2. In Psalm 90, Moses makes what
appears to be a very depressing
assessment concerning life.
(Psa 90:9-10 NIV) All our days pass
away under your wrath; we finish
our years with a moan. {10} The
length of our days is seventy years--
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and
sorrow, for they quickly pass, and
we fly away.
3. However, like Moses, we sometimes forget
the promises of God to comfort us in our
times of sorrow and trouble if we seek it.
The secret of finding comfort when we feel
overwhelmed, defeated, unloved, and
alone is knowing to whom and where to
look. Allow me to share with you these
sources of comfort:
4. 1. Our Gracious Father
2. Our Loving Jesus
3. Our Holy Spirit
4. Our Holy Bible
5. Our Devoted Teachers
6. Our Precious Assembly (the church)
7. Our Promised Future
Let’s consider each one.
5. 1. The Father’s Comfort Is to Be Sought for
These Reasons:
a. The Father’s ministry of comfort to us
can become the comfort we offer to
others.
(2 Cor 1:3-4 NIV) Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of compassion and the God of all comfort,
6. {4} who comforts us in all our troubles, so
that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have
received from God.
7. b. The Father’s ministry of comfort is there
for those who seem to have no hope.
(Psa 68:4-6 NIV) Sing to God, sing praise to
his name, extol him who rides on the clouds
-- his name is the LORD-- and rejoice before
him. {5} A father to the fatherless, a
defender of widows, is God in his holy
dwelling. {6} God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but
the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
8. c. The Father’s ministry of comfort is the
reward of minds focused upon Him.
(Isa 26:3-4 NIV) You will keep in perfect
peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. {4} Trust in the
LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is
the Rock eternal.
9. d. The Father’s ministry of comfort is the
antidote to all of our anxieties when
sought in prayer.
(Phil 4:6-7 NIV) Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God. {7} And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.
10. e. The comfort God gives comes from His
care for us.
(1 Pet 5:7 NIV) Cast all your anxiety on him
because he cares for you.
11. 2. The Son Ministers His Comfort in These
Ways:
a. He will speak up for us when we sin.
(1 John 2:1-2 NIV) My dear children, I write
this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks
to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ,
the Righteous One.
12. {2} He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,
and not only for ours but also for the sins of
the whole world.
13. b. He will lessen the burden of our lives
and give us rest.
(Mat 11:28-30 NIV) "Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light."
14. c. He can guarantee the peace He gives—
not so with the world.
(John 14:27 NIV) Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your hearts be
troubled and do not be afraid.
15. 3. The Holy Spirit Offers His Comfort in the
Following Ways:
a. The Holy Spirit’s continual nurturing
presence in us.
(John 14:16-18 NIV) And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another
Counselor to be with you forever-- {17} the
Spirit of truth.
16. The world cannot accept him, because it
neither sees him nor knows him. But you
know him, for he lives with you and will be
in you. {18} I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you.
17. b. The Holy Spirit’s conviction of the world
and Satan.
(John 16:7-11 NIV) But I tell you the truth:
It is for your good that I am going away.
Unless I go away, the Counselor will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send him to
you. {8} When he comes, he will convict
the world of guilt in regard to sin and
righteousness and judgment:
18. {9} in regard to sin, because men do not
believe in me; {10} in regard to
righteousness, because I am going to the
Father, where you can see me no longer;
{11} and in regard to judgment, because
the prince of this world now stands
condemned.
19. c. The Holy Spirit’s revelation to us of
things we need to know now and in the
future.
(John 16:13-15 NIV) But when he, the
Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you
into all truth. He will not speak on his own;
he will speak only what he hears, and he
will tell you what is yet to come. {14} He
will bring glory to me by taking from what
is mine and making it known to you.
20. {15} All that belongs to the Father is mine.
That is why I said the Spirit will take from
what is mine and make it known to you.
21. 4. The Word of God Is a Source of Comfort
When We Are Instructed by Its Examples
and Teachings.
(Rom 15:4 NIV) For everything that was
written in the past was written to teach us,
so that through endurance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might
have hope.
22. a. We have hundreds of examples of those
who were victorious through various
trials. (Hebews 11: Noah, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, etc.)
23. b. We have hundreds of promises that God will
always be with us in all of our trials.
1) Testings and trials in life do not have to
defeat us,
(1 Cor 10:13 NIV) No temptation has seized
you except what is common to man. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can stand up under it.
24. 2) Death after life does not have to defeat
us.
(Rom 8:11 NIV) And if the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead is living in you,
he who raised Christ from the dead will
also give life to your mortal bodies through
his Spirit, who lives in you.
25. 5. The Timely Preaching of God’s Word to
Current Needs Bings Comfort from that
Which Destroys Fellowship:
a. Correcting wrong thinking brings
comfort.
b. Reproving sin brings comfort.
c. Faithful and continual exhortation to
godly attitudes and actions fosters a
comforting environment.
26. (2 Tim 4:2 NIV) Preach the Word; be
prepared in season and out of season;
correct, rebuke and encourage--with great
patience and careful instruction.
27. 6. The Fellowship of the Church Brings
Comfort When We Do the Following:
a. We prod each other to love and doing
good for each other.
b. We attending church regularly so that
we may encourage one another
c. We rejoice and weep with each other.
d. Ease one another’s burdens.
28. Consider these passages.:
(Heb 10:24-25 NIV) And let us consider how
we may spur one another on toward love
and good deeds. {25} Let us not give up
meeting together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but let us encourage one another-
-and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.
29. (Rom 12:15 NIV) Rejoice with those who
rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
(Gal 6:2 NIV) Carry each other's burdens,
and in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ.
30. 7. Knowing Our Ultimate Future Brings
Comfort.
(1 Th 4:13-18 NIV) Brothers, we do not
want you to be ignorant about those who
fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of
men, who have no hope. {14} We believe
that Jesus died and rose again and so we
believe that God will bring with Jesus those
who have fallen asleep in him.
31. {15} According to the Lord's own word, we
tell you that we who are still alive, who are
left till the coming of the Lord, will
certainly not precede those who have
fallen asleep. {16} For the Lord himself will
come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet call of God, and the
dead in Christ will rise first.
32. {17} After that, we who are still alive and
are left will be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
{18} Therefore encourage each other with
these words.
