Are You Comfortable?

 Monday, June 29, 2015

I am teaching a series this summer on the Names of JEsus.  Last week was ‘I AM’, so this blog caught my eye!

Jesus said, "Believe Me that I Am in the Father and the Father is in Me, otherwise believe because of the works themselves.  Truly, truly, I say to you he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I do to the Father."  (John 14:11-12).

 Hey Gang:  Notice, He did not stop with this promise but added several more to it that we need to heed in these days when God is shaking everything that can be haken.   "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it and If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (vs. 13-15).  (We sometimes for get to ask that the Father will be glorified!)

But, how Lord, can I do far greater things that You, who are all powerful?  His reply, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you, forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because He abide with you and will be in you." (Vs. 16-17).

I believe with all my heart the events of the past weeks have ratcheted up the final days of this earth. (2005) If there was ever a time when we need a comforter, it is today.!  The medical guru's tell us the number one malady in the world today is anxiety-driven infirmities.  The head doctors and pharmaceutical companies are getting wealthy as they try to glue people back together.   

I was watching the Kentucky Wildcats working to gain their 38th victory with no defeats.  As the camera man panned the huge arena of the ten thousand or more people, most wore the ‘blue’ of Kentucky and screamed with every point that was scored.  That still quiet voice put the thought into my brain, ‘probably, if Messiah were to come at half time and take His children home, there would be very few empty seats.’   

That still small voice also seemed to say: ‘If the church would be as excited about spreading the Good News of salvation to a hurting world, as these were about a basketball game that will be replaced by the realities of the day when they walked out of the arena, He could heal our land.’

How very tragic that so many people are hurting but turn their backs on the One who can heal their hurts and give them comfort during these very tough days.   The Bible tells us, "For the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted (Isa. 49:13).  In truth, our God is "... the Father of mercies, and  the God of all comfort ,who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Cor. 1:3-4) .

God promises to give us "...beauty for ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness.  So, they will be called "oaks of righteousness', The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isa. 61:3).

Sooooo, Now hear this… the comfort that God gives does not necessarily make us comfortable, but it does meet our need in times of loss and discouragement.  When it appears that the sky is falling and the alligators are on the move, I turn to Revelation 22 and read again Jesus words:

 "There will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in  it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads" (22:3-4), and the last two verse of the Bible, "Yes, I AM coming quickly, Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen" (22:20-21).  And that my friends and neighbors you can take to the bank!

Blessings,

Gramps