God Comforts Us

There are times in life when we need comfort. Yes, God will comfort us. "God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us"(2 Corinthians 7:6). The Holy Spirit is our Comforter to give us peace and encouragement. God's word in the Bible is our word of comfort. Prayer receives the grace of God's comfort. Never be reluctant to ask God for comfort. God says to you, "I, even I, am the one who comforts you (Isaiah 51:12).

The word comfort means to strengthen. During times of your weakness, you can find strength through others. God always wants to comfort you, and one way He does it is through others. Friends who understand are a gift from God. They will comfort you when you are downcast.

If you are going through a difficult time, don't be surprised if God sends someone your way to strengthen you. The believer's life was never designed to live alone. We are members of one another through the body of Christ. We need one another.

God will use you to comfort, strengthen, and encourage others. Ask God to use you to comfort others who are downcast. He will send someone your way who needs God's comfort today. God not only comforts you, but He wants to work through you to comfort others. "Comfort each other" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Joy Filling Our Lives

God is everywhere, yet we are often unaware of His presence. During times of worship, as we sing and praise Him, we are focused upon God. He reveals His presence to us, and joy is one way that He does so. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit filling our lives.

The joy of the Lord is for now and forever. Those who truly experience God's presence may testify,"You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11). Enter His presence with praise through prayer and song. God will fill you with "joy unspeakable and full of glory"(1 Peter 1:8).

Many have yet to learn that there is joy in God's presence. Heaven is a place of everlasting joy in God's presence. Joy may be defined as the eternal pleasure of God's presence, through the one at His right hand, Jesus Christ our Lord. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit working in our lives through Christ (Galatians 5:22).

God will fill your life with joy. Enter the joy of the Lord as you sing God's praise. Unfortunately, many people may have the idea that worship is a formal duty or a boring ritual. Quite the contrary, true worship in the Bible is filled with joy. Worship is the way to enter the joy of God. That's life filled with God's joy.

All to God's Glory

All of life is to God's glory. We were created to the praise of God's glory through Christ. "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11). We were created to bring glory to God. The Bible defines sin as falling short of God's glory (Romans 3:23).

Our salvation is to God's glory. "We who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12). As a believer, God is working in you and through you to the praise of his glory through Christ, "working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, forever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:21).

All that we do should be to God's glory. "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36). It is God's will for us to bring glory to him in all things. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). 

Prayer is to God's glory. Pray to God our Father, "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13). Prayer should always be centered upon God's glory in all things. God's kingdom and power work to the praise of his glory. We should pray for the glory of God in all things.

When You Know God

You may have read the Bible, said prayers, and attended church, but do you know God? How can anyone really know God? You know God as He reveals Himself to you and in you. God reveals His love and grace to you through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16)

Only the Spirit of God can enable you to truly know God. The Holy Spirit changes your heart to know God in a personal way. He gives you faith to know God and walk with Him everyday. The Holy Spirit gives you understanding and guidance in your walk with God. It comes through the word of God. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16).

When you know God, you know divine love, because "God is love"(1 John 4:8). You can read about God's love in the Bible and even sing about it, without experiencing God's love. The Holy Spirit puts God's love into your heart (Romans 5:5). You know God, because you know God's love personally.

Knowing God means that you know Him as your Father through His Son Jesus Christ. You know that your sins are forgiven, and Jesus Christ is your Lord (Romans 10:9). It means God is working in you what is well pleasing to Him (Philippians 2:13).

The Blood of Jesus

William Reid's book, The Blood of Jesus, was published in 1866. This book focused upon the blood of Jesus for salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and true prayer. William Reid was absolutely confident that the Holy Spirit always bears witness to the blood of Jesus. True prayer is based upon the blood of Jesus.

William Reid wrote, "In all true prayer, great stress should be laid on the blood of Jesus. Perhaps, no evidence distinguishes a declension in the power and spirituality of prayer more strongly than an overlooking of this. Where the atoning blood is kept out of view, not recognized, not pleaded, not made the grand plea, there is a deficiency of power in prayer."

When we speak of the blood of Jesus, we always refer to his atoning sacrifice at the cross. The word blood speaks of a violent, sacrificial death. In the Old Testament, blood sacrifices were in the place of those who offered them. They pointed toward the one and only sacrifice that could take away our sins. True prayer is based upon the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:1-10).

The priests of the Old Testament prayed to God on the basis of a blood sacrifice. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat, praying for the people of Israel. He could not enter the Holy of Holies without the blood (Leviticus 16:11-14). New Testament believers have access to God in prayer through the shed blood of Jesus. 

For Whom Christ Died

Did Christ die for you? Can you say by faith, that on the cross he took your place? The testimony of your faith is made sure by the Holy Spirit working grace in your heart. Has it happened in your heart? If so, you see Christ dying for you, knowing that he is the sacrifice for all of your sins.

The prophet Isaiah foretold the death of Jesus as the substitute for sinners. He died in the place and for sinners (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). It was prophesied centuries before it happened. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7). The Bible is such an amazing book. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Bible declares by the foreknowledge of God, Christ crucified centuries before it came to pass.

Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God, dying for the sins of the world. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecy. He said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). That is to say, Jesus died as the substitute for sinners. He died to redeem people out of all nations (Revelation 5:9).

Jesus, like the passover lamb in the Old Testament, died in the place of others. He is every believer's substitute at the cross. He took our sins, judgment, and punishment. He shed his blood and poured out his life on our behalf. He died that we may have life eternal. Our sin debt was paid by the Lamb of God. Christ died to save you as a believer (Acts 16:31).