort that comes from reading the Word of God.
He tells us that God's Word has become a solace in times of difficulty and distress, and that it refreshes and revives him when weary and discouraged: This is my comfort in my affliction, he confesses, that Your Word has revived me.
Let us never forget the comfort and solace that can be received, moment by moment, from the Word of God as we abide in Him and He in us.
But Paul set out, point by point, the exact sequence of events in this passage, in order to comfort their hearts and allay their fears - reminding them of his earlier teaching, and warning them not to be worried or deceived by these false teachings... that the Day of the Lord had already begun.
It is those that weep for the wretched condition fallen man and of God's beautiful earth, which was cursed because of man's sin, who will receive the heavenly comfort offered by the Lord. It is the penitent sinner whose contrite heart laments over his own sins, and the sins of an entire world at enmity with God and under His eternal curse, who will be granted solace from the Lord, for He has promised to wipe away every tear from their eye and to comfort each one of them in their pain.
His third utterance from the Cross, is a one of gracious comfort and loving assurance to His mother, as well as bestowing an opportunity of sweet service to John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.
He had come to bring good tidings to the meek, hope to the poor, salvation to the afflicted, liberty for those that were bound by chains of sin, and freedom to those that were enslaved by Satan. Jesus had come to bind up the brokenhearted, comfort those that were afflicted, proclaim physical and spiritual liberty to the captives, and to free those who were imprisoned by Satan.
Throughout Israel's history, there has always been a faithful remnant who stood firm on the Word of God and trusted His plan of salvation, and from chapter 40, we discover words of comfort and droplets of hope.
They assumed his downfall was a punishment from the Lord, and although they came to comfort him, we are increasingly aware of their critical attitude and religious pride.
Despite the lack of comfort and encouragement from his distraught wife and supercilious friends, Job did not curse God, though he deeply regretted the day he was born.
His companions condemn him in long pious speeches in a futile attempt to 'comfort' their friend, while vigorously accusing him of sinning against God and urging him to repent of his wicked ways!
He scolded them for allowing the Temple of God to remain lying in disrepair when they lived in comfort, in their own well-constructed houses.
His fellow countrymen were living in reasonable comfort, while the ruins of Solomon's Temple were being exposed to the elements following that terrible day when Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the city and the sanctuary, so many years before.
It speaks of deliverance, pardon, comfort, and restoration, and tells of the rejection of their Messiah; the suffering Servant of God, and the amazing sacrifice of Himself for sin.
This knowledge will comfort us and assure our heart before Him, for our inner being and God-given conscience will not condemn those that are living in spirit and walking in truth.
What a comfort and joy to know that although we do not see the Lord, He not only sees us but knows us intimately and has each of one of us in His thoughts constantly.
He is our guard, and He is our guide, and wherever we go and no matter whatever happens to us, He is there to lead and to guide, to comfort and to succour.
When we know what we believe and believe what we know, we should have no fear, for He is with us – His rod and His staff are our comfort, for He knows and cares for You and for me with a blessed intimacy.
There are also many experiential ministries of which a Christian may be aware, such as the filling and giftings of the Spirit, His comfort and teaching ministries, His guidance and convicting work, His intercessory office where He helps us in our weakness, and His chastening work where we are being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ
What a powerful reminder of the glory and majesty of our Heavenly Father, Who is always there for us, and to Whom we can always turn for strength and comfort: To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
During these times, the prophetic voices of warning often provided incredible comfort, and Jeremiah 34-36 contains some wonderful messages of consolation and hope for a future restoration of the united kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
But what comfort must have flooded his heart to hear the reassuring words of one of the 24 elders who were seated on those 24 thrones surrounding the sovereign throne of Almighty God: Stop weeping, he ordered, for behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of king David, has overcome.
For multiple centuries, the words of Job have been a comfort to many who are passing through the fires of testing, for they contain deep truths that formulate the warp and weft of the tapestry that is being woven in the life of every believer.
And as the procession returned to the alter, where the water would be poured out as a thank offering to the Lord, the choir sang joyful hymns of praise, like this one from Isaiah: I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
He knew that the One Who was to come, would bring comfort and peace to the weary, war-torn nation of Israel who, for so many centuries, had been dominated by a succession of Gentile governments and who, for so long, had fallen into careless apostasy, a false religiosity, and unrepentant sin.
Paul's first communication concentrated on correction, while the focus of this second message is on comfort, victory in the Cross, and the sufficient grace that is ours in Christ.
And in this section he is seeking to comfort them in the pain they had to endure, and to re-establish their close communion and mutual love by commending them for their changed behaviour, and empathising with the hurt and suffering they had endured.
It is a song of love and comfort, that travels directly from the mind of the Almighty and Everlasting God into the depth of our fragile being, because it reminds us that it is God Who made us and not we ourselves, and that He is the One Who knew us from the beginning when we were hidden in the secret place of our mother's womb – long before we became aware of His presence and power, His wonder and majesty.
As we journey through its hallowed verses, we start to become aware that He is our ever-living help and that no matter where we are or where we roam, the Spirit of His presence is there to lead and guide, and His righteous right hand is sufficient to uphold and support us, protect and defend us, comfort and equip us, heal and help us.
There is a lovely little chorus we used to sing many years ago that would give the same sort of comfort as the words of this beautiful verse, for we have a good and wonderful God, and He truly is able to heal the broken-hearted and to bind up the wounds of one that is destitute:
Israel rebelled against God's truth and treated His faithful servant abominably, but Jeremiah found hope and comfort in God's Word and was able to say amidst severe persecution and trial: Your words were found and I did eat them.
Let us be diligent to listen to all He says and to apply it to our lives, and let us comfort one another with the truth of the glorious gospel of grace, knowing that Christ died for our sin and rose again so that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Our home and happiness come under threat, our comfort and character are the target of their fierce arrows, our family and friends, our safety and security, and even our work and witness for the Lord seems to be the only target at which they are aiming their cruel condemnation and fiery darts of contempt and censure - and as a result our peace and contentment is shredded into distress and confusion.
Never forget that we have the indwelling Comforter living within our hearts and He is our ever-present help and comfort when all the difficulties and pressures of life try to swamp us.
The wonderful result of this is that we in turn may be able to comfort others who are also in any kind of affliction, with the same wonderful comfort that we have received from our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Jesus promised to give us the peace of God to guard our hearts - a peace that brings comfort and rest, refreshment, and hope - a perfect inner peace that transcends humanity's comprehension - both now and forevermore.
The Lord Jesus knew the deep distress they were facing and the shocking persecution that they were going through, and His letter must have given them much comfort and encouragement - enabling them to hold fast to their faith during this time of extreme oppression.
They may be rich in worldly goods, well-fed, famous, and popular, but if they reject Christ's offer of salvation, by grace through faith in Him... they are men most miserable for they are eternally cursed and excluded from His eternal kingdom. Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
One beautiful attribute the Godhead shares is COMFORT, for God is the Comforter of our soul Who stills our heart and quiets our spirit.
Paul explains: The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
Like the Son and the Spirit: He comforts us in all our affliction so that we are able to comfort one another with the comfort He gives to us.
Jesus came to earth to comfort the sorrowing and console those that mourn for their sin.
One that would comfort us just like He did; One Who would come alongside God's people to aid and assist, to comfort and intercede.
Among His many ministries in the lives of Church age believers, the Holy Spirit gives comfort to His people just as Christ gave comfort to the disciples, for He is the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of hope.
He is the Spirit of wisdom and grace, and He is also the Spirit of comfort.
The comfort provided by the indwelling Spirit was a very important element in those early years of the Christian Church.
Godly comfort was an important provision for the early Christians, but they had to learn to listen to His voice and carry out His instructions.
The early Christians had to learn to listen to the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit, for when His gentle voice is heeded, He brings comfort, inner calm, and a peace that passes our human understanding.
However, as they began to widen their evangelism to include those in Samaria and beyond, they were comforted of the Holy Spirit, and enjoyed a period of stability and calm as the gospel was taught throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria: So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the Church continued to increase.
And this was a time when they all experienced the comfort of the indwelling Holy Spirit in their hearts.
What a lesson for us to learn that when we try to work the works of God in our own strength or without the leading and guidance of the indwelling Spirit, we may find that there is barrenness in our soul and we may forgo the comfort and joy that comes from doing His will.
But what comfort we receive when we obey His Word, are led by the Spirit, and discover that we are in the centre of God's will for our life.
The time for Christ's departure had come... and although the separation from their Master was a painful prospect for the confused disciples, nevertheless they were to discover an inner strength and receive extraordinary comfort that was not available to them during Christ's lifetime on earth.
But the Lord understood the deep depression that His faithful disciples were going through, and so He gave them mighty words of comfort and encouragement.
He explained that... up until now... HE had been with them; to lead and to guide, to comfort and teach, to exhort and to correct.
He is our personal Advisor Who will teach and train, exhort and encourage, comfort and protect, seal and secure each individual saint.
His healing hand never fails to comfort and succour His blood-bought children - for He crowns us all with loving-kindness and the tenderest of mercies.
The beautiful result of the man or women who has received God's perfect forgiveness is redemption, healing, comfort, provision, satisfaction and goodness.
This should comfort us, for we have been accepted in the Beloved, by grace through faith, and no matter what we have said or done or will do, God knows us and He loves us.
But whether human or angelic ministers of Christ, these stars help to lighten the darkness in this fallen world, and it is a great comfort and blessing to see that the stars are held securely in Christ's right hand.
What a comfort to know that nothing can pluck any of His children out of His hand.
They want their offspring to leave the comfort of the nest and start to soar into the air... and so they make the eyrie increasingly uncomfortable for their young offspring.
Paul legitimately magnifies each superlative truth and pours comfort upon all our earthly sufferings, building up his watertight argument by unfolding the unsurpassed privileges that are ours in Christ.
Indeed, Paul exhorts us to comfort one another with these reassuring words.
What a comfort to hear Paul explain that God has not destined us for His wrath during the first part of the Day of the Lord, because we have obtained salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
It has always been a great comfort for believers to realise that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that the Lord knows us before we are born, for He forms us in our mother's womb.
Indeed, it is a great comfort to all God's children that He is no respecter of persons, whether we are Jew, Gentile, male, female, young, old, bond or free... for God is unbiased - and we should follow His example.
And as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.'
The promise of peace and prosperity is given to His chosen people, and verse 13 paints a most compassionate portrait of God giving comfort to His people in the same way that a mother would console and comfort her son - not only her nursing baby but also her dearly beloved grown-up son.
When Israel's Messiah returns in power and great glory, the peace of Jerusalem will be established and God will comfort His wayward people and dry every tear from their eye.
Paul reminds us that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, and He is the One Who comforts us in all our affliction.
It must have been a great comfort to Moses to hear the Lord guarantee, My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. And this wonderful promise from God is as relevant today as it was in those distant days, when Moses first heard those beautiful words of encouragement.
Not one secret sigh that crosses the portals of our minds, nor one stabbing pain that cuts deep into our hurting hearts is missed by our gracious God of love - for He is our great God of comfort and Lord of life.
But it has been pointed out that the emphasis in this passage is on the comfort of God towards His people and not the remorse of the saints for their loss of reward.
Never forget that we have God's indwelling Spirit of comfort, Who is with us the moment each solitary tear-drop starts to dampen our lashes.
Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and set the captive free and His Holy Spirit understands - He knows, He loves, and He cares for each one of us, so draw closer to His arms of comfort, and trust in His love today, for a day is coming where there will no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain.
Neither the things of the world that blacken our life nor the imaginations of the heart that cloud our mind, must shift our trust in this Word of comfort that comes directly from God, the Father of all comforts.
But the Lord Jesus spoke gracious words of comfort and encouragement to their troubled hearts, caring words that have travelled down the corridors of time and been such a blessing to so many countless saints: Let not your heart be troubled...
But He also gave us great comfort and encouragement with the words, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.
Paul acknowledged that the Lord is able and willing to give comfort and encouragement to each of us in all our troubles - so that we are able to give solace and support to those who are in any kind of difficulty - through the comfort that we ourselves have received from above.
Paul recognised the wonderful outflow of consolation and salvation that his brothers and sisters in Christ received because of his own suffering, and wrote, if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation.
Just as the sufferings of Christ brought salvation (justification) and comfort to those who believe - so too the suffering and pain that we endure for the sake of righteousness, will be beneficial for the sanctification and comfort of others in their spiritual growth.
It will have a 'knock-on' effect... so that the comfort we receive from the Lord will pour forth godly comfort and encouragement to others - which will have an impact on their Christian growth and spiritual well-being.
Paul understood that the comfort he shared with others would help to advance their spiritual growth and develop in them, patient endurance and other godly characteristics, to the glory of God.
When we are called upon, by our heavenly Lord, to suffer persecution and pain, may we also, like Paul, have the grace to be joyful in our tribulation and allow the beautiful comfort that we receive from our heavenly Father to freely flow-out to others from us - so that they too may be comforted with the same comfort that we have received - so that they too may be enabled to patiently endure whatever difficulties they may have to go through - as together we journey through life, towards our heavenly destination.
They would receive mercy and grace in time of need, and be granted God's gracious healing and spiritual wholeness: Then your light will break out like the first rays of dawn, were Isaiah's words of comfort to this little, faithful remnant:Your recovery will speedily spring forth and your righteousness will go before you.
For instance, he points out that the suffering we undergo for Christ's sake, brings with it great reward and equips us for the ministry of comfort, in that when we are weak in ourselves we are strong in the Lord, but when we are proud of our self-sufficiency, we will suffer a tremendous fall.
He prophesied of their irrevocable punishment, irreversible judgement, and the certain destruction of this oppressor of Israel, while promising the people of God: A stronghold in the day of trouble, refuge for those who trust Him, and comfort for His people.
But amid the destruction of the corrupt capital city of the arrogant Assyrian Empire, there are precious promises of hope and comfort, and assurance of respite and restoration for the remnant of God's people who receive a promise: The LORD is good.
There is a reluctance in the churches of today to admit that our God of comfort, hope, joy, and love, is also a jealous God, Who avenges evil, judges the wicked, and destroys His enemies.
I wonder if David's thoughts travelled back to the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, when God provided the comfort and strength his forefathers needed, as they trudged around the desert for 40 years.
I wonder if his thoughts travelled back to the ark of Noah, after the grueling experience of the flood, when a little dove was released through the window of the ark and was the only bird that brought comfort and hope back to Noah and his family, as they waited for the waters of judgement to subside.
I wonder if David had an understanding that the dove would become the most familiar symbol of God's sustaining power, grace, and comfort in the body of Christ..
While the truth in John Chapter 3 is a comfort to all who believe, it is a serious warning to those who harden their heart to the truth of the gospel - For God loved the world so much that He gave His One and Only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under His table and yet He is the God of all grace, abundant grace, multiplied grace, and He is the Father of all mercies, comfort, and peace.
What a comfort to know that He is with us as we unite in fellowship around a shared meal or simply join together as we break bread and pass the cup of blessing, in remembrance of Him.
He teaches us all things, equips us in the spiritual realm, provides help, and gives us comfort, and He anoints us with His divine power and bestows on us spiritual gifts and graces.
What comfort and strength has poured forth from the book of Psalms into the hearts of so many believers, down through centuries of time.
The confident trust David expressed in God, and the comfort he received from his Saviour, paints a prophetic picture that points to Christ's own confidence in His Heavenly Father to raise Him from the dead, when He prayed His final prayer: Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul gives this vital challenge to all believers: If we have received any consolation in Christ, if we have any comfort of love, if we have any fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and if we have any bowels and mercies in Christ, then we are to demonstrate this in our lives by being of one same mind.
If we, as children of God, have received His goodness and grace, comfort and hope, we are to maintain the same goodness, grace, comfort, and love, and be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the body of peace.
And they all opened their mouths and prophesied of Christ, for they all spoke forth the wonderful works of God for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of those in Jerusalem.
May we take to heart the great comfort discovered by this psalmist whose cry of help to the Lord became an offering of praise and thanksgiving for His goodness and grace.
How blessed are we who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ, and how often we find encouragement, comfort, peace, and hope in the Psalms of David.
Isaiah penned the life-changing words that have brought such comfort and hope to a world in darkness and distress: The people that walk about in darkness see a great light.
In God's eyes, we were a rotting corpse, the putrefying remains of a fallen creation with no beauty that God should desire us; with no hope, help, comfort, or peace in the world.
God has supplied all our needs according to His riches in glory and has given us the permanently, indwelling Holy Spirit to lead and to guide, to teach and to train, to correct and to comfort, and to conform us day by day into the image and likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord.
Paul rejoiced when he considered the love and faith Philemon had for the Lord Jesus, and made reference to the joy, comfort, love, and refreshment he readily supplied to many other saints in the Lord.
You and I do not have the opportunity to see the risen Lord Jesus in the same way that Thomas saw Him - but Jesus also added these words of comfort... especially for you and for me, Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.
Despite his blistering denunciation of the apostate ways of God's chosen people and in spite of the prophet Isaiah's grave warning regarding God's impending wrath and the inevitable punishment that must follow God's disobedient people, we discover that the Lord is gracious towards His chosen nation, Israel, and offers them beautiful words of comfort, encouragement, renewal, and pardon.
Despite his blistering denunciation of the apostate ways of God's chosen people in the early chapters of Isaiah, the prophet's message from chapter 40 is one of enormous comfort and encouragement, for the Lord is a faithful and gracious God who gives strength to the weak and rest to the weary.
These words of Isaiah were indeed good tidings of great joy to the little, faithful remnant of Israel, but they are words of great comfort and succour to all who are weary and heavy-laden, both Jew and Gentile alike, for He sent Jesus to be the good Shepherd of the sheep, the Door of the sheepfold, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Light to all who would trust in His name for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.
David wanted to know how long the bitter trial and manifold difficulties that were flooding into his life would continue, before the Lord would step in to right the wrongs and comfort His servant.
We have a firm hope in Christ and the expectation of His soon return to take us to be with Himself, and so in this verse, we find Peter offering comfort, encouragement, courage, and instruction, to all who endure suffering for the sake of Christ.
Throughout Israel's history, God's grace and mercy poured over His chosen people in a cleansing flood of refreshing streams, for the Lord longs to shower compassion, mercy, comfort, and grace onto His distressed people, and to bring them to victory in their lives.A succession of prophets had told Israel that by returning to Him and trusting in His Word they would be saved from their enemies and be blessed abundantly.
Indeed, David lists the evil lies, corrupt speech, vain babblings, flattering lips, and hidden motives of double-hearted and deceitful men, and takes comfort in the knowledge that one day the Lord will stop all flattering lips, and every boastful tongue will be silenced before the judgement throne of God.
The gracious words of the Lord Jesus are light and life, health and wholeness, truth and love, and they are words of great comfort for all His children.
The gracious words of the Lord Jesus are light and life, health and wholeness, truth and love, peace and comfort, and these words are spoken to you that you may be kept from stumbling.
Before beginning his appeal for mercy which restated several Christian doctrines on grace, forgiveness, servanthood, and our imputed righteousness by faith in Christ, Paul reminded Philemon of their own, close Christian intimacy and the mutual love and respect they had for one another: For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Paul was not envious of Philemon's position in society, but filled with joy and comfort that this beloved son-in-the-faith was showing such godly growth and spiritual grace.
Yet, He was able to communicate to His confused and fearful followers, both deep comfort and the stark reality of what lay ahead.
But these shocking and fearful announcements were countered with the most beautiful words of deep, deep comfort that our Saviour uttered on that eve of our salvation.
I have overcome the world, are simple words from our gracious Saviour, but the grace and glory that flows from His words of deep, deep comfort, will resound throughout the eternal ages to come.
In the midst of his declining ministry, and as a comfort to his distressed disciples, John gave the most beautiful explanation of his relationship to Jesus.
Let us comfort one another with these words and sing praises to Him with thanksgiving with every passing day, knowing that we are been saved by grace through faith in God's only begotten Son, Who loved us so much that He gave His life so that we might live.
But in the midst of all this trouble, the Lord gave Paul a message that has been a comfort to countless saints, down through the ages: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
When we live by faith, we remain in fellowship with the Lord, and can become healing balm and a godly comfort in the lives of others, who are facing similar difficulties.
It was not long before the old prophet realised that Hannah's cry to God was serious and the Lord used him to comfort her and bid her go her way in peace, promising that God had heard her prayer and would answer her request.
He is Salvation to the sinner, Refuge to the saint, Comfort to the afflicted, Strength to the weak, Health to the sick, and He is the Resurrection and Life-everlasting to those who trust in His name.
May we find comfort in the life and times of Joseph and guard ourselves from the sort of parental favouritism or sibling rivalry that is evident in this verse... and may we be quick to listen to all the Lord has to say to us, wise in the things that we share with other people, and careful in the words we say and the attitude we display.
He suffered just like we suffer and was faced with the same tough choices that all of us are faced with every day - but He did not sin. In so doing, He was equipped to come to our aid and to help us, comfort us, support us, and encourage us in our times of need.
The psalms, prayers, and praises of David have been a source of comfort and encouragement to multitudes down the corridors of history.
Therefore, even though this psalm, like other psalms, prayers, and praises of David is an ever-present source of comfort and encouragement to all believers, and rightly so, this verse is a prayer that the Christian can never pray, for in so doing it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the permanent, indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of ALL believers - following Christ’s finished work on Calvary's Cross.
The psalms, prayers, and praises of David are a wonderful source of comfort and encouragement, but we must never confuse the way God dealt with His chosen people Israel PRE-Cross, and His chosen people the Church POST-Cross.
While the first part of his prophecy deals mainly with issues relating to Israel, their apostasy, the hardening of their heart towards the Lord, and His coming judgement (on them and other nations), chapter 40 onwards speaks words of comfort to God's people and tells of Israel's future deliverance.
Like the psalmist, let us allow God's Word to strengthen us when we are grieving and comfort us when we are weeping.
Let us join together with the psalmist and cry: How I delight in Your Word, I love Your Word and I will meditate on Your Word day and night, for Your Word it is health to my body, and comfort to my soul.
In this world we will have tribulation, but whenever we are afflicted or oppressed, whether through conflicts without or fears within, we are to take comfort in Christ, trust His Word, and fear not, for God will expose every satanic evil plan and will one day judge the world in righteousness.
This teaching was to be a comfort to them - but these dear believers had become frantic, because a false theory was circulating that they had missed the Rapture, and had been thrown headlong into the Great Tribulation!
Jesus has promised to be with us no matter what circumstances we face in life, and we should take comfort in the fact that the plans and purposes of God will one day be accomplished, no matter what the anti-God agenda of our day dictates to the contrary.
Let us comfort one another with these words, as we occupy until Christ comes, and tell forth the wonderful glory of His name, to a lost and dying world, who need Jesus as their God and Saviour.
Down through centuries of time, the truth that is encapsulated in Psalm 34, has been a comfort and help to many of God's hurting people, for the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.
And a day is also coming when He will proclaim the favourable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God as He gives comfort to those who mourn and wipes away every tear.
Though God at times may wait for us to call out to Him, He is neither slow to hear the cries of the disconsolate soul, nor is He slack in responding to the pleading cries of the breaking heart for the very day that Jeremiah called out to the Lord for help, was the very time the Lord responded with those great words of comfort from the God of all comfort: Fear Not, I will be with you, to help you, and deliver you.
And God draws near, and He hears and responds to every heart-cry of His children, with His gracious words of comfort: FEAR NOT.
The Lord Jesus would have received much comfort of spirit and inner consolation, had His disciples shown some sympathy in the spiritual battle that Christ had entered.
There are those that, in their self-sufficiency and pride, refuse His comfort and peace, His atoning work on Calvary's Cross where He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; for by His stripes we are healed.
Jesus was hailed as their long awaited Messiah and the expectation was that He would bless those that were poor in spirit, feed the hungry, heal the sick, comfort the afflicted, defeat their hated enemies, and set up the prophesied heavenly kingdom of peace and prosperity.
Christ had promised to send the Spirit of comfort into their hearts after His departure into heaven; the Spirit of love, and life, and joy, and patience, and hope, and wisdom, and grace, and peace.
And yet, Isaiah knew that there was a small but faithful remnant that honoured the Lord... and he was instructed to deliver great comfort to those that were set apart unto God.
They thought they could withstand any scourge, be protected from their enemy's false words of comfort, and not be swept away by the overflowing floodwaters about which Isaiah warned.
Understanding the perplexity in their hearts, the gracious Saviour offered words of compassion and comfort as He compressed His eternal love for them into a brief season, starting with these dear words of reassuring peace, comfort, and tender encouragement: Peace I leave with you.
These were the perplexing circumstances that surrounded Christ's little group of faithful followers, but this was the night that Jesus shared some words of comfort and consolation, that has blessed so many, down through the ages: Peace I leave with you.
No peace can rule in the bloodied heart of a man who is dead in his sins, but Christ's words of comfort to His little flock must have brought them great consolation on that last Passover night.
The more we take the Word of the Lord to heart and trust in the many precious promises that are ours in Christ, the more we are enabled to appropriate these words of comfort in our everyday life.
Let us take to heart His precious words of comfort, by holding fast to the truth of the glorious gospel of God and trusting His unchangeable Word.
In his customary introductions, which, as always, included the lovely salutation, grace and peace to you, Paul used himself as a role model, to show that the comfort and grace of God, brought him amazing consolation and strength, in the midst of his severe suffering and persecution - and Paul assured his listeners that the Lord is no respecter of persons and would provide the same comfort and strength for each one of them.
Paul's main purpose was to give God his sincere thanks and praise for His comfort, His help, and His many precious promises.
In this passage, Paul gives an expanded teaching on the glorious truth he wrote about in Corinthians, that this fallen, decaying body of ours will put on incorruption: But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' And Paul encourages us to comfort one another with these words, to encourage each other as we watch and wait for the return of the Lord Jesus in the clouds, to take us to be with Himself.
And this truth has been revealed to give comfort to our soul and to strengthen our resolve to stand firm in the faith and be ready for the day when we hear a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, to call us home.
But note... we are exhorted to give comfort to others regarding the Rapture - to comfort one another.
And as we give comfort to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we ourselves will also be comforted in our blessed hope.
We live in a world that seems to be spiralling out-of-control, but just as the God of all comforts and Father of all mercies comforts us in all of our difficulties and sufferings, so we are exhorted to comfort others in the midst of all the difficulties and dangers that they are also facing, and what more appropriate, blessed, and true comfort can we offer, than to bring to remembrance the soon return of the Lord Jesus on that day when we will be raptured into His presence?
What a comfort to know that Christ won the victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell, and that HE is the STONE, cut without hands, that is going to destroy the kingdoms of this world and set up the kingdom of God on earth.
Our Father in heaven has a wondrous array of divine qualities, eternal attributes, and godly characteristics that rejoice our heart and calm our soul, but perhaps one of His essential elements is that He is our God of all comfort; our Source of all consolation.
Oh yes, He is more than equipped to comfort us in all our afflictions.
And yet there is a deeper meaning, a wider purpose, and a greater reason that our Father of mercies, and God of all comfort condescends to stoop down and comfort us in our affliction and to console us in our miseries.
He has purposed that we who are comforted of Him, may be ready and equipped to comfort and succour all those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort and consolation that we ourselves have received from our Heavenly Father.
Let us go to the Lord for our comfort and rest, and after being filled up with His love, may His love and comfort overflow from us to those around us.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Generally, man desires a life of ease, a life of comfort, a life devoid of troubles, a life of honour and happiness, and men often do all they can to accomplish this in their life at the expense of the next.
But what a comfort also to know that despite their rebellion and apostasy against the Lord God of Israel, that He promised: In repentance and rest you will be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength.
And it is also an amazing comfort to all His children and especially to the Church, which is the Body of Christ, for even when we make wrong choices and discredit the name of our Lord, He will show us compassion.
Was Simon's heart stirred to step forward unhesitatingly and do what little he could to comfort this beloved Man, Who was to be nailed to the cross and bear the sin of the world on His shoulders?
Numerous times throughout Scripture, the Lord tells us to fear not. What a comfort to our hearts to read these Scriptures, to let the words bring reassurance and solace to our aching souls.
What a comfort to know that the Lord Who created us, loves us with an everlasting love: But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him.
The sharp, active, living, powerful, wonderful Word of God is used by the Holy Spirit in each of our lives, to convict, convert, comfort, and conform us into Christ's likeness, and to prepare us during our lifetime for the spiritual rest, eternal life, and future glory that is laid-up for us in heaven.
He is with us moment by moment, to lead and guide, to instruct and warn, to help and comfort, and to deliver us from those that despise us or would do us harm.
The words of this psalm have become a source of great comfort and strength to generations of believers, providing healing in times of trouble, comfort in times of sorrow, freedom for those that are enslaved, restoration for all that are broken-hearted, strength in days of weakness, and hope in times of distress.
Not every Christian is gifted with the communication gifts Paul mentions in this passage, but every one of us can use our spiritual gifts to exhort, encourage, comfort, and support one another.
Rather let us stir up the spiritual gift with which we have been blessed and exercise it wisely, so that we too may help to equip, encourage, comfort, and support the saints in their spiritual service, and pray that God would use us to help build up the Body of Christ, for His name's sake.
And although these Old Testament passages are addressed directly to the nation of Israel, all Scripture is profitable for the Church, for through it we can discover truths and principles that can comfort, encourage, teach, train, rebuke, and direct us in our Christian walk through this life.