From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Heritage" <gheritage@juno.com>
Subject: Joyous Greetings
Date: Sunday, March 10, 2002 8:45 AM

The Lord in our comfort!  Here speaking to Isaiah of the coming hope,
He says, "...And you shall be nursed, you shall be carried on the hip
and fondled on the knees.  As one whom his mother comforts, so I will
comfort you..."  Isaiah 66:12-13
Picture it; the Lord's tender loving care, comforting as a mother does to
her beloved child.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort."  So says the Apostle Paul in
2 Corinthians 1:3

The Apostle Paul knew great persecution and suffering during his ministry
and he understood the suffering and the comfort, he makes this known to
the reader as he continues in the next verse,
"Who comforts us in all our afflictions so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God."  2 Corinthians 1:4

Did you catch the reason?  God comforts us in every trouble (The Amplified
says calmity and affliction) so that we may give the same comfort to others.
Do we Believers not experienced conflicts, yes, and fears from time to time?
Is it not, in part, that we may know God's comfort?  Are these experiences
not part of His strengthening our faith and trust in Him and His conforming
us to the image of  Christ?

Paul gives us an example in 2 Corinthians 7:5-6,
"For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we
were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within.  BUT GOD,
who comforts the depressed, comforted us..."
And how were they comforted?  "...by the coming of Titus."

Spiritual fellowship brings companionship and comfort as we see in the
following verses:
"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave
attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him
for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.  'And they will be
Mine,' says the Lord of hosts..."  Malachi 3:16-17

"And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and

to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  And everyone kept
feeling a sense of awe..."  Acts 2:43-44

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you...for your fellowship in
the gospel from the first day until now."  Philippians l:3 & 5

"But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another..."
1 John 1:7

Whatever the circumstances, know that God's comfort sustains and
upholds each of His own and He is in charge of all things.  How very
blessed we are, for there is none like our God who is able to do ALL
things and meet ALL needs!

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father who has
loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace comfort
and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word."
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Great is our Lord and greatly to be praised!  Amen.