Podcasts about Comforter

Our Founding Pastor, Willie George, continues week eleven of our teaching series, Breakthrough. The Holy Spirit was given as our Helper, our divine guarantee, that God has placed within us. Through Him, we step into a life marked by wisdom, love, and supernatural might to do what God has called us to do. As we walk in the love of God, the power of God can freely work in and through us.   In this message, Pastor Willie explores the following Scriptures:   John 14:16 KJV 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;   2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NKJV 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.   2 Timothy 1:6-7 KJV 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.   Ephesians 1:15-17 KJV 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him...   Proverbs 4:7 KJV 7 Wisdom is the principal thing...   Isaiah 37:3 ESV 3 "...children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth."   Ephesians 3:14-16 KJV 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;   Judges 13:25 NIV 25 and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.   Ephesians 3:16-19 KJV 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.   Matthew 9:35-36 KJV 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching... preaching..., and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. – Next Steps Looking to take a next step? We'd love to help you get connected.

I opened the refrigerator and there it was again - the pig! Yes, years ago someone bought it, put it in the refrigerator for a while and then it disappeared. I thought maybe he'd gone to the bacon factory, but then the pig was back. See, this pig was actually plastic, and whenever you would open the door, the plastic pig started oinking at you. It's annoying, but it does make you think about what you're about to do to yourself. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The No Regrets Alarm." Our word for today from the Word of God - very familiar verses from Matthew 6, beginning at verse 9, "This then is how you should pray." And this is what we commonly call The Lord's Prayer of course. "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." How many times have you prayed that? That's an important prayer. We almost don't think about those words. "Lead me not into temptation; deliver me from evil." In other words, "Lord, help me see where the temptation is. Help me steer away from it. Keep me from anything that the Devil might be trying to get me to do." Well, how do you do that? That's through His Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit, who He called the Comforter, would do that. He said it in John 16:8. He promises "that the Holy Spirit - the Comforter - when He is come, He will convict the world of sin." He also said in John 14:26 He will "bring to your remembrance all the things that I have taught you." In other words, the Holy Spirit's going to bring to mind how Jesus feels about this. The day you put your trust in Jesus as your Savior, God plants in your soul a sin alarm. Now somebody planted a gluttony alarm in our refrigerator; this noise that makes you stop and think before you reach for something. It was annoying, but the pig could keep you from doing something you would regret later; like how you'll feel when you step on the scale tomorrow. We do need some noise inside of us when we're about to reach for something we're going to later regret. And God delivers us from evil if we will listen to the inner alarms He triggers when we are about to sin. He says something like, "That's not the truth; don't lie. That's not pure; don't watch it. That's going to hurt; don't say it. That's going too far; don't do it." See, one alarm in us is what I call Scripture brakes. God brings to your mind a statement from the Word of God that keeps you from making a mistake if you listen. It's the brakes; step on the brakes. D. L. Moody said that "When you think sin you ought to think Scripture." That's why it's important to commit to memory verses that God can later use to warn you away from the edge. Psalm 119: "I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I will not sin against You." Now, another sin alarm is what I call shame warnings. See, many of us don't carry a sense of shame from the sins of the past, and God erased those from His books if you've brought those sins to Jesus. But sometimes the shame feelings are there a long time after God has forgiven us. And that's actually not all bad, because God can remind you of the damage that comes from saying yes to that temptation, using the shame warnings from the past. Listen to those. One other sin alarm that God uses when you're reaching for something that could hurt you is Spirit tremors. It's an uneasiness in your spirit that says, "This just isn't right." That's probably the stirring of the Holy Spirit. Listen to that inner warning. But respond immediately and put on the Scripture brakes, respond to the shame warnings, to the Spirit tremors before sin drowns them out and you grab a plateful of regrets. After a while, I have to admit I got immune to that pig warning in the fridge. I finally just put it away. Don't do that with the Holy Spirit alarm system inside you. Do not quench the Spirit, because He knows the price tag for what you are about to grab.

Join Eric and special guest Daniel Nuñez, pastor of Ministerios Transformación, our church partner in northern Baja, Mexico! Together, they talk about church planting, Jesus' Great Commission for us, and how we're all called to share the gospel with the nations.To "Give and Go" and be a part of reaching people around the world with the love of Jesus, click here!

BIBLE STUDY| MIRACLES OF JESUS SERIES.|THE FIFTH MIRACLE OF JESUS pt.20| THE POWER OF RETREAT|JESUS WALKING ON WATER| CHIMDI OHAHUNA God loves us too much to torture us; His desire is that we grow in knowledge of Him daily. In this landmark 20th session of the Fifth Miracle of Jesus Bible Study, we turn our attention to the profound subject of Supplication, a vital expression of prayer that reveals not just how we pray, but who we pray to. Highlights & Key Notes - The Meaning of Supplication: From Psalm 6:9, the Hebrew word techinnah speaks of favor and graciousness, rooted in chanan to stoop in kindness, to show mercy, to entreat. Supplication is not casual; it is heartfelt entreaty, a petition that stirs emotion and calls upon God's mercy. - Old Testament Perspective: Supplication was often a plea for mercy and favor, requiring men to act as their own mediators before God. Job longed for a Daysman, a mediator to stand between himself and God. - New Testament Reality: Through Christ Jesus, the Mediator, supplication is no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. Acts 1:14 and Ephesians 6:18 affirm that prayer and supplication are empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. - Supplication and Prayer Together: Philippians 4:6 reveals that supplication is inseparable from prayer. It is not prayer in fullness but a vital part of it, joined with thanksgiving and requests. - Power in the Word: God responds not to the volume of our voice but to the volume of His Word within us. Even Satan is threatened only by the Word we carry, not by our loudness. - Greek Insight: The Greek deēsis conveys petition, need, and entreaty, rooted in deomai, meaning, to beg, to bind oneself. Supplication is binding oneself to God through petition, made possible by the grace already secured in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). - Contrast of Covenants: In the Old Testament, supplication was from the standpoint of judgment. In the New Testament, it flows from Christ, who Himself is the mercy, grace, and favor of God (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 12:24; 2 Peter 1:3). - Practical Illustration: Hannah's supplication shows how binding oneself to God's will through petition can align with divine purpose, bringing forth prophetic fulfillment. Why This Session Matters Supplication is more than asking, it is binding, entreating, and aligning with God's will through Christ. It transforms prayer from mere words into covenant petitions that manifest the weights of God on earth. This session will inspire you to approach supplication not as begging for what you lack, but as drawing from the abundance already secured in Christ Jesus. Listen now to the full audio teaching on the GRACELIFECOMI Podcast. Kindly, stay updated on future episodes of this enriching series!. Any questions arising from this study can be submitted to chimdiohahunaministry@gmail.com. Check our bio to know how to give your love offerings to the ministry. Jesus is Lord.

Reading the Bible can feel intimidating, especially when we try to understand it on our own. Emily Rose Massey reflects on her own journey of faith, realizing that the Holy Spirit—our Helper and Teacher—guides believers into understanding God’s Word. With the Spirit’s illumination, scripture becomes more than words on a page; it becomes life-giving truth that shapes our hearts, transforms our minds, and draws us closer to God. Highlights The Bible is a gift from God, meant to guide us in knowing Him and living faithfully. Spiritual understanding comes through the Holy Spirit, not human effort alone. The Holy Spirit brings scripture to remembrance and illuminates its meaning over time. Consistent Bible reading allows God’s truth to take root in our hearts. Even with distractions and intimidation, the Holy Spirit helps us comprehend God’s Word for deeper worship and life transformation. This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: The Holy Spirit Is the Best Teacher By: Emily Rose Massey Bible Reading: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). In high school, I was gifted a Bible when I became a member of my new church. I was so excited to start reading it and learn more about God, but as time went on, I became more and more intimidated by its pages. Where do I begin? Do I start in Genesis and just read through it beginning to end? Do I need to spend time memorizing what I’m reading? What does this word mean? These thoughts circled my teenage mind, and I was so hesitant to even dive in for fear that I wouldn’t understand what I was reading. It didn’t take long for schoolwork and all of the extracurricular activities I was involved in to crowd out any downtime to make space to read my Bible. Soon enough, that Bible would find a permanent home on my bookshelf, left untouched. I hate to admit it, but the intimidation and distractions would follow me all through college as well. When I was stressed out, I would glance at my neglected Bible and randomly open it and try to soak up some hope for my weary soul. Although I heard the gospel as a teen and was a professing Christian for six years, it wasn’t until after I graduated from college that God granted me genuine repentance from my sin and rebellion and gave me the faith to fully surrender my life to Christ and trust Him completely. One Sunday, I stepped foot in a church service for the first time in a few years, and I believe I was born again that day, as the reality of offending a Holy God and my desperate need to turn to Jesus, take up my cross, and follow Him overwhelmed me for the first time in my life. After that moment, my whole world changed, and I suddenly had a deep desire to read my Bible and obey God. I look back and see the difference between my high school and college days was that I was trying to understand what I was reading without the help of the Holy Spirit. Once I became born again at the age of twenty-two, I was given the gift of the Holy Spirit- Jesus describes Him as a Comforter as well as a Helper and Teacher in John 14: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). Intersecting Faith & Life: As born-again believers, when we open the pages of scripture, we are not left on our own to understand what we are reading. We have a Helper and a great Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to guide us in our pursuit of growing in the knowledge of the Lord. He illuminates the truth to us over time and will bring what we have read to our remembrance. This is why it is so important to consistently be reading our Bibles, so that we can store what we are studying in our hearts. The Bible is a gift from God to help us in our daily lives- to be able to learn of God’s ways and learn who God truly is so that we can grow closer to Him and worship Him rightly. I have to admit that I sometimes still struggle with intimidation and distraction when it comes to reading my Bible, but after walking with the Lord for over fifteen years now, I know that I am not left alone on this journey. I have a Helper who guides me into all truth and supernaturally helps me understand the words I am reading- words that are spirit and life (John 6:63). He is always with me, and I can always ask Him for help. Dear Christian, let us thank the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The One who convicts us of sin when we daily fall short. The One who is our ever-present help in times of need and who guides us into all truth. If you are struggling to study the Bible or are intimidated by it, He will supernaturally illuminate what you are reading and give you the ability to comprehend, not just for head knowledge, but ultimately, to help you know God more deeply so that you can worship Him more fully. Oh, what a wonderful gift from above! Further Reading: Romans 8:26John 16:12-15 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sermon: Today, the Holy Spirit is the ComforterBy Brother Carlos Alberto Baena, worldwide head pastor of the ChurchLocation: La Colina, Bogota ColombiaStreamed on March 8, 2026Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ Internationalhttps://idmji.org/en

How they are still with us! The Continuing Presence of Our Loved Ones After Death Death hurts. When someone we love dies, nothing can simply “fix” that loss. The absence feels real. The silence can feel overwhelming. We often speak of seeing our loved ones again in heaven someday. The church teaches us to trust in life after death. But is that all we are given to hold onto as we walk through the sharp reality of grief? There is good news. There is more. There is comfort for grieving hearts. There is hope that reaches into the present moment—not only into some distant reunion. Join us this Sunday as we explore the ways our loved ones continue to be present with us, even after death. When Jesus told His disciples that He was going to leave them, that He would be crucified, He also said something astonishing: “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you… You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:7, 20) What if departure is not the end of presence? What if love is stronger—and nearer—than we have imagined? Come and discover the hope that speaks to our grief and the comfort that meets us where we are. with Rev. Alan Cowley 3/8/26 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to Subscribe and review our podcast wherever you get your podcasts. It is the #1 way to support this podcast, and it's free! Go to the main podcast page, scroll down and at the bottom you'll find a place to rate the podcast and to leave a review.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and YouTube @newchurchlive  Visit our Website and Make a donation to support our church community Video of Service HERE

John's Gospel records Jesus using the Greek word paraclete four times, translated into English differently depending on the Bible version, e.g. Advocate, Helper, Comforter, Intercessor, Counsellor, Strengthener. Perhaps the best word for our experience of the Holy Spirit is Friend, and we better understand the other translations when seen through the lens of a close friend. We learn that the Holy Spirit is "another friend", the same as Jesus; that he is our "forever friend" - always with us; and that he is our closest friend - so close he is even within us. So what is your experience of the Holy Spirit right now? We can ask for a fresh filling with our Friend today.

(This podcast was previously published on April 26, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   After we are born again by the Spirit of God, God puts HIS laws for the New Testament church directly into our hearts and minds.   Hebrews 8:10-11 God says: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put MY laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to ME a people:   11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know ME, from the least to the greatest.   Often God will put HIS own desire into our hearts so that we desire to do that thing even before the situation arises.   But if we are about to go in a way that would not be of God, HE can cause our heart to change to go even in a way opposite from that which we thought we wanted to go.   God just puts in our heart another desire and leads us that new way.   God shields us from those things that would not be beneficial for us, and keeps us from that which would hurt us and destroy us.  And HE leads us into a more abundant life than we could have had otherwise.   God even puts HIS own laws into our hearts and minds.   Hebrews 10:16   God says:  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put MY laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;   I John 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of HIM abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in HIM.   (Abide in that which God has told you.)   28 And now, little children, abide in HIM; that, when HE shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before HIM at HIS coming.   29 If ye know that HE is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of HIM.   *****   John 14:26  Jesus says:  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 16:13  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   I Corinthians 2   9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love HIM.   10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.   11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.   12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.   13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.   ***   If we are of God, we are righteous, because of that which God has shown us, and the Spirit of God dwells in us to remind us of all things that we have heard from God.   I Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?   We pray continually for the will of God to be done in our lives on this present earth.  

Solomon continues his reflections about life, but shifts his focus from time and eternity to relationships. As he examined all types of societal and relational situations, he concluded that life is best when it is shared with others. In the good times and the bad, we need each other. But he also recognized that even the strongest and best relationships can be fragile and incomplete. No one can fill all of our needs all of the time. God is the only One who can provide perfect stability, help, support, strength, peace, and rest. We should look to Him as our ultimate Comforter, Partner, Companion, and Protector, because only in Him will we find true meaning and purpose.

By Mary Lindow SUFFERING AND SORROW ARE A PART OF LIFE Knowing this, however, doesn't make it any easier to cope when you find yourself in the midst of the deepest, darkest trials of faith, and mentally anguish and strain. Don't you wish Christianity could make you exempt from suffering? That would be great, but as most of us have learned, following our faith doesn't give us a free ride. We catch as much trouble as unbelievers—often more. The difference, of course, is that we can turn to Jesus when things go wrong. Unbelievers might argue that we're only turning to our imagination, but we know better. At some time in your life, however, suffering will hit you so hard that you won't be able to do any of those things, and that dark time will probably visit you more than once. “Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.” Psalm 112:4   WE ALL WANT THINGS WE DON'T GET. Maybe it's a person you're sure would make a perfect spouse, and the relationship crumbles apart. Maybe it's a better job or promotion, and you don't make the cut. Or it might be a goal you poured your time and energy into, and it doesn't come to pass or others sabotage it all. All of us have prayed for the recovery of loved ones who were ill, but they died anyway. It takes real spiritual maturity to stay faithful when things go wrong, but severing our relationship with God punishes us, not him. It's self-destructive behavior that can put us on the path to a miserable life. The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) teaches us that God always wants us to come back to him. Whether your problem is discouragement, illness or aging, sometimes all you have left is Jesus. When you're angry and bitter, you can still cling to Jesus in the midst of your tears. You can grab onto him and refuse to let go until he brings you through it. You'll find, to your surprise that he holds on to you even tighter than you hold on to him.   JESUS UNDERSTANDS SORROW He knows about being hurt. He remembers the terrible moment on the cross when his Father was forced to abandon him, because he was filthy from taking on our sins. Jesus won't let you go.' And as you age and start down the path from this life to the next, Jesus will take your hand to guide you. He appreciates all that you have done for him through the years, but what he has always wanted most is your love. So there you are in the middle of one of life's train-wrecks-dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe-or bomb-will be dropping next, and up walks Job's comforters. We all remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job. Then, in a series of overlapping upheavals, he lost everything and everybody except his wife-who turned out to be a whole lot less than sympathetic in her changed status. Battered Job ends up sitting alone on a pile of dirt, scratching his boil-covered body with some broken pottery.   WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH POOR JOB. Life drags us through some tough times of loss that make us feel every bit like Job. Caught in a vortex of pain, and wondering if we'll ever make it to safety. And, boy, do we recognize Job's so-called friends who showed up to by all accounts offer support and comfort. As they sat with Job in his misery, they took turns playing a self-centered, self-righteous, can-you-top-this game of knowing for certain that every bit of Job ‘s disaster had to be his own fault or a lack of trust in God. They weren't sure how or why because Job seemed so decent, but deep down, they insisted, he just couldn't be all he pretended to be.   THIS IS FAMILIAR TERRITORY You get fired, and friends smirk knowingly when you try to explain the political nature of the event. Your child gets into difficulty-well; you know the kind of comfort you'll get from friends about that. (It probably started sometime during potty training.) Yet others try to “help” you with what I call “prayer lecturing.” While praying “for and with you” they let you (and God) know just how lucky you should be to even have running water, had a meal that day and more! Not really comforting in any way, and very very short on compassion. Yet, from the story, it's clear that Job was completely innocent. Dreadful things do happen to completely innocent people, good people. Because of their opinion of Job's guilt, history has bestowed his friends- (and their current replicas) – the label, “Job's comforters.” So-called friends who add to a suffering person's anguish by piling on false charges of blame and guilt and harsh reprimand for daring to show sadness or agony. You may never have met anybody like Job, but you've met his comforters on more than one occasion. They seem to be everywhere.   WE CAN CHARGE SOME OF IT OFF TO JEALOUSY Job had everything a person could dream of wanting-and then some-so jealousy was never more than a stone's throw away. The green-eyed monster is a little more subtle with people living everyday, typical lives, but jealousy doesn't need much ground to take root and grow with vigor.   WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT BAD THINGS MAY HAPPEN TO US! If bad things happen to people who don't deserve them, they could happen to anybody, including me. If I don't want bad things to happen to me, (who does?), I have to persuade myself and everybody around me that the victim's actions caused the problem. If blame can be assigned, then I'll be safe as long as I'm good. In other words, if I can claim that the cause of your problem is something you do that I don't do, then what happened to you can't happen to me. There is, of course, n o logic to this, but it brings some shaky comfort to frightened hearts. We see this thinking at work when people stare numbly at adversity and ask, “What did I do to deserve this?” Sometimes the answer is, “nothing.”   HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF "WHY ME?" And it doesn't have to be bad; you could be excited from something wonderful. Most often then not I ask myself this after something I am looking forward to goes wrong. Even at times when something goes wrong I lay awake at night and my thoughts wonder to what previously occurred. I am sure everyone does it at times, wishing for another try or chance. You may lay awake thinking about your suffering, part of life's suffering is misery's shadow persisting/hanging on; not only do you suffer but you have to think about suffering. I can't prove this with statistics or find it any book I know of, yet I would say that more people either come to the faith or fall away because of this reason above all; the disturbance of suffering. YOU SEE GOD USES TIMES OF SUFFERING… ...TO TEACH AND GROW US. If you allow yourself to recount your sufferings, did you not learn more about faith while suffering then any other time?  It has been said that; “Blessings are God's whispers, he speaks in our conscience, but shouts to us in our suffering.” “O my Comforter in sorrow, My heart is faint within me.” Jeremiah 8:18 Suffering becomes the only way to realize our hollow spiritual self. Pain is unmasked, and every person knows when something is not right when they are hurting. Pain insists upon being attended to. So when you travel down this line of thought you come to the idea, why do I or someone else suffer when others don't?   I KNOW SUFFERING IS EXHAUSTING AND PAIN HURTS That is why it is called pain and suffering. If there were an escape a person of great wisdom and insight would have done it already. Yet Discipleship demands such trials to compel us towards renewal. Read Hebrews 2:10 “God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.” The real question is what to do when life has just punched us a good one, and Job's comforters show up at our door. Nobody says we have to let them in. And certainly nobody says we have to entertain them. And, most positively, nobody says we have to believe them. “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, So also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:5 We can sort out the who's-to-blame-for-what after we get some solid ground under our feet and a little energy back into our lives. But we still won't want Job's comforters anywhere around us… ...We will want people who care. "Compassion" To me not to be kind  is evil of the mind. No need to pray or preach, Let us our children teach  with every fond caress, Pity and gentleness: So in the end may we  God's Kingdom cause to be. Author  of Poem- R.W. Service   Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included.  www.marylindow.com www.marylindow.podbean.com Thank You! Copyright © "2026"  "The Advocate of Hope" Your Gracious Support and Donations Are So Very Helpful And Assist Mary In Publishing Her Teaching Podcasts and Blog Materials. THANK YOU! Please go to PAYPAL to donate  or support this ministry;  Donate to the tax deductible ministry name of:  paypal.me/mlindow    (His Beloved Ministries Inc.)  or  You Can Mail a Check or Cashiers Check to:  His Beloved Ministries INC  PO Box 1253  Eastlake CO 80614  United States    

This chapter of Ecclesiastes presents a stark portrayal of human despair under the sun, exposing the futility of life devoid of God—marked by pervasive oppression, envious toil, and isolating loneliness—yet it serves as a divine warning against seeking meaning in worldly achievements, political power, or self-sustaining effort. The preacher underscores the total depravity of humanity, revealing how sin distorts relationships, fuels jealousy, and leads to spiritual and emotional isolation, all while highlighting the absence of God as the root of such darkness. Nevertheless, the chapter points beyond itself to the ultimate solution: Christ, the true King, Comforter, and Companion, who alone provides lasting contentment, rest, and a community of believers that reflects God's sovereign design. Through this sobering lens, the message becomes clear: true meaning, justice, and fulfillment are found not in the world's systems, but in Christ and His body, where love, humility, and shared purpose replace envy, oppression, and pride.

In John 14:15-31, Jesus comforts His disciples by teaching that genuine love for Him is demonstrated through obedience to His commands, which opens the way for the Father to send "another Counselor"—the Holy Spirit, the permanent Paraclete (Helper, Advocate, Spirit of truth). Unlike Jesus' temporary earthly presence, the Spirit will dwell forever within believers, ensuring they are never left as orphans: He comforts and strengthens, teaches and reminds them of Jesus' words, guides into all truth, testifies to Christ, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and enables intimate mutual indwelling with the Father and Son. Tied to Jesus' death, resurrection, and return to the Father, this promise replaces fear with transcendent peace, turns sorrow into joy, displays Jesus' sinless obedience and love for the Father (despite Satan's approach), and empowers believers for greater works through the Spirit's ongoing presence and help.

(This podcast was previously published on April 24, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Do you hear the voice of Jesus?  Are you aware of the Holy Spirit of Jesus bringing thoughts to your mind to help you and to guide you in the way of God?   Are you born again?  If you are born again you do have the Spirit of God in you.   I Corinthians 3:16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?   Jesus says:   John 10:27-29  MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of MY hand.   MY Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no man (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand.   I Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?   The Spirit of God which is in us guides us into all truth, reminds us of that which Jesus has said to us, teaches us all things, and shows us things to come.  (John 14:26, John 16:13)   The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, the helper.   If you have been born again, you have the Spirit of God in you.  Therefore you are able to follow what Jesus says to you by HIS Spirit.  You can hear Jesus' voice as the Holy Spirit brings thoughts to your mind to show you what to do.   You might need to be more aware of thoughts coming to your mind.  And how to recognize those thoughts that are from Jesus by HIS Spirit.   Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.   *****   My experience is that the Holy Spirit speaks in a very gentle voice, bringing to my mind scriptures and concepts in the moments that I have to make decisions in this life so I can know the way God wants me to go in the issues at hand.   John 14:26  Jesus says:  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 16:13  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth:  for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   I Corinthians 2   9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love HIM.   10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.   11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.   12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.   13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.   

(This podcast was previously published on April 16, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   After we are born again by the Spirit of God, God seals us with HIS Spirit, and HIS Holy Spirit lives in us to show us the will of God as we continue in this present life.   Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,   Jesus says:   John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.   He brings to our mind scriptures and concepts to show us the way of God as we deal with our present decisions in this life.   John 16:13   Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   The Holy Spirit lives inside each believer and HE is always with us to help us in the ways of God.   I Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?   The Holy Spirit of truth is a great help to us and a great comforter and assurance, especially in times of change.   Often even before the change, God prepares us for the change by giving us information from the Holy Spirit to show us things to come.   This Podcast tells of such a change and the ways God prepared me by HIS Spirit.   *****   I lived many years alone, by myself, in a house in Texas.   In 2018, I could still drive my car and go to grocery store and prepare my meals.  But I began feeling that I no longer wanted to live alone.   I had a large house in Texas, but I began to desire having a smaller living space with fewer responsibilities.   On December 6, 2018, I fell at my house in Texas.  As the ambulance workers rolled me past the front door of my house, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the following information.  "You'll never see this house again."   I knew immediately this was information from God.  It did not trouble me at all.  I knew God had another plan for me and I was happy to go the way of God for I had experience with God and knew this would be a better way to live.   I put my house in Texas up for sale even while I was in the hospital.   At that time, I didn't know where I would be going but I believed I would never see the Texas house again.  I had no concern at all.   A few times in the months before I fell, I thought of moving to Colorado Springs.  One of our church women lives there and we work together on the church blog and ministry books, and I thought it would be good to live where she lives, in the same city.  (I suspect it was God planting this in my mind to cause me to go in peace when the plan unfolded in the next few months.)   John 13:16   Jesus says:  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   (God was guiding me step by step into all truth and God was showing me things to come.)   During the 2 1/2 months in the rehabilitation hospital in Texas, the plan unfolded for me to move to Colorado Springs and to live in the home of Pam Padgett, a member of the body of Christ.   Because of all those things put into my heart by God, I had no doubt at all about this plan.   God prepared me for a very big change, and it was really good, and worked out great!   I don't think it would have been as easy without the work of the Holy Spirit in showing me step by step the way of God for me.   The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and the comforter to the people of God.  And HE shows us the will of God and that is all that really matters.  If we know this is the will of God for us, we go forth with great assurance.   Isaiah 55   8 For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the LORD.   9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.   10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:   11 So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.   12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.   13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.  

031.พระผู้เล้าโลมลงมา(The Comforter Has Come) by คริสตจักรตรัง

(This podcast was previously published on April 17, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    Before we do anything, we must evaluate:  Did God tell me to do this?   As a new Christian, I owned a small business in Dallas, Texas.  A young woman filed a charge against me in US Courts.   I heard:  "Don't testify."   I believed it was God telling me this word.  Since I believed that, I told my lawyer I would not be testifying.   A woman who worked for me witnessed the situation that happened with the young woman at my shop.   My lawyer said he thought with Flo's testimony, we would win the case.  But he said, "I know we will win if you testify."   But I told my lawyer I thought God told me, "Don't testify."   The case went to court.  Flo testified but my lawyer wasn't satisfied with her testimony and he said to me:  "But if you will testify, I know we will win.   I told my lawyer I would check.   I went into the ladies room at the courthouse.  I prayed, "God ... what do YOU want me to do?"   I heard, "Don't testify."   I returned to the court room.  The lawyer looked at me and I just shook my head, "NO."   The trial continued for two days.   I was acquitted of all charges.   The only thing that matters is:  What does God want me to do?   Was that God who gave me that word?   If we are persuaded it was God who told us to do that, then that is what we do.   The only way we can endure is if we have fully established that what we are doing is what God wants done and we have God's word on the matter.   Are you able to recognize the thoughts brought by the Holy Spirit?   *****   Are you able to recognize when ideas are from devils, or from your own flesh?   James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.   Was that thought from God?  or another spirit?   ***   In 1980, a young couple were attending Word of Faith church, which I also attended at that time. They said God had called them to go to Israel "to minister".   They quit their secular jobs and headed out to Israel.   A week later, they were back at church.   "What happened?'  we asked.   They said it was completely impossible for them to work in Israel because they did not know the language.   People often want to do a "big" work for God.   But is that really God leading you, or is it your own desire?   Without a strong word from God, it is impossible to do an act of "faith", for first you must have that Word upon which to build your faith, and that word must come from the Spirit that is of God.   Jesus said:   Matthew 7:21-23   Not every one that saith unto ME, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of MY Father which is in heaven.   22 Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?   23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.   The devil tempted Jesus:   Matthew 4:5-7   Then the devil taketh HIM (Jesus) up into the holy city, and setteth HIM on a pinnacle of the temple,  And saith unto HIM, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.   7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. ***   I've had many times I have heard from the Holy Spirit of God concerning what to do. Sometimes I will be reminded of a scripture and other times I will have a concept brought to my mind.   * I was driving along the road when a truck loaded with firewood pulled up beside me.  I looked at the wood and thought how much I would like to have a wood burning fireplace instead of gas logs.  To my mind came the following from the Holy Spirit:  "You can have this."   * I fell at my house in Texas and was very badly injured.  I began trying to crawl to an area where there was a phone, but the pain was so severe I could only manage about an inch at a time before having to quit.  I lived alone and it was a week before someone was due to come to my house.  If I couldn't get to the phone, I felt I would die.  And as I considered this, I heard the following from the Holy Spirit.  "You can do this."  Because of that Word which I knew was from God, I continued inching my way toward the phone.   * After an accident at my house in Texas, the ambulance workers were rolling me past the front door of my house and I heard this from the Holy Spirit. "You'll never see this house again."  I put that house up for sale while I was still in the hospital in Texas.   John 16:13   Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   * I moved to Colorado in 2019.  My house in Texas was still for sale when the Coronavirus struck in March 2020.  I was very concerned.  I asked God if there was anything I should do about that house in Texas.  I heard this immediately by the Holy Spirit:  "Lower the price of the house and put it on a special sale for one week."  I did that and the house sold in 2 days after it had been on the market for 1-1/2 years.   * I was considering having my 25-year-old car seats reupholstered.  As I thought about this, the Holy Spirit said:  "Or you could just buy a new car."  I'd never thought of doing that.  But I could do that, for I had just sold my house in Texas and the money was sitting in the bank.   * One day some concerns came to my mind in the form of "What if this happens."  I began praying and the Holy Spirit said to me, "God will provide all your needs."  That is a scripture in Philippians 4:19,  I believed that and immediately I was in complete peace again.   John 14:26   Jesus says:  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.   The Holy Spirit of Truth is the Comforter and HE brings us scriptures and concepts so we can live in peace when we have concerns come upon us on this present earth.   ***   Jesus says:  John 10:10   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.   When I encounter a problem, ideas often come to my mind concerning how I can deal with that problem.   If the idea is very complex, expensive, difficult to do, I always know it is not an idea from God.  Therefore I pray again asking God what I should do.   Also if what I am about to do is going to bring hurt to another person, I need to reevaluate my plan, for we do not want to needlessly cause injury to another person.   I know this:  God's yoke is easy, and God's burden is light.  (Matthew 11:30)   James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.   I know the ideas that are from God because they are easy, simple, not complex ... full of mercy,  joy, peace ... without any hypocrisy.   Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  

(This podcast was previously published on April 13, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Matthew 1:18   Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.   After we are born again by the Word of God from the Holy Spirit of God, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit lives in us and teaches and guides us, showing us the will of God.   I Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?   Like Jesus, God is our Father after we are born of HIS Spirit, and God lives in us by HIS Spirit.   Matthew l:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.   God is also "with us" for by HIS Spirit, Jesus dwells in us after we are born again by the Holy Spirit.   John 5:30 Jesus says: I can of MINE own self do nothing: as I hear (from God), I judge: and MY judgment is just; because I seek not MINE own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent ME.   The Holy Spirit will bring to our minds a scripture or a concept to show us the will of God for us as we live on this earth, and we believe that Word and know it shows us God's will and we take action appropriate to that word which is given us by God.   I find this to be very comforting to know it is God's will for me to do such and such.   For example:  In 2020, I was considering putting new upholstery on my 25-year-old car.  As I thought about this, the following from the Spirit of God came to my mind:  "Or you could just buy a new car."   I began thinking on that word and I reasoned:  "I could buy a new car.  I had just sold my house in Texas and the money was in my bank account and I had plenty of money to buy a new car."   That same night, God gave me a dream:  I bought a new car.   That is what I did the following day.  I knew it was authored by God to do that and it was approved by God.   God knows the future.   I was sure God was showing me the best way for me to go in this matter.   Joshua 1:9  Have not I commanded thee? (says God)   Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.   God leads us by thoughts brought to our mind by HIS Spirit and also by dreams which HE gives us. *****   John 14:26   But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.   John 16:13   Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.   ***   I Corinthians 2   4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:   5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.   6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:   7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:   9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love HIM.   10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.   11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.   12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.   13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.   14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.   When I was born again in 1975, God showed me the above scriptures and taught me to follow HIM by HIS Spirit.   Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.   But many church goers are unbelievers and do not have faith in the Word of God and they do not have God's Spirit and cannot enter into HIS rest because of their unbelief.  

‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;‘…‘ will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.'—John 14:16 & 18

John 14:15-31,15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered 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. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.Twenty-two years ago I stumbled into the habit of private worship every morning. I would get up early, make some coffee, and spend time reading God's word and praying. It's been the most transformative habit of my life — I've never stopped doing it. But about six years ago, I added a new part to it. The first thing I do now, right before I read the Bible, is I seek the mercy of God and give him thanks. I confess my need to God for his mercy and then I thank God for a specific way he has shown me mercy. And it can be all kinds of things … Sometimes it's Father, thank you for coffee. This is a good cup of coffee! Sometimes it's Father, thank you that I slept okay last night. … Thank you for that meeting yesterday … for that conversation … for that thing I learned in that book … and on and on.If we spend time thinking about it, we have so much to thank God for. But the one thing I have probably mentioned the most, over the last five years, and especially over the last three weeks, is actually a person — it's Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit!I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life.He proceeds from the Father and the Son, And with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. And in our passage today, in John 14, Jesus introduces us to the Holy Spirit. For the sermon I just want to tell you three things that Jesus tells us about him. 1. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son. We're at verse 15, but recall the context here. It is still Thursday night — the longest Thursday ever — and Jesus is in the middle of his Farewell Discourse. Back at the end of Chapter 13, for the first time, Jesus told his disciples that he's leaving. He is preparing them for a new location within redemptive history — his disciples are about to live in a world where he is physically absent. And this is troubling to them — they are in a troubled-heart situation, and Jesus wants to encourage them. We saw that in Chapter 14. Jesus tells them not to let their hearts be troubled; because his going away is for their good; and he's going to come back for them. Jesus is their way to God; he's God's way to them — and he still has greater works that he's gonna do through them.And that's where we ended last week, in verses 12–14. Jesus introduced two stunning realities about life for believers after his death, resurrection, and ascension. Two Stunning RealitiesThe first of those stunning realities is that those who believe in him — us — will do greater works than he did in his earthly ministry. And we clarified last week that this work is not work that we do ourselves. It's not work in our own strength or isolated from Jesus, but it's work that Jesus is doing through us. The second stunning reality is that Jesus says whatever we ask in his name, he will do it. These are two big claims, and they raise some important questions. Questions like: How exactly will we do greater works?How do we know if we are praying in Jesus's name?Well, the answer to these questions is the Holy Spirit. I couldn't help but talk about the Spirit a little bit last week — Jesus is going to talk a lot about him over the next two chapters — but the first thing we need to know is that the Spirit is sent by Jesus and the Father. The Father and the Son are both ‘in on' the Spirit's coming. Listen to the ways Jesus tells us this …In verse 16, Jesus says the Father will give the Spirit, but it is because the Son asks the Father. In verse 23, speaking of the Spirit's presence in a believer, Jesus says that we, he and the Father, will make our home with him. In verse 26, Jesus says the Father will send the Spirit — but Jesus says it is “in my name.” Later, in 15:16, Jesus says that he will send the Spirit from the Father. So, who sends the Spirit? Where's he from? ‘The Father or the Son?' The answer is Yes.The Holy Spirit has always been active within the Trinity, and at work in creation, but after Jesus's ascension, the Father and Son act together in sending the Spirit on a new mission.Now, why is it important for us to know this? Why does it matter that the Father and Son are together in this?The most obvious reason is that Jesus emphasizes it. Jesus wants us to know this, and I think it's because we need to understand that the Spirit is not some ‘Plan B' in redemptive history. We should not think Jesus introducing the Holy Spirit in this section is some kind of backup option. It's not like things went sideways with the mission of Jesus and now the Spirit is a reinforcement. Not at all. Instead, the sending of the Spirit is according to God's eternal playbook from before the foundation of the world. This is the next step in the Triune God's resolve to bring salvation and magnify his glory. The Spirit is from the Father and the Son.Here's the second thing Jesus tells us about the Spirit.2. The Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus in our lives. The keyword we need to see here is that word “Helper” in verse 16:“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” The Greek work for “Helper” is the word Paraclete — and it's a title for the Spirit that we only find in John — four times in this Gospel (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). And it's a glorious word, but it doesn't have a direct translation into English. A couple of translations, the English Standard Version (the one I use) translates it as “Helper.” But the King James translates it “Comforter.” Another translation says “Counselor.” Several translations say “Advocate” (NRSV; NEB; NIV). And really, the meaning is a combination of all those words, but the one idea that's clear in all those translations is the idea of presence. The Paraclete comes alongside.Jesus says in verse 16: the Paraclete, the Spirit, will be “with you forever.”He “dwells in you and will be in you” — verse 17.In the same way Jesus was with his disciples, the Spirit will be with his disciples — as the Spirit of Jesus. And Jesus is going to show us this in a powerful way, but first I want to zoom out for a minute and take the whole New Testament into account.New Testament SurveyThe New Testament talks a lot about the Holy Spirit, and two key ways he's referred to…One way is that he's called the promise of the Father (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; Galatians 3:14). This speaks to the fact that the Spirit is according to God's plan. He's the fulfillment of a promise we see in the Old Testament. The other way to talk about the Spirit is to call him the Spirit of Jesus. In Acts 16:7, Luke says “the Spirit of Jesus” guided their missionary travel. In Romans 8:9, Paul says the “Spirit of Christ” shows that we belong to Christ — the Spirit of Christ is Christ in you. Galatians 4:6 — “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.” Philippians 1:19 — Paul says he is helped by “the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”So, biblically, theologically, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is so closely identified with Jesus himself that it is right to call him the Spirit of Jesus. Jesus himself tells us this first. The Wonderful AnotherLook back at that word “Helper” in verse 16 and notice the word right before it: another. The Father and Son are sending another Helper. So the Spirit is a new helper, but he's of the same kind as a Helper who came before him. So who is that first Helper? It's Jesus. Jesus was one Paraclete, and now the Spirit is another Paraclete.This means the Spirit is not a replacement for Jesus, but he is the continuation of Jesus's work in a new way. But the Son and Spirit are not just united in their mission, they are united in their essence as God. Both are fulfilling the mission of the triune God to be with his people — the Son is God with us; the Spirit is God in us.This is why Jesus can say to his disciples, verse 18: “I will not leave you as orphans” — Jesus says I'm not really leaving you! He's actually magnifying his presence among them. Get this:The Paraclete is first Jesus himself with his people in person, confined to flesh and blood and dirt; and then the Paraclete is the Holy Spirit in his people — he is the promise of the Father, the Spirit of Jesus, who indwells everyone who trusts in Jesus … he speaks, consoles, guides, teaches — just like Jesus did. Ministering RealnessOne way to say it that connects with language we use is to say that the Holy Spirit ministers the realness of Jesus in our lives.That's the way we should understand Paul's experience toward the end of his life. We know that's where Paul was when he wrote his final letter to Timothy. Paul says in Chapter 4 (of 2 Timothy) that the “time of his departure” has come: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (4:7). And then Paul recounts for Timothy the relational brokenness that laid behind him, and he's honest about how lonely he felt when he awaited trial in Rome; he says “no one came to stand by me” (4:16). But then in verse 17 he says: “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.”And he's talking about Jesus there. Jesus stood by Paul and strengthened him. And I've long imagined what that was like. Did Jesus step through the wall of Paul's room and wrap his arm around his shoulder? Sometimes I wish Jesus would do that for me — Just be physically in the room and help me like you did Paul! But is that what he did for Paul?I don't think so. What happened for Paul is that the Holy Spirit — the Spirit of Jesus — was so present and so powerful for him that Paul can say it was like Jesus himself standing by him. The Spirit of Jesus manifested the realness of Jesus for Paul — and I want you to know: we should settle for nothing less in the Christian life. That's the aim of our discipleship. The mission of Cities Church is to make joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life. And when we say that, we're talking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit! Because Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit is his presence in our lives.Third thing Jesus tells us …3. The Holy Spirit empowers our love for Jesus in his world. For this third and final point, we need to come to grips with a repeated theme in this passage. Four different times Jesus tells us there is a connection between loving him and keeping his commandments. It's easy to track, first in verse 15, right away:Verse 15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”Verse 21: “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.”Verse 23: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.”Verse 24: “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.”And then verse 31 — what Jesus says about our love for him also applies to his love for the Father. Jesus says, verse 31:“I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.”This theme is the clearest thing Jesus says. It's straightforward; no way around it. If you love Jesus, you do what he says. Well what does he say? What are his commandments?What Are His Commandments?The answer here, in short, is the whole Bible. It would be a mistake to truncate what Jesus says as being only the red-letter parts of the Gospels. It's much more than that. Instead, the commandments of Jesus, his word, is the whole revelation of who Jesus is, which blooms into the apostolic testimony, also called the New Testament, which is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.What Jesus says is the whole Bible. Which means: to really love Jesus means your life is shaped and guided by Scripture. The single word for this is obedience. Trust and obey, for there's no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obeyWe used to sing that song when I was kid growing up in church. It's not rocket-science. We all understand that any kind of real love involves more than only sentiment. It can't be just a feeling. And proof that we know this was yesterday — Valentine's Day.Valentines is an old American holiday. It took off in the late 1800s because a woman named Esther Howland had this idea to mass-produce romantic greeting cards. It became a custom that men would send the ladies they were courting a card. Now 150 years later, fellas, if you did it right: you got a card, and chocolates, and flowers, and a dinner reservation — or some combination of that. But we all know that what you cannot do on Valentine's Day is only say “I love you.” Some activity is expected. Love requires demonstration.Love is not less than affection — affections matter — but there's more. There's activity — and the activity that verifies our love for Jesus is obedience to him in this world. Getting Obedience RightAnd listen: the order of that sentence is really important. We are called to obedience to Jesus in this world. It's not obedience to the world for Jesus. Because get this: the world has its own commandments. There's all kinds of commandments the world says people must keep if they're really about love — like I think we're supposed to acknowledge that we're on ‘stolen land' right now and we're supposed to specify our pronouns, and make certain kinds of statements, and check certain boxes. The world has its own commandments — Recently, someone who hates Jesus told me they wanted to talk to me about our optics for Jesus. … And I said, “No thank you.”Jesus does not need us to try to make him look good by doing what the world tells us to do. Jesus calls us to do what he says in a world that will hate us … a world that will revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely (see Matthew 5:11). We're not called to manage that. We're called to obey Jesus, come what may in this world.And obedience like that is hard, with the pressures around us. How do we do it? How do we obey Jesus here?The answer is: The empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.The Spirit Empowers UsThe love we have for Jesus — and our obedience that demonstrates that love — does not come from our own strength, but it comes through the gift of the Spirit in our lives. I think that's part of what Paul is saying in Romans 5:5. You've heard these verses before: … we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.And the question is what does Paul mean when he says “God's love” — is this the love of God for us OR our love for God. Well, I think it's first God's love for us, but it also includes our love for God, which must always come next. Our love for God is essential to our character — that's why we ultimately will not be put to shame — Because our love for God is actually a gift from God himself. Our love for God is from his Spirit who seals us and keeps us. Theologically, we understand the Holy Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and Son. This is mysterious, and we wrestle with what Scripture says here; we'll see what Jesus says in Chapter 17. But the Holy Spirit, who is the personal love that flows between the Father and Son, is poured into our hearts as the love that unites us to Jesus.Our love for Jesus, demonstrated by our obedience, is empowered by the Spirit. Peace Even HereThe good news we should hear is that our love for Jesus, which he commands, is love his Spirit creates. When Jesus tells us to obey him, he is not pointing us to an impossible ladder — but he's ensuring the divine supply we need for all things that pertain to life and godliness. Jesus doesn't tell us ‘make me bricks without straw' — but he says: We are making our home in you … I'm with you forever … even in this world … even in troubled-heart situations. This is the only way we can have peace. Jesus says, verse 27:“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”That is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to us …Sent by the Father and the Son.Serving the realness of Jesus in our lives.Empowering our love for Jesus in this world. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit. Aren't you? Thank you, Jesus, for the Holy Spirit. I want more of him! That's what brings us to the Table. The TableJohn shows us, in this Gospel, and in his letters, that love is demonstrated. Our love for Jesus is demonstrated in obedience, but that always follows God's love for us first. John says that we love because God first loved us, and we see that love definitively at the cross. Paul says that in Romans 5 … “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (NASB).That's the best news in the world. If you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, you become a Christian by believing that. Jesus Christ died to save you, a sinner. Believe him. For those of us who do believe, at this Table we rejoice in Jesus and his gospel. If you trust in Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us, and give him thanks.

“He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.” — John 14:16 Great Father revealed Himself to believers of old before the coming of His Son, and was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God Almighty. Then Jesus came, and the ever-blessed Son in His own proper person, […]

When words fail and grief feels overwhelming, God does not leave us alone. This Crosswalk Devotional is rooted in Romans 8:26–27, reminding us that the Holy Spirit actively meets us in our weakness—interceding, comforting, and strengthening us when we don’t know how to pray. For believers walking through loss, anger, exhaustion, or spiritual dryness, this passage offers deep reassurance: God’s Spirit is already at work within us. Rather than being distant or passive, the Holy Spirit is fully God—our Helper, Comforter, and constant companion. From the moment we place our faith in Christ, He dwells within us, guiding our hearts back toward peace, hope, and renewed strength. Even in seasons of confusion or emotional pain, the Spirit faithfully prays on our behalf according to God’s perfect will. Highlights The Holy Spirit meets believers in moments of weakness God understands our prayers even when we cannot find the words The Holy Spirit intercedes according to God’s will Grief, anger, and doubt do not disqualify us from faith The Spirit brings comfort, peace, and renewed strength God is always present—especially in seasons of loss Believers are never alone in their pain Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: Finding Comfort in the Holy SpiritBy Vivian Bricker Bible Reading:“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). When I first became a Christian, I had trouble finding peace due to the grief I was experiencing. Living in the aftermath of the death of a loved one changed me, and I began to struggle with anger. Instead of conducting myself with kindness, love, and grace, I often lashed out or said something I would later regret. If you find yourself in a similar situation, take comfort in knowing you are not alone. This does not mean we are not believers. Rather, it simply means we will face more challenges in growing in our faith. At these times, we need to find comfort in the Holy Spirit. Sadly, many people, including believers, are unfamiliar with the Holy Spirit. They may even view the Holy Spirit as an inferior person within the Trinity. However, it’s essential to understand that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, which means He is God. The Holy Spirit is an especially important Person in our Christian walk as He is our Helper, Protector, and Comforter (John 14:26). Instead of distancing ourselves from Him, we need to draw closer to Him. This is especially true when we are feeling alone or disconnected from God. The Holy Spirit is our friend, and He is already living inside of us from the moment we place faith in the Lord (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19). For all eternity, the Holy Spirit will be with us. He can give us comfort when our days feel overwhelming and bleak. Intersecting Faith & Life: The Apostle Paul tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). Allow these words to bring your heart comfort today. Through this passage, we see that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Whether we are struggling with our Christian walk, anger, or grief, we can rely on the Holy Spirit. Moreover, when we are too tired to pray or don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. We might not know what to pray for, but the Holy Spirit does. During times of intense emotional turmoil or overwhelming pain, it can be hard to pray. The Holy Spirit will intercede for us at these times and bring comfort to our hearts. Instead of doubting Him, we can find great comfort and peace in His presence. The Holy Spirit will bring joy, hope, and renewed strength back into our hearts. Dear Father, I praise You for always being with me. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit. Please give my heart and soul comfort today. Sometimes I don’t know what to pray for, or I’m too weak to pray. Please help the Holy Spirit to intercede for me and bring my concerns to You. Thank You, Father, Amen. After reading this devotional, do you feel your attitude toward the Holy Spirit has changed? How can you find comfort in the Holy Spirit today? Further Reading: Galatians 5:22-23 Luke 11:13 2 Corinthians 3:1 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As His followers we are to speak to the Jewish people with a word of hope and to be comforter's to them.

By Mary Lindow  I am by far not an expert on the subject of plumblines and righteousness, so take what I say in the light of one who at time gropes like a child in the dark, ever reaching for the hand of the ONE to lead me into a safe place filled with His Hope, His Mercy, His Light and Life. WE LIVE IN A CORRUPT WORLD and therefore, have the “effects and affects” of that corruption ever influencing, ever tainting and ever wooing the flesh.  Plumbline: a tool that consists of a small, heavy object attached to a string or rope and that is used especially to see if something (such as a wall) is perfectly vertical or in alignment)   A plumbline is a simple but accurate tool used for determining whether or not something is perfectly vertical or upright. The Lord also used, and uses, a "plumbline," His Word, to determine how upright His people truly are in His sight. How upright they think they are, or how upright they proclaim themselves to be, means nothing to God. "Behold, I WILL set a plumbline in the midst of My people".  -Amos 7:7  A PLUMBLINE SET OUT BY THE HAND OF GOD IS ONE THAT WE CAN ANCHOR OUR HEARTS TO. It will always, always, ALWAYS, direct us to the truth in a matter; even if it requires pain, loss, persecution and perhaps death in areas we feel we may well have rights to.  It will also be a shield, a balm, a comfort and a teacher to those who will yield to the directive positioning of the Master.  “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumbline.” -Isaiah 28:17  LIFE – DISTRESS - AND PERSECUTION  I have found that in my life, distress and persecution do not feel like God's care being poured out on me. My heart is not immediately drawn to thanksgiving and gratefulness for the faithfulness of God on display as I cling to the battered pieces that look like potential “rafts” of hope, only to find out that many of them have gaping holes or slow leaks in them.  Rather, it feels like yet another hurt is being permanently woven into my tattered and war-torn soul. It seems as if another mound of questions are piling up and just waiting for an answer and a true solid REAL anchor of hope.  I CAN REALLY CONNECT TO THE WRITER OF PSALM 42  He said “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” It's at those very times that the words of the Savior are so important. When we are down and in turmoil.  But, how do we connect the dots between what we know is true about God's faithfulness and what our hearts feel? When flipped and flung around by the waves, weary from crying and when no answer seems at hand, what is the answer?  When my circumstances show many foes and tyrants rising up against me and my heart is prone to wander and fear, what hope is there of peace?  When my feelings start controlling my thoughts, how can I rest in God's promises?  AT THIS POINT… I HEAR THE “GASPS” …  …And perhaps shocked comments of a few who are amazed that someone who appears to walk so fervently and intimately with the Lord would have such difficulties!  Well! Guess what? I do struggle, I do hurt, and yes I do doubt when I have been side swiped or “rammed” by skilled cons and those who, although may have the appearance of godliness and offered friendship or fellowship, end up having private and evil agendas behind their well placed and planned schemes. And boy oh boy! Those skilled players know the wicked art of wounding the heart and causing people to reel in pain!  BUT, THERE IS ONE WHO FULLY SEES IT ALL  The main skill in the issue of dealing with life as a spiritual person, is to know how to handle yourself when things not only crush and grind your heart, but what to do with the anguish and toll of their aftermath.  We have to get ourselves into a place where we hear clearly again.  We need have to address ourselves, preach to ourselves, and ask questions about ourselves.  We must say to our soul: "Why are you cast down –Why are you so anxious and lacking in peace?"  We must urge ourselves, and say ‘Hope in God'–instead of remaining in this paralyzed, aching state!”  AND THEN WE MUST TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER We must go on to remind ourselves just “Who “God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has promised that he Himself said that He would do.  Having done that we can stand up and sing out strongly, defying the torment of the soul, and resist other people's wicked tongues and arrogance, and refuse to go along with the devil and the whole world, and say: ‘Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  The hope and promise of the fairness of God's justice when dealing with the hurtful things and presumptions of others gives me the confidence to know that God will never turn away from me in my need. No matter how they seem to prosper in the short term, wicked men and women will ultimately pay for their sins, in this life or the next. Jesus died to meet my greatest hardships and sorrows for me, and I need to preach this to myself every day. His power is greater than my weariness and suffering.  The comforting and instruction that comes from simply running to feed upon His word instead of the toxic poison of the replaying of trauma reminds me that what Jesus has done is strong enough for my soul to rejoice in and to be set into a place where it can rest and regroup, gaining a healthy perspective about what to give out to others and what is simply… …. To be enjoyed by the Lord Himself.  THE NATURAL IMPULSES OF MANKIND ARE SINFUL AND DECEITFUL!  Human willpower alone will never be able to change this.  We need God's help to truly change our hearts.  REMEMBER. You cannot change the heart of anyone else either.  If you try to, you will feel the bite of stinging venom or be laughed out of a room. Only the power of the conviction of the Holy Spirit can permeate and get around the jam-packed hardhearted egos of the self sufficient and bitter.  Jeremiah 17:9 says that the human heart is deceitful in all things and is even beyond cure! We must be cautious and wise in reproving and warning such types of people about their bad behaviors and wicked actions where there seems to be no appearance or hope of change and where there is danger of experiencing great and heart wrecking retaliation and slander.  These types trample the warnings and urging for repentance and humbling of the heart under their feet, and turn again and slash at you, despising the warnings that are “tearfully and fearfully” given, and often hurt the persons who give them, either by words or deeds.  "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy.  Don't throw your pearls to pigs!  They will trample the pearls,  then turn and attack you.”  -Matthew 7:6    "GIVE ME THE FACTS MA'AM JUST THE FACTS”  I remember that phrase from a TV show called “Dragnet”. The detective would not allow the details of the case to be skewed by any assumptions or pontificating from those he interviewed. He stoically and firmly demanded only the facts.  And so, here are the “facts” about the heart of a good man or woman. 1.) The good man or woman: Brings good things out of the good stored up in his/her heart. And the facts about an evil man or woman.  2.) The evil man/woman brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his/her heart. For out of the overflow of his or her heart his or her mouth speaks. Luke 6:45    THE FRAILTY, BRIEFNESS, AND INSECURITY OF LIFE  The frailty, briefness, and insecurity of life should hold down the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all of our projects and boasting about future greatness and bragging rights! We are always to depend on the will and leading of God.  OUR TIMES ARE NOT IN OUR OWN HANDS, BUT ARE INSTEAD IN THE TIMING OF GOD. Our heads may be filled with cares and plans for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Divine intervention often throws our plans into bewilderment. All we have in mind, and all we do, should be with a humble and deep dependence on God. It is foolish, and it is hurtful, to boast of trendy “latest happening” things and prospective projects, and it will bring great disappointment and will prove destructive to relationships and meaningful help to others in the end.  “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”  -1 John 2:16 LISTEN KINDLY - BEFORE SPEAKING YOUR THOUGHTS  People don't need a lecture on the meaning of suffering or to have a barrage of scriptures “machine-gunned” at them as a reprimand for sharing their moment of grief or struggle! (Especially when their hearts are breaking, weary of the battle and if they are fatigued.) Job could have done without some of the self-righteous answers that came from his “well-meaning” friends. All of the answers could have even been true, but Job didn't need to hear any of them.  He needed their love, not their value judgments.  In fact, it appears as if God judged THEM for trying to offer simple solutions to things that were beyond their comprehension. They had never walked in the loss he was in anguish over.  WHEN WE SUFFER UNJUSTLY WE HAVE A MAJOR CHOICE TO MAKE How will we respond? We can feel sorry for ourselves (and understandably so, for a while), become bitter and cynical, get drawn into a war of words, or even become mixed up in a major conflict. On the other hand, we can take our suffering to the cross and allow our pain to draw us into a deeper place of understanding of what Jesus went though in his sufferings. This does not remove the pain, but does help us to know what to do with our hurt.  This is the 'fellowship of his sufferings' (Philippians 3:10), one of the gateways to closeness with God and the release of his power in our lives. The weight of heartbreak shared with a loving friend cuts it in half. When the burden is shared with many friends, we can cope with almost anything. We never feel more revitalized than when a friend loves us enough to walk with us in our pain. Not lecture us.  The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth:  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God". -1 Corinthians 1.3-4  SOMETIMES GOD GETS INVOLVED WITH DIRECT MIRACLES, Giving supernatural strength to those in need. But for the most part, he depends on us, his people, to do his work in the world. We love each other, work for healing, and suffer with those who suffer.  The next time you see a friend who is suffering, Jesus may just invite you to be the warm embrace! We comfort each other with the comfort we have received in Christ. And when we do, we become the Body of Christ and he receives the glory!  THE BIBLE IS CLEAR!  We are to bear one another's burdens.  We are to comfort others as Christ has given comfort to us.  Your hard time becomes my hard time.  We join hands in the journey.  When you succeed, I succeed.  When you suffer, I suffer. But we do it together. We share it together.  And we do it, not so much in our wisdom or our words, but in our availability, our understanding, and through our presence.  THAT'S WHAT FELLOWSHIP IS ALL ABOUT!  But not “bland” fellowship. It is CHRISTIAN fellowship. It is the business of burden bearing. Authentic CHRISTIAN fellowship says that when you need me . . . I'll be there. Support in suffering is at the core of what it means to share life together in Christ. The word for "comfort” is the same root word as the name Jesus used to describe one of the functions of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Paraclete). “I will be a comforter, one who comes alongside to give help.” And so as God comes alongside you, now you are able to come alongside another. As the Comforter is at work within you, so you also can be of comfort to those around you.  WE ARE CALLED TO BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS.  To mourn with those who mourn. To be a follower of Jesus means to come alongside people who are hurting and find ways to help them walk even through the valley of the shadow of death. We are called to do this, as the word of God and care of God is shared with the intention of stirring, plowing up hardened hearts, creating a place for repentance and challenging saints to hope again, I know and believe that as we learn again as believers, to care, to truly listen and to hope fully again, that the sweet and heavy weight of HIS Glory will be made known and will manifest in unfettered and uncontrolled waves of worship and spontaneous adoration of the King of Heaven.  HE REALLY DOES KNOW WHAT HE WANTS Let's focus on bowing low and seeking His heart and plans in what matters to Him. Indeed, HE is the Plumbline.  Prayer  God, I ask in Jesus' name, that you comfort, strengthen and encourage all who are hurting deeply right now and are going through so much pain and heartache.  Don't allow them to give up in the heat of the battle.  Let them feel your arms wrapping around them and your love overflowing and filling them up. Lord, I will pray often and I know that you will hear my voice, even when I speak to You in my silent thoughts.  To You, I am crying out and my prayers are now before You.  Father, I give to You my problems, I do not want them.  Father, please restore them to You. I know that you have compassion for your children. Father, show them your ways and teach them your paths. Lead them in your truth and teach them you are the God of our salvation and on you we will wait.  Protect them from the evils of this life and guide them through all of their days. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer Father and for considering and for having compassion on all who hear and read these words, and all who hurt, in this troubled world we live in.  Keep them in the center of Your love.  In Jesus' Name ~ Amen  Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included.  Thank You Copyright © 2026 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com https://marylindow.podbean.com Your Gracious Support and Donations Are So Very Helpful And Assist Mary In Publishing Her Teaching Podcasts and Audio Messages. THANK YOU! Please go to PAYPAL to donate  or support this blog:  Donate to the tax-deductible ministry name of:  paypal.me/mlindow    (His Beloved Ministries Inc.)  Or  You Can Mail a Check or Cashiers Check to:  His Beloved Ministries INC  PO Box 1253  Eastlake CO 80614  United States    

Send us a textEver wondered how Scripture can say God is one while revealing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in living, relational harmony? We take on the challenge head-on, not with philosophy but with clear passages that refuse to be flattened into a single-person performance. At the Jordan River, Jesus stands in the water, the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks from heaven—no costume changes, no echo tricks, just the triune God revealing himself in love and mission.From there, we walk through John 14 where Jesus promises “another Comforter,” the Spirit of truth whom the Father sends at the Son's request. The language is unmistakable: three distinct persons acting in perfect unity for our good. We also reach back to Genesis 1:26—“Let us make man in our image”—to show how the Old Testament sows seeds of plurality within the one God, later named fully in the New Testament as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Along the way, we address common objections, including why “Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6 does not erase the real distinction between the Father and the Son.What does this mean for daily faith? Everything. Prayer finds its shape when we come to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. The gospel holds its power when we see the Son obediently laying down his life to the Father, and the Spirit applying that finished work to our hearts. A solitary god cannot be love from eternity, but the triune God is love—forever Father loving the Son in the fellowship of the Spirit—and that love welcomes us into communion.If this conversation sharpened your view of God and gave you new language for prayer and worship, share it with a friend who's wrestling with these questions. Subscribe for more Scripture-first studies, and leave a review with your favorite passage that shows the Triune God at work.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Feeling distant from God even when you're trying? Pastor Amber Bendett launches the "Practicing the Presence" series with raw honesty and practical truth. Explore how the Holy Spirit dwells in you as Advocate, Comforter, and Counselor—never leaving you alone. Through Elijah's story of exhaustion, despair, and the still small voice (1 Kings 19), discover why caring for your body matters, how to let the Spirit counsel your heart, and why Jesus is the true prize. Listen now if you are battling lies, burnout, or feeling abandoned— remember, God is closer now, than ever.

Here Isaac is not giving us a technique for moral improvement. He is unveiling an icon. Behind his austere language of toil and Scripture and withdrawal stands a single, luminous vision: the human heart being slowly remade into the dwelling place of God. Asceticism is not a set of behaviors aimed at self mastery. It is the patient clearing of space so that the Trinity may come to rest within us. Everything Isaac names flows from this one mystery. He begins with what looks like a chain of practices. Bodily toil guards purity. Scripture sustains the toil. Hope and fear steady the soul. Prayer and withdrawal from men protect the heart. But Isaac is not describing a ladder that climbs upward by human effort. He is describing how the soul is held open until it can be seized by the Spirit. These disciplines do not save. They keep us available for salvation. They prevent the heart from sealing itself against grace. This is why Isaac speaks so soberly about the Scriptures. Until the Comforter has come and taken up His dwelling in the depths of the person we need the written word to keep us from drifting into forgetfulness and fantasy. The Scriptures are not information. They are a form of remembrance. They press the shape of Christ into the memory of the heart so that when our mind is scattered and the passions begin to speak their lies we are not carried away from our true homeland. But Isaac also knows that even Scripture is provisional. There comes a moment when the teaching no longer comes from without but from within. When the Spirit penetrates the noetic powers of the soul the heart itself becomes the book. The same Word who once spoke in letters now speaks in fire. This is not a rejection of Scripture but its fulfillment. The written Gospel gives way to the living Christ engraved upon the heart. Here we touch the heart of Eastern Christian mysticism. Salvation is not merely a verdict. It is a transformation of perception. The center of knowing shifts. The ego no longer stands as the interpreter of reality. The Spirit becomes the teacher. And because this teaching comes from God Himself it is not lost. It does not evaporate under distraction or suffering. It remains as a living memory of communion. Isaac then strikes at something that terrifies the ego. He distinguishes between good thoughts and a good heart. We are accustomed to judging ourselves by the surface weather of the mind. We watch our thoughts rise and fall like waves and imagine that our worth before God is decided by their movement. Isaac says this is an illusion. Thoughts come and go like sea winds. They stir the waters but they do not constitute the depths. The heart is the foundation. It is the place where we truly consent or refuse. A person may be flooded with thoughts and yet remain rooted in God. Another may have refined ideas and yet be inwardly turned toward self. What matters is not the agitation of the surface but the direction of the ground beneath it. This is a devastating word for the controlling ego. We want to manage our thoughts. We want to produce holiness by technique. We want to ensure our standing before God by monitoring every inner movement. Isaac tells us that this entire project is misguided. If judgment were passed on every thought we would be condemned and justified a thousand times a day. That is not how God sees us. God looks at the heart. He looks at where we have placed our deepest trust. And here the abyss opens. To let go of the ego is not to become passive or vague. It is to cease making ourselves the measure of reality. It is to fall into the love of God without conditions. The heart that consents to this fall becomes a foundation of peace even while the mind continues to be stirred by many winds. This is why the saints can live in such freedom. They are no longer organized around self protection. They have entrusted themselves to the Paschal mystery. For Isaac all of this is Christological. The Spirit who teaches the heart is the Spirit poured out by the crucified and risen Lord. The abyss into which we fall is the same abyss into which Christ descended in His self emptying love. To enter this path is to be drawn into the very life of the Trinity. We are no longer managing ourselves toward virtue. We are being re created from within by divine love. This is the beauty of the ascetical mystical tradition of the East. It does not offer self improvement. It offers transfiguration. It does not promise control. It invites surrender. It does not measure us by the turbulence of our thoughts but by the quiet yes of the heart. Isaac shows us a humanity that has learned to rest in God even while the winds still blow. A humanity no longer driven by fear or fantasy but grounded in the living presence of the Spirit. This is what we have become in Christ. And this is what the desert still calls us to be. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:01 Jonathan Grobler: Evening father 00:02:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Good evening 00:02:50 Ryan Ngeve: Good evening Father 00:04:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 175, # 19, final paragraph 00:04:49 Adam Paige: Happy feast day of Saint Isaac the Syrian to all ! New movie from the writer & director of “Man of God” (about St Nektarios) coming out this weekend: “Moses the Black” ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_the_Black_(film) 00:05:49 Anna: There was a run on bananas with this last storm 00:06:06 Anna: What movie 00:06:35 Anna: Thanks 00:08:08 Anna: Movie theater for Moses the Black... https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/moses-the-black/ 00:08:19 Anna: It's in theaters 00:09:35 Anna: That doesn't look like it 00:10:11 Jonathan Grobler: Excited for Lent, will hopefully be confirmed this Easter 00:10:41 Jessica McHale: 16th of Feb 00:10:41 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 175, # 19, final paragraph 00:10:53 Angela Bellamy: Is there a resource some place on how Lent is traditionally observed? 00:11:18 Anna: That link is the movie playing on the 30th and so on 00:11:18 Janine: Yes 00:11:22 Anna: https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/moses-the-black/ 00:11:30 Janine: Alexander 00:11:45 Jessica McHale: Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Father Alexander Schmemann 00:14:22 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Great Lent: Journey ..." with

Sweet friend, are you going through a trial that hurts? Don't forget that God is a Father, and Comforter; He draws near, takes you by the hand, and says, "I am with you." How amazing is this Father of ours!  "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you." - Isaiah 66:13 (NIV) ✨ Important Announcement: Dear Mama, in 2026, the Lord has called us to step away from social media so we can go deeper with you in the Radiant Mom Sisterhood. Join HERE for just $4.99 a month or $50 a year, and walk this next season of motherhood with us! **And... we are offering the Radiant Mom Sisterhood for FREE in the month of January to welcome our new mamas! Use code JAN2026 For more information about our ministry, visit our website http://helpclubformoms.comCheck out our YouVersion plans HERE!Our prayer team prays for you every day! Send us your prayer requests at admin@helpclubformoms.com.

Brock and Shonda discuss the Holy Spirit. How it is the least understood member of the God head and how it is underutilized. We discuss the importance of the Holy Spirit, what it is, and how to use its power effectively to help with spiritual growth. The God is God'n and Block is Hot Segments.

In chapter 14, Jesus comforts His disciples as they face the impending sorrow of His departure. Reverend Eric Alexander unravels the intricate relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus, emphasizing the Spirit's role as Comforter and Teacher. Experience the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in your own life on Hear the Word of God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/581/29?v=20251111

Have you wanted to experience God? In this section of John's Gospel, Jesus teaches the undeniable promise of God's personal presence and participation with us and in us. As he prepares his disciples for his own departure, he promises the Holy Spirit who will be our Helper, our advocate, our Comforter, our Guide, our Strength.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 16th of January, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go straight to Proverbs 18:24: “But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Then we go straight to John 14:18. And Jesus says: ”I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.”When Jesus left the earth, after His resurrection, He said to the disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans. I will send you a Comforter, a Parakletos (which is the Greek word for comforter, a friend, a helper). One who will not leave you, who is with you 24 hours a day. Now that is a friend! One, who will be with you through thick and thin, when everybody else leaves you, He will still be there. There are no orphans in the Kingdom of God because we have the Holy Spirit. Now, the Holy Spirit, you need to understand, is part of the Holy Trinity. We as Christians, believers, followers of The Way, believe that there is a Father, a Son and a Holy Spirit. Now, the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and to the Son. Oh yes! No, He is not second-class, He is equal. He is extremely powerful and He is Someone who will comfort you when you are feeling lonely. Are you lonely today, my dear friend? I am talking to a lady here, maybe she has just lost her husband of 40 or 50 years. Her children are overseas and she is lonely. There is a friend who is waiting to talk to you, waiting to wipe away those tears. He is extremely intimate and powerful. He is with you 24/7. He is your sounding board. He is your hand-brake when you want to do something irrational. He is your go-between. When you are talking to your Heavenly Father and to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the One conveying all those thoughts and messages to the Father. I love Him so much, but I think I am speaking here to someone who doesn't understand the Holy Spirit.You see, the disciples were powerless in the upper room. They were cowering in the corner. They were dead scared, and then the Holy Spirit came upon them. Flames of fire settled on each one of their heads and they were filled with the power of God. Peter went out, and in the first sermon he preached, 3,000 people came to Christ!Now, I want to introduce you to my Best Friend, the Holy Spirit. I want you to pray after me:Dear Lord Jesus,Thank You for promising me today, that I will never be lonely again in this life because you have sent me Your Spirit, Your Holy Spirit. He will guide me, He will direct me, He will love me and He will protect me.In Jesus' name, Amen.God bless you and have a lovely day,Goodbye.

Seeking God and His Guidance The importance of seeking God with one’s whole heart and soul. When out in the world, there was no seeking of God. After giving life to God, seeking Him became a priority. God came seeking when lost, now seeking Him for guidance. Encouragement to seek God, ask for help, and get closer to Him. People wandering in the wilderness need only seek God for help. Seek God expecting an answer and guidance. Avoid being half-hearted in seeking God. Listening for God’s Answer The need to listen for God’s answer after asking for help. God’s answer may not be what one wants to hear. Obey the Word of God and do what He wants you to do. Personal experiences of God speaking. God speaks in different ways, sometimes strongly, sometimes as a whisper. God has never failed to answer prayers, though timing is on His time. Faith that prayers for salvation for others will be answered. Humbling oneself before God in prayer. Praying at the altar for lost people, the church, and the pastor. God hears prayers and will heal. God’s Unwavering Presence and the Comforter God will never leave nor forsake. Acknowledging times of leaving God, but the sweetness of returning. God is present when one can’t go any further without Him. God’s welcome upon returning to Him. After being away from faith, God restored faith and welcomed back. God puts His arm around and welcomes back with love. The promise of the Comforter (Holy Ghost). Jesus sent a Comforter. The importance of the Holy Ghost in life and ministry. Fear that the true Holy Spirit would scare some people. Altar Call and Invitation to Prayer Offering an altar call for those in need of prayer. The altar is not just for the lost, but for the saved as well. If there is a need, talk it over with God. Any place can be a place to talk to God. Home, car, truck, tractor, or lawn mower. The altar is a good place to come and talk to God. Invitation to come forward and pray.

Have you ever noticed how rarely we talk about the Holy Spirit? When it comes to the Spirit of God, most Christians often speak in vague, soft, sentimental terms. We know He’s the Comforter & Helper. We picture Him as a quiet whisper, a warm feeling, a subtle nudge. But is that all He is? Is the Spirit of God simply a gentle presence… or is He someone far more overwhelming? What about how the Holy Spirit interacts with evil in this word, and the wicked? What does the Holy Spirit do when someone opposes God? What about stubborn, rebellious, unrepentant hearts? We don’t often talk about that side of Him. But Scripture does. Repeatedly. The Holy Spirit is not just the Comforter. He is also the Confronter of God’s enemies. He judges. He restrains. He exposes. He overrules. He acts with authority & overwhelming force. Can the same Spirit who produces love, joy, peace, and patience also bring confusion, collapse, exposure, and judgment on those who resist Him? Can He bring comfort to one person but terror to another? We’re about to see a side of the Holy Spirit we cannot afford to ignore.

In today's devotional, Pastor Kerrick shares encouragement from Ecclesiastes about the Comforter God has sent to help you today. Stream today's devotional to learn more!----Order your copy of the Rhythm of Rest today |Subscribe to the Faith in the Morning Newsletter

Discover the truth about “The Person of the Holy Spirit” as Pastor Sean Pinder teaches from John 14:16–18, 26. In this powerful message, you'll learn that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, but a divine Person sent by the Father to dwell with and within believers. Jesus reveals the Spirit as our Helper, Comforter, and Teacher—One who continues His work in our lives after His ascension.This teaching will deepen your understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in guiding, teaching, and reminding us of God's truth. As you listen, you'll be encouraged to develop a personal, living relationship with the Holy Spirit and to walk daily in His presence, power, and guidance just as Jesus promised.

What comforting words does the Lord have for the redeemed? Find out with Nathan Jones and Vic Batista on the podcast, The Truth Will Set You Free!

Send us a textStart with one word that can steady a shaking heart: remember. That single plea from Job—“you formed me from clay”—launches a raw, hopeful journey through suffering, sovereignty, and the stubborn mercy of God. We sit with the image of clay in the Potter's hands and ask why a breakable life can still speak boldly to its Maker. The answer isn't bluster; it's relationship. If God formed us for his glory, he won't waste what he's shaping.We pull on threads across Scripture—Jeremiah's remade vessel, Romans 9's potter and clay, John's promise of the Comforter—to show how remembering anchors prayer. This isn't cherry-picking verses; it's whole‑Bible thinking that connects dots with care. We talk about suffering well without pretending it's easy, learning to praise through pain because worship keeps our eyes on the One who works in weakness. We name the habits that keep us soft in God's hands: Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and obedience. And we admit our default: we remember wounds faster than mercies. Training memory toward grace changes how trials feel and how long they last in our hearts.Along the way, the room makes space for honest stories, practical helps, and a shared conviction: clay doesn't secure itself. The Spirit brings truth to remembrance, peace crowds out fear, and hope becomes more than a word. We close with the thief's simple request—“remember me”—as the heartbeat of the gospel. If that's your prayer today, you're not far from help. Listen, share with someone who needs courage, and if this served you, subscribe and leave a review so others can find the conversation. What promise are you asking God to remember this week?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Like those burglar alarms that make no noise,that aren't audible to the trespasser, but sound somewhere else...when I feel invaded by thought,I close my eyes and I Hear.I hear this Silence sounding,and in that Emptiness,in that Quiet Space,help gets deployed,problems get solved,the right people show up.This Silence is the helper.It is the Comforter.It is Love.If you could just stop leaving this Love,if you could just stop forgetting to hear this Love,you'd start seeing changes.You'd start seeing yourself as Love,knowing only Love Is here,only this Weight,that has no form,that has no shape,that has no 'weight', is here.But here where you are, It's experienced as a Joyful Gravity,pulling what's for you,Destiny,into Your orbit.I Love you,NikSupport the show:▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings__________________________________________Today's Quotes:“For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”-2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT"Your struggles are not because you didn't pray the right way or because you didn't pray enough, or because you have weak faith or insufficient intercessors. It is because God is using you in ways that you may not understand now, but one day you will. One day you will see how God used your affliction to prepare you for an incomparable weight of glory."-@Therealsweetspot Derrika Danielle"A million speak of love, yet how few know, True love is not to lose remembrance even for an instant."-Kabir"I used to think that in order to abide in Christ,I had to read my bible every day,pray everyday,and share my faith every single day.My abiding was depending on me doing something,but this is just wrong.Abiding in Christ is not another work that needs to be performed,but it's a reality to live in.In the same way that one lives in a house, and only need not leave in order to remain in the house,you are in Christ. And abiding in Hm is simply the decision to not walk away."-@Jkjoe via IG

Br Gowens' sermon on 12/14/25 is another episode in the "Names of Jesus" series, focusing on this sublime name revealed in Isaiah 9:6. Gowens connects this name to the rich description of the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 and explores the various nuances of Jesus (and the Holy Ghost) as the "Comforter."

The Holy Spirit is not a magic genie, a flame of fire, or a vague feeling; He is our constant companion! Anne Graham Lotz will draw on biblical knowledge and personal stories to help us understand and appreciate the meaning behind seven of the titles given to this Third Person: Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, and Standby. This is a conversation not to be missed.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: John 12-14 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode for December 22nd, Hunter, your Bible Reading Coach, warmly invites you to join him as he guides us through an uplifting passage from the Gospel of John, chapters 12 through 14. As we near Christmas, Hunter reflects on the themes of increasing light, exploring Jesus's final days, his teachings, and the transformative gift he offers—peace of mind and heart. Through heartfelt readings and thoughtful prayers, Hunter encourages listeners to embrace the peace that only Christ can give, even amidst life's anxieties. You'll hear about the power of spiritual habits, the depth of Jesus's love, and practical encouragement for nurturing peace in your own heart and home. So find a quiet moment, settle in, and let today's journey through God's word infuse your day with hope and light. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He offers us a gift—his peace. In today's reading, Hunter shares how Jesus says, "I am leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart." At this time of year, when gifts are on our minds and hearts can be weighed down with anxiety or trouble, Jesus offers something that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It's a unique peace, his peace. Not the fleeting peace the world tries to offer, not the absence of trouble or the guarantee of comfort, but a settled confidence that comes from him alone. It's easy for our minds to be troubled by so many things—our future, our families, our finances, our health. Yet Jesus, the living Word, the miracle worker, the one who raised the dead and gave himself for all humanity, comes to us and says, "I have a gift for you." He, the Creator of all things, offers to quiet those anxieties and bring peace to the places in our lives that are unsettled, wounded, or confused. This isn't just a theoretical peace—it's an invitation to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Advocate Jesus promised would be with us. The Spirit helps us to recognize and receive the gift that Jesus is giving—a peace not as the world gives, but as only he can give. We are invited to take time, especially today, to sit with this generous gift and allow ourselves to live in the light, joy, and love of it. We are invited to let this peace shape our hearts and lives. That's a prayer Hunter has for his own soul. It's the prayer he has for his family. And it's the prayer he has for you. Peace of mind and heart—may it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️‍

Welcome to the Evangelism Is Easy Podcast, where we equip everyday believers to boldly share their faith and make disciples in their daily lives.In this episode, Pastor Chris Donald delivers a bold and faith-filled teaching on fear—what it really is, why it shows up when we step into obedience, and how God wants to use it as an invitation to crush hell. This message confronts the lie that fear disqualifies believers from evangelism and exposes the spiritual reality behind intimidation, hesitation, and silence.Pastor Chris unpacks why fear isn't merely emotional, but spiritual, pointing to Scripture to reveal that God did not give us a spirit of fear—but of power, love, and self-control. From everyday encounters to stepping onto the grounds of a mosque in Iraq, he testifies to how the Comforter meets believers the moment they choose obedience.This episode reframes fear not as a warning to retreat, but as a signal that heaven is moving and hell is panicking—because the more you go, the more you grow.In this episode, we cover:Why fear is not just a feeling—it's spiritualWhat 2 Timothy 1:7 reveals about the true source of fearWhy believers often feel fear right at the moment of obedienceHow Romans 8:11 reframes confidence in evangelismWhy fear is an invitation to crush hell, not back downTestimonies of stepping out—from everyday moments to a mosque in IraqWhy Satan is more afraid of obedient believers than they are of himAction Step:Ask the Holy Spirit, “What's one place this week where I know God is asking me to step out?”Give Him your yes—and let us know in the comments how it goes.Resources and Links: Get equipped to share your faith: www.33rdcompany.org Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/33rdcompany 33rdCompany YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thirtythirdcompany 33rdCompany Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/33rdcompany/ If you want to be equipped to share your faith and make disciples, text SEND ME to 59090.

I opened the refrigerator and there it was again - the pig! Yes, years ago someone bought it, put it in the refrigerator for a while and then it disappeared. I thought maybe he'd gone to the bacon factory, but then the pig was back. See, this pig was actually plastic, and whenever you would open the door, the plastic pig started oinking at you. It's annoying, but it does make you think about what you're about to do to yourself. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The No Regrets Alarm." Our word for today from the Word of God - very familiar verses from Matthew 6, beginning at verse 9: "This then is how you should pray." And this is what we commonly call The Lord's Prayer of course. Remember this phrase? Of course you do. "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." How many times have you prayed that? "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." Or as some translations say, "the evil one." That's an important prayer. We almost don't think about those words. "Lead me not into temptation; deliver me from evil." In other words, "Lord, help me see where the temptation is. Help me steer away from it. Keep me from anything that the Devil might be trying to get me to do." Well, how do you do that? That's through His Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus said that the Holy Sprit, who He called the Comforter would do that. He said it in John 16:8. He promises "that the Holy Spirit - the Comforter - when He is come, He will convict the world of sin." He also said in John 14:26 He will "bring to your remembrance all the things that I have taught you." In other words, the Holy Spirit's going to bring to mind how Jesus feels about this. The day you put your trust in Jesus as your Savior, God plants in your soul a sin alarm. Now somebody planted a gluttony alarm in our refrigerator - this noise that makes you stop and think before you reach for something. It was annoying, but the pig could keep you from doing something you would regret later; like how you'll feel when you step on the scale tomorrow. We do need some noise inside of us when we're about to reach for something we're going to later regret. And God delivers us from evil if we will listen to the inner alarms He triggers when we are about to sin. He says something like, "That's not the truth; don't lie. That's not pure; don't watch it. That's going to hurt; don't say it. That's going too far; don't do it." See, one alarm in us is what I call Scripture brakes. God brings to your mind a statement from the Word of God that keeps you from making a mistake if you listen. It's the brakes; step on the brakes. D. L. Moody said that "When you think sin you ought to think Scripture." That's why it's important to commit to memory verses that God can later use to warn you away from the edge. Psalm 119: "I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I will not sin against You." Now, another sin alarm is what I call shame warnings. See, many of us don't carry a sense of shame from the sins of the past, and God erased those from His books if you've brought those sins to Jesus. But sometimes the shame feelings are there a long time after God has forgiven us. And that's actually not all bad, because God can remind you of the damage that comes from saying yes to that temptation, using the shame warnings from the past. Listen to those. One other sin alarm that God uses when you're reaching for something that could hurt you is Spirit tremors. It's an uneasiness in your spirit that says, "This just isn't right." That's probably the stirring of the Holy Spirit. Listen to that inner warning. But respond immediately and put on the Scripture brakes, respond to the shame warnings, to the Spirit tremors before sin drowns them out and you grab a plateful of regrets. After a while, I have to admit I got immune to that pig warning in the fridge. I finally just put it away. Don't do that with the Holy Spirit alarm system inside you. In God's words, "Do not quench the Spirit," because He knows the price tag for what you are about to grab.

Did you know it was to your advantage that Jesus went away? He did so to send the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—whose presence is even more beneficial than Jesus being here physically. The Holy Spirit reveals truth, brings understanding, reminds us of God's Word, and empowers us to live a supernatural life. If you let Him, He'll teach you to hear God's voice clearly through His Word.

Did you know it was to your advantage that Jesus went away? He did so to send the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—whose presence is even more beneficial than Jesus being here physically. The Holy Spirit reveals truth, brings understanding, reminds us of God's Word, and empowers us to live a supernatural life. If you let Him, He'll teach you to hear God's voice clearly through His Word.

Did you know it was to your advantage that Jesus went away? He did so to send the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—whose presence is even more beneficial than Jesus being here physically. The Holy Spirit reveals truth, brings understanding, reminds us of God's Word, and empowers us to live a supernatural life. If you let Him, He'll teach you to hear God's voice clearly through His Word.