“Perfect Comfort. Growing Confidence”

"Perfect Comfort.  Growing Confidence"     

    

   

   Can God comfort us in all difficulty, trial, pain, and loss?  Absolutely.

   "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble" (II Corinthians 1:3-4).

   Do we believe He can comfort us in "any trouble?"  Absolu… well actually, our confidence may not be as sure.

   "Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD?   Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?" (Psalm 10:1).

   As the father of a demon possessed child one said to the Lord Jesus Christ, "I believe!  Help Thou mine unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).  Few more humble and honest words have ever been uttered.  Moreover, we all share the experience of confidence existing in the very midst of consternation.  The same Psalmist who wondered why God stood so far away in difficulty also proclaimed the Lord to be "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).  Thus, while our Heavenly Father's ability to comfort eternally abides in the perfection of wisdom, ability, and inclination, we presently require growth in our knowledge, understanding, and experience that leads to faith.  "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18).

   We do well to remember the days of old when pain wracked heart or body.  Even more, we do well to recall God's comfort in those times when we may have wondered how we would make it through the trial.  We learned something then that will greatly help us today or tomorrow if trouble again finds its way to our doorstep.  "Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" (Psalm 59:16).  We may also learn something today even if relative calm graces our present experience.  "This is my comfort in my affliction, for Thy Word hath quickened me" (Psalm 119:50).  One of the reasons we keep our hearts and minds near to Scripture involves God's desire to comfort us, and our great need for His balm of assurance.  The Bible we read today prepares us for the confidence we will embrace when trouble comes.  In the pages of God's Word, we increasingly discover His ability to comfort us in any trouble, and we increasingly discover that through Christ, we can trust our Heavenly Father for His comfort.  "I will look unto the Lord" declared the prophet who did not possess the completed text of Scripture (Micah 7:7).  How much more are we who have the Bible blessed to "lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Psalm 121:1).

   Trouble is coming.  It is always coming in this present life.  Far more importantly, God is aware of the challenges that will face us.  He will be waiting for us when we arrive at the venues of difficulty for the purpose of leading us through our trials, and then comforting us during and after them.  This is Truth, perfect Truth that cannot fail to be true.  We must avail ourselves of the gifts that prepare us for growing awareness and response to such perfection.  The Bible we read today, or the prayers prayed, or the fellowship of other believers, or the present experience of God's assurance all serve to ready our hearts to respond to "the God of all comfort" when trouble comes (II Corinthians 1:3).  

"In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul."

(Psalm 94:19)

Weekly Memory Verse

   But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

(II Timothy 2:23)

   

"Reason To Rejoice"

"Reason To Rejoice"     

    

   

   "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).

   Since God made us to feel happiness in pleasant things, and sadness in painful things, how is it possible to rejoice in all things?

   The Psalmist answers - "I will be glad and rejoice in Thee" (Psalm 9:2; emphasis added).

   As long as God remains who He is and does what He does, we will always have reason to rejoice -  in Him.  Circumstances, situations, and conditions will continue to elicit feelings of either happiness, sadness, or perhaps no feeling at all.  We nevertheless have cause for the gladness that transcends our emotions, the deep joy based on conviction rather than emotional or physical sensations.  Indeed, if joy could be quantifiably measured, we would discover the greatest rejoicing in the world often occurs in places and hearts that seem the most unlikely venues of rejoicing.  The Apostle Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians (can several other letters) from a Roman prison where he had "suffered the loss of all things" (Philippians 3:8).  Did Paul feel that loss?  Absolutely.  Did he rejoice nevertheless?  Absolutely.  He rejoiced in the Lord even as pain and trouble brought natural sadness - "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (II Corinthians 6:10).  The Apostle knew the Lord and His truth well enough to believe there is always reason to make the choice to rejoice in God.  This includes any and every challenge, whether internal or external.

   This is blessed, but hard truth.  It wonderful to know that the Lord Jesus Christ can enable us to rejoice in all things.  The command to "rejoice in the Lord always" would be a cruel hoax were it not.  God is too fair and just to command anything of us beyond our ability to obey, as He leads and enables.  We thus rejoice in the possibility of joy.  However, we play a role in the matter, a role of faith and submission to our Heavenly Father.  The rejoicing Paul commands does not just happen, particularly in times of difficulty.  We must believe in the reason to rejoice as a matter of doctrinal conviction, based on the Word of God.  Upon this basis, we make specific choices to rejoice, often when we feel the greatest emotions of sadness or numbness.  Again, true joy consists of conviction far more than emotion.   We must often affirm our Lord's  joy in the very midst of sorrow.  "I will be glad and rejoice in Thee" declared David, confirming the volitional determination to rejoice regardless of what or how we feel.  A blessed truth indeed.  A hard truth indeed.

   Finally, James helps us regarding this vital matter of our walk with the Lord.  "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations" (James 1:2).  Note that James does not command us to "feel it all joy."  The word "count" used by James means to consider, deem, or think.  This involves a matter of reasoned response to truth, based on knowledge, understanding, and affirmation.  Herein lies the issue: the Bible commands us to rejoice  "in the Lord."  Do we believe He is worthy of our rejoicing, even in times of sorrow and trouble?  Is He able to empower the conviction of joy when our world seems dark and difficult?  Is there really a reason to rejoice?  Is there always a reason to rejoice?  Is God Himself that reason?  How we answer these questions determines the joy of our hearts rather than conditions, circumstances, and situations.  Thus, we must heed the commands of Scripture that call us to know the God of joy, and the Truth that empowers His joy in us…

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God."

(Psalm 43:3-4)

"The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart."

(Psalm 19:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

   But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

(II Timothy 2:23)

   

The Saturday Series - 14 - “Like No Other”

(Friends:  Most Saturdays for the duration of this year, I plan on sharing a message that relates to the character and nature of God, and our response thereunto.  I hope you will find it helpful, and as always, thanks for allowing us to send the devotionals to you.  Glen).

The Saturday Series - 14

"Like No Other"     

  

  

   

    We must always recall that God exists as a being like no other.

    "I am God, and there is none like unto Me" (Psalm 46:9).

   Although the human race was created in God's image, and we possess characteristics that reflect Him, the truth remains that the Lord forever abides in a singular glory and holiness reserved only to Himself.  We must remember this as we seek to relate to Him.  Through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father is more than approachable.  "Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).  As A.W. Tozer once wrote, "God is easy to live with."   He is, and we must keep the truth of our Lord's lovingkindness and tendermercies at the forefront of our doctrinal understanding and conviction.  The truth remains, however, that God exists in an otherness that will forever amaze, surprise, and even bewilder us.  "Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the gods?   Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11).

   God's transcendence means that we must consistently expose our hearts and minds to His Word.  We do not naturally think rightly about Him.  The Holy Spirit must illuminate us by the Truth of Scripture if we are to walk in the light of our Lord's true countenance.  Indeed, if we think we know what God is thinking at any moment, we can be sure that our perception may be far from accurate.  Only by the light of His Word can we have confidence that we are knowing our Lord as He actually is.  "Teach me Thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy truth" (Psalm 86:11).  God's way can only be known as we walk in God's truth, and thus, in the light of the Bible's most important revelation, namely, the nature, character, and way of our Lord.

   The Apostle John once laid his head on the chest of the Lord Jesus (John 13:25).  However, he also fell as dead at the feet of the risen Christ (Revelation 1:17).  We can know God in a growing awareness, understanding, and loving fellowship.  But we must never lose sight of the fact that He is a being like no other.  We must seek to know Him as He truly is, an illumination that only the Spirit of God and the Word of God can provide.  Our Lord will never cease to amaze us by unveiling new aspects of His glorious and singular wonder.  Our role involves the awareness of His otherness, and the consistent determination to gaze upon Him by walking with our Lord in confidence of His presence, and by the light of His Word…

"In Thy light shall we see light."

(Psalm 36:9)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

(John 1:17)