Stan West, reflecting that this time of year, we hear the familiar  refrain, “peace on earth- good will toward men,” suggests that peace is a very rare commodity on this earth. What the world needs is peace, but it will not be achieved by any human means, but only with the return of Jesus Christ. The god of this world wants to strip this world from all the fruits of God's spirit. What the world and God's people need now is comfort. Sometimes Murphy's Law seems to dictate our reality: “When things are bad, we can take comfort that things could be worse, and when things get worse, we take comfort that things could only get better.” God has provided comfort from many angles, including our spouses, children, and our friends. The prophets as well as the preachers of God can provide comfort for His people. Any Christian, who has wrestled and has prevailed against sin can provide comfort to another Christian similarly afflicted. Sometimes the comfort can be reciprocal. We receive comfort from the gift of God's Holy Spirit, named the Comforter.  Nahum provided comfort to Judah, promising that they will be avenged. We absolutely need comfort from the onslaught of Satan's world. Isaiah 40 has been referred to as the volume of “comfort” , indicating that the absolute sovereign God is forgiving and comforting, giving strength to the weak and weary. We need to take on the characteristics of Almighty God, providing mercy and comfort to others, using God's word and empathy from experience.

Christmas Eve * Comfort * Deaths in the community * I Corinthians 13 * I Thessalonians 4:13 * God of all mercy and comfort * God is love * Isaiah 51:3 61:1 * Isaiah 40: 1 * Islamic revolution * Jackie DeShannon - What The World Needs Now (1965) * Job 2:11 * John 10:33; 14-17 * John 16: 7 - 33 * Killings of Cambodia * Korean war * Loving our children * Molly  the dog * Nahum * Natalie Holloway * 9-11 * "Peace on earth, good will toward man” * Psalm 19:49-50 * Revelation 20 * II Corinthians 2:6 * Police action * Untimely deaths * II Corinthians 1: * War on terror * What the world needs now is love