AfterThoughts: January 13, 2019

God’s Upside Down World

This morning, Pastor David continued the series, “Sermon On The Mount”, with a message from Matthew 5:4. Reread those verses as you consider these questions.

Think about a time in your life when you experienced grief. What brought you comfort – Physically? Mentally? Spiritually?
During times of grief, how have you felt God’s presence with you?
As one of God’s people, who is grieving around you (at work, in your neighborhood, in your family, etc.) that you could share God’s Word with?
What does it mean that Christ was “acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3)?
What do you most look forward to when your grief is erased by the eternal restoration God has promised?

In your time with God this week,

1. Thank God for comfort in our grief and our moments of mourning.

2. Ask God to help you share His Word to comfort those around you that are grieving.

3. Commit to focus on God as you face grief and accept His comfort.

ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY:

SCRIPTURES OF COMFORT:

"Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted." -Matthew 5:4

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengence of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion -- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning." -Isaiah 61:1-3

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

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." -- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." --Isaiah 53:3

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. " -- 2 Corinthians 5:21

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there by mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." --Revelation 21:4