Good morning dear ones!

I want to encourage you today with our God being THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT.2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says,

  • Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and THE 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.

It seems like the world has gone to extremes to distort our perception of what we think God is like, and as a result, so many people have been afraid of Him their entire lives.

The popular notion among many believers is that He is an angry, vengeful God, ready to strike them down when they sin and make mistakes.  Because of that mindset, they attribute to God the bad, painful things that happen to them in life, erroneously assuming that those are His ways of punishing them for something they did wrong. Family, nothing could be further from the truth!

When we were created, God gave everyone the freedom to make their own choices in life, but sometimes we make bad choices.  That is why I love the Scripture in Deuteronomy 30:19 that says,

  • “Today, I have give you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

When our decisions or choices do not lead to the results we want, it is easy to blame God, but we fail to realize that other factors operating are the devil, the world’s influences, and our own self-centeredness.  Proverbs 19:3 (NLT) says,

  • People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.

Just like our earthly parents, God wants to console and COMFORT us when we are hurting.  Remember, He is THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT.

God does not want us to suffer, but when we do, 1 Corinthians 10:13 says,

  • No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

During life’s most painful times, it may seem like we are in the desert.  But, God promises that He will not only never leave us, but He will carry us when we cannot go on. Deuteronomy 1:31 (NLT) says,

  • And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place.

The concept of punishment involves fear.  When we accept and believe in what Jesus did for us on the cross, we become God’s own children, whom He loves too much to punish.  As a matter of fact, Jesus bore our punishment for us.  1 John 4:18 says,

  • There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

This may sound a little simplistic, but it is easy to understand; GOD IS GOOD and the devil is bad.  John 10:10 says,

  • The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I (Jesus) have come that you may have (abundant) life and that you may have it more abundantly – filled to the full til it overflows!

Jesus said in John 14:6,

  • I Am the way, the truth and the life…

This word, “life” is zoe in the Greek language, which means absolute life. The Apostle John was beside himself in this book of 1 John.  He said in verses 1-2,

  • That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handles, concerning the Word of (absolute) life- THEE LIFE was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…(emphasis added)

I encourage you to study the Word of God and see what God’s character is like. Psalm 118:1 says,

  • Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for HE IS GOOD!  For His mercy endures forever.

God’s ways are not mysterious, as some people espouse.  He has made His will know to us through His Word.  His Word and His will are one and the same.

I exhort you to find out His will for your life through His Word.  2 Peter 1:3-4 says,

  • His divine power has (freely) given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and (most) precious promises, that through these, you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Walking in the comfort of God,

Lisa Gordon

Assistant Pastor

Jesus City Church