GOD OF ALL COMFORT
Paul wrote, “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any [a]trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
God is Ever Present to Sustain Us Through Adversity – (Psa. 23; Heb. 13:5-6; James 4:10). We will face hardships in many forms, physical, emotional, yet when finally give up and lean on Christ, such a result cannot be all bad.
It’s been said, the only gospel to the poor and unfortunate is the gospel of better wages, better homes, less work and more play.
But truth is that adversity, suffering is what produces the noblest and strongest characters we have known. Forged to serve by these circumstances.
“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the [a]strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psa. 73:26)
Let us think on these things…
OBEDIENCE -THE FATHER & HIS CHILDREN!
In this lesson we will think about our loving Fatherk, of ourselves as His children and the power that comes from submission and obedience to our Father.
In Hebrews chapter 12 we think of our Creator in very helpful terms. The Need of our Father to Chasen Us – So That We Can Be More Like Him!
“7 If[d] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:7-9)
Our Creator, God is Spirit, and we come to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Verse six says, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens…” Let us turn to the scripture and meditate on these good things…
BLESSINGS GREETINGS VISIONS OF JESUS!
“1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must [a]shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:1-3)
Many miss out on the blessing of Jesus because of misguided methods of interpreting the scriptures. Too many just listen to every book writer, to every preacher, and ever family member, and miss the mark of understanding because they don’t simply let the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus, do the interpretating.
A WALK WITH GOD!
The previous lesson was about how to be pleasing like Enoch. This lesson is about how we can “walk with God”!
The New Testament teaches us to…
…walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)
…walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25)
…walk in good works (Eph. 2:10)
…walk in love (Eph. 5:1-2)
…walk wisely, redeeming the time (Eph. 5:15-27)
…walk in the light (1 John 1:7)
Listen in as we discuss these six ways we can walk with the God of Creation, and the Lord Jesus Christ…
BE PLEASING LIKE ENOCH: Our most important thought must be what must I do to please God? This is an absolute truth! The Hebrew writer said of Enoch, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:5)
Jesus Pleased God by Doing the Father’s Will – So Must We! Obviously pleasing God requires faith in action, that is walking…
HOW CAN WE BE PLEASING TO GOD? PLEASE GOD THROUGH THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING.
– Not to Please Men – 1 Thess. 2:4
– Not Another Gospel – Gal. 1:8-9
– Preach In and Out of Season – 2 Tim. 4:1-4
– Preach As A Bond Servant of Christ – Gal. 1:10
OUR SALVATION PLEASES GOD
– It’s God’s Desire – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
– Our Waiting – Phil. 3:20-21
– Putting On Christ – Gal. 3:27
A LIFE OF A SERVANT
The Master said, “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve….” (Matt. 20:28)
JESUS NOT ONLY SPOKE THESE WORDS BUT HE WAS A DOER.
– He showed us this service through the example of His own life.
– Healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and by His sacrificial death on the cross.
– TRULY THE SON OF MAN DID COME TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY.
– The LORD, our MASTER Jesus was willing to serve us in the most perfect and complete sense by laying down His life for us.
What will we do to serve Him in return?
Let us consider together, what is involved in serving God…
Let us consider together, what is involved in serving God…
The psalmist says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6)
WE PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HIM…
* BY BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
* BY OUR WORSHIP
* BY SHARING THE GOOD NEWS
* BY OUR GOOD WORKS
* BY LIVING FAITHFULLY
TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” (Proverbs 23:23)
THIS LESSON:
CONTROVERSIAL TRUTH
TRUTH MUST BE PREACHED
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him–the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48)
GOD PROVIDES AND DELIVERS
“20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you [f]complete in every good work to do His will, working in [g]you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
In this lesson we’ll consider three points.
1. God is Always Good
2. The Fear of God Leads to Reward
3. One Who Desires Life Desires Holiness
JOY
There are many things in this life that can produce joy in our hearts. I played violin for years it brought me joy. Falling in love and finally marrying the love of my life brought be joy. Seeing my children born and grow to be godly children of God brought me joy.
But, all these great things are temporary. I played the violin for others and brought them joy until I cut off my finger in a table saw accident. Now I am learning to play the trumpet with when I play doesn’t bring anyone joy. Someday I will die (Heb. 9:27), or the love of my life will go before me which will, for a time, bring great sorrow. But again, though these things will one day pass – the joy that comes from above – the joy of being a member of the body of Christ and being recipients of the promise of eternal life – can never be taken away.
We’ll investigate this and I pray all will have that eternal fruit of the Spirit – Joy by accepting the invitation of Jesus Christ…