The comfort of the Holy Spirit

[Prentis]

Hi all! Had some thoughts on this today...

The comfort of the Holy Spirit is given us when we share in the sufferings of Christ.

[sup]3[/sup] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [sup]4[/sup] who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [sup]5[/sup] For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

It saddens me that we have built a christianity of comfort in the here and now. We have built a Christianity where God wants to give us a comfortable life now and in the world to come.

Only the teachings of Christ are far different. If we have peace because our life is good, and comfortable, our peace is not the Lord's. Christ says his peace is not as the peace of the world, and Paul says this peace surpasses human understanding.

It is the peace that is in a man who rejoices in his sufferings for Christ that is the peace of Christ, and men do not understand it. The comfort of the Holy Spirit is not for a comfortable life, it is given to those who suffer with Christ, and for his name.

The christianity of 'comfortable salvation' fails in that it does not understand the glory of God, nor how living godly will bring suffering. Woe to you if men think well of you!

 

[FHII]

Hi all! Had some thoughts on this today...

The comfort of the Holy Spirit is given us when we share in the sufferings of Christ.

[sup]3[/sup] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [sup]4[/sup] who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [sup]5[/sup] For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

It saddens me that we have built a christianity of comfort in the here and now. We have built a Christianity where God wants to give us a comfortable life now and in the world to come.

Only the teachings of Christ are far different. If we have peace because our life is good, and comfortable, our peace is not the Lord's. Christ says his peace is not as the peace of the world, and Paul says this peace surpasses human understanding.

It is the peace that is in a man who rejoices in his sufferings for Christ that is the peace of Christ, and men do not understand it. The comfort of the Holy Spirit is not for a comfortable life, it is given to those who suffer with Christ, and for his name.

The christianity of 'comfortable salvation' fails in that it does not understand the glory of God, nor how living godly will bring suffering. Woe to you if men think well of you!

Good stuff.... I want to focus on the quote I put in bold.... I think this is the main point of your post. It saddens me too, but I say there is nothing wrong with having peace in this world.... It comes for a brief time, so enjoy it.

I think you'll be interested in this verse if you read every word of it, and understand what it is trying to say...

1 Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

We can have hope in this life, but if THAT'S ALL we have hope for (suggesting that there is something better after this life), we are miserable.

 

[jshiii]

This is a wonderful post Prentis.

I would like to add a tidbit surrounding my life. My life is anything but comfortable, but instead a mind and flesh in constant battle with selfishness and the evil one. Now as a christian I sometimes envy those who experience an earthly death and my wife does not understand why I seem so unaffected in the death of a brother or sister in Christ. Well....they go to be with our father who is in Heaven. What possibly could be so sad about that? On the contrary, I would love to leave this world TODAY, right now!!!! to be with our father, not by myself, but through his son Jesus Christ who lives in me. However, there is another side of me that prays to allow me to live as a human longer. Why? Because now is the only time that we can experience or ever know the true love of God. I have to admit im feeling a bit greedy, but so be it, before I leave this earth I want to experience our Lord and Savior's love on all levels. We are only here on Earth a short time, the clock is ticking, his love is all powerful and I want to know and experience as much as possible before I go to be with him in eternity.

 

[Prentis]

FHII. I agree, we have hope in this life of what Christ may do. But we must understand that the building that Christ does in this life also goes the route of death, but we rejoice in that death because of the fruit it produces!

The church is born out of the blood of the saints. (Not necessarily physical, but definitely real suffering)

John III, good thoughts. We only have this life to seek the Lord and find him. We must run to the end and seek him while he may be found.

 

[Buzzfruit]

Hi all! Had some thoughts on this today...

The comfort of the Holy Spirit is given us when we share in the sufferings of Christ.

[sup]3[/sup] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [sup]4[/sup] who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [sup]5[/sup] For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

It saddens me that we have built a christianity of comfort in the here and now. We have built a Christianity where God wants to give us a comfortable life now and in the world to come.

Only the teachings of Christ are far different. If we have peace because our life is good, and comfortable, our peace is not the Lord's. Christ says his peace is not as the peace of the world, and Paul says this peace surpasses human understanding.

It is the peace that is in a man who rejoices in his sufferings for Christ that is the peace of Christ, and men do not understand it. The comfort of the Holy Spirit is not for a comfortable life, it is given to those who suffer with Christ, and for his name.

The christianity of 'comfortable salvation' fails in that it does not understand the glory of God, nor how living godly will bring suffering. Woe to you if men think well of you!

A Christian can and should have comfort while living in this world but not because they have built comfort in this world. But because the Holy Spirit resides in them, and will not be shaken when the comfort that people in this world get their comfort from has been shaken and collapse in on itself.

But I agree with you that it seems that too many “Christians” get their comfort from this world in the system that they try to preserve. It's no wonder why some worry when they see (real or imagine) a threat to the very system they trust in so.

 

[Jake]

It reminds me of the concept of the prosperity gospel, God did not promise we would all be rich and live a lifestyle as such, supporters have taken their eyes off of Jesus and see it as a means to get rich and live comfortably, all in the name of Jesus. God's love is not man's way of loving, He allows pain because He loves us, He takes away, because He loves us.

People have built their Ebenezor's, but forgot it was supposed to remind us to seek Him first.

peace -

 

[Prentis]

Yes.

We have taken Jesus and made him the new reason to sleep comfortably, instead of recognizing the agent of spiritual awakening he actually is.

The Jesus most often presented today is nothing like the Jesus of the gospels.

Jesus calls us to come die on a cross, not live comfortably on this earth. Our only comfort is to be in him, and our only motive to do his will.

 

[Comm.Arnold]

I think Jesus was more than comfortable some days brother how would you feel if you just healed a blind man ? I'd probably be crying from joy

Obviously the devil tempting him as he fasted is another thing....

 

[Rach1370]

I don't think all Christians are called to suffer, not much, anyway. Some seem to move through life without any great calamity striking them, and they still praise and worship Jesus, serving him and humbling themselves before him.
I think it's very important to remember this; suffering is unique for every individual. We suffer nothing to what Christians do in war torn and pagan held countries. We do not experience death and torture for our faith. But that does not mean that we do not suffer at all...some of us suffer through ridicule, some of us suffer through ill health, some of us suffer through family and friends. We all should suffer at the thought that people we know are not saved. We all suffer...but what then of the Christians who seem happy with everything they have, where they are in life? We cannot see any sign of their suffering, they seem content and their life seems free of any hardship. Do we assume they are not genuine? I don't think so. We all have seasons of both hardship and ease. I have had both in my life, and I think that ease came from trusting Jesus and persevering with Him through the hard times. I endured in my faith, knowing that no matter how hard things seemed, He was with me. It's an amazing thing to be able to put everything into perspective. Jesus is the point of this life, and no matter how bad things seem, we have His promise that He will always be with us, and never give us more than we can handle! So we put or sight on Him, and walk through the tough times...He is the one constant in this life that will never let us down, and never forsake us! And even in the 'good' times, we can know, and have faith, that when thing again get bad, they're truly not, because we already have the best thing in the world!

 

[Prentis]

I don't mean suffering as only physical, Rach, I agree

All who live godly will suffer persecution. One way or another, if we step out with Christ, we will suffer, though. Not necessarily right aways, and it's not a rule or anything, but it's the nature of how the world reacts to Christ.

I absolutely agree we can't judge brothers because we don't see their suffering. Or anyone for that matter.

 

[Shirley]

HalleluYAH I have found him, whom my soul so long has craved, and he satisfies my longing, through his grace I now am saved!

 

[Jake]

I don't think all Christians are called to suffer, not much, anyway. Some seem to move through life without any great calamity striking them, and they still praise and worship Jesus, serving him and humbling themselves before him.

I disagree, believers are called to suffer, we may not be persecuted or become a martyr, but if a believer is truly seeking Him and being led by the Spirit, the only way we are conformed, is by molding, stretching, it's not necessarily physical health issues, but other various ways. Not everyone suffers in the same way, God knows what we need, when we need it. If you are seeking God, you lose a loved one, God uses that to mature you, if you lose your job, He will do the same.

Just because you are suffering, by a lost job, a lost loved one, a person becomes ill, does not mean that person can still not rejoice in the Lord. In fact, the Bible tells us we should rejoice in all situations.

I don't know anyone who hasn't suffered in this life. How else would a person really understand the depths of His love? The depth of His power to bring a person out of the abyss? There is no other way.

 

[Rach1370]

I disagree, believers are called to suffer, we may not be persecuted or become a martyr, but if a believer is truly seeking Him and being led by the Spirit, the only way we are conformed, is by molding, stretching, it's not necessarily physical health issues, but other various ways. Not everyone suffers in the same way, God knows what we need, when we need it. If you are seeking God, you lose a loved one, God uses that to mature you, if you lose your job, He will do the same.

Just because you are suffering, by a lost job, a lost loved one, a person becomes ill, does not mean that person can still not rejoice in the Lord. In fact, the Bible tells us we should rejoice in all situations.

I don't know anyone who hasn't suffered in this life. How else would a person really understand the depths of His love? The depth of His power to bring a person out of the abyss? There is no other way.

I agree that the vast majority of Christians 'suffer', in a multitude of different ways. I do know of people...good Christian people, who seem to have easy lives. They've lost people like their parents, but it was their time, and held a steady faith. My point was this...just because I see that outwardly 'easy' life, we know that not all hardships are seen. So, in essence, I agree with you. We cannot look at someone else and say "well, they only lost their job...me, I'm struggling with cancer".
I believe it's how we take these hard times, and use them for Jesus, that gives us our joy in suffering. In fact, I know it from personal experience! Trust and love become deeper and God's sovereignty shines.