The Believer's Comfort

Q: What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

The Bible speaks extensively about the comfort God provides, especially in difficult times, as seen in Psalm 23. The central theme of comfort for believers in the Bible is rooted in God's faithfulness and presence. Psalm 23 exemplifies this by depicting the Lord as our shepherd who cares for us, guiding us to green pastures and still waters. In Isaiah 40:1, God commands Isaiah to comfort His people, signaling His intent to bring solace to the weary and burdened. This comfort is not based on our circumstances; rather, it stems from our relationship with God, who assures us of His constant presence and provision, as stated in Hebrews 13:5: 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' The comfort that believers find in scripture encourages them to trust in God's sovereignty and goodness, even amidst trials.

Q: How do we know that God comforts us in our trials?

We know God comforts us through His promises in Scripture and His presence in our lives. The assurance of God's comfort in our trials is rooted in His unchanging character and the promises found in Scripture. For instance, Psalm 23 illustrates God's role as our Good Shepherd, who leads and restores us even through the valley of the shadow of death. His guidance and care ensure that we are never alone in our afflictions. Additionally, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 emphasizes that God is the source of all comfort, stating that He comforts us in all our tribulations so that we may also be able to comfort others. This relational aspect of God's comfort signifies that He is actively involved in our struggles, providing peace and assurance as we navigate the challenges of life. Thus, through faith in His Word and past experiences, we can trust in His comforting presence.

Q: Why is the role of a preacher important for providing comfort?

The role of a preacher is vital in providing comfort through preaching the gospel and teaching God's truths to His people. A preacher's primary responsibility includes preaching the gospel and teaching the truths of God’s Word, which are essential for providing comfort to believers. The sermon emphasizes the significant threefold ministry of a preacher: to preach the gospel, to teach the people, and to comfort them in their trials. In doing so, the preacher serves as a conduit for God's message of hope and assurance, reminding the congregation that their struggles are understood and that help is available in Christ. By faithfully expounding Scripture and encouraging believers to rest in God's promises, the preacher helps cultivate a deeper understanding of God's character and His provision. This, in turn, brings comfort during times of distress. As demonstrated in Isaiah 40:1, the call to comfort God’s people is integral to pastoral ministry, highlighting the necessity of preachers who are dedicated to providing spiritual nourishment and reassurance.

Q: How does Psalm 23 illustrate God's care for His people?

Psalm 23 vividly illustrates God's care through imagery of a shepherd guiding and providing for His sheep. Psalm 23 serves as a profound reminder of God's loving care and provision for His people. The imagery of the Lord as a shepherd creates a vivid picture of guidance, protection, and sustenance. The phrase 'He maketh me to lie down in green pastures' signifies rest and nourishment, while 'He leadeth me beside the still waters' represents peace and refreshment. This divine care extends beyond physical needs; it speaks to the restoration of the soul, as highlighted in verse 3, 'He restoreth my soul.' The psalm’s assurance that 'I shall not want' emphasizes the completeness found in trusting God, who is aware of and meets our spiritual and emotional needs. Importantly, even when walking through difficult times, believers can find comfort knowing that God’s presence accompanies them, as stated, 'Thou art with me.' This psalm encapsulates the depth of God’s provision and steadfastness toward His children.

Q: Why should Christians rely on God's promises for comfort?

Christians should rely on God's promises for comfort as they are truths that provide hope and assurance during trials. Relying on God's promises is crucial for Christians as these promises serve as anchors for our faith amidst life's storms. God's Word is filled with assurances that remind believers of His unfailing love, faithfulness, and support. For example, Hebrews 10:23 encourages believers to hold fast to the confession of hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. In tumultuous times, these promises deliver not only comfort but also the strength to persevere through affliction. Additionally, God’s promises affirm His omnipotence and sovereignty, which is particularly comforting when circumstances seem overwhelming. The reassurance found in passages like Romans 8:28, which declares that God works all things for good to those who love Him, reinforces the trust that believers can place in God’s sovereign plan, making His promises vital for spiritual health and comfort.

It is the ministry of God's preacher
to be faithful in preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. When our Lord sent his disciples
out to preach, he said, you go into all the world and you preach
the gospel. Paul said, woe is unto me if
I preach not the gospel. It's our responsibility to preach
the gospel, and I've been preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the gospel of God, the gospel of God's grace, the gospel
of God's glory, the gospel concerning His Son. I've been trying to
faithfully preach that all these years on this broadcast. And
then also, it's the ministry of God's preacher to teach the
people of God the things of Christ. You know, He told them to go
make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son,
and the Holy Spirit, and teach them. Teach them. And I've tried
to do that. I've tried to go verse by verse
through the Scripture, and I've tried to get some of you to follow
in the Scripture, to see if these things be so. Study the Word.
I've written commentaries. I've written commentaries from
Romans chapter 1 all the way to the last verse of Jude. Many
of you have them. If you don't have them, write,
and we'll send them to you. You can buy the six-volume set
of commentaries of the 21 epistles in the New Testament. I've taken
you through the Old Testament. I've tried to teach you, teach
you the thing. One time Spurgeon asked a man,
said, well, what do you believe? He said, I believe what my pastor
believe. And he said, well, what does your pastor believe? He
said, well, he believes what I believe. And Mr. Spurgeon said, well,
what do you and your pastor both believe? He said, same thing.
And that's about all most people know. They're not taught. in
the Word of God. They're not taught in the things
of God. Now, God's preacher will preach the gospel, and he'll
be a teacher, pastor, teacher. He'll teach people the things
of God. But also, there's another ministry
that God's preacher has. It is the ministry of God's preacher
to comfort the people of God. to comfort them in their trials
and comfort them in their troubles. Over in Isaiah chapter 40, the
Lord said to Isaiah, Comfort ye. Comfort ye my people, saith
the Lord, saith the Lord your God. Comfort my people. Speak
ye comfortably to Jerusalem, that is to the church, and cry
unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned, that she hath received double for all her sins." Her
sins are all put away and forgiven. Comfort, my people. So that's
a threefold ministry of God's preacher. He's to preach the
gospel, declare the gospel of Christ. He's to teach the people
the things of God, take the things of Christ as the Spirit of God
gives us wisdom and teach the people that they may grow in
grace and the knowledge of Christ, that they may grow to maturity,
that be not children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine
that comes their way, and then comfort them. God's people are
in much need of comfort. I enjoy the ministry of comfort
because I stand in need of comfort. I stand in need of rest. I stand
in need of peace. And as I speak the words of assurance
and comfort to God's people, when I prepare a message of comfort
and a message of peace and a message of rest and a message of assurance
for those along the way, I too am strengthened. So I enjoy the
ministry of comfort. Now, I would not encourage any
person in false faith, and I don't mean to do that. I don't ever
mean to encourage anyone in false faith. And I don't mean to speak
peace, peace when there is no peace. God deliver us from ever
giving any man assurance who has no faith and confidence in
Christ Jesus. But I can tell you this, at all
times, being a pastor, I pastored the same church almost 40 years. And nearly all the time, my brothers
and my sisters are going through some deep, deep water and some
heavy, heavy trials at this time, right now. And they need to be
comforted. God's people need to be comforted. And I know there's a time for
rebuke, there's a time for exhortation, there's a time for instruction,
there's a time for all these things, but there's a time to
comfort. And that's what I want to do today. I want you to just
pull up your chair now and sit down there and listen to me.
If you're a child of God, if you're a believer, if you're
resting in Christ Jesus, then let me bring you a message of
rest and a message of comfort and a message of assurance. And
I want to turn for this message to a most familiar scripture,
most familiar. I imagine that this passage of
scripture has been in print more than any other single passage
description of the Bible. Every time, and I've held a lot
of funerals, I've been to a lot of funerals, and every funeral
home, almost every funeral has this scripture on the back of
the little paper that they put out with the deceased name and
birthday and day of death and minister who holds the service
and family and so forth. On the back will be the 23rd
Psalm. You've seen it. I shouldn't say
thousands of times, but hundreds of times, thousands also, the
23rd Psalm. It's just so familiar. In fact,
I'm afraid too familiar. Let's read it again. And let's
don't read it like we have read it so many times. Let's don't
read it as those who know it. You say, I know that psalm, but
that's not, I don't want you to read it that way. I want you
to read it as one who knows that shepherd. There's a difference. A lot of people know the psalm
who don't know the shepherd. But I tell you, to know the shepherd
makes the psalm infinitely, infinitely blessing. I heard a story one
time years ago about some people that had a dinner, a huge dinner
party. The main speaker was an old veteran
missionary, preacher of the gospel. Hundreds of people there. And
he spoke for a little while to the people, and then when he
finished speaking, he closed his message, quoting the 23rd
Psalm. He said, The Lord is my shepherd,
and I shall not walk. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. He leads me beside the still
waters." And he went on with that 23rd Psalm. And people began
to weep. Tears began to flow. When he
finished, there was no clapping. There was no applause. There
was not a word. And a man was sitting next to
a well-known actor. a well-known actor. And he turned
to that well-known actor, and he said to him, he said, My friend,
I've heard you quote that psalm many times, but it's never had
the effect it had just then when that preacher quoted it. What's
the difference? Tell me the difference. I've
heard you quote it. You can articulate it eloquently,
and I've heard you quote it, but it's never had that effect
on people. And the actor turned to his friend.
He said, well, the difference is this. I know the psalm. That fellow knows the shepherd.
And I'm telling you, my friend, that's the difference. And I
fear that familiarity, familiarity with some of these precious scriptures
cause us to pass by and overlook and miss the blessings that are
there. and the comfort that's there.
I can tell you, honestly and truthfully, from an old preacher
who's been around a while, my single source of comfort is the
Word of God, not the words of men, not the encouragement of
friends. I mean, my single source of assurance, my single source
of comfort, my single source of confidence is, He hath said. I'll never leave you. I'll never
forsake you." So that I can boldly say, then the Lord is my helper. But I can't say anything till
He says it first. And the more familiar I am with
what He says, the more confidence I can have. So let's look at
it, will you? Want to? Verse 1, Psalm 23, the
Lord, the Lord. is my shepherd." There it is.
That's all my testimony, the Lord. The Lord is my shepherd. That's all my hope. That's all
my assurance. That's all my comfort, the Lord.
Now, not a God, not somebody up there who likes me, not some
God. I'm talking about the one living, true Lord of heaven and
earth, Jehovah, God my Savior. He's my shepherd. the Almighty
One, the All-Powerful One, the All-Sufficient One. He was my
shepherd before the world began. He said He was the shepherd of
the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant. That's
how long He's been my shepherd, before the world began, the everlasting
covenant. He was my shepherd before I knew
He was my shepherd. For 2,000 years ago, he said,
other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them I must
bring. And one day he brought me. He
prophesied a long time ago that he was my shepherd. He's my shepherd
now and he'll always be my shepherd because he said, my sheep hear
my voice and they follow me and I give them eternal life and
they'll never perish. And nobody's ever going to pluck
them out of my hands. My Father gave them to me, and
nobody's going to pluck about His hands either. See that? The
Lord. I wouldn't have any less of a
shepherd than the Lord, the all-sufficient, almighty, sovereign Lord. He's
my shepherd. I don't know whether He's your
shepherd or not. I hope He is. But He's mine,
my shepherd. What is He? My owner. I'm His
sheep. I belong to Him. He's not my co-pilot. He's not
my partner. He's not my inspiration. He's
my shepherd. You see, the Father gave me to
Him. He bought me with His own blood.
He purchased me and called me. He's my shepherd. I'm a dumb,
wandering sheep, and He's my shepherd. He has to find a place
for me to eat and sleep and care for me. I can't care for myself
because he's my shepherd. I don't want to care for myself.
If he wants to feed me or try me, he's still my shepherd. If
he wants to shear me or slay me, he's still my shepherd. If
he wants to hold me close or let me wander, he's still my
shepherd. If he wants to honor me or embarrass me, he's still
my shepherd. And I'm his sheep to do his bidding. And I want it that way. My times
are in his hands. And my God, I want them there.
Not so long ago, we were down in Mexico, and we went up on
top of a mountain to preach in a very isolated village. It was
at night. We drove a four-wheel drive truck.
It was a dangerous road. It took an hour and a half, two
hours to go 12 miles. And we got up there, and it came
a terrible rain and a storm, and the roads were going Going
back, we're going to be awfully, awfully treacherous and dangerous. I was there, and two of the Lord's
missionaries were there. But let me tell you something.
I felt very comfortable and unafraid, and I'll tell you why. Not because
I'm important, not because I have great faith, but I'll tell you
why. I have a great shepherd, a sovereign
Lord, and He's my shepherd. And I'll tell you this, He's
not gonna let anything happen to me until He wills for me to
leave here. And I know that. If He wills
for me to leave this earth off the top of a mountain, I'll leave.
But if He wills for me to leave from my living room, I'll leave
from there. I'm just as safe on that mountain as I am in that
living room. I'm immortal till my shepherd
decrees for me to leave here. And I believe that. See, He is
my shepherd. And no question about that. And
that's where you get your comfort, rest, and peace. It's not that
you have a great deal of faith, but you have faith in a great
Lord. It's not the strength of your faith. It's the strength
of the object of your faith. That's what I'm trying to say
to you. The Lord's my shepherd, and I shall not want. Now, there
may be days of difficulty and days of trial and days of trouble,
but I shall never want. or lack for anything that's for
my good, my eternal good and needful for my welfare. I think
about old Belshazzar there in the temple or in the palace and
he violated God's law and the fingers of a man's hand appeared
on the wall writing, Belshazzar, thou art weighed in the balances
and found wanting. That's an awful thing, wanting,
lacking before God. Not me. Not you. If Christ is
your shepherd, if the Lord's your shepherd, you shall not
lack. Anything you need eternally,
spiritually, for your soul's welfare, you'll never want. In Him are all things. You're
complete in Him. My needs are supplied. Now, I
don't have all my wishes, but I have my needs. I shall not
walk." You know, David, who wrote this psalm, walked every path
you'll ever walk. When I was preparing this message,
I thought about David. He said, the Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not walk. This was true when he was a young
shepherd himself, tending his father's sheep. The Lord is my
shepherd, he said. This was true when, as a young
warrior, he fought the enemies of Israel on the battlefield. The Lord's my shepherd. It was
true when he fled for his life from the wrath of Saul, hiding
in caves and woods and forests. The Lord's my shepherd. It was
true when he took the throne of Israel and all the heavy responsibility
of leadership descended upon his shoulders and everybody started
looking to him. He said, The Lord's my shepherd.
It was true when he fell into sin and the judgment of God came
upon his home. It was true when he grieved over
his children and cried, O Absalom, Absalom, my son, Absalom, would
God I had died for you. The Lord was his shepherd then.
It was true in old age when he lay down to die and he said, The Lord hath made with me an
everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, and this
is all my salvation and all my desire. for the Lord is my shepherd." And then look at the next verse.
Talk about comfort. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. What are these green pastures?
He makes me to lie down, to be at rest, to be at peace in my
thoughts. Our lives are made up of two
things mainly, thoughts and deeds, meditation and action. Most everything will fall under
one of those two, thoughts or deeds, meditation or action. Now in thoughts and meditation,
He makes me to be at rest and peace in my thoughts and to lie
down in green pastures. What are these green pastures?
His Word. I can lie down, feed upon and
find comfort in His Word. I wonder sometimes why all this
yelling and screaming and shouts of war. You know, sometimes I'll
turn the television on, my wife and I, Doris, and people start
yelling and screaming at each other. I just turn it off. I
can't stand this yelling and screaming and violence and shouts
of war. Why all this? Lie down. Be still
and know that I'm God. Rest. Blessed quietness. Let's covet a quietness of spirit. Lie down in the Word of God.
You'll find everything right there in the green pastures.
Just lie down like a sheep in those green pastures of promises
and feed on them. It's going to be okay. It's going
to be all right. I never will forget years ago,
a dear mother, her daughter got pregnant, not married. Mother
was devastated. Father was devastated. Daughter
was devastated. Everybody was devastated. They
came and talked to me, and I was in another city holding a meeting,
and they just, life's over. That's the way they felt. It's
just over. Everything's over. I said, now, wait a minute. This is tragic,
and it's a trial, and it's great trouble. But let me tell you
something. You're people of God, and it's going to be all right. Believe. And just don't say anything
you'll be sorry for. Just don't start popping off
and yelling and screaming. Stop it. Settle down and wait
on the Lord. It's going to be all right."
Well, after the daughter was married and the beautiful baby
came along, about two years later, I was down there in a meeting
and the new grandmother was smiling and happy. And I went by and
I put my arm across her shoulder and I said, I told you it's going
to be all right. All things work together for
good to them who love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. Why do we have to have all this disagreement
and division and conflict? Lie down. He makes me lie down
in green pastures. He leaves me beside still waters. You know, the trials of life
are called deep waters. I've been through some of them.
I know what I'm talking about. Trouble waters, deep waters,
waves of the sea, It seems like the next one's going to take
you right on down with it, but let me tell you something. The
Lord's my shepherd. I shall not want He makes me
lie down in the pasture of promises, and then He leads me beside waters
that He has staled. He was lying in that boat that
night, and the raging sea was tossing that little boat, and
His disciples came back there and said, Lord, don't you care
if we die? And he got up and came to the front of that bow
of that little ship and raised his hand. And he said, peace
be still. And those raging troubled waves
lay down at his feet like a shepherd dog. And he leads me by waters
deep, sometimes trouble, but they're still. I didn't still
them. My friends didn't still them.
He did. And I'll tell you, when you think
of your troubles and your trials, never lose sight of this fact,
that every trial is sent by Him. Now, you let these preachers
talk about the devil's power all you want to, but the devil
has no power at all over God's people without God's permission.
God sends our trials, and His grace is sufficient for everyone.
Notice this third verse. He restores my soul. I'm a soul. I'm not a body. I'm a soul. I
have a body, but I am a soul. And He restores my soul. That means He restores me. He
restores me to life. In Adam I died. He restores me
to purity. In sin my mother conceived me.
He restores me to God, for I was lost. He restores me to power. For I've been made in him a king
and a priest, and he restores me daily, for I'm still prone
to fall. He restoreth my soul." And you
know what he tells us in Galatians 6, 1? He tells us to do the same
thing for others. He says, "'Brethren, if a man
be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a
one in the spirit of meekness.'" considering thyself, lest I also
be tempted." Who restored my soul? He did. Well, how'd He
do that? He died for me. He obeyed the
law for me. He intercedes for me. He's my
substitute, my Savior. And then He leads me in paths
of righteousness, for His name's sake. There's a path of holiness
which no son of Adam has ever walked. No son of Adam. has ever walked, that perfect
path of holiness. But the Son of God, who became
the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, He walked that path. He walked it, and He walked it
on behalf of all of His people. And He has imputed to us that
perfect holiness and that perfect righteousness which He accomplished
by walking that path, and in Him I walk in paths of righteousness,
accepted in the Beloved. In the Beloved accepted am I,
risen, ascended, and seated on high. And yea, though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death. Now what is this? I know nearly everyone considers
this value of the shadow of death to be physical death, but I don't. I don't believe that at all.
I believe it refers to, right now, walking through this world. This world is a world of death
and shadows and darkness. Death to the believer is not
unpleasant. Death is carnation. Death is
victory. You know, When I die, I'm not
going to walk through a valley of the shadow of death. When
I die, I'm coming into the light. I'm going into glory. So that's
not talking about my death. Even old Balaam said, let me
die the death of the righteous. Let my latter end be like his.
If a believer's lying here on a bed and dying, he's not walking
through the valley of the shadow of death. He's leaving it. So
the valley of the shadow of death is right now what you and I are
walking through. This is the valley of death. The fall of
Adam brought death and darkness. But what's this? We're walking
through it. We're not tarrying. This is not my home. I'm not
camping here. I walk through this valley of
death. But notice the word here, shadows,
shadows, shadows. This valley of death has only
shadows. The shadow of a dog can't bite,
scare the life out of you. The shadow of a gun can't kill.
The shadow of a knife can't cut. And these fears are just shadows
because Christ has taken the substance out of them and the
sting out of death. It can't touch you. Yea, though
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear
no evil. Why? Because I'm brave? No, I'm
not brave. Thou art with me. Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil." Why? Because I have more faith than
anybody? No, I don't have that kind of
faith. Wish I did, but He's with me. Why should I be afraid when
He's with me? Evil can't control where He controls. Evil can't reign where he reigns.
If God be for me, who in the world can be against me? His
rod and his staff comfort me, and he prepares a table before
me in the presence of mine enemies. I got... If you didn't have enemies,
you wouldn't be like your Lord because he had enemies. What's
that table? It's the Lord's table. This is my body broken for you
and my blood shed for you. My cup runs over. Surely two
bodyguards will follow me all the days of my life. Surely goodness
and mercy gonna follow me and I'm gonna dwell in the house
of the Lord forever you want this tape faith comes by hearing
and Comfort for believers right send two dollars. Here's the
address till next week. God bless you

The Believer's Comfort

What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

How do we know that God comforts us in our trials?

Why is the role of a preacher important for providing comfort?

How does Psalm 23 illustrate God's care for His people?

Why should Christians rely on God's promises for comfort?

Sermon Transcript

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The Believer's Comfort

What does the Bible say about comfort for believers?

How do we know that God comforts us in our trials?

Why is the role of a preacher important for providing comfort?

How does Psalm 23 illustrate God's care for His people?

Why should Christians rely on God's promises for comfort?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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