SCRIPTURE GEMS - 4

SCRIPTURE GEMS – 4

Is there anyone who has never has a loss, pain, or problem that creates such stress that it seems your heart cannot hold it?  1 Pet.5:7   Casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you. This is a promise that we must believe and grow in our ability to actually accomplish it.  It is never easy.  Phil.4:6,7  

If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are God’s child.  Some rejoice that their child graduates from high school, leaves home, and they are done.  We care for our children all the way through life.  God loves us and care for us through thick and thin.  His ability to care for us far surpasses anything we can do. 

All of our worry is for naught.  Jesus uses the hairs of our head as an example.  One Scripture is in Matt.5:36.  We cannot naturally change the color of our hair.  Neither do we know the number of hairs our head holds from day to day.  Matt.10:30   Our faith is tested as we face problems.  Can we put them in the hands of Jesus?  Matt.6:34

All of us will face loss and problems of various kinds.  Are we prepared?  Shock of the reality comes but immediately we need to be prepared to go to God for the comfort that He provides in many ways.  2 Cor.1:3   He is called the God of comfort.  Not only is He a God of comfort but He causes things to happen that will be a comfort to us.  2 Cor.7:6  

A beautiful picture is given in Isa.61:3 of the comfort given to us.  Ashes are not pretty but He gives beauty instead.  Mourning hurts the spirit and yet the oil of joy replaced mourning.  Oil was used in worship.  We have all felt that heavy feeling when a loss occurs.  It is replaced with praise as we realize all is not lost. God has placed eternity in our hearts.  Eccl.3:11  We can say with Job as is in Job 1:21.

We are given comfort through the Holy Spirit.  In fact the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter in Jhn.14:26.  It is noted that the Christians that were scattered from Jerusalem were walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 9:31

Jesus promised comfort to those that mourned in Matt.5:4.  Although this could have meant spiritually mourning, it could also be mourning for those who had died.  Paul reminded the Thessalonians of the comfort of Jesus and God.  With that comfort, they could continue in word and deed to serve.  2 Thess.2:16,17   Those who live by God’s Word can receive comfort thereby.  Ps.119:50; Rom.15:4  

Fellow Christians are an encouragement in comforting sisters and brothers in Christ.  Sometimes others can relate with you but be able to see the future to be remindful of Scripture when a person is too deep in sorrow, pain, or problems to remember.  In Job 2:11 Job’s three friends came to comfort and mourn with him.  We find that their attempt was not what they intended.  However, the purpose was one from which we can learn.  Paul had fellow workers that were a comfort to him.  Col.4:11

Sometimes others learn because of our reaction to our problems.  Paul realized this as he wrote to the Corinthians.  2 Cor.7:4   Affliction has value in our growth as well.  Jam.1:2,3   We have atrophy of our spiritual lives if we are never challenged to rely on God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Scripture.  This comes as we lay our problems upon God.  Isa.41:10   The outcome in our faithfulness in accomplishing this is stated in Isa.51:11.  The love and prayers of our loved ones are always a comfort to us.  Eph.6:22; Phil.2:1

Sometimes death comes in a drawn-out way and sometimes in an unexpected, fast way.  God knows and has His time.  Ps.31:15   We can’t fight with God.  We have to accept it.  1 Cor.15:55,57   Paul stated his thoughts in 2 Cor.5:8.  Realize that sometimes this is the better way.  We are finished with all of the struggles of life when we go to meet our Lord.  We have victory!  Would we want to take that away from a loved one?

What a beautiful expression of this victory we have in Rev.21:4.  There need be no fear for we have a faithful companion walking with us.  Ps.23:4   Paul exhorts us to remind our fellow Christians of these words.  1 Thess.4:18   How important it is to have accepted Jesus as our Savior and be walking in ways to please Him.  Then we can have confidence in eternity after this life has ended.  1Jhn.5:13  

The promise remains as we cast our cares upon Him.  1 Pet.5:7   He will care for us.