Describe Him: Comfort

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”   

 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Just over two weeks ago, a fellow-student with me and Isaac our freshman year here at Cornerstone Bible Institute became one of the 19 firefighters killed in the Yarnell, Arizona fire.  Isaac and I were privileged to attend the funeral service for Dustin DeFord last Saturday. The testimony for the Lord that Dustin left is being spread throughout this nation, perhaps even in different parts of the world.  The witness that his family is now having in their response to his death is an incredible testimony to the Lord.  Even so, the DeFord family and close friends of Dustin are, without a doubt, having to claim the comfort that only God can.

A quick look at a dictionary aid for Greek expands our English definition of comfort from simply being “relief from pain or anxiety” to that which is “an encouragement towards virtue” or an “exhortation, admonition or encouragement for the purpose of strengthening and establishing the believer’s possession of redemption.” ^{(The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, page 1745.)}

Somehow, in a way that I do not fully understand, this comfort that God gives to us to is then be passed on to others. First Thessalonians 4:17-18 ties together this comfort with the believer’s hope: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words." A few verses later, in chapter 5:11, the believer is again reminded to “…comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

From the testimony of the DeFord family, I believe their comfort truly does lie in their confident expectation that Dustin is at this very moment in God’s presence, rejoicing with other saints and praising the God who saved him.

Hallelujah!

Resurrection Sunday.  Such an incredible day to celebrate.  I would like to be able to sit down and write an eloquent post on it, but I can't.  However, that doesn't mean that the significance of this event is consequently lost.  Please no!  Whether or not I continue to grow in my understanding of the fundamental necessity of the resurrection to my Christian faith, the truth remains: without the resurrection, there would be no salvation, there would be no hope, there would be no sanctification.  

Jesus is alive!  How does that affect my present circumstances?  How does that change my perspective of the future?  How does that impact my relationship with Him?   My mind cannot seem to sort out specific and detailed answers right now for these questions, but I rest in the certainty that Christ has conquered death and that He has "begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5)

I am humbled that Christ loved me enough to die on the cross for my sins. I rejoice and praise Him that He had to rise from the dead and leave that tomb empty so that one day, we too may "also be in the likeness of his resurrection. (Romans 6:5)

Christ is risen! 

He is risen indeed! 

P.s. If you have not already done so recently, go read 1 Corinthians 15 for a solid case presented on why Christ had to rise again and why His resurrection is fundamental to our faith!  

The End…or the Beginning?

Death.  To the unbeliever, the very word strikes fear to the very core of his being.  To the believer, it holds incredible promise of so much more!  To be honest, no, I do not anticipate the day I die and physically leave behind this life on earth.  However, it will be a glorious day when I meet my Savior face to face!  How wonderful beyond my finite human comprehension it will be to be in the presence of the One Who died for me, Who paid my debt so that my account could be declared “Paid in Full”; to behold the One who, out of love, spared not His Son on behalf of a miserable wretch like me, the One who, at this very moment is interceding in heaven for me before the Father. 
Christ conquered death: He had to.  Death—physical and spiritual--was a part of the punishment for sin, way back in the Garden of Eden. Provision for the forgiveness of sins demanded a victory over the punishment of sin and captor of the sinner—the Devil. 
1 Corinthians 15 is a beautiful chapter for the believer.  It not only clearly states a confirmation of Christ’s personal past victory over death through His resurrection from the dead, but it also affirms the certainty of the future event of the resurrection of the believer!  Christ’s resurrection is the very foundation for the Gospel, for the believer’s salvation and hope for the future,  for my personal salvation and hope for the future!  Paul, being inspired by God, puts it incredibly clear and plain: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).  Yes, Christ’s divine blood that was shed on the cross is the complete satisfaction for the righteous demands of our holy and just God. Hallelujah!  What a Savior! Christ did not stay dead, lying in the tomb, wrapped in grave cloths!  He is risen again!  Praise the Lord!  He has triumphed over death.  He had guaranteed the believer’s future resurrection.  He has guaranteed my resurrection!
The verse preceding 1 Corinthians 15:17 ties together these two events: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.”  What a comfort to know that God’s Word is sure and true because it was written by the One Who Himself is the very embodiment of Truth!  He will bring to pass all that is written in It.  More specifically: One day yet to come He will raise from the dead every believer, for Christ Himself rose from the dead. 
Death, as we know it, is merely the end of our human life that is marked by sin.  It is then the beginning of everlasting life marked by the ultimate salvation from the presence of sin.  Death is leaving behind a finite knowledge and understanding of God and entering into His very presence to bow down and worship Him for all eternity.
How wonderful to have such an incredible hope!

Bitter-sweet...

I never dreamed that I would be doing this,at this time, in this way...
yet I cling to the truth that God goodness is real, His faithfulness is enduring, His grace is sustaining.

Yes, it is Christmas--the most celebrated time of the year in which Christ's birth should be at the center of the cause for rejoicing--yet is it not the very fact of Christ's birth a part of the very reason we have hope in death? 1 Corinthians 15 makes clear the hope of the believer in Christ.

One person illustrated death as a ship leaving one port to arrive and be welcomed at another. Grandma said goodbye to those of us here on earth, but she was met and greeted by Another.

I love the words to the song "Finally Home" in which the author of it attempts to describe what it will be like to finally arrive in heaven:

"But just think of stepping on shore, and finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand, and finding it God's!
Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory, and finding it home!"

Low in the grave He lay...

Luke 24:5-7:

"And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them,

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen:

remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying,

The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,

and be crucified, and the third day rise again."

He is alive! He is no longer dead!

1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 19:

"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

But He is alive: our faith is not in vain!

Not only is our faith now not in vain, but we now have the greatest reason of all to live and to have hope!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!!