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We live in a world filled with suffering, trials and hardship that results in a worldwide
cry for comfort from the pain. Natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis cause pain. Terror
attacks, wars, torture, persecution, slavery, crime and violence leave victims cringing, crumpled, and dead in
their wake. These shattered, scarred, heartbroken victim survivors need comfort. There are millions suffering
from famine. Worldwide fuel shortages have trickle down affects that complicate and create stress and strain. We
live in a world that has lost its relational way with an influx of immorality, manipulation, extortion, and
betrayal. Traditional marriage is under attack. The family unit is in chaos. There is so much deception in the
world that people are groping in every nook and cranny, every far fetched far out fallacy for truth (e.g. The DaVinci Code). On top of all this, our bodies are breaking down moment by moment as we age and succumb to disease. We may try to stem the tide
of aging, but the battle of the bulge and wrinkle is often one that leads to embarrassing exploits in pill
popping and plastic surgery (even amongst the young). People die every day and their loved ones are left behind
to grieve. In all of this the cry is for comfort. Where can comfort
be found? “Where can I find the comfort I need?” The comfort you need can be found with God.
While the circumstances of the letter to a great extent are a defense by Paul of his apostolic authority, the
timeless truth of Second Corinthians is that The
God of All Comfort is sufficient to sustain us in the face of trials like opposition and suffering. This
epistle describes the comfort God provides as well as what we need to do to experience it. This God inspired
letter from Paul has a deep message of the comforting nature of God. In the opening lines we read:
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Corinthians 1:3-4 - 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us
in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which
we ourselves are comforted by God.
There is good reason to praise and bless God for His comfort as we will see. If you are
hurting in some way or know someone who is, there is comfort available to you, God has it, and He wants to share
that comfort with you. Come study with us as we learn about and experience The God of All Comfort.
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