June 05, 08: Light4theDay (lftd.org) -
"Trouble and Comfort"
(Viet)
(MAIN)
(lftd.org)
("How To Receive Christ")
-- Psalm 116:1-2 =
1 I love the LORD, for He heard my voice;
He heard my prayer for mercy.
2 Because He turned His ear to me,
I will call on Him as long as I live.
God's blessings are dispensed according to the riches of His grace, not according to the depth of our faith. "If we are faithless, He remains faithful -- for He cannot deny Himself." (2 Tim 2:13)
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Why is that important to know? So you won't get cynical. Look around you. Aren't there more mouths than bread? Aren't there wounds than physicians? Aren't there more who need the truth than those who tell it?
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So what do we do? throw up our hands and walk away? Tell the world we cant help them?
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No, we don't give up. We look up. We trust. We believe. And our optimism is not hollow. Christ has proven worthy. He has show that He never fails - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb 13:8). That's what makes God, God. - "Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'" - Luke 18:27.
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-- Max Lucado
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++ Prayer: =
Father, when we are weak, You are strong. When we have no faith, You have faith. Thank You for being true to us even when we forget You. Thank You for being faithful even when we are not.
-- Jeremiah 29:11-13 =
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."
-- Jeremiah 33:3 =
Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you
great and unsearchable things you do not know.
A Brighter Day =
There'll be a brighter day tomorrow /
Just trust in God He'll share your sorrow. /
Oh lay your cares at the Saviors feet /
And when you do you'll feel complete. /
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He'll recreate your life once torn /
You'll feel like you've just been reborn. /
Give praise to Him and then you feel /
His love and strength to help you deal. /
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With life's hard times though often sad /
He'll give you joy and make you glad. /
Look to the Lord just trust in Him /
He lifts us up when we feel grim. /
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So don't look back just keep on praying /
You'll feel His presence softly saying /
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"I'll fill your cup and take your pain /
You've nothing to lose but all to gain. /
Come unto Me I'll give you rest /
I'll comfort you through troubling tests." /
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Though they seem long He'll make a way /
To lead you on to a brighter day. /
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-- Betty Nasr
-- Matthew 11:28-30 =
28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
-- 1 Peter 5:7 =
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
-- Matthew 6:25-27; 33-34 =
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
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++ 33 But seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
-- Philippians 4:6-7 =
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
-- Philippians 2:1-2 =
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
-- 2 Corinthians 1:2-5 =
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
-- Matthew 5:3-4 =
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
-- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 =
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
-- John 14:26-27 =
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
++ 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
-- John 16:33 =
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
-- Romans 5:1-5 =
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
-- Romans 15:13 =
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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-- Psalms 29:11 =
The LORD gives Strength to His people;
The LORD blesses His people with Peace.
-- Psalms 27:13-14 =
13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
-- Psalm 116:4-7 =
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, save me!"
5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
Our God is full of compassion.
6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;
When I was in great need, He saved me.
7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
For the LORD has been good to you.
-- Psalms 138:1-3 =
1 I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.
-- Psalms 119:48-52, 76 =
48 I lift up my hands to Your commands,
Which I love, and I meditate on Your decrees.
49 Remember Your word to Your servant,
For You have given me hope.
50 My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.
51 The arrogant mock me without restraint,
But I do not turn from Your law.
52 I remember Your ancient laws, O LORD,
And I find comfort in them.
+ 76 May Your unfailing love be my comfort,
According to Your promise to Your servant.
-- Psalm 23 =
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever
-- Isaiah 40:1, 28-31 =
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
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28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
And His understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
31 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not be faint.
+*+*+ Brains can argue, but It takes heart to comfort. -- Samuel Chadwick
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God sweetens outward pain with inward peace. ~ Thomas Watson
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Our valleys may be filled with foes and tears; but we can lift our eyes to the hills to see God and the angels, heaven's spectators, who support us according to God's infinite wisdom as they prepare our welcome home. -- Billy Graham
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In this crazy world, there's an enormous distinction between good times and bad, between sorrow and joy. But in the eyes of God, they're never separated. Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning, there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is the Kingdom. -- Henri J. M. Nouwen
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When God is involved, anything can happen. Be open. Stay that way. God has a beautiful way of bringing good vibrations out of broken chords. -- Charles Swindoll
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The winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory. ~ Richard Sibbes
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Soothing hymns and favourite scriptures complement the short, thematic portions of text. This gift of comfort will wrap every heart in the provision of the Great Shepherd. .......... Are you weak? Weary? Confused? Troubled? Pressured? How is your relationship with God? Is it held in its place of priority? I believe the greater the pressure, the greater your need for time alone with Him. ~ Kay Arthur
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Grief is a long and difficult journey that we sometimes we travel alone, sometimes with others, and always, with God. In Times of Grieving offers those who are grieving a simple way to pray, a compass to guide the way. Chapters focus on issues and emotions that trouble those who are grieving: shock, anger, fear, feelings of being overwhelmed, loss of faith, hopelessness, acceptance, praying for the deceased, gratefulness, memories. ...... Whether you are grieving or want to share the gift and power of prayer with someone who has experienced loss, In Times of Grieving offers a comforting blend of scriptural, classic, and contemporary prayers and reflections. -- Robert M. Hamma
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Dear God, Help my unbelief. When I'm in pain, I forget that You care about me. I forget that You have helped me through my trials. I forget that You hold me in Your arms to keep me safe. I forget that You are feeling my pain with me. I forget that You love me, I forget that I am important to You. Show me Your presence - let me feel Your enveloping love. Heal my hurting soul. Thank You for staying with me even in my unbelief. -- Timothy Dailey
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We sometimes fear to bring our troubles to God, because they must seem small to Him who sitteth on the circle of the earth. But if they are large enough to vex and endanger our welfare, they are large enough to touch His heart of love. For love does not measure by a merchant's scales, not with a surveyor's chain. It hath a delicacy... unknown in any handling of material substance. -- R. A. Torrey
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God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honour and glory. ~ Augustine
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You don't have to be alone in your hurt! Comfort is yours. Joy is an option. And it's all been made possible by your Saviour. He went without comfort so you might have it. He postponed joy so you might share in it. He willingly chose isolation so you might never be alone in your hurt and sorrow. -- Joni Eareckson Tada
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Afflictions are light when compared with what we really deserve. They are light when compared with the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. But perhaps their real lightness is best seen by comparing them with the weight of glory which is awaiting us. ~ Arthur W. Pink