Last Days Prophecy
HIS SERVANTS' MINISTRY
www.lastdaysprophecy.org
Welcome to our website
Comfort From God
Contents
About Our ministry
Salvation
Introduction
The God of All Comfort ch.1
A Different Thirst ch.2
We Will Have Suffering ch.3
The Reality of God’s Comfort ch.4
What Is God’s Love Really Like? ch.5
He Can Deal Severely With Us ch.6
God’s Comfort Overcomes Fears ch.7
Do You Fear Loneliness? ch.8
Fear of Death and Judgment ch.9
Can I Know I Have Salvation? ch.10
Homesick For Heaven ch.11
Heaven, Where Is It? ch.12
Poems
Quicksand #199
The Bible Does not Exaggerate #1381
Homesick #718
No Mores of Heaven # 80
No Mores of Hell # 79
Scripture verses taken from: [KJV] King James Version
Red bold italics is Jesus’ Words.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV]
THIS BOOK IS NOT COPYRIGHTED,
AND IS NEVER TO BE COPYRIGHTED.
This book is free and not to be sold.
IT MAY BE USED BY “WHOSOEVER”
TO EDIFY THE CHURCH, AND TO
HONOR AND GLORIFY GOD.
HUMILITY
Written and compiled by: HIS SERVANT, Connie Kramer
Revised 11-2015
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE?
You may know that God’s love and grace are limitless even if you are not a ‘believer,’ but you may not know that UNLESS you believe on the Name of Jesus, God’s Son, as your personal Saviour and Lord, you will never experience that love or that grace, in the salvation of your soul.
To believe means you know you cannot save yourself.
To believe means that you know that salvation is through Christ alone; that only He can save you.
To believe means that if you want to go to Heaven, you must go through Christ.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [KJV] . . . Heaven is where the Father is.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. [KJV]
To believe means you know Christ IS who He says He is, and will do what He said He will do.
To believe means you accept what Christ did on the cross; redeeming your soul from Hell and God’s wrath, and completely forgiving you.
To believe means you must have a personal relationship with Christ; trusting Him as your loyal Friend and Guide in all things.
To believe means you know you must obey Christ.
John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. [KJV]
DO YOU BELIEVE?
ABOUT OUR MINISTRY
We here at His Servants’ Ministry firmly believe in one God, who is infinitely and absolutely perfect; who exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They never disagree, but are always in perfect harmony. God CANNOT lie, and CANNOT sin in any way. God is always the same, He will NEVER change, and God is NEVER wrong! God has always been and always will be.
Jesus, the Son, is the Christ (Messiah), and is the only begotten of the Father. He is absolutely 100% God, and 100% Man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of the virgin, Mary. He suffered and bled and died as the prophets said He would. He was an Acceptable Sacrifice to God for the sins of the world. ALL who believe in Him are completely forgiven for all their sins; justified by His precious Blood, thus receiving His righteousness as their own. He rose from the dead according to Scriptures; ascended to the right Hand of God, the Father Almighty, where He now acts as our Great High Priest and Advocate.
The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person of our awesome Triune God. He IS God. He is sent to baptize, indwell, guide, teach, admonish and empower ALL those who trust Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. He also reproves the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.
Both the Old and New Testaments are right and true, and never wrong as originally given; for they were inspired by the Spirit of God. They are a complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of mankind and his daily lifestyle.
The Bible ‘speaks’ to us, showing what God expects of us.
Salvation has been provided for ALL mankind, simply by belief (faith) in Christ. It is a “GIFT” from God. The TRUE church consists of ALL “born again” believers, NOT denominations! Faith, not works makes you God’s child.
SALVATION
Jesus said “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). What does it mean to be ‘born again’? When we are born of our mother (our physical birth), this is our ‘first birth’. Our second birth comes the moment we accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord (Jn.1:12-13). Jesus said you can’t even SEE Heaven without being ‘born again.’ Salvation (eternal life in Heaven) is readily available to all! It is not something you buy, or work for; it is a “Gift”! God made salvation so simple that even a child could understand and accept it. God loves you. He does not want you to go to Hell, but if you refuse to accept the “Gift” of His Son, which is eternal life, you most certainly will end up there.
If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, you are God’s enemy! But once you accept Jesus, you are reconciled to God, by His Son (Ro.5:9-10). Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Justified’ --- just as if you’d never sinned! You are declared ‘not guilty’ in the courts of Heaven! This can happen only through Jesus! God forgives all our sins the moment we turn to His Son to save us (from God’s wrath, and Hell).
No one is righteous without Jesus (Rom.3:10).
We all are sinners, every last one of us (Rom.3:23).
If we ‘keep on’ in sin, we receive eternal death in an agonizing, everlasting Hell (Ro.6:23-a).
If we accept Christ, we have eternal life (Rom.6:23-b) awaiting us in the beauty and bliss of Heaven, in a reserved mansion (1 Peter 1:4, John 14:2). Where will YOU spend eternity?
What Is Comfort?
Introduction
What is comfort? Comfort has many meanings: to assist, have mercy and compassion upon, to console, to calm, to encourage, to relieve, to help, to soothe, to support. When God comforts us, it means He consoles us in our time of grief or fear. And no one can comfort us like God can!
Psalm 119:76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. (KJV) . . . All the comfort we receive under affliction come from God’s love, mercy and compassion. God’s mercies are tender mercies; the mercies of a father, and compassion like a mother to her child. Comforts from God come to us when we are not able to go to them.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (KJV) . . . The more we know about what God has done in the past, greater is the confidence we have about what He will do in the days ahead. When we see how faithful, patient, loving, kind and merciful He is, the more we learn to trust Him. Reading the Bible increases our trust that God’s will is best for us.
2 Cor. 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 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. [KJV] . . .When others are troubled, we may be able to comfort them, for we have been comforted by God. Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But my friend, that rarely ever happens. If it did, people would go to God only because they wanted rid of their pain, not because they loved Him. When God comforts us, it means receiving strength, encouragement and hope to deal with our troubles. It means we know He is near; we can feel His Presence! The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us.
If you feel like you are sinking fast in the quicksand of life, allow God to comfort you. But please remember, every trial you endure will help you comfort other people who are suffering with the same kind of troubles. When God helps you, pass it on! Help someone else. You won’t have to look far, for there are many around you having troubles too! God in His goodness has made a Way to help us, mainly that being which He took upon Him, the nature of man. In coming to Earth, God came where we were, and He understands us. He has sympathy, meaning He feels and suffers with us. It was necessary for Jesus to be like us in every way, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Since He Himself went through suffering and temptation, He is able to help us and comfort us when we are in trouble (Heb.2:17-18). He knows how we feel and feels with us. Because of God’s goodness and lovingkindness, He comforts us when we need it most! He does NOT have to DO anything, but He does what He does because of what and Who He is! He does what He does out of His own merciful heart. God is good!
QUICKSAND
Life without Jesus is like quicksand,
We’ll sink, unless our Lord takes our hand.
Each day, in our sins, we sink some more,
On our own, we’ll never see Heav’n’s shore.
Sin’s quicksand drags us down; down so deep,
Our sins keep piling; such a great heap!
We’ll sink in the depths of the quagmire,
On our own, we’re headed for Hell-fire!
We grow so weary in the quicksand,
Sins push us deeper; we cannot stand.
Without Jesus’ help to lift us high,
We are doomed for Hell, by and by.
Such muddy waters do flood my soul,
Satan tries so hard to take control.
We need Christ Jesus to take our hand,
And pull us up, from the deep quicksand.
Turn your life over to Christ our Lord,
He just waits for your cry to be heard.
He’s there to help you rise from below,
Out of the quicksand; out of sin’s woe.
**********************
By: Connie Kramer Apr.9, 1996 # 199
(Gal.1:4; 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Ro.6:23; Heb.2:2-3; 7:25;
2 P.2:13-15; 1 Jn.2:2; 1 Tim.1:15; Jn.3:15-18,36; Rev,1:5-6)
Comfort from God
Chapter 1
The God of All Comfort
2 Cor.1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. [KJV] . . . What a wonderful description of our Father in Heaven! I absolutely love these Names for God! “Father of mercies,” and “God of all comfort.” These suit Him, for He indeed does comfort His children! “Blessed” means praise. Praising God is when we worship and adore Him, and give Him all that is rightfully due Him. It would be about the same as to say: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” because ALL the wonderful spiritual blessings we receive, come ONLY from God.
Paul mentions in this verse two of God’s wonderful mercies precisely. First, he tells us that God is “the Father of mercies,” I love that, and agree 100%. No matter what mercy you might need, God is capable of giving it and is the Father of it. No matter what it is, everything that you and I have and are, is a mercy from God. This means that God’s goodness, mercy and love are never earned. We never have to work for it, and we never deserve it. Mercy is something that God gives to us when we need that very thing that He offers. He is the “Father of mercy.” We all have received mercies from God, and He is the Father of every one which we have received.
God is also the “God of all comfort.” This is the second specific and special mercy in the above verse. This has to be the most amazing claim made for God. God can comfort His children in all the circumstances of life. He can always meet all our needs, and He can calm us and give awesome peace to our heart. He is truly the God of all comfort! Do you think this is an exaggerated or overstated claim about God? It is NOT an exaggeration! God is the only One able to solve all the problems we have because of this troubled world and soothe all the hurts of His distressed people. God is NOT like a lying politician making promises they never intend to keep. What God promises, God always delivers! So many people turn their backs on God because they think He’s not for real. HE IS REAL! And nothing we say about Him is overstated!
Let’s look at verses 3 and 4 (above) again. 2 Cor. 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 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. [KJV] . . . God IS the “God of all comfort.” There are many other gods (all false) in this world today, but NONE of them can make this claim! Paul knew God’s comfort over and over again, for suffering seemed to be poured on him (2 Cor.11:23-27). Is our God real or counterfeit, is He genuine or fake? He is real! He is not a fake!
He is “the God of all comfort.” Many people think comfort means that you come over and pat somebody on the arm, and say “Everything will be OK.” Some think whiskey or marijuana is a comfort. One of the main reasons people turn to drink and/or dope, is to try to find this thing they call “comfort.” But they soon find out the comfort they thought they would get is NOT there. The only TRUE comfort comes from one place and one place only, and that is God!
What is the meaning of comfort? It has nothing to do with sentiment or feelings. It is Someone who will help, strengthen, or encourage, an Advocate (1 John 2:1) who will take our side. It is knowing I have been justified (Rom.5:1), so I can stand before God, stand acquitted, because of my faith in the Person of Christ. I need a helper, and I have a Helper. He’s the one and only Saviour, Jesus Christ.
It’s a tremendous comfort to know God loves us so much that He made a Way to save us from sin, its penalty, His wrath and judgment to Hell. Thank You Lord Jesus!
The Bible Does Not Exaggerate
The Bible, only the Truth does tell,
It speaks of Heav’n, but also of Hell.
Heav’n is a place, of bliss and glory,
While Hell is a place, of agony.
The Bible clearly states, wrong from right,
It tells us to avoid, Satan’s throng.
The eternal God, wants us to know,
To His Home on High, He wants us to go.
Many Promises to us, God makes,
Such as, “I’ll ne’er leave you, nor forsake.”
All God’s Promises, are ours to claim,
Let us claim them, in Christ Jesus’ Name.
When troubles arise, where do you look?
Have you e’er thought of, God’s Holy Book?
All correct answers, can come your way,
If you are wise, you’ll do it today,
The Bible does not, exaggerate,
On the worth of Jesus, O’ so great.
It speaks of His awesome love, so true,
And what He endured, for me and you.
Have you e’er consider’d, what He has done?
This Man, God’s only begotten Son.
He paid a sin debt, He did not owe,
So we’d not have to go, to Hell below.
Exaggeration, God’s Word does not do,
All its pages, are completely true.
What it states about Christ, you must believe.
Or the glory of Heav’n, you’ll not achieve.
*****************************
By: His servant, Connie Kramer Nov.4, 2015 #1381
Salvation: (John 1:12-13; 3:3-8,15-16,36; 5:24; 1 John 5:10-13) Heaven: (Mat.6:1,20; Lk.10:20; 22:30; Jn.14:1-6; Phil.3:20; 1 Pet.1:3-5; Rev.21) Hell: (Deut 32:22; 2 Sam.22:6; Job 11:8; 26:6; Ps.9:17; 16:10; 18:6; 55:15; 6:13;116:3; 139:8; Pro.5:5; 7:27; 9:18; 15:11,24; 23:14; 27:20; Isa 5:14; 14:9,15; 28:15,18; 30:33; 33:14; 57:9; Eze.31:16-17; 32:21,27; Amos 9:2; Jonah 2:2; Mat.3:12; 5:22;29-30; 7:13-14; 8:11-12; 10:28; 11:23; 13:38-42,49-50; 16:18; 18:8-9,34-35; 22:13; 23:33; 25:28-30,41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 3:17; 10:15; 12:5; 16:23-28; Acts 1:25; 2:27,31; 2 thes.1:8-9; Jam.3:6; 2 Pet.2:4; Jude 1:6-23; Rev.1:18; 2;11; 6:8; 9:1-2; 11:7; 14:10-11; 19:20; 20:10,13
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)
We Need Assurance. Another need of people today is, we need assurance of the Presence of God in all the circumstances of life. We need Someone to come into the loneliness that seems to drown us during that desperately dark times of our life. Human friends can only do so much. Christianity today is only make believe to many people. Many profess to be Christians, and their church membership is a coat that they put on for Sunday or special occasions. They wear it lightly, and toss it in a corner after church.
Where is the greatest pulpit in the world today? Is it Sunday morning with the preacher giving a sermon that goes in one ear and out the other of most people there? No! It’s Monday morning and the rest of the week; in the home, in the office, in the workplace, in the schools. It’s in the super market, it’s in the neighborhood where you live. It’s where ever you might be. That’s the pulpit. If what the preacher says on Sunday morning cannot be put into action by YOU the rest of the week, you are nothing but a hypocrite. Preachers are not the only ones responsible for spreading the Word of God. If you are a true disciple of Christ, you have an obligation; you must reach out to others. You must tell of Jesus! There is NO option to this!
2 Cor. 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. [KJV] . . . To depend on God is to realize you are powerless without Jesus. It is to realize our need for His constant Presence in our lives. God is our source of power, and we receive His help by keeping a good relationship with Him. With this attitude, when problems come, they will drive us to God instead of away from Him. We must learn to rely on God daily.
Paul had been up against death before. In Damascus, he faced death. When he was arrested in Jerusalem, he faced death. This man said he was “in deaths oft” (2 Co.11:23). He also said, “He hath delivered me” (2 Tim.3:11). And then he said, “the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work” (2 Tim.4:18). Paul could truthfully say, “I have confidence in Him because He delivers me right now. He is my Helper: He is the God of all comfort.” Paul was NOT being cocky or boasting. Paul is simply stating a fact, “He comforted me. He has delivered me. He is delivering me right now. And I trust that He’s going to deliver me in the future.” That is the way God comforts. Praise the Lord!
Comfort From God
Chapter 2
A Different Thirst
After you were redeemed, after you came to Christ and you received Him as your Saviour, things became different! You found that the water holes of the world failed to satisfy you. Right after you were saved, did you try to continue in the same lifestyle? Did it work? Did it satisfy? NO! Something drastically changed! You were NOT the same. You started thirsting for God, you had a yearning, a passion for the things of God. You just can’t seem to get enough of Him! Maybe you had trouble finding satisfaction; maybe you still haven’t found it. But, IF you are truly a child of God you will find that precious fountain, you will find that awesome comfort of God. Don’t give up.
Our Lord said, “Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Mat.5:6). Thirsting for God and His things is something of which we should never tire.
Phil. 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [KJV] . . . A person’s relationship with Christ is more important than anything else in this entire world! To know Christ intimately should be our ultimate goal. Consider this. IF you place anything above your relationship with Christ, your priorities are wrong. You need to place them in the proper order. Your relationship with Jesus can give you comfort beyond your wildest dreams!
Phil. 3:7-10 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; [KJV] . . . Paul wanted desperately to know Christ. How thirsty he was to know Jesus better! Do you have this desire deep in your soul?
And Simon Peter, when many other of the Lord’s disciples left Him, and the Lord asked him if he would leave also, Peter replied: John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. [KJV]
Our Lord spoke to the woman at the well about this matter. John 4:13-15 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: [14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. [15] The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, [KJV] . . . She was thirsty. There are millions today who are spiritually thirsty. They search in the world for things to quench their thirst, yet their soul is parched because the world will NEVER be able to quench the thirst of their spirit!
John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [KJV] . . . “Come to me and drink,” refers to the subject of many Bible Ppassages that talk about the Messiah’s life-giving blessings (Isaiah 12:2-3; 44:3-4; 58:11). When Jesus promised to give the Holy Spirit to all who believed, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, for this was something only the Messiah (Christ) could do.
If anyone really and truly wants to be happy, they must commit (pledge, submit) their life to Christ, and be ruled by Him. The thirst Jesus is speaking of means strong desires for spiritual blessings, which nothing else can satisfy. He meant the joyous and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit. If people would only go to Jesus to drink! The waters which Jesus means is the Holy Spirit who can quench our spiritual thirst completely. When we come to Him and drink, the comfort flows abundantly and constantly as a river; which will erase our doubts and fears. The Spirit dwelling and working in believers, is like a fountain of living, running water, out of which never ending streams flow; cooling and refreshing and cleansing as water. These streams have flowed from our glorified Redeemer, down to this age, even to the most remote corners of the Earth. May we be anxious to run to our Saviour for this refreshing comfort that only He can provide. Please do not be deceived by the fake comfort this world offers. Our Lord Jesus is the ONLY One that can give us eternal peace and comfort.
Comfort from God
Chapter 3
We will have suffering
The apostle Peter knew about suffering. 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: [KJV] . . . Do you see how Peter words this? He does NOT say IF fiery trials try you. He said “which IS to try you.” Don’t think that when you become a believer, you will stop having pain, trials, troubles, suffering, sorrow, etc. That is not so! You will still have things happen to you that you consider ‘bad.’ But listen to what God states: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [KJV] . . . You may not think that those ‘bad’ things could ever have any good come out of them. But, IF we are God’s children; in the end, ALL things that God allows to happen to us, happen for a reason, and they all will end by benefiting us in some way. Count on it!
1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [KJV] . . . When God shuts a door, look around . . . there will be a window open somewhere.
Phil. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (KJV) . . . When does God tell us to rejoice? Just in our good times? Just when everything is going well? NO! We should rejoice always, no matter what comes our way! WHY? Because He is there with us, walking with us, right beside us through our troubles. That is comfort . . . to know He’s always there!
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; [KJV] . . . But, you say, “How can I be joyful when bad things happen?” Again, I tell you that all believers have the Presence of God right there with them! So close! Actually so close no one can separate you from Him! Why? Because He’s within you! God’s Holy Spirit is inside you and He will never leave (John 14:16). God tells us He will never leave us, never forsake us ever (Heb.13:5). This gives us genuine comfort!
If God allows you to be tried, or to go through pain or sorrow, there is a reason! He wants to see what you will do. He wants to see what you’re made of! He wants you to grow through these trials. Don’t ever think He made a mistake! God never makes mistakes! Any time troubles come to you, God has a purpose for it.
Have you been mistreated? Jesus was terribly mistreated.
Have you been lied about? They lied about Jesus too.
Have you had terrible pain? Think of what all Jesus suffered before the cross, and on the cross.
Have you been unable to defend yourself? Jesus chose not to defend Himself.
Have you been falsely accused? When He was falsely accused, He didn’t even open His mouth.
Do you feel like there’s been injustice in your life? Read what they did to Jesus at His so-called trial. They nailed an innocent Man to a cross and crucified Him. That was the greatest injustice ever!
When ‘bad’ things happen to you, remember that it happened to someone else too, and remember that the Lord is there with you through it all, no matter what!
Some of the most comforting words in Scriptures follow.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [KJV] . . . Nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, life can't. The good angels won’t, and the demons can't. The powers of the devil can’t do it. Although he never stops trying. NOTHING in the Universe can keep God's love away from us. These are tremendous words of comfort! Thank You Lord Jesus! This confirms God’s deep love for His people. No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be lost to His love. Suffering should never drive us away from God, but instead bring Him closer, allowing His love to reach us, heal us and comfort us.
As TRUE believers, we will always have to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, pain, imprisonment, maybe even death. But, don’t ever think you have been abandoned by Christ. Paul tells us that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of His never ending love. Nothing can stop Christ’s constant Presence with us. God keeps telling us how great His love is for us, so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these assurances, we will not be afraid. If we are in Christ, His love will protect and comfort us always.
Comfort from God
Chapter 4
The Reality of God’s Comfort
God’s comfort is real and it is physical. We can feel Him near us! God’s Presence is necessary for us to have that comfort. His Words are a living reality to us. He can become a mighty reality to you any time you go through pain or sorrow, if you go to Him in prayer and to His Word. He will be there in your sorrow and show compassion to you. His comfort is real!
Psalm 119:76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. (KJV) . . . All the mercies of God are tender mercies. God’s merciful kindness is an absolute blessing to His children. When our heart is sincere in depending on God, His merciful kindness comforts us as nothing else can!
In our nation today, the love of God has been distorted out of all proportion in regard to His other attributes. God has many wonderful attributes: love, grace, mercy, compassion, goodness, kindness, endlessness, nearness, justice, omnipresence (present everywhere), omnipotence (all powerful), omniscience (knows all things), holy, perfect, etc.
Some think that the love of God is a weakness rather than a strength. So many preachers and teachers present it as the sunny side of the street. Nothing is ever mentioned about the wrath of God. In fact, should a preacher attempt to preach the Truth about God, that He actually has two side, not just one, people revolt and won’t go back. They will find a preacher who will preach only what they want to hear! (2 Tim.4:3-4).
God is love! Absolutely! BUT, God also has another side. That is His holy wrath! The liberal preacher chants: “God is love, God is love, God is love.” He makes it sickening sweet. He never tells of God’s dark side, because most people won’t stand for it. God’s love is not truly revealed. It is masked in obscurity. Many people today have no idea of what God’s love really is.
Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (KJV) . . . To “kiss the Son” means to surrender to Him completely; to submit to Him. Christ is not only God’s chosen King, He should also be the rightful King of our hearts and lives. We must submit to His authority every day. When people reject Christ, they will perish because of it; but blessed are those who trust in Christ, and have made Him their Refuge.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (KJV) . . . Jesus is the true Son of God, and He sets before us the greatest decision we will ever make. We are responsible to choose WHOM we will obey (Josh.24:15). God wants us to choose Him and life (Deut.30:15-20). Anyone who rejects Christ, can never have true comfort in their hearts and lives. The “wrath of God” is His final judgment and rejection of the sinner. Wouldn’t you rather have comfort?
Comfort from God
Chapter 5
What Is God’s Love Really Like?
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (KJV) . . . God’s love is not rigid or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships. When you really love someone, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Jesus (God) accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us that new life that He had bought for us. When we share the Gospel with others, our love must be like Jesus’ love. If necessary, we must willingly give up our own comfort and security so that others might know and receive this awesome love of God.
John 17:22-26 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: [23] I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. [24] Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. [26] And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.(KJV) . . . Jesus’ great desire for His disciples, then and now, was that they would become one (unity). He wants us unified so we can be a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love. We must exalt Christ, build others up, work together in humility, give our time and money, avoid gossip, and refuse to argue over matters that would divide believers. Jesus prayed for unity among the believers based on the believers’ unity with Him and the Father. We can know unity among ourselves, only if we are living in union with God. Each branch (believer John 15:1-5)) living in union with the Vine (Christ) is united with all other branches who do the same. Our Lord especially prayed, that all believers might be as one body under one head, activated by their union with Christ and the Father in Him, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. The more we fight about small things, the more we throw doubts upon Christianity. We must try to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, praying that all believers may be more and more united in one mind (the mind of Christ). Only then will we find the sweet communion with God and His saints. Only this fellowship with God and His people can give us true comfort in our heart and soul.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. [KJV]
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (KJV) . . . When we accept Christ as Saviour and Lord of our lives, we then are given a glorious peace with God. This peace is quite different from feelings such as calmness and tranquility. Peace with God means that we have been reconciled with Him, through His precious Son. Allowing Jesus into our hearts and lives means God no longer considers us His enemies (Rom.5:10). There is no more hostility between us, no sin blocking our relationship with Him. Peace with God is possible only because Jesus paid the price for our sins through His death on the cross; and only when we admit to this, and accept it and Jesus, can we ever have peace with God. That peace is great comfort!
Romans 8:37-39 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [KJV] . . . Here are these precious verses again! They are a great treasure to me! This shows God’s awesome love for His people. Allow His love to reach out to you. He can help in your time of trouble, no matter the trouble. These verses clearly promise that it is impossible to be separated from Christ and His love. Comfort, my friend!
Ephes. 2:4-8 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [KJV] . . . Through our faith in Christ we stand acquitted (not guilty), before God. God does not take us out of the world, nor does He make us robots. We will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will. The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we are alive with Christ. Sin is the death of the soul. Any one dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When you look at a dead person, it gives an eerie feeling. But what about a dead soul? The spirit (soul) is eternal! But those souls that reject Christ Jesus, are dead to God, in that they are lost, fallen spirits is headed for Hell. NO one that rejects Jesus will go to Heaven. Without Jesus in our hearts and lives, we simply go along with the world, being slaves to Satan. Satan is why we have that proud, carnal disposition. He rules the hearts of men. We all are naturally children of disobedience, by nature children of wrath (Eph.2:2-3; 5:6; Col.3:6). We have good reason to seriously seek the grace of God, which will make us His children and heirs of glory! God’s eternal love toward His creatures, is the fountain from where all His mercies flow. The love of God is a love so deep and sincere, rich in mercy and compassion, never changing, and simply cannot be fully described. God’s love is comfort!
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [KJV] . . . True love is actions, not feelings or words. The greatest act of love is giving yourself for others. How can we lay down our lives? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return. It is not easy to truly live for others. It means putting others’ needs first, over and above our own. We must love those whom God has loved, whether they be red, yellow, black or white! We must never look down on God’s people if they are uneducated, poor, sick or handicapped in any way! If we were to do that, we actually are looking down on our precious Saviour! (Mat.25:31-46; Acts 9:4). The Holy Spirit is extremely grieved at our selfishness. Any time you are selfish, He will leave your heart without comfort. You will experience irritation and anxiety. To show the true love of Christ for lost sinners, the love of God must be planted in our heart by the Holy Spirit. Should the love of the world overcome our feelings of compassion for a lost soul, we will not have the comfort of God. We must rid ourselves of every selfish desire that is within us if we want to have the comfort that comes only from God. Selfishness does not come from God, it comes from the devil. If you want true comfort from God, reach out to others in love.
Comfort from God
Chapter 6
He Can Deal With Us Severely
Now, let’s look at the other side of God’s love, the dark side, that so many do NOT even consider. The Great Physician will put His child on the operating table, and He will use the knife when He sees a tumor of sin draining away our spiritual lives. He will not hesitate to deal with us severely. We must learn this very early if we don’t want to be chastised, rebuked and punished. God loves us just as much when He is subjecting us to surgery as when He puts sunshine in our lives.
But, if and when He must operate, you can always be sure of one thing, when He does, He will pour in the balm of Gilead (Jer.8:22). If and when He sees that it is best for you and for me to go down through the valley of suffering, that it will be for our eternal welfare, He will not hesitate to let us go down through that dark valley.
When He subjects us to His rebuking, do you think He no longer cares for us? I think God loves us most when He is operating on us, “for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth …” (Heb.12:6). IF God didn’t love us, He wouldn’t care what evils we did, but He DOES care about His children, and He will go to great measures to stop our sins.
John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [KJV] . . . This Passage is NOT about salvation, this is about fruit bearing! The Father reaches into our lives and prunes out that which is not fruit bearing, and it hurts! But, remember that the husbandman is never so close to the branch as when He is trimming it. God the Father is never closer to you than when He reaches in and takes out of your heart and life those things that offend.
Spurgeon once noticed an unusual weather vane that a farmer had on his barn. It had the words, GOD IS LOVE. Mr. Spurgeon asked him, “Do you mean by this that God’s love is as changeable as the wind?” The farmer said: “No, I mean that whichever way the wind blows, God is love.” A great way to look at it!
Today it may be the gentle south wind that He allows to blow in your life, for He loves you. But tomorrow He may let the cold north wind blow over you. If He does, He still loves you. He still loves you even if He lets a tornado devastate your life. Maybe sometimes that’s what we need, a tornado from God, to get our attention!
If you are truly a child of God and are now in a place of suffering, rest assured and know that God loves you, no matter how it may seem to you. His love is there for you come rain or shine. Knowing this, gives great comfort.
Zephaniah shows us the dark side of God’s love. Zeph. 1:2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. [KJV] . . . It opens with rumblings of judgment; the judgment of God that shall come upon this Earth one day for ALL who have ever lived. Three verses in the first chapter make many people put the book down even before they get through the three short chapters.
Zeph. 1:15-16 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, [16] A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. [KJV] . . . Does this make you think God hates His people? Do you think He’s vengeful? Cruel? Brutal? No feelings? God is none of these things! He just has a dark side to His love!
Zeph. 3:8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. [KJV] . . . God is jealous! His Word tells us that He is jealous. I can’t think of any true love that would not have this characteristic in it. God will do anything to protect us. He is ever watchful of His children!
Zeph. 3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God. [KJV] . . . God loved Israel, and she refused to obey Him. This people whom He dearly loved, would not listen to the Lord or accept His correction. She did not put her trust in the Lord or ask for His help. Think about this! God was very upset. God was jealous of Israel. He wanted to reestablish the relationship He had with them. So-ooo! Onto the operating table! But, even in judgment, God is love! Don’t allow pride to turn you away from God, or to disobey Him. Let God work freely in your life, because you do not want Him to have to correct you!
Zeph. 3:17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (KJV) . . . This verse reaches way out in the future, to the very end of the age. The Lord Himself will remove His hand of judgment, rid Israel completely of her enemies, and come to live among His people. He will give them gladness, joy and comfort.
We sin any time we chase after happiness by cutting ourselves off from our fellowship with God. He is the only Person who can make us truly happy. The prophet tells us that true joy and gladness comes when we allow God to be with us. How do we do that? By faithfully trusting Him and obeying His commands; by allowing His will to be done in our lives. It is then that God rejoices over us with singing. If you want to be truly happy, draw close to the ONLY true source of happiness. Obey God, and joy and comfort is yours! Can God rejoice over you this day; can He rest in His love for you? Is God satisfied with your life right now? He cannot rest in His love for us until we have been brought into His likeness.
Hebrews 12:5-6 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [KJV] . . . Who loves his child more? The father who allows the child to do what will harm him, or the one who corrects, trains, and even punishes the child to help him learn what is right? It is never enjoyable to be corrected and disciplined by God, but His discipline is a sign of His deep love for us. When God corrects you, look at it as proof of His love and ask Him what He is trying to teach you, IF you do not already know.
There are several ways we can respond to discipline:
(1.) accept it with meekness; (2.) resent it with self-pity, thinking we don’t deserve it; (3.) we can be angry and resentful toward God; or (4.) we can accept it gratefully, which is the right response we owe a loving Father.
The way God treats you is based on the relationship that He has with you. If you are His child, He is your heavenly Father, and He wants to be able to rest in His love. The word chastening in Hebrews 12:5, 6 really doesn’t mean punishment. It means to child train. God is training us, not for our earthly life, but for eternity. This is how God deals with His children.
Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [KJV] . . . What will Heaven be like? A street of gold, pearly gates, a City made of gold so pure you can see through it, walls glistening from a multitude of colors from precious gems, no more tears, no more night, no more pain, no more curse, no more death, no more sin!
Do you think this will be wonderful? Absolutely! But I think what’s more wonderful is that we will spend eternity with our precious Saviour! I think we will be ever so grateful for all the times God corrected us, chastised us and punished us, to bring us around to His way of thinking. I hope we will be so grateful, that we thank Him for every problem, every trouble, every disappointment, every faithless friend, every heartache, every false accusation that ever has been made against us. It is then that we will see our affliction on Earth was light and but for a moment (2 Cor.4:17). I think I will run to Him and say, “Dear Father, I thank You for putting me on the operating table and cutting out all that was holding me back.”
My friend, we are being trained and disciplined so we might have a place in Heaven with Him. Then we will have a glorious fellowship with the Father and the Son forever!
One sweet day, we will thank Him for every burden, every trial, and every heartache. We will thank Him for dealing with us as a wise Father deals with His children and we will thank Him for the dark side of His love.
Our troubles should never lessen our faith or disappoint us. We should realize there is a purpose in our suffering.
Let’s remember: (1.) the suffering of Christ; (2.) troubles humble us; (3.) troubles make us look at eternity; (4.) they prove our faith; (5.) they give God the chance to prove His power. Look at your troubles as opportunities to receive comfort from God!
Comfort from God
Chapter 7
Can God’s Comfort Overcome My Fears?
Is anyone made without fear? It is very doubtful that any person, man or woman, that is without fear in some way.
Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. [KJV]
Psalm 25:14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. [KJV]
Fear was the first sign of the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden, the first symptom of sin.
Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. [KJV] . . . The first thing Adam did was confess that he was afraid. From that day on, fear entered into the very being of mankind. God drove man out of the beautiful Garden, and told him that by the sweat of his brow he would earn his bread. Since then, driven by hunger, thirst and fear, the human family spread over this Earth.
The bravest men have feared. Moses was not a coward. Moses stood before the great Pharaoh. It took a brave man to deliver God’s message to the Pharaoh. Moses also stood before God on Mount Sinai. It took a brave man to do that. For forty years he stood before the rebellious Israelites. It took a brave man to do that. And Moses wrote of himself, “And Moses feared,” (Ex.2:14), which is why he left the land of Egypt at that time.
Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. [KJV] . . . David was brave, but when you read the Psalms, you will find that one of the emotions he mentions is fear. David describes so many emotions that sweep across the human soul, and through the human heart. And he was very open when he mentioned fear. He said: “When I’m afraid, I will put my trust in you.” He admitted that he was a man of fear.
Elijah was brave. He stood before the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) and he stood before King Ahab. But then something happened! When word came that Jezebel would have him killed, Elijah turned and ran! He left for Beersheba, but didn’t stop there. He went way out in the desert and crawled underneath a juniper tree. He does not say he is afraid, but his actions tell on him.
Even the bravest of men have been afraid of something at some time. All of us experience something in our life that fills our hearts with fear.
Fear has always been looked on as a weakness of mankind. Fear has been looked upon as a hindrance. Men are always applauded for their bravery; but they are ridiculed for their fears. “Only cowards fear” is an old saying, and we are ashamed of our fears. Shakespeare wrote, “Of all base passions, fear is the most accursed.” Someone gave this false statement: “Fear always springs from ignorance!”
The Bible has never gone along with the worldly philosophy and deviation from the Truth. The Bible does not say that fear is cowardly. And the Bible speaks of the kind of fear that leads to action, fear that motivates you.
Paralyzing fear is bad because it leads to all sorts of different obsessions. Some people are afraid of germs. They won’t open a door without taking out a handkerchief to put over the doorknob; or, if they did open the door with their hand, they would immediately wash their hands, not just with soap, but with soap that would destroy germs!
There are people who are afraid of crowds. Some people are afraid of heights, flying in a plane, spiders, snakes, mice, etc., etc. I think that fear can be divided into two groups. The first fear is fear of God, and that is good. That leads to action. And there is the fear of man, and that kind of fear can paralyze you.
Psalm 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. [KJV] . . . If God is with you, who can be against you?
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. [KJV] . . . You either have a fear of God OR you have a fear of man. Either you are afraid of those things that are all around you and what men say and what men do, or you are afraid of God.
Fear of the Lord in the Old Testament is used as an indication of true devotion (Pro.1:7; Job 28:28; Ps. 19:9). It is a fear combined with love and hope, so there is not a dread as to a slave master, but instead dutiful reverence. Holy fear is what we need so that we repent. (Mat.10:28; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1; Phil. 2:12; Ep.5:21; Heb.12:28-29). Holy fear leads us directly into the path of the comfort of God.
Comfort from God
Chapter 8
Do You Fear Loneliness?
Some people can’t stand to be alone. There is only One Person who can take away your fear of loneliness, and that is the Lord.
Many young people are afraid to take a stand for Christ because they are afraid of what their friends might think or say. The fear of losing their friends is very real and very strong. They are afraid if they take a stand for Christ, they will lose their friends, and they will be all alone.
Also there are many older men and women who could take a stand for Jesus Christ, but they say, “What would my friends say? What would the people at work think?”
There is no reason to be afraid of loneliness. God’s men have always been lonely men. Many lived alone and liked it. Noah stood alone for God. One day God called Abraham, and it meant loneliness for that man for the rest of his life. Daniel was in a foreign country, which was bad enough, but this man took a stand for God. Probably no other man has ever lived a more lonely life than Daniel. Saul of Tarsus may have been a very popular Pharisee in Jerusalem. But Saul met Christ Jesus one day, and he walked alone the rest of his life. Martin Luther was very much alone after the truth of “justification by faith” came to him. As he looked around him, he saw that all of his friends were on the other side. But, he took a stand for God. Later He said: “One with God is a majority.”
When you take a stand for Christ Jesus, remember that Almighty God is on your side!
Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. [KJV]
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. [KJV]
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. [KJV] . . . A WARNING! IF you want to please man, just because you don’t want to be lonely, you are truly overlooking the greatest fellowship possible. You are denying yourself fellowship with our awesome God who will never forsake you and never leave you lonely.
Right before Paul’s death, he wrote:
2 Tim. 4:16-18 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ]KJV] . . . When the Lord stands by us, He will strengthen, encourage and comfort us in ALL difficulties and dangers. His Presence is an absolute comfort. Millions through out the ages have overcome the fear of loneliness, simply by taking a stand for Christ Jesus.
Comfort from God
Chapter 9
Fear of Death and Judgment
Many people think that the fact of judgment after death is a deception, or illogical or false reasoning, or something made up by religious fanatics. They absolutely refuse to believe that it will happen to them! I guess that they think they can simply dismiss it by not believing it. But, my friend, the Bible clearly states that death and judgment are a reality. Some one may ‘wash your brain’ by modern thinking mumbo-jumbo, but friend, you can NEVER escape death and judgment. Millions of people in the world are brainwashed. But you cannot dismiss death and judgment with a wave of your hand. Death and judgment are real!
Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. [KJV] . . . Paul went to Felix, the Roman governor, to tell him of Christ. Acts 24 says that he reasoned with Felix concerning righteousness, the righteousness of Christ; self-control, how Christ could control a man; and then the third thing, judgment to come. In other words, if Felix turned his back on Christ Jesus, he would go before a holy God, and it would be an agonizing eternity ahead of him. Felix trembled with fear, but he dismissed Paul because he did not want to hear any more about it (Acts 24:25). I have family members that refuse to believe the Truth. It is a very heavy burden on my heart. They simply will NOT believe God’s Word.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. [KJV] . . . Fear of the Lord is a reverential fear. It is not a fear which is cowardly. It is a fear of God that comes through reverence and respect, knowing that our God is a high and holy God and that He must punish sin.
Psalm 112:1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. [KJV]
Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. [KJV] We . . . should be stimulated by a reverent fear and brought to a high and holy God through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
One of the things the Bible states about apostates in the last days is that they feed themselves without fear.
Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; [KJV] . . . If God has put fear in your heart, that fear can be your salvation, or it can be your undoing. Fear is not always something that is cowardly. IF it is a fear of God, it is a good fear, but IF you fear man and live to please them, you are in big trouble! You should fear God. When you trust Him, and commit your life to Him, you can say with David: Psalm 23:1,4 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [KJV] . . . “The Lord is my shepherd.” These words teach us to express our satisfaction in the way the great Shepherd of the Universe takes care of us. It gives us great comfort and joy to know we have a Shepherd who really loves us, and is there in any danger. The Lord gives us quiet and contentment in our mind, whatever our fate is. The consolations (comforts) of the Holy Spirit are the still waters by which the saints are led; the streams which flow from the Fountain of living waters. We are led by the still waters of comfort. The valley of the shadow of death may mean the most severe and terrible affliction, or dark times that we could come under. Death too, lies like a dark valley that must be passed in going from our one home to the other. But, it is just the shadow of death. The shadow of a snake can’t sting, neither can the shadow of a sword kill. It may be a valley, deep, dark and miry; but valleys so often are fruitful. And so it is with death itself; it is fruitful, producing great comforts to God’s people. We only ‘walk through it,’ we do NOT stay there! We can’t get lost in this valley, for our loving Shepherd is walking right next to us, guiding our every step! All God’s children will make it through that dark valley, safely to the other side! So many people fear death; for it is a king of terrors, but NOT to the sheep of Christ.
Only when you can truthfully speak these words, can you experience this Truth of the Bible:
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [KJV] . . . God’s children really do not need to be afraid of the future, or of death, or of God’s judgment, or of eternity. But, when we have the pangs of fear hit us, we can remind ourselves of God’s love. We know that He loves us perfectly. Read the following comforting words again!
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [KJV] . . . Chase your fears away by focusing on His immeasurable love for us. His love will quiet your fears and give you confidence and comfort.
There absolutely shall be a day of universal judgment. Happy are those who have holy boldness before the Great Judge Jesus that day; for we know He is our Friend and Advocate! Happy are those who have holy boldness and who look and wait for it, and for the Judge’s appearance! (Phil.1:20; 1 John 2:28). True love to God assures believers of God’s love to them. We must distinguish between the fear of God and being afraid of Him.
Maybe you have never trusted Christ. Or if you have, maybe you have been afraid to take a stand for Him. Has fear filled your heart? Of what are you afraid? Fear of men or fear of something else? My friend, bring your fears to God, and fear Him. When you fear God, you won’t have to fear anyone or anything else!
If you profess to be a Christian, and fear something in your life, you cannot enjoy your salvation. Joy, peace and comfort comes from love, and if you love the Lord Jesus, God the Father, and others; fear should not be a part of your life. The child of God does not need to fear death or judgment which is coming. It was all settled when Christ died for you. Take comfort in knowing, Christ paid it all.
Comfort from God
Chapter 10
Can I Know I Have Salvation?
There is a Gift that every person in the world COULD have, IF they so desired! It is absolutely the best possible Gift any one could offer! It cannot be packed in a box, nor wrapped in bright colored paper and tied with a ribbon. You CANNOT buy it with silver or gold, yet it is more valuable than all the treasures of this world combined! All the gold in all the world would not be enough as a down payment. It is not a touchable gift of this secular world but a Gift of the spiritual realm. No way you could measure the genuine value of this extraordinary Gift! Many wealthy people would pay a great amount to possess it. Multitudes strive for it, but it’s just out of their reach. As we face a future filled with fear and anxiety, this Gift is desperately desired but seldom attained.
The world thinks of this Gift as peace of mind and a feeling of security that all is well for the future. Psychology thinks it is a person freed from frustration. But, the Bible is much more specific. The Bible states that this Gift is knowing, being certain, and having confident assurance concerning one’s personal relationship with God. It is assurance of one’s salvation.
How can we KNOW that we are saved and that we are the children of God? Does your soul toss and fret in doubt, uncertainty and insecurity? If so, there are words from God that can help you.
Philip.1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: [KJV] . . . We can BE SURE that God, Who started the good work in us, will continue His work until it is finished, on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. God’s Word can penetrate the dark corners of your fears and doubts. For those of you who know they are saved, perhaps these words will stabilize and strengthen your faith. God wants you to have comfort and assurance.
Eternal security is not something we experience; so it is totally independent of a person’s feelings. But on the other hand, assurance of salvation is an experience. It is an inner knowledge and confidence that a right relationship exists between your soul and God. Eternal security depends upon God’s faithfulness. Is God faithful? Certainly! Eternal security rests upon what God says:
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [KJV] . . . So, whoever has accepted God’s Son HAS eternal life; but, whoever does not accept God’s Son does NOT have eternal life. The plain Truth!
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [KJV] . . . If you are in Christ (have accepted Christ as your Saviour), you are justified by the righteousness of Jesus (Rom.5:1; 1 Cor.1:30).
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [KJV] . . . Jesus’ Words! IF you believe God (1 John 5:10), and accept Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, you are NOT condemned . . . BUT if you do NOT believe God and accept Jesus, you ARE condemned . . . to Hell.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. [KJV] . . . Same as above: IF you believe God (1 John 5:10), and accept Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, you are NOT condemned . . . BUT if you do NOT believe God and accept Jesus, you ARE condemned . . . to Hell.
God the Father is firmly behind every sinner who has trusted in Jesus. He wants you to take comfort in knowing this! Christ’s work of redemption is absolutely adequate enough to secure the perfect salvation for every sinner who trusts in Him. If this were not true, then the work of Christ was of no benefit whatsoever. But it is not true! In John 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus paid it all! There is NOTHING more we can do than to BELIEVE!
God is offering eternal life, an unequaled Gift, to anyone (whosoever) who believes in Christ. It is not temporary or uncertain. He does not give it to you today and take it away tomorrow (John 14:16). So many do not believe once saved, always saved. I really feel sorry for them. See our article: http://www.hisservants.org/once_saved,_always_saved_h_s.htm
You cannot pay anything for eternal life in Heavent, because then it would not be a Gift! But, this Gift is yours, the moment you believe, and it’s yours for eternity! Eternal life begins the very moment you truly trust Jesus to save you.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. [KJV] . . . I dearly love this verse. Do you SEE what it states? Read it again! If you hear or read God’s Word (the Gospel), and BELIEVE God, you HAVE eternal life! Hath = HAS! When you believe God’s Word, you HAVE eternal life in Heaven NOW, the moment that you believe!
God wants you to know that you are His child through faith in Jesus Christ.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [KJV] . . . If you have uncertainties or doubts, you are not honoring Jesus. “Maybe,” “perhaps” or “I hope so” should not be in the vocabulary of a born-again Christian when the matter of salvation is the subject. God does not offer a “hope so” but a “know so” salvation! He always describes it as everlasting or eternal life; it is NOT temporary or conditional. Listen to God and be assured.
1 John 5:10-13 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. [11] And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. [KJV] . . . That you may KNOW you have eternal life! God does not want you guessing or doubting; He wants you to KNOW that you are going to Heaven!
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. [KJV] . . . What John records is to give a full proof of the Divinity of Christ; that He is the promised Messiah; that He really suffered and rose again from the dead; and that through Him every believer might have eternal life. John wrote this Gospel, this biography of our Lord Jesus Christ, to encourage and persuade his readers to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God; a thing which was of great concernment to them, that their eternal life depended upon it; for through His Name alone eternal life is to be obtained (Jn.14:6; Acts 4:12).
Believers have their spiritual and eternal life through Jesus Christ alone; their life of grace, their justification by Him, their sanctification from Him, and their fellowship and unity with Him. The support and maintenance of their spiritual life, and all the comforts of it: and also their eternal life to come, these come only through or in Jesus’ Name. That is why John writes this Gospel.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. [KJV] . . . God wants you to trust Him!
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. [KJV] . . . The righteousness which is mentioned here is not man’s (for we have none on our own; Isa.64:6), but it is the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel. This righteousness of Christ (1 Cor.1:30) which is given to us, gives us a right standing before God.
It cannot be improved upon; it is perfect, because Jesus is perfect. God wants all who trust Jesus and His work to be able to say with confidence, boldness, and assurance, but with true humility:
2 Tim. 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. [KJV] . . . We should never be ashamed of Jesus even if or when, we must suffer for Him like Paul did (2 Cor.11:24-33).
We must be able to say:
2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. [KJV] . . . IF we fall short of this, we miss the best that He has for us. God wants you to enjoy your salvation, not fear, doubt and not be sure!
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. [KJV] . . . Jesus’ sheep recognize His voice; He knows them, and they follow Him. He gives them eternal life, and they will never perish. NO one can possibly grab them away from Him, for His Father has given them to Him, and God the Father is more powerful than anyone else. NO one can take Jesus’ sheep (true believers) away from Him! Once He has you, He’ll never let you go! Tremendous comfort!
None of the above verses are words of uncertainty or doubt!
THE BLINDNESS OF UNBELIEF
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. (KJV) . . . Unbelief is one of the most underestimated weapons in the devil’s huge arsenal. The reason it is so dangerous is that it stems from the first sin . . . pride (Gen. 3:1-5; Isa. 14:13-14). Unbelief is related to pride because it is equal to setting aside judgment for ourselves. We decide for ourselves what is right or what is wrong. As an example, the Bible says God created the world . . . but there are some people who refuse to believe this, insisting that everything sprang from a prehistoric explosion. Instead of taking God’s Word for it, these people appoint themselves judge and jury. They weigh the evidence and decide that the Bible is misleading them. It is an extremely dangerous thing to do, and it stems totally from human pride and arrogance.
Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. (KJV) . . .
One of the saddest phrases in the Bible is found in the last three words of this Passage . . . “but some doubted.” This happened just before the Lord went back to Heaven. Even after His followers had spent years listening to His words and witnessing His miracles, there were still some among them who had persistent doubts! It is not hard to imagine what the doubters may have been thinking. “Maybe His miracles were the result of magic or sleight of hand. . . . If He is really the Messiah, why are the Roman soldiers still grinding us under their boots? . . . Maybe the Pharisees were right when they said He was born out of wedlock. How can our royal Messiah, the rightful King of Israel, be the illegitimate son of a peasant girl?”
The answer:
Eph. 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (KJV) . . . Unbelief without a doubt leads to spiritual blindness. And when that happens, a person CANNOT see the Truth even if it is right in front of them.
Just how overwhelming can unbelief be? In the days of the Exodus, it cost an entire generation of Israelites their lives (Num.32:13). Hundreds of thousands of people died because of their unbelief. They decided to trust the 10 doubting spies who said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Num. 13:31), instead of trusting the two Godly men, Joshua and Caleb (Num.14:6-10). Rather than moving ahead and taking possession of what God had promised them, the Israelites turned away in fear at Kadesh Barnea (Deut. 9:23). That was their cross-roads . . . and they made the wrong decision. As a result, they wandered in a desolate, desert wilderness for 40 long years. The graves of that entire generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb (Num.26:65) were scattered all over the barren landscape during those forty years. The writer of Hebrews concludes: Heb. 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (KJV) . . . BEWARE!!!
Comfort from God
Chapter 11
Homesick for Heaven
2 Cor. 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: [KJV]
2 Cor. 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. [KJV] . . . Paul was not afraid to die, because he was sure he would spend eternity with Christ. He had great comfort in knowing this fact. Facing the unknown may cause us anxiety, for we do not know how we will die, and too, we have to leave loved ones behind. But if we believe in Christ Jesus, we too, like Paul, can share hope and confidence of eternal life with Christ. For those who believe in Christ Jesus, death is only an introduction to eternal life with God. Our soul will continue to live. This hope and assurance should inspire us to faithful service.
WHERE is this home where we shall live forever? We are told in the above verses that we will “be present with the Lord.” This is wonderful! Have you ever really thought about this? We will be present with the Lord. His Home will be our home. This is absolutely awesome!
2 Cor. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [KJV] . . . We cannot go to Heaven in the bodies we now possess. Our bodies are full of sin, and there will be NO sin in Heaven (Rev.21:8, 27; 22:14-15). We will be given new bodies that will be perfect for our eternal life; bodies similar to Jesus’ Body, and we will never sin again!
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [KJV] . . . The Father's house is where Jesus is, and will have ALL His family there one day. I go to prepare a place for you . . . this states the certainty of it of the mansion in our name. Jesus’ Father does have a “house,” and in it were many mansions, abundant room for all His people. Jesus does NOT lie . . . ever! He would NOT tell them, and us, this tremendous Truth if it were not so! "I go to prepare a place for you" . . . Heaven is a Kingdom prepared by Almighty God for His children from the foundation of the world (Eph.1:4; Tit.1:2). By the Presence and intercession of Christ, Who has gone on before, and is a Forerunner entered into it, He has taken possession of it in the name of His people.
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [KJV] . . . Do you SEE what verse 4 states? To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you . . . Dear one, IF you are a TRUE child of God, your mansion in Heaven is RESERVED in your name! It doesn’t get any better than this! Thank You Jesus!!! Thank you! Thank You!
Some people, then and now, refuse to believe in a bodily resurrection. They see the afterlife as something that happens only to the soul, with the real person imprisoned in a physical body. They believe that at death the soul is released, but there is no immortality for the body, and only the soul enters an eternal state. But the Bible does NOT teach this. For more on resurrected bodies, see: 1 Cor. 15:46-58. We will still have personalities and recognizable characteristics in our resurrected bodies, but through Christ’s work, our bodies will be better than we can possibly imagine. The Bible does not tell us everything about our new bodies, but we know they will be perfect; no sickness, no disease, no pain, no crying.
Phil. 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. [KJV] . . . He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His, using the same mighty power that He will use to conquer everything, everywhere.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [KJV] . . . Reading and thinking about this, really does make me homesick for a place I have never seen, and it gives me great joy and peace and comfort in my heart, for praise God, all His children are going there to be with Him!
HOMESICK
I’ve been homesick often in past years,
So homesick, that I was brought to tears.
Homesick, for a place I’ve never seen,
Excepting that, of glorious dreams.
I’ve been homesick for my heav’n’ly home,
As a foreigner, on Earth I roam.
Thinking of life in eternity,
Knowing that Christ holds the only ‘key.’
I’ve been homesick for my “mansion” there,
Reserv’d for me, by Jesus who cares.
In this awesome City, of pure gold,
All the glory of God I will behold.
I’m homesick to see my Lord and King,
In this wondrous land of vast blessings.
When I die, angels will carry me,
To my true Home in eternity.
One day soon; I’ll be homesick no more,
For I’ll be there on those blissful shores.
Lord, thank You, for what You’ve done for me,
Securing my home in eternity.
*********************
By: His servant, Connie Kramer July 28, 2000 # 718
Life on Earth is short to say the least. I truly believe that God gives us this precious time (our life on Earth) to make the greatest decision we will ever make; where we will spend eternity. Accept Christ, Heaven is ours. Reject Christ, eternal Hell awaits.
Comfort from God
Chapter 12
Heaven, Where Is It?
John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [KJV] . . . The only place that describes Heaven, that I know of, is in Revelation chapter 21, and there is also a glimpse in Isaiah 65:17-25. Many of God’s children are so caught up in this world today, that they have lost sight of the fact that we don’t really belong here; that we are simply pilgrims and strangers on Earth. They do not realize that when we look forward to this Celestial City, it brings courage and comfort to our hearts.
Heaven is a place. Some think the difference between something spiritual and something carnal is that carnal is material, or something that you can see, and something spiritual is something you can’t see and has no physical qualities at all. This is not true. Think about it, some of the most carnal things in this world are things you cannot see. Covetousness and hate are works of the flesh, but they are just as much in the unseen realm as love and unselfishness, which are the fruit of the Spirit.
On the other hand, something does not have to be out in space with no touchable substance in order to be spiritual. Heaven is a good example of this, because it is a place with three dimensions: it has height, width and depth; all of these things. Yet it is in the spiritual realm.
Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [KJV] . . . God plainly tells us here He will create a new heaven and a new earth. This old sin-ridden one will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10-13). God will replace it with one that will be absolutely free of sin. The one and only major change that is mentioned, is that there will be no sea. That’s a big change! No more sea! The ocean now occupies about three-fourths of the globe’s surface?
Up to this verse, Heaven has been mentioned many times in Scripture, but never described. Our Lord said He was going to prepare a place for us, but did not say what it would look like. Paul wrote about being homesick for it and wanting to go there. Now it comes into view for the first time.
Rev. 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [KJV] . . . NOTICE: It is a holy city. It is holy because there is NO sin there at all. Those who are there are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. When we accept Jesus, God gives us the righteousness of Christ. On our own we have absolutely NO righteousness whatsoever (Isa. 64:6). We are in Him; we are His bride, and that is why it is a holy city. It is the New Jerusalem, not the earthly Jerusalem as we know it.
This City is like a bride arrayed for her husband. This is a beautiful thing that is said about New
Jerusalem. It is a thing of beauty; as a bride adorned for her husband. The church is the bride of Christ and will be coming with the Bridegroom.
It comes down, from God out of Heaven. It comes down into space. We are NOT told it comes to the Earth. I personally believe that it stays in space, hovering, as a planet, as the Earth. Two facts are made clear from this verse: (1.) it comes down out of Heaven, and (2.) it does not say that it comes to the Earth. The verse leaves the city hanging in mid-air. Some people don’t like this; but why not leave the city in mid-air? Is there anything strange about a civilization in space? The astronauts do it, don’t they? And, isn’t all things possible for God? (Mat.19:26).
Rev. 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. [KJV] . . . We are told that this city lies foursquare, that it is approximately 1500 miles on each side. There are some who think the city is shaped like a cube. There are others who think of it shaped like a pyramid. The Bible does not tell us any more, We will just have to be patient and wait and see. Does that really matter?
Rev. 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. [KJV] . . . God the father and God the Son will be the Light in this city. His light (Mat. 17:2) will shine through that gorgeous twelve stone foundation. What a thing of beauty!
Revelation 21:19-20 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. [KJV] . . . Varied hues and tints form a polychrome of rainbow colors. Look at these twelve stones, each one a different color:
(1.) Jasper, the diamond, crystal-clear, a reflector of light and color.
(2.) Sapphire, blue, as “the body of heaven in its clearness” (Exodus 24:10).
(3.) Chalcedony, blue or gray agate stone.
(4.) Emerald, green.
(5.) Sardonyx, red and white stone.
(6.) Sardius, fiery red.
(7.) Chrysolite, golden yellow.
(8.) Beryl, sea green.
(9.) Topaz, greenish-yellow.
(10.) Chrysoprasus, gold-green.
(11.) Jacinth, color of a hyacinth.
(12.) Amethyst, purple.
New Jerusalem will be a city of light, color and unequaled beauty. “God is light” (1 John 1:5), and He is there. The light shining from within through the prism of precious stones would give every color and shade of color in the rainbow. Our new world will be flooded with never ending light and beauty.
New Jerusalem will be a holy place:
Rev. 21:24-27 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. [25] And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. [26] And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. [27] And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. [KJV] . . . The nations of the Earth will make trips to this City. New Jerusalem will be the holy of holies of the Universe just as there was a holy of holies in the Temple. The high priest didn’t stay in the holy of holies, he performed his service, then he left. The people of the Earth will come up to this City to worship, bringing their glory and honor to God. But, they won’t stay, because it is not their home. New Jerusalem is the home of the church. This is where all those who are in Christ will be at home with the Lord.
Rev. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [KJV] . . . No more tears in this awesome place! This world is full of tears! Tears come from heartbreak, pain, sorrow and disappointment. That’s how it is today. What a wonderful day that will be, when we arrive at this City; no matter what its shape is.
Phil. 1:21, 23 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. . . . . [23] For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: [KJV] . . . Death to a true believer is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness, misery and sin. Paul’s difficulty was not between living in this world and living in Heaven (for there is no comparison). Paul was torn between two desires: serving Christ (which was his life) and being with Christ.
The second thing which is beyond our understanding, is: “And there shall be no more death.” Death is universal. Here on Earth, all living things die. In the New Jerusalem, there will be no more death. It will be wonderful to be in a place where there is “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Isa.43:18-19. 65:17-18; Rev.21:4).
Rev. 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. [KJV] . . . One sweet day, ALL true believers will be at home with the Lord. All followers of Christ should reach out and tell the Good News about Him. We are given this responsibility when we become His disciple (Mat.28:19-20).
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV) . . . Anyone “in Christ,” is a new creature. No one is fit for Heaven in their old nature. They must be made fit for Heaven. HOW are we made fit for Heaven? We are joined (united) to the resurrected, glorified Saviour, clothed in His righteousness and made accepted in the Beloved. All of this because of one thing; our faith in Christ Jesus! We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor.5:7). We follow our Saviour no matter where He leads, because we know we can trust Him in all things.
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV) . . . Jesus is the ONLY Way to that golden City! When Christ died on the cross, He did all that was necessary to save you. He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He gave His report to the Father and said, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
My friend, you don’t have to do anything to add to your salvation. When you try to do something for your salvation: works, sacraments, rituals, etc., you belittle what Christ has done. Please don’t do that! Simply accept His Way. Simply agree with God that Christ, and Christ alone is the only Way. Are you on your way to the New Jerusalem? Do you have comfort in knowing you WILL go there?
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (KJV) . . . God’s children look forward to an inheritance in the eternal city of God. It will never fade or decay; it will be unstained by sin. The best part is that you have an inheritance if you have trusted Christ as your Saviour. Our joy and comfort is remembering the happiness laid up for us. We have great comfort in knowing that our “mansion” has been reserved in Heaven for us. No one can take it away. It has our name on it! Tell someone of Christ Jesus today!
NO MORES OF HEAVEN
The beauty of our God’s Heaven can’t be told,
It’s unspeakable; and one day we’ll behold!
There’ll be so many things that won’t be there,
I’m looking forward to climbing that stair.
No more pain from troubles or labors long,
No more sickness, no disease; nothing wrong!
No heart attacks, no cancer, no need for doctors,
No more old age, no more death held in store.
There shall be no more funerals, e’er again,
No parting, no families, broken by men!
No more poverty, no hunger, no more thirst,
No more afflictions that need to be nursed.
No more oppression of the poor weak folk,
No injustice, that would take their only cloak.
No more suffering, no confusion, no more stress,
No more war, no more crime, no more wickedness!
No more evil, no hatred, and no more lies,
No drunkenness, no hard feelings to deny.
No more meanness, no ugliness, no more strife,
I can’t ev’n imagine this kind of life!
No more pride, no stubbornness, no more fear,
No depressing moments will e’er come near!
No disappointments, no more heartaches deep,
No more worry, no more loneliness to reap.
No more sin of any kind; Satan is gone!
No one to discourage; ‘twill be a new dawn!
Do you want to go to this marvelous place?
Just accept Jesus, you’ll go by God’s grace!
******************************
By: His servant, Connie Kramer Dec.29, 1995 # 80
(Rev.ch.21; 22:1-15)
Do you have comfort in knowing you are going here?
I am also going toad another poem that was not in our original book.
NO MORES OF HELL
No more wonderful fragrance of a rose,
No more beautiful birds; can you suppose?
No more blue skies, with fluffy clouds so white,
No more children playing, with laughter so bright.
No more peace at heart, no more feeling swell,
No more joyous occasions; not in Hell.
No more fishing or boating on water clear,
Friend, there is no more water, no where near!
No more friendship of joy, found in that throng,
No more comforts of home, no loving song.
No more music or laughter in that place,
No more of God’s mercy, pardon, or grace!
No more light, not even a tiny bit,
No more tranquility, no contentment.
No more goodness of any kind, e’er more,
No more blessings from God will be in store!
No more love, joy, nor happiness in Hell,
Is this the place you have chosen to dwell?
No more beauty of nature on Hell’s banks,
Just darkness forever; ‘twill be so rank!
You’re on the way to Heav’n or Hell this day,
Only Jesus can get you to Heav’n’s way!
But if you do reject God’s only Son,
Hell does await, and agony begun.
**********************
By: His servant, Connie Kramer Dec.28,1995 # 79
(Lu.16:22-26; Mt.13;41,42,49,50; 8:12; 22:33; 25:41,46;
Ps.9:17; Mk.16:16; Heb.10:26,27,31; Jn.3:15-18,36; 8:24; 14:6; Ac.4:12)
Books You Should Read
Blessings and Curses Prophesied
Christ in Psalms
Christ in the Old Testament
Comfort From God
???Does God Really Love Me???
God's Wrath
God Cannot Lie
God Controls His Creation
Heaven vs Hell
Humility
Joseph, the Story of
Messianic Prophecies
Olivet Discourse
Our Awesome Triune God
Privileges of Believers
Rapture, Second Coming
Second Coming, And Other End Time Events
Understanding What Jesus Said
Unfulfilled Prophecies
Home Page
For our other web sites:
http://www.godcannotlie.org
http://www.hisservants.org
Poetry . . . http://www.hisservantsministry.org . . . Poetry
http://www.judgmentcoming.org
http://www.lastdaysprophecy.org
http://www.worldlychaos.org
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