God is Our Comfort

GOD IS OUR COMFORT


I HAVE NOT WRITTEN AN ARTICLE TO UPLIFT BELIEVERS IN A WHILE BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMING BUSY.I FEEL BAD BECAUSE CHRISTIANS AT THIS POINT NEED SO MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO IMPART TO BELIEVERS OUT THERE HOW TO RIGHTLY APPROPRIATE GOD'S COMFORT IN THEIR SOULS IN THE MIDST OF THIS FEARFUL WORLD. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME YOU MAY WONDER WHETHER TO PANIC AND BE FEARFUL OR TO JUST REST IN GOD'S COMFORTING PEACE. GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH,A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE. PSALM 46.1. THIS VERSE SPEAKS OF A SAFEHAVEN THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS CHRIST. I HEAR THIS SO MUCH,EVEN FROM MYSELF.I FEEL LIKE GOD IS SO DISTANT IN MY DISCOURAGEMENT BUT REALLY HIS DESIRE IS TO BE SO CLOSE TO US THAT HE WILL DO ANYTHING IT TAKES TO POSITION YOU AND ME SO THAT WE WILL BE AWARE OF HIS LOVING PROTECTION FOR US. I LIKE TO CALL IT A SUPERNATURAL PEACE BLANKET THAT KEEPS OUR HEARTS WARM. GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH BUT IF WE DON'T REALIZE IT AND LET GOD APPROPRIATE IT IN US,THAN I BELIEVE WE WILL BE CARRIED AWAY BY FEAR. FEAR TORMENTS THE SOUL. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT IS ONE THING. WHEN WE REALIZE IT THEN I BELIEVE IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT JESUS CHRIST BECOMES MORE PRECIOUS TO US . REALIZING THAT JESUS CHRIST IS PRESENT IN OUR LIVES ALLOWS US TO EXPERIENCE HIS TRANQUIL COMFORT IN OUR HEART. THE HOLY SPIRIT ILLUMINATES OUR HEART AND MIND PRIMARILY THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD. ONE OF HIS FUNCTIONS IS TO POINT TO JESUS CHRIST. REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST IS OUR COMFORT. "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 WITH THE COMFORT WITH WHICH WE OURSELVES ARE COMFORTED BY GOD" 1 COR.1.3-4.LOOK AT THAT.IT TAKES ONE HURTING SOUL TO HELP ANOTHER. JESUS SAID WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME THERE I WILL BE ALSO. IN THE MIST OF US BEING TORN DOWN JESUS IS RIGHT THERE TO BUILD US UP. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND MAYBE YOU ARE NOT WHEN I AM GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME AND SOMEBODY SAYS "JUST HAVE FAITH IN GOD", I ALMOST FEEL FRUSTRATED OR LIKE SAYING "YEA I THINK I KNOW THAT". ACTUALLY A MORE APPLICABLE THING TO SAY WOULD BE "JESUS CHRIST IS THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT AND HE IS LIVING INSIDE OF YOU,YEARNING TO FILL YOU WITH HIS WARM INCOMPREHENSIBLE PEACE". THE REAL QUESTION IS "WILL WE LET HIM?" THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DISCOURAGEMENT JUST LIKE THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF FAITH. I LIKE HOW SIMPLE GOD IS WITH US. YOU WANT REFUGE "COME TO ME". IF YOU WANT STRENGTH "COME TO ME". WHEN YOU NEED HELP IN YOUR TIME OF TROUBLE "COME TO ME". I WOULD LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING. GOD COMFORTS US IN THE MIDST OF OUR PAIN (PRESENT TENSE). LET US JUST SAY ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS IS THAT WE ARE NOT RESIGNED TO THE FUTURE AS TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO US. OUR MEMORY LOOKS BACK AT BAD THINGS THAT OCCURRED TO US AND WE PROJECT IT ONTO THE FUTURE. THE FUTURE CANNOT FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES COMFORT US WITH HIS PRESENCE BECAUSE WE CAN ONLY LIVE IN THE PRESENT.GOD WANTS TO GIVE US MANNIA FOR TODAY.

TOMORROW WILL COME IN ITS OWN GOOD TIME. ONE OF THE WISEST THINGS ANY CHILD OF GOD CAN DO IS TO LET GOD BUILD FAITH AND COMFORT IN US NOW AT THIS POINT. WITH THE GODLY COMFORT IN OUR SOULS WE WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING IN THE PRESENT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF GOD'S PROTECTIVE PEACE. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN ANALOGY. LET US SAY SOMEONE INVITES YOU OVER FOR DINNER. YOU ARE SITTING AT THE TABLE AND EVERYTIME THE HOST TRIES TO PUT SOMETHING ON YOUR PLATE YOU SAY "NO". AS GOD'S CHILDREN WE SHOULD LET THE HOLY SPIRIT COMFORT US,BUT IF WE ARE BOTHERED BY THIS AND THAT IT IS LIKE WE ARE SAYING "NO" TO GOD'S LOVE. OUR SOUL WILL BE EMPTY AND DRY. WHEN IT COMES TO TRUE GODLY COMFORT ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN GIVE THIS TO US. AS HIS CHILDREN WE HAVE TO SAY "YES". OF COURSE THAT REQUIRES WAITING ON GOD BUT THE REAL QUESTION FOR MANY PEOPLE IS WHAT IF I AM SO DEPRESSED AND DISCOURAGED THAT I CANNOT POSITION MYSELF SO THAT GOD CAN WORK IN MY HEART. I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO GIVE PAT ANSWERS OR FORMULAS FOR THIS ARTICLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME REALLY DEEP DISCOURAGEMENTS THAT CAN WORK WITHIN THE HUMAN SOUL AND MIND. I LOOK BACK ON SOME OF MY DOWN EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD AND IF THE TRUTH BE KNOWN, MOST OF THE TIMES I WAS ENTICED TO RESPOND WRONG.

DON'T GET ME WRONG. I WOULD NEVER WANT TO GO BACK BUT I WOULD NEVER WANT TO TAKE IT BACK EITHER. GOD IS BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN OUR LIVES EVEN WHEN WE FAIL AND HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ALL THINGS FOR GOOD FOR THOSE THAT LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE ROM.8.28. THE WORLD WILL GIVE YOU A BUCKET FULL OF FEAR BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO PRIMARILY BE LOOKING AT JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES. WE ARE WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHALLOW OF DEATH,NOT IN IT. LET ME RELATE TO YOU SOME BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES THAT ARE JUST SO PIVOTAL TO UNDERSTAND. FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES, LET ME DIVERT FROM THE SUBJECT OF GOD'S COMFORT AND TALK ABOUT FAITH. PLEASE BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE I AM GOING TO GO BACK TO MY ORIGINAL SUBJECT. IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY ABOUT HOW FAITH IS APPROPRIATED IN OUR LIFE THEN YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN LET GOD GIVE US HIS COMFORT. FAITH COMES FROM HEARING AND HEARING FROM THE WORD OF GOD.ROM.10.17. REMEMBER THE WOMEN THAT TOUCHED THE EDGE OF JESUS GARMENT. SHE WAS VERY DISCOURAGED BUT WHEN SHE MADE THE INITIATIVE TO TOUCH THE HEM OF JESUS GARMENT,SHE MADE CONTACT AND IT WAS THEN THAT SHE WAS HEALED. SOMETIMES I THINK GOD IS SAYING "CHILD IF YOU WOULD JUST SINCERELY TOUCH THE HEM OF MY GARMENT THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD I WILL TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR DISCOURAGEMENT AND BRING YOU TO ME.

AFTER ALL,THE BIBLE DOES SAY IF WE DRAW CLOSE TO GOD HE WILL DRAW CLOSE TO US. THAT PARTICULAR VERSE IS A CONDITIONAL PROMISE. IF FAITH DOES COME FROM HEARING AND HEARING FROM THE WORD OF GOD,THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS WHO IS THE WORD OF GOD? THE APOSTLE JOHN SAYS IT IS JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. KNOWING THE BIBLE IS GOOD BUT I AM AWARE OF SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY THAT DO NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE ARE MINISTERS OUT THERE THAT STUDY THE BIBLE FIVE TO SEVEN HOURS A DAY AND STILL DO NOT HAVE JESUS CHRIST INSIDE OF THEM. SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE INTELLECT TO BELIEVE BUT THIS MENTAL ASPECT OF OUR BEING IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF FAITH. A PERSON CAN EITHER COME TO GOD BY FAITH OR BY INTELLECT.GOD WILL NOT ACCEPT INTELLECT AND WHEN YOU REALLY STOP TO THINK ABOUT THAT WHAT DOES A PERSON KNOW IN COMPARISON TO GOD. NOT MUCH. IF A PERSON COMES TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST THROUGH SIMPLE CHILD-LIKE FAITH THEN AT THAT POINT THEY ARE SAVED BY GOD'S GRACE.EPH.2:8-9. TO TRY AND EXPLAIN WHERE I AM COMING FROM TO THE CHRISTIAN I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF. FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.
ROM 10:9.

DID YOU NOTICE THAT ACCORDING TO THIS VERSE FAITH COMES FROM GOD BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST IS THE WORD OF GOD? JOHN 1:1. TO GET BACK TO MY ORIGINAL TOPIC COMFORT COMES FROM GOD TOO.FAITH IS NOT WILL POWER.WE CANNOT CONJURE UP OUR FAITH AND WE CANNOT ON OUR OWN INFUSE COMFORT IN OUR HEART. IT IS JESUS CHRIST THAT GIVES IT TO US.

IF I WERE TO BRING THIS DOWN TO A HUMAN LEVEL LET'S SAY YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO HAS THE QUALITIES OF REFUGE AND STRENGTH. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO THIS TPYE OF PERSON. PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONFIDENCE IN HIM OR HER. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF WE WENT TO GOD AND WE SAW THE QUALITIES OF REFUGE AND STRENGTH IN JESUS CHRIST.HOW MUCH THAT ALONE WOULD BUILD OUR FAITH. GOD IS FAITHFUL. HE IS GOING TO BUILD FAITH IN US AND IT IS GOING TO COME STRAIGHT FROM HIM. IT IS FOR THE PRESENT SO WE CAN HAVE STRENGTH FOR THE FUTURE. DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT WHEN GOD GIVES US THAT STRENGTH,OUR MINDS AND HEARTS ARE NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE? I WOULD ALMOST VENTURE TO SAY WE WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO FEAR EVEN THOUGH THE EARTH BE REMOVED AND THOUGH THE MOUNTAINS BE CARRIED INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA.

THOUGH THE WATERS THERE OF ROAR AND BE TROUBLED,THOUGH THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE WITH THE SWELLING THEREOF,PSALMS 46:2,3. GOD'S COMFORT AND FEAR ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH ONE ANOTHER. WE CANNOT HAVE ONE AND ALSO HAVE THE OTHER. IT IS EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER. THE CHOICE IS UP TO US. THE WORK IS UP TO GOD. LAST BUT NOT LEAST,JESUS CHRIST IS COMING VERY SOON FOR HIS TRUE CHILDREN.AFTER THE APOSTLE PAUL GETS FINISHED EXPLAINING THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH TO THE THESSALONIANS IN CHAPTER 4:16-17,HE SAYS IN VERSE 18 "WHEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS. CAN YOU FATHOM BEING RAPTURED OUT OF THIS WORLD AND INSTANTLY IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST.

LOVE IN CHRIST
BOB D OF PA