Where Do We Find Comfort (Friend’s Day)

Illus: The different ways we do this, reminds me of three elderly men who were passing the time discussing the ideal way of leaving this world.

• The first man, age seventy-five, said he would prefer to go to sleep one night and not wake up the next day.

• The second man, age eighty-five, said he would rather be killed in an airplane crash.

• The third man, age ninety-five, said he would rather be shot by a jealous husband.

We all have different ideas about different things.

We all have different ideas about HOW TO COMFORT OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHEN THEY NEED COMFORTING.

We all try to:

• Sympathize with them

• Put an arm around them

• Speak hopeful words to them

• Bring them some food

• Send flowers and cards

Most of the time our efforts are well received, but at best they fall short, and we leave feeling we have not achieved our goal.

One thing we all will agree on is this; there are times in our life when we need comforting.

For example, let me ask you something. Suppose you got the most devastating news that you could get. Perhaps a family member was killed in a car accident. Who would you turn to for comfort at a time like this?

WHERE THEN CAN WE TURN TO FOR COMFORT?

Let me show you from the scriptures where we can turn to in times of trouble in our lives. We can certainly turn to-

I. THE COMFORT OF GOD

2 Cor. 1:3 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT…”

Aren’t you glad that He is a God of Comfort.

Illus: Have you ever seen some of these grandchildren at play? They can bump their head on a table, and they will immediately come running and crying to their mom or dad, wanting them to kiss the new knot on their head.

We are all like that. When we start hurting, we immediately run to God the Father for the comfort that we need.

He doesn’t scold us. He comforts us!

HOW DOES THE GOD OF COMFORT, COMFORT US?

Look at 2 Cor. 7:6. “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are CAST DOWN…”

God is a God of Comfort, and some people have never discovered that.

Illus: Have you ever been so “Cast down” that you went into a place of prayer, and in tears, you poured your heart out to God? After you poured your heart out to Him, all of a sudden you felt it was going to be all right.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The God of comfort came down and comforted you. He spoke to your heart in a soft voice, and let you know the things that had “Cast you down” were going to be all right.

Look at verse 4, we read, “Who comforteth us IN ALL OUR TRIBULATION,”

• This lets us know that there is NO AFFLICTION that God is not concerned with. If it disturbs us, it disturbs Him.

• This lets us know that NO AFFLICTION can come our way that is so great, that it can prevent God from being able to bring comfort in the midst of it!

Temptations, testings and afflictions will certainly come our way, but God will COMFORT US in them, and deliver us from them.

In times of distress He is THE GOD OF COMFORT. But also in times of distress we have-

II. THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY GHOST

Jesus described the Holy Ghost as “ANOTHER COMFORTER.”

The Holy Spirit’s position in the church has been improperly taught by a lot of ministers and preachers. Many have not done it because of evil in their hearts, but simply because they do not know what His scriptural position in the church is.

You can go into some churches and all you will hear is

• Sermon after sermon,

• Testimony after testimony,

• Conversation after conversation,

that deals with the Holy Spirit, and very little about the Lord Jesus who came and died for our sins.

The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit did not come to exalt Himself, He came to exalt the Savior.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for HE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”

Notice that the Bible clearly teaches us that His mission is not to teach of Himself, but to guide the Believer into all truth.

He has come to do two things for us as Believers.

(1) Guide us into all truth

(2) Comfort us

Look at Acts 9:31, we read, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY GHOST, were multiplied.”