Isaiah 40:1; Isaiah 61:1,2; John 14:1
What a wonderful concept, comfort. Comfort is something that each of us seek from time to time. We work a hard day and come home to comfort. We travel from time to time and sleep in unfamiliar beds. We are happy to get home to our own familiar comfortable bed. There is a desire for comfort and it does not just relate to physical comfort. We desire to be mentally comfortable. There are times when we cannot wrap our mind around. When these mental issues chase away the comfort we want, we seek knowledge to dispel the mystery that makes us uncomfortable. We seek mental comfort. The other area of comfort is spiritual comfort. Spiritual comfort is the most neglected area of comfort. Neglected not by God but by man in ignoring the Word of God.
God said to His people, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people . . . “ Isaiah 40:1 God is speaking comfort to His people. God’s comfort is that warfare is accomplished. Another comfort was that Jerusalem’s iniquity is pardoned. God said that His people had paid double for their sins.
Now God is calling for them to be comforted. God has a desire that his people are comforted.
Isaiah has more to say about comfort. I believe there is a list of comforting things that Isaiah speaks relays to us. Isaiah 61:1,2 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, an the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; We each should have the Spirit of the Lord GOD upon us; certainly not as a prophet or a preacher, but as a comfort for us. Each of us should comfort the meek and tell others about Jesus Christ our Savior. Surely this is a comfort to us and our desire should be to comfort others by telling about our Savior. A comfort is that the Lord is coming again. With the heartbreak that is experienced here, the sorrows that overcome us, the disappointments that abound; the LORD is coming again.
We are called to not let our heart be troubled. Here is the question with which we need to deal with; do we believe in God? If we believe in God, we must also believe in Jesus Christ.
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
WHY? MOTIVATION’S EXAMINATION
William Andrew Dillard
Parson to Person
It is not unusual for adults to tire easily over the apparent, bottomless, curiosity of a small child. From such questions as “Where do the white clouds go at night,” to “How does this work,” to endless interrogatives of “Why,” the pressing need for information to bring order, understanding, and meaning to life itself persists, and that is so good! It is a shame that much of that is stiffled in mature adulthood (after all, one does not want to appear to be ignorant). Ultimately, it is a loss that bears its own irrevocable reward in time and eternity. Think about it!
I relate here an old story of an ambitious preacher’s nightmare. A young minister whose zeal far outstripped his wisdom came face to face with his religious motivation one fateful night. In his dream, he met and had a conversation with the Lord. He earnestly besought the Lord to make him a popular, widely accepted preacher. To his dismay, the Lord simply asked, “Why?” Somewhat befuddled, he went on to say that he wanted to be respected as a wise, holy man among his peers. Again, the Lord retorted, “Why?” The preacher quickly searched for an answer to the unexpected question. He stated that he wanted to build a large, megachurch with multiple staff, and magnificent choirs. Once more, the Lord asked “Why?” It was then that he awakened with profound thoughts to settle, all relating to the piercing question “Why.” All of God’s people, and especially ministers of the gospel would do well to identify with the ambitious preacher. Spiritual realities are often far removed from fleshly religion, no matter how noble the intent may be.
Truly, to be legitimately added to the church of the Lord Jesus, in covenant relationship with Him is a deep, personal, spiritual state to be nourished through the sustainment and constraints of the Word. Failure in this discipleship will find one sinking into the perpetual status quo of spiritual infancy in which the flesh delights in the external talking points of religion, as Paul told Timothy. “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” On the other hand, realizing He must increase, but I must decrease subjugates any religious pomp of man to the well grounded status of belonging to Him. It is He who gives the increase, and except He build the house, labor is in vain, and the degree of glory one might receive from the plaudits of men is the degree of robbery perpetrated upon His work. I do not reference or laud spiritual lethargy, but commitment without reservation to the King of glory. Jesus underscored this principle in His kingdom parables, saying: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Luke 17:10
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