Have you noticed lately that God's moving on the earth and in his people? Hopefully you've experienced him moving in your life personally lately in deep and powerful ways. That is my prayer for you. Recently after dropping my wife and daughter off at the airport I experienced that very thing. Usually for me it begins with a worship song and that's how it began this time as well. When I arrived home I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness knowing how I'd miss them until the day when they would finally return. I also feel a similar pain and longing within often for family and friends who have moved on in life. I long to be reunited with them all one day in person as well.
Isn't that the way it is often for you and I as believers? If we really love the Lord we miss him dearly and long for his return. The closer we get to him the more we miss him and want to see him. He's done it all for us and we want to thank him and worship him in person at his feet. I eventually ended up that morning on my knees sobbing simply overwhelmed realizing just how much I would really miss them. It was through those tears I felt God's presence and comfort in a very powerful and wonderful way. He made himself real to me once again like only he can do!
I love what the apostle Paul wrote about the comfort God gives us in all our suffering in his second letter to the church in Corinth when he said this, "ALL PRAISE TO GOD THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. GOD IS OUR MERCIFUL FATHER AND THE SOURCE OF ALL COMFORT. HE COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT OTHERS. WHEN THEY ARE TROUBLED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE SAME COMFORT THAT GOD GIVES US. FOR THE MORE WE SUFFER FOR CHRIST, THE MORE GOD WILL SHOWER US WITH HIS COMFORT THROUGH CHRIST (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)." Paul goes on to say how that as a result of the overwhelming trouble he faced in Asia Minor he learned to patiently endure by relying totally on God who raises the dead!
I recently heard a powerful and humbling message by Ray Bentley. He's the Pastor of Maranatha Chapel in San Diego, CA. He was teaching on the suffering of the church in Smyrna. He shared with us how today in Tehran, Iran young Pastors there ministering in Evin Prison are suffering great persecution. They are risking their very lives for the sake of the gospel as are many others there in the region and around the world. Look what Jesus said in his letter to the church in Smyrna, "I KNOW ABOUT YOUR SUFFERING AND YOUR POVERTY BUT YOU ARE RICH. I KNOW THE BLASPHEMY OF THOSE OPPOSING YOU. THEY SAY THEY ARE JEWS BUT THEY ARE NOT BECAUSE THEIR SYNAGOGUE BELONGS TO SATAN (Revelation 2:9)." Please pray for the believers in Iran and those around the world as well being persecuted today for their faith. And whatever you're personally suffering today know he's there for you too! Trust in Jesus he loves you he'll see you through.
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