God's jewels of comfort

From Psalm 23

"The Lord is my shepherd"

God's comfort message...God will care for you and be your personal shepherd if you ask Him.

For: Someone who needs care

"I shall not want."

God's comfort message...God will provide for you.

For: Someone who has any need...physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually...

facing fears of "not having"

"He makes me lie down in green pastures; He lead me beside the still waters"

God's comfort message...He leads you to a quiet place in your life (He gives peace).

For: Someone overwhelmed by busyness and constant unrest..someone weary

"He restores our soul"

God's comfort message...God will heal your soul

For: Someone who is wounded and beat up from life or relationships with others

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake."

God's comfort message...The Shepherd has the greatest wisdom to lead you.

For: Someone trying to make big life decisions

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."

God's comfort message...You don't have to fear evil even in the valley of the shadow of death...God is still God no matter what happens to you.

For: Someone facing crisis and a life-threatening situation

"For you are with me"

God's comfort message...The Shepherd is with you (you are not alone no matter what you feel or things seem like).

For: Someone who feels overwhelmed with lonliness or feels rejected by others or feels like a failure

"Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me"

God's comfort message...The Shepherd's rod and staff provide security and protection for you.

For: Someone fearful regarding their safety or the safety of someone they love

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies"

God's comfort message...God is God and He is greater than any of my enemies.

For: Someone afraid of harm from being harassed and oppressed by enemies

"You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over."

God's comfort message...God anoints you with His grace and love and wants HIs blessing to overflow in your life.

For: Someone who is doubting that they are of any value or lovable

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"

God's comfort message...you have a future full of HIs goodness and forgiving love.

For: Someone fearful, anxious and stressed about what's ahead for them or someone they love

"....and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"

God's comfort message...there is someplace wonderful for you after you leave this life.

For: Someone facing death or someone you know that is facing death

Pray for this person in need of comfort...if you don't know how to pray, try this...

"Holy Spirit of Truth, my Comforter, speak Your life-giving love message of comfort to ____________ right in this moment as You have done so many times for me.

I surrender myself to You completely and will do whatever You tell me to do so that ____________ experiences Your comfort. If you want to use me to speak Your words, I am willing....if you want me to give something that would communicate Your comfort, I am also willing....or if you only want me to continue quietly interceding, then I am willing. Anoint _________with the soothing oil of your comfort and blessing that they may see Jesus, the Great Shepherd, and want Him more deeply in their life.

In Jesus' name.

Amen

comfortable vs. uncomfortable

The root word in the words, comfortable and uncomfortable is "comfort".

Comfort on the exterior can seem merely like a "warm fuzzy feeling"...but when you add it all up, comfort is much bigger and more powerful and amazing than that.

Why, Jesus even sent a Resident Comforter to live in us, the Holy Spirit of Truth. Comfort must be pretty important to God if He offered such a Gift as that for every believer.

God has wired us to receive comfort in many tangible ways through our senses...

eyes...photographs; Christmas ornaments from childhood; new fallen snow; a tire swing next to a swimming hole; a log cabin; a fire in the fireplace; a rocking chair; a front porch swing...

ears...our mother's voice; a dinner bell; mail being dropped into the mailbox; children's voices on a playground; chicken frying in a skillet; music in all it's varieties; a purring cat....

smells...chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven; fresh bread; steak on a grill; fresh cut grass; rain; clean laundry; a christmas tree; scented candles; lavender...

touch....a hug; a kiss or holding hands with someone you love; a down comforter; a hand-sewn quilt; silk; cotton; hair; a soft teddy bear; a cat's fur; holding a warm cup of coffee on a cold day...

taste...many many kinds of foods...salty, spicy, sweet, savory. Many, many kinds of beverages...

These are tangible means of comfort that each of us receive as a gift from our Loving Father, but He has comfort in much deeper ways as well.

Think how often we turn to receive comfort. Many times a day we don't even realize that we are seeking comfort because we are feeling afraid or worried or upset or tired or discouraged or lonely.

Life throws alot at us.

I guess, those who seek comfort are those who have a need?

How each of us "receives" comfort will be how we "give" comfort.

We can only give what we have first received...that is why the second great commandment is defined, Love your neighbor "as yourself". Who are we to love (as God does) first? Me!

Loving myself as God does means I first receive His love for "me"...then give it to others in the same way. We are learning to love. It's important for us to learn to receive His love daily.

Isaiah 40 begins, "Comfort ye; comfort ye My people...." It is the theme of that chapter.

How does the Holy Spirit direct this to be done?

Tell them good news! In fact, shout it out as loud as you can....from a high mountain.

What are we to shout out as the good news specifically to bring this comfort?

"BEHOLD YOUR GOD".

The rest of the chapter, Isaiah, as a messenger repeating the King's words, lavishes on the reader many word-pictures comparing things about God's character with things in nature.

We begin to feel very small...and our problems seem small...in the light of the greatness and bigness and unchangeableness of the God that made and loves us! The "Truth" of who He is and what He has done brings an incredible "comfort"...His truth frees us into the place of safety; which is in Him alone.

Comfort is all about knowing you are "safe". This is what His love does for us individually.

Our safety is hugely important to God...just read Psalm 23 and 91 and John 10. Even when everything is falling apart around us and we are abandoned by everyone else, He says..."I will not leave you as orphans but I will come to you and live with you forever".

Forever is a long time! It leaves nothing unguarded. And our God now lives "inside" us..."Christ in you, the Hope of glory". He's closer than we can define in words.

The truth frees us from fear and all that causes panic and anxiety and depression and takes us into the arms of the Father to live in the safety of His love that is the strongest force in the universe. He actually invites us to be bold about coming anytime.

Comfort equals His love which is revealed in His truth.

I pray you are comforted!