A Crucified Life - - Receives Comfort From God

 

2 Corinthians 7:6,8

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3870

Comfort: console, encourage and strengthen, advocate

From the Greek word 'parakaleó' (pronounced par-ak-al-eh'-o).

    God is 'up close and personal' with His people. He is not a faraway God, but the near God, the 'I will never leave you nor forsake you' God. 

• Hebrews 13:5
• Deuteronomy 31:6,8
• Joshua 1:9.17
• Isaiah 41:10-14

    God comforts His people when we are downcast (low in spirit, humble, meek). We are comforted by His presence, His nearness. And we are grateful that this is our God.

    Paul was writing to the believers in Corinth who had supported him on his journeys; thanking them for their loyalty and their mission support to him. We need to remain faithful to our missionaries, too. They need us to express our love for them not only in our prayers, but in our giving. 

    Missionaries who are faithful in sharing the gospel receive comfort from God through us who impart love and mercy to them, as Titus did when God sent him to Paul. Titus had good things to say, words which encouraged Paul and compelled him to reach out to the little church. 

    Let us continue to work together, as the believers did in the beginning of the age of the church, to advance the kingdom of God with our witness and our testimony. 

Give Me Faith by Elevation Worship

This Is Our God by Phil Wickham

Shepherd of My Soul by Rivers & Robots

Draw Me Close To You by Michael W. Smith

The Lord Is Near 

God With Us by MercyMe

 

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Consolation of Israel

 

Luke 2:25, 26

25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for The Consolation of Israel: and The Holy Ghost was upon him.

26. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen The Lord's Christ.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3874

Consolation: a calling to one's aid, encouragement, summons, exhortation, entreaty

From the Greek word 'paraklésis' (pronounced par-ak'-lay-sis). Further meaning "personal urging, holy urging, intimate call", depending on the context of the word being used in which verse. 

{Conceived. Circumcised. Consecrated. Consolation. I love following the lead of the Holy Spirit. He leads me through the Word of God to the destination chosen for me to arrive at.} 

PARAKLESIS

Son of Encouragement: Acts 4:36

Word of Exhortation: Acts 13:15

The God of All Comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3

Everlasting Consolation: 2 Thessalonians 2:16

CONSOLATION PROMISED

Isaiah 25:9

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Isaiah 66:13

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Psalm 94:19

When anxiety overwhelms me, Your Consolation delights my soul.

THE LORD'S CHRIST

The LORD God's Faithful Priest: 1 Samuel 2:35

The LORD God's Anointed One: Psalm 132:17

The LORD God's Messiah: Daniel 9:26; Matthew 1:16

The LORD's Christ: John 11:27

Have you seen The Consolation of Israel? Have you met The Lord's Christ? It's not too late. But the day is coming when, if you have not declared Him as Lord and Savior of your soul, your life, that you may not have an opportunity to change your mind and your heart. To day is the day of salvation, says The Lord, in Hebrews 3:15, "Do not harden your hearts." And again in Hebrews 4:7 "Again, he limited a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

The Consolation of Israel longs to be your Consoler, too. God did indeed send His only begotten Son into the world to save the world. But only the heart who believes will receive this glorious Gift of Salvation through the blood which Jesus Christ shed on the cross. It's the reason Jesus came to this earth: to save us, not to condemn us; to redeem us, not to toss us away; to befriend us, not to ignore us. 

Now is the time to give your hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is the hour in which to surrender what you want for what God wants. Is this your day? 

WE WAIT FOR YOU

COME JESUS COME by Steven McWhirter

GOD REALLY LOVES US by Maverick City Music, Crowder & Dante Bowe

BELONG TO YOU by Here Be Lions

Thanks Be To God -- Who Comforts Us

 

2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3874

Comfort: from the Greek word paraklésis, which means: properly, a call (urging), done by someone "close beside," i.e. a personal exhortation that delivers the "evidence that stands up in God's court." ; personal advocate;is an "intimate call" that someone personally gives to deliver God's verdict, i.e. "the close-call" that reveals how the Lord weighs in the relevant facts (evidence).  Paraklesis (holy-urging) is used of the Lord directly motivating and inspiring believers to carry out His plan, delivering His particular message to someone else. The core-meaning of paráklēsis ("personal urging") is shaped by the individual context, so it can refer to: exhortation, warning, encouragement (comfort), gladness, joy, consolation.

Comfort means so much more than we thought it did, doesn't it? This word paraklésis is used three times in this passage: the first time in verse 3 and the first and last time in verse 4.

GOD COMFORTS HIS PEOPLE

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Romans 15:4

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 

1 Timothy 4:13

Until I come, give heed to the public reading of Scripture (in churches and synagogues), to exhortation, to teaching.

Knowing that all comfort originates with and comes from God, we accept that the Comforter He sends also originates with Him.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3875

Advocate: from the Greek word paraklétos (pronounced par-ak'-lay-tos), which means: called to one's aid; an advocate, an intercessor; a consoler, comforter, helper; from 'close-beside': , a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because close enough to the situation.

John 15:26

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.

Acts 1:4, 5

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said He,  "You have heard of Me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days after these."

 GOD'S PEOPLE COMFORT EACH OTHER

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3870

Comfort: from the Greek word parakaleó (pronounced par-ak-al-eh'-o), which means: to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage;  (a) I send for, summon, invite, (b) I beseech, entreat, beg, (c) I exhort, admonish, (d) I comfort, encourage, console. Appeal to, implore, plead. 

This word parakaleó is used just once in this passage. The third time comfort is mentioned is when we comfort one another. How do we do just that? 

We Comfort One Another With The Love of Christ

Philippians 2:1

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affections and compassions, fulfil my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

We Comfort One Another With The Fulfillment of Prophecy

(The Prophecy) Deuteronomy 18:15

The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him.

(Prophecy Fulfilled) Luke 2:25

Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for The Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 

In Luke 2:25, The Consolation is from the Greek word  paraklésis which we already see described in the first definition given of the word comfort, but now as a proper noun: THE COMFORTER, THE CONSOLER, THE CONSOLATION, THE ADVOCATE, THE HELPER. 

Thanks be to God who comforts us as we live our daily lives in His Word, according to His Will and Purpose for our lives. Thanks be to God for His Advocate, who defends us before the Father, who convicts us of sin and brings us into repentance, that we might be His holy people, of the generation of righteous living in and through Christ. 

Thanks be to God for His path, His Way, which is old and narrow and difficult to traverse, but totally worth the effort it takes to do so. 

Dear God,

Thank You, firstly, for sending Your Son to die on the cross in my stead and, secondly, for sending Your Comforter, Your Holy Spirit to encourage me in my walk with You. Who helps me to guard my heart and who guides me through Your Word every day, revealing to me what You would have me to know. 

In Jesus' Beautiful Name, I pray,

Amen

Father, Son, Spirit by Jason Upton

He Abides (classic hymn)