The Comforter

Friend or Foe

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Miserable Comforters

Book of Job Chapter 2 Verse 11 through Chapter 31

What is a comforter? A comforter is anyone who feels called to the side of another to try to strengthen them in their woes.

To console them. To encourage them.

We will see that these men who felt called to help Job were indeed miserable comforters.

Job had been abandoned by those called “the sons of God” like he was some leper and excommunicated.

Job 19:13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
Job 19:14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
Job 19:15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
Job 19:16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
Job 19:17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
Job 19:18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
Job 19:19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
Job 19:20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
Job 19:21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Job 19:22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

All these that Job had cared for had abandoned him and we will read of three who I believe to be business friends knowing nothing of the ways of God.

God even says they did not know Him!

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

So let us meet these so-called friends.

*Job 2:11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

As we get into these three friends, I believe they may be Job’s friends but business friends of the world and not believers.

Job’s friends who were believers, (the sons of God) had already abandoned him.

God said these three were certainly not any help to Job!

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

The world will never be able to solve our problems we must trust in the Lord, as did Job.

Eliphaz was from Teman. We do not know who wrote the Book of Job and the exact time frame so the area would have been later called Teman before the time of Eliphaz.

What we do know is that this area of Teman has never been known of being a place of godly people.

Bildad the Shuhite. Shuah was one of Abrahams son by his second wife Keturah and from Arabia a follower of false gods.

Zophar was an inhabitant Naamah. Another man most likely from Arabia. Probably the worst of the accusers for that is what they were, accusers.

They accused Job of sin and Zophar had the gaul, to tell Job all his children were terrible sinners.

We are all sinners, but this father and his children were godly people.

When they first joined Job it seemed they had good intentions, but their methods were not in any way godly.

Grief is said to be great displeasure with our present condition, sometimes called sorrow.

We know that we are going to suffer being a Christian.

We suffer with grief at the death of our loved ones.

We also know the answer to grief is still the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord may not have arrived on the scene in the time of Job, but he did have great faith in The Almighty God.

These three men had met Job face to face and they hardly recognized him as they approached.

*Job 2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

If we do not understand anything else, we need to understand that the grief of this godly man was so great that these three men knew it was best to keep quiet and sit down with him.

In fact we will see it would have been better to have remained quiet and just took care of Job’s necessities.

Sometimes the best comfort we can give is just to be there when our friends need us the most, we do not have to say very much unless called upon to do so.

In fact when these three men began speaking things went downhill, because they became accusers and not friends.

The one thing these all had in common showed, when they sprinkled dust upon their heads.

All Job’s problems had not come from the Lord, but by the actions of Satan, which the Lord allowed.

We all understand as Christians that the Lord is never to be blamed because He is a righteous God.

Righteous meaning, God never does things that are unrighteous.

We know Job’s calamity came from Satan!

Satan’s goal is to destroy God’s people and all godly families!

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What we also know is, Satan cannot touch the Christian without God allowing it and if God allows it then He has a purpose for it to our benefit.

So let us listen in on the conversation of these three men with Job, remembering they came to comfort Job.

At the same time we need to remember Satan was involved in the selection of these three men.

*Job 4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Job 4:2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Job had conveyed his feelings to his friends and now it became time for a response.

Eliphaz was probably the oldest and was allowed to speak first and he begins seeming to brag on Job and his qualities as a human being.

Notice the first thing he says is how can you be so grieved?

The things Job had said in Chapter three seemed defiant to Eliphaz.

As if Job had no right to question the things of God.

In fact, we have every right to go before the Lord because by the Lord Jesus Christ the veil was rent opening the way into the throne room of God.

Certainly, we need to be humble when we get there, but God expects us to bring every “every” problem we have before Him!

After all Jehovah has all the answers, but we must come in faith!

Certainly, it was OK for Job to be grieved but Job was not in despair!

Job knew himself and he knew he was far from perfect, but he did offer sacrifice often for his sin and he was pure in the eyes of God as God has already stated.

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and art upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Job had been a great comfort to many others throughout the years of his life.

*Job 4:3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Job 4:4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast confirmed the feeble knees.
Job 4:5 But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

Everyone had known of Job’s wisdom in all matters.

We will see that these three men lacked all godly wisdom.

It is godly wisdom that can be a help to all people, but worldly wisdom, especially the wisdom of false gods is useless to the man of God!

As far as these three men were concerned, Job was just another terrible sinner who whined and cried if things did not go his way.

Keep in mind that Job had lost everything, but it was only the loss of his children that had brought him to this grief.

For Eliphaz he regarded that every man that suffered was only proof of his wickedness!

We know for certain that the same things happen to the godly and the ungodly and the Bible even says that this is true.

Those who are wicked are not always down and nor are all the godly happy in this life.

We must never judge anyone’s character by what we see on the outside!

Remember God looks into the heart where the true character of any man or woman can be seen accurately and clearly!

1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

When it comes to grieving, Job was no different than any other. His heart was broken over his children.

We can also be sure that suffering is not always connected to sin!

In fact, suffering can bring us closer to God if we know Him by our “faith”!

The things we think when we are suffering, are not always evil when we ask that question “why Lord”.

We must never forget God does what God does and He always has our best interest in mind!

Why God allowed these things to happen to Job we may not understand, but we must accept what we read in the Book of Job and know that Jehovah is a righteous God who does no wrong and is always concerned for us.

What we do know is that all Scripture is written for us to learn about our God!

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The Lord’s thoughts are always on us!

Psa 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

These things were true for Job also!

We must understand that God does many things just to show us His Almighty Power.

Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD?

God always has His reasons, and His reasons are to teach us, the Church, more about Him!

*Job 4:6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways?
Job 4:7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the upright cut off?
Job 4:8 According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

Certainly, Job was a God-fearing man and he had shown this all his years.

Job’s grieving now was not a sign of a fall from God!

As far as Eliphaz was concerned, Job had to be guilty of some grievous wicked and hidden sin that only God knew about, which is the same way the world thinks today.

Even in our insurance policies it states, “an act of God”, as if God brings destruction when again Jehovah is a righteous God!

He tells us when He will bring His wrath and yes God does chastise His own children, but the problems of the lost come by this wicked world.

Satan is the instigator of all this world’s problems, except for the ones we cause ourselves, which may be the biggest portion of our problems.

We must never forget that our choices bring consequences!

Job did have the fear of God which was a holy respect for His person!

It could be said that Eliphaz was partially right.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.
The truth is, not everything we reap in this life is the result of some evil we have sown!

Theology cannot be replaced with a lost man’s logic!

To say that wherever there is suffering, it is the result of sowing sin is just wrong!

Most suffering in this world comes by this world, its governments and its politicians!

We must understand that God does many things just to show us His Almighty Power.

Joh 9:1 And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Job answers for himself.

*Job 16:1 Then Job answered and said,
Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

These so-called friends of Job had only added to his misery!

They were in fact troublesome or we could say comforters of trouble!

As soon as I read this, this the first thought that went through my head was the actions of our news sources today.

They too provide nothing but more worries and more trouble!

What had this man asked Job?

Job 15:11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

All the conversations with these three men were based upon their own assumptions and not based on the truth of God.

They had all agreed that Job had some hidden sin that had caused God to cause these things that happened to Job.

This whole Book of Job is given to us not only to show the actions of Satan, but also to teach us how not to be miserable comforters.

When our brothers and sisters in Christ need someone close to them to aid in comfort, they certainly do not need more misery.

All true Christians know their ending and know their Savior in a personal way!

The Holy Spirit is our greatest comfort through all things good and bad!

If we cannot help each other then we must certainly not hurt each other!

Job did not need to repent to these men, he had never wronged them.

When we cause the torment to increase of those we are trying to help, we do them a greater wrong!

In fact Eliphaz could be seen as being the cause of the things said by those other men!

We know by proof in the Scriptures, that Satan perverts and abuses the Scriptures, and we see this is exactly what these three men did to Job.

They certainly did not know the Scriptures!
They certainly did not have a personal relationship with the Lord!
They installed their own views as to what they thought of Jehovah!

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The words Eliphaz had used were useless and vain and he was of no help to Job!

Every lost person knows the many things they do wrong and it is their belief that everyone else is guilty of those same things.

This is the truth behind all hypocrites!

*Job 16:3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

Job had sit through these words of Eliphaz the gentleman that he was, but enough is enough.

In modern terms Eliphaz had indeed slandered Job!

Job 15:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Job 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Job 15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

The integrity of Job was known throughout the land, yet we see here that Eliphaz had no respect for Job, and certainly had not considered the tragedy of Job’s children.

Job simply asked what provoked you to such words and we should have little doubt that it was again Satan who was behind the talk of these so-called friends.

Jehovah had given him permission, he could just not take Job’s life, even though if Job happened to take his own life, Satan could then say that Job was just another weak human.

Job 2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Job 2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Satan had gone after Job physically, but we know for certain that Satan accomplishes his greatest work in our minds which then causes our actions!

Job had already asked that these men would just shut up. Their silence would have been far better than their speaking!

Job 13:3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
Job 13:4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
Job 13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
Job 13:6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Job 13:7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

As we know they would continue until God Himself put an end to it.

Job said, if you were in my shoes “I would treat you with respect”.

*Job 16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
Job 16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

The worst thing we could ever do, to our friends while they are grieving, is to make heartless speeches.

What is God’s command in such matters?

Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Job was saying “I could run you down as you have done me, but I would never do such a thing”.

Job brings up the “soul” here.

It is the soul that is the most valuable part of us in the eyes of God!

The “soul” is that breath of life given to us by the Lord.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

It is this “breath of life” that causes us to seek out our Heavenly Father!

The “shaking of the head” was a sign of contempt and this was the feeling Job felt his friends had for him.

As the Jews had done to the Messiah.

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
Psa 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
Psa 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

In this instance, Job is a type of Christ.

What are we called upon to do to help our friends in such times as these?

Job said it very gracefully; “But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.”

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

Then Job says, “no matter what I do my grief remains over my children”.

*Job 16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

We should understand that as God’s children, when we pray, He hears every prayer we pray in Jesus name.

Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Now would Job have said in Jesus’ name, probably not, but Job did know of the coming Messiah.

We know for certain that Job prayed and offered the proper sacrifice at that time.

Knowing these things, God still answers prayer in His own time!

We must not forget that Job had done nothing to cause these things to happen.

God had only allowed these things to happen to Job for our benefit!

The Bible is written to the Church.

There are great lessons we are to learn throughout the Bible and the Book of Job teaches us much about suffering in the name of God.

We also learn that Satan has no control over the child of God unless God allows it.

So many other lessons can be found in this great book of the Bible.

Job never knew why these things happened to him, but he never blamed God.

God had the answers for Job with answered prayer, but it was not yet time.

*Job 16:7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

Here again we see Job as a type of Christ.

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

These friends of Job had done nothing to help him in his grief and people cannot do what God can do.

God will never abandon us.

Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

If we cannot be that comforter to our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we need to keep quiet and just show them the love of Christ that is within us!

We must certainly understand that God will chasten us, but the most important thing about the chastening of God is the fact that He only chastens those He loves.

Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Now we know that Job had not done anything for God to chasten him, but Job was also not perfect.

Job did possess the sin nature of Adam as we all do.

In fact one of the best passages in the Bible is contained in a simple phrase.

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One hundred and sixty-one times the Bible uses the phrase “it shall come to pass”.

There are many things that we will face in this life and most of them will come and then they will pass on by.

If we learn the lessons intended for us to learn we will benefit from those things!

If not, we may suffer through them again and again!

Amen

Jesus Christ Promised Peace

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Jesus Promised Peace

Book of John 16:16-33

If we remember all the wonderful things of last week’s lesson, then we will continue knowing those this week.

We know that having “faith” in the work that the Lord Jesus did to provide our salvation then we know we will not get to Heaven without this knowledge.

Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Act 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Act 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 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.

It is now Thursday where at 6 PM Friday will begin.

Here we are less than a day before Jesus was to be crucified and Jesus was talking about having the peace of God by making peace with God!

Jesus takes this time to proclaim His resurrection and the effect His resurrection will have upon this world.

*****Joh 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

In this lesson we will get to see the humanity of these 11 men. As Apostles they were mighty warriors for the Gospel and began the early church.

This day they were humans who did not understand what the Lord is saying, like many of us when we try to understand what God is saying.

If we hold on and pray, the same Scripture that caused confusion will be explained in another Scripture.

The Lord never tries to leave us with doubts!

Jesus Christ just revealed to these men that it was just a day before He would be taken away from them and He would die upon a cross.

Jesus had talked of these things but now they were about to become a reality.

Joh 7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
Joh 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

Before these words even settle in, Jesus says and a little while after His death, they would see Him again.

This would be the three days He had taught them earlier!

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

We know that these 3 days were from Friday to Sunday, the way that the Jews counted their days.

Then Jesus goes on to say that because they will see Him after His resurrection, our best information says for about 40 days, then He will go home to His Father who sent Him!

Obviously, this was a lot of information for them to digest at this point in their relationship with the Lord.

Many of us had these same thoughts when the truth of Christ Jesus was revealed to us!

These 11 men confessed that these were things that they could not understand.

*****Joh 16:17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
Joh 16:18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

Notice they were first too embarrassed to confront Jesus, so they talked among themselves. As we know, nothing can be hidden from the Lord!

We need to understand what puzzled these men.

In a little while, really just a few hours, the Lord Jesus Christ would take on all the sin of the world, past, present and future and He would take this sin to Hell where it belonged.

In another little while, 3 days by Jewish time, Jesus would raise from the dead, and these men would see Him and be with Him for about 40 days.

In fact there were more than 500 witnesses that saw Jesus after His death and His resurrection.

The theme of this passage may be that we all understand, that it is only a little while by Heavens time that the Lord will return, and we should be looking for His return!

Jesus not only triumphed over sin and Satan, but He also triumphed over death!

You see, we need to concentrate on our future and not our sinful past!

When we go to sleep at night, we can rest knowing our future is bright.

When did we know these things? Just like these 11 men, not until we received the Holy Spirit to live within us.

The main thing we need to understand is Jesus Christ did resurrect from the dead. His tomb is empty just like He said it would be!

If there was no resurrection, there would be no church!

The Holy Ghost has taken some time in the “Gospels” not only to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to show us the skepticism of these 11 men.

When we compare them before the resurrection to what we see after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit has awakened them to the truth, we see much difference.

They were fishers of fish who became fishers of men! The Gospels allow us to see this transition. They were “Born Again” just as we must be to understand the Word of God!

Mar 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men

Of course Jesus knew their thoughts.

*****Joh 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

What we see next is that Jesus would not wait until they had enough courage to ask Jesus to clarify Himself.

Jesus never wants us to be confused in the Scriptures, so if will study we will see that best commentary of the Bible is the Bible itself!

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Then Jesus explains Himself:

***** Joh 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

We must also not miss the patience of the Lord.

Jesus knows the only question that is not answered is the question that is not asked!

Besides these 11 men who would be the Apostles there were about 500 more who would weep for the Lord Jesus during His passion and His death.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The rest of the world rejoiced that Jesus had been murdered!

At this point in all their lives they had accepted Satan!

In the death of Jesus, these men lost their most dear, and most trusted friend!

They had still not realized what the Lord had taught them, and they were most disappointed in their own hopes.

They had looked forward to the Messianic Kingdom but when the time is right, they will not realize so much time has passed.

Just like when we meet our own loved ones already in Heaven, they will not realize that so much time has passed because they live in the land of no time.

When the resurrection of the Lord takes places joy will return to these men. At the ascension of the Lord they will begin to understand what the Lord was saying. When the Holy Spirit comes upon them at Pentecost, they will know why the Lord did all the things that He did!

The Lord Jesus gives us an example:

*****Joh 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

There is a great contrast between sorrow over death and the joy of the resurrection.

Because of the curse placed on women, because of the disobedience of Eve, a woman suffers greatly for the biggest part of 9 months.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Eve had been disobedient to the Word of God given to her husband Adam and Adam had allowed her to do it!

At child birth she suffers the most and there is great pain but when that child appears all that sorrow and pain disappears!

The joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ can only be poorly compared to the joy at the birth of a child!

Now Jesus did not say that the mother’s sorrow and pain was replaced by joy but that it was transformed into joy.

The same baby that caused the pain also was the same baby that was the cause of joy!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the one greatest event in world history!

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

How is all this sorrow overcome, the Lord Jesus Christ did rise from His death, The Lord Jesus Christ did rise in His ascension and though world says no, the Lord Jesus Christ will return, first to get His Church and next to bring judgment on those who have rejected Him!

*****Joh 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

We go through a lot of things upon this earth, some good but much bad, but the day we meet Jesus in the air will be a day of great joy knowing our earthly life is over and we will be going home.

In fact, we must never think we will see the sorrow of these 11 men and some others. In fact we should never lose our peace, or love, know that we are the children of God.

Even now since Jesus went back to Heaven, He is our High Priest, but He is also our Mediator between us and God.

In fact Jesus is so confident that we are the Father’s children that He says, Just ask your Father in the name of Jesus, and He will provide.

These things must be in the will of God for us, but to be in God’s will is to be obedient to the Word of God and the Words of His Dear Son!

When we think we have not heard from God we must first see if we have been obedient children!

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

You see at the death of Christ Jesus, the veil was ripped into in the Jewish Temple signifying that only the High Priest could go beyond, the veil.

When Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He became our own High Priest and assumed the duties of the Jewish High Priests, not just for the Jews but for the Church.

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

I particularly like that part about; that wicked one(Satan) cannot touch us!

What else did Jesus say to these 11?

*****Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

We just do not realize how much we have gained since Jesus Christ went back to Heaven!

There is an open door into the throne room of God that has been given to us!

1) The death of Christ has told us things that Jesus could not tell the Apostles.
2) The resurrection of Christ has cast His light upon all the dark places in this world.
3) The ascension of Christ has opened the door to Heaven for all God’s children.

Jesus has already said that we know where He went, and we know how to get there!

These Apostles had been going directly to Jesus because He was with them, now they needed to go directly to the Father but through the name of Jesus Christ.

This is not so hard to understand, yet so many refuse to do it!

You cannot get to the Father in any way, form, or fashion, without going through the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Joh 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

A proverb was an eastern method of teaching by similitudes and figures and parables because the people could connect to what was said.

A similitude is speaking of one thing that will awaken in you the meaning of a far greater thing.

Jesus used this method a lot to teach these disciples.

Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Mar_4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

You see there is coming a time when we will not need parables and proverbs to teach us because we will get to see the real thing.

We should know the importance of what Jesus is saying!

*****Joh 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Joh 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

Maybe the greatest gift Jesus has given to us, while we are yet upon this earth is “Prayer”.

We can walk boldly into the throne of God and make our request be known of Him!

God wants us to pray because a prayer means we trust our Father.

Without faith we will never please our Father in Heaven and it is certain we will never get a prayer answered.

In its simplest fashion, prayer is having a conversation with our Creator!

The truth is that prayer can change the way God acts!

We can never change the plan of God in any way, but things that have no effect on the plan of God, He is willing to change!

Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Besides “faith” that God can do as we ask, if we ask right, it is still out of reach if we do not end our prayer by saying in Jesus name!

We should also understand that God knows everything about us and everything we may need. We cannot hide anything from God and we are fools to try to. We need to describe our sin, so our Father will know that we understand what sin is.

The main thing to understand is, that our Heavenly Father loves us much more than we will ever understand while we live upon this earth!

Again Jesus emphasizes that all these things begin when we accept the fact the Jesus Christ is the God-man. Jesus Christ is God come down from Heaven to provide a plan of salvation so great that it could not have been conceived by man!

What does the world believe?

The world believes that God is an angry God and Jesus has to beg Him to save us.
The world believes that God is just moving around in outer space and really does not care for us.
The world believes that maybe God exist or maybe not, but it is good to pray anyhow.

We can see why most of the prayers of the world go unanswered.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

How did the disciples react to these words? They knew what Jesus was saying!

*****Joh 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
Joh 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that Jesus was the true Messiah!

Jesus came from our Heavenly Father and Jesus returned to our Heavenly Father!

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

We can look back on History and see that these disciples did not really understand what Jesus was saying at this time.

These disciples may have had great faith that Jesus did come from the Father, as the Messiah, but they had not grasp all of what Jesus had said!

They were still lacking “faith” in His Words!

It is like the wise man said: “no one is interested with the life boats until the ship is sinking!

The truth is you cannot keep the mouth shut in a true believer!

Christians are quiet when they do not have the faith, they say they do!

And Jesus said: You do not really know what your faith says!

*****Joh 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
Joh 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

It is easy to see that even when the Lord was surrounded by those who said they were believers, He was still standing alone!

It also can be said that down deep in our own souls we know we will die alone just as the Lord did!

It is sad that so many say they believe, and they do not know why!

We should also remember that it is getting late on Thursday and at 6 o’clock Friday would begin.

Jesus shook their beliefs when He said to them they would turn and run and Jesus would have to defend Himself alone.

Jesus was not questioning their “faith”, but He was questioning the intensity of their “faith”.

This is where we get in trouble especially in our prayer life.

We can say we have faith and we do, but just how great a faith do we have?

Jesus said just a little faith could move mountains!

Mat_17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

You see it is the existence of faith that we all must have.

Those who have great “faith” must help those who have little “faith”!

Jesus would die on the cross the very next day, so the time was very short, and Jesus knew they would scatter but He also knew that they would come together to change this world.

It would be at the cross where Jesus would find Himself totally alone because, He took upon Himself the sin of the entire world, that day and everyday future.

Mar_15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

You see this is what sin does it separates us from our loving God!

With sin removed we can be at peace with God.

*****Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Six times Jesus uses this phrase.

It is in the death of Jesus Christ that we receive the atonement!

This is the work of Christ that we must believe to be saved and at peace with God.

It is the love of God that brought this about by God the Son (Jesus).

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

God could not have saved us in any manner and we should consider that God did not have to save us at all, which is another proof of His love.

This death had to take place for there to be a resurrection.

Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

The resurrection had to take place before there could ever be a glorification.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

We already know by now that we indeed see the tribulation of this world against Christians and we must know that these things will get worse.

But it is that peace of God, without understanding that allows us to feel the joy of the Lord that will carry us through till the time to go home.

Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Amen

Let’s Pray!

The Holy Spirit

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Jesus Promised Another Comforter

Book of John 14:15-31

We know that as Christians, the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Jesus or the Spirit of truth, they are all one and the same person will come to live within us.

He is the promised “Comforter”!

He is not an “it”. He is a person!

In the words of Jesus, The Holy Spirit could not do His work until Jesus ascended back to Heaven.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

The truth is without the Lord Jesus Christ these disciples were nothing but ignorant fishermen.

The truth is without Jesus Christ we are even worse than these fishermen, they at least had spent time with Christ Jesus.

We may not understand it, but the truth of these things is, that at this time we are better off without the presence of Christ Jesus because now we can be filled with the Holy Spirit who will never leave us!

And the death of every Christian is a loss to this world we live in!

To be honest the Church could not grow if Jesus was still upon this earth because He could not be worshipped in Spirit and truth.

These disciples needed to know all these things as Jesus explained them.

We all need to understand that it is far better at this time that Jesus is our Mediator and our High Priest, ready to defend us at all times in Heaven and our profit is far greater in Spiritual things.

Rom 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.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Let’s Begin:

*****Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The truth of our relationship with God is that our “Faith” cannot grow unless we keep the commandments of God.

We have no work at all to be reconciled to the Lord, but our “Faith”.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We do have a work to do after we are reconciled to the Lord and it begins with keeping the commandments of the Lord!

Without this then we can go no further!

This is not picking and choosing what we obey, this is being obedient to all the Word of God, rightly divided!

Doing this is saying “I love you Lord”! Being obedient is not an option for each believer, it is a must!

Notice this is not saying you are perfect, this is saying “I love you Lord”!

*****Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Without loving God the Son and being obedient to His commandments, we can never know God the Holy Spirit!

The love of Jesus is being devoted and making a commitment and this is what the Holy Spirit will teach us once He lives within us!

God the Holy Spirit comes to live within us to help us in any way possible to get closer to the Lord, who will one day deliver us to God the Father.

Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

All the things true of the Holy Spirit are true of the Lord Jesus Christ! Why?

*****Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of Jesus Christ!
The Holy Spirit will testify of the truth of Jesus Christ!
The Holy Spirit will defend the truth of Jesus Christ!

I you do not love Jesus Christ it is impossible to have the Holy Spirit living within you!

If you cannot love the Son of God, Jesus Christ, then you cannot know God the Father, it’s just that simple.

1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

For those 11 disciples the Lord Jesus Christ was their first Comforter and the Lord promised He would not leave His disciples without a Comforter.

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

The Lord Jesus Christ completed His work for our salvation before He went back to His Father’s House.

The Rapture of the Church cannot come to a reality until the Holy Spirit completes His work on this earth!

Gen_6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Again

Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Remember verse 3

Joh 14:3 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.

God will never break His promise!

*****Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

It would be only a few days that Jesus in that body of flesh would part ways, at His death.

We can believe that only His true disciples could see Jesus after His resurrection. There is no record in the Scriptures to tell us that any of the lost saw Jesus after He arose from that grave.

Those in the world will never see Jesus again until the White Throne judgment.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is only those that believe who see Jesus in His Spiritual self and one day after death or after the “Rapture” of the Church, who will see Him then face to face.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

At salvation we are filled with the Holy Spirit if we have placed our “Faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that will never leave us!

Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 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.
Joh 17:24 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.

Again we see Jesus pray to the Father that we join Him in Heaven and our Father in Heaven always grants the Lord Jesus what He ask for!

As far as our Heavenly Father is concerned, we are already His, but we just haven’t come face to face with Him yet.

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

How do we know that these things are true?

*****Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

So how do we know we are in the family of God?

We keep the commandments of the Lord? These commandments include all the 10 commandments.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

If we love the Lord enough, we can be saved from everlasting death and this is the beginning of our faith!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 “For with the heart” man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Then we must do the work that pleases God!

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

There is no other way to please God!

This Judas that asked this question was Judas Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus.

The world hates the Lord Jesus Christ because they cannot see, feel, or touch the Lord Jesus Christ as the Christian believer can!

Not many of us keep all the commandments as we should, and I dare say there is no one living who can truly say they keep them all because they would be lying if they said so.

We are still sinners save only by God’s “Grace” but we are certainly to try to obey them all. This would be part of our sanctification.

How did Jesus answer?

*****Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

So many people just do not get this, or they reject it. Keeping the Word of God is essential for the Holy Trinity to live within us. Just ask Jesus!

This is the only way Christ Jesus will reveal Himself to those who love Him and not to the world!

We do not just have the Holy Spirit living within us but the entire Triune God!

If we expect the blessings of God, then we should be careful what we put into our bodies and where we take our bodies.

Those that have the Holy Trinity living within them will be in church at the appointed times to be fed the Word of God.

When we are unwilling to do what the Lord ask us to do why should we expect Him to Mediate for us when times are hard!

Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 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.

Love and obedience are tied together, if we want to serve the Lord. Remember Adam was not obedient, and this is why sin entered into the world to begin with!

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

There are some churches who use nothing but the red letters but seems to me this is rejecting everything the Lord says here.

*****Joh 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

If we want to know what the Holy Spirit is going to reveal to us, then we had better read all the Scriptures, because the Lord Jesus Christ can be found from Genesis to Revelations!

The Holy Spirit is the teacher that the Lord Jesus Christ has given to us and all the teachings came from our Father in Heaven.

The Holy Spirit will teach us about truth and about life! This includes principles and conduct and morality and behavior.

The Holy Spirit will help us to remember what God has said and when we are brought before the Magistrates, it is the Holy Spirit who will give us the words to say.

1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 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.

Luk 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

This is the only way we can have that sure peace with our Heavenly Father and our God!

*****Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Again we see those words “let not your heart be troubled”.

This means we should never have to worry about anything if, “IF” we do as the Lord has taught us to obey.

Pride got Lucifer and he is now known as Satan.
Disobedience got Adam and his son became the first murderer.

We should ask ourselves, what is going to get us in trouble with a God who would much rather offer us blessings.

There are no words to describe the love God has for His children!

What is true peace? It is when we are interwoven with God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and all our brothers and sisters in Christ!

The Old Testament said God be with you and the New Testament says God be within you!

There is the peace with God:

Rom_5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

There is the peace of God:

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Our Savior is much greater than this world we live in:

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We can have perfect peace when our minds stay with the Lord.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

The Lord tells His disciples that He had to go back to Heaven for all these things to make an impact upon mankind and they have but there is still coming a time when the Lord will return.

*****Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Joh 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

We should not miss the fact that Jesus saw the cross as just going home. When this world has done all it can to us our mind should be on, we are going home!

It’s hard to rejoice when a child of God, who is well loved goes home to be with the Lord, but when the sadness is gone it should be replaced with rejoicing and we can actually see them again.

It was by God the Father’s will that all these things have been put in place:

Joh 3:16 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.

Those who have rejected God even after seeing His power in Creation will never understand the truth of God. What we have already seen is nothing compared to what all those who love the Lord will see one endless day in the future!

That word “again” in this passage was added by man so let’s read this Scripture without it.

Jesus said: “I go away, and come unto you”

Jesus Christ was “glorified” at the Cross of His death and “glorified” again at His resurrection. It was that “glorified” Savior that went back to Heaven and within each believer!

It was not until all these things came to pass before these disciples knew the truth of these words of Christ.

This is the reason they could serve in the work of the Lord without fear and this is why the Church was born to never die!

*****Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Satan used all the power that he possessed in an attempt to stop the Lord Jesus from completing what He came to do, and Satan failed because no one can win against the power of God.

Satan used every human he had, the hard-line Jews, the High Priest, the Pharisees, the Sadduccees, and Pilate and even Judas who made a bad choice, but Jesus had no sin and there was nothing in Jesus to attract Jesus to sin.

Jesus had no guilt and no corruption, and these are the same things He has given to us in our battles with Satan.

By the “Grace” of God we have no sin, no guilt, and no corruption because our Lord gave us “Grace” the gift of God!

If we just do as the Lord has said and love with all our heart and be true to the “Grace” of God, we have no reason to be angry with this world because this world has nothing in us.

Pass all these words along as best we can to whosoever will listen and we to will soon be going home.

Glory be to God the Father and His plan for this world!

Amen

Let’s pray!