God Comforts Believers (7)

"I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; 

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me"

(Psa. 23: 4 kjv)

In this chapter we will look at the seventh way God comforts his people, which is by inspiring hope on a deep level within the soul, especially through prayer and meditation. In the previous chapter we had a good bit to say about the hope of Christians, which is none other than a "hope in God," and a hope in his word. So said the inspired Psalmist: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God" (Psa. 42: 11 nkjv); And, "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." (Psa. 119: 114 nkjv) Such hope and expectation is an anchor to the soul, as we saw.

In my post titled "Making Sense Of Life Circumstances" (See here) I cited the text where Paul writes: "no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." (I Thess. 3: 3) The words "be moved" are from the singular Greek word "σαίνεσθαι (sainesthai)" and is only used here in the new testament and means 1. to wag (as a dog its tail), 2. to shake, 3. to disturb (figuratively), or to be agitated emotionally or in one's thoughts. Said one topical lexicon:

"Classical writers used the verb behind (Strong’s 4525) for the gentle, rhythmic wag of a dog’s tail or the rocking of a boat on small waves—movements that lull rather than jolt. Carried into Christian vocabulary, the word pictures an external force that coaxes the human spirit off its firm footing, persuading rather than overpowering."

This anchor of hope will keep the Christian from being "moved" out of psychological safe harbor into turbulent mental storms in the sea of thought and emotion. Notice these words of the apostle Paul:

"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20: 22-24 nkjv)

Though the word "move" in this text is not from the same Greek word as in the previous text with the word "move," it nevertheless describes the same idea. Albert Barnes in his famous commentary wrote:

"Move me - Alarm me, or deter me from my purpose. Greek: "I make an account of none of them." I do not regard them as of any moment, or as worth consideration in the great purpose to which I have devoted my life."

The words "neither count I my life" express what he means by way of paraphrase -- "I don't account (or mentally reckon) such chains and tribulations, nor even my life (psuche - soul), as worth consideration or focusing upon."

This makes me think of the song "I shall not be Moved" which says:

1 I shall not be, I shall not be moved.
I shall not be, I shall not be moved;

Refrain:
Like a tree planted by the water,
I shall not be moved, be moved.

2 When my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved,
When my cross is heavy, I shall not be moved; [Refrain]

7 When my burden's heavy, I shall not be moved,

When my burden's heavy, I shall not be moved; [Refrain]

This reminds us of what Paul said in his Roman epistle:

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Rom. 8: 18 nkjv)

By the words "I consider" he means practically the same thing as when he said "I account" or "I reckon" that these sufferings are not worth being overly depressed about, seeing they are temporary, and of little significance in the grand scheme of things, seeing that the rewards that will come to him in glory far outweigh the costs of such trials, sufferings, losses, etc. He also wrote:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Cor. 4: 16-18 nkjv)

The words "lose heart" are used twice in this chapter (verses 1 & 16) and are from the Greek word "ἐγκακοῦμεν (enkakoumen)" and is translated as "faint not" (kjv) or "give up" in some other English translations. Thayer says the word means "to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted." Similarly Paul wrote: "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Heb. 12: 3 nkjv) Notice what prevents the Christian from being destroyed by despair, and what insures that far greater good will come from his trials. It is God's working providence that will make this so. It is the believer's recognition that all his sufferings are only "for a moment," and will be richly rewarded, that acts like an anchor to him when he is tempted and tried, and will keep him from prolonged depression and melancholia. 

The severity of the trials and afflictions will seem "light" when the Christian has a healthy outlook on the future, so long as he or she does not look (or focus) on the visible and temporal things, but rather focuses on things eternal and invisible, such as on God's "eternal power and Godhead." (Rom. 1: 20 kjv) So did Moses by "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt" and because "he looked to the (promised) reward." (Heb. 11: 26 nkjv) Moses endured his trials by focusing on his future reward and destiny. Christians can be spared from falling into deep depression by "not losing sight of" God, his word, his promises, his faithfulness and omnipotence, and his omnibenevolence. So the apostle Paul exhorted believers: "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Col. 3: 2 nkjv) In other words, focus your attention towards God and heaven, by "fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 12: 2 niv). The apostle Peter walked upon the water to Jesus by faith and by focusing his eyes on Jesus, but when he turned his eyes to the troubled sea, he began to sink. When a believer is able to steadily focus his attention on Christ and his word he will say as did Paul:

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (II Cor. 4: 8-9 nkjv).

The poet Alexander Pope said -- "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." But, this is surely true in the highest sense for those who trust in God. There should always be an optimistic spirit in a genuine believer. He should always be able to say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4: 13) About such optimism for the future, through faith in God, Solomon said:

"Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." (Prov. 23: 17-18 esv)

God in his oracle to the prophet Isaiah also gave his people this assurance:

"But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isa. 40: 31 nkjv)

Waiting on the Lord and trusting in him will cause you to rise above your troubles, like eagles ascending in the sky. Strength to persevere will be renewed too and will keep you from becoming mentally and emotionally exhausted and fainting in the way. Peter encouraged the persecuted Christians by assuring them that their trials and afflictions, "though now for a season" and put them "in heaviness through manifold temptations," and was a severe "trial of your faith," nevertheless was "much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire," and will surely "be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6-7). So the old hymn "Farther On" says:

1 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 though in the wrong.

Refrain:
Farther along we’ll know all about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up, don't worry, live in the sunshine,

We’ll understand it all by and by.

In the opening paragraph of this chapter I said that the chief way in which God inspires inner hope in the soul is "especially through prayer and meditation." So, let me speak of that.

The Way of Prayer & Meditation

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms." (James 5: 13 nkjv)

Singing jubilant songs of praise is generally not the way to deal with mental anguish and sufferings. So Solomon said: "Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart." (Prov. 26: 20 nkjv) Of course, though this is true generally, it is not universally true. Why? Because there are what we call "the blues" in music, and songs that are written in what are called "minor keys" and which are helpful in relieving melancholy and depression. Many of the Psalms seem to be written in minor keys, with some psalms beginning in a happy major key and then switch to doleful minor keys, and back and forth. Years ago my father bought a book titled "Psalms in a Minor Key" (published in 1973 by Edwin Armerding) which he loaned to me and I read. That book details what I just stated. In the most trying and depressing times in my life I have always resorted to reading the Psalms, for the Psalmists were oftentimes sad and depressed. But, they also show the way out of such states.

Prayer, however, is the chief way to deal with your troubles and cares, with your anxiety and worry, and with all your "fretting." In fact the exhortation "fret not" is seen in several psalms, and with those exhortations come reasons why the follower of the Lord ought not to fret.

Sadly, many of the Lord's people suffer from what is called "learned helplessness," which is a psychological state where individuals stop trying to improve their circumstances after experiencing repeated, uncontrollable, or traumatic stressors, believing their actions will not impact outcomes. Even dogs can experience it. In fact, an experiment was done wherein a dog was in an enclosure that had a kind of "electric fence" area so that when the dog crossed the line he would be shocked. After a few shocks the dog remained shivering in fear in a corner of the room. Martin Seligman’s experiments in the 1960s demonstrated that dogs subjected to inescapable electric shocks learned to be helpless, failing to escape even when the opportunity was later provided. People also learn to be helpless in the same way. But, with Christians it ought not so to be, for the reasons we have shown thus far in this series.They ought not to be frozen in place by fear. Let me close with the words of two old hymns about how prayer helps believers endure sufferings.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father's throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

What A Friend in Jesus

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!

3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.

God Comforts Believers (6)

In this chapter we will look at the sixth way in which God comforts his people, which is by inspiring hope, and the above text is a good foundation upon which to begin. It speaks of "eternal comfort" ("everlasting consolation" kjv) and "wonderful hope" ("good hope" kjv). Further, the results of giving, by his grace and love, hope and comfort is in order that believers might be strengthened. Paul seems a little redundant in saying God has given comfort in order that believers may be comforted. However, when you consider the tenses of the text, this is seen not to be the case. So, using the nkjv we may read as follows:

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved (aorist past action) us and (has) given us (aorist past action) everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort (aorist future optative) your hearts and establish you (aorist future optative) in every good word and work." (II Thess. 2: 16-17 nkjv)

So, Paul says, "God has given you everlasting comfort, and I pray he will continue to do so in the future." The "optative" use of a verb in the above text denotes the expression of a wish or desire for something in the future. I spoke about this idea in the previous chapters, about how we can be assured of future divine comfort because we have experienced such divine comfort in the past. The apostle could have also viewed the past comfort and hope as objective, and the future comfort and hope as subjective. How has God in this manner given believers everlasting comfort and good hope through grace? Answer; By demonstrating his love and care for believers by giving Christ to them, and by bestowing on them the things Christ has earned for them by his sacrificial death.

This hope (expectation) and comfort will result in the believer receiving more strength to persevere in the future in everything they say and do. Many translations rather use the word "encourage" rather than "comfort," which would of course be included, as would be the idea of "consolation."

Comfort by Giving & Inspiring Hope

"If there be therefore any consolation (paraklesis) in Christ, if any comfort (paramythion) of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies..." (Phil. 2: 1 kjv)

The Greek word for "comfort" is παραμύθιον and denotes a persuasive address that gives consolation, seen often in Greek writings (from Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato, etc.), though only here in the new testament. It is similar to "paregoria," also of singular use in the NT, both meaning to soothe, alleviate, calm, or give relief and solace.

The basis of a believer's "consolation" is Christ, as he is in his character and work of redemption, being the reason for being consoled. So writes the apostle:

"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb. 6: 17-19 nkjv)

God's showing to "the heirs of promise" (believers in Christ) the reasons why their salvation is secure and certain (via the fact that his promises and guarantees are as unchangeable as is he himself, and because he is faithful and incapable of lying), was in order that his children "might have strong consolation" and might be able to "flee for refuge" and "to lay hold of the hope set before us"; And, by "hope" he does not mean wishful thinking, but firm expectation, and great assurance. Hope may mean to expect, to anticipate, to believe or trust that something will happen, or to wait for something with confidence, to look forward to, etc. It may also carry the idea of aspiration, aim or goal, and optimism and achievement. So the words "I hope" may be equated with "I have good reason to believe that such and such will happen."

This "refuge" includes refuge for the soul, mind, spirit, and emotions of the believer, which is described by the Psalmist David:

"Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress." (Psa. 71: 3 nkjv)

God is our mental refuge when our minds are filled with troubled thoughts. To him we should quickly "resort" and that "continually." We must, when depressed by our circumstances, often turn our thoughts towards God and heavenly things, to his sure promises. We should ever keep in mind that with Christ as our Helper we are never "hopeless" or in hopeless situations. This hope of the Christian is an "anchor" to the soul (psyche; which includes our mental troubles or psychological depression), and is well anchored, and therefore "both sure and steadfast." This anchor will comfort you when you are experiencing the storms of life and keep you from wrecking upon the rocks of the straits of the sea.

God's giving of comfort, consolation, and hope, is a way wherein he shows his love, mercy, goodness, pity, compassion, care and concern, and his good will towards his people. Often God's people, like the wicked or the hypocrite, sometimes become disillusioned, maybe even disappointed, with God, when he does not come to their aid as they think he should or does not answer prayer requests as they think he should. But, they should remember what the hymn writer, William Cowper, said in the famous song "God Moves In A Mysterious Way." (1774) Here are some of the lines (pay attention to the lines in bold):

"1. God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.

2. Oh, fearful saints, new courage take: The clouds that you now dread Are big with mercy and will break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.

3. God's purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.

Refrain: So God we trust in you. O God, we trust in you. When tears are great and comforts few, We hope in mercies ever new, We trust in you."

God "rides upon the storm" of your mental and emotional turbulence, on the whirlwind of your adversities and "When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you." (Prov. 1: 27 nkjv) Oftentimes it is in the storms of life that we really come to know God on a more intimate level, when we draw closer to him, when we pray more often, when we steal away in secret prayer and pour out our hearts before him. We see him in the midst of the storm and whirlwind, riding upon it and showing his sovereignty over it. Recall how Jesus walked upon the water and calmed the troubled sea and fierce winds. 

Brothers, God is greater than your needs and your trials. God appeared to Job after a time of long and severe suffering, loss, and grief, and more than made up for what Job had lost in his battle with Satan, himself, and with his worldly counselors. So the record says: "Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning." (Job 42: 12) Wrote James the Lord's brother:

"My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." (James 5: 10 nkjv)

Another line in the above song are the words "Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain."

Satan will whisper suggestions into the ears of your heart, and give a false narrative and interpretation of why you are suffering, grieving, in difficulty, being persecuted or oppressed, etc., telling you, perhaps, that 1) these show that God does not care for you and that you are really not his child or servant, for if you were, he would have either kept those things from occurring or quickly make all things right, Or, 2) God is not all powerful and cannot be counted on to deliver you, but he, Satan, can, Or, 3) you are going through this misfortune because you are unworthy of God or worthless in God's sight, Etc. So, "judge not the Lord by feeble sense" and don't "lean upon your own understanding," but rather "trust the Lord with all your heart." (Prov. 3: 5)

Let me close with this famous Christian hymn:

1 Come, you disconsolate, where'er you languish;
come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.

2 Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, in mercy saying,
"Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot cure."

3 Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing
forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast prepared; come, ever knowing
earth has no sorrows but heaven can remove.

On the Fall of the Angels (Nephilim)

I just watched a video that was just made for YouTube by Dr. Gavin Ortlund, a very learned "Reformed Baptist" apologist and pastor. He has made some good videos on bible topics through the years. I do not always agree with him, but I do agree with what he taught in the video I watched today on the correct interpretation of Genesis 6: 1-6 involving the marriage and sexual relations between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men." My view says that the sons of God are fallen angels and that they lusted after human women and took them as their wives, crossing the boundaries God had set for them, and from which a monstrous hybrid of beings were born, called "nephilim" or "giants." The fall of angels mentioned in the new testament (excepting the fall of Satan) is descriptive of what is taking place in Genesis chapter six.

I have written on this some over the years, mostly citing others. For instance, see my citations from the writings of James Montgomery Boice (here). I have also spoken of it when writing upon those passages that speak of Christ going to Hades to preach to the "spirits in prison" (apostle Peter) in my series on the afterlife. (See here and here)

Gavin takes my view, which was also the common view of many ancient Jewish scholars, and of many of the church fathers and the early church. However, he does say that one should not be "super dogmatic" on one of the three main interpretations of Genesis six. I agree; However, I would say that I am dogmatic on my interpretation, because of the reasons Gavin and Boice and others give. The non-angelic view simply is not tenable.

I would like to add one thought in reply to those who say that angels cannot marry or have children. Is not the "man of sin" or "man of lawlessness," who is the same as "the Antichrist" or "the beast" of the Apocalypse, such a hybrid being? Is he not the offspring of Satan and yet also human? Also, even Christ is both human and divine. I showed in my previous writings that Jesus is not saying, in Matthew 22: 30, that the angels who fell and were cast down to Hell cannot marry nor procreate, but is saying that "the angels of heaven," those who are holy and who chose to obey God and to stay within the bounds God set for angels (or who chose to remain holy and loyal to God), cannot therefore marry human women and procreate with them, as did the fallen angels. The "cannot" is not a word of impossibility, but a moral or legal cannot. Holy angels cannot do as the angels did in Genesis six and remain holy, but they "can" do it if they choose and God allows it.

Listen for yourself. I think you will find it interesting. Listen to it (here).

Do You Weep For Sinners?

Through the years I have been writing against some of the beliefs and practices of those who call themselves "Primitive" or "Old School" Baptists (aka "Hardshells"). I have chastised them for not praying for the salvation of lost sinners and for lacking real empathy for those who are on the road to destruction. This was not the case, however, with a large number of their founding fathers of the 1820s and 1830s. They did pray and weep over lost sinners. In fact, one song that I have seen in some of their hymn books begins with these words:

Did Christ o’er sinners weep

And shall our cheeks be dry?

Let floods of penitential grief

Burst forth from every eye

This failing to have a genuine sorrow for the lost is not pleasing to the Lord. Notice these texts:

Luke 19:41: "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it," showing Jesus's sorrow over those who rejected God's love and were lost.

Romans 9:2 & 10:1: Paul expresses "great sorrow and unceasing anguish" for his people, stating, "my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved." 

Lamentations 1:16: "For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me..." The weeping prophet was weeping over the lost condition of his people.

Psalm 126:5-6: "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him," which shows a sorrow for the lost and for those unharvested.

Jeremiah 9:1: "Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" 

This lack of concern for the lost, and failure to weep for them, is a symptom of a terrible spiritual disease. You will never hear Hardshells praying for sinners and this is proof of their awful state. I pity them and weep for them, for I know it will go ill with them when they stand before the Lord and be judged for these things.

In one of my posts on Elder John Leland I gave the following citations from him (See here):

"In August, 1799, my soul was again visited with the same peace and holy longings after God and the salvation of men as at former times. My preaching then, through grace, was not coasting around the shallow shores of doubt and uncertainty, but launching out into the deep for a draught. Attention and solemnity followed."

"Before the work made a visible appearance, and for three months afterwards, there was not a day but what I had the spirit of prayer, and a travail for souls; and often felt as if I should sink under the weight of my burden if souls were not delivered. Sometimes, individuals would lay in my heart; at other times, the longings desire would be more general. After three months I felt that spirit of prayer abate, but the spirit of preaching continued for three months afterwards, until the ingathering was over, and then the peculiar impression which I had, subsided." (Elder John Leland "Some Events In The Life of..." Part V)

In chapter 49 ("Elder Leland's Preaching"; See here) I cited from the words of Leland where he prayed for the salvation of sinners and preached with the aim of being an instrument in their salvation.  Recall how he said 

"I knew what it was to travail in birth for the conversion of sinners. The words of Rachel to Jacob were the words of my heart to God: "Give me children or else I die."

He also said: "there was not a day but what I had the spirit of prayer, and a travail for souls." 

My Hardshell brothers often claim John Leland as being of their kind, but he wept for lost souls and believed that he was God's instrument in saving them, as the above citations show.

God Comforts Believers (5)

In this chapter we will give the fifth way, of the nine I gave in the first chapter, in which God comforts his people. That way says that God comforts by giving means of escape.

Comfort by Finding Means of Escape

"My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?” (Psa. 119: 82 nkjv)

The Lord's people often ask, often with a sigh, "Lord, when will you comfort me?" The comfort they desire involves their deliverance from some evil, some trial, some distress, some anxiety. The Psalmist complains that his eyes are failing "from searching" God's word. How many have that problem? Not many I fear. In the popular movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" there is a line which is said more than once, by both Ulysses McGill (Clooney) and "Big Dan Teague" (Goodman) about "people looking for answers." McGill says that when people are lined up waiting to be baptized. The Psalmist was also looking for answers, but he was looking for it in the word of God. His eyes were even strained by long searching. He was not like some professing Christians who superstitiously look for biblical answers by saying -- "I am going to open the bible and the first verse I see jumping out at me will be my answer." No, the psalmist made a "diligent search" (Psa. 77: 6) of the word of God and for answers to his problems. That was the right place to look. Oddly however, he found no answer by his search. I am sure that many of God's people know about this frustration.

God comforts his people at the time and manner of his choosing and the Christian needs to keep this in mind and should never say, as some do, "well, Lord, it's too late now." Why? Because Father knows best. In commenting on this Psalm, John Gill wrote the following in his commentary:

"The people of God are sometimes very disconsolate, and need comforting, through the prevalence of sin, the power of Satan's temptations, the hidings of God's face, and a variety of afflictions; when they apply to God for comfort, who only can comfort them, and who has his set times to do it; but they are apt to think it long, and inquire, as David here, when it will be."

Notice what the apostle Paul said:

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (I Cor. 10: 13 nkjv)

In the above text the words "way of escape" are from a singular Greek word, ekbasis. It is a combination of "ek" and "basis" the former meaning "out of," exit, egress, and the latter denoting a movement of the feet, so together they mean to walk out of, or to escape, some trial or difficulty. The word ekbasis is used only two times in the new testament, the other place is translated by the word "end" in Hebrews 13: 7, which is interesting. The word "basis" is only used once and is translated by the word "feet" (Acts 3: 7). The Lord's people get themselves into tight spots often and the Lord gives them ways to walk out of them. Interesting too is the fact that McGill in the above cited movie often said "we are in a tight spot." 

Though the word "comfort" or it cognates are not in the above text, yet it is surely implied, for it deals with ways of escaping temptations (which includes trying times) and with being made "able to bear" those hard times. Recall our definition of comfort in the first chapter, how it means to strengthen, and the Greek word for comfort was "paraklēsis," and the Greek word for the word "comforter" or "advocate" is "paraklētos." In I John 2: 1 "paraklētos" is translated by the word "advocate." Jesus is both a comforter and an advocate, and a helper too. They are compound words, made up of "para" and "klēsis," the former meaning "alongside" and the latter meaning "to call," thus giving the meaning of "to call to one's side" another person to help you. It literally means a person being helped, strengthened, or aided, by another person coming alongside that person in order to give strength, counsel, consolation, emotional support, etc. Some translations actually give "helper" as an English translation of "paraklētos."

Such is God, Father, Son (who is also Christ Jesus), and Holy Spirit. They walk with the Christian, always standing at his or her side, to comfort, help, and as an advocate (lawyer). He gives perfect counsel. He knows what you need and when you need it. Many of the psalms say that Yahweh is the Helper of his people. In the new testament the apostle says: "For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Wrote the Psalmist:

"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side." (Psa. 71: 20-21 nkjv)

Here we see God "comforting" by "reviving" and by "bringing up" his servant out of "great and severe troubles." In the Book of Acts Luke records these words:

"Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Acts 9: 31 kjv)

God provided relief by providing the new convert, Saul of Tarsus (who became Paul the apostle), a way out of the hands of those who sought to kill him. In doing so he provided a way of escape for Paul and a way to comfort the churches of Christ. 

God is the chief way of escape when facing trials. He is a place of refuge, the place of escape.

Ash Wednesday of Lenten Fasting

As you know, this past Wednesday many Roman Catholics were seen with an ashen cross on their foreheads between their eyes, right where Hindus put a little red dot, and where some say is your "third eye" that points to your pituitary gland, representing your "ajna chakra," a seat of concealed wisdom and concentration. The Catholic ashen cross marks the beginning of Lent, and represents mortality, repentance, and grief for sins. The ashes, often made from burnt palms from the previous year, are applied in a cross shape with the words "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" or “turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.” 

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Ash Wednesday are consecutive, contrasting days marking the transition from carnival celebration to the solemnity of Lent. Mardi Gras is a final day of indulgence, feasting, and parades, while Ash Wednesday marks the start of the 40-day Lenten period, characterized by fasting, prayer, and penance. Many Protestants believe that this practice of putting ashes on the forehead to announce fasting violates what Jesus said about fasting. Said the Lord:

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matt. 6: 16-18 nkjv)

At the web page "Catholic Answers" we find this explanantion of this passage (See here):

"Doesn’t Ash Wednesday contradict this? By wearing ashes, and especially by sporting them and exhibiting them, aren’t we going against our Lord’s command?

Well, the main point we need to recognize here is that Jesus is talking about our intentions. In other words: don’t fast and make sacrifice in order to show off. Do we wear the ashes for God’s glory or for ours? Jesus is employing hyperbole here to help make his point. He exaggerates, seeming to say we should never fast in a way that others can see, but in reality, what he is doing is reacting to those who make a show of their penance."

Frankly, I find this response to miss the point. What think ye?

Two Seed Baptist Ideology (XLV)

In earlier chapters I showed a picture of Elder Lemuel Potter when he was a young man. The above picture is of him when he was older. He died a relatively young man. In this chapter we will continue to cite from Potters autobiography titled "Labors and Travels of Elder Lemuel Potter." In the previous chapter we were relating what Potter said about a couple Two Seed preachers who were causing trouble in Illinois because of their denial of the resurrection of the body and of their belief in "eternal children." 

Potter continued:

"So, at the close of Elder Tabor's remarks, Elder Trainer arose, and in a short speech, said he heartily endorsed the entire discourse, and seemed to be very enthusiastic in saying so. At the close of his remarks, he was about to dismiss the congregation, when I ventured to give his coat a pull, and told him I would love to speak. I arose, and, as near as I remember, made the following speech. I told my people that we would always do well to watch strangers. If the brother we had heard preach tonight was an honest man it would not hurt him to watch him, and if he was not an honest man, we should watch him, even if it did hurt him. I told them that he was one of those men, that the apostle frequently speaks of, who go about causing divisions and trouble in the churches. It was not my intention to say so positively that he was one of these men, but I intended to say he might be one of them, but in my embarrassment, and perhaps excitement, I said it the other way, and just let it go, believing that it was the truth anyway. I told the people that I believed in the doctrine of the resurrection, that I could not understand Elder Tabor's position, that it was the sinner who was saved, and at the same time that the sinner saved was not Adam, nor any of his posterity. It seemed to present to my mind a contradiction and an inconsistency. I remarked that I believed in the doctrine of the resurrection of the just and of the unjust, even if I must be called a Pharisee for saying it. For me to arise in the face of a large audience, and in the presence of two men who were as able as they were, and having so much the advantage of me in age, was one of the hardest trials of my life, as a minister. After I was through, and the meeting was dismissed, quite a number of my brethren and friends came to me and gave me their hand, and congratulated me on my faithfulness. And I felt that I had done no more than was my duty to do, although I was thought by those men to be egotistical. This meeting occurred on Friday night, and on Saturday morning I went down to the Little Wabash church, where those two brethren were going, and when I arrived there and met them on the ground, neither of them would speak to me." 

It is interesting that those Two Seed Baptists called those who believed in a bodily resurrection "Pharisees." But, are the Two Seeders who denied the resurrection not Sadducees? 

Potter speaks of how hard it was for him to stand up and publicly oppose two older well known ministers who had preached their non-resurrection doctrine. Well, I had the same experience when I was a young minister with the "Primitive Baptists." I stood up in a deacon ordination service, being one of the presbyters, and objected to some presbyters asking the two deacon candidates what they believed about the Devil falling from Heaven and about what the story of the rich man and Lazarus taught. The reason why these two questions were asked was because they were desirous to make one's views on these two things a test of fellowship or orthodoxy. On the way to the ordination service, I rode with two elders, my father in law Elder Newell Helms and Elder Charles Smith, both fearing that such questions would be asked, just as I was. We queried -- "what do we do?" I said we should object to such questions as they had no bearing on whether one was qualified to be deacons. They agreed with me that they would object. 

Sure enough, those questions were indeed asked as we had predicted. I waited for Helms and Smith to rise and object. They did not, but looked at me and shook their heads in disapproval of those questions. They did not publicly object. So I stood up and objected and said "what do these questions have to do with whether these men are qualified to be deacons? You are asking these questions because you want to make certain interpretations on these two subjects a test of fellowship." 

I recall what Elder Potter said in his debate with Elder W. T. (Tom) Pence, both "Primitive Baptists," on the question of whether the gospel or word of God were means God used to regenerate or eternally save sinners. This debate was held in 1890 when that question was dividing churches, each side affirming that their view was the original view of Baptists. In this debate there was discussion about whether certain "Primitive Baptist" preachers of the past believed in means or not, and Elder John Clark, editor of "Zion's Advocate," was one of them. Pence argued that Clark believed in means (he was right, as many citations from Zion's Advocate in this blog show). Potter denied that Clark believed in means, just as he also denied that Elder John M. Watson believed in means, and denied that John Gill believed in means, which both assertions were clearly false. 

The only arguments that Potter provided was to say 1) that Clark held a written discussion with Elder J.B. Stephens (who clearly believed in means) and supposedly took a different view than Stephens (although he could not provide proof of this and I have never been able to find a record of that discussion), and 2) that Clark was a moderator of a presbytery to ordain a minister and the candidate was asked in he believed in means and the answer was "no." Potter said that this proved that Clark denied means because he did not object to the questions. That is no proof at all. If he had better proof of this, why argue this way? Why not just give citations written by Clark in his paper "Zion's Advocate"? 

So, I know the hesitation of Elder Potter in making a public opposition to aged ministers. He however did the right thing. Paul told Timothy "let no one despise your youth." (I Tim. 4: 12)

In chapter fourteen Potter wrote:

“They had an appointment at Grayville, on their way home, for the Tuesday night following, and I went again, thinking, I will make Elder Trainer speak to me now." We had always been good friends. So I went early to the church, and found only a few there, and I went and sat down by him and spoke to him, and in conversation, I asked him if he endorsed what that man had been preaching all the time. He said he did, and that if the Baptists did not believe it, that Elder Tabor would debate the question with any of them. I told him we wanted no debate, but that I would love for him to state to me as nearly as he could and in as few words as possible, what he believed. He said he believed that there were three generations of people. The generation of Adam, the generation of Jesus Christ, and the generation of vipers. The generation of Adam were made of the dust of the ground, and would go back to the dust where they came from, and remain there forever. The generation of Jesus Christ came down from heaven, took up their abode in the Adam man, and they would finally go back to heaven where they came from. The generation of vipers came from hell, and they also took up their abode in the Adam man, and would go back to hell where they came from."

I can hardly believe that Lemuel Potter, one of the most celebrated debaters for the "Primitive Baptists," said that he and the church "wanted no debate" on the doctrine of the resurrection. Oddly enough he does later have a debate with a Two Seeder on that subject. In chapter twenty one Potter wrote: 

"In the month of February, 1881, I held a three days' discussion with a gentleman by the name of Williams, in Franklin County, Illinois, on the following proposition: —The scriptures teach that there will be a general resurrection of the bodies of all the sons and daughters of the first man Adam, or natural man, some of them to endless life, and some to endless punishment." Mr. Williams was a Universalist. and while he professed to believe in the salvation of "all men," as he said, he did not believe that Adam's posterity would be saved."

Potter was such a highly promoted defender in debate for the Hardshells that another one of their champion debaters, Elder John R. Daily, named one of his sons, "Lemuel Potter Daily" (1890). I think Daily felt like the mantle had passed from Potter to him, like the mantle of Elijah passed to Elisha. Potter died in 1897. Both were originally from Indiana, and served churches there, though Potter moved to Illinois and Daily to Virginia, though Daily returned to Indiana and died in Indianapolis in 1920. 

The Two Seed statement that there are "three generations of people" is one that would grab the attention of most people. It is however one of those "cunningly devised fables" that the apostle Peter warned about, or an invention of evil doctrine, as the apostle Paul spoke about. 

First, "the generation of Jesus Christ" (Matt. 1: 1) denotes the family tree of the man Christ Jesus. The context makes that clear. Nowhere in the bible is the family of God called such, although the family of Jesus might well be called such, or more properly "the generation of Father God" denoting those who are "born of God." 

Second, the "generation of Adam" alludes to Genesis chapter five, and particularly to verse one, "book of the generations of Adam." Again, as the context shows, that refers to the family tree of Adam, or his progeny, all those who are descended from him. It is in the plural, unlike the Two Seed terminology. So, it is not far-fetched to say that the human race is one family, or one generation, or one kind of people. But, the Two Seeders were not united on whether to affirm or deny the proposition that says that any part of the "Adam man" was a child of God. Some said that all of Adam's descendants were the children of God, and the children of the Devil are not Adam's descendants. These would say that all the "generation of Adam" were the "generation of Jesus Christ." Some would say that the "generation of Adam" denoted those who have a human body but no soul and whose bodies would return to the dust and never exist again. 

Third, "generation of vipers" is a term for lost people, or perhaps to a particular segment of that group. 

Both saved and unsaved people are of Adam's family tree and in that sense all are of the "generation(s) of Adam." The generation of vipers are of the generation of Adam. So, the Two Seed idea that these are three distinct groups of people is an intriguing fable, but not the teaching of the scriptures. Think of a Venn diagram, such as this one:

Imagine each of these three circles representing the three generations asserted by the Two Seed minister that Potter refers to. I will leave it with the reader to discern whether a particular area is empty or not.

In chapter eighteen Potter wrote the following which occurred in 1873:

"Elder Hearde, in his debate with me, treated me very courteously, I being quite a young man while he was much older. He undertook to prove in his affirmation that the people of God are a seed which existed in heaven prior to the formation of the Adam man, that they would all go back to heaven where they came from. I do not pretend to say that I have his proposition verbatim, but this is the substance of it, and he led out in the opening of that question, with a speech for one hour, in which he made a number of scripture quotations to show that God’s people were a seed. He quoted this among others; “A seed shall serve him, and it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation." And "In thee and thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and it shall bruise his heel." Quite a number of other texts of this character were introduced in his first speech, without a great many comments. He stated that he intended to merely lay his planks down loose, in this speech, and that he would come with his hatchet and nails and fasten them down in his next speech. In my reply to his arguments on these proof-texts, to prove the pre-existence of God's people, I simply admitted that I believed that the Lord's people were a seed, and that was all that he had proven by these texts. I was not here to deny that God's people were a seed, but that I was here to deny that they had an eternal existence, and that there was not a single text in all the catalogue of texts that he had quoted that said anything about the pre-existence of the people mentioned in his proof-texts. I thought then, and do yet, however, that he did about as well in proving that doctrine as any man could do. I felt very confident that he could not prove it by the Bible. He finally inquired where the Lord got his people, if they did not eternally exist. I replied that he made them. That I knew of no people as the subjects of eternal salvation, only the people that God made. That the Bible frequently spoke of the fact that God made his people. "Thy maker is thine husband," is one expression of Scripture, and the very idea of a maker is the best inferential testimony that they must have been made. Again, I do not believe that they had an eternal existence, because it was said that Adam was the first man, I could not conceive of the idea of there being a man before him, and not only was he the first man, but that he was made of the dust of the ground. This was the man that I believed had transgressed the law of God, and fallen under its curse, and became subject to death, and all the miseries consequent upon sin, and that they were the subjects of salvation. But I will not stop here to give a full detail of the arguments, any more than to say that I became more fully convinced during that discussion against the doctrine of the pre-existence of God's people than I had ever been."

I would like to know more about this debate with Hearde. It seems Potter had more than one debate with others who held to Two Seed tenets. I don't know why Potter was not fully convinced of the errors of Two Seedism before this debate. Recall that he said that when he first began to preach that he rather favored Two Seed ideology.

Wrote Potter further:

"He finally, however, made this remark, that if I would admit the pre-existence of God's people, he did not ask me any boot on the question of the resurrection. So I say to- day, that the non-resurrection doctrine is the legitimate consequence, and the inevitable result of the doctrine of the pre-existence of the children of God, or the doctrine of eternal children. Men may talk all they wish about the doctrine of eternal vital union, eternal children, eternal justification, and so forth, but I do not believe in the eternal existence of God's people; neither do I believe in eternal vital union. Now, if a man admits the doctrine of eternal children, he may as well admit the doctrine of non-resurrection. We discussed this proposition a day and a half, after which I affirmed that there will be, in the future, a resurrection of the bodies, both of the just and the unjust, of Adam's posterity, some to eternal life, and some to everlasting punishment."

These are excellent observations. Though not all Two Seeders denied the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, men such as Gilbert Beebe, yet many did. In an upcoming chapter we will cite further from Elder Watson on this point.

Potter wrote:

"I believed then, and do to-day, that it was the Adam sinner that was saved, the same man that was made of the dust of the ground. I did not then believe, nor do I yet, that any part of him came from heaven. I believe that the very same body that goes to the grave will be precisely the same body that will be raised from the dead and finally taken to heaven. I contended for that doctrine in this discussion."

I don't know why there were not more public debates between Two Seeders and their opponents. It would be good if some of those debates had been published and preserved for us.

My Friend & Brother, Mike Fisher, has Died

Fine Arts/Humanities Instructor 

Arkansas Northeastern College

The above is a picture of Michael Alan Fisher of Jonesboro, Arkansas. I just got word that he has passed away. I met "Mike" when he was a speech professor at Wingate University in my home county of Union here in North Carolina. He and I are roughly the same age, I was born October 5th, 1955 and he was born February 28, 1956. I first met him in my freshman college speech class and he was also the head of the college debate team, one of the best in the country in CEDA debate. I asked him about becoming part of the debate team (I was 28 at the time). He taught me the rudiments of debate. Our debate teams traveled all over the eastern U.S. as we had a large budget. We went to Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, etc. He was single and I was single (divorced) and we just became close friends. He was a Christian and a Baptist, connected in Arkansas I think with what we would call "Bogard Baptists" because of the influence of Dr. Ben Bogard of Baptist and Landmarker fame and who was from Arkansas. Mike was also the piano player for a local Baptist singing trio, including my wife Paulette, her sister Jami, and her mother Doris. They were always practicing in the home of Doris and her husband who were devout Southern Baptists, she being the choir director of her local church. I met Paulette through Mike.

After my first two years of college, Mike went to Gainesville, Florida to teach at the University of Florida and I went with him, and we both rented a house there for six months. However, I left and came back to North Carolina to marry Paulette and devote all my time to my real estate business and to raise her two adolescent children as well as my own two. That was in 1985. 

Mike was a dear friend though he moved back to Arkansas and began teaching there, and we did not keep up with each other regularly. He did check in with Paulette's parents via Facebook and the telephone as did Mike's parents. I was in business with his father, Clarence Fisher, who came to Monroe, N.C. to build some projects with me, some apartments, mini warehouses, and a commercial strip center. 

Mike was a Christian, and a Baptist, but he also was to some extent involved in the new age movement. When he was at Murray State University, working on his Master's degree, and even before, he got into drugs and a licentious lifestyle. Thankfully he put all that behind him, though it was a learning experience for him. He was a great piano player. He was a champion debater when he was in college and is one reason why Wingate University was anxious to hire him. He also had a sense of humor. He was a good friend who listened to me and helped me get over my divorce from my first wife and the breakup of our family. We often talked about the bible, and he read it most days. Mike never married. 

Before I married Paulette he and I took a trip on our motorcycles to western Kentucky. I will never forget that. We also took "road trips" to other places, once to Florida with others and visited my older brother Eddie. Precious memories. I could go on and on about him and our time spent together. We went to Mexico together, on a one day cruise to the Bahamas, all with the debate team. 

It was sad news to hear that he had passed after a short illness. Had he lived a few days longer he would have been 70, my age now. I hope to see him again on the other side of Jordan.

Mike's obituary reads as follows (See here)

Michael Fisher Obituary

Michael Alan Fisher, 69, of Jonesboro, passed away on February 17, 2026, at the Phil and Flo Jones Hospice House. Michael was born on February 28, 1956, in Michigan City, IN, to Alta May and the late Clarence Fisher Jr. In addition to his father, Michael was preceded in death by his bonus mom, Faye Sledge.

Michael was born in Indiana but spent most of his life in Jonesboro, graduating from Valley View High School. His secondary education was a dedicated journey that brought him great pride. His pursuit of knowledge and decision to teach others took him all over the country, but he always kept his roots in Northeast Arkansas. He was a professor at Arkansas State University for many years. During his tenure at ASU, he coached multiple national and international champion debate teams. He also served as a fraternity advisor for the local chapter of Alpha Tau Omega. Most recently, Michael was a communications professor at Arkansas Northeastern College. While at ANC, he also served as director of the theater program and helped the program keep its head above water during the COVID crisis.

His dedication to education matched his love of the arts. From an early age, Michael sang and played the piano. As a charter member of Cathedral Baptist Church, he served as the congregation's first pianist. Singing in church choirs brought Michael many opportunities, including performances at Carnegie Hall in New York City and in Vatican City. He cherished those memories for his entire life. Most importantly, Michael loved his mother, family, and church community.

Michael is survived by his mother, Alta May Fisher of Jonesboro; brother, Billy Fisher (Denise), of North Little Rock; niece, Stacy Sproles (Scotty), of Burkburnett, TX, and their children, Adam and Lydia; nephew, Bradley Fisher (Christina), of Plano, TX; and godsons, Gabriel Arant of Manhattan, NY, and Michael Arant IV (Heidi), and their child, Charlotte, of Jonesboro.

A funeral service will be held at Emerson Funeral Home on February 21, 2026, at 2:00 pm with Bro. Ken Beaver officiating. A visitation will be held from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Pine Log Cemetery.

Pallbearers include Michael Arant III, Gabriel Arant, Michael Arant IV, Bryson Beaver, Derek Spiegel, Mike Cope, Wes Thornton, and Maddox Beaver.

God Comforts Believers (4)

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" 

(Matthew 5: 4)

In this chapter we will look at another way God comforts his people, and that being his giving to his people recall of the word of God, of past blessings and deliverances, of past mountain top experiences of joy in the Holy Spirit, etc. I confess to you dear reader that I have often been comforted by God in this way. There is a tendency or proneness to forget things, religiously or theologically speaking. After all, there are things that we need to keep always in remembrance, as the people of God, for doing so will help to insure our comfort and enduring faith. So the apostle Peter wrote:

"For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease." (II Peter 1:12-15 nkjv)

The purpose of keeping certain things fresh in our memories regarding our dealings with God and with our consciences is multi-faceted, and "insures" a number of things, and comfort (strength of mind, heart, soul, and spirit) is one of them. I have often been comforted by the memories of past blessings and providential interventions in my life. They strengthen faith to believe that they will continue, i.e. as God has often heard and answered prayer and granted requests in the past, so I have every reason to believe that it will be so in the future. The apostle Paul connected such remembrance not only with receiving comfort, but salvation, for he says: 

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." (I Cor. 15: 1-2 kjv)

Wrote the prophet Jonah while in the belly of hell (the great fish that swallowed him):

"When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple." (Jonah 2: 7 kjv)

Surely remembering the Lord included remembering God's own history and biography; but also surely included Jonah's remembrance of past blessings divinely given and times of communion with God. Those remembrances gave him high quality comfort and consolation and strength to endure. Likewise the Psalmist wrote: "I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself." (Psa. 119: 52 nkjv) Here the Psalmist receives comfort as a fruit of spending time musing upon God's past works and dealings with him. Such blessed memories fortify the soul. So the hymn "Precious Memories" says:

1 Precious mem'ries, unseen angels,
Sent from somewhere to my soul;
How they linger, ever near me,
And the sacred past unfold.

Refrain:
Precious mem'ries, how they linger,
How they ever flood my soul;
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious, sacred scenes unfold.

2 Precious father, loving mother,
Fly across the lonely years;
And old home scenes of my childhood,
In fond memory appear. [Refrain]

3 As I travel on life's pathway,
Know not what the years may hold;
As I ponder, hope grows fonder,

Precious mem'ries flood my soul. [Refrain]

According to this hymn writer, what comes from such precious memories? He calls them "unseen angels." Perhaps they are in some sense, angels being God's instruments to bring things to our minds and to put thoughts into our hearts. (Rev. 17: 17, etc.) We know God does this from many bible passages, and angels are in their mission messengers of God. After all, God does send us messages in this and other ways. In God bringing things to our remembrance he causes "sacred scenes" to "unfold" in our imaginations. These visions comfort us. These appear in "fond memory." As these precious memories are enjoyed, pondered, "hope grows fonder," and we are comforted.

Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," wrote the following in his Lamentations:

"And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." (Lam. 3: 17-21 kjv)

Here we see a case where good things came from the prophet remembering former trials, afflictions, and sins, rather than from remembering times of joy and gladness and times of deliverance. That good was humility and hope, and with hope comes comfort. Reflection, which involves the memory, can be very highly productive for our good. Meditating on the past can be blessed by God for our good and comfort. Said wise king Solomon: "Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established." (Prov. 4: 26 nkjv) That would include pondering the path you have already walked as well as the path you intend to walk in the future. To ponder on the past is to remember it. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," famously coined by philosopher George Santayana in 1905. Pondering our past, both ups and downs, will bring us comfort and fortify us against future mistakes and tragedies.

To show how remembering God's past orderings of our lives, and remembering his word, bring us comfort and strength, I cite the words of David who said "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You." (Psa. 119: 11 nkjv) Hiding God's word in the heart involves keeping it always in our memories. Doing so works to lessen future transgressions and increase holiness. It is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I encourage the Lord's people to lay up God's word in their hearts, to memorize as much of it as they can, especially those parts that have made the greatest impression upon them. So God said to Moses and the people of God:

"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." (Deut. 11: 18 nkjv)

To "lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul" involves remembering God's words. The "frontlets" were the headbands worn around the head and which had scripture written on them. I believe, however, that they signify keeping the word in the "forefront" of our minds, for God wants all his creatures, and especially his chosen people, to write his word upon the hearts and minds. So is the exhortation of God: "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." (Prov. 3: 3 nkjv) It is interesting that God tells the people to do what he said he would do. God promised, saying, "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: "I will put my law within them, and I will write it in their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jer. 31: 33; Heb. 8: 10; II Cor. 3: 3) Mary, the mother of Jesus, certainly did this. Writes Luke: "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2: 19 nkjv) I am sure that she was later comforted by these things that she wrote in her memory.

God will bring scripture and past experiences and lessons to our minds for our good and for our comfort. So Jesus said of the sending of the Holy Spirit:

"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." (John 14: 26 kjv)

Since we are saved by the Gospel only if we keep in memory that Gospel, we need the Holy Spirit to daily keep us reminded of it and in doing so we will be kept and preserved from falling into despair, or fainting in the way, and will give us comfort and strength to persevere.

Somebody might say -- "doesn't Paul say we should 'forget those things which are behind' and look ahead to the end goal and prize?" Yes he does in Philippians 3: 13-14. But, he does not mean that absolutely, or in every respect. Paul on more than one occasion told of his past conversion experience, and even recorded his sins in persecuting the church. So, he is not going against his own advice. He rather means that one should turn his back on living as he once did when he walked according to the flesh and according to the course of this age. I often am comforted by recalling the hour I first believed and obtained a hope in Christ.

God Comforts Believers (3)

"God is our refuge and strength, 

A very present help in trouble"

Psalm 46: 1

Comfort by Special Divine Presence

God's presence with a believer is a source of comfort, strength, and consolation. In this chapter we will look at the fourth way God comforts his people, which is by giving the downcast an inner sense of God's loving presence through his Spirit bearing witness with their spirits, often whispering peace in his "still small voice" (I Kings 19: 12) as the song we cited in the previous chapter stated, titled "He Whispers Sweet Peace To Me." Number four in the list is similar to number three, showing how God works on the internal feelings in giving comfort. So thought the Psalmist David who said:

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psa. 23: 4 kjv)

The above text in Exodus 33: 14 also indicates that God's presence with his people is a source of comfort or rest. In that oracle the Hebrew term for "presence" is panim and is a plural noun meaning "faces" or "presences," and so means "my presences they shall go." It is a text that bewilders many bible teachers but should not, no more than God's name "Elohim" being in the plural and why Elohim in the creation says "let us make man in our image, after our likeness." I firmly believe that this is because God is three persons though he is one God in essence or substance or nature. God is revealed as Father, Son or Word, and Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches a Trinity of the Unity and a Unity of the Trinity. When a person believes in Christ, all three divine persons enter into him or her and dwell there. So Jesus said: 

"Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14: 23 nkjv)

Many verses also speak of the Holy Spirit dwelling in believers. (See Rom. 8: 9; I Cor. 6: 19) So, by God saying "my presences will go with you" he means the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, each being a face of God. 

Yet, to the unsaved, God's presence can be a source of irritation, fear, and grief. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve enjoyed God's presence as much as the angels of heaven. Yet, when they rebelled against God by their transgression, we find it recorded how they fled from that same presence.

"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." (Gen. 3: 8 nkjv)

Once they walked with God, enjoying his immediate presence, but when they sinned they fled from the presence of the Lord. When Christ enters into a believer, his presence becomes a source of great joy and comfort. Believers often "sense" God's presence in a special way, especially when they are praying in the Spirit, or when praising the Lord in Spirit and with jubilant joy and delight, or when in deep meditation and musings upon the word and works of God, or when preaching the gospel to the lost or sharing God's word with other believers. After all Jesus said "where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them." (Matt. 18: 20) "There I am" speaks of his presence. He also told the first missionaries that he would go with them, even to the end of the age. (Matt. 28: 20)

It is difficult to define "presence," much like other words, such as life, death, gravity, etc. What does it mean to be in the presence of another? What does it mean to be in the presence of God? Bible teachers recognize the complexity of defining God's presence, such as when it is said that God is omnipresent, or everywhere present, and yet where it says that God only dwells in believers. There is a general presence and a special presence. Some scholars speak of God's "mystical" presence because of how inexplicable is God's presence. In the text in the heading God tells Moses that his presence(s) will go with him which seems odd if God is already everywhere. Clearly the reference is to God's special presence. Who can doubt that God's presence in heaven is different in some ways than his presence on earth? 

There is an old Christian hymn that describes how the believer in Jesus experiences the loving presence of Christ, the title and words of that spiritual song are as follows:

How Tedious and Tasteless The Hours

1 How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus no longer I see!
Sweet prospects, sweet birds, and sweet flowers,
Have all lost their sweetness to me;
The midsummer sun shines but dim,
The fields strive in vain to look gay;
But when I am happy in Him,
December's as pleasant as May.

2 His name yields the richest perfume,
And sweeter than music His voice;
His presence disperses my gloom,
And makes all within me rejoice;
I should, were He always thus nigh,
Have nothing to wish or to fear;
No mortal so happy as I,
My summer would last all the year.

3 Content with beholding His face,
My all to His pleasure resigned,
No changes of seasons or place
Would make any change in my mind:
While blest with a sense of His love,
A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there.

4 Dear Lord, if indeed I am Thine,
If Thou art my sun and my song,
Say, why do I languish and pine,
And why are my winters so long?
O drive these dark clouds from my sky,
Thy soul-cheering presence restore;
Or take me to Thee upon high,

Where winter and clouds are no more.

The Psalmist said: "In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psa. 16: 11 nkjv) That is certainly true in heaven, but to a lesser degree it is true in the life of the believer, when in prayer, praise, or meditation, he is in a "heavenly place." God's presence ought to be coveted above all things. When I pray I begin with thanking God for all things and the highest blessing I give him thanks for is his indwelling presence. There is no greater blessing than to have God making our hearts his home or temple. So Moses wrote in his exhortation and encouragement to the chosen people of God:

“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?" (Deut. 4: 7 nkjv)

Further, it is a wonderful thing to have God's promise to draw near to us when we draw near to him in faith and repentance. Wrote James: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

The believer can be assured that "The Lord is near" (Phil. 4:5). That "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit." (Psa. 34: 18 mkjv)

God himself says:

"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isa. 57: 15 nkjv)

Thank God for the comfort that comes from his presence with us!