COMFORT

1. The Lord will
help & comfort you:

A. His promises of
comfort:

Psa.71:21                Thou
shalt...comfort me on every side

Psa.86:17                Thou,
Lord, hast holpen me, & comforted me

Psa.91:15                I
will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him

Psa.116:6                I
was brought low, & He helped me

Psa.138:7a              Though
I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me

Isa.42:6   I the Lord...will hold thine hand,
& will keep thee

Isa.43:2   When thou passest through waters, I
will be with thee

Isa.49:13 The Lord hath comforted His people, & will
have mercy upon His afflicted

Isa.51:12,13            I,
even I, am He that comforteth you

Isa.66:13 As one his mother comforteth, so will I comfort
you

Jn.14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will
come to you

Jn.14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: believe...in Me

2Cor.1:3  Blessed be God...the Father of mercies,
& the God of all comfort

2Cor.7:6  God...comforteth those that are cast down

2Thes.2:16,17        Our
Lord Jesus Christ...which hath loved us, & given us everlasting
consolation...comfort your hearts

(See
also Psa.103:6; Phi.2:1,2.)

B. The Lord is
always with you to comfort you:

Psa.121:4                He
that keepeth [thee] shall neither slumber nor sleep

2Cor.1:4  (He) comforteth us in all our
tribulation

C. The Holy Spirit,
the "Comforter", will comfort you:

Jn.14:26  The Comforter...is the Holy Ghost

Jn.15:26  The Comforter...Whom I will send unto you
from (God)

Jn.14:16,17             (God)
shall give you a Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the
Spirit...shall be in you

Acts
9:31               Then
had the churches rest...in the comfort of the Holy Ghost

2. How to receive
God's comfort:

A. Pray & ask
for His help:

2Chr.15:4                When
they in their trouble...sought (God), He was found of them

Psa.34:17                The
righteous cry, & the Lord heareth, & delivereth them out of all their
troubles

Psa.86:7  In the day of my trouble I will call upon
Thee: for Thou wilt answer me

Psa.119:76              Let,
I pray, Thy merciful kindness be for my comfort

Psa.145:18,19         The
Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him

Phi.4:6,7 By prayer...let your requests be made known
unto God. And the peace of God...shall keep your hearts

Heb.4:16 Come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, & find grace to help in time of need

B. Examples of King
David's prayers seeking comfort:

(See
Psa.31:9-12; 38:9; 51:all; 69:1,2; 102:1-7.)

C. Read &
meditate on God's Word:

Psa.119:50              This
is my comfort in my affliction: for Thy Word hath quickened me

Rom.15:4                (Word)
written...that we through patience & comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope

D. Stay obedient
& close to Him:

Jn.8:29    The Father hath not left Me
alone; for I do always those things that please Him

Psa.103:17,18         The
mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him

E. Continue
trusting & have patience:

Gen.28:15               [God
tells Jacob:] I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken
to thee of

Psa.42:3-11            Why
art thou cast down, O my soul? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise
Him

Psa.119:81-83        I
hope in Thy Word. When wilt Thou comfort me? For I am become like a bottle in
the smoke

Heb.10:35,36a        Cast
not away...your confidence...ye have need of patience, that, after...ye might
receive the promise

F. Remind yourself
of God's past miracles & mercies:

Psa.77:1-12            My
spirit was over whelmed...This is my infirmity: but I will remember
the works of the Lord

Psa.119:52              I
remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord; & have comforted myself

G. Encourage &
remind yourself of God's faithfulness:

1Sam.30:6               David
was greatly distressed...but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God

H. Remember, God
will never forsake you...

Isa.49:14,15,16       [They]
said, The Lord hath forsaken me, & forgotten me. Yet will I not
forget thee

Psa.31:22                I
said in my haste, I am cut off from before Thine eyes: [but] Thou
heardest...when I cried unto Thee

Psa.9:9,10               They
that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou hast not forsaken
them that seek Thee

Mat.28:20b            I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world

2Tim.2:13               [Even]
if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful

Heb.13:5 I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee

(See
also Isa.54:10)

I. ...Unless you
grievously rebel & forsake Him:

2Chr.15:2                The
Lord is with you, while ye be with Him...but if ye forsake Him, He
will forsake you (1Chr.28:9)

J. Even then, He
will not permanently forsake you:

Isa.54:7,8                For
a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee

K. Trust &
completely commit yourself into His hands:

Rom.8:28                All
things work...for good to them that love God

1Pet.4:19                Let
them that suffer...commit the keeping of their souls to Him...as unto a
faithful Creator

L. He will
keep you:

2Tim.1:12b             (I)
am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto
Him

Psa.23:4  Thy rod & Thy staff they comfort
[& protect] me

Psa.37:5  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also
in Him

Psa.55:22                Cast
thy burden upon the Lord, & He shall sustain thee

Psa.138:8                The
Lord will perfect that which concerneth me

Phi.1:6    He which hath begun a good
work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ

1Thes.5:24             Faithful
is He that calleth you, Who...will do it

1Pet.5:7  Casting all your care on Him; for He
careth for you

3. God loves
you & cares for you:

A. He knows every
tear you've shed:

2Ki.20:5  I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy
tears

Psa.56:8  Put my tears in Thy bottle: are they not
in Thy book? (See also Mk.9:24)

B. He knows exactly
what you're experiencing:

Exo.3:7    I have seen the affliction of
My people...& have heard their cry...I know their sorrows

Psa.103:13,14         The
Lord pitieth (us)...for He knoweth our frame

Isa.53:4   He hath borne our griefs, &
carried our sorrows

Isa.63:9   In all their affliction He was afflicted

Heb.4:15 Touched with the feeling of our
infirmities...(He) was in all points tempted like as we are

C. Though He
chastises us, He loves & comforts:

Psa.30:5  His anger endureth but a moment...weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning

Psa.71:20                Thou,
which hast showed me great & sore troubles, shalt quicken (make alive) me
again

Psa.103:9                He
will not always chide; neither...keep His anger forever

Isa.12:1   Though Thou wast angry with me,
Thine anger is turned away, & Thou comfortedst me

Lam.3:31-33           Though
He cause grief, yet will He have compassion

(See
also Hos.6:1-3)

4. God's loving
hands uphold you:

A. His hands are
always there, supporting you:

Deut.33:27             Underneath
are the everlasting arms

Psa.145:14              The
Lord upholdeth all that fall, & raiseth up all those that be bowed down

Psa.37:17                The
Lord upholdeth the righteous

Psa.37:24                Though
he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His
hand

Isa.41:10 I am with thee: be not dismayed; I will uphold
thee with (My) right hand

Isa.63:9   In His love & pity He...bare
them, & carried them

B. ...Even in
distant lands & lonesome situations:

Psa.139:8b             If
I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there

Psa.139:9-12          If
I...dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand...hold
me

Mat.28:20b            I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world

5. If you feel
you're in the dark, trust in God for light:

Isa.50:10 Who is among you...that walketh in darkness,
& hath no light? let him trust in the Lord

Isa.42:16 I will make darkness light before them,
&...not forsake them

Psa.18:28                The
Lord my God will enlighten my darkness

Psa.112:4                Unto
the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious, & full of
compassion

Mic.7:8b When I sit in darkness, Lord shall be a light
unto me

(See
also Isa.58:10,11)

6. Look on the
bright side:

A. You're blessed,
so be joyful & happy:

Mat.5:10-12           Blessed
are ye, when men shall revile & persecute you. Rejoice & be exceeding
glad

Jn.16:33  In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world

2Cor.7:4b               I
am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation

Phi.4:4    Rejoice in the Lord alway:
& again I say, Rejoice

1Pet.4:12,13           Rejoice...ye
are partakers of Christ's sufferings

B. Happy days will
come again:

Isa.51:11,12a          The
redeemed of the Lord shall...obtain gladness & joy; & sorrow &
mourning shall flee away

1Thes.4:15-18        [Jesus
will soon come to take us to Heaven] Comfort one another with these words (See
also 5:10,11)

(See
also Isa.40:2; 52:9; 57:16-18; Jer.31:12-14; Zech.1:12-17.)

C. Sorrow will soon
be gone:

Job
11:16                Thou
shalt forget thy misery, & remember it as waters that pass away

Psa.30:5  Weeping may endure a night, but joy
cometh in morning

Psa.30:11                Thou
put off my sackcloth, & girded me with gladness

Isa.49:13 Sing...be joyful...break forth into singing:
for the Lord hath comforted His people...His afflicted

Isa.54:11 O thou afflicted...& not comforted, behold,
I will lay thy stones with fair colours

D. Think about
& be thankful for His comforts:

Psa.94:19                In
the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul

E. We are
blessed; most unsaved people have no comforter:

Eccl.4:1   Behold the tears of such as were
oppressed, & they had no comforter

7. Why & how to
comfort one another:

A. Sometimes you
need the help of others:

Jer.8:18   When I would comfort myself...my
heart is faint

2Cor.2:7  Ye ought...to comfort him, lest (he) be
swallowed up with overmuch sorrow

(See
also Eccl.4:9,10,12)

B. We should
comfort one another:

Gen.37:34,35a        And all
his (Jacob's) sons & daughters rose up to comfort him (See also 1Chr.7:22;
Job 2:11.)

Isa.40:1   Comfort ye, comfort ye My people,
saith your God

Isa.61:1,2                The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me...He hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted...comfort all that mourn

Isa.61:3   Give unto them beauty for ashes,
oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for spirit of heaviness

1Cor.12:25              In
the body...the members should have the same care one for another

2Cor.2:8  I beseech you that ye confirm your love
toward him

2Cor.7:6  God...comforted us by the coming of Titus
[a fellowlabourer] (See also Eph.6:22; Col.4:7,8; 1Thes.3:2.)

2Cor.7:13                We
were comforted...(Titus') spirit was refreshed by you

Gal.6:2    Bear ye one another's
burdens, & so fulfill the law of Christ

Col.2:2    Hearts...comforted, being
knit together in love

Col.4:11  My fellow-workers...which have been a
comfort unto me

1Thes.5:11             Comfort
yourselves together, & edify one another

1Thes.5:14             Comfort
the feebleminded (fainthearted, timid)

C. How to comfort
others:

Gen.50:21b             (Joseph)
comforted them, & spake kindly unto them

Ruth
2:13               Thou
hast comforted me...thou hast spoken (kindly)

Pro.17:22a              A
merry heart doeth good like a medicine

Pro.27:9  Ointment & perfume rejoice the heart:
so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel

1Thes.2:11             We...comforted...you,
as a father doth his children

Rom.12:15b            Weep
with them that weep

D. Use your own
experiences to comfort them:

2Cor.1:4  That we may be able to comfort (others)
in trouble, by the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God

Psa.66:12,16           I
will declare what He hath done for my soul

E. The comforting,
consoling power of inspired music:

Psa.32:7  Thou shalt compass me about with songs of
deliverance

Psa.42:5-8              My
soul is cast down within me...yet...in the night His song shall be with me

1Sam.16:14-16       An evil
spirit...troubleth thee. [A musician] shall play... & thou shalt be well
(See also vs.23)

Pro.25:20                [Caution:
Make sure you sing fitting songs]

F. Encouraging
words of prophecy are a comfort:

1Cor.14:3                He
that prophesieth speaketh unto men to...comfort

G. When words fail,
just being there is a help:

Job
2:13  They sat down with him...&
none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great

Col.2:2    Hearts...comforted, being
knit together in love

H. Make sure you
are comforting, not condemning:

Job
16:2-5              Miserable
comforters are ye all. [Job said if they were in his place, he would have
comforted them]

8. When abandoned,
suffering heartbreak or loss:

A. Even when all
others leave you, you'll always have the Lord:

2Tim.4:16,17          All
men forsook me...notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, &
strengthened me

Psa.27:10                When
father & mother forsake me, Lord will take me up

Psa.34:22                None
of them that trust in Him shall be desolate

Psa.142:4,5             Refuge
failed me; No man cared for my soul. Thou art my refuge & my portion
in the land of the living

Isa.54:1,5,6             The
Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken & grieved in spirit...when
thou wast refused

Isa.54:10 The mountains shall depart...but My kindness
shall not depart from thee

Heb.13:5 He hath said, I will never leave thee
nor forsake thee

B. His special care
for the brokenhearted:

Psa.34:18                The
Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart

Psa.51:17                A
broken & a contrite heart...Thou wilt not despise

Psa.61:2  When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to
the rock that is higher than I

Psa.147:3                He
healeth the broken in heart, & bindeth up their wounds

Ezk.34:16                I...will
bind up that which was broken

Isa.61:1   He hath sent Me (Jesus) to bind up
the brokenhearted

Lk.4:18    He hath sent Me (Jesus) to heal
the brokenhearted

(See
also Isa.57:15)

C. When suffering
bereavement over the loss of a loved one:

2Sam.12:15-23       [When
David's sick child died, he stopped fasting & weeping, saying:] I shall go
to him [in Heaven]

1Cor.15:17-21        [Jesus
is raised from the dead, therefore our loved ones also live, & we are not
to be miserable]

1Thes.4:13             Concerning
them which are asleep (departed)...sorrow not, as others which have no hope

1Thes.4:14-18        The
dead in Christ shall rise...we shall be...with them... comfort one
another with these words

D. It is much
better for them to be with the Lord:

2Cor.5:8  We are...willing rather to be absent from
the body, & to be present with the Lord

Phi.1:23  Desire to depart...to be with Christ...is
far better

Rev.7:16,17            [The
happiness of our departed loved ones in Heaven]

E. When suffering
remorse over mistakes or sins:

(See
Psa.31:9-24; 38:1-22; 51:all; Lam.1:20a; Lk.18:13,14; 2Cor.2:6-8. Also compare
Mat.26:69-75 & Mk.16:6,7.)

9. Heavenly consolation
for present suffering &
sorrow:

A. Comforted by
Heavenly rewards:

Psa.37:9  Those that wait on the Lord, shall
inherit the earth

Mat.5:4   Blessed are they that mourn...they
shall be comforted

Lk.6:21    Blessed are ye that weep now:
for ye shall laugh

Lk.12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (See also Mat.25:34)

Lk.16:19-22a          [The
suffering beggar Lazarus] carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom

Jn.16:20  Ye shall weep & lament...& ye
shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy

Rom.8:18                The
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
(Heavenly reward)

2Cor.4:17                Our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us...(an) eternal
weight of glory

2Cor.1:7  As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so
shall ye be also of the consolation

2Tim.2:12               If
we suffer, we shall also reign with Him

B. There will be no
more sorrow or tears in Heaven:

Isa.25:8   He will swallow up death in
victory; & the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces

Rev.21:4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
& there shall be no more...sorrow, nor crying (See also 7:17)