Words of Encouragement
November - 20 - 2005
God is our comforter, sustainer, and Lord. Only his gracious presence and tender blessings can bring consolation and comfort to our restless and discouraged souls. So let's turn to him, honestly confessing both our sins and our sorrows. Let's ask him to take our anxiety away and restore to us the passion, the joy, and the confidence of our salvation.
The Scripture reading is from 2 Corinthians 1:2-7.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. 6 But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer:
7 and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort.Let us go to our heavenly Father in prayer.
Almighty Shepherd, in the noise and confusion of many thoughts burdened by many concerns, minister to us through your Holy Spirit. We need your comfort and peace. We ask for your presence and your grace that we may also comfort others.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.