Comfort Zone

Getting dragged or pushed out of our sweet spot in life can make us miserable inside and out! When we’re stressed, some of us look for “comfort food.” A hotdog or mac ‘n cheese can carry us back to another time or place. Men hang onto old ragged sweatshirt or beat up shoes, because they are comfortable. Then, too, there is solace to be found in music. Depending on preference, it might be a sad country song about a lost love. an old hymn about heaven, or a concerto from Mozart that touches our soul.

Tragic news (not personal, but it felt like it) came to me yesterday. Every time it comes to mind, I feel deep emotion, a kind of brokenness that goes soul deep. Only the sweetness of prayer allows me to find the “God of all comfort.” I tell Abba that I am sorrowful for my friend. He whispers- “I will never leave you, never forsake you. I am the God of all comfort.”  Such is the blessing for those who know Him as the “Comforter.” 

God, the Holy Spirit, is called “the Comforter” in the Word. In the first language of the Bible He is named the Parakletos, describing someone who becomes our advocatewhen life becomes too much to manage on our own. Literally the word means “to come alongside.”  When we turn to Him in prayer, God comes to our side, stands with us, leads us through, gives comfort. Is your heart heavy today? Do other comforts call to you, things that are no real comfort at all?  With the simplest of faith, with a child-like expectation, turn to the Lord.

When you are crushed by sorrow, where do you go to find comfort?  There are many wrong places to go for solace. Addictions may result from seeking comfort in a wine glass or prescription pill. Neurosis may take over when disappointment is allowed to morph into continuous rage. Our bodies will break under the pressures of stress, if we fail to find soul solace.

God’s comfort does not just ‘get us through’ the tough times. He lifts us, strengthens us, and causes us to stand up under the burden of sorrow. We can just try to survive and get back into our comfort zone. Many do and the pain is wasted.  It is not a cliché to say that we can live through those moments- feeling, knowing, learning, growing!   “But, Jerry, it hurts too much. I have to run away.”  Please don’t run. Instead, kneel. Weep and wait, sigh and sob. Those tears are a language of prayer.  And, in your sorrow, choose to trust God.  It may start only as words of hope, cries for His help. But, God is near to those who are broken-hearted. The real healing is found not in escape to some comfort zone, but in walking through the pain, all the while praying, listening, waiting, for the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  Our "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ...  comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word.
"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.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
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." (Isaiah 40:28-31, NIV)

______________

Is your burden heavy

As you bear it all alone?

Does the road you travel

Harbor danger yet unknown?

Are you growing weary

In the struggle of it all?

Jesus will help you

When on His name you call.

He is always there.

Hearing ev'ry prayer,

Faithful and true.

Walking by our side,

In His love we hide,

All the day through.

When you get discouraged

Just remember what to do-

Reach out to Jesus,

He's reaching out to you.

Reach Out To Jesus

© 1968 Bud John Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Ralph Carmichael

CCLI License No. 810055

For the broken, promised peace

My Dad was a pastor.  He cried a lot. I am a pastor. I cry a lot, too!  Years ago, when he prayed the pastoral prayer during Sunday worship and wept, I was embarrassed by his emotion. “Why can’t a grown man control himself?” I used to think. Now I weep when I pray.  Last night when CBS News reported a story of an Army Ranger who was cut down by a bomb in Afghanistan, who now walks and speaks with great difficulty, tears flowed. 

After I visited an elderly woman who is so very alone and afraid, I cried for her.  When a man shared about his wife’s infidelity, I cried. I weep because in these things I see the result of sin and evil.  Oh yes, I weep over my own sins, too! I am only too aware of moments when I cause pain. 

There is so much suffering in this world, so much of it unnecessary if only we would turn to the One who can save, and pursue His ways and purposes. That is why I pray with intense faith and great longing, “May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!”

Micah saw the sin of the people of God. He denounced it, railing at the injustice, and declaring the inevitable judgment of God.  He saw the promise of restoration, too.  “In that coming day,” says the Lord, “I will gather together those who are lame, those who have been exiles, and those whom I have filled with grief. Those who are weak will survive as a remnant; those who were exiles will become a strong nation. Then I, the Lord, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever.” (Micah 4:6-7, NLT) "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world." (Micah 5:2-4, NLT)

Micah saw three separate prophetic events: the restoration of the Jews, the coming of their Messiah, and the coming of our King. The common thread is the concern for the weak, the small, those oppressed. In each prophetic, there is a shared assurance that He will ‘lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,’ and that “His people will live undisturbed,” at peace!  

These promises are for us. We have the promise of the Kingdom, of peace. We need not learn to throw our weight around or gather coalitions to force our way. Our strength is in the One who is Lord. Our hope secured by His victory, so we learn to rest, even now, in Him.  Yes, we are touched by the suffering that sin visits on this world because the love of Jesus creates a tender heart of mercy in us. We will allow ourselves to see, to be touched, to work for the coming of His kingdom.  But, even in our tears, we find peace in His promise.

Here’s the word from the Word.  "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:5-9, NIV)

_____________

When His Kingdom Comes

He will set up His kingdom within me

Filling the void with delight,

Taking dominion over selfish desire,

Transforming the darkness to light,

Transforming the darkness to

Wonderful light.

When His kingdom comes,

What a diff'rence.

When things in earth

As they are in heaven.

When all Has been settled,

And my heart is His throne,

O what a difference,

What a great transformation,

When His kingdom comes.

Dony McGuire | Dottie Rambo

© 1984 New Kingdom Music (Admin. by Rambo McGuire Music)

CCLI License # 810055

Offense is a Choice

Today’s CoffeeBreak is guest authored by Eric Hoke, the youth pastor at Faith Discovery Church. He published the following on his own blog. It merits our attention.
I would say, “Enjoy,” but more likely you’ll wince as you read his words.

Offense is a Choice

I have a confession. Despite my manly endeavors like shooting guns, lifting weights and eating meat, I am sensitive. It’s true. I have enough self awareness to know that sad stories touch me deeply, corruption fires me up and as a result, I can get easily offended. No good.

It comes honestly enough, wanting to be liked, wanting to be appreciated, who doesn’t desire these things? But like a knife that cuts through hot butter, a sharp word, a judgmental comment or a hurtful remark can leave its mark. It took considerable time for me to identify the ‘why?’ It is easy to know the ‘what?’ But why? Why did I put so much stock in the approval [or disapproval] of others? Was it my own insecurity? Was my identity in the wrong place? Was I afraid? All of the above.

This attitude of constant offense led to anger, which led to resentment that led to bitterness. Really no good.  What it ultimately came down to is that my resentment towards people for not acting the way I think they should, my bitterness towards them for their words that hurt me and my anger building up because of my offense had nothing to do with them, but everything to do with me. I was living in that state by choice!

As I processed some of the “junk” that seems to weigh all of us down as life beats us up a bit, I realized that I was harboring anger, bitterness and resentment for stuff that happened on the playground in 5th grade. Like a person carrying around hundreds of pounds of trash around their neck for no apparent reason, so was I carrying around burdens that I didn’t need to. Through the power of God, I was able to forgive and let go. In that process, I was able to stop holding people to impossible standards, extend some of the grace I claimed to possess, and refuse to take offense.

So to this this I give a scripture and three points, what can I say? I am a preacher.

Romans 12:18– If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
I love this verse because you’ll never find any Bible verse with more qualifiers than this one. Living at peace requires extending grace, extending grace requires to make the choice not to take offense.

1. Taking offense is often rooted in not loving yourself. Look, if you know who you are, how much God loves you and if you can love and accept yourself as you are, who cares what someone else says?

2. Taking offense is a sign of weakness. It takes strength, work and grit to do well to others. To love your enemies, bless those that curse you. You can’t muster that up on your own. To take offense & hold bitterness is easy. That’s why most people choose to do it, but you’re not like most people.

3. Taking offense means it probably has truth. If it sticks to you a bit longer than it should, let’s face it: there could be some truth there. Accept it, learn from it and grow on.

The Lure

The gifted actor’s life came to a tragic end on Sunday. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s body was found in his bathroom with a needle stuck in his arm, surrounded by small empty bags that had contained heroin, most likely laced with fentynal, a powerful drug used as a painkiller and surgical anesthetic. He had a long history of addiction, had been in rehab, and being an intelligent man he had to know the risks to which he was exposing himself. Yet, he injected himself. 

 What combination of sorrows, disappointment, insecurity, and the allure of euphoria tempted him so powerfully that he was willing to put his very life on the line?  We will never know. Before we throw stones at the man, let’s remember that all of us are tempted. Heroin has no allure for me, but pride does!

What tempts you?  What offers you comfort, pleasure, or escape in an illicit way?  All of God’s gifts to us are subject to abuse or misuse.  Food, sex, money, pleasure, accomplishment, health, status – these and many more things are good when we understand their place and/or purpose. But, each of us in our own unique way is subject to the lure, tempted to take the gift and turn into a god, seeking from it what it can never provide.

Temptation arises from three sources, the Bible says; the world, the sinful nature, and the Devil! 
 

The world we live in attempts to squeeze us into conformity.  “You will find real happiness if you play by our rules,” the culture insists. The lie is subtle, but insistent, told again and again.  For Americans, it centers on Self.  Get more. Be more. Control more. When life goes in a direction that we did not choose, the world around us seems even more alluring. 
 

We all have a sinful nature that only the Spirit of God can conquer.  The sinful nature tempts us mostly through the appetites of our body, hence the Bible’s term, “the flesh.”  When we are feeling pain, we may crave food, sex, or the high of alcohol or drugs! 

On some occasions, the Devil himself sends his demons to whisper their deceiving thoughts into our mind. They work at bringing doubt of God’s love, or at tricking us to chase a mirage of some magical escape from our present situation, or to abuse the very gifts of God.  When Jesus was alone in the wilderness, He encountered the Devil in each of these ways.  He met each test with the Truth of the Word and was the victor. (Matthew 4)

Temptation becomes more acute when we go through times that test us. That is why Jesus’ prayer includes that memorable line, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  God does not actively dangle sin in front of us to see if He can trip us up.  He does, however, allow us to live in a world full of tests that reveal our motives and understanding. If we hold tightly to Him, if we pray for eyes to see the Truth, about ourselves, our world, and yes, about the Devil who is so adept at disguise, we will grow a deeper, stronger faith through those tests.

The Scripture urges two responses to temptation that seem at odds.  In both of his letters to Timothy, Paul urged him to ‘flee’ from temptation! "Man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:11, NIV)  A few years later, he offered the same advice, underlining the importance.  "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22, NIV)  Most the time when we feel ourselves drawn towards sin, the best choice is to turn and run straight to our Father!  If David had turned quickly away from the beauty of Bathsheba, if he had gone to find a wise friend, he would have never become an adulterer!  When we stand around admiring that thing that is so alluring, we are drawn to destruction, like the proverbial moth to a flame!

James counsels another response, one that is more appropriate when evil comes to us, when we are attacked. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, NIV)  The Message says it this way: "So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper." (James 4:7, The Message)   In Christ, we are secure and strong. We can speak to evil and, because of His authority, it must yield.  When we feel the presence of evil, we say “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, leave me alone!”  Luther wrote, “did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing!”  

Tempted? We all are, some days more powerfully than others.  But here’s the word from the Word.  Note that the power is not in our persuasion or our personality.  We stand ‘in Christ!’

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31, NLT)  "Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39, NLT)

_______

Farther Along

Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder,

Why it should be thus all the day long.

While there are others living about us,

Never molested tho in the wrong.

Farther along, we'll know all about it.

Farther along, we'll understand why.

Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

“Faithful ‘till death” said our loving Master.

A few more days to labor and wait.

Toils of the road will then seem as nothing,

As we sweep thru the beautiful gate.

Farther along, we'll know all about it.

Farther along, we'll understand why.

Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by.

J. R., Jr. Baxter | W. B. Stevens

© 1937 Stamps - Baxter Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)

CCLI License # 810055