COMFORT !

Will God comfort me? God has promised to comfort us. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 66:13, NKJV. "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you...”

Infinite, all-powerful, all-loving God is the one who comforts us. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 51:12, NKJV.  "I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass?"

We can trust God's guidance and protection to comfort to us in our darkest moments. It's in the Bible, Psalm 23:4, NKJV. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me"

Where can I find comfort? God's promises in His Word gives us comfort. It's in the Bible, Psalm 119:49-50, NKJV. "Remember the word to your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has given me life."

The Scriptures give examples to teach us and give us hope and comfort in God. It's in the Bible,Romans 15:4, NKJV. "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

God is merciful, and will comfort us in even when we make mistakes. It's in the Bible, Psalm 94:18-19, NKJV.  "If I say, 'My foot slips,' Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul"

God's grace is an everlasting source of comfort. It's in the Bible, 2 Thessalonians, 2:16-17, NKJV. "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"

God will never forget or forsake us. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 49:14-16, NKJV. "But Zion said, 'The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.' Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.."

Jesus's mission was to give us hope and comfort to our fallen human race. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 61:1-2, NKJV.  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn"

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be sent to be our Comforter. It's in the Bible, John 14:16, 26, KJV. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;"  "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you"

How can I comfort someone? Friends can provide comfort with their sympathy and presence, even if nothing is being said. It's in the Bible, Job 2:11-13, NKJV. "Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great."

In facing loss, we can find comfort that we can see our loved ones again at Christ coming. It's in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, NKJV. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words"

In our troubles, God comforts us that we may give comfort to others who experience trials. It's in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NKJV. "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 tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Comfort others, and in turn it you encourage each other. It's in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, KJV. "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do"

FORSAKEN !

God will never forsake us. It’s in the Bible, Deuteronomy 31:6, NKJV. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Even if our loved ones forsake us, God never does. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 27:10, NKJV. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me.”

Sometimes we may feel that God has forsaken us, but even then He does not forget us. It’s in the Bible, Isaiah 49:14-16, NKJV. “But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, and my LORD has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.’ ”

Although God will never forsake us, He respects our free will if we choose to leave Him. It’s in the Bible, 2 Chronicles 24:18-20, NKJV. “Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, ‘Thus says God: “Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.” ’ ”

Forsaking God will leave us empty and incomplete, for He is the source of all life, happiness, and fulfillment. It’s in the Bible, Jeremiah 2:13, NKJV. “For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Forsaking God and His judgments brings trouble to ourselves and those around us. It’s in the Bible, 1 Kings 18:18, NKJV. “He [Elijah] answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.’ ”

God will punish those who forsake His laws of justice. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 89:30-33, NKJV. “If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, if they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail.”

When we make mistakes, it doesn’t mean God has forsaken us. It’s in the Bible, Nehemiah 9:17, NKJV. “They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.”

Meeting opposition and difficult trials does not mean God has forsaken you. It’s in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NKJV. “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

In our trials, when we feel that God has forsaken us, God is closer than you feel. It's in the Bible, Jeremiah 23:23, “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off?"

God has promised to be with you; what is there to fear? It’s in the Bible, Hebrews 13:5, 6, NKJV. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ”

DEVOTION

What kind of devotion should we have towards God? We should treat God as our closest friend. It's in the Bible, Exodus 33:12-13, TLB. "Moses talked there with the Lord and said to Him, 'You have been telling me, Take these people to the Promised Land, but you haven't told me whom you will send with me. You say you are my friend, and that I have found favour before you; please, if this is really so, guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel so that I will understand you and walk acceptably before you."

Our devotion to God should be wholehearted. It's in the Bible, I Chronicles 28:9, NIV. "And you, my son, Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord search every heart and understand every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever."

Matthew 12:30, NIV says, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."

Those who seek the Lord with their whole heart are called, "blessed". It's in the Bible, Psalms 119:2, NIV. "Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart."

Thankful!

Start the day with a thankful attitude. It's in the Bible, Psalm 92:1-2, TLB. "It is good to say thank you to the Lord, to sing praises to the God who is above all gods. Every morning tell him, 'Thank you for Your kindness,' and every evening rejoice in all His faithfulness."

One of the first marks of rejecting God is forgetting to thank him. It's in the Bible, Romans 1:21, TLB. "Yes, they knew about Him all right, but they wouldn't admit it or worship Him or even thank Him for all his daily care. And after a while they began to think up silly ideas of what God was like and what He wanted them to do. The result was that their foolish minds became dark and confused."

Give thanks in every situation. It's in the Bible, I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

In giving thanks to God; don't forget from where our blessings come. It's in the Bible, Psalms 103: 2, NIV. "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."