DO YOU NEED COMFORT?
MISERABLE COMFORTERS

In the Bible, a man named Job went through a horrible time and needed comfort. Some people tried to help, but didn’t do a very good job. Job 16:1-2 says, Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. There are many things that people turn to for comfort, that comfort miserably. Alcohol is a miserable comforter. Drugs is a miserable comforter. Bars and nightclubs are miserable comforters. Worldly friends are miserable comforters. Many times, people will look for comfort in those things and never find it. Those things will just make more problems.

Jesus said He would send the Comforter, Who is the Holy Spirit. There is so much comfort that God can give through His Spirit, His Son, His Word, church, and other Christians. I hope that if you need comfort, that you will look in the right place.

Most of us have heard those verses before, but really haven't stopped to study and to see how wonderful they are. God says that if I have a burden I am to go to Him and He will give me rest. That word for rest means "to refresh". Then God says to take His yoke on us and learn of Him, and we will find rest. That word for rest is different. That word means "recreation". God says if I just want to get refreshed, then come to Him, but if I want to have fun (recreation), then I need to work with Him. Most people are trying to get their recreation from the world or from sin and never feel fulfilled. I know the idea seems to be very different, but I know it is true and it works.

Are you burdened today? Do you have problems you can't fix? Go to God and get refreshed; then work with God and have fun.

Jesus was not like that. He loved everyone, and accepted them where they were and helped them from there. When someone had messed up his life, Jesus was ready to salvage it. The Bible says in John 6:12, "...gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." This is the story about the bread and the fish that had been multiplied. If Jesus cared even about the fragments of fish and bread, how much more does he care about our fragmented lives?

Do you feel like your life is only a fragment of what it was or what it could have been? Come to Jesus and He will gather you up and use you. Jesus loves you and will never give up on you.

Someone may say that it shows a lack of faith. I think it shows faith in God to ask Him why. It shows that you know that God is in charge. It also shows faith to believe that there is a reason why I am going through the burden that I have. We may not know why now, but if we stay faithful and keep doing what God wants us to do, we will find out why.

Any burden through which God allows us to go will work together for good if we love God and will keep His commandments. There will come a day when you can say, God, thank you for the burden. I now know why.

The other thing we want the lighthouse to represent is a beacon of hope. Many people have been shipwrecked, or just seem to be drowning in life. We want this beacon to be a beacon of hope and a place where they can come and have their lives rebuilt.

If you or someone you know needs the light of Jesus, or a beacon of hope, just let us know and we will try to help.

There are a lot of things that are used to get away. Some people use drugs and alcohol to "get away." That is a horrible way to get away, because that will only accentuate the problems, and will cause more problems. Some get away or take refuge in a weekend getaway, a relaxing game, or just a good book.

God knew that we would need a refuge, so He told us what would be a good refuge for us. In Psalms 9:9, God said He would be a refuge to the oppressed and a refuge in times of trouble. In Psalms 46:1, God said He would be our refuge and strength, and a very present help in time of trouble.

A refuge is a place we run to when we are in trouble, have burdens, or are just fed up with life. There is no better refuge than Jesus. He knows our burdens and fears, and He also can fix them. Run to Jesus; He is our refuge.