Devotional 46: God is our Comfort

Have you ever experienced having the wind knocked out of your lungs?  If you have, you will likely never forget that frightening experience. Sometimes life brings blows that figuratively knock the wind out of us—emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  Can you remember a time when you were without strength, hope, and the will to go on as you sat “gasping for breath”?   A situation where everything seemed to be tumbling down upon your head and you felt so very weak?   Where did you find comfort in your time of distress and need?  Often God uses others to point us to Himself when they have previously experienced God’s comfort.  

The Psalmist of Psalm 71 testifies that focusing on who God is during trying times brings comfort to those who trust in who He is.  After dwelling on the righteousness and mighty deeds of God the Psalmist says in verse 21-22a, “You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God.”  Hope and comfort came as the Psalmist remembered God’s character!  Comfort was also something that he expected to experience “again”.  Once you find your comfort in God you realize that none other gives such comfort as He gives. 

Again the Psalmist shows that meditating on God’s faithfulness to His word brings comfort as Psalm 119:48-52 reveals, “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.” 

Comfort is something that you really don’t understand until you have been comforted in God, because truly He is the “God of all comfort” as 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 makes absolutely clear: 

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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

I would encourage you to list out the times and ways in which God has comforted you.  Then ask God to help you share His comfort with others.  There is more than enough comfort in our great God to spread around to a world in need of His comfort.  

May the Lord help us to live out the Apostle Paul’s admonishment in 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

  

With Prayer, Mark         © January 2013         Scripture quoted: ESV – Emphasis added

Verses for our meditation:  God is our Comfort

Psalm 71:19-21, Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?  You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

Psalm 86:15-17, But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

 

Isaiah 40:1-2, Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 

Isaiah 49:13, Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. 

Isaiah 52:9, Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. 

Isaiah 66:12-13,  For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

 

Jeremiah 31:12-13,  They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. 

Act 9:31, So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 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 may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

 

2 Corinthians 7:5-7, For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

God is Patient!

“God Is” Devotional # 35

In the last devotional we meditated on the forbearance of God.  Now, we will consider a paralleling attribute—His Patience! While forbearance refers primarily to God’s withholding of righteous wrath and judgment, God’s patience includes the attitude He keeps and the work He does while restraining His judgment.  

The Apostle Peter encourages believers to “count the patience of our Lord as salvation” (1 Peter 3:16).  Noah Webster lists one of the connotations of patience as “perseverance; constancy in labor or exertion.” God in patient perseverance and loving consistency has been working His plan to redeem mankind and justly deliver repentant individuals from the consequences of sin.  Therefore, God’s patience with us includes His plan of salvation for us by sending His Son into this world to complete His redemptive work on the cross.  Jesus was born to die upon Calvary! All this reveals God’s persevering patience with us.   
While sharing his own salvation testimony, Paul clearly says that in Jesus Christ we see the perfection of patience:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

How did Christ show His “perfect patience” toward Paul as an example to us who would believe in Christ for “eternal life”?   To answer this we must consider another connotation of the word patience: “the suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness.”   Certainly, Jesus demonstrated this kind of patience in the events that lead to the cross and in the very act of hanging on the cross in agonizing death.  However, the context of 1 Timothy 1:15-17 does not seem to point to Christ’s patient suffering on the cross.  Then to what does it point?  It must point to Christ’s patience with Paul when he persecuted His followers, even to death!  Jesus taught that how people treat His followers, those who bear His name, is in reality how they are treating Him (Matthew 25:31-46). When Paul consented to the death of Steven (Acts 8:1) he was in reality persecuting Christ.  Furthermore, by the grace and power of Christ, Steven patiently suffered as a testimony to His Savior, Jesus Christ who patiently suffered with Him in suffering.  It was after this that Jesus appeared to Paul on the Damascus road and displayed His patience with Paul as a testimony to all that there is forgiveness in Christ when we turn from our sin to Christ in repentance—a change of mind and heart about who we are and who Christ really is (Acts 9).  Paul called Him Lord and obeyed the instructions that were given to him.   Jesus Christ had been perfectly patient with him, when he did not deserve it. What an example to us!  

We have also sinned against God. I shamefully remember ridiculing Christians before I came to Christ in humility.  If God could forgive Paul, He can also forgive me in Jesus Christ.  How about you?  Have you felt that your sins are so bad that God would certainly never forgive you?  Then find comfort in Christ’s perfect example of patience with Paul.  God is not a respecter of persons and will certainly be patient with you as well.  God is love!  Out of His Love comes patience!  I Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is patient”.  

Will you worship the Lord with me today and praise Him for His patience and then go the next step and pray for His grace to be patient with others as you wait for His coming?  James 5:7 says, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.”  Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

With Prayer, Mark |   
                     
© December, 2011 Scripture quoted: ESV – Emphasis added

Verses for our meditation:  God Is Patient!

Romans 2:2-5, We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man–you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself–that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

1 Timothy 1:15-17,  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:4, Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

1 Peter 3:18-20, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
2 Peter 3:4-9,  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:13-15a, But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation.

James 5:7-11, Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Romans 12:10-21,  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I am in grief but trusting God!

September Pastor’s Chat

God is faithful! What a comforting thought and truth it is to know that our Lord, Savior, and God is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Over the past (nearly) 6 years I have tried by the grace of God to be faithful to Him and His calling on my life to shepherd His flock at FBC of Dillon, Montana. However, on Wednesday, August 18, it became very clear that this calling was to come to an abrupt end. After having not received a majority in a vote of confidence to continue as Pastor of FBC, I gave my one month notice of resignation. We had prayed for God’s will to be revealed through the vote of our church members. I trust in God’s sovereignty and trust Him to provide for the flock at FBC as well as for us in the days to come. Can you trust Him? Will you trust Him?

God knows what each of us needs to be more conformed to the image of Christ. God is a faithful judge and heavenly Father! We can trust Him to send our way what is best for all of us. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.” Regardless of your understanding or lack of understanding of what has happened here at FBC—love God! Grow in your knowledge of Him. Grow in your faith and trust in Him. Search the Scriptures daily and obey its clear teaching. Don’t become bitter. Be forgiving. Be wise. Be careful and discerning. Ask God for wisdom and follow His leading. Be faithful to God, for He has been and will be faithful to you! People will fail you, but He will never fail you!

With love and prayer, Pastor Mark

Listen to Sunday’s Sermon: Love God!
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May God give us wisdom, comfort, and help from
Romans 8:26-39

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”